A crafty getaway

I've been away, without the family.  It was a ladies' retreat weekend with my friend Carole in Devon.

The theme was prepare for Christmas, and in past years had been in November.  This year though,  Lee Abbey, were more prepared than even I am and held it in October!

We spent all day on the Saturday making crafts for Christmas and thinking about God as our Father, a loving caring Father.  It is good to take some time for the normal things we do and concentrate on the meaning of Christmas, away from distractions and in beautiful surroundings.  The Devon countryside and coastline is a great reminder of God's amazing creative powers and that in each of us is a little bit of the creativity which we can use to express His love for us and the world.  Mine comes out, I hope, through the cards and crafts I make.

This panel will go on some calico to make a cushion cover:

Christmas Cushion cover

Felt Decoration - Christmas Pudding

Felt Decoration - Reindeer

These gorgeous decorations will probably hang on my fireplace this year.

I just loved the lamp in the lounge at Lee Abbey and thought it set off this card I made. It almost made up for the fact, that being earlier in the year, the log fire was not lit in there:

Christmas Card - Cheneycraft

I am following the Christmas Organized - House and Holiday Grand plan, and each week I am making and writing one fifth of my Christmas Cards so by the end of October they are all written and ready for posting later on.  Here are this week's:

Christmas cards - Cheneycraft

One last craft from the weekend - cake toppers.  We don't have a traditional fruit Christmas as no-one in our house, except me, would eat it.  However, this year we thought we might make cup cakes and decorate with some of these toppers:

Fondant Icing Cake toppers

This week's Bible verse we are studying is from Psalms and I think I will use it in a craft this week as a reminder:

Take delight in the Lord, 

and he will give you

 the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4 NIV

Our prayer as a family this week is for all the children who are sponsored through Compassion, throughout the world.  Especially Neomi and Wildjino who we sponsor and for the preparations that are taking place for their Christmases.  We pray for all churches who are taking part in Compassion Sunday today (19 October) and we pray that more families in the UK will be moved to share their love with those less foortunate and through the letters and sponsorship, God's love will be spread around the world.

With God's blessings from my family to yours,

Jo x

Film Premier

There has been great excitement in our house this week.  Josh and friends made a film over the summer.

As director and camera man, Josh has been arranging a premier night to share their hard work with his Explorer Scout unit and other units in our area.

The dress code was formal (as it should be for a premier) and they even had a red carpet.

Ready for the premier of "The kettle is on its way"

It also gave Jacob an opportunity to raise some more funds for his Japan Jamboree trip.  Jacob sold popcorn and pix & mix before and during the interval.


A great evening was had by all and Jacob raised £50 for his trip.  Here's a link to the film trailer if you would like a sneak peak, before its BAFTA nomination!! The Kettle is on its way

In other activity at Cheneycraft base camp, I have been making Christmas cards to ensure I can send a handmade card to each of my Christmas Card list friends.  I have 27 more to make, which I have spread out over the next three weeks.  Here's a sneak peak at the ones from this week.

Homemade Christmas Cards 2014 

I have also been preparing for the start of Autumn and the first thing was to change my seasonal decoration.

Autumn vignette

Andy has been harvesting the late crop from the vegetable patch and we have a great stock of potatoes, onions and beetroot.  We even have runner beans still growing, as it is still very mild here.

Beetroot crop 2014

This week's bible verse for inspiration is a good reminder in all the business that follows the return to school and the approach of Christmas and all its festivities. (I know that's twice I've mentioned Christmas in October):

It is the Lord your God you must follow, 

and him you must revere. 

Keep his commands and obey him; 

serve him and hold fast to him.

Deuteronomy 13:4

Our prayer as a family this week is for all those who find themselves without the warmth and comfort of a secure roof over their heads as the weather turns.  

With God's blessings from my family to yours,

Jo x