Hello my friends. It’s good to be back home, despite having a wonderful time away last week with my friends in the Lake District. The weather on the first day was incredibly cold – but oh, so sunny and beautiful. We went out for a drive, a walk, saw Windermere lake in all its glory, had a meal… and generally had a load of fun. The second day we couldn’t see a hand in front of our noses – the cloud base had come down. So, a trip to the local garden centre… But, the request was for pictures… so…
What a morning view from my bedroom!Looking down on Lake Windermere
So, home again and, as promised, a photo or two of the lovely doll I have been “dressing”! Can you believe it is virtually impossible to buy a knitting pattern for a traditional matinee coat?!
A dress and a little pillow. Isn’t she just gorgeous? The owner hasn’t seen it yet, but it will go to church with me on Sunday ready to give to her. I hope she likes it all!
And finally, my desk today. I have been doing cross stitch for around 45 years – so I am sure you can imagine that I have built up quite a stock of threads. You see, I don’t normally stitch kits – but buy the pattern and then the appropriate skeins of thread – so with each new pattern I do, the number of different threads gradually increases. I decided it was time to have a real sort out and tidy up!! I have at least three pictures to stitch this year, so thought a clean start would be good. So my desk? Aaaarrgh!!!! Chaos! Nothing more need be added…
And that’s me done for the day. Apart from endeavouring to neaten everything up I have been working hard on a new website for the charity our church supports – never too old to learn new tricks, apparently!
Good grief! two consecutive weeks – whatever is the world coming to? However… hello, my friends. My workdesk this week is…
Yes – I have been working hard on my computer – not been near my craft desk except for sorting out a whole heap of old magazines, pulling out things I may one day make and getting rid of the rest. But here on my computer I have been working REALLY hard on my website. It’s not completely updated yet, but I am getting there. I have been making the extra pages look good, adding photos, descriptions, explanations… and even getting to put a load of my City and Guild work up there. I realized last night that the page marked “scraperboard” still needs doing, too – so bear with me if you can. But if you have a bit of time – please do fuddle through the pages – there’s John’s art work up as well as some of mine.
And that’s about it this week. I have finished knitting a sweater which I wore yesterday on a trip to Abakhan Mills (you just HAVE to…), and started to knit some clothes for the most lovely dark-skinned doll I think I have ever seen. The owner of said doll asked if I would do them as she loves the doll and it reminds her to pray for the children we support in Uganda… so a gorgeous baby pink dress is on its way!
I have finally taken my decorations down – the cards have only come down today, I loved them all so much, I couldn’t bear to take them down sooner. Thank you SO much to those of you who sent lovely hand-made cards to me. I have really appreciated them.
I will be MIA next week as I am spending a few days in the Lake District with friends who moved up there just before Christmas. It will be good to see them settled in their new home after over 13 years running a local hotel. Time for them to relax (although I don’t think they have done a lot of that yet!)
Take care of yourselves. Stay safe and healthy. God bless you.
Well, hello my friends. I have finally managed to get my act together for a Tuesday afternoon ready for WOYWW on a Wednesday!! Wahoo!! I can’t quite believe that the last time I posted was AUGUST. Ridiculous. What on earth have I been doing since then? What excuses or reasons do I have for not being amongst you each Wednesday? Purely excuses, I fear!! So just what have I been up to in the intervening months?
– Preparing the church and the reception venue for a dear friend’s wedding… here we are awaiting the arrival of the happy couple. We, as a team, reckoned it a success when the bride was heard to say “It’s just how I have always imagined it”.
Remember this photo from July 2020? My daughter and grand daughter… well…
… September saw this gorgeous happy event!! This was the young lady on the right of the above picture! Yes, two years later I travelled the length of Britain to attend her lovely, lovely wedding day! Now married to a very fine, and utterly crazy, young man
– and yes! She still has that long, glorious hair – right down to her waist now! And her younger sister’s hair is heading in the same direction looking at the left hand side of this photo!
I have managed to make over 150 Christmas cards…
… and believe it or not, this is the only photo of any of them!! I cannot believe I didn’t photograph any. What is the matter with me?! Careful how you answer that one… These were examples of the cards three of us made to send out to all the church members. They were well received, especially as we are still not back to “normal”, with some people still not regularly attending worship. Camilla and I made 50 8x5inch boxes, too, filled with Advent activities for each family group within the church. But, yes, you’ve guessed… no photos!
Since August I have done jigsaws, helped friends, read books, sat in front of my computer surrounded by books, Bibles. commentaries and ideas, as I wrote 14 Advent devotions for the church, scouring Youtube for appropriate music to go with each one. We studied the carol “Hark the Herald Angels sing”, looking at each line and seeing what theology is in it. Packed full is the answer!! I have travelled the width of Britain to see family and friends not seen for two years, taking their Christmas presents and cards. I have spent 3 glorious days the week before Christmas with my entire family – both girls, their hubbies, my five grandchildren and one new grandson by marriage! The first time we had been together since the wedding in September. I have knitted and crocheted, and I have made a second Advent calendar as my elder grandson has now gone off to university after some cracking A level results. So, two large cross stitch pictures have been covered in chocolate!
This first one now lives in GlenCoe, Scotland, and was greatly enjoyed!
And the second one went to York University. I am so incredibly proud of the young man who now owns this. Through lockdowns, eye removal surgery, and fitting of a new bespoke eye, he has in the past two years achieved three A level A*s and one A; and is loving his new life – fully embracing it – by joining the scuba diving club!!! I know….
So that’s me at the start of 2022, folks. Busy, looking to the New Year with excitement, and having a long list of things I really hope to achieve in the next 12 months!
