Me on Monday

Busy baking and getting the house ready for visitors, not long to go now.

Wishing Sian and all my blog friends a very happy, peaceful Christmas xx

a quiet walk

it was a dull morning but mild so we put aside all the preparations and went for a quiet stroll to recharge our batteries.

something new

 a special tree decoration given to me by my granddaughter.

2.   Tinsel for for winter photography scavenger hunt

food for the freezer

It's that time of year when you seem to do nothing but cook and yet there is nothing to eat right now. My sausage rolls have been made and put in the freezer, one or two of them might not have made it though.

This recipe I spotted in last month's Good Food magazine, red onions, sweet potato and goat's cheese tart, all prepared and frozen ready to cook on Boxing Day when I will have all the family here.

knitting

some little Christmas stockings using a free pattern on http://littlecottonrabbits.typepad.co.uk/. I'm so tempted to try making one of her little animals, maybe next year!

a lovely surprise

a lovely card from Sian and a Secret Santa present arrived today, thank you so much Sian for the lovely card.

a birthday meal

a special meal for the birthday boy.

Me on Monday

Still busy making cards using a http://www.clearlybesottedstamps.com/ stamp and inspiration.

Waving to Sian and everyone else visiting my blog at this busy time

Christmas tags

a few little tags using a stamp and inspiration from http://www.clearlybesottedstamps.com/

winter photography challenge

brightening up a shopping trip

3.   Outside lighting

14.  Afternoon tea

it had to be eaten

Christmas ginger muffin, yum!

Secret Santa

First little parcel sent off, my Secret Santa present for a member of a book club I belong to

a surprise gift

Out shopping my daughter surprised me with this little gift, it's been carefully prepared and put in a cupboard for 10 weeks. I know it will cheer me up during the bleak days of winter.

the first cards

The first cards to arrive, made by two of my blog friends.

Me on Monday

It's been several weeks, with a few interruptions but we are finally coming to the end of decorating the spare/craft room. Ian fitted all those doors himself with a little help from a friend.

Behind them is all my craft stuff and my little red camping table is out ready for me to do my Christmas Journal.

This is what it looked like, very masculine and dark. I hated the curtains but they did hide all the mess.

Hi to Sian and anyone else visiting my little blog.

new arrivals

New little Christmas figures for my mantlepiece, I'm going more for the natural look this year.

looking for something a little different

Enjoying a browse at The Shed's stall despite the awful windy weather.

not good for the diet!

When I was a child my mother had an order delivered by the grocer every Wednesday and how exciting it was when little extras started to appear for Christmas. Nuts, dates, biscuits, orange and lemon slices all made their way into the weekly shop and were hidden away quickly. 

We have a big family so I like to follow that tradition and pick up extras, usually when they are on deal at the supermarket. About now the house starts to fill with food, we just need to resist the temptation to eat any of it.

winter photography challenge

If you want something to do this winter why not give a photography scavenger hunt a try. Eileen and Joy have organised one over on their blogs.

1.   A robin redbreast

2.   Tinsel

3.   Outside lighting

4.   A star

5.   A snowman

6.   A puddle

7.   Berries and/or nuts

8.   A wreath

9.   A tree that has lost all its leaves

10.  A windy day

11.  Your favourite pudding

12.  A fancy button

13.  Street art

14.  Afternoon tea

15.  Candle light

16.  A chimney

17.  A ladder

18.  An arrow

19.  A fountain

20.  Cutlery

21.  Your own handwriting (this one is compulsory and cannot be substituted)

If you find any of the above hard to get you may substitute one or both of the subjects below, except No. 21 which is compulsory.

 

Alt A  A supermarket trolley or basket, filled with shopping

Alt B  An animal statue

Alt C  Metal railings

It's a good way to get out and about during the colder months and I'm looking forward to seeing what I can find.

my favourite place

a few precious moments of peace in Waterstones and the first mince pie of the season

Some Christmas shopping

Each December we travel to Canterbury and browse around the shops looking for that little something we can't find anywhere else. 

little signs

The first little signs of Christmas in my home, some hyacinths

and the little wooden tree I bought last year. Small signs at the moment, I don't like to decorate too early.

Me on Monday

This was actually Saturday, just before my little visitor went home, the two of us spent a lot of time in my bedroom with the door closed as we played, my full attention was needed!

Today I am getting ready for my favourite time of year and decided to spoil myself by buying Shimelle's Christmas in a box. I've been doing her Christmas class for several years now and really enjoy it.
 I've already bought lots of presents in an attempt to feel more relaxed this year. We have been decorating the spare room which is also my craft room so I haven't made any cards yet. Hopefully it will be finished in a few days and I can get some done. It always amazes me how quickly Christmas is upon us, I have so many plans and not enough days it seems, still that is the fun of it.

waving to Sian and all my other blog friends on this rather miserable Monday x

Me on Monday

enjoying knitting a simple cowl with some gorgeous wool I treated myself to last week

the weekend included celebrating this young man's 17th birthday, how time flies

waving to Sian and anybody else visiting my neglected little blog, hopefully I will start doing something worth blogging about soon!!

Me on Monday

It was a quiet weekend of finishing these socks

so I could start on this blanket, a kit designed by attic24. I'm loving the colours but finding it a little bit more fiddly than the ripple blanket I crocheted last winter. I thought I might also have a cowl on the go so have been searching the free patterns on the internet for something simple.

waving to Sian and hoping you all have a good week.

Jane Seymour

A trip to Marwell Zoo following in the footsteps of Henry VIII, he came here to court Jane Seymour as this was her family home

a few photos taken on a beautiful September day.

and some more!

 An early walk along the river brought us to this beautiful old Alms House called The Hospital of St Cross

There are Brothers still living in these houses

 a beautiful old norman church

with amazing old ceilings

 an old table that legend says belonged to King Stephen

Then it was on to a water mill

The power of water never fails to fascinate me

We then went on to The Great Hall to view the Round Table. For sixty years this would have stood on the floor but was later placed on the wall. Henry VIII had it repaired in 1516 and it was then painted with what was meant to be King Arthur, the painting however bares a strong resemblance to Henry as an attempt by him to reinforce his claim to the throne.

 Another little story that amused me. Look carefully and you can see the outline of a door in the wall. When Charles II came to Winchester he brought the Queen and 18 mistresses with him, this door was his secret way in to visit one of the famous ones, Nell Gwyn. I can only admire his stamina!