Christmas...just a couple of weeks late!

If you're reading this, and on a dial up connection, I should apologize..this post is particularly picture heavy, I suppose!  But I wanted to show you a little bit of my first Christmas back in England, with family, in 20 years!

These first two pictures show you the evergreen arrangements which Mum and I made to hang under the two windows in the front of the house.

We took a walk in the woods just up the road, to find the holly berries and the icy which we also used.  Guess the only thing missing was the mistletoe!  :) 

This is the tree which was in the Parish Church.  The lights had not yet been turned on when I took this picture...the Christmas Eve service was lovely...they dimmed all of the electric lights, and then turned the lights on the tree, symbolic of the light which Jesus brought to the earth when He was born.

And this is the main aisle of the church..looking towards the altar from the entrance way...I just loved the beautiful evergreens, and the candles..just lovely...

This is the mantlepiece in our lounge.. the little snowmen and the nativity, and the Father Christmas, and angels are all hand knitted...

By Christmas Eve there were a whole lovely lot of presents under the tree...and my computer was there too, being charged up!

There were even gifts in envelopes ON our tree!  Lots of gift certificates and money in envelopes for us!  Such lucky and blessed people!

The dining room mantlepiece.  Can you see the acorn garland?  And the snowmen on the left, and the trees on the right were made by my father, on his wood lathe...he says he may teach me wood turning this year, so stand by for more craftiness from me!

The Christmas Pudding.  I wish I'd remembered to turn off the flash on my camera...because then you'd have been able to see the blue brandy flames dancing around it!  It tasted great with the brandy butter....

And, finally, but not because it's least important...our Nativity scene.  Because This Is What Christmas Is All About!

:) x

New name for my blog spot space!

A change!  It's a bit like moving your furniture around your living room, I suppose!  :)  So, when I was driving around today from appointment to appointment, I was thinking about this and that, and came up with this name for the blog here.  It's really the same old blog..it's most certainly the same old blogger..but the name is more me, if you know what I mean?

Anyway...what have I been up to?  Well, I found the Blogging Without Obligation tab...can't work out how to add it to my side bar yet..but still, I think it's a good thing.  How much stress can bloggers give themselves by worrying about how much they blog, or don't blog?  And I am all for trying to decrease my stress!

In fact, the stress levels in my life are a bit different now.  Not saying that there isn't any..of course there is.  But I don't have to worry about not having a job anymore...and I don't have to worry about how to get around anymore..and I don't even have to worry about not enjoying my work!  :)  I'm now on my third week working in the community, caring for elderly and sick people...my car is working beautifully, and everyone loved the Christmas gifts which I gave to them!  :)  All good stuff, huh?

So, let's see if I can update you a little bit.  The following six pictures (yep, I'm getting picture heavy now!) can show you how those acorn garlands finished up!  I really was quite pleased with them...and I think I'll do more next Christmas....

I used the washing line to hang the three strands of acorns on, while I spray painted them red, gold and silver.  And then they needed to hang out to dry a little while..first time I tried, it suddenly started raining..you've never seen me run like that to rescue acorns!  :)

 Here's a closer picture of the silver garland in particular...you would not believe how warm the weather actually was in December...I was out doing this with just a little fleece jacket...

 ...and here's the gold coloured garland..

 Once they were dry, I moved indoors to finish up the job!  I made a pattern of gold, silver and red acorns, and put a bead inbetween each one...it really did look good (in my not very humble opinion)...here's the three garlands done and ready for wrapping, or decorating inside..I did one for my parents, one for my brother and one for my sister...

 This one was for my brother...all ready to be wrapped up in a small cardboard box, but looking for all the world like a very exotic and rather poisonous snake, I think!  :)

 And I wanted to show you this picture also...this is the mantel shelf in the dining room, and can you see the acorn garland there?  This shelf really was a family crafty project!  :)  I did the garland..my Mum was busy knitting the bears and the little blue boy....and Dad likes to do wood turning now, since he retired, and so the snowmen on the left, and the christmas trees on the right are his contribution.  He says that he will teach me how to do wood turning too, which I'm quite looking forward to...another craft for me to learn, another "string to my bow" as they say!  :)

I'll have more pictures from Christmas for you soon... but I think today's "episode" is enough for one day! 

:)x

2012

Oh brother...it's been a long while since I was here.

I am on the run again today...worked this morning, and going to my sisters this afternoon..but I just wanted to dash in here like an Olympic runner, and wish everyone a Happy New Year!

And I'll post tomorrow probably, as I finally have an afternoon off!  Lots and lots of pictures to show you!

:)x