Hello my friends. Well, another week has flown by – how on earth did that happen? Time seems to be speeding up – is it my age?? However! This has been quite a week – step inside last Thursday – busy as usual. Saturday we had an amazing evening at church – more about that later. Sunday I led worship – out of my comfort zone there as it was an all age service, so a friend and I did it together, and were blessed beyond measure to know that our Father God came among us, meeting people in their needs. WOW! Then Monday Canu Camilla and Denise (a friend from church) came round for the day, and we set to busily, to make LOTS of little things for step inside’s Christmas event. Someone (Can’t imagine who??!!) came up with the idea of putting  little paper lanterns with electric candles in onto all the tables – and making little boxes to give to everyone as a thank you for supporting us. Hmmm… So much for keeping the house tidy!

So this is what the desk looks like on Tuesday evening after a further box making session! From the front to the back – some of the dies for the lanterns (Camilla has the rest to make some more), a pile of card scraps from cutting out that big pile for the boxes, the usual clutter like scissors, DST, glue dots, pokey tool, etc., a big basket with the finished articles, and on the floor, masses of ribbons for tying the boxes and lanterns.

And so this is what we have been making. Camilla and Denise have taken some to finish, and I have more – we need around 25 lanterns and 100 small boxes. We thought a couple of chocolates with a thank you note and the Christmas services in each one would be nice.

So, Saturday evening! One of our church members is a fabulous musician and worship leader. He has been invited to go out to Israel in January to lead the worship at a medical conference. It’s not cheap to travel, pay for accommodation at the conference, plus take a visit to his daughter who is currently working out there on her gap year. He and his wife came up with the idea of a musical soiree – plus three course dinner! Wonderful idea idea. So we catered for 40, enjoyed a wonderful meal of mushroom soup, chicken pasta , salad and trifle, with accompanying music including suggestions on the evening. Never once did Chris look at any music – even when presented with the suggestion of “The Minute Waltz!!! Just gazed at the keyboard then played. Some of us thought it would be good to decorate the tables a bit – candles and stuff …

… so I went hunting in the attic amongst all the Christmas decorations and found these  – musical instruments, treble clefs, bells, and beads to finish off the tables. A great evening was had by all as you can imagine. A couple of the children even decided to make some cakes to raise more money! YUM!!

So that’s me this week folks. I’ll get around to visiting everyone, but it may take a few days. It’s my turn to do the soup and casserole for step inside this week – so I shall be off to the shops first thing Wednesday morning – hence writing this Tuesday evening! Then I shall be AWOL next week as I am going visiting friends and family for a few days to deliver Christmas cards and presents – so I shall see you in two weeks!

Take care everyone. God bless.

Margaret

Hello my frinds. I hope where you are is a little warmer than it is here – I woke to a white, very frosty world this morning! My desk photo today would have been too boring for words – as there is absolutely nothing on it! Na-da! not a thing! That’s basically because I haven’t been there all week except to write the addresses on envelopes for my Christmas cards.

Yes, the cards are finished, written, and addressed. The presents are wrapped. Still got to get a mortgage to pay for the stamps, though! Sounds like too soon? Yes, well, that’s because my home is on the market and I’m trying my very best to keep the place tidy for any prospective viewers. . I can’t believe that I am properly tidying up before I go to bed, making sure the kitchen is always tidy, not cluttering the place up… Hopefully it will be worth it and before too long I shall be following  a removal van across country toward Nottingham. Nearer my girls.

However, I haven’t been idle. I have been stash busting with yarn again. A blanket for Uganda – just a cot size this time. Of course, the idea was that I would use up much of my blue yarn… I did! Unfortunately, before I had sufficient squares – so… yes, you’ve guessed – I had to go and buy another ball of light blue!!

So that’s me this week folks. Nothing much to report at all really. I wish you well. I trust this finds you busy and healthy.

Take care. God bless.

Margaret

Hello my friends. Well, what a week it has been. Last Friday Canu (pronounced canny, and means singing) Camilla and I went out along the coast to Abakhan at Mostyn. We took the scenic route as the day was so lovely – in other words, we missed our turning off the A55! We were going to meet up with Angela – crafting with Jack. We had a wonderful time – laughter rang through the tearoom, we sat there for well over two hours getting to know this new WOYWWer. Thanks Angela – we thoroughly enjoyed meeting you.

So then it was time to tackle that box from last week… Ta-da!!!…

And, apart from more crocheting of blanket squares – stash busting – that is the sum total of my crafting activities this week. I’m quite pleased with the box – but it took some fathoming out and doing – very time consuming. Then, I had a phone call from a lady who often knits and sews for Uganda – she brought me lots of jumpers, pencil cases and Bible bags for the children. Huge thanks to her – but no sooner had she gone home, but she was back on the phone to say that another local church had someone who donated knitted blankets to them, could she do anything with them? Could she indeed! Her hubby brought me 7 huge, beautifully knitted blankets. Wow! Folks are just so kind!!

I woke on Saturday morning, got up, and opened the bedroom curtains to this absolutely amazing sight!…

Dashed for the camera! – and within a few minutes I was going from the front of the house to the back to see what was happening…

The first two are the view at the front. This is the view from the back. The sky was coloured by the sunrise right through the whole 360 degrees. Then, as the sun finally came over the horizon…

WOW!!! What a sight.

So, that’s me this week folks – not much to report, really.

I trust this finds you well, and enjoying your crafting. I actually managed to visit everyone last week, and to comment on all but one. I love your work, Kathryn – I just can’t leave a comment… wish I could.

Take care, everyone. God bless.

Margaret

Hello my friends. I do trust this finds you well. Unusually brief this week, as life is a little pressured. My desk shows very little…

A box I am attempting to make, but keep breaking off to do other things, so goodness only knows how long the little thing may take to make! I have been looking for some box dies for a long time – and finally found some – and, as my family would like money for Christmas, I thought I would make boxes to put it in! At this rate it will be ready for Christmas 2025…

I haven’t been entirely idle. This is the latest blanket. The squares have been knitted and crocheted by people across Britain, and I simply put it together. At the top left of the photo is my birthday present from daughter number 2 and her family. That wooden lamp – my son in law designed the celtic leaf patterns, then had a friend laser cut it all out, and ta-da!, two lamps for my birthday. I love them.

Thought I would show you just a couple of the Christmas card designs I have used this year – showing off, really, but I hope you will bear with that…

Sorry about the price tag on the second one. This has gone to the hotel!! They actually close for the season at the end of the week, so I shall go see if there are any cards left for me to bring home. Certainly, when I was in there last week, there were not too many – which is good!

So, that’s me this week, folks. All upside down, trying to remember everything I have to do, adding constantly to my to-do list… just like everyone else at this time of year, really.

Take care my friends. God bless.

Margaret