Category: Life

Christmas · Life

It’s almost Christmas

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When the Christmas issue of Good Housekeeping comes out on the first Thursday of November it’s official – I can start to plan Christmas out loud.  Then they start to mess with the dates of the Radio Times and that means it’s December and we’re almost there.  Well tomorrow the Christmas double edition of the Radio Times is coming out and then we’ll know that it is officially ‘Tis The Season.  I’ve my pink highlighter at the ready!  I will admit that I buy two of the Radio Times – one for me and one for him.  Sadly I tend to collect the Christmas edition – even if it’s only a new habit I’ve started – this one will have Wallace & Gromit on it –  Fantastic!!!!

Cats · Christmas · craft · Life

Decembery Goodness

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It’s the first of December – like you needed me to tell you that!

I was away for the weekend with my mother and her guild of the ICA  and I had great fun.  We were doing a weekend course in hand stitched Christmas decorations.  We headed off on Friday and came back yesterday after dinner.  I have to say it was great and you came home with something to show for it!

This is the wall hanging that we did, it is also a introduction to patchwork.

Christmas hanging-1

Santa part of hanging-1Tree part of hanging-1

I am having visions of this house getting overrun with fabric as I have taken a shine to this.

While we were away we went for a walk on Saturday morning after breakfast and before class and I happened to have my camera with me. So as we were coming up to the top of the road this is what appeared before us.
church-1

It really was lovely. However this morning December seems to have kicked in with the weather. As I type I have the heating on and the kettle is boiling for a cuppa ’cause when I got up this morning and looked out the window this is what greeted me:
opposite with frost-1
upper with frost-1

If I’m being honest this is the kind of weather that I’d like to see on Christmas day – wake up and it’s all white and then forget about it as it gradually goes – yes I’d love snow but that really can cause havoc so for safety I’ll sacrifice my dreams for a heavy frost 😛
Mind you even with that frost it can be dangerous – I’m expecting my mother over to me this morning as we are going to get an artificial Christmas tree for me (I think with cats in the house it’s the wisest choice) – anyway mam is coming over but I’ve a feeling that the roads will be slippery so I hope she will be alright getting over.

While I’m waiting for her to arrive I think I’ll hunt out my advent calanders and start opening windows!

Books · craft · Life

Knitting & Stitching

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I know that it’s been a whole week since we were at the Knitting & Stitching show in the RDS here in Dublin but it’s been a busy week.  Anyway I managed to pick up treasure!!!!!  I saved up my money so I could have lots of carefree spending.

The carefree spending turned into :

A Drop Spindle Kit – I’ve no idea how to use it but I’ll figure it out.  Although this comes with some stuff to spin I also picked up some red felting wool which I can also use for spinning.  I also managed to fill out my collection of Brittany Crochet Hooks so I am very pleased with this.  I am now getting to the point where I’ll have to keep a note of the sizes I have – they are so pretty that you make an effort not to lose them.  I know I tend to pick up the other hooks willy nilly.

So back to the shopping – I also picked up a copy of Traditional Blackwork Samplers by Lesly Wilkins and lots of aida fabric for what the book inspires.  In the stitching end of things I also picked up a cross-stitch Christmas Stocking – I don’t think I’ll start it this year as I’ve one or two things to finish up – however it’s for himself and should be ready for next christmas.

After that it was bits and bobs – a victorian advent calender – but as I haven’t figured out how to use the sewing machine yet it will be project for a later date – mind you I have my own notions on how I’m going to do it and if it turns out right -yippee if not it’s a lesson.  I also nabbed a spiced mug mat – put warm mug on mat it releases spicy aromas (apparently)  However I do love the instruction – hit with hammer to reactivate scent.

There were two non-shopping treats one of them was when we came in himself wanted coffee and there was this stall type thing standing in the middle of the coffee area and it was full of jars of buttons!

undefined Go through the link to see what has to be done with all of the buttons

The other one treat was the crocheted coral reef.  I sat down for a little while and did a twisty bit of crochet which will be attached to the reef for a later show.  I can now point at that and say – I did some of that.  There are a few pictures of the reef here.

Now it’s time to get busy with all of my new treasures because that’s what Autumn and Winter evenings are for.

Life

Forgot to mention

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Tomorrow I’m going down to my sisters to go niece visiting.  I don’t think I’ve seen my sister so much as the last 10 weeks but it’s really lovely to see both of them – must bring cake.

Life

Morning Weather

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This morning we got our first frost of Autumn.  Originally I thought it was frost but decided it was just a heavy dew fall on the cars but on closer inspection it really was frost.  I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to take some photos but bus timetables weren’t going to accommodate me.

I do love looking at frost on brambles and grass verges everything looks so fragile.  I really love this time of year as it never fails to disappoint.  Tomorrow I’ll bring my camera with me and take a couple of snaps.  I’m not promising anything as I haven’t mastered the art of composition yet.

According to this site it is -1C but feels like -6C = time to wrap up warm!

general · Life

Lists

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I am going to have to dig out a notebook and start making lists.

I was in a shop this evening and I saw three things I wanted to get but I know in my heart and soul that I will have forgotten them by next week.  Ok so they were games for my DS and I’d get more enjoyment if I bought them one by one but at least with the notebook I’d remember.

On a side note I got an email from my mother with photos of my niece – she really is just a little doll.  I might have mentioned it in places but she really is the cutest thing and is growing out of her Winston Churchill phase. – I’m bold – sorry!

Life

Driving Test No.1

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I know that this is supposed to be the place that makes me smile etc but I thought I’d put this in just as a memory anyway.  This morning I failed my driving test – hence the no.1 in the title.  I’ve applied to do it again so we’ll see.  I seemed to do ok all the way through until an incident with a mini-roundabout and a jeep type thing put the mockers on the whole thing.

I think I had my hopes built up that I would pass – as Dad had said I should pass if there aren’t any incidences or if my nerves didn’t get the better of me – well we had incident 😛

Next time however I really will be only telling himself and whoever is coming over with me.

So yes I’m disappointed but what harm – I had a lovely day lying on the sofa watching daytime TV and movies.

Life

Nice Niece

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Well we went to see her the day before we went away and we’ve been to see her since we’ve come back and she is a little doll!

She was asleep when we arrived out so we got to see her in her cot – when Kay took back the blanket there she was asleep rolled over on her side with her little legs tucked up – she had on these little socks that made it look as if she had little shoes on – just totally adorable.

Later on her dad appeared with her in his arms claiming that she was waking up – not too sure about that but I gladly went along and therefore got the following pictures:

B2

B1B4

I have to admit I’m absolutely mad about her and so proud of my sister!

Life

A brief – what I’ve been up to…

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Sorry for not posting in a while. The smallest of brief summaries with something a bit more in depth over the next few days.

* Small bout of slight depression which was the main cause for length of time I’ve been absent.

* My one and only niece was born on 20/08/08

* Holidays in Paris – how glorious?!?!  since the 26th August.

It’s not too much but I’ll have updates on the events of Niece & Paree.

Life

This weekend coming

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I will be going to visit my grandmothers – they live about 2.5 / 3hours away.  This time I’m going to be driving some of the way with my mother – eek!  What am I letting myself in for?  What is she letting herself in for???  I know that the joke in the family was that it took my sister nearly 5 hours to do the journey for the first time and when she got there she had to have a lie down ’cause she was exhausted – well I don’t plan on doing THAT much driving – my grannies are old we don’t need unneccessary delays.  Anyway if I do do a fair amount of driving I will have a bed all to myself when I go for my lie down.

Mmmmm!  Bed all to myself.  That really is the up side to this weekend – and the seeing of various aunts and cousins – BUT bed to myself is a very rare luxury and will be enjoyed for as long as possible – money on I wake at 7am.  I’ll have to practice rolling over and going back to sleep – maybe I can convince myself that I’ve work?  That should have me feeling tired really quickly.

Ok now I’m waffling – I’m going to bed as I really do have work tomorrow 😦  Warm cuddly bed 😀  I think I’ll take little buttons with me (my teddy is a present from a few years ago and is just one of my favourite things EVER)  Actually I might take little buttons to Waterford with me – something to cuddle while being on my own.

Goodnight