It’s Day Seventeen on the Advent Calendar, and a week today it will be Christmas Eve! How are you getting on with the preparations?  I spoke to someone today who said she had been into the city  Christmas shopping four times since Friday!!! And on one of those day she was there from 10.30am till 4.30pm!!!  I feel faint at the thought…Hooray for Handmade and online shopping I say!

As I mentioned last time the Christmas tree went up yesterday.  It’s alway lovely finding all the decorations which hark back over the years, a very eclectic mix.  That means though that all the little extras I’ve been making fit in very well, and also this gorgeous stocking I bought at the Christmas Fair on Saturday…

Today’s make for the Advent Calendar celebrates 2012 on Planet Penny, the Year of the Mouse!

There have been quite few mice running around what with one thing and another, from the Wedding mice from this post…

…to the Rainbow Mice Clock…

What I’ve found so great about the mouse patterns is the versatility.  It came into being because I wanted to use the Planet Penny Yarn, but as I wrote in this post, just changing the yarn and the hook means you can have a mouse for any occasion!!

So while the larger mouse pattern is perfect for making a  squidgy soft toy made in chunky yarn with embroidered features, just right for peeking out of a stocking…

The tiny mice from the Mini Mice Fridge Magnet Pattern, made with a fine hook and embroidery thread look so sweet peeking out among the branches on the Christmas tree…

…so much kinder on the teeth than the sugar variety!

There must be many a pampered pussy cat which would love a fat mouse stuffed with dried cat mint on Christmas Morning, and the tiny ones fit on hair slides, brooches and if you’re really game for a laugh, earrings!

I must head back into the house now and try and get the rest of the Christmas cards written as tomorrow is the last day for 2nd Class post…eeek!

…but I shall be back tomorrow…x