The Mock Turtle

Those snowmen are so cute!

Thank you! We’ve made some Hama bead things as well.

I’m onto the origami trees now, but I want them green and our origami paper is only coloured on one side which makes me twitch.

I did mine with white printer paper, Squirrel, it looks surprisingly good. I looked at coloured and patterned origami paper in a local craft shop last week but actually think I prefer plain white.

If your paper is colour on one side only it shouldn’t matter, you only see one side (I think!)

I’ve used white too but it’s a bit too serene and tasteful for us .

The green does work one sided but it’s annoying me. It’s also easier with children if you don’t have to think about right and wrong sides when instructing them. I’m also extremely thick and have to watch the instructions at 0.25 speed 10 times before I get it right, but despite doing this one of my trees only came out with four bits and I’ve no idea what I did differently on that one . I really am quite dim.

Could the children colour the paper before starting to do the origami? If you fold the paper into quarters first and tell them the middle will be the top and the outside will be the bottom they could draw garlands easily enough?

I had trouble with it first too, but once it clicked I was flying with it!

I’m not introducing colouring or we’ll never get to the end .

I’ve figured out the branches now; I hadn’t zigzagged them, I skipped a step by mistake.

G used a white pad of A3 paper I bought in Ikea ages ago and rescued from the packers at last minute.

I’m very happy to have inspired someone! Show us your paper forests G is knocking them out, everyone who sees them loves them so they were extras for Liv’s party bags today and he gave one to the old lady who was next door but one who thought she’s missed us when we moved but was delighted (but obviously disappointed for us) we’d just moved down the street for a bit

The trees are all practice ones so far. I haven’t used the proper forest green origami paper yet, only the light green. I want to do different sizes and shades of green but the children have lost interest while I get more obsessed .

These are their Hama bead creations so far, we had to send Mr S out for more beads. The girl with what looks like a yellow X, is actually wearing in a gold star costume like C’s friend did in their Christmas play.

I just love those Squirrel! The star costume ornament is just

I made the Liv a pine forest birthday bundt and it’s so pretty and easy I’m going to make loads as Christmas presents. Hers was vanilla but I’ve got orange, peppermint and gingerbread bundts bookmarked.

Emma, that looks amazing. Was she pleased?

I love all of yours, squirrel.

I love those Squizz!

That's really cute emma. I want a forest bundt tin so much.

They cost so much here I used my Christmas job money for it (before I was even paid) but everyone at the party asked to borrow it over christmas so I could always hire it out

£47! (Even more than I thought)

If you were closer I’d let you borrow it!

I gave G the job of buttering and flouring and was a bit concerned it wouldn’t come out but it popped out perfectly

Good work G!

I think I’d quite like to live with emma.

Join us in the airbnb!

That cake looks a-ma-zing .

That cake looks perfect and I love your decorations, Squirrel!

The Hama bead Christmas pud is so cute. We’re still plodding on with the fucking bead decorations for teachers. T’s doing brilliantly with them but I told Mr O I’d lost the will to live and M overheard and said he had too.

We lost two decorations thanks to my poor ironing technique and I almost smashed the iron to bits in a rage.

Yes I was going to get the children to do a mix of bead snowmen, Hama decorations and origami trees to put in with the teachers’ cards (only one item each!), but yesterday’s efforts didn’t yield anywhere near enough so I can see myself doing most of them if we’re going to go ahead.