Lazy Sunday

It's been a lovely day today, just pottering around, set off to have a wander in the local garden centre and maybe find some little succulents for my kitchen windowsill. Imogen stayed at home, groaning about why old people like garden centres... cheeky little miss, we're not old people and I've always been rather fond of these places with all their different departments, plants, gifts, small animals, furniture and a place for a nice cup of tea.

It's a lovely drive, there are masses of wildflowers growing in many of the grass verges along the road sides. I've noticed them throughout the city and they're a pleasure to see.

We were surprised when we arrived to see lots of Christmas displays. They are still busy putting more out and there's still quite a bit of space to be filled. We could see where Father Christmas' grotto is going to be and are looking forward to taking Zack a bit closer to Christmas, not that I think it'll really mean anything to him this year.

There were lots of displays and decorations with the theme of pink and white, quite pretty.

I liked these Father Christmas figures and the girls with their long swinging legs.

More trees

I found some baby succulents in tiny little pots, so repotted them for the kitchen when we arrived home just after peeling all the veg and potatoes for our Sunday dinner.

Just the thing for this chilly day, a nice hot roast chicken dinner with steaming hot gravy, it was delicious. After dinner, Imogen filled the dishwasher while Andrew stripped the chicken carcass for the dogs to enjoy their chicken dinner too.

With my cup of tea, I went to sit down with my crochet. I started this a while ago, but it was set aside while I continued with other projects (always so many things on the go). With the turn in the weather it's quite nice to have the weight of the blanket over my knees. I'm enjoying using different colours and stitches. Here it is folded in half.

Oh I shall have so many ends to sew in, I have to face facts, I'll never be a stitching in as I go person.

I'm going to watch the Strictly results now and the last part of Vanity Fair tonight. There's been lots of good dramas on recently, my favourite being Killing Eve. It's showing on BBC1 at the moment, but we watched it on Iplayer, kept up a really good pace, definitely recommend.


Take care
xxx

Is it Nearly Christmas?

I can't believe we're just a few days away from Christmas, I just don't seem able to find my Christmas Spirit this year. I've been quite organised, cards were written and posted early on, presents are always bought over a few months, but they've all been wrapped for a while. Normally the tree and decorations go up at the beginning of December, but this year we waited a bit, not feeling the excitement we used to. I wonder if it's because Imogen is 15 now, no more putting reindeer food out or excitedly writing lists to Father Christmas?

We do have our first grandchild, which is the most wonderful thing to happen, but at 4 months old, he doesn't know it's Christmas! I'm hoping we'll be spending some time tomorrow with Zackary and Izzy, Izzy is 8 so a lovely age, full of excitement and I'm hoping some will rub off on me.

The tree in the dining room

Imogen has finished school today for the Christmas holiday so that's rather lovely. We're planning to do some baking together tomorrow and I'm sure we'll play some festive music at the same time.

I've finished Zack's quilt. It's very soft and will be just the thing to have under him when he lays on the floor.

The background is brushed cotton, so feels really nice against the skin.

If all that isn't enough to put me in a Christmas mood, I do have this beautiful photo my son sent me... a real life little Christmas elf...

Have a wonderful, safe, happy and healthy Christmas

Take care
xxx

Little Piggy Squeak

Thank you for your lovely comments about little Ted and his bunnikins friend, they were so nice to reading I hope those who wanted to find needle felting tutorials were able to, it's a very rewarding hobby watching pieces of wool transform in front of you!


I picked up this polystyrene Father Christmas hat in Hobbycraft the other day. It's a very easy thing to start felting with as you don't have to do any shaping, just felt the wool over the top of it.

I've gone for the traditional red with white trim. It didn't take long to felt, but will look lovely on the tree at Christmas.

Now that Holly has returned to work, we're looking after Zack for 3 days a week to help out, it saves Adam and Holly the cost of a nursery, means Zack is being cared for by people who love and adore him and also means we get to spend lots of quality time with our beautiful grandson, so win, win all round! Holly was picking Zackary up the other day and casually mentioned that she'd been shopping with Izzy (her gorgeous daughter) looking for pink clothes as Izzy wanted to dress up as a pig for a farm dress up day at school. They couldn't find a costume and poor Holly was feeling bit stressed about it... I suggested I make Izzy a curly tail, snout and ears.

I twisted 3 pipe cleaners around each other then crocheted around them to make the pink, curly tail.

For the snout, I cut the bottom off a paper cup then proceeded to burn off my fingerprints as I used the hot glue gun to glue a piece of pink felt around it,

with a couple of little brown circles as nostrils.

I sewed the tail to Izzy's pink leggings, she was so happy with it.

Some ears cut from card with some pink felt in the middle of them and attached to an old hairband. I threaded some elastic through the snout and we were sorted. I've told Holly next time Izzy drops a dress up day at short notice on her, to let us know... I rather enjoyed making the bits and pieces.

Doesn't Izzy make a very cute little piggy! Holly sent me a couple of photos before Izzy went to school in the morning.

Just before I pop off (Zack is asleep and I'm trying to write this before he wakes again), I thought I'd share a picture of Honey. I took it last night, this is Honey watching TV, Paul O Grady for the love of dogs was on and she barely took her eyes off the screen!

Take care
xxx

Pulling the Threads Together

Thank you for the lovely comments about my craft room, I'm so lucky to have a small space of my own.

In the spirit of tidying up my crafty bits and pieces, I've been trying to sort out and tidy my embroidery threads. I used these little bobbin cards that came with the storage boxes, I also had some plastic ones I'd found on Amazon that are pennies to buy.

I have this little bobbin winding gizmo to wind the threads onto the cards with, it couldn't be any easier to use.

It slides easily onto the sides of the storage box, it keeps it stable while you're using it.

I have to be honest though, I found it much easier to just wind the thread on by hand, quicker too.

My latest cross stitch project is a Christmas stocking for my gorgeous new grandson, Zackary. I think it's so cute, obviously it'll be saying Zackary at the top.

I've made a start, but have a long way to go, I do wish cross stitching could be a bit faster. I only really like to do it in the daylight otherwise my poor eyes struggle a bit. I do most of my crafty things in an evening so have to try and find some time in the day for stitching.

I think it's time to sit down with a coffee and do a bit of stitching. Here's a photo of our beautiful grandson from when we were babysitting Saturday afternoon, how I adore that little face.

Take care
xxx

Nearly Finished and Finished

Hello, it's been a week since I wrote anything, perhaps because not much is happening here except for soaking up the end of the summer holidays - last week next week... unfortunately :(

The conservatory is in it's end stages, though it's bank holiday on Monday so not much will happen this weekend... sigh, had hoped it would be finished by today, but should only be Tuesday until it's completed.

I finished Imogen's throw, sewed in the pesky ends (my least favourite part) and she snuggled up under it while having a nap. Bit of a lopsided picture I'm afraid!

I have to mention this because I was so surprised. We were in one of the supermarkets earlier on and as we left Imogen ran up to ... are you ready for this... a grotto for Father Christmas... it's August! Don't get me wrong, I understand preparations, gifts and cards being made, but not Father Christmas in the shops yet surely! Where's the anticipation... goodness me... OK, I've finished but would be interested to hear what others think about it... :)

Take care
xxx