My Favourite Christmas Films

We have a few Christmas films on dvd that get rolled out every year, the family favourites. School has finished for Christmas now so it's time to start our festive build up with some films.

I think my favourite that we watch every year has to be 'Its a Wonderful Life. It often ends up just being me and Andrew who watch this one.

It's a black and white film, but there are colourised versions too and it's with the wonderful James Stewart. The ultimate feel good film, a story about love, family and community

George Bailey is in trouble, but the angels have heard all the prayers as those around him ask for him to be helped. We see a quick retelling of the highlights of George's life before the angel Clarence is sent down to help him.

Poor Clarence doesn't have his wings yet, so hopefully he can help George and earn them. 'Everytime a bell rings, an angel's got it's wings'


One of our other favourites has to be 'How The Grinch Stole Christmas'

I love it, from the wonderful village of Whoville with it's Christmas crazy inhabitants to the excellent grumpy Grinch who has a heart 2 sizes too small...

It's a feel good movie (just as I like Christmas films to be), the Whos in Whoville are overtaken by the commercialism of Christmas, all except little Cindylou, she wants to know what it's all about, what it really means.

I'm not a big Jim Carrey fan and often find him far too over the top for me, but he is wonderful as the Grinch, horribly 'grinchy' but also sympathetic (and I think the make up is amazing)



Another that gets played every year here is 'Deck the Halls'. A jolly jape with Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito.

Broderick plays Steve, he has a schedule to keep to so he can make it a perfect Christmas for his family, whether they think it's perfect or not!

Danny DeVito is 'Danny', all he wants is for his house to be seen from space... what could go wrong...

We always watch 'Scrooge', it's always been hubby's favourite Christmas film and Imogen loves it too. There are a few versions, but our favourite is the musical version with Albert Finney and yes we all enjoy a good old singalong with it.

It's the Charles Dickens story 'A Christmas Carol', ghostly visitations

The epiphany for Scrooge as he realises the error of his ways and tries to make amends.

I can't make a list of our favourite Christmas films without adding 'Elf'.

Will Ferrell is a human brought up in the North Pole as an elf. He just doesn't fit in with the other elves, so when he finds out he's a human, he sets off to find his father.

Buddy the elf goes to New York where he sees things for the first time, revolving doors, the world's best cup of coffee and used chewing gum....

It's all about the Christmas spirit with plenty of laughs along the way.


There are so many brilliant Christmas films (and of course so many absolutely dire ones). I really feel I should have added the 'Santa Claus' trilogy (I do like to watch them while I do the wrapping up) and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation all about the family get togethers. but I have to stop somewhere or my list will go on and on!

Hope you're all enjoying the Christmas build up, not getting stressed, just excited. Are you watching your favourite Christmas films too?

Take care
xxx

It's That Time of Year

I love Christmas, I love the preparation and the decorating. I think I have as much child like excitement now as I did when I was young, in fact now that I organise my own Christmases, I think I have even more!

We always put our decorations up when December arrives. It used to be done by the elves while we slept and Imogen would come down the next morning to a winter wonderland, looking to see where the elves and put everything. Now she's a bit older (sob), the elves don't come, but it's still as much fun doing it together.

We treated ourselves to a new tree this year, one to go in the dining room/snug. I choose a white one like we used to have when I was a child.

There isn't a great deal of room, so it's a nice narrow one. It looks gorgeous with all the lights twinkling, and these photos really don't do it justice at all.

Also new this year is my little nutcracker, a smart little fellow who makes me smile.

All the Christmas trimmings are out, lots of candles and fairy lights. The candy canes hanging from the mantle piece are stocking holders for Christmas Eve.

One of my favourite decorations is this small fireplace with it's stockings hanging down.

Here's my dish full of yummy, colourful chocolate coins.

I have been doing some crochet too, though not with much of a Christmas theme. Here's my parrot.

The light isn't very good,the colours are red, oranges and yellow, nice and bright.

He has long tail feathers that drape behind him.

How are your Christmas preparations coming along?

Take care
xxx

Halloween and a RAK

I've been planning to do this post all week, but it's half term and I've been trying to keep away from the laptop as hubby and I have had a week together. I've been successful and we've had a lovely week, but as I wanted to show you my Halloween mantlepiece I thought I should get my act together today!

Firstly, I want to tell you about the wonderful RAK I received from Jo at Through The Keyhole. I'm not sure where it originated, but it's a lovely RAK (random act of kindness) that is winging it's way through blog world. I'd sent Jo my address a while ago and had forgotten about it. When I sent my address I forgot to send my surname, so I wondered who'd sent me a parcel that was only addressed by my first name.

So many goodies

I've lived in Yorkshire since my late teens, but hadn't seen these Yorkshire crisps before, yum.

So gorgeous wool from Stylecraft in lovely complimenting shades ready for a spot of crochet.

Some very tasty looking cookies, just right to curl up with this afternoon when I watch 'Whiskey Galore' with a hot drink.

Speaking of hot drinks, look at all these lovely flavours hot chocolate.

I always have a book on the go, so shall look forward to reading this when I've finished my current one.

And how kind, Jo didn't forget our 3 dogs and 2 cats, treats for them too.

I want to continue the RAK, so if you'd like to have your name popped in the hat, just leave a comment to let me know after this post. I'll leave it open for about a week, though I won't be sending out the goodies until after Christmas by which time you will hopefully have forgotten all about it and it'll be a lovely surprise.


So here is my mantlepiece, not the best light as it's late afternoon. Lots of candles, spooky globes crochet pumpkins and a spider.

I changed it at the beginning of the month as I love the Halloween globes and wanted them on display for as long as possible, even if it's just 1 month a year. My favourite in the bird and the books, which imagine is Edgar Allan Poe's Raven. The dancing skeletons have a key underneath to turn, it plays music while they dance.

A couple of small pumpkins I crocheted to sit with all the candles, I do love candles in an evening when the nights draw in.

My little Chihuahuas sit on the hearth (they are so much better behaved than my 3 furry ones), 1 is trying to get in the Halloween spirit...

 Don't forget about the RAK

Take care
xxx

Morning Deliveries

Thank you for all your bread storing ideas and comments, it appears we are all having a similar predicament with the bread being left on top of the container. We've decided to start storing our wraps in the freezer, so let's see how that goes!

Our postman has been busy this morning. First delivery was a special something for me from hubby after a few heavy hints.

Surfing through social media I found some references and pictures of the newly released yarns from Stylecraft and some other limited edition colours. It didn't take much to tempt me...

 It was hubby's suggestion to get a few more bits to get the free postage, honestly!

 I have some patterns I looking forward to trying out, but I'm hampered in my search for a good skin tone yarn. I really wanted some double knit cotton, but it's so difficult when ordering online without the benefit of natural light. These are the ones that looked best on the computer screen.

The 2 cotton dk that I ordered are a bit too peach and too tan, the Sugar n Cream is the best I've seen, but I didn't read it properly and it's cotton, but arran weight, sigh. The dk Bonus is actually called flesh tone and isn't bad at all. It means though that I'm still looking for a double knit cotton in flesh tone, the search continues. Any suggestions welcomed.

A couple of new hooks in my most used size, 4. A knit pro with a soft handle

After the frustration and eye strain I've recently had from crocheting a spider and a witches hat for Halloween in black wool, I thought I'd have a try with a light up hook. I've heard good and bad about these hooks, so just trying the one size to see how it goes.

 The other delivery was a treat for me and hubby. I tend to drink tea far more than coffee, but I do like a coffee too. We recently tried a couple of flavours and enjoyed them, so thought we'd treat ourselves to a variety of the Beanies flavoured coffees.

It arrived in a lovely presentation box and a freebie bag too!

We chose the flavours ourselves from a choice on the website, taking it in turns so we both knew we'd have flavours we wanted to try.

So far we've had the Winter Warmer (hubby really enjoyed it, especially the warming rum flavour), Nutty Hazelnut (my favourite so far) and Mint chocolate. I think I may buy one of these for our coffee loving son for Christmas.

Take care
xxx

Bread Bin Dilemma

Thank you for all your lovely get well wishes for Imogen, she's much better now just a bit of a cough, but you know how they can drag on...

Just a quick post about perhaps not the most interesting subject, the bread bin. It drives me potty! It's not particularly big, but there are only 3 of us living here and work space is at a premium. This is how I usually find it...

I'm sure you're thinking it's nice and tidy (except for the crumbs, I should have wiped the surfaces first). It may look tidy, but as you may have spotted, the bread isn't in it, but next to it. This frustrates
me, what's the point of having a container for it if no one uses it!

So is it empty? Not today, it has some breadcakes (rolls or whatever your regional name for them is, it took me years to get used to saying breadcakes, but now can't imagine calling them anything else) and wraps in it.

I cleaned it out, wiped it over, had a mutter about no one else wiping it.

Popped the bread in it, where it belongs.

The breadcakes went in with the bread too and the wraps had to stay on top as they're too big and there isn't any space left inside.

I'm still not really happy with it. How do you store your bread? There must be a better way, a way that doesn't entail lifting the wraps off the top and putting them back again after also putting the bread back inside, because this method is apparently a bit taxing for everyone (I say everyone so as not to name and shame). All ideas keenly welcomed.

Take care
xxx