Well its all over!

How was your Christmas?  All the blogs I have read recently you all enjoyed your Christmasses.  Ours was very, very quiet.  We knew it would be as we have already celebrated, so we just took it as an ordinary Bank Holiday.  We didn't even have our Christmas lunch on Christmas Day!  Not sure what happen there!  Think it had something to with the chunky bread and smoked salmon we had about lunch time, we  intended to have the cooked Christmas meal early evening, but the bread and smoked salmon was a bit filling!  We enjoyed it even more the next day.  We just chilled on Christmas Day!



I asked a my friend Thea to paint this picture for my husband



I decided to treat myself to a subscription for a magazine

It was lovely surprise our son Robert rang from Cambodia on Boxing Day, he was going to ring the day before but apparently the Vietnamese turn the international phone line off over night.........

I would like to share with you a line from his email which I read before the surprise phone call

*We watched the sun rise over the ruin temple, Anneka got bit by a monkey and we got engaged*

talk about dropping things into a conversation!

My Christmas Soup!

Heat about quarter pint chicken stock and finely sliced onion, carrots and Brussels Sprouts (they are only fairy cabbages really!)  until soft and herbs of your choice.  Add either tin of Tomatoes or packet of Passata then fill the tomato tin/passata packet up twice with water add to pan, add some frozen peas, I also added two large mushrooms, but you could add pasta instead, at the same time add any left-over cooked chicken.  Make sure all the vegetables are cooked and the chicken is thoroughly heated through and serve. 

Wish you Merry Christmas

We purchased this sweet little vintage childs record player from Michele at the Vintage and Handmade Fair Chipping Sodbury at the beginning of December. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS one and all!

Christmas does come early, its true!

More of my advent pressies from Gill

Day 8 ~ Sweet Little Owl Keyreing

Day 9 ~ Christmas Essence

Day 10 ~ Candle

Day 11 ~ Pretty Labels

Day 12 Two Lollipops
Sorry I eat one before taking a photograph!

Day 13 ~ Sweetties

Day 14 ~ Small Slice of Handmade Soap

Day 15 ~ Felt Christmas Tree Decoration

Day 16 ~ Pretty Blue Eyeshaddow

Day 17 ~ Pretty Ribbon

Day 18 ~ Beads

Day 19 ~ Another Yummy Chocolate Teddy!!

Pretty Stocking I won from Ellie

Pretty Button Wreath I won from Kathryn

A HUGE thank you to Ellie and Kathryn

I'm very shy really!

I don't know why but I do find it very awkward about showing off the things I have made, although I do show things on my blog I am very shy person really, blogging has helped me to get over some of the shyness though.

The craft shop I work in changed hands today.  But for the last seven and half years Janet has always wanted to do a black and white window.  This is her last window!

The two main pictures the Crinoline Lady and the Romany Caravan were designed and stitched by me!

A new era for me tomorrow..........

Well I thought they were a bargain......

We needed to go shopping - the cupboards and freezer were running on empty!  I haven't actually been shopping since the end of November when we needed a few bits for our family party, that wasn't a proper shop.  There wasn't any  cheappie flowers that day so I had to pay full price -  £3!  But yesterday in Morrisons I bought these four bunches for the grand total of £4.  I still have all the ones I bought last month too.  I do like a few fresh flowers, don't you.....?

Two mixed bunches ~ Lillies ~ White bunch

I'm here.............

On Saturday went to the Vintage & Handmade Fair at Chipping Sodbury.  It was my first visit and it was wonderful!  The fair is organised by Jayne and what a wonderful job she did. 

Sunday I started to feel unwell, sore throat, difficulty in swallowing and a hacking cough, and although I went to work on Monday morning, I really shouldn't have gone, but the morning was busy so it sort of took my mind off the sore throat.  I slept most of the afternoon and and went to bed at 8 O'clock and slept right to till about 5am.  Felt better and went to work on Tuesday and today, and I shall go tomorrow as I just have the cough now, the throat is quietening down, I have Fridays off, so I will be catching up on a couple of things.

Now I would like to say a very BIG thank you to Gill  for my Advent Calendar

Day 1 ~ Three gorgeous buttons

Day 2 ~ I really enjoyed this cuppa!

Day 3 ~ Pretty earrings

Day 4 ~ Sweeties

Day 5 ~ Pretty parcel tape

Day 6 ~ Will grow these after Christmas

Day 7 ~ Chocolate Teddy
It has been spared because I go off of chocolate when I have a cold!