Happy Christmas!

I seem far too organised this year, I’m sure I must have forgotten something. My family has started to arrive and I am looking forward to having them all here.

All that’s left for me to do is wish you all a very happy Christmas.

Journal

amidst all the preparations for Christmas, I’m still finding a little bit of time for my journal.

a church carol service

my storytelling Sunday post

Christmas dreams

signs of Christmas

the tree

a little treat

birthday girl

the girls have a secret!

I hope you are all finding a bit of time to relax.

10things on the 10th

Today is my granddaughter’s first birthday, a perfect day to pick out 10 of my favourite photos of her first year.

1.

Just born and getting to know her daddy

2.

In safe hands

3.

pretty in pink

4.

showing off her new cardigan!

5.

reading with grandad

6.

playing with her cousin

7.

cuddles with daddy

8.

new dress

9.

big eyes!

10.

first birthday party.

You can find more 10things on the tenth over on Shimelle’s blog

busy, busy, busy!

my Christmas Journal so far

and a few cards made

it’s good to find time for some craft, now back to the shopping!

my month in photos

November was a month of birthdays, craft, cooking and stormy weather.

template by Rebecca Cooper

Home for Christmas

It’s the first Sunday of the month again which means it’s time for Sian's Storytelling Sunday. Sian suggested the theme “Coming Home ” for this month and here is my little story.

Way back in 1978 I was a young mum with three very young children. That year had been particularly hard as my husband had changed jobs meaning we had to move away from our parents and settle into a new home six weeks before the birth of our third child.

That Christmas we woke up early to a beautiful day and decided to surprise my mum and dad by driving across London for a quick visit, a journey which on a normal day could take a long, long time.

We arrived at my childhood home in record time and mum’s face was a picture when she opened the door, it would have been her first Christmas without anyone visiting. We stayed for a couple of hours and then had to get back to make dinner. I can still hear my dad’s voice as he gave me a hug good-bye “ you’ve made your mum’s day love”

I could end the story there but being me I have to continue. As the roads had been so clear we decided to have a little trip round London showing the children some of the sites. Driving round Trafalgar Square, full of good will to all men we were pulled over by the police

“it may be Christmas Day sir but that doesn’t mean you can ignore a no entry sign!”

Red-faced we continued on our journey trying to reassure the children that as it was Christmas we were sure the nice policeman would not put daddy in prison!

It's amazing that after all those years I can still remember the awful feeling of shame but as it's nearly Christmas I'm going to focus on my Dad's voice, love you Dad xx

For more festive stories please go to Sian’s blog http://fromhighinthesky.blogspot.co.uk/

and so it begins

It’s that time of year again, Shimelle's Journal your Christmas starts tomorrow and as always I’m excited to be taking part again. I really can’t praise this class enough, for one payment you can join in every year and have a lasting reminder of your Christmas.

I look forward to seeing some of you in class

first paddle

 

there are so many little moments in the year waiting to be scrapped, I really should get on and make more layouts!

a festive weekend

I’m looking forward to joining in here over the weekend, should be a lot of fun and help me get in the festive spirit.

I’ve been quite good this week

The Christmas pudding has been made

A Christmas cardigan has been started for my granddaughter

and another card made thanks to My Minds Eye blog here

I’m now ready for more ideas and inspiration thanks to Jennifer’s  blog

Christmas is coming!

I thought it was time to accept the fact that Christmas is just around the corner and start  making some cards.

I started by buying a digi stamp from here and made these simple cards.

I had seen some lovely cards on this blog which I tried to copy using inks I had on hand, not quite in the same class but I had a go!

A little cardigan for my granddaughter is ready, well I need to sew one button on and some red wool has been ordered ready to make another one.

I’m also looking out a Christmas Pudding recipe ready to make this week and soon my Christmas CD’s will be busy annoying everyone, I am getting in the festive spirit it seems.

my month in photos

October was another busy month with a visit from mum and a weekend away.

a long dark night

It was a winter’s evening long ago and I was watching a film with my parents, not a very scary film, in fact quite a nice film called The Million Pound Note. If I remember rightly it starred Gregory Peck and was based on a book by Mark Twain.

The film was about a poor American sailor fortunate enough to be passing the house of two rich gentlemen who have conceived the crazy idea of distributing a note worth one million pounds. The sailor finds that whenever he tries to use the note to buy something, people treat him as if he is a King and let him have whatever he likes for free. 

That night I settled down in my bed quite happily and was soon asleep. Suddenly a pale hand clutching a note appeared in the doorway and an evil voice whispered “ sell your soul to me Jane and I will give you a million pounds!” The note fell from the hand very slowly.

My poor parents were woken by loud desperate screams and rushed into my bedroom to see what was wrong. There I was on my hands and knees searching frantically “It’s here somewhere ” I said!

I like to think I would have given it back!!!

This little story is part of Sian's Storytelling Sunday, do pop over to her blog and read some more.

bowling along

It’s half term week and in an effort to keep someone occupied before his birthday tomorrow, we went out for a game of bowls. I love this photo of father and daughter, we can be quite a competitive family so I was pleased they both won a game.

soon to be birthday boy with his sister

and the winner of the last game, well done Alex.

Hello Monday

Hello to no school traffic, always a bonus

Hello to wrapping up something for a special soon to be 14yr old

Hello to warmer jumpers and socks as the weather turns  wintery

Hello to another attempt to tidy the garden for the winter

Hello to the next episode of Downton Abbey to be enjoyed

Hope you all have a good week

on days like these

 

Yesterday was a day of wind, rain and then this, what is happening to our weather, at one point the noise against our windows was so loud I couldn’t hear the tv!

Only one thing to do really

another layout for Shimelle’s class trying to keep to mainly one colour.

getting started

I’ve had a very busy week and have not been able to do much of Shimelle’s new class but I’m not going to let it worry me. I’m determined to take my time and get the most out of all the prompts

The first prompt was about about mixing old with new using colour. There were ideas for one, two, three and multi colour layouts and I’m planning on trying them all. This layout is using mainly blue, pink and green to go with my photos.

Hello Monday

Having read posts for quite a while called Hello Monday, I thought I would like to take part. You can find out about it yourself here.

Hello to this lovely weather!

Hello to making soup

Hello to my exercise dvd

Hello to visiting mum

Hello to seeing my youngest son off to Vietnam

Hello to finishing some knitting

Hello to making some Christmas cards

Hello to starting a new class by Shimelle

I hope you all have a good week