How many fairies does it take to change a lightbulb? Just one, if she heeds the elf warning!

That's one of the jokes that didn't make the final cut for the video. Some of those let in are actually funny! It's a relief to have finished it though, and therefore finalise the enormous list of props to be found and made, and it's only ten days to go, and I'm away for three of those. Ho Hum! Or is that Santa's line?

What's this? Fairy lights of course! The house is filling up with them ready for the filming of the video. I've been working like mad on the storyboard, and have finally finished, I think. Just have to do lots of copies now so that everyone knows what they're doing. We have three volunteers to help with the filming, so hopefully we can be quite organised . Ha!

Next I must turn my attention to the props. No-one seems to be able to come up with a pink plate, so it looks like a trawl round the charity shops is called for next week. The vacuum cleaner arrived to day from Dyson, so thanks to them. What are we going to do with it? Wait and see!

Santa has a new suit! Up until now we've been concentrating on the fairies, but Santa also needed an outfit for filming, and we got it today. He was a little disconcerted that there is no need for padding or a pillow underneath the jacket, but at least the trousers are reassuringly big on him, so they slip down and require braces. He looks really great and cuddly, and we fairies can't wait for filming!

great news! The James Dyson Foundation have kindly agreed to give us a vacuum cleaner to use in our video then raffle. How are we going to us it? That would be telling! But we have great plans for it, and then some lucky person will be able to have it for a very reasonable raffle ticket price. We'll have to work out how and when we do that, perhaps at a launch party in the autumn.

First recording session went really well, and the music people - Andy and Alan - seem to be well pleased. Half of us have recorded our dulcet tones so far, with five more to go at the end of the month. We dressed up for the recording session, to get in the mood, and it was great fun. The costumes are coming on really well.

Here is a sneak preview of Bossy hiding behind a blue wig that doesn't show of her Dame Edna specs very well, so I think she's going to force meto spend some more money on her!

Costume time

Had a really good rehearsal and costume planning session yesterday, some really great sights and some not bad sounds! It's going to be great fun when we get together in our costumes to start recording the songs on Saturday. Each fairy is developing her own character which is helping the planning of the video, and we're having fun.

Fairy shoes! Well, not really, but shoes for this fairy anyway. I've been hoping to find some sparkly shoes, wanted a heel for authority - I am the Bossy fairy after all - but didn't want to spend very much money. These silver shoes were just the sort of thing, and I managed to get them in a charity shop so they didn't cost much and the money will go to a good cause. What more can I ask for!

This weekend I plan get down to working out which fairy is going to do what in the video so they can rehearse. It's a bit complicated , with two fairies not able to make the main filming day so they'll need to do bits afterwards, one who might not be able to stay the whole day, one who can't stand for long and one whose health can vary so has to be careful , so it's all going to need careful planning to make best use of those who can do most. It all sounded so simple when we started!