This quiet time between Christmas and the next year

Stop and think
Wait and be thankful.
Look forward to the next year.
And very old fashioned, but count your blessings.
See you in 2014 for a fantastic blogging year!

Peace and Happiness at Christmas and Always

On this Christmas Eve I would like to wish everyone peace and happiness. Thank you all for following,passing through and reading my blog🌲

Stay Calm and Carry On!

Because everyone is fraught and frantic this pre Christmas week I decided to take time to copy this Poem, relax and count my plentiful blessings.
The poem is by Santa Montefiore and features in the novel “The French Gardener” and I just like it.
Can you hear a bird sing at the top of a Chestnut tree?
I am the song she’s singing so sweet a melody.
Can you hear the stream flow forever running free?
My love is in the ripples and bubbles eternally.
Can you feel the sun shine warm upon your skin?
I am the very sun itself, the love you feel within.

A very happy and peaceful Christmas time to you all.

Finished Fingerless Mittens

At last I have managed to complete a project! My fingerless mittens are just fab! They were relatively simple,very snug and just that little bit different which I like. I purchased the kit just over a year ago. As I had never knit gloves before I thought that a kit was the way to start. knitting in the contrasting fleece was simple and funky.The kit was from Wensleydale Longwool Sheepshop in North Yorkshire,England http://www.wensleydalesheepshop.co.uk
I think I can feel some knitting projects as gifts for NEXT Christmas starting soon.

DIY Christmas Scent Potpourri

Two Frugal Gals

I made these cute simmering scent jars for the girls teachers last year for Christmas and they were a huge hit.  The cost (depending on what supplies you already have at home) is pretty inexpensive.  If your looking for a creative gift at a frugal price, this might be it!

Items needed:
1 pint jar
2 lemon wedges
1 lime
2 orange slices
3 cinnamon sticks
2-3 tbsps. whole cloves
3 bay leaves
small fabric or scrap paper
small piece of twine/jute/ribbon.

Directions:  Place ingredients in pint jar and fill with water.  Top with small piece of fabric or glue scrapbook paper secured by tying ribbon or twine around lid.  Attach tag (I hot glued tag to jar)  .

To be written on tag and attached to jar:
Pour contents into saucepan on stovetop and simmer
on low heat, add water as needed.
Refrigerate to keep fresh.

View original post

York Minster and Museum

http://Jorvik-Viking-centre.co.uk

No time for crafting today as I took my Gorgeous Grand daughter to York for a day out. I even detoured away from craft shops as it was her day. My day  will come soon!

York was very Christmassy with lots of street entertainers,decorations and food stalls. Grand daughter thought that York Minster was amazing and how did they build that?

We visited the Jorvick Viking Centre which was very exciting and educational. We boarded a time travelling machine and went back to pre 1066 when the Vikings lived and worked in York. There was a village representation based on an archaeological dig carried out in 1976. You could see the people (well models) hear the chatter and even smell the dung heap! There were 2 human Viking skeletons and 4 holographic Viking ghosts, great fun.

We saw the house where Guy Fawkes was born and Grand daughter was very impressed. I had to take the photo of this curly dog but not sure if its a good or bad hair day. Generally a great (but craft less) day out and bonding day out👭

Dashing away with a Smoothing Iron

This is possibly one of the few times that you will catch me with an iron in my hands. Other than the odd emergency I DO NOT iron! I purposely choose clothes that do not require ironing wherever possible. However, quilting and sewing is the one time when I do work out how to plug an iron in and where I’ve left the ironing board. There is nothing more pleasing than a neatly pressed seam when constructing a quilt. This picture is of a workshop that I carried out on “appliqué my way” at my local quilting group. In fact this particular quilt is one of the few that I have actually finished. As mentioned some time ago I intended to declare 2014 the year of the completed UFOs (Unfinished Objects) time will tell but I will let you know.

Busy Christmas time

The last week has been one Christmas related event after another. Pre Christmas is a lovely time with Christmas fairs,fetes,and nativity shows.Not to mention shopping,baking and card writing! In fact I think that pre Christmas is better than actual Christmas.
Friday found me at my final Christmas fair at the local school selling my beautiful china cups filled with candle wax. I sold some and was invited to display a selection in a local cafe! (obviously for sale!)
I started some mittens as in the picture. These have fleece pieces knitted into the cuff as shown in the picture. Maybe I will show you the finished product -eventually! The same pic shows a lovely knitting needle case that my friend Lyn made. I will sort out my needles as I’ve got dozens, no excuse now.
Saturday I went to the home where my Mum lives. They were also having a Christmas fair. I came home well ahead financially as I won a book voucher,another voucher for a local green grocer to buy Christmas veg.,and my sister won a bottle of Champagne for Christmas lunch. Job done!
Sunday we had a family day out at the Cheshire Food Festival,tasting and sampling yummy morsels of local produce. The final picture is of gorgeous Grandson AKA Tiger hugging a tree at the festival. Lovely times and happy days.

Really Vintage?

My sister and I took our lovely Mum to a local Garden centre for a trip out. Mum lives in a care home so any outing is a good one. We went to Bents Garden Centre as it is always dressed beautifully for Christmas, and we were not disappointed. They had fabulous trees each dressed by different members of staff. My favourite was the one in the picture. The owl was gorgeous.

There were also “rooms” decorated in lush furnishing. I really liked the iconic 70s with the orange paper,guitar and Ercol style furniture. However I must ask the question when does Vintage begin and end? I remember the 70s very well. My first lounge,when newly married, was a replica of this room. But I thought vintage was before then or does it just mean the recent past but closer than “antique”? The plot thickens.

We really had a great trip out with Mum complaining that she had spent no money. Forgetting that the wheel chair was nearly falling over with shopping bags full of purchases. One of the benefits of old elderly memory loss!

The Green Crafts Lifestyle

Many thanks for this book. Not only that but I down loaded the kindle app onto my iPad! I never stop learning! Thank you🙋

PILLOWS A-LA-MODE

First of all, THANK YOU for all the lovely comments, good wishes,  and over 100 LIKES on my Christmas Bunting post! I met my writing deadline for work and had an extra-special time with our Thanksgiving guests. Before I straighten the house and start decorating for Christmas, I want to make sure you’ve heard about our friend Mahe’s newest “green crafting” e-book that you can get TODAY through DECEMBER 4 for FREE by clicking here! (If you don’t have a Kindle, you can get a Kindle app for your computer—also for free—right here.) The book includes step-by-step photos and directions for a Christmas tree, snowman, package toppers and tags, ornaments, placecards, a mobile, bunting, cards, envelopes, gift bags, and LOTS of fun handmade gifts. Most of the projects are designed by Mahe herself but (as always!) Mahe welcomes guest artists, such as:

• Danielle of On the…

View original post 51 more words