It's true a womans work is never done!

I thought when I retired I would have so much free time, that I could at times sit and do nothing!!  Little did I know that my days and evenings would be so full that I never get chance to do nothing.  I bet you all find life exactly the same, especially now with Christmas coming along.  I have started my Christmas preparations, so I thought I would share some photos of what I have been up too.

 

The pickled onions are done, now I must own up here these were done by my DH, but as he is the one who eats the most of these, it's only fair - don't you think.

 

 

 

Here are all the ingredients for the Spiced Apricot and Orange Chutney, which I have now made, the kitchen smelt delicious with the spices and the ginger - so I can put a tick against that on the list.  This is great with the cold meats that we enjoy on Boxing Day.

 

 

 

This is the mix for my Christmas Puddings, I leave this to stand overnight to let the flavours develop.  It's full of goodies like the dried fruit and mixed peel, apple, lemon and orange zest , spices, eggs and dark brown sugar I use stout to mix it all together.  I'll steam the puds tomorrow.  I also plan to make my mincemeat tomorrow, so I have started.

 

I plan to go out Christmas shopping next week, I am determined not to leave everything to the last minute, wish me luck.

 

I have finished my Christmas exchange, just got to put it together, no photos yet of that, nor of any of my other stitching, sorry but like I said busy busy.

 

Received the magazine that I won on Vickie's blog, lovely ideas and more things that I would like to sew.  Thanks again Vickie.  Blog world really is a great place to be, I am so glad that June introduced me to it, I have met so many people and I value their friendship.  If you are reading this and wondering if you should join blog land - go for it, it's great.

 

We have had a lot on the TV and in the newspapers about the US presidential election.  The actual election is a very different system to ours in the UK so I have had to really concentrate so that I can understand how it works. It's all over now, done and dusted.

 

Back to the important things in life, stitching of course and at the moment Christmas baking, I would love to hear your tales about your Christmas preparations.  Until the next time, do take care of yourselves.

 

I've started my Christmas preparations.

I had a good weekend I finished that quilt, made some new curtains for my kitchen and actually started on my Christmas sewing.  At the moment this looks a load of nonsense, I just hope when it's finished it will be worth all the work.

 

I had to iron the material on to bondaweb and then cut out, and then iron onto a 12" square piece of green felt, but as you can see some of the pieces are coming unstuck.  I'll iron again, and then I have to do fancy stitching to really secure the material. I wish I had cut the pieces larger, but I was following the instructions.  As I go along I'll show you how I am getting on.  Keep your fingers crossed for me, I think I will need a lotta luck!  But nothing ventured nothing gained.

 

I have also started my Christmas exchange stitching, can't show you yet what it is, but I am enjoying doing that.

 

 

 

I dug out this photo from a couple of years back of some Christmas baking that DGD No 3 did, the Chocolate cake was delicious a really rich mix, it was made in a ring cake tin and then decorated with edible glitter. The table runner is one I made, it has a red and gold design on the other side.  I prefer the holly leaves design.  My DH is out in the kitchen at the moment peeling onions ready for the pickled onions, haven't heard any tears yet.  I'm going to get down my Delia Smith Christmas cookery book, and check what ingredients I have to buy to make the Christmas puddings.

 

I have been watching the TV news with horror, seeing all the destruction caused by Sandy on the other side of the ocean, I hope all those of you who may have been in the pathway are safe and sound.  It must have been frightening for you,  it just shows there is not a long you can do about Mother Nature except get out of the way and take shelter.

 

We had rain here last night (Halloween) but the children and their Mums still came calling.  I was all prepared with sweets.  My DGD No 1 was doing my hair at the time (she is a hairdresser) so I had pieces of foil etc in my hair which was sticking up all over the place, so when I answered the door with a roar I think I frightened them more than they did me, and NO there are no photos of me!!

 

I hope you have enjoyed visiting me and my blog, I love keeping up to date with other bloggers and seeing what you are up to.  So come again you will be most welcome.

I'm sat here thinking what shall I do next.

I know what I should do, but I am being tempted to start on my Christmas sewing.  No!!  I must be strong and finish off this quilt, it's not a full size quilt just big enough to lie along the bottom of the bed, I only have to finish sewing the 'binding' and then I can start my Christmas sewing with a clear conscience.

 

I should finish it tonight, and then I have the whole weekend to sort out Christmas patterns, I have to decide which one to sew for Lainey's next exchange, and get all the 'ingredients' organised.  I love that bit as you have go through your stash of stuff and very often you find something you had forgotten about.  My DH tells me if I never went to another craft show or shop I would have enough stock to last me for ever.  What does he know.

 

Some of you have been asking what I bake for Christmas, here goes - I start with Christmas puddings (as they have to mature), maybe a Christmas cake, pickled onions, mincemeat for my mincepies, I usually make the pies and freeze them raw, so they can be eaten fresh from the oven.  Stollen which I freeze, shortbread biscuits and Orange and Apricot Chutney.  The grandchildren used to help make and decorate a chocolate cake and a gingerbread house, but now they are all older they may not be interested - lol!  All I have to do is get motivated.

 

I still have some daffodil and tulip bulbs to plant, but as it's turned a lot colder this weekend they will have to wait a few days longer.  The garden is looking a little sad at the moment everything closing down for the winter.  Fortunately my DH did take some of the more tender plants into the greenhouse or our tiny conservatory so hopefully they will be snug. I am seriously thinking about turning on the central heating to keep us snug.

 

I hope you are all keeping warm or cool, depending where you live in the world.  It's has been smashing being with you again, I hope you have enjoyed your visit, just drop me a line I love to read your comments.  Bye for now!

 

 

 

 

Autumn is definitely on its way!

Hello everyone, I hope you are all well, have you got your winter woollies out yet.  I have!!  The leaves on the trees are starting to change, and it's certainly colder.  I have resisted turning on the central heating so far, but I don't know how much longer I can hold out, I'm resorting to a blanket over my knees when I am cold.  (You can call me 'old granny')

I promised you some photos of the goodies I bought when I went up to Exeter for a craft show at the end of September, we all had a lovely jubbly time (as usual) spent some money I mustn't add it up or it might give me a shock.  So here goes -

 

I bought this material and ribbon to make a 'pin board' , you know the type where the ribbon will be criss crossed across and you just tuck in any cards or reminders that you want.

 

 

There was a lot of material on sale, a lot more sewing supplies this time, more than paper crafting supplies.  Is this a sign of the times, and that because of the financial situation people are making things rather than buying ready made.  I couldn't resist the linen fat quarters. My DH reckons I could set up shop myself!

 

A good selection of ribbons, plus some silver and gold material, not sure what I can use that for, but I'm sure I will find a use.  I do remember a couple of years ago whilst making a christmas wall hanging I used a similar gold material.

 

Some more ribbons, linen and 'fiddly bits'.

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the patterns I bought,  I shall be starting the bag after I have finished my christmas sewing, June bought a similar pattern but with completely different stitching, mine is more like red work which I love.

I'm not sure if this will be done for this christmas, maybe next year.

 

I definitely want to make two of these christmas trees one for my DD and one for my DS.  Watch this space. I did buy some other bits and pieces but these were the main ones.

 

My DH and I have just come back from having lunch at the vineyard here in the village, which was a nice little treat, and of course being in a village you meet up with so many people that you know, which is great.  We met a neighbour there who had given us a David Austin rose for our golden anniversary, she had given us his catalogue and asked us to choose one, so we had a very important discussion about our choice.  Wasn't that a lovely present.

 

Have any of you started your christmas baking yet?  I keep thinking about it but that is as far as it goes.  I keep looking for bottles of energy in the shops, but they seem to have run out of it.

 

Thankyou so much for visiting my blog, whether you are a new visitor or a more established visitor (please note I did not say old)  you are most welcome, and I hope you come again.

Guess what - it's raining again!!

I just can't believe it , but it has been raining for days and there is more promised.  Where is it all coming from.  I've just had a look at the photos of our holidays in Malta to remind what sunshine is, would you share a few more peeks at them with me.

 

 

These flowers will cheer us all up!

 

Can you see the pussy cat?  As were walking around these gardens I kept seeing little piles of dried cat food, they obviously want to look after the cats that live there, one way of keeping the mouse population under control.

 

A pomegranate tree, makes me think of Christmas, we always used to have them then as a treat.

 

This was taken in a fishing village called Marsaxxlok, had a fantastic market there.

 

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed these flowers.

 

 

 

This DH with my DD at our surprise (shock) party for our Golden Wedding Anniversary, there were so many friends and family there, I don't know how they kept it a secret.  Even June and my other friends who had been at a craft show all day with me kept mum.  It was a lovely evening.

 

 

 

 

Here we are with a large photo of the actual wedding day, so much has happened during these 50 years, I can't believe where the time has gone.

 Now  how's about this for a cake, we have gardening for my DH on one side and stitching on the other.  Some bright spark asked if that was bridge over troubled waters!! 

 

I hope you have enjoyed meeting up again, next time I have photos of my buys at the craft show,  we had a fab time lots of goodies.

 

I am busy at the moment finishing off my latest exchange (hallowe'en), so I must be quick.

Take care until we meet again.  If I could I would cut a slice of cake for each of you.

 

So much has happened in the last few weeks

I just cannot believe how much has been crammed into these weeks, my DH and I have been on holiday in lovely Malta for two weeks, followed by a surprise party for our Golden Wedding Anniversary, but I should start at the very beginning!!

First of all this lovely package of goodies I received from Edit, for the Tea Party Exchange, I still have to try the recipe she sent me.  It looks delicious.

 

 

Our club had a great afternoon at the show, we raised more money for the Dementia Society, and June showed a beautiful selection of mostly her stitch craft, there were lots of compliments, and we had 2 or 3 ladies interested in joining the club.

 

 

 

 

I rushed home from the show as the family were having a farewell meal (at the village pub) for our DGD No 2 before she went off to Uni.  Here we have DH giving her a cuddle - aaah!

Then home to finish packing, our plane left Bristol airport in the early hours of the morning, my DS and his partner were driving us up, we had to leave home at 2am to get to the airport on time.  No sleep that night, we were on automatic pilot, exhausting but worth it.

 

Our first day there we spent quietly, just opposite the hotel is a 'natural' park full of olive trees and flowers.  I took the following two photos for my american friends they have named part of it Kennedy Grove, the words are as always appropriate.

 

 

 
The next day we visited Medina, a beautiful city, it's called the silent city.  The streets are so narrow, it has a great restaurant, delicious cakes!  Great views from its outer walls, as it is so high up on the island.

Lots of these horse drawn carriages, I watched a rather well built lady trying to get in one, in the end her husband and the driver had to lift and then push her in!  The poor horse just turned his head and watched, guess what he was thinking!

 

 

 

 Can't remember where we were this day, but it was hot and the sea really is this blue.
 

This is part of San Anton gardens (the Presidents palace) the trees and flowers were breathtaking, there were so many I didn't recognise.  The picture below is of the herb garden, when we first walked in there the perfume from the Rosemary, Lavender and Thyme was so strong, took your breath away.  Whilst we were here resting in the shade a gardener came and sat with us, he offered to make us a cup of tea in his hut, the people in Malta are as friendly as they say in the travel books.  Everywhere we went they chatted to you and made us feel so welcome, and it is an advantage speaking english.

 

 

Now the most important piece of business on the agenda, I found a great shop in Valletta.  I looked and looked, eventually found a shop but it was siesta time, no problem I will come back another day.  Fine if you can remember where it was, lots of little streets in Valletta (great city full of interesting things) found it on our last day.  It looks nothing on the outside, but when you go in it is like the Tardis, it was full of lace, ribbons and braids all widths and designs, everything you could possibly desire to finish off a piece of stitching.  The owners were so knowledgeable about their stock.  If ever you are in Valletta visit this shop, you won't regret it.  My only regret I didn't stay longer and buy more.

 

 

We had a fantastic holiday, I can recommend Malta for a holiday.  But I have bored you enough with holiday snaps.  I will tell you about our Golden Wedding anniversary and the day out with June and friends to the craft show in my next blog.  Thankyou for coming by I have enjoyed chatting to you, so please visit again.  Take care.

 

 

Ups and Downs!

Well our Village Show is over for another year, what a busy weekend we had, I was helping in the kitchen (Iknow my place in life) we served heaps of homemade cakes and cream teas and ploughman's lunches, and washed heaps of dishes!!  We were down quite a few entries in the vegetable, fruit and flowers because of the bad weather during the summer.  I'll start with some of the ups.

 

How about this flower arrangement,

Followed by his Lordship's cake, as you can see he won 3rd prize, there were about 8 entries in this class, can you imagine what their kitchens looked like when these men had finished!!

 

He also made some Rock Cakes, I tasted a sample and they were quite good, third again!!

I won second prize with thes dahlias.  They are a very dark colour so not easy to see the true colour.

This is the bag that won first prize in this class, as it was made by a friend I didn't mind being beaten by her and she had done it beautifully.  Now for a down I didn't win 1 prize for any of my stitching, they do say it's the taking part that counts not winning.  So they say!!!

Now for some ups, I won first prize with these dahlias.

And I won second prize with the gladioli on the left!

 

This is another down my entry is the tiny bag in the right hand corner, no prize!

 

And another my cardigan is the lemon one, no prize!

 

Now for a laugh, my DH had some surplus shallots and onions, so he entered them under my name, he won and I got second for the shallots -----

And I WON FIRST PRIZE for the onions and beat his into second place!!!!!!  Boy did he get teased, by everyone.

We are off on our holidays now for a couple of weeks, to sunny Malta, so I shan't be around for while.  Apologies for not telling you about my latest exchange, I had some lovely goodies from Edit - will tell you more when I return.  I am beginning to panic, that our suitcases will be too heavy, and have I packed everything.  I just have to help with the garden/craft show tomorrow, in the community centre where we have June's club and then I am off.  So if you wonder why it's gone quiet from this neck of the woods you'll know why.

Good luck to anyone else who has shows to help with or enter in, remember it's all fun.  I'll be back soon with more photos and gossip.  Take care.