Advent Calendar

This year will be Nate's first time having an advent calendar, and it'll be a homemade one. There are a lack of good pictures of the advent calendar as Nate insisted on it going in his tent and then either laying on top of it or hiding under it. It is also not 100% finished, at the minute it doesn't have his name on it.

All of the numbers are in order unlike most advent calendars this was mainly to make it easier for Nate to get the right present and also so he can learn the number orders.

It makes a perfect blanket to hide under

What am I going to put in each of the pockets? Well every day there will be two little chocolates and a sticker. I found some lovely scratch and sniff stickers in one of our local shops. Nate loves his stickers so will love having a sticker everyday. For the weekend days he also has another little present such as a little puzzle from Tiger Stores(£1 each). 

As Nate is dairy free, I have been making little advent chocolates in non-advent shapes (Dr Who) from his favourite dark chocolate. These were made using the Chocolate mould from lakeland. 

Dr Who Advent chocolates

As Nate is a bit of a Who fan & the Doctor Who Magazine had a advent calendar as their free gift, Nate also has a Dr Who figurine for each day of advent.

We're starting to get a bit excited now.

Making a set of Boots and Bar.

The other day the lovely Bex posted on Twitter how she was looking for some Boots and Bar for a teddy in an effort to make getting her son to wear his Boots more fun. Now I love a good challenge so I offered to make a set.

Here is how I made mine. First I went to look for a pattern for baby shoes, thinking that would be the best route. That didn't work, mainly because it looked nothing like the boots but also teddies have different shaped feet. All teddies are different in the foot department. 

Some of the teddies we have here

So I thought I make one for the middle sized 'normal' teddy foot. If you want to make one yourself draw around the teddies foot and then cut around half a cm away from your drawn line. This is your pattern. 

Pinned boots checking out the sizing

Then based on your teddy you will need to make the back of your boots for my teddy I cut out a rectangle 3cm high by roughly 5cm and sewed this to the back of the foot shape. Then have 1cm in width straps. I pinned them first to work out how much I would need for them to fit my bear. 

Finished Boot

On the top strap I used a buckle to allow the boots to be put on and off with ease and to make it slightly more realistic. I found these in my local haberdashery. 

For the bar, I attached two poppers for the boots to attach to the bar. 

How the Boots attach to the Bar

The bar size I based on my teddies leg length as if it is too long they won't stay on. I used felt to make these Boots and Bar as it is a very versatile fabric although it doesn't get on well with velcro which is why I have used poppers and a buckle. 

Finished Boots and Bar