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Sorry Christmas mug came out tonight

homemade mince pie

 Both books arrived this weekend, I was not happy the postman left them on our doorstep, very little chance of theft, but we have loads of rain, the packing was really wet and the bottom book damp. 

 Catch up time

Not so much time last week for stitching. 

After a long drive we were very pleased to be home, we had a great time in Somerset, again all the Jones family were together, next time will be in 2016. We stayed in Priemer Inn with Fliss and the boys. Lunch out was great 24 people, so busy, all the children behaved lovely whilst still having a good time.
The evening soon started to turn into a adult party, very nice but not with Josh and Sam, I don't drink much, but I do make a point of only ever having one small glass of wine when they are around, so we left about 8.30 and got the boys into bed earlyish. This morning we all met for breakfast, Brewers Fayre do a great breakfast, where children eat free, again 20 people, we sat for a couple of hours whilst the children played in their own fun area.
A visit to my brother, he is having problems with our younger sister, she was caring for our younger brother who passed away in the summer, but on checking all his paperwork, she was rather naughty with his funds, she is now accusing us all of neglecting our brother and accusing her of theft. She won't speak to us and the probate solicitor is asking questions, oh well, families!
Tonight we are in the warm, the wind is howling around the house, just a plain tea, we are both fed up with fancy foods.

Promise

I love the promise of new growth

Something which is in short supply at this time of year

This Orchid should flower for Christmas

This is one of two Hyacinth's I have started to grow

tucked under my desk in the dark by a warm radiator

no airing cupboard here so I have to improvise  

 Hubby has been baking, Chicken and leek pie for most of us

Fliss's pie has home made stuffing on, gluten free

plus mince pies, what happened to not eating any until December

 My birthday Orchid still looks good, I have lost a few flowers, but there are still loads of buds, should last for ages. That's why I love Orchids so much, choose carefully and they will flower for months and reflower for years. 

 1st Christmas card, it came with my birthday card

So black Friday is here, not that we take part and almost every one I spoke to today was the same, still even here in UK it's a huge sale day, so someone is spending loads.
Thank you for the comments regarding the flowers in our garden, we are sheltered along the south coast, but it can be a problem because we are also the driest part of the UK, not so bad at this time of year, as yet we have only had one light frost.
Oldest daughter and her partner is here for tea tonight, so I am looking forward to a glass of wine.
I am wrapping a few presents tonight so we can take them with us tomorrow, we are not sure if we will get back to Somerset after this weekend. We will be back on 31st December, we love New Years Eve in the village, there are 4 pubs and every one wanders from pub to pub, loads of lovely hello's to people we only see on evening like this. No tickets to get into the pubs all very friendly, we end up at the pub closest to my brothers house.
Everyone is using the C word, we are almost ready, only two gifts to get, it's really simple again this year, all about family and laughter and fun. Sod the magazines with all the recipes for the best tasting food, articles with the perfect house settings. Our decorations are years old, I add a couple of items each year, more to do with the fact we got a huge new tree last year, I love the history which comes out when we dress our tree.  Both Josh and Sam love to see their favorite things each December.
Why is Blogger taking ages to show my post after I publish, it's take a few hours before it shows.

Catch up

Oh to be a cat in winter

 Flowers in the garden, still plentiful

 Chillies, these tiny ones are very hot

Still in greenhouse

 Christmas tree still looking OK

I asked last time for recommendations for books to read, 

I had two, so they are on their way to me, 

I let you go by Clare Mackintosh sounds perfect, 

and The Saffron Trail by Rosanna Ley, 

December is going to be another good book month. 

Last night Sam and I read a new book, we both loved it
Cynthia was sent to the North Pole  because she loved Christmas all year.
She did save Christmas, but you will have to read it to find out how.

I got home just after 3 today, quick forage into the garden, few photo's and then hubby took me to a Cash and Carry, Bookers, we have a card from a friend to use for ourselves. The butchery department is really good and we have stocked up on beef chunks, chicken breast and bacon, most has been separated and popped into the freezer. We got some wonderful bargains, hand soap 6 for £3.99, same for shower gel, I normally get them when they are on offer, generally about £1 each. We were careful, it is so easy to overspend in those places, we got just a couple of items for Christmas and a bottle of Monin Caramel, we had it in coffee last time we were in France, it's also good on ice cream. We have enough cat food to last into the new year. So we should be able to avoid the supermarkets for a bit longer. 

Our new lady in work has been used in a different department, which has upset a couple of people in the office, it does make good business sense to move her to a department who needs a replacement quickly, our security passes can take up to 12 weeks to come through. It does not bother me, we are doing OK as a department, and are working well with in our dates to get things done.

I have done more stitching, photo's next time. 

Playing nicely

I have finished my November good read

third book by Diane Chamberlain, 

I need a good December book, any suggestions

Paula asked about monkey nuts,
We often get them, just peanuts in their shells

I decided to outline the inner section, 

it makes it easier 

Spot the difference

the back is as important as the front

Our weekend was bliss, quick dash to a nice village close by, collect my bracelet which had a broken link fixed at jewellers, pop into butchers for lovey meats.
Sunday morning at home, both daughter came for lunch with partners, everyone gets on so well, hubby made sausage rolls and mince pies, his pastry skills are brilliant, the sausage meat was wonderful, he added apple and herbs to the pork.  After our lunch we walked to the castle, a very cold walk around and then into the local pub, 1st visit in almost two years, it went down hill, now under new management, with huge log fires and a clean place to sit, we chatted for a while. Back home just hubby and I, did some sewing. All in all a perfect weekend, we are home in Somerset next weekend with Josh and Sam, family birthdays, so meals out and parties.
This morning my car was iced over at 6.45, and bloody cold, my big winter coat is out again. Work was good busy, but we are slowly chipping at a utility company who are giving us major problems. Tomorrow a new lady starts, sat next to me so I will be training, it will be nice to have someone different, but as a team we are all working well together.
I have a couple of  new followers, which amazes me, thank you for stopping by and joining in.

It's cold outside

My Christmas cards have been designed

 Simple embossing

 Inside using some of the gold card I have

After all the dies I purchased for my Christmas present last year, my plan was to make layered cards, but after the recent problems in Paris, I decided to keep it simple. There is always next year for using all the different designs. I do like to have a coloured insert in my cards, I think it makes them look better. I will also make a few more with cards from previous years left overs.
I am still finding glitter here in the office, it has got everywhere, hubby is not happy, it will take ages for it all to disappear.

 I have filled in a few centers

It's looking good

Over half way now

The weather forecasters got it right, through out the day yesterday it started to feel cooler, the winds were high, which added to the lower temperatures. This morning I decided it was vest time, bit old lady ish, but I like to wear layers, and later we are going to pop out.
We had a late start to our day, we had neighbours round last night for a drink, which lasted to 1.30am, can't remember the last time I stayed up that late, but it was interesting and fun.
Our garden is winter ready, so other than hubby picking up leaves( his job now he's retired), we can stay inside in the warm and watch our garden. Our flowers are still looking good, but not for much longer.
The bird feeders are overflowing with seeds and nuts, I got some Monkey nuts last weekend, so they are sprinkled around the plot, plus I had some soft eating apples given to me and I have placed them around the garden, the local bushes are also full of berries, a good start for the wildlife.

A BIG finish

Carrie Rose is finished

1st stitched in January

my 8th finish of this year

 Again I did not stitch the colours as suggested by the designer

 I love these rows going through the work

 Just pretty stitching

 I tried to use colours a bit different for me

 Now I have to find a use for this stitching

far too nice to sit in my work box. 

Because my items are big designs, I don't get too many finishes each year. I'm also sadden, I love to stitched these designs which are released through out the year, this is finished and I have nothing to look forward to arriving in my post box.

Back to my patchwork, unless I can decide what Christmas design to stitch. 

Productive days

Our Olive is in it's winter home

just inside the green house

 I have planted my Christmas tree

it was pot bound, so fingers crossed it survives. 

 Outside the back door, 

one has tulips and the other daffodils
I have a couple more pots with tulips in,
I'm trying hard to grow tulips again. 

 The flower garden still has loads of colour, 

I dead headed plus planted some pansies and primroses in garden and pots

 inside Hyacinth's Sam loves these water pots

The African Violets have been potted up

It was a busy morning in the garden on Sunday, Hubby trimmed back the Magnolia tree again, we just cut all the new growth off, we now have two huge bags of garden waste, not a problem the council are still collecting it. I did add some small branches with leaves over the hedgehog hibernating area, not too much weigh, just a bit of protection from the rain.

 Hubby has been baking, meat pie for tea tonight and one for later this week.

The small pie is my tomorrow lunch

The small one at the back to Gluten free for Fliss

Below apple pie with my coffee in my new girly mug 

Next time I moan about my weight, remind me of this post

Glitter every where

All finished

 Up close, very bling

 Menu card (navy)

Invitation card (navy)

Accommodation card (silver)

(extra sliver card in photo just to show you full effect)

RSVP and envelope (white)

 I purchased a pack of cheap invitations to use for a topper on the band

I also used the envelopes

 Evening invitations

much the same just a bit simpler

I put all the wording onto labels which was placed on the back of the cards, this ensured all the white backgrounds looked the same. I cut bands to hold the cards together, and slit into the top card to thread the band through, so I did not need to use glue. The small RSVP envelopes  were hard to find, in the end I brought some cheap save the date cards and used the envelopes, much cheaper than purchasing small envelopes on their own.
Other than the white card, which I always keep in my stock drawer, I had to purchase every thing else, and checking all the prices, each card cost 69p to produce, which is calculated on every thing I purchased, even if it was not used. Evening cards cost 48p each, not so many layers.
I do have loads of gold sheets not used, it was a pain to have to buy mixed packs, but it was still cheaper than getting them off the internet, I did not need huge numbers which would have given me a better discount. I also have half the glitter card left, these will be kept for card making.
My office space is covered with glitter, I did clean it twice last night, but it's going to take a while to get rid of it all.
It rained all day yesterday, so a good use of my time. We did pop out once, we went to Waitrose on checking on line we found they had our coffee on discount, plus my cordial was also on a buy two for £5, and I required two bottles one for home and one for work.  Josh was very tired, so we did not see him, but he phoned with all the fun he had, he wants to go back which is a very good sign he enjoyed himself.
The hope this morning is to get the garden jobs done, it is very windy here, but dry.

So it's raining

We did expect the heavy rain this morning

Not been out in the garden after work this week

stitching instead

Filling in the center blocks, I'm just past half way,

But it's being packed away for a few days

Yesterday after work, we went to our local IKEA store, it's not too far away, youngest daughter was after a couple of cheap coffee tables, we have not been for over a year, we needed nothing, but got a couple kitchen items, for once we did not require any glasses.
We got up early (for me) this morning to try and do a few garden jobs before the rain came, but it started raining as soon as we were up, so things will have to wait until tomorrow, I do need to get my pots done. We also cover our wooden garden furniture over the winter months, but we would like a couple of dry days so we don't cover wet wood. Both Purdy and Grace are in their baskets all warm and dry.
So today is back up plan, I want to get all the wedding invitations done and ready for posting, which means the office is going to be covered in glitter so no housework this morning.
Later we want to pop to Tesco, we drink fresh coffee, and our brand we use is expensive, so we thought we would try and save money and purchased a few different packs of cheaper coffee, we have both had enough and will buy our normal brand, cheap coffee is a saving too much.
Today we want to see Josh back from his week on the farm, he loved the whole stay, so we are hoping to hear all his fun.
Again we hear more shocking news, this time from Paris, terrorist attack on six locations, 120 have been killed. Our world can be a wonderful place, people can achieve so many great things, I am going to focus on those thoughts rather than the worst side of humanity, so few people can harm so many and cause so much fear. Will the terror never end.

Pretty flowers

Colour for a nice change, a birthday present

Thank you for all the birthday wishes

I have one Orchid regrowing new buds and loads of dormant ones

Stitching, these colours are totally down to me

plus I needed to add some white area's  

Almost half way

Carrie Rose has arrived, but I will do the last part over the weekend. 

Free flowers

these were a gift last September and now they are huge again

I love the darker blooms in the bush. 

I watched the second TV program on waste, I was shocked on how much waste there is through out the food chain, I knew farmers could not use all the produce they grow, but I foolishly thought they used the mis shapes for ready meals, soup, even animal fodder. I also though the supermarkets did not throw away food before the best/use by dates, and I hoped we were all better at home with our waste. It has been an eye opener for everyone who watched. I not sure how we can resolve all the waste, I am guilty of buy nice looking veg when I choose loose items, but I do like the thought of having two grades of veg, the miss shapes being cheaper. At home we eat all our home grown veg no matter what shape. I can't see how it will be sorted.
I am still tired this week, we have no plans to go out over the coming weekend, I want to sort my garden pots, and plant tulips, it's now getting late and they need to be done. I also spent some of my birthday money, I have purchase a 24"  living Christmas tree for a nice pot in the garden. Sam will help me decorate it with bird food, lovely strings of monkey nuts. Sam was explaining what we should use yesterday on his after school visit.
Josh is having loads of fun, he is away for a week with his school, living on an educational farm, feeding animals, sorting crops and general work around the farm. I can't wait for Saturday to hear from him how good it was.