Christmas memories and darling Mum.

Yesterday I was chatting to my daughter and she was saying about memories of her childhood Christmas's and all the things I did as Mum to make it magical for the children.....she is now doing the very same thing with her children....she thanked me for making her childhood memories of Christmas so magical and speaking to my little twin Grandbubs they are both very excited...at 3 years old they are just starting to understand. Mind you my little Grandson asked "why does Santa come down the chimney...and how does he doe it"? Daughter talked of all the magic, when bless him he turned round and said...."But Mummy, theres a front door why doesn't he come through that". Daughter said about his sleigh and reindeer etc......he stood there taking it all in, then walked away.....he then turned around after obviously having thought about it and said..........."but he's taking a short cut"...........did make me chuckle.
It bought back my memories of my own darling Mum, I only lost her June this year. She used to make Christmas so memorable for me and my brothers.....so magical. We used to live in a terraced Victorian house with no central heating etc...it was very cold in winter but so so full of love......so the memories and traditions that my darling Mum made for me I then carried on with my own children and now find that my daughter is doing so much of the same. It gladdens my heart. She is making me smile with all her tales of her Christmas shopping and instead of turkey...she is having goose...Oh my goodness, she did so much research in the best way to cook it. All the things that I used to do, I love listening to all her exploits. Its a case of been there, done that....but its her turn now. As for my darling Mummy, wherever your are sweetheart.....I love you.......I miss you so terribly.....you will be in my thoughts as always but more so Christmas....and I know you will be near us all. God Bless Mum.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL XXXX

That Christmas feeling.....

My Christmas window in daylight......it looks lovely at night, especially from outside.....

This gorgeous pup was on one of my Chrissy cards.......

another favourite card....just loving these sort of scenes.........

Hey Rudolph...............

whose your friend?

LOOK, I'VE TOLD YOU....NO PAPARAZZI TODAY....

I'M NOT IN THE MOOD OK!

MY LOVELY SLIGHTY DOTTY 9 YEAR OLD MEGAN......

OR MEGALS AS GRANDCHILDREN CALL HER.

My back lounge, fireplace decorated for Christmas
just simple decs this year.

and my lovely new front lounge/dining room fireplace now all

dressed up.
I decided to make a pretty scene of pretend boxed pressies for a scene in my curved window area........like it?
Night time look, shame lights don't show up enough on pics.

Enjoy your run up to Christmas this week, don't overdo it......x

Before and after

Morning, sorry about the fuzzy picture, but -4 outside and my tiny digits were freezing. Couldn't believe it when passing my raspberry patch, there shivering under some leaves were four tiny ones, now it is December isn't it....hey who needs a freezer?

My darling hubby sure is a sweeheart, the wallpaper we have in our front lounge has some beautiful red/gold wallpaper on one wall as an accent. Not to everybodies taste I know, but we love it. I have tried in the past to do the pastel colours and I do love them but somehow they just never seem to work for me. So we have a gas stove (and yes would love a woodburner) but as no chimneys in our house, it would mean taking pipes up outside the side of the house and don't really think neighbours would take kindly to that. So back to story, we kept on looking at the stove standing there on the flagstone hearth, we have had it standing alone like this for two years and it has been fine until about a month ago. You know you go through these changes in your house. Hubby pondered and ummed and ahhe'd and bless him, turned to me and said "I'll build brickwork around it and make a fire surround. He worked all last weekend, he is so thorough and keeps mess to a minimal.

Ta da.................... he's done a great job, chose chailey

bricks which have a old worlde look about them.

He had to keep the brick pillars within the frame

of the mantel and the hearth. I was a tad worried

that it would look weird. We think it looks great

and has made the room seem so cosy now. What do you think?

So this weekend it will be decorating with

all things Christmas.......have a good weekend...

don't get snowed in. x

I love red!

Hello, long time no post. Just been busy with all sorts at the moment, lots of babysitting twin Grandchildren....3 years old honestly I look sooooooooooooooooooo ragged after a day with them, the house looks a shambles afterwards....so ok we start playing in the lounge. Snap playing cards, then bricks, then stringing cotton reels together. Then its upstairs to play in their room, and of course the trail of toys/books etc slowly creeps down the stairs. Then Nanny (me) gets her knitting out whilst watching them play. Over they trot..."can we help"......so in turn they both put the yarn around the needle, well they do about 5 times each then boredom sets in....but I praise "well done your so clever"...the beaming smiles I receive make my heart sing.....and then theres the gorgeous hugs and squeezes I get. The sudden kisses on the cheeks, both sides at both times, the I love you Nanny. Whatever is going on in my world, these two just bring a beautiful ray of sunshine into my life, my heart sings, I smile and the world is such a better place. If only one could bottle it.

But anyways in the meantime, I decided by bed needed a bit of a Christmas fix......and whilst browsning around The Range....came across this beautiful set I think £14 for kingsize, Ok its a polyester mix, but thats Ok as I cotton sheet and fitted underneath. Also managed to grab hold of last two sweet Nordic type cushions (the small ones)....so loving my Christmassy bed, with huge red throw on the bottom and also fur one for snuggles.

Why do you blog?

Morning......I have been admiring and reading lots of different blogs and I have a simple question....it got me wondering so I thought I would ask.


"Why do you blog"?

Nigella a must for your Christmas list!

If there's one cooking book to go on your Christmas list this year, make sure its our Nigella. Superb, homely, simple, comforting, easy, kitchen warming, tummy warming, delicious and any other superlatives I can think of. Not too many ingredients, simple ingredients, supermarket ingredients...in fact nothing in here is too hard to make. Her best book yet in my opinion.

and even better the actual cooking turns out almost the same as the book pictures....and there's not many recipe books where that happens...well not for me.

This is a crusty pizza made from a basic batter mix....absolutely moreish!

and made this most gorgeous soft ginger cake with guinness...I added a few sultanas to it....and have managed to freeze a third....Oh! and thats another good thing about the book, Nigella gives all make ahead and freeze directions at the end of each recipe.

BON APETIT X

Greengate pinny.

Morning, hope alls well? Have to show my gorgeous new pinny. Isn't it lovely, it comes from http://www.greengate.dk/ wonderful company. Perfect if you love CK but want more colour. Check them out you will not be disappointed.

PRETTY PLEASE.....I need some help, unfortunately I am a bit of a computer numpty. Anyway I thought I would do myself a photo shot and make a lovely new picture for the header of my blog. It took ages to do, so excitedly downloaded to "my pictures"....did all necessary to upload on blog and erm!!!!! darn things too big, can only see half of it. So does anyone know and can tell me how to resize....many thanks
ttfn x Managed to resize now have gone and mucked it up with image edit...I think its blurry, or is it my glasses.....grrrrrr!!!!!!!!! Maybe I'll try again later. x

Post holiday blues!!!!!!!?????????

Me post holiday blues, no no noI hear you cry oh yes! big time. I have just come back from a two week cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse. We sailed from Southampton to Vigo, then Lisbon, Gibralter, Barcelona, Cadiz, Palma and Provence. I must admit my favourite was Provence, we visited Bandol and Sanary, the harbour was full of the most beautiful luxury yachts, the sun shone and all was good. I didn't really think much of Gibralter mind you it was soooo hot that day 34 degrees, even the pavements seemed to melt and finding Marks & Spencers was rather weird.

Our gorgeous ship, if you see where the man is standing on balcony ours was the one below that. We had calm sees in the Med, and the notorious Bay of Biscay was kind and calm on way out, erm!!! she was not so accomodating on way back, 10' swells, and the ship was like a washing machine....18 hours of it eeekkkkk!!! But I was big and brave and put my wrist bands on buried my head under my pillow at night and tried to sleep, Oh thats inbetween feeling icky....ah well. All part of cruising. The dolphins we saw were numerous and was delightful watching then jump the wake of the ship and we were also lucky enough to see a couple of whales.

Don't know which ship this was sailing away before us but made an awe-inspiring sight/
Such beautiful sunsets!


So back to normality, well I'm trying, think it will take me a few days....so off to look at my piccy and video memories.....ttfn x

New Cath Kidston bag.

Isn't this bag gorgeousness.......treated myself to this for winter season last week. Briar rose mini saddle bag. I was a bit dubious as to whether everything would fit in, but it does.....purse/glasses case/mobile/brush/keys/tissues and inside pocket for lippy and odds'n'ends. Also so versatile, lovely to drape across body with strap long, or shorter on shoulder. The colour of the bag is so easy to match up with things....all in all wonderful. Cutesey door stop...."Home Sweet Home".x

Your first doll?

So ok girls, who still has their very first dolly with them.....meeeeeeeeeeeeee!
She is now half a century yep! 50 years old. Ops nearly giving my age away there, well add 5 years. She has been cuddled, dropped, thrown, covered in make up over the years but bless her she has survived. Shes had quite a few names over the years....Belinda/Matilda/Susan/Barbara/Janet....erm notice the 1950's names. Well now she is being much loved and cuddled by my gorgeous little Granddaughter. She loves to take her to bed, erm not quite soft and cuddly unlike her modern equivalent. What is even more dear to me now is the fact that my darling Mum (who for those that have read passed away some 8 weeks ago) made the outfit for her complete with knitted pants and vest underneath. She made this outfit some 30 years ago for my daughters when they used to play with her. Isn't it lovely that now my Granddaughter is loving her, long may she continue to be cuddled.

Night night, sleep tight......x

Ops! she does have a poorly though....I think that was me as a littleun. Also the elastic holding her together has also been replaced.

Prettify silk flowers with embroidered butterflies.

August seems to be rushing by and have wondered where the beautiful weather is...hmmm! will we all need our woollies soon? Anyways been busy making these embroidered butterflies to pretty up my silk flowers, not sure whether I will leave them there but they certainly look pretty.

and of course a bit of crafting also came too.....cupcake pot holders or stands....its funny my machine has been idle the last 2 months but now the rains here, what else is a girl to do but make.

We all need bunting and a knitted cushion!

Thought would show you this years grapes.....not bad eh! might be edible!!!!!!!!! Tried them last year ohhhhhh! sour.Thought I would show you my bunting, actually as you can see I'm not very picture taking savvy, but it is all oilcloth Cath Kidston, florals/spots and the like. I wanted to make some myself but when I cam across a seller making these for £10 and theres 15 flags...only problem is the ends furl up in the wind, any ideas? Only place to put it around the spa

Ok you may or may not know that I knit knit and knit, always have a project or two on the needles and my latest is this sample cushion. I used Rowan Cotton Glace 5 different colours and for those in the knitting world know, went and sourced my patterns from Ravelry knitting community. 9 squares 2 weeks later ta da!!!!!....a part besequined (erm is that a word?) ah well....cushion...I love the jewelled colours, you see thats my problem. I love pastels for things and then drawn to these gorgeous colourways. Actually don't laugh the knitted bottom left square is supposed to be a cup of coffee, but I stupidly put it on upside down and inside out.

Deck chair makeover and other....

Who needs fully functional touring sites, when your motorhome is self sufficient for 2 days and you can camp on school playing fields. These campers arrived at the school playing field which my house backs onto.....they belong to the Motorcaravaners Club and spent two days here. Wonderful idea, small fee for using field and profits go to the school.

But onto the more interesting part. Well I was looking at online shops the other day, and came across a deckchair that they had repainted and covered for the princely sum of £98.00!!!! eeeeeekkkkk.....I thought they must be having a laugh. So off I went to my shed where my long forgotten grotty old deckchair has been languishing for the last couple of years. Stupidly I didn't take a before piccy, was too excited with doing the makeover. Anyhows it was dark wood with navy and sky blue stripes running through the material. Well off I went to Laura Ashley sale and there waiting for me at £11.00 per metre (being half price in their sale) was just the woven upholstery fabrice I needed, pale ecru/cream/moss green/most beautiful grey. Did my heart miss I beat as I spied this material, was there enough left on the roll...oh yes oh yes!....honestly what else can get a girl with a love of flowers more excited. So home it came. Next a trip to Homebase, aha everything seemed to be falling into place, first pot of eggshell I saw Laura Ashley Country White, phew and just two tins left....so one quickly was grabbed by me. I covered the existing deck chair material for strength. So for the princely sum of £12.99 for paint and £9.90 for material (oh yes! there was a further 10% off at till......all done for the price of £22.89. Am I pleased, you bet cha!!!!! ttfn x

Hello....

I know...have been such a absent blogger but things have been very hectic over the last few months and even though I have been busy, sewing and making and knitting....there has been a sadness in my life my darling Mum passed away on the 27th June at from senile dementia. She had it for nearly 7 years and has been a slow painful process watching her deteriorate over the time. The last 9 months she had been in a Nursing Home where Dad would go and sit with her from 1pm until about 6pm every day......he would feed her N Sure and play her their favourite classical pieces of music, he would sit and sing to her, constantly stroking her hair, kissing her cheeks, his love and devotion unfailing. I had been to see her on the Sunday morning when the Matron said "we think this is the beginning of the end"....I went into her room and she was looking so pretty but so frail slightly propped up on the pillows, the nurses had combed her hair so it laid out on the pillow. She had rapid breathing, I tarried a while and managed to keep my emotions in check, we left after a while thinking that how things stood maybe another few days. I spoke to Matron on the way out and asked her "how long"....she replied "my dear if I had a pound for everytime someone had asked me that question I would be a millionaire.

So home I went which is about 20 mins drive away....me and hubby had a lovely BBQ that afternoon and I was just washing up when the telephone went just 5pm...my brother was on the line telling me to get over to the Nursing Home very quick, and that he said he didn't think Mum had long to go.....I stupidly asked him how many respirations she was having, honest to goodness what an absolute dimass question, but I had my methodical hat on. So we raced over all the way I was telling my darling Mummy I was coming and for her to wait for me....we duly arrived at the Nursing Home, where my 2 brothers met me outside her room and told me I was too late, they she had passed ten mins beforehand. I looked at their faces which were full of tears, I couldn't believe it, I remember just dropping my bag to the floor pushing past them and stood looking at my Mum....then like I was watching myself I just ran over and lent over her bed, cuddling crying and asking her "I told you to wait for me Mum, why didn't you wait, why didn't you wait"......she was still of body temp to touch. I all of a sudden stood back and realized that "Oh my goodness, you've really passed away".....it was like a bolt. We stayed for a while and then privately said our goodbyes. I miss her like crazy I'm so sad that Mum had dementia and hadn't known me for years, it would have been lovely to have taken her out and about to garden centres, we used to be great friends as Mum and daughter, lots of things in common...love of home/family/cooking/knitting.......but I still have lots of memories to treasure and comfort me.
To my darling Mum, forever in my thoughts....love you. xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Childhood chores....

Me and hubby were talking about childhood chores that we used to have to do as children to help around the house. Mine used to be to iron all the hankerchiefs on a Sunday morning and there used to be loads...Mums Dads mine and my 2 brothers. I didn't mind doing Mums as they were so pretty with embroidered edgings and lace corners etc...but the big ones yeuk!!!! and then of course there was the shoe cleaning to do several pairs lined up, actually used to share this job with my Dad there was an old dresser in what we used to call our "breakfast room" in the home I grew up in the dresser was built in with huge great drawers and doors under and for some reason Dad kept all the shoe polishes etc in there....hmm! couldn't see that happen knowadays. Does anybody clean shoes anymore or get shoes heeled, or is it just me? Another job, cleaning out the fire grate, used to loathe that job back then....oh and used to have to polish the wood floorboards either side of the carpet runner in the hallway, the hall was long Mum and Dad used to live in a Victorian terrace house and it was big but so very very cold, no central heating then....the hallway used to run from the beautiful front door mosaic glass entrance vestibule along from hallway, down 5 steps to another hallway, along there and then down 2 more steps to back lounge...polishing seemed to take me for ever....and then of course there were the jobs to help my Grandma....oh the joy of using an old turn handle wringer to wring the clothes, it used to fill me with glee to put the clothes through 2 or 3 times so they came out cardboard stiff......such sweet memories.....what are yours?

Long time no blog...but hello...

Hi.....been a tad lazy of late keeping my blog up.....put it down to "what on earth do I write about syndrome" But anyway am here now and a few bits and pieces to show you....well have given the ol' blog a spring look, hope you like it, the header picture is one of my watercolours, well a copy of a painting by artist Terry Harrison, love his stuff..understand I have to put this down...but anyway don't you feel that you could just wander down that lane with all the bluebells, step over that sty into a beautiful meadow, I just feel the need to blow away those winter cobwebs don't you? First off have been making some doiley type mats for the table, red set for me and blue/green set for my friend to go with her birthday pressie. Mind you she might read this before end of week and will know that I've made them for her. Mind you its a bit like coals to Newcastle as she has her own embroidery machine and is very clever with her ideas and designs...But anyway hope she likes them.

Started to do a couple of Easter card designs....hmmmm!!! edges look terrible on here but the cards in reality look Ok.AND THEN SQUEALS WITH DELIGHT.....................TREAT FOR

MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE......

GORGEOUS NEW CATH KIDSTON BAG...will see me through the whole summer...goes with most things, very roomy. I looked high and low for a bag I liked, tad expensive for what it is I think but CK seems to have the cache on this floral stuff...so for girls like me a must have.

Where are you happiest at?

I was looking back at holiday photos from the last 3 years, reminiscing as you do and it got me thinking...which holiday do you remember as the best and most enjoyable.
For me everyone that I am lucky enough to go on I take something from, but the strange thing is the ones in dear ol' blighty seem to say nearer to my heart. How strange is that. You know the ones where you've booked a cottage somewhere and you arrive, walk in and it instantly feels like home from home, where you kick off your heels and just be, free to do as much or as little as you want. To wander and drive around villages, walk and find that pretty Tea Room, that even if they sell just teas, are the most perfect teas around. Just browsing and taking time to look at things, fall in love with pretty cottages....visit National Trust..Oh! talking of National Trust properties one of my all time favourites is Lanhydrock in Cornwall...its a must.

Stayed at Manor Lodge in Crewkerne a Christmas or so ago....a memorable time.
and sundrenced Bardolino on the shores of Lake Garda in Italy......all those icecreams...and what a place to people watch. Lakeside walks that go on and on....me and hubby have a favourite seat outside the hotel where we would go and sit and watch the sunset or wait for the mountains to start reverberating with the eventual arrival of the thunderstorm...watching the lake turn from serene calmness...quite a swell would happen, one that you wouldn't believe could happen on a lake.
I must admit though sailing past The Statue of Liberty last September at the start of my cruise to Canada, was spine tingling, tummy tugging....and I did have a lump in my throat...very strange. I didn't realize how symbolic she was until I saw her...

and finally where am I.....a caribbean island, some exotic destination....wrong...hubby and I came across this beautiful sight whilst driving to the Isle of Skye in bonny Scotland. Couldn't even see it from the road, just saw a sign that said "Cove"...well as we love to explore, off we went, rounded a few corners and hairpin bends and lo and behold, this sight awaited us. I shall never forget it, totally deserted, white sand so fine it just trickled through your fingers, this was in the month of April. The previous day we had been up to Ben Nevis and played in the snow....and here we sat on the sands together, total silence and just looked...........and sat and looked...the only sound were the birds trilling overhead....bliss.

Hexagonal knitted throw....finished.

These were such a joy to knit and surprisingly lovely to sew together. I did 54 in the end...I would have made it bigger, but cost was getting silly. I used Debbie Bliss Rialto aran and I got about just over 5 hexagonals out of each ball. I have just one more ball to buy to finish the stitch edging as you can see from the top part. It surprisingly not just makes a pretty lap/throw but looks lovely as a shawl wraparound. Tried lots of different designs to sew them together but found this one worked for me, as you can see its a off angle triangle, if you get my drift? Actually the colours I used are clearer than shows on this photo.

Just the thing to throw over your lap when blogging eh girls!
and even matches new cushions and repainted chair...brilliant.

Must thank http://btchwstix.blogspot.com/ once again for her pattern....its lovely.