New Years Eve

It's new years eve, we are getting ready for a few friends over for dinner, just six of us, a nice meal and fireworks at 12, plus a glass of bubbly. We have agreed to dress posh (photo's next time), should be different and fun.
As a couple and a family 2013 has been fun, with both my daughters finding happiness, our Grand sons give us so many moments of pure joy.
We had many weekends away in England and our final trip to Berlin.
The work hubby has done to the house has improved our lives.

My first post of 2013 was "Shades of Grey", looking at things around me and making wishes to myself for the year ahead, of the 7 items on my list, 6 has been improved and I am pleased.
The 7th was
Me, Lose more weight, get fit by using my bike and walking more. Find my positive side again, it's there just lost. - Well I have not lost weight or walked or cycled, but I do have my positive head back, so my only wish for 2014 is to lose the weight, starting next week.

So I am looking forward to 2014, I have loads of stitching projects to finish, loads planned to stitch. But as important we have loads of family plans.

Enjoy the last day of this year

I hope you spend tonight with someone you love. 

In between

I have done some more on my heart, I have a problem with the pattern, it is copied over two pages and some how the middle three lines are missing, so each side of the graph does not match up, I have used the main photo and done a bit of free hand, but I'm pleased with it.

 I love a bargain, these stunning glass decorations we on sale at our local supermarket, £2.10 for a pack of 4, I purchased the last two boxes, that's 52p each.

 Just put a couple on my tree, they look great, and the light catches them. I have also purchased loads of half price candles, and more Christmas Crackers, I really hate cheap crackers, and am happy to buy them on sale and store them with the decorations until next year, might even use them on our New years Eve dinner.

 First slice of my Christmas cake, both hubby and I enjoyed it, really moist, I did not add any booze this year, just wanted cake, I think it taste much better, hubby could not work out what was missing.

This is the strangest time of year, after the feast of Christmas and before the celebration of the new year, I am thinking I might pack some of the decorations away, I want to sort and recycle some of the things I no longer use, and trim down the amount of items I store. I want the house to look more silver for the new year.
Hubby is cooking the meal, so I have to think on the house and table, we will be six for the evening, so not to huge.
Tomorrow I will spend with Fliss, want to pop to town and then have some craft time, I would like more lessons on crochet.

Snuggled in the warm.

For a couple of hours we were a full house on Christmas day, not the whole of the family, but all three grand sons and their mummies and daddies, Su and David. With loads of Christmas jumpers and hats, it was a real good feeling. 

 Half way through the present rush, and most of these were for Logan, Sammy and Josh had opened theirs at home before popping over, the paper pile got much higher than this. I was lucky and had super gift's this again this year.

 Sammy and Logan had loads of fun together, could not find a photo where they were both still, Thomas was very popular again for little boys. The house has looked like a toy shop for two days.

 Now it's just Kev and I, Mummy, daddy and Logan drove home last night, a day early, but today we have had the third big winter storm hit us, we were sorry to see them leave early, but are glad they are home safe and not driving today. We are having high winds and heavy rain again, our area is safe from flooding, but with so many tree's bringing down power lines, we just count our selves lucky to be able to stay at home in the warm.

 My garden is going nuts again, above we have spring flowers and the bulbs are shooting already. Our tree is in bud again, every thing is just crazy in the garden, yet my indoor bulbs are way behind, no signs of buds.

I have spend the morning sorting the house, it looks more like it should, I am going to catch up with a few TV Christmas specials, lazy afternoon at home.
Tomorrow I will pop in and see the boys for the day, they have so many presents to show me, Josh we gave money and he has purchased a huge Starwars Lego pack. I am looking forward to that.

I hope if you have storms where you are, you are safe and warm with your loved ones close by.

After the rains.

We have had heavy rain and winds for the pass two days, the garden is still looking OK, not so the fence, but we are unable to make repairs, the ladies next door have claimed it. So we have to watch and wait.

In the summer if it is not repaired we will put up anther fence, 

just inside our boundary.

 My gift of the poinsettia is still looking good, if I have read the correct instructions on the Internet, I hope to be able to keep this one to the new year.

 Festive table, with special crackers for Josh and Sam, 

Logans is on our tree with the grown up crackers.

 Almost there with the cake, just need to add a few pretty things, 

I can't find any I want to use, so hubby has gone shopping. 

 Purdy has spotted me with the camera, she loves the corner of this table, 

  I am still stitching, I have finished the first page of the pattern, we watched a couple movies last night, so I am a bit further behind then I expected. Arty photo below, don't you just love those neat little crosses.

My brother Martin is with us until tomorrow, he will then go to his daughters for Christmas, he will have loads of fun with his grand son. We hope to see Fliss and Josh today, not sure about Sammy, he has been poorly.

Nothing planned for the rest of the day, hope to stitch, will have to see what hubby and brother has planned.
The wet and windy weather is set to return tomorrow, I will be at work all day.
Then Christmas eve with family arriving, should have all three grand sons together again.

Yea stitching

Another new start, I was not inspired to stitch, so I thought I would start this heart, my second one from Rovaris, but I thought purple would be a change from red. This I should finish over the weekend, I know where it will hang.

 Hubby thought our garden needed more lights, so the garage is now flashing, 

nice to see coloured lights

 Our bedroom is finished, 

hubby took our four wardrobes and created a walk in area.

 We moved the dressing table

 purchased the glass shelves to hold a few of my treasures, 

I do like things neat and tidy.

 The four doors from the original wardrobes created the front on the new system, the two outer doors are fixed, it is how I wanted it to look, just as if it was just four simple wardrobes in an alcove.

 But once you open the doors, it's magical, he has created almost double the storage space we had before, adding more hanging space and loads more shelves. Yes I know I have far too much clothes, but now it is all in one place. He spent most of his weeks holiday to make this, and I am really pleased, he is a bit of a perfectionist.

We have just a week to go, and we are as ready as we can be, just the fresh food items to get early next week.
All our presents are behind the sofa, no room under the tree, they are sat there waiting for a special family Christmas.
My brother Martin will arrive on Friday, he is staying with us for a couple of days before going on to his daughters house for Christmas. My main task this weekend is to top ice my Christmas cake, I like to leave it late to enjoy it as my last minute task.
Work is going well, Friday we are having our Christmas lunch, and most of the day will be fun, Monday will be our last working day, we are having Christmas Eve off, which pleases me, I can see both Josh and Sammy longer and Logan is set to arrive earlier with mummy and daddy.
The festive spirit is here with me, I hope it finds it's way to you all as well.

PS the storm has started, loads of rain and wind fore caste again, might be a long night.

December in the garden

Our magnolia tree, every year I love this view, it's our wildlife food table.

Hubby fills the coconut shells with his own lard mix and with dried worms and nuts, there is a feast here. We still see loads of birds, Starlings swoop in numbers. Our squirrels are back, watching all the time for next doors cats. 

 The garden is in winter mode now, most of the leaves have dropped from the tree. It's nice to see the Pansy's in the pot, a little extra colour.

 Typical for the cats, Grace out watching me, Purdy inside watching me, are they thinking " strange woman is always taking photo's".

 These pots by our back door are colourful, the primroses are coming into bloom, wrong time of year, but loads of plants are mixed up. I still have flowers in my front garden, they don't look their best, but it's nice to see. We have had some rain yesterday, it has been dry for weeks and my pots needed the water.

 Angela my dear friend set me a challenge, she gave me this Poinsettia, I have bad history with these plants, they drop their leaves very quickly. I have been on the net and found out where I was going wrong. I was given this on last Sunday 08.12.13, lets see if I can keep this one longer.

 My Orchid, Amaryllis's and Hyacinths are all behind this year, so I should have beautiful flowers in January, which will cheer the house up after all the decorations are packed away.

Hubby is having a week off work and he is working in our bedroom, turning 4 tall wardrobes into a 7 unit walk in wardrobe, with the original doors on the front. This large alcove is perfect for this. He is hoping to complete on Monday. So I have had a huge sort out, loads of things going to our local charity shop.

I have not stitched any thing, it's very busy here, with loads of invites from friends and the house sort.On the plus side I had all the presents and they are wrapped, yesterday we did the big Tesco shop. Today I am out with a friend for a couple of hours.

Every thing else is normal, family are well, our grand sons keep us smiling and we will have them all together again on Christmas Eve, it's turning out to be a great Christmas season.

Christmas crafts

It's been another busy day here, shopping this morning, and spotted these, they are beautiful, I love real glass on the tree it reflects the light so well.

 We have had some cards printed this year, here with our grandsons.

 I have this evening finished all my hand made cards, most of them have snow flakes on and 'snow flake is a winters butterfly' none are the same. I'm glad they are finished.

 I have made up my heart, not sure if I like it, I want it to be a bit flatter, so I will put some books on top to see how it looks in the morning. It is a present, but I'm not happy with it yet.

 My friend Cat, has stitched these birds, and this afternoon I made them into a cushion cover, both Cat and I are both pleased with the outcome. I have also stitched together loads of little things.

The day has been busy, and loads have been done, won't be a late night tonight, we have another busy day tomorrow.  Popped in to Sammy and Josh as well, Sammy is now much better, nothing sadder than a poorly little boy.
I have not done any cross stitch, hope to pick it up tomorrow.

Light our way

I have finished this design, and I love it. 

Sits well in the bottom corner of my work.

 I am looking to do some textured stitches in the 3 squares below, I only want to use silks, and not add any beads or buttons. But I can't find any thing I like. I did some beautiful stitching on another of my designs, but I can't remember how I did them and I can't work it out from my very fine stitching. So most of my time I am on the net searching for sites.

 I love this photo of the bottom of our tree, I have been playing with my camera, I also have a good selection of large glass decorations. I have also 12 real red candles on our tree, they are just for show, but I love them.

 I purchased another fake candle last weekend, hubby was a bit stunned at the cost of it, but they work well on my dining room unit where it is not safe to burn real candles.

 My table decoration is almost the same as last year, I am using battery operated white lights, with mistletoe on top, the dull light is very different.

 In the office I have put lights in my plant, just for a laugh, this window is at the front of the house, so it does look a bit like Christmas.

We are having storms in the North and North East, we have had a windy day here, but no real problem, loads of homes are on flood alert, loads of bridges are shut. I do hope every one is safe and well. It has got very cold here, so we need to wrap up warm before going out. I love scarfs and gloves.
I am in the swing for Christmas, once a week our boss allows us to have a two hour lunch break to go shopping, my day was yesterday and I got loads done. I must finish my cards, I have just to put them together, and then get them in the post. I have presents to wrap and my cake to ice.
I have just a couple of presents to purchase, hope to get them done over the weekend.
Sunday we have afternoon tea planned here for 8 people, just a chance to catch up with each other and share our Christmas cheer.

Every thing is heading towards a good Christmas.

Seasons Greetings

Christmas has arrived early

 I have been feeling festive since our visit to Berlin, 

and so on the last day of November

 (early for this house hold) 

I have put up or decorations. 

Very pagan, loads of holly, ivy and berries.

 Above is new this year, golden and bling, but lights a dark corner, 

Below these figures from Spain have a place in our room each year. 

 Our hall way shelves, just a bit of fun, 

 One note, I do not use tea lights in my ceramics, I use the battery operated light sets, about 10 small bulbs, the smaller ones are not big enough to hide the battery case, but much safer than candles.

 The down side, our spare bedroom is now full on for storage, and looks a mess.

Not much stitching done, had a very lazy week in which each night after work, we just relaxed together. Yesterday was lost to decorating, so many things, loads to pack away to make room for Christmas.

Today Sammy and Josh are going to visit, we will have to watch Sammy, his excitement levels are going to be high. I have a couple of items to get for presents, but most of it is done now. So we are looking forward to a family afternoon here.

Sunshine travels to Berlin.

 I wanted a circular design on this piece, and I am glad I found one I liked, 

I have totally changed all the colours, using ones I have already stitched in this design. I was hoping to have more done, but it's been a busy few days.

 I am loving the shapes on this

We have been away again for the weekend, we went to Berlin, we stayed in this fantastic city for 2 full days, using the public transport, which was clean, on time and running almost every 15 minutes, we used trams, trains, subway and  buses. Here we are at  Brandenburg gate, a dry, sunny but cold day, and even though there were loads of people, it was not that busy.

Us at Checkpoint Charlie,  I thought the checkpoint would be more than just this wooden hut, but all the photo's show it was only ever this hut. Now in the middle of a busy street, but when it was the gate from East to West, it had loads of barriers up to stop traffic getting to close going to fast. 

These guys stood all day, ready for photo's. 

This bit of the old wall, set in an open museum, we also visited the museum for Check point Charlie, it was full of they ways people escaped the East and loads of stories how the people managed under the oppression which was their daily life. Very harrowing, but so very interesting. 

 In side every where was warm and friendly, here we had the most perfect meal, with a beer for Kev, we were here for almost 3 hours, all very rich is smells and sounds. Much nicer than the modern places where every one was in a rush.

 The tower is the TV tower, we went to the sphere to look over the whole of the city, the sky was clear and blue and the views were unbelievable. Below the Christmas markets, this one was nice, not so full of mass produced items, lots of craft people.

 This when lit up was stunning, 

it is the centre piece for the market, 

the passing children loved it. 

Back home and back to work today, I was glad to be able to sit all day, visiting new cities can be fun, but loads of walking.
I am in the mood for Christmas, I will put our tree up on Saturday, which for me is early, but it is the season to be jolly. Our plans for Christmas is going well, Logan with mummy and daddy will be staying with us, for 3 days, so with a 3yr old in the house, loads of excitement and toys.
For the rest of this week it's all about keeping warm, the temperature has dropped, but it is dry, most of the flowers in my garden have been killed off by the morning frost. Now for an evening with Kev and some stitching.

PPS still not watched "Day of the Doctor", some thing else to look forward to this weekend.