Weston Cricket Club hosted an awesome handmade fair last week. As soon as I got to entrance door, I knew I would be going home with a boot full of goodies.

craftfair1

craftfair2

Bustling crowds, more stalls than I imagined and bargains galore. It was an Etsy lovers dream of local crafters who genuinely had no idea how affordable their prices were.

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craftfair4

As predicted I needed a stall holder's husband to help me to the car. I spied these painted wooden shelves that are perfect for our newly refurbished dining room! Don't they look fab, adored with our best glasses? £35 - sold to the woman with the thick fringe! If only I had been quicker, I could have snapped up her painted vintage suitcase and added it to our luggage collection.

shelves

I picked up a vintage glass washboard for £10 which has made a beautiful wall hanging in the lounge and several Christmas gifts for friends and family, including a hand sewn fabric letter to Father Christmas envelope, a Santa's sleigh key to hide in the porch, a cute hair clip holder for £5 and this padded humming bird print note board for my office! An early treat from me to me!

washboard

board

It was great to see so many people supporting local crafters. Plus I discovered some incredible talent! Looking forward to the next fair on the 6th December at the Winter Gardens in Weston super Mare.

fcontent

I have gone a little mad with the desiccated coconut this week. Firstly, because I bought a whole bag to make Halloween ghost breadsticks and never got round to it and secondly, because you can stick it in anything! Try adding it to pan fried prawns with a little seasoning and balsamic vinegar. We had ours over pasta and it gave the prawns a sticky sweet and sour taste - delicious.

Or stir it through piping hot rice. I always order coconut rice if we have an Indian meal and now I can have it whenever at home!

But the best way to use it is in a magic reindeer mix!

Mix a cup of porridge oats, a cup of desiccated coconut and some edible cake sprinkles. Then when you scatter it on Christmas Eve to guide Father Christmas' reindeers to your door, it won't harm any birds or bugs who may have a nibble! So skip the glitter and raid your cake decorating supplies! Pour some into cellophane and tie with ribbon for a sweet gift to little ones.

I recently attended big boy's pre school open morning. I was really impressed with his attempts at writing his own name and I was pleased that the practising we have done at home is paying off. However, the pre school leader made a very valid point about the way I was encouraging him at home.

I was always taught to join the dots, but that is the wrong way. Joining dots simply teaches children to well, join the dots rather than the continual flow of the letter itself.

With that in mind, we made a game to encourage big boy to feel the shapes the letters make.

He helped me with all the materials, lovingly screwed up 40 silver foil balls and donned a blindfold to feel the furry, beaded and foil letters of his name.

Mark out in pencil your chosen words. Glue in place your materials. Leave to dry and then get feeling!

I used baking paper over the top of the canvas boards for him to draw over as we didn't have any tracing paper!

He can hang them on his bedroom wall, for a feel whenever he fancies!