Christmas Countdown: Paper doves

I've made these before in school, but this time I've used sheet music to make the doves. I got a book of music from a charity shop for £1.50 and there's lots left. When I bought it, I felt a pang of guilt knowing that it would be cut into bits rather than used to make music, but it will give us happiness in another way. My piano playing on the other hand certainly wouldn't bring happiness to anyone with eardrums.

Anyway, here's how:

Stick a sheet of music to the front and back of a solid piece of card (I used a cereal box.)

Draw the body of a dove and cut out.

Make a hole for the wings to go through. A craft knife would be useful here. I made a slightly less professional job by pushing one blade of a pair of scissors through into a ball of blu-tack.

Concertina a rectangle of sheet music and push half-way through the hole. Fan out prettily.

Make a small hole in the back of the dove and loop through some thread or ribbon to suspend it.

These would look lovely on a Christmas tree, but as we're not having one this year for fear that Alice would eat her body weight in needles, I've hung my little flock from my dresser.

Christmas Countdown: Dried Oranges

It's December, and this year I'm absurdly excited. Knowing that Alice will really appreciate it for the first time is making me see it through her eyes, I think. Being a stay at home mum has allowed me to fulfil my dream of having a craft filled, home made sort of Christmas, and to encourage me to do as much as I can I've decided to try and write a blog post a day to document what we've been up to. I hope I don't regret making this promise!

To start off then, here's my first offering!

Dried Oranges

Cut the oranges into slices around 1cm thick and sponge dry with kitchen paper or a cloth.

Rub with ground cinnamon and nutmeg, or whatever Christmassy spices you like best.

Put directly onto oven rack (I put mine on a wire cooling rack first to make it easier to get them out)

Heat at 130° (GM 1) for about an hour or until the oranges are dry.

Use a needle and thread to make ties to hang the slices up with, or leave them as they are in a glass jar, vase or bowl.

Unfortunately, my terrifyingly temperamental oven scorched a few slices, but I still like them, and they smell amazing.

Tips for a Tummy Bug

For the second time in a month, it appears that Alice has a stomach bug. My heart sank when she was sick again this morning, but I have learnt from my last experience and I am finding it it much easier to cope. A while ago, I ditched my usual cleaning products in favour of all natural stuff, but found it a challenge when all I wanted to do was bleach every conceivable surface to be sure I'd killed off the bug. With a few modifications, I came up with a more environmentally friendly and healthier alternative to caring for a sick baby.

• Have a jug a water at hand with a few drops of tea tree oil for antibacterial/antiviral action and some lavender oil for the lovely smell. It's easy then to grab a cloth and mop up any unpleasantness straight away.
• Try to use a sick bucket/bowl. This might seem incredibly obvious to most people, but I was mopping up from the floor with so many muslins my wash load was huge before I realised there was a better way.
• Have a bundle of rags or muslins in every room and replenish before you need them.
• A bucket with a lid filled with yet more water and a couple of drops of tea tree oil is very handy for chucking in any cloths or clothes that are waiting to be washed.
• If you're breastfeeding, try to do so little and often. It's hard to stop them midfeed, but is easier on their stomachs. Try having a toy nearby to distract them with part way through.
• Put some cinnamon in a pan of water and boil to get rid of unpleasant smells and freshen the house.
• Use a waterproof sheet over your mattress, and have at least one spare set of bedding and nightwear next to the bed for quick changes in the night.
• Put away toys that are difficult to clean and wipe the ones left out with the tea tree and lavender water every so often.
• Cover upholstered surfaces with towels or flat nappies to protect them.
  
• Wash your hands frequently!
  

With any luck, these tips should help to prevent others getting the bug and keep your home naturally clean. If you know of any other ways to avoid or deal with bugs, post a comment!