ON THE ELEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

DAY 11

Bachgen said that he'll do the cutting. Then he did some gluing too. Then he did some mark-making. In between 'hide-and-seek', 'duvet-sea-with-monster' play and with the constant musical accompaniment of Baban's new Thomas tank engine bubble machine, we managed 6 ' thank-you-for-amazing-Christmas-gift' cards.

ON THE TENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

DAY 10

So okay, I must admit that I hadn't realized how slippery potato stamps are. What a mess!

Baban's looking in the mirror. His vocal sounds are so varied now.

Bachgen made no mess at all, although I did request that he paint/print without his 'lightening McQueen' jeans on. Both my hands are covered in paint. Who said that I'm a perfectionist...ha!

And now the aroma... nappies-changing-time.

Bachgen said the twine made it look "not fabulous". Star-shaped stickers to the rescue.

ON THE NINTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

DAY 9

It snowed a little last night. Bachgen and I heading to Tesco's for breakfast stuff. Remnants of snow on ground. A few suggestions, but he's got the camera! I love the way he snaps our world.

Second calamity Bachgen slipped on ice outside our front door. He's okay though, no tears, still smiling.

ON THE EIGHTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

DAY 8

'drink ah rum and ah punch-a-creama, drink ah rum...'

Daddy sent me sorrel about 4years ago! We've boiled the last of it and made ice-cubes.

With Baban happy on my hip, Bachgen crushed the cubes, added the orange and lime and soda water and a hand-full of sugar to garnish:)

We enjoyed the icy crushed bits through the straw. No stress this rounds. He's very excited about Christmas.

Steph and G

DAY 8

Well we are into the New Year, And starting as we mean to go on; demolishing a box of Quality Street, we were heartened to find out that the plastic coloured wrappers are compostable. Impressed by this we were inspired to turn the box into something. 'A Castle like Princess Rosa lives in' said G, turning the card and the sweet papers around and picking up the scissors. In the event, G found cutting up the wrappers was very nice and I was delegated cutting a castle shape out of the box card. I took requests as to the shapes of the windows, and what a joy to use plenty of cello-tape to stick the wrappers over the window to make stained glass panes. 'It is not a church you know Mummy, did you think it was a church? it is a winter castle, with a cold tower and a warm tower where you have your bedroom.' We all picked which room we would have if we stayed there. no surprise that G picked the heart shaped window room, putting Nanna in the yellow room , and me in the green room. I t looks nice with the light shining through anyway.

ON THE SEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

DAY 7

Red furry fabric bits all over the carpet! Bachgen using it as a blanket. Ought to get the heating on I suppose...

Steph and G

DAY 7

Boxing day and I realised my promise to make christmas cookies had better be honoured soon. G has been hopefully carrying around cutters for a while. So...main ingredients should be chocolate and cocoa according to g reading from recipe book, with butter sugar and flour. We had a good time syringing in the required 30 ml of water with a 5ml syringe. for some reason Grandad finds this off putting, but G has great skill in measuring with it now, resisting temptation to water pistol onlookers until very near the end. Result...far from perfect, supposed to be holly leaves and doves of peace..however smell fantastical, G and now very interested older sister K pronounce them a success and prove it by eating one of each shape before they are properly cool..

ON THE SIXTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

DAY 6

With Baban held very close to me (arms firmly bound to his sides), glitter can be a lot of fun! The results we placed on the boys' window against our December sunset.

We blew up the red balloon today.

Steph and G

DAY 6

The medium of felt. Felt was high on the must have list this Christmas, and Santa did not do us wrong. G set to work immediately with the scissors to make the shapes that she needed that hadn't come pre-cut. Nothing seemed to have eyes which she found very wrong, and made the necessary adjustments, with little care for what the manufacturers might have considered to be artistic cloud shapes or flora. g asked for help to make a stable, and once this was decided on, all the familiar characters of the nativity story began moving in. cutting out the star for the top of the picture took longer than the rest of the composition all told. i had to hold the tiny piece of felt gingerly, while snips were made increasingly close to my flesh, offering tentative verbal advice that was roundly ignored by my counterpart, as she just unflinchingly got on with the job in hand. With the presence of the star came the question of the kings, didn't they follow it? I explained that actually they showed up later so we needn't worry that the only human figures we had ,were employed already as a rather regal Mary and Joseph. 'The dinosaurs can be Kings, we can put crowns on them.' Which is how tyrannosaurus rex, stegosaurus, and a smaller fella who we must consult our educated friend L for the name of, come to be gambolling merrily into the tableau. They are bearing gifts 'wrapped up like flowers'.

ON THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

DAY 5

Paintbrush, fabric paint and white T-shirt. Bachgen suggested we glue the nose on, since we didn't have any red paint.

John, Tanja and Noa

DAY 5

day 5 was making xmas stockings, learning how to use scissors and sleeping while mom did the sewing!!

Steph and G

DAY 5

There are far too many drinking straws in our world. G has a bit of a sellotape fetish at the moment...and slotting the straws together into triangles just by snipping into one end so it could be squeezed into its adjoining straw was very satisfying.

We sellotaped the triangles together with more sellotape than was strictly necessary, built to last I should say, and made a tinsel hanger loop. 'It looks more like a flower,now!' oh well.

ON THE FORTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

DAY 4

We were planning on doing a painting, but seeing Baban crawling over our cardboard canvas convinced us to start off with Bachgen's drawing and sticking.

So yes, after the balloon fight, we played 'pass the parcel' with a box and lots of his toy animals inside. Baban's getting tired now. Milk time.

Not much left to finish. Bachgen wanted to paint the pink one but 'Numberjacks' a bit too interesting at the moment. Never mind.


WE THREE KINGS.

Tanja, John and Noa

DAY 4

On day 4 it was about writing xmas cards based on images made on day 3

Steph and G

DAY 4

Late for any barely 4yr old at 7pm, and far too late for one haggard mum after heavy hospital shift. However there was a great motivation for cutting out foam. Ok then... Mum has great idea for slot it together stand up christmas tree. 'No, I know how to do it already, you can just draw a coeden nadolig and I can cut it out, ok mummy? because you like drawing don't you?' I did as I was told and this is the result. We are now so tired lying on the floor is the only option, praying for the strength of character to insist on teeth brushing for 2 minutes before pyjamas, G says she will help me pour out the mouthwash, now if we can just get up off the carpet....

ON THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS

DAY 3

Baban in papoose. Ready to go! Pretty straight forward making Bakes. I'm not a great cook though...

Bachgen experienced in pouring and mixing and cutting shapes. They tasted okay, Mummy will be proud.

Tanja, John and Noa

DAY 3

Day 3 was about making a family xmas portrait. we acted out being santas little helpers in the front room, took loads of photos and then photoshopped this result.

Steph and G

DAY 3

19p mugs from supermarket, inspired christmas present idea. G was able to decorate them with ceramic paint pens, only needing me to hold them steady. I had to encourage her to draw really slowly, as with the curve of the cylinder and the extra slickness of the paint pens they would just skid right off the edge, lots of concentration, tongue sticking out and biting of lip to get it just right. We are going to put sweets or soap in them for Nanna and Grandad.

ON THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS

DAY 2

Baban asleep at the moment. Got the stencils done. Bachgen excited, he loves our pink tool-box. Just emptied his jigsaw over the floor. We'll have to come back to the work later.

Printing with sponge has been quite fun. he kept talking about Sid from Cbeebies and his 'splat painting'. Thank goodness we didn't have any bouncy balls at hand!

What messy fun! Now to frame when they dry.

Gluing went okay. Bit of taking turns between Baban and Bachgen. Baban thinks glue stick is a very important teething device.



What's amazing and truly beautiful is the way in which the simplest thing can make Bachgen smile. Our rolled piece of leatherette has now become a pirate's telescope. Loads of fun!

Tanja, John and Noa

DAY 2

a snowman made from thai sticky rice and bits of sugarsnap. noa ate it with his fingers.

Steph and G

DAY 2

Having only got a computer at the start of November, it is a true collaboration of myself and 4yrs old G as we discover what it can do together. Both excited to find 'paint' on there. I remember finding it incredibly cutting edge, on a work experience placement 22yrs ago! G took to it easily, having great control over the paintbrush, managing to draw angel at top of tree. She went wild with the pink tinsel, just as she and her sister have done in our front room!

ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS....

DAY 1

I don't think this is going to work. first of all, can't really agree on anything. Baban eating the glitter pens. Bachgen wanting to make dinosaurs and my attempt at convincing them to design baubles!... seriously, what was I thinking?

Too many things. going through the art boxes got him excited i think, so yes, we ended up with a balloon. Baban sucking on glue stick. the lid is on. he's happy.

Bachgen had great suggestion for next one... he said printing! Excellent, although i think he meant printing from the computer.

1st calamity: glue gun burn on Bachgen's left knee.

He says dinosaurs didn't have snow in their habitat. I say our work can be make-believe. I think the little palaeontologist won't compromise on that one.

Tanja, John and Noa

DAY 1

a christmastreeshoppinglist that noa and i took to the supermarket, annotated by noa's commentary as they were creating it.

Steph and G

DAY 1

12 Days of Christmas Our first contribution. Had the morning off nursery school, so G and 4yr old friend, M got going with scrap store bits and pieces. Angels and the baby jesus were requested. I did a little cutting out because the foam 'speaker inserts' i think they were in previous life, were pretty sticky. But then it was full steam ahead with sticky shapes, and tinselly bits. Both requested cut out circles for faces and drew them on with biro themselves. last years' christmas shape sequins became of use and it was a rewarding 30 mins, until everyone's appetite overcame them and we had to stop for pizza toast and cherry tomatoes.