Sometimes wonderful things just happen. No real planning, just the happen-stance of ideas, material and mid afternoon sleeps.

This morning Little E was cutting out shapes, and handed me paper diamonds for a necklace. As i made my paper necklace, we talked about making a necklace with flowers, and she decided she needed a balloon and a sun. We started thinking about other things in the air and the drawings began. While I put the finishing touches on the sketch for this, E was already miles ahead and planning the next one. Apparently, it will feature an octopus and other things that live in the water.

This afternoon, as Miss H slept we chose colours, cut shapes and played hide and seek. Threading was a lot trickier that I thought. I will use thinner yarn next time. Listening quietly for the giggles before the seek part helps too.

And in answer to the question "does she like it?" I think we have a resounding yes.

Sign ups are still open for the Small Hands Christmas Swap. There is a delightful list of Helping Hands gathering below the button* to the left too. These Helping Hands have signed up on behalf of some very eager Small Hands. Drop me a line of you would like to join them.

I've been hunting for some craft ideas for your small hands. The projects above were found by searching through both The Crafty Crow** and Sew Mama Sew. You can find details for each of these projects in the following locations:

1 - Bead Stars
2 - Mini Wreathes
3 -Thumbprint trees
4 - Kids Felt Decorations
5 - Cork Trees6 - Paper Balls
7 -Clothes Peg Fairies
8 - Bullfinch Decorations
9 - Pinecone elves

And there is a whole heap of Christmas Card ideas over here too.

*It's finally working, but you will need to head over to the flickr group to get your copy of the button.

** Pure brilliance in kids craft. If you haven't visited there already, you must. Go! Now! or even shortly after signing up for the swap.

This week has been a staycation. I’ve left the train behind for a week, and spent some well deserved time on my own. The oven has never been cleaner or the lamp shades brighter. I have been hunting through the garage for some elusive fabric, only to come up with this, our empty wedding album. With the random acts of cleaning out of the way, I was finally in the right frame of mind to fill the album.

The length of time since out wedding is embarrassing, not because of a child’s birth date or any such scandal, but because it took me 6 ½ years to put the photos in an album.

The photos were all taken by my sister in law as our wedding present. They were on film. This is almost positively retro cool now. I am even more impressed that there is no manipulation, cropping or such. She’s certainly talented.

It has been a lovely series of afternoons putting photos in order, remembering friends I haven’t seen in a long time and reminiscing about a very full and wonderful day. Especially dear to me are the photos of relatives who have passed away, including my mother in law, who died suddenly just weeks before little E was born.

Every year, in the month before our anniversary, I have vowed to finally get the photos in an album. Each year I was foiled by lack of time, lack of album or just that it felt like a chore.

I’m pleased that the time was right. It certainly wasn’t a chore. I’ve poured my self some big cups of tea, gazed in awe at how young we all look and finished the album. Now it’s time to tie a big silver ribbon on it and surprise the rest of the family.