It's next year tomorrow!

Well it’s nearly over……..It will be next year tomorrow! The decorations go away for another year tomorrow, something I always do on 1st January, start the new year afresh……….! This year has been quite something for us. The birth of our grand-daughter Caitlin Louise and watching our son Robert be an extra in the BBC television series Merlin.

I had lots of lovely gifts from friends

from Denise

(does not blog)

from Jane
(does not blog - but lets me use her photographs)

from Jan

from Ginny

(she does not blog)

from Heather

(she does not blog)

from Janice

I would like to say a big thank you to Gillian for my PIF gift, I haven’t forgotten the ones I have to send Christmas got in the way a bit. It sort of crept up on me all of a sudden! I thought I would leave it till January in case they got lost in the Christmas post, one has to go farther away.

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Robert in episode 8

where the horrible Troll tried to takeover

(he is on the far right)

In the last episode (episode 13)

Just before slaying the dragon

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These last few days have been expensive too

Element went in the cooker a few months ago.

Since about 2000, the element goes about every eighteen

months, it trips the circuit breaker, but because a surge of

electricity goes through the breaker this time it did more than the

normal damage, this time it took out the DVD recorder too!

Husband NOT at all PLEASED!

So a new new cooker was delivered on Tuesday!

Then I discovered the element went in the tumble dryer.

New tumble dryer being delivered next Thursday.

I decided I could not live without a tumble dryer....................

I think it is because I have been spoilt with this luxury

for the last thirty odd years.

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I started to crochet Caitlin a car blanket with

King Cole - Splash yarn

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HAPPY NEW YEAR

for 2010 to everyone

only another to 358 days to go.............

MERRY CHRISTMAS

and a very

HAPPY NEW YEAR

for 2010

Seventeen Weeks and Two Days!

And Father Christmas came early for this little girl!

Father Christmas

bought a Teddy Bear, and some Ducks to float

the bath, and some pretty dresses

And as you see we needed to change..................

Mass Production Christmas Cards!!!!!

I definitely do not call myself an artist!
I have to admit I do give things a go but some things
I do give up on, and I personally think this is going
to have to be one of those things!
Once again out came mums paint box

First of all I roughly drew my picture.
As you see I am not much of a drawer either




Cleaned the picture using the tools on the computer
then put it into a card making programme

Because the printer has taken on a 'life of its own'
and has been doing its own thing for awhile
I printed eight pictures on a page I gave the paper
(Bristol Board - watercolour paper won't go through the printer!)
a light wash in a light green. Put it to one side to dry.
Leave each stage to dry before proceeding to the next

I then filled in the colours - rather like in a painting book
Every sheet was slightly different.
There were eight sheets in all

I then embellished the pictures again each page slightly different

Cut all the cards with a backing card slightly larger.

Layer together using glue or double sided sticky tape

add an insert and send to friends and relatives

I send this card to all my bloggy friends

MERRY CHRISTMAS

and a very

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Merry Christmas Everybody

We thought it was about time to bring out the decorations!

Well next Saturday Peter, Steph and Caitlin are coming to lunch.

Christmas lunch to be prepared and cooked, hope I don't do as I did

for poor Robert, cook the Sausage Rolls in the WRONG pastry!

Lets just say they weren't very nice

and the birds (Seagulls) had a good feed!

Father Christmas says Hello......

Alex's vintage record cover was unfolded




.........and the Santa convention started, well the world
is quite large and all
his helpers need their instructions and lists
as to who has been naughty or nice!
The big man as inlisted the help of
Mrs Father Christmas, a Choir Boy and Noddy and Big Ears
and a Teddybear

The Pudding Teapot is ready for the afternoon tea

Felicity is feeling happier and she now has two guardian angels

The tree is adorned wit mum's vintage baubles - wish they were on

mum's tree where they belong and not mine - but heyho....

Another convention of cuddlys

at cosy corner

Sorry Mum - it wasn't me it was like that

when we bought them down from the loft.

It was.............. honest....... :o(

Arsenic and Old Lace

Well not so much the arsenic! At work this morning a couple came to the shop to buy some picture hooks, and asked my boss if he knew anybody who would like this...... My boss asked me if I would like it, and I unwrapped the package on the counter.

Not sure what I would find inside,
but it was old lace

Old patterns

Hair Pin crochet hooks

(to think my dad made me one of these

because I wasn't able to find one to purchase in the 70's)

Half petticoat

Can anyone help me with the date?

I say about the thirties

Lace Shawl

Machine made lace

Bobbin Lace

Net Lace

Filet Lace Tea Cosy cover

Guipure Lace

Hair Pin Lace

Hair Pin Lace

Knitted Lace

Hair Pin Lace with the cloth centre

Hair Pin Lace with cloth centre

Irish Lace