The Goblin Market at Christmastime

We're back at the Goblin Market. The merry band of goblins have chosen their favourite festive songs and are playing them on a small dais near the bonfire, just across the way from the bar where you can buy mead and ale and homebrewed cola.

There are stalls set up between the trees, and all the trees have twinkling Christmas lights. Jars filled with glowing fairies light your path as you wander through the market.

There are hobgoblins selling their wares, elves offer henna tattoos, and witches have enchanted perfumes - there's a small trestle table where pixies will gift wrap your purchases free of charge.

Don't try the trolls' egg nog though, it's far too strong for humans!

Putz houses

I made some putz houses. I found instructions on Pinterest (though I did cheat and use a Sizzix die), and made seven of them. I love them! I made them to sell but I want to keep them all :)

Day 25 - I'd Do Anything (for Christopher)

Day 25 of my ‪#‎MusicalAdventCalendar‬ to raise money for Shelter Cymru.

Day 25 - the final track! Thanks to all who donated to my Musical Advent Calendar for Shelter Cymru, you have helped make a massive difference. This song isn't strictly a Christmas song, but Oliver is always on at Christmastime and I wantred a song for my wonderful fiancé Chris. It's also now Christmas Day, so Nadolig Llawen i chi gyd!

My donation page
What Shelter Cymru does and why they need our help

Day 24 - Hallelujah chorus

Day 24 of my ‪#‎MusicalAdventCalendar‬ to raise money for Shelter Cymru.

Today is another bonkers 8-bit bit of loveliness was sponsored by equally bonkers and lovely (and all round darling) Julian Rosser. It's Christmas Eve and I'm on £590, let's see if we can get it a bit higher for this amazing charity - the donation page is open for a few more months, so if you're feeling flush after Christmas, please donate then.

My donation page
What Shelter Cymru does and why they need our help

Day 23 - Some children see him (Rainbow version)

Day 23 of my ‪#‎MusicalAdventCalendar‬ to raise money for Shelter Cymru.

Today is a rather special one. I collaborated with my good friend Kitt of Jesus in Love, to make a new inclusive, queer version of this lovely song. Extra special thanks to Kitt, Audrey and Three-Turtle Man for sending me such excellent ideas, music and love all the way from LA. This was probably the hardest of all the tracks to do, but I love how it turned out.

Kitt will also be promoting this on her blog, and she has kindly allowed me to use her text: 

**
A Rainbow Version of the Christmas carol "Some Children See Him" was released today. It has a new straight/queer stanza added to the standard multiracial lyrics. 

"Some Children See Him" is a delightfully liberating song about how children imagine the baby Jesus looking like them. It has a verse for every race -- so why not a verse for every sexual orientation?

Here are the new lines that I wrote:

Some children see him straight as they Playing like most boys play Some children see him straight as they Straight but not narrow. Some children see him queer or gay Because some kids are born that way Some children see him queer or gay The rainbow child of God.

I even sing on the new track. Our band is called "Kitt and Andy and the Splott Queer Community Singers."

My co-leader Andrew Craig Williams is a queer artist and music maker in Wales. He and many of his queer friends live in an area of Cardiff called Splott. 
http://andrewcraigwilliams.blogspot.com 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splott

Andy often provides queer Christian art for the Jesus in Love Blog. When he asked me to suggest songs for his Musical Advent Calendar, I offered to write some queer lines for "Some Children See Him."

He was immediately enthusiastic and started organizing a group to sing it. I thought he would record everyone singing together in Splott, so I was flabbergasted when he asked, "Is there any way you could record you and Audrey singing?"

I live in Los Angeles, home of the recording industry, so it turned out that there was a way -- with the help of a mystery co-producer behind the scenes in true Hollywood tradition. My life partner Audrey and I are raw amateurs when it comes to singing, so it was rather embarrassing when we got the star treatment at the professional recording studio of a friend, who shall be known here only as Three Turtle Man. But somehow it made sense because it was all for the cause of showing God's unconditional love.

The church has often excluded LGBT people from Christmas festivities, so we all made our best efforts in the spirit of Christ who was born in lowly circumstances to embody God's wildly inclusive love for all.

Andy mixed both our voices into the final version along with heavenly synths, piano, strings, and maybe a bell or two. We are a truly international group, with singers from Wales, England and America.

"Our singers hail from American, Welsh, English, Scottish descent," Andy said. "How's that for multicultural!! A wide range of beliefs too; people from Anglican, Catholic, MCC, pagan, and atheist backgrounds. Wowsers!!"

The Musical Advent Calendar is a fundraiser for Shelter Cymru, a charity for the homeless in Wales. Donations can be made at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/andywills

If you like our Rainbow Version of "Some Children See Him," please consider making a donation at my GoFundMe page for Jesus in Love, a project supporting LGBT spirituality and the arts. http://www.gofundme.com/5mugns

The original lyrics [link] are great, including these words in the final verse: http://www.alfredburtcarols.com/burt/Web%20Pages/This%20Is%20Christmas/Childrensee.htm

The children in each different place will see the baby Jesus' face like theirs, but bright with heavenly grace, and filled with holy light. 
**

My donation page
What Shelter Cymru does and why they need our help

Day 22 - Ring Out Solstice Bells

Day 22 of my ‪#‎MusicalAdventCalendar‬ to raise money for Shelter Cymru.

Today is a collaboration with my lush friend Jane Oriel - she normally sings the blues, but she turned into a folk mistress just for me! Thank you sweetheart.

My donation page
What Shelter Cymru does and why they need our help

Day 21 - Last Xmas

Day 21 of my ‪#‎MusicalAdventCalendar‬ to raise money for Shelter Cymru.

Today is a collaboration with lovely Matt Cook (who did most of the work on this one!)

My donation page
What Shelter Cymru does and why they need our help

Day 20 - Riu Riu chiptune

Day 20 of my ‪#‎MusicalAdventCalendar‬ to raise money for Shelter Cymru.

Today is a mediaeval chiptune.

My donation page
What Shelter Cymru does and why they need our help

Day 19 - 12 Days of Christmas

Day 18 of my ‪#‎MusicalAdventCalendar‬ to raise money for Shelter Cymru.

Today is super late, busy day in work, then a terrifying drive back to West Wales in torrential rain!

My donation page
What Shelter Cymru does and why they need our help

Day 18 - Away in a manger

Day 18 of my ‪#‎MusicalAdventCalendar‬ to raise money for Shelter Cymru.

Today is super late, busy day in work, then a terrifying drive back to West Wales in torrential rain!

My donation page
What Shelter Cymru does and why they need our help

Day 17 - Ave Maria

Day 17 of my ‪#‎MusicalAdventCalendar‬ to raise money for Shelter Cymru.

Today is a whole orchestra (well, all me) doing Ave Maria.

My donation page
What Shelter Cymru does and why they need our help

Day 16 - Oer yw'r gŵr

Day 16 of my ‪#‎MusicalAdventCalendar‬ to raise money for Shelter Cymru.

Today is a really old Welsh folk dance tune, that you might recognise as a carol. Oer yw'r gŵr sy'n methu caru.

My donation page
What Shelter Cymru does and why they need our help

Day 15 - Sleigh Ride

Day 15 of my ‪#‎MusicalAdventCalendar‬ to raise money for Shelter Cymru.

Why not donate a fiver, then join me for a sleigh ride!

My donation page
What Shelter Cymru does and why they need our help

Day 14 - Fairytale of Cardiff

Day 14 of my ‪#‎MusicalAdventCalendar‬ to raise money for Shelter Cymru. Today's tune is also to celebrate Andrea's birthday, Happy Birthday Andz! And was also sponsored by loads of people - it's a very famous song, after all.

Cath and I changed the words and Cardiffised it right up!

My donation page
What Shelter Cymru does and why they need our help

Day 13 - Mele Kalikimaka

Day 13 of my ‪#‎MusicalAdventCalendar‬ to raise money for Shelter Cymru. Today's tune is also to celebrate my sister's birthday, Happy Birthday Beverley Williams! And was also sponsored by Becca Bowen, diolch cariad. It was made by my gorgeous friends the Pickle Belly Newts - Matt Cook, Sam Evans, Catherine Kerry, Shauna Guinn, Alex Nute, and wouldn't have been at all possible without the lovely Chris Walker. So after all this hard work, lovely music, silly singing, why not donate a fiver?

Mele Kalikimaka! x

My donation page
What Shelter Cymru does and why they need our help

Day 12 - Y Darlun

Day 12 of my ‪#‎MusicalAdventCalendar‬ to raise money for Shelter Cymru. Today is a really old Welsh song, I've loved it since I was little. Nowhere near as good as Cerys Matthews' gorgeous version, but there's no doubting my enthusiasm!

My donation page
What Shelter Cymru does and why they need our help

Fröbelstern wreath

I made a beautiful wreath from Fröbelstern (froebel stars, or German stars). I'm so pleased with how it turned out, I plan to make more as gifts for friends this Christmas. They're not too difficult to make, but they are a bit fiddly! I followed this excellent tutorial.

I wonder if it would work with fabric? Hmm, well I'm super busy this December, so that's something to think of for next year.

Day 11 - Rudy

Day 11 of my ‪#‎MusicalAdventCalendar‬ to raise money for Shelter Cymru. Today is yet another 8-bit electro instrumental, but this one includes live Casio keyboard. Old school!

My donation page
What Shelter Cymru does and why they need our help

Day 10 - Merry Gents

Day 10 of my ‪#‎MusicalAdventCalendar‬ to raise money for Shelter Cymru. Today is another 8-bit electro instrumental (there may be a few more of them before the 25th, as they are easier to do that organise singing etc. and I've already chucked the song order out the window!)

My donation page
What Shelter Cymru does and why they need our help

Teimlo'n Nadoligaidd

Had a lovely weekend. Spent some time with family, had a few beers, then Chris came down and we watched lots of old films. Finally got round to trimming up, and I'm very happy with how the tree looks.

My queer nativity has a new visitor this year - Father Christmas! I know Father Christmas doesn't normally visit baby Jesus, but it's my nativity so it's totally allowed. Father Christmas visits children who are nice, not naughty - so he's here in my nativity to show that queer kids can be just as nice or naughty as straight ones. I was nice all year, obviously!