Christmas is on its way

This week brought the first real frost of the winter.  Yes,  Jack Frost called and waved his icy fingers over the landscape turning it white.  The frost didn't last for long, but it is a reminder that we are at the end of November and Christmas is just around the corner.


On Monday Higham Piecemakers had prepared  a fun 'all day' meeting .  There was a bit of homework, so a friend and I spent a happy day sewing lots of Christmas fabric together, and we were ready to complete our project on Monday.  Let me introduce......

Made use of some of my pom poms too

I also made a couple of new Christmas cushions.  I have learnt a lot making these, especially framing the circles with fabric.

That's used a few of my scraps

Mr D and I visited Rockingham Castle Victorian Christmas Exhibition.  The day was cold but bright and all the log fires in the house were lit giving a wonderful welcome.  The tour guides were acting as housekeepers and they explained just what work would be carried out on the day before Christmas as well as telling some of the history of the house and family.  

They would not allow photos in the house, so I have borrowed the one above from the website.  Is your Christmas lunch table going to look like this one??  I did take a photo of the views from the castle......that was allowed.

Beautiful day and wonderful countryside

As well as playing with Christmas sewing I have been adding names to these pillowcases.... they will be added to the things being taken to South Africa in January..

Look forward to seeing their little heads on these.

and last but never least just look at this...

Four flower heads on this one stem, more of this to come.

til next time x 

Mixed bag this week!

I have spent this week getting some things finished for Christmas.  I managed to get some pressies bought, some wrapped, and of course some made by my fair hand, also that all important 'list' of goodies bought (we always forget what we have bought, and  for whom).  I finished by making some minced pies on Saturday and 'boy oh boy' were they good.  I  followed one of Paul Hollywood's recipe's but varied it slightly and it turned out great.  For my  variation I used the juice of an Orange instead of water to bind the pasty, and I added the zest of the Orange to the jar of mince.  I didn't have an apple, so that got left out of the mince, but I did add the chopped tangerine and to give that also added punch, about a table spoon of 'Van der Hum' (a South African orange liqueur). Even though I say it myself they were really yummy!!.  Unfortunately my photos were absolute rubbish, so no mouthwatering displays.

I was busy with the Minion Hats, and not sure I want to see another for a few weeks,  but they are funny little things aren't they?

Small, Medium, and Large

also made more of these

another gift bites the dust...

and you must remember my disaster from last week

Boo Hoo

well, just look at it now... re embroidered  the Polyanthus hexagon, and completed the wallet.

Hopefully, a handy wallet

Ready for its next owner 

I must show you my Amaryllis.  I bought the bulb in a supermarket ( reasonably priced supermarket!), potted it up and low and behold my beauty began to grow.  I then noticed that there seem to be a second flower head making its way to the light..... bit of  a bonus, but look what is popping up now ........ do I have green fingers or what!!

Can just see the third stem

Yes, three flower stems....... I have never had that before. The first flower stem has 4 blooms, goodness that means I could have 12 blooms from this one bulb.....what a pleasure 

I will looking forward to seeing this lady blossom fully.

What's new....

After Mr. N left last Sunday I felt quite sad and missed him very much.  Its always sad to say goodbye, especially as we have two of our children and their families living in "far off" countries. It never gets any easier!!.  So what's the answer?......get busy!.
Luckily my friend had 'set a mission' - which of course I didn't have to accept, but as I needed something to distract me this was the outcome.

Now until a couple of weeks ago I had never heard of Minions and did wonder what they were all about, but now I am suitable informed that they are cute little creatures that I would love to have around.   I am now going to be making a few more of these to add to our grandchildren's Christmas Stockings.

I have also made a few more skirts for my South African grand daughter.

This could be the front of this skirt

 or...

or you could also have this

 and a couple of these

I enjoyed everything about these skirts.....shopping for fabric, finding the patterns, and making them....Hope little 'Miss I' enjoys wearing them.

The other thing I have been playing with are those cute little hexagons.  I thought I would embroider a little flower on one of them, and all was going so well........until the iron got too hot.  Boo Hoo!

Oh Poo!

Back to the drawing board with that then.....

I am going to show you my new beautiful sink..... yes, sink.  We had a stainless steel sink, that I always thought looked a mess, and the tap dripped, so after much thought and internet searching we invested in a wonderful white ceramic sink and posh new tap.  

Owww!  I love it

Bet you didn't think I would be showing off  a sink did you???  Nor getting so excited about it..

Got to go now, more Minion Hats to crochet and back to the hexie disaster.  

Weekend visitor

I seem to have been having a bit of a quiet time as far as my sewing etc.  but we have been busy with visitors and visiting friends so I suppose you can't do it all.

This weekend my son (N) is visiting from Canada.  He is on a business trip, so we don't get to see the rest of the family, but having him for the weekend was a bonus that we were not expecting until two weeks ago.  One of the places he loves to visit is the big sports shops where he always finds lots of footballs to take back with him (he coaches a team back in Canada so loves lots of ball for them to kick about)  and this year our grandson has taken up Rugby, so rugby balls were added to the list.  Mr N has been a fan of Chelsea Football team since he was knee high to a grasshopper and although he has all the shirts, shorts, jackets etc. there is always room in his suitcase for a few extra bits and buying them here is cheaper than buying in Canada ....that's his excuse and he is sticking to it.

Mmmmm think I have one of those already!

Mum's got the rest of the balls

We also were able to send him home with some of these.........scary or what.

Very Very Scary

Do you remember way back we had a trip to a wonderful shop on  Vancouver Island and I bought a few goodies which included a 'Christmas sampler'.  The 'Sampler' was always going to be an ongoing project for me - to sew when I really had nothing else I wanted to play with - so its been one of those pieces that I add a few stitches, then it gets packed away for a few months (almost a year)  before resurfacing.   As I have been having a break from crochet etc, I decided to get the sampler out again, and I must say I have been enjoying having quiet time stitching the different rows, but my poor eyes are taking the strain so I really think I must finish this soon before my eyes give up with such fine linen. This is what I have done so far...

Over half way now

We will be visiting my daughter in South Africa in January (yes, our kids are all over the world) and my grand daughter has asked for some skirts........Pinterest was a first stop for some patterns then a bit of fabric buying.  I decided to to try a circular skirt, so 'Googled' how to calculate the circle for the waist (what would we do without Mr Google to answer all of our questions)  and then found some 'cuff knit fabric' (on that wonderful world wide web) and used it as the waist band.  I am very happy with the results and I think
 'Miss I' will be pleased that she has something soft against her skin.

'Miss I' wanted a long skirt, Mum wanted a short skirt....so Nana did a bit of both

I have also made a block to send to an 'online'  group who make quilts for group members that are going through a rough patch..... this particular lady likes chickens and traditional blocks so it was decided that 8.5" blocks would be good.  Someone will now sew the blocks together, someone else will sandwich and quilt it, and then it will be sent to Australia where its hoped it will give a bit of comfort and a smile.

My two blocks

 The weekend  with Mr N went so quickly, but we got in a nice walk through East Carlton Park before lunch and then the airport........

East Carlton Park

Lucky with the weather

Farewell till next time x