Christmas Journal

I challenged myself to finish my journal in January and blog the finished pages, only just made it!

I really enjoyed the whole experience this year from receiving Shimelle's Christmas box of goodies, the emails with videos of her work in progress and making the pages myself. I have been taking part in this class for several years now and find it a lovely way to record the season.
Thank you Shimelle

Christmas

Christmas has come and gone in a flash and all I have left are memories of all the family together enjoying ourselves!

memorandum Monday

Hi to Sian who has a fun new idea for this year, do go over to her blog and have a look.

I've had a busy time with all the family and today I'm trying to get back into my normal routine. I did want to share this little story which really touched me and has made me learn something new,  my mum can still surprise me.

We had a lovely time with her this year although her memory doesn't get any better. For years she has given me money for Christmas as she is too old to sort out presents for everyone now. She did come to us with a gift bag though which I opened on Christmas Day, a lovely box of biscuits for everyone. I was talking to my sister yesterday however who asked me if I had a necklace from mum, she had received one with the biscuits. Fortunately I hadn't thrown the bag away so I quickly got it out and had a look. There at the bottom of the bag was a little gift I hadn't noticed, a necklace with a crystal heart. Mum had gone out and bought three as a surprise for her daughters. It was lovely that she had thought of doing that and I shall always cherish this necklace. It makes me smile though to think she was sitting next to me when I looked in the bag on Christmas Day and had completely forgotten what she had done!

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.