December 19th

 This week is going to fly by but I would like to find the time to get at least a couple of posts before Christmas is upon us.

Bonnie came to spend the day today.  School has finished and she said it was boring staying with daddy while he worked and could she stay with nanny instead.  She's no trouble at all so I didn't mind, although I had planned on wrapping the last of the presents today, that job has now been added to tomorrows list and I'll be glad when it's done because It's not something I really enjoy doing.

She was excited to help me ice and decorate the Christmas cake I made a few weeks ago.  I was late making it but I used a fruit mix that is already soaked in brandy so that eliminated the need for weeks of feeding.  I've used it before and the cake turned out lovely, I'll report back on the verdict of this one once we have tasted it next week.

I used both the ready to roll marzipan and fondant icing, they are so easy to use, and why make work for yourself at this time of year 😉 

Bonnie cut out some stars for decoration and rolled snowballs from the icing for the penguins to have a snowball fight.  I think it came out really cute.

Can you spot the penguin who got a snowball in the face, (oops, that was nanny's idea 🤣)

Mark isn't keen on Christmas cake so I hope there will be some that will like a slice, otherwise I'm going to put a stone on over Christmas!

-X-

December 7th

I awoke to a beautiful frosty morning, our first this Winter.  I quickly got my jobs done inside and went out in the garden to collect leaves, there are still quite a lot to fall but the job is so much easier when they are not wet.  I've filled the green bin yet again, I'm so glad I opted to pay for extra collections this time, it's saved me so much time not having to arrange trips to the council tip every week.  

Most of you will have seen my stitched ornaments before but as they only come out once a year it's worth showing them again.  This is just a selection of them along with some new glass baubles I bought this year too, this tree is bigger and needed a bit more bling.  The Range had a great selection and they were reasonably priced too.  I think my favourite is the Santa in the last photo though, he is from The Range too, hasn't he got the cutest face!

I've had some questions about my mitred squared blanket I showed a couple of posts back, I haven't forgotten, I will put a post together for next time and share everything I know about the pattern and how I'm knitting mine, (there are several variations).

I hope you all have a lovely rest of the week.

-X-

December 3rd

Merry Christmas by The Drawn Thread

Stitched on 32 count linen with the recommended threads

I can't exactly remember when I finished stitching this piece, it's been a while though,  I've got a feeling It was in 2020 but I can't be sure as I can't find any mention of it here on my blog.   

I only got round to taking it to be framed in late July and got it back at the beginning of November.  I know they have been very busy with framing and I did say that I was in no rush but would like it for December.   

I knew from the begining how I wanted this finished and it's come out exactly how I imagined it would.  I love these seasonal pieces mounted in a frame deep enough that they stand unaided, and I don't have any glass on them as they are displayed for only a short time. 

As with other pieces I've had professionally framed this was done at my LNS by Mark at Betty Stitch Kit in Quarry Bank. https://www.bettystitchkit.com/

-X=

December 1st

 I have no idea how the first of December came around so quickly, but here we are creeping toward the end of another year.

November has been mostly dark, wet and miserable, I think it's my least favourite month of the year.  I like all the seasons for what they bring and try not to wish the months away, the years go fast enough as it is,  I do particularly love Winter though, I love everything associated with this season much more than any other, perhaps it's because I was born in Winter that I love it so much, I'll take a cold, crisp, frosty morning over the heat of Summer every time.

For years our tree has gone up on December 1st, this year with the weather being so damp and wet I decided that I wanted some light and cheer in my life, so I decorated last week.  It's been lovely sitting here on a dark afternoon with the tree lights on, I find it very comforting and I can't help smiling when I look at it.

I didn't purchase a yarn advent this year, I have so many minis already that I couldn't justify the expense, but that doesn't mean I haven't got one.  

When Bonnie came to stay a few weekends ago I gave her a basket of minis and asked her to choose 24.  Mark supervised so that she didn't choose all the same colours and they put them in bags which then went into the stockings I made a few weeks ago.  She really enjoyed doing it and I have an advent calendar for free.

This is what I opened this morning

I haven't worked on my mitred squared blanket at all this year so I'm going to enjoy knitting up a little square each day up to Christmas.

I also have a tea light advent calendar, I do love to light a candle when I sit down in the evening.

What about you, is your tree up? and do you also have a lovely treat to open each day through Advent?

-X-

Advent socks

 In this recent post I mentioned how I'd created my own yarn Advent this year and you might have spotted this wrapped package on the top of the basket.  

Around Christmastime last year I was having a sort out and I had the idea of wrapping a skein of yarn from my stash and opening it on December 1st to knit a pair of socks throughout December.  

I'd completely forgotten what yarn I'd wrapped up so it was a lovely surprise to open this colourful skein from Mr & Mrs Rabbit Yarns called Fairy Lights

Despite really wanting to knit socks I have struggled with making them.  I think because there are so many patterns and different stitch counts to choose, It gets me confused and I end up overthinking everything.  Anyway, with the success of finally finishing my second ever pair of socks, which I shared here, I decided to have another go, and, ta da, I have finished another pair!

I cast these on December 1st and finished them on December 23rd.  I can't work out why, but they really seemed to take no time at all.  I used the tutorial by Craft House Magic for the heels and toes, (I find the Ellie explains things in a way I can understand), the contrast blue for those was a mini I had in stash, which I think goes really well.

I won't be casting on anymore over Christmas as I've got some stitching I want to do but, I have picked out some more yarn to cast on another pair on New Years Eve.

I've been last minute wrapping today, we had Bonnie on Wednesday and Thursday and I didn't get chance to do it, Mark has put together the children's bikes and scooters while I made gingerbread granola and stolen tray bake for extra gifts, (both are lovely because, well, I had to sample first, ha ha).

Here are the rest of my advent yarns, and yes, I saved all my chocolates :-)

Jo included a lovely ceramic spoon in today's package , I love it Jo, thank you.

And it just so happened that I also had included a mug in my own advent calendar :-)

And here is my basket of goodies all ready to add into my blanket next year :-)

🎅MERRY CHRISTMAS🎅

-X-

Getting closer

 I thought I'd pop in and show you my advents for days 12 through to 21.

Love having these to open each day, I'm really going to enjoy knitting all these beautiful colours into my blanket next year.

This first one is the advent I made for myself

And this one is from the lovely Jo.

December is full of family birthdays, on the 2nd it was my middle daughter, Joanne's, birthday and today Is my grandson, Jacob's second birthday.

Who needs a spoon when you can get your face in the bowl to eat cake lol.

Yesterday was our 35th wedding anniversary, we both forgot, it's only just occurred to me and, I still don't think Mark has realised, lol  Tomorrow is my eldest daughters birthday and then no more birthdays until next week when someone will be celebrating a BIG one!

Hope you are getting through your lists and getting things crossed off, I still have some wrapping to do, I managed to get a chunk of it done this morning, about another hour should see it all done thank goodness, it's not my favourite thing to do.

I'll pop back in a couple of days

-X-

Sock Knitting

I started these socks a while ago and they were on my list of projects to get completed before Christmas.  All that was left to knit on both of them was the foot part so it's didn't take too long once I picked them back up again. 

The pattern is one of the Miss Potter Sock Club patterns by Kay Jones of the Bakery Bears, this one is called Jemima and the yarn is called Carousel by West Green Loft Yarns 

I really love the pattern and the texture that it produced, and look, no holes on the heels 😁  I'm quite pleased with myself for that

Here are day's 10, 11, and 12 of my yarn Advent, from Jo on the right, mine on the left.

These are going to look lovely in my blanket, thank you Jo. 

Do you see my Christmas cactus peeking in the photos?

It has so many flowers and buds, I think there is one on each of the leaves, just beautiful!

See you soon

-X-

Yarn Advents

 I was rather greedy last year and had four yarn advents.  Three of them I purchased and one was a swap with my lovely friend Jo.  A lot of yarn dyers seemed to put their advents up for sale very early in the year this time and I just wasn't ready to think about Christmas in March.  Yarn advents have also got very expensive this year, I'm not saying that the price isn't justified, there is a lot of  planning and hard work involved in putting them together and they do have to put together multiple Advent boxes.  One of he reasons I didn't buy one this year is because I've tried to be a bit more mindful of what craft supplies I've bought all year.  There are only so many things you can use at a time and I no longer see the sense in having a large stash of things that I won't get around to using, must be an age thing, ha ha.

It's still lovely to have something to open leading up to Christmas though, so I made my own. Throughout the year I bought mini skeins when I've seen some I've liked and put them away unopened.  When Oliver came for a sleep over last time I gave him the job of putting together my Advent for me, It did cost me more in sweets as it was a case of one in the bag, one for Oliver, lol  But he did a great job and enjoyed doing it too.

I've been doing a yarn Advent swap with Jo for a few years now, (is this the third year Jo?)  I do look forward to this because it is more personal, and I love putting things together for Jo in return.  Look at the lovely box of goodies Jo sent me :-)

There was also a box in there for my birthday, which is safety hidden until after Boxing day ;-)

Thank you so much Jo, everything looks lovely and I'm really enjoying opening the little packets each day.

Here are my Advents days 1 to 9 from Jo

And here are days 1 to 9 of the one I did myself

And most unusual for me, I haven't had a single chocolate yet!  I'm going to save them up and indulge on Christmas Eve.

As you all know, there has been lots to do and sort out these last few weeks, we have just about got things done now and we will be saying our final goodbyes to mum on Tuesday.  Christmas won't be the same this year that's for sure but, It's been nice to have something to look forward to open of an evening when I finally sit down.

-x-