23.12.09

Spent the morning delivering presents -

Roads were white

Snow gritters scarce

Views were magical

Boys were excited

So - I thought I would share with you, the beauty of the moorlands that our village nestles below.

An abandoned farmstead, now used for sheep

My boys and me,

with out them

I am

nothing.

Spin-drift flying over the road, high up on the moors.

20.12.09

The festive holidays have been improved greatly by a healthy dose of snow.


So himself and the boys have been out helping themselves to it.
They return,
red nosed,
rosy cheeked,
frozen fingers,
frozen toes.

The peace of the house is broken by their exuberance and delight at the skidding,
the sliding,
the crashing,
the snowballs.



And me?
No, it's not for me,
I get too cold.
I have to grit my jaw hard to stop my teeth chattering.


So I stay home and craft - ahh, now that I can do.


I've not wasted the time, I have managed to make some more pressies, some I can share with you now, some I can't...... not yet any way.

Our hill.

A felt bow hair band, trimmed with self coloured thread -  a gift for a friend's daughter

 A mobile of flowers for a new bedroom

Felt flowers, twirling outside in a snowy garden

A hungry visitor - affectionately called Jack Tar.

'Nuff waffling, back to crafting!

18.12.09

Forth time lucky?

I had hoped on my third try that I would be able to complete my post

but no - it was not to be.

**************************************

I am being thwarted in my quest to craft.

A deadly combination of:

Boys (home from school for the festive break)

Weather (real snow this time - calling for photos to be taken)

Visitors (friends popping in for a brew and a chat)

Life (ribbons to be sorted, tidying up, felt squares to be put away, carpet to be vacuumed, chickens, dog, cats to be fed, fire to stoke)

and

the worst of them all.....

Time (rapidly running out as I have to go to work soon)

I had so many things I wanted to share, but that will have to wait.

Time waits for no man nor for me.

15.12.09

It's the second day that life has tried to get in the way of crafting.

I've been busy - in between being nursemaid to a sick son.

Can't show any more - shhhhh

Another sneak preview

still have a lot to do, so better get on......

14.12.09

I don't let going to work get in the way of playing!

I've busy again, making another garland - this time for a friend.

We've have also been suffering extreme adverse weather conditions,

 - yes I know it is winter

but it all started as a light flurry

It wasn't long before a second pair of scissors

arrived and the flurry turned into a blizzard

Then eventually a complete white-out - it was becoming desperate when the

third pair of scissors joined in and completely snowed us under...

The results of the freak weather conditions will soon be revealed..........

13.12.09

Yesterday, after the frenzied festive wreath making day
I came home to collapse and admire my handiwork.

Except youngest had other ideas.
Youngest wanted to put up the rest of the festive decorations.
And he wanted to do it.............NOW.

So..........
Himself went upstairs.
Himself brought down the boxes.
Eldest told youngest what to do.

Except youngest had other ideas.
He wanted to do the same as eldest.

So......
We got out the tree,
we unpacked the decorations,
we unraveled the lights.

Except the lights had other ideas.
The lights wouldn't work.

So.........
Himself checked each bulb.
Himself tightened each connector.
Himself finally managed to get them to work.

Youngest was hopping up and down.
He was desperate to put the lights up.
He was keen to get the decorations on the tree.

Except Eldest had no idea which ones to use.
Eldest was still deciding what the colour theme was to be.
Eldest DID NOT WANT youngest to help.

So.....................

I waded in.
I mediated.
I delegated.
I took over.

Except the boys objected.
The boys objected LOUDLY
as they wanted to do it.

So...........
I took a back seat.
I reached for my mug of tea
and I watched as the decorations started to go on the tree.

Except youngest had other ideas.
He had had enough and went off to play.

Sigh.


Eldest and I,
then finally just me,
finished off the decorations and 5 hours later,
I collapsed and admired my handiwork.

************************

Traditional wooden ornaments, bought years ago at a market in Devon.

Rocking horse - a gift one Christmas many many years ago

A bowl filled with pebbles -

from Penmon in Anglesey,

from beaches in Devon,

from walks in the Yorkshire Dales,

covered with sayings and quotes.

Stocking fillers from last year to the boys from Granny and Bumpa.

A sneaky peak of part of my wreath - A complete change of style for me this year.

Part of the garland above the wood burning stove.

**********************

Our house is now gently scented by cinnamon and dried oranges.

Delicious.

12.12.09

At last - our festive wreath get-together.

It was wonderful - seeing old friends,

meeting up and talking.

Playing corny festive music.

Even dancing to it.

The musty old village hall was filled with the scent of pine and cinnamon.

It was filled with laughter and music.

We munched on mincepies and drank copious amounts of tea and coffee.

A hint of gold glints on the ivy blossom, catching the gold work on the ribbon.

Teasel heads shimmering, nestling on a bed of greenery.

The beautiful glaucous blue of the Eucalyptus in sharp contrast with the berries.

A glittery gold butterfly - dancing on foliage, a symbol of my favourite sister in law.

A ribbon of rich reds and greens, wearing snowflakes of gold adorn mistletoe, holly and hypericum berries.

The unusually silent and empty workshop - we were all at lunch.

Wicker balls, tartan ribbon, mistletoe, ivy and holly.

So traditional, so modern.

Tiny gold stars resting on a deep purple ribbon.

Roses made from Acer leaves by my Mom

An angel - an arrangement by my friend Angela's daughter -  catching the last of the afternoon sun.

A splash of fuchsia pinks and rich golds.

Beautifully arranged by a special friend.

It has been a wonderful day,

it went very quickly.

And, as the evening wore on, wreaths appeared on doors around the village.

It has been a good day.