Crafting Christmas

Yesterday was wet...very wet. Puddles pooled along the drive and the horses in the field behind our home looked rather miserable so I pulled on my wellies and treated them each to a carrot. When they saw me waving carrots at them from across the field they came trotting over quickly...so sweet.

The wet weather meant that it was actually perfect weather for a little Christmas crafting. As we were leaving Sunnycroft house on Saturday, feeling all inspired, we found lots of pretty pine cones alongside the drive. Of course, we gathered up a whole heap to hang from our tree this year.

A bit of hessian and ribbon makes for simple but pretty decorations for our simple Sunnycroft 'make-do-and-mend' Christmas this year.

The best thing about crafting a simple Christmas is the time that you spend together. It's not really about having the most stylish tree or home, rather it was the time we spent crafting together which I will be reminded of each time I look at these little cones.

We also made some spiced orange pomander balls for a little coffee table display. Again, I noticed a little bowl of pomander balls at the entrance of Sunnycroft house and was reminded that the last time I made pomanders for Christmas was in 2012! 

Oh my gosh...the house smelled so Christmassy as we studded the oranges with cloves. So many memories from years past came flooding back, brought on by the aroma. Memories of that Christmas, of a friend in SA who put clove oil on her son's sore tooth which promptly made him sick, of using clove oil years ago in my floor mopping water because of it's strong antibacterial properties. Memories of comfort and joy, of precious friends, of time, spent making memories. 

That's what life is about, isn't it? It's about people, love, friendship. It's about time. Time spent with people is what matters. Sadly, my husband and I both lost our fathers in car accidents about 5 years apart. You never know when time with your loved ones is up. We need to cherish those we love, spend time with them while we can and create precious memories that can pop up years later and bring joy to your heart. That is something I want to be mindful of during this season...and always actually. I want to be more concerned with people than with stuff or experiences.

Lovelies...have a wonderful weekend. Stay warm, be cosy and make lots of precious memories with your loved ones. Blessings to you all...