Monday 29 November 2010

November

Ah, so that was November. I think I'll have December next please.
 
 

London workshop with Julie Arkell

Had a lovely time at the workshop, although proved to be a bit of a dunce with the knitting side of things...

Julie was lovely; all sparkly, sweet and gentle and there to help when things went wrong.






































Here is my creature so far, she needs a bit more work on that outfit. The hat took me most of the day, but I enjoyed it, learning something new.





































The expression on her face reminds me of Dame Edna Everage when faced with something or someone lacking in gentility.

She was supposed to be a bit folk, but I think she is more like one of the spinsters on the TV series Cranford, which is a period drama here in the UK. There is a group of unmarried ladies of a certain age, who get a bit excitable over a new bonnet which might be totally impractical and unsuitable. I love that.

Friday 26 November 2010

It's my birthday!

This time last year we were on holiday.

Winter sunshine. Bliss.

We went on a last-minute all-inclusive package holiday for the first time ever. Fuerteventura. We thought our house purchase had fallen through, so we just went off for a week of doing not very much other than eat, drink and read books. We were a bit nervous, but it was seriously lovely.

Sunday 21 November 2010

Yule log

A recent purchase from the charity shop.
I'm going to make this Yule log! :)







































It reminds me of the episode in The Good Life where Barbara and Tom do their own homemade Xmas, and Barbara makes the cutest Yule log.


These two photos above are stills from the episode, and here below is the link to the episode on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v7Vy9lHv6I

Friday 19 November 2010

The last of the flowers

There isn't much left in the garden but I did notice a few periwinkles pushing their noses out and sniffing the air.

I'm afraid I came over a bit Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, so off with their heads it was.

Tuesday 16 November 2010

Le weekend part 2

On Sunday we went into Nottingham for the British Art Show.

The Nottingham Contemporary Art Gallery was celebrating its first birthday. There was a photo booth and face painting and cakes and all sorts!

There was art too, but how can you beat little Mr Moustache?

Monday 15 November 2010

Le weekend

What a weekend! We had friends to stay with their two boys. Such fun!

Here's a nutella kitten :)
On the Saturday we went to Chatsworth House in Derbyshire for their Christmas market.

The house was built by that admirable woman, Bess of Hardwick and is now the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire.

So this weekend, there was roast chestnuts, mulled wine, ostrich burgers, farmyard animals (purely visual, we didn't eat them) and adventure playgrounds. A good time was had by all!

Feeling a tad liverish

Well, I was right about the weekend.

My liver worked harder than Santa's elves in the week before Christmas.

Thursday 11 November 2010

Visitors to stay

More visitors this weekend. Best get my pinny on.

I feel there might be drinking involved, so will need my drinkers companions to hand.



This little fella is my favourite, with just the one ear. But what an ear!

Treasures

It feels like such a long time since I was surrounded by all my treasures. Well over a year now, and still the house isn't ready enough to start making arrangements. But every now and again I open a box, just to see what's inside, and then pore over the contents for a bit before putting them away again.

Sometimes I make a little display :)

Monday 8 November 2010

Time for a song

What a miserable morning!

I think it might be time for a tune to lift the spirits. How about Cilla Black?

Tricky to make a choice because there are some brilliant ones such as Anyone Who Had A Heart and my favourite Step Inside Love, but today I think we'll go for You're My World.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttTZL8YPXls&feature=related