Merry Christmas

we've made it home after 6 days of visiting parents, in-laws, siblings and friends.
we've watched weather forecasts fretfully, defrosted the car endlessly, mended the screen washers so we can see (stopping in laybys on the A1 to clean the windscreen was getting a bit tiring) met newly born nephew, been to a funeral (I know, not the easiest thing to do on Christmas Eve............), and stalked the highways agency website to get the all clear on the roads, as the route home kept getting closed...........

so the carrots are out for the reindeer (or after this week can we call them snowdeer), some ginger biscuits for Father Christmas - he doesn't always want mince pies apparently, the Christmas tree lights are on, and we've just watched "A Christmas Carol".

finally I can relax and start to feel festive

Merry Christmas everyone, I hope it is a truly magical and wonderful time for all of you xxxxx

The C's of Christmas

yesterday I escaped to the city in search of Christmas cheer, culture, chat, coffee and completion of the Christmas list.........

- Christmas cheer -well the sparkly lights and the fantastic nativity scene in a shop window filled that need
- culture - I can't pretend I understood it, especially not the Damien Hirst exhibit......... but it was interesting, and a nice procrastination before braving the commercial part of the trip.....
- chat - my lovely sister in law met me for a day of catching up and putting the world to right
- coffee - and lunch and wine........
- completing the list - cupcake stands, cupcake cases, cups, books, Lego, puzzles, cake, pudding.......

so the shopping is finished, now the wrapping can start.......... look out for me in about a week when I finally escape from an enormous tangle of sellotape

book club outing

a few months ago the book club I've joined read Wife in the North, a blog turned book, written by a journalist who moved from London to Northumberland at the request of her hubby, who promptly went back to London to work, leaving her with 2 small children, and culture shock.

last night at Barter books, my favourite bookshop in the whole world, there was a talk by the author, sitting in the old waiting room, with a roaring fire, a glass of wine, and a talk about books and blogging; what's not to like.

as with the book I laughed, I almost cried, I admired the courage to bare your soul publicly, balancing the need to talk with the need to consider the feelings of those around you, and the reactions you might cause.

and when asked if anyone had a blog I kept quiet...... still not ready to share locally what I am happy to share on a wider scale, I guess my own blog balancing is still at the wobbling stage....

happy birthday Miss K

Yesterday was Miss K's birthday. 11 years, gosh how time flies.
and what did the birthday girl want for her birthday? well she's a girl after my own heart - chocolate, more chocolate (specifically "after eights") some books, a game and some pj's.

pj's I thought, I can do that. so I take the leftover fabric from downsizing a duvet cover, draw round a pair of pj's we already have, use the directions in Amy Butlers book to work out in what order to sew everything together, sew a motif onto a long sleeved t-shirt and hope it all fits.

note to self, next time check that clothing fits, before using it as a pattern, I've just spent an hour sewing a "border" on the bottoms (not shown), to make them long enough.............



thankfully Miss K didn't mind that they were too short, and happily went to bed wearing them, oh I can't describe how happy that made me feel xxxxx

tonight we have her party, 4 girls making pizzas, rock buns, decorating gingerbread men, and embellishing party bags. which sounds chaotic, until I start thinking about E's party which is tomorrow, and will involve 5 boys, club penguin, a LOT of noise, and running about and shrieking, and if I get my head round it, some penguin themed party games............... any ideas?

then we get E's actual birthday on Sunday, which means more cake! and my brother's birthday is on Sunday too, but we just seen him last weekend, so we won't see him again this weekend, and we'll just have to have some cake for him instead.....

the best thing about birthdays is the cake don't you agree.

and this morning we got another addition to the December birthday list, a nephew for Miss K and E, and I get to be an auntie again.

think that definitely deserves cake, I'm off to do some baking xxxxx

lantern parade

recipe for a truly magical evening.

take lengths of willow and create a square based pyramid, joining the corners with sticky tape
make a cross on the base, and attach a candle to the centre with wires
fill in the sides with more willow in designs of your choice
make a little hole shape on one side for a door,
cover with tissue paper pasted with copydex (very stinky quick drying glue)
leave to dry.

recommended time taken 45 minutes
actual time - over 2 hours........

return later as darkness approaches and attach your lantern to a pole

light candle.

and off we go, hundreds of lanterns shining in the darkness, up through the gardens, through the cherry orchards, past the cascade, fountains splashing in the darkness

candles lighting up the faces of enchanted children (and adults)

leading the parade past the holly king, through the enchanted forest, and to Father Christmas, who is busy handing out oranges.

perfect xxxx

snowflakes

Are you sitting down? Can you believe it? Two posts in one day!!! ok so there was a week of nothing before that, and before that but..........

anyway I'm just so happy with these snowflakes I couldn't wait, pattern of course from the lovely Lucy at Attic 24.

it may snow a lot more round here over the weekend, I can feel a crochet blizzard coming on, hope you all have a lovely weekend, with or without snowflakes xoxoxoxox

joy in the new year

I've joined Jacquie's Joy in the New Year Challenge, which is a challenge to finish up as many WIP's as you can by January 1st. I started a month late, but I've finished one! It's only tiny, and I can't show you anymore as it's a gift for someone, but I'm so excited, let's see what else I can finish instead of doing housework!