reduce

I'm trying to reduce the amount of packaging that I use (both recyclable and not). Most packaging is from food e.g.

• tinned tomatoes and baked beans
• yoghurt pots
• plastic fruit punnets

I am aiming to tackle these bit by bit, starting with the tomatoes. The plan is to order extra tomatoes with the veg box on Friday and then transform these into chopped tomatoes which we can use throughout the week. Should be doable !

yarn along

Joining in (for the first time in ages) with Ginny's yarn along.

I have been knitting small items recently. There has been a spate of headbands. One for a Christmas present and two requests. The latest, the pink one in the picture, was for Hannah. I am a sucker for those single balls of interesting wool that live in charity shops. I knit this green/rust/blue one into a neck warmer for me.

My mindless-can-be-done-with-kids-around knitting is currently another neckwarmer for Hannah. Well at least that's what I hope it's going to turn out as. Hannah thinks it's going to be a skirt for one of her dolls.

I have decided I want to knit the kids birthday jumpers this year. Thomas' birthday is in April. Better make a start soon.......

I seem to be reading lots of books at the moment, but I forgot to put any of them into the photo! I am finding 'Living with the Active Alert Child' (I have one) by Linda Budd very interesting, and I think it will have some useful ideas in it. I like the way she analyses different styles of families, and talks about how each family style has useful components and how each one can adapt itself to better suit this type of child. This seems a more useful approach to me than one which suggests a specific way to parent.

the makings

It's a long time ago already, but I'm finally getting round to posting the things I made for Christmas gifts.

First some teacup candles for the kindergarten teachers. (I followed the instructions here)

Some quick handwarmers. No finished photo for these. I mistakenly put the edging on the wrong edge, but then decided they fit better that way anyway.

Several jars of handcream. I love making this because it's really easy and quick, and the finished product is very nice.

A baby surprise jacket (I actually started knitting this a few years ago but the baby grew too big before it was finished. Luckily another one came along!)

A knitted crown. I like how it looked after I stitched the letters on.

And a colourful scarf (it's the child's rainbow scarf in 'Last minute knitted gifts' by Joelle Hoverson). I enjoyed making this one, I love knitting in Noro and watching the colours change is quite addictive).