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Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas and the best New year.
With Love,
Susie

Good Morning!

We woke up to another covering of snow today, so all plans scuppered. But I am beginning to get into the Christmas groove and realising that I've left it all far to late to do some of the things that |I wanted to, so...what you can't do anything about don't waste energy stressing about, right??
I did finish making these little ornaments to put in with my Christmas cards and the tree is up, just the rest of the decorations to go. I am expecting friends this afternoon for mulled wine and mince pies, but at the moment I don't know if anyone can make it. So I shall just sit back and see what happens!

Barnaby really enjoyed his walk this morning, I know I've had a bit of a work out too!walking in snow stretches muscles not ususlly stretched!

 This is the beautiful lime tree at the back of our house, I love just watching this magnificent tree all year round as it is so different in all the seasons.

Winter wonderland, Old Sarum, Salisbury

Where does the time go??

I'm struggling a bit this year getting my head round the idea that it is Christmas in two weeks time!! I am more or less organised, I hope to get the tree up this weekend and at least get some of the presents wrapped while prying eyes are not around.

I've been making bunting as stocking fillers, quick and easy and easily personalised, got two more lengths to make this week and then I'm done.

 

And I had to share with you these lovely little baby gowns that my neighbour gave me, they are gorgeous. i will get them washed and pressed as soon as I have time to do the job properly.

PHEW!! what a few days........

We woke up to this on Thursday morning and of course the schools were shut, much to the childrens delight. It happened to be my day off so everything I had planned, well.............the next day my planned meeting in Chippenham was impossible on icy roads and although the school was open it was a late start, another disrupted day!


But it was very pretty and we really did have a lovely day even though we no longer have any supplies of hot chocolate or popcorn.....to the supermarket AGAIN! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

And yesterday we went to Birmingham for the Clothes Show, it was a great day out, the girls were beside themselves with excitement pretty well the whole day. I have to confess that I really still don't quite get it, despite my daughters best efforts! but it was a very good show, even though it was a long drive there and back, and I was grateful that there was a bit of a thaw on the roads.

I enjoyed seeing the famous Gok Wan who happens to be a pretty good entertainer aswell as a fashionista.

And as fashion shows go this one was very upbeat with some good background themes and the dancing was well choreographed too. I enjoyed the whole thing as a good bit of entertainment but I don't think it's going to change my fashion sense, in fact I'm not sure I really noticed the fashion!!  I suspect the girls have already put me down as a lost cause!

Now to some serious Christmas decorations and presents finished and wrapped........

To all my American friends.........

Wishing you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving........

Feeling sorry for myself.......

It's been a miserable week full of sore throat, head cold and now I'm wheezing as if I was smoking 50 a day! I don't smoke but this cold, the first I've had in a long time has taken its toll....ah! poor me!

But I have been quite busy I have a new back door and a new kitchen window. the door might not be as pretty as the old one but it makes a difference to the temperatures....no draughts! and the kitchen window lets in a lot of light on a dingy side of the house so apart from the effort needed to move all the stuff around so that the builder could get on with the job, it was a job worth doing.

And I spent a bit of time making these for my two American friends living here in the UK, I know they miss family at Thanksgiving so this was just a little bit of something from me.

Precious presents.......

  I got presents!! I was thrilled to get the pattern I won in Sandy's giveaway, can't wait to find some time and more importantly some space in my workroom to get on and make this little lovely up.

 And then my elderly neighbour gave me this beautiful doll that was hers when she was a little girl. She said I was the only person she knew who would appreciate her (and I surely do) and that her daughter wasn't at all interested in dolls. I know she is a German doll of about 1920, will do some research and let you know more soon.

And the school photo arrived of my little girl, growing up so fast now and that's scary

We will remember them.........

Decorating done!

Hands hurt, back aches but it is done! Alice can move into her new bedroom. She wanted new carpet and curtains but that will have to wait....don't have the funds with Christmas coming up and a new back door to pay for, now we have to move yet more stuff around. When will I get to do some sewing for me??

Beautiful lillies to help cheer me up from a dear friend, thankyou Donna.

Autumn Days.....

We're at the end of half term and I have no idea where my week off went! I haven't managed to get into my work room at all, infact there is no room in there at the moment. My house is at least a bit more decluttered and the spare bedroom which is soon to be Alice's room is now completely empty and ready to decorate next week. Now I think I need another week off to get over it all!!
We have had some lovely weather though and some very pleasant walks.

Barnaby having great fun in the fallen leaves

clear blue skies

First frosty morning, the dogs thought it was great, I was thinking it was time to find hats, gloves and scarves

Winter sun

despite it being Autumn everything is still surprisingly green.

Well, it's back to work and school next week so I guess back to some sort of routine and maybe some time for me to work on all the Christmas presents I still want to make.

Trafalgar day

Today is Trafalgar day and as a daughter of the Royal Navy, I was often reminded of the Battle and the role of Lord Nelson...It's a family thing!

We are lucky enough to live quite near Portsmouth and home to HMS Victory, which is always a pleasant day out

I had the pleasure of spending one winter a few years ago making all the miniature sails for a replica model my Pa was making. Unfortunately I don't have a picture here so one of the real thing in will have to do!

It's been a while.....sorry!

I'm sorry I've not been here for a while, i just don't know where all the time goes. I have been making a concious effort to declutter and clean as I go, the state of the house was really beginning to get to me and I have to admit i am feeling better for a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak!

i had a lovely surprise today, a gift from my neighbours garden. Such wonderful colours and perfect blooms. just right to cheer up a very grey and chilly day.

I have managed to finish the second raggedy BOM still finding it takes me such a long time to get the cutting and the sewing as accurate as it needs to be.

What a week!!

It's been a long week over here. Perhaps its just me getting older but I've been so tired when I've got home from work not helped by finding out at the last minute that I had to work friday which is usually my day off and the day I usually manage to catch up with myself.
But...can't complain I have the weekend ahead of me, chores to do yes but the weather is lovely...It rained all day yesterday!

And i have a decision to make...... This is my back door, or rather side door. It's the original 1920's door but It lets in a lot of draft and since I had the rotting 'lean to' taken down from the outside it now poses a bit of a security risk, so I have to decide weather to put up with the draft and the security risk or get a new pvc double glazed door.........ho hum!

I do have the original front door but that is behind a PVC lobby!

I wanted to keep my house as original as possible but unfortunately i don't have the finances to do that as much as I'd like to.

So, to the housework and then hopefully some playtime for me!

I won! I won!

I can't believe I won a giveaway! I won a pattern from Sandi, for this lovely little Annie. I'm chuffed to bits! Thankyou Sandi, go check out her site. I put the Raggedy button up on the left.

A great start to my day!

Autumn has arrived....

It has been a very dull, grey day here today, went for a lovely walk with the dogs but it was cold.....usually I love the Autumn, and we have had some lovely Indian Summers in recent years but somehow I have a pessimistic feeling that it will be Winter before we know it!

Anyway, it is Autumn and I wanted to to do this beautiful quilt offered by Kaaren at The painted Quilt. I've never made a 'proper' quilt before! I chose to do it in Autumnal colours and I managed to do block no.1 I'm two blocks behind already.

My first ever go at pinwheels!


At least I have the stitchery ready for the next block,

I don't have a fancy sewing machine. This is my trusty 100 year old which once belonged to my grandmother and then my aunt, it has been a reliable workhorse for many years and is still going strong. I love it! and choose to use it more often than my electric one which needs a service again and which has never been as reliable.

Have a great weekend.....

Tilda Angels

I know I'm supposed to be starting on the antique reproduction costumes for the Bru and the Jumeau, but I got distracted again!! My friend Shirley's birthday is coming up soon and like me she is a bit of an insomniac. Ages ago I decided to make her a Tilda sleep angel, well she has the choice of two!

Both stuffed with lavender which should help a little. Now to clear up my sewing room and get on with those costumes.