Handpainted Mugs and other porcelain.

Another Thrifty Christmas Post inspired by Violet posy and by the Cowgirl in Wellies.

We made these for MaxiMads teachers in July to say thank you for looking after him at Preschool.

They were really simple to make, I purchased some porcelain paint from Baker Ross ages ago and it last and lasts.  we did designs based on finger prints as it is much easier for children to do them.

You paint the mug or what ever you want, we used egg cups, bread trays and cups, but also plan to do plates with hand-prints on for the grandparents and godparents.

White crockery can bee picked up very inexpensively from all of the major supermarkets and in Asda at the moment they are doing 4 mugs for 99p, which wold make this really inexpensive indeed.

Once the cups and other crockery has been painted you set the paint according to the manufacturer's instructions in the oven and then they are even suitable for washing in a dishwasher.

I popped some different hot chocolate sachets and herbal t-bags in the cups.

Now these are very childish decorations, but if you go and take a look at The Cowgirl in Wellies post about Hand-painted Holiday Mugs, you will see how professional they can look!!

I am not scared of the dark Mummy......

I am Dave said MiniMad tonight.

MadDad replied you mean Brave

To which he replied no I mean Dave and spent the rest of the evening insisting on being called Dave!!

Priceless.

Tea Cup Candles

Well I have been busy preparing for Christmas, we like to give homemade and  handcrafted presents and this year at TheMadHouse we are a little strapped for cash due to illness and other issues, so I am trying to make it a Thrifty Christmas.

I have been collecting pretty tea cups, saucers and tea plates from charity shops since the summer to turn them into tea cup candles for Mini and Maxi Mads teachers, teaching assistants and also the lovely ladies that run the toddler group we attend.

So  I thought I would do a quick tutorial and let you know just how easy and child friendly this is to do with the introduction of eco soy wax.

Eco Wax is wonderful, not only is it environmentally friendly made from 100% soy beans, it is clean burning and melts at a lower temperature, making it super easy and perfect for the craft enthusiast or first timer like MaxiMad and me.

What you need:

Tea cups of other containers

Wicks (I used premade voltive ones)

EcoSoy Container Wax

Scented Oils (I used Jasmine)

A microwaveable jug

I got the wax, wicks and fragrance from Debbie at Whicks n Whacks.  She is very reasonably priced especially when you take into account postage etc.

We started by washing the cups in hot water and drying them thoroughly (actually I popped them in the dishwasher),  we then melted a small amount of wax in our hands and popped a tiny amount on the bottom of the pre waxed wick and placed them in the centre of the tea cups.

We then melted some wax in the microwave just until it had all turned liquid and added 10% of the volume of fragrance to it.

Then I poured the wax into the cups and allowed to set.

It was as easy as making a cup of tea.  But the most wonderful art of this is that Eco-Soy wax is washable with soap and water, so you can wash the tea cups out and reuse them.  Any spills you make will also wipe away really easily. 

In fact I had collected so many cups and saucers we care going to have some left over, so if you are intested in buying one, please email me.

All I need to do now is to make some labels for them on luggage tags, with the details of the Eco Wax and reusability of the tea cups.

A homemade Girls Present - Bag and Purse with Beads

MaxiMad was off to a birthday party on Saturday and we only got the invite on Tuesday.  With me being in hospital I have not had the chance to go out and find anything suitable and I only have presents suitable for boys in our stash at the moment.

So I had a chat with Maxi Mad and we decided to make a small drawstring bag and a purse and fill it with lovely wooden beads and elastic for making bracelets and such.

We also stamped her name on with permanent fabric ink, for the personal touch.  He came in to the study and picked which fabric he liked for her and helped me stamp the name, so was involved in it all and here is the finished version.

I hope she likes it.  I am thinking of making the same for my nieces and the other girls we buy for at Christmas.

Spiritual Sunday

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.

Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
Lest we forget .

Bonfire Party

What can I say about the wonderful night we had the Bonfire night party at my brothers and sister in laws social club.

It was a wonderful night, with 200 people turning up for the marvelous fireworks that my Brother and the team put on (he is already trying to make next year bigger and better).

The children's disco is something to behold, in fact MiniMad is the Disco King and he spent the whole 2 and half hours on the dance floor, well apart from the 5 mins he spent munching on a couple of hotdogs!!

MaxiMad loved the fireworks this year and enjoyed dancing to the disco outside and watching the outdoor screen show of all the photographs taken at the Halloween Party and only sit still to eat his jacket potato and then mine!!

I danced with the children most of the night and had a fantastic time.  Yes I suffered with some soreness and stiffness yesterday, but it was worth it for the fun had by all.

Tonight

Tonight I am tired, tonight I am sore, tonight I was going to leave you with a video of the minimads at the wonderful Fireworks Party, but I am not up to spending that much time at the laptop, so instead I will leave you with a glimpse........

Of my boys having the best time ever. Thank you Bro and Sister In Law for a fantastic night and that is why I am am sore and tired, but it was all worth it.  So it is self inflicted, I hurt as I had to go with them, I wanted to watch them and I wanted to dance too.  So it is a good sore and it is only pain!!