Bye, Bye 2008

Well Christmas is over, hope you had a good one. Mine wasn't too bad even though I was ill like so many others, my lurgy got 100% worse as soon as I sat down on Christmas day afternoon. I was shaking with a high temperature and coughing so much it was making me vomit! I am now left with a chesty cough, a cold and a really sore mouth. The annoying thing is I very rarely get ill, I've worked with children for 20 years and never caught their bugs but this is a nasty one! Anyway back to Christmas the children had obviously been good sometime during the year as my house was jam packed full of presents. Lily soon learnt to rip open her parcels unlike last year when it took nearly all day! She is now the proud owner of a Dora keyboard or ' my eeano' as she calls it.

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Yesterday in an attempt to blow away the bugs we went down to St. Ives and took some photos especially for Claire - Summerfete! We drove as far as Lelant Sandings where we then went on the train park and ride. The views along the railway line are stunning.

Although the sea was so blue I wouldn't have wanted to venture in it, it must've been freezing. It was so, so bitterly cold and windy I certainly don't envy those that will be lining the cobbled streets tonight, dressed in their fancy dress! Lily was dressed in many layers -tights, jeans, long sleeved top, hooded cardigan, thick coat, scarf, hat gloves - it was that cold! She didn't care though she loves the seaside.

Porthminster beach.

Tonight Tara will be going to Looe where they also dress up and party in the streets, this year she's going as a bumblebee. Jemma is going out dressed as a fairy and Jodie is going to a friends 16th birthday party dressed as Amy Winehouse. I'll be warm and cosy at home watching Jools's Hootenany! Pics to follow.

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2008 memories etc:

Jemma moved out and eventually took Snakie with her. She started her chartered accountant course.

Tara qualified as a hairdresser although she isn't doing hairdressing! She also passed her driving test.

Jodie completed her Duke of Edinborough award and is now working on her Arts Mark award.

Lily has learnt to sleep at night, is potty trained and now knows how to have spectacular tantrums :-)

We've had a new kitchen, new bathroom and bought a caravan. Now in 2009 we just have to do the rest of the house and pay for the kitchen! And I really must loose the baby weight!

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Happy 2009 everyone, hope it's better than predicted and the credit crunch doesn't bite too hard!

Christmas at Eden

Oh I was so smug thinking that the dreaded lurgy had passed me by, only to succumb to it on Friday evening! It came with avengence not just to me but to Lily too. I had visions of spending Christmas in bed but luckily things are improving for both of us although I do resemble Rudolph with my red nose lol. I decided that some fresh air and a change of scenery was needed so we headed off to Eden so Jodie and her friend could ice skate and we could mooch around the Christmas market.

The ice rink is in the dome in front of the biomes.

This is a huge (see the people standing next to it!) tree made of fabric.

And while they skated we watched a robin singing and Lily duly told him that she had been good, (this was done so that the robin would pass the message on to Santa). You'll have to click on the picture to see the robin.

We saw Santa waving from the top of the biome.

You may see him if you click on the pic!

Lily made a decoration, which she thoroughly enjoyed doing not having used felt tips before.

And then decorated a cookie.

She didn't fancy eating it though!

We had to come away before it got dark as it was cold but I managed to take a few photos, from the top of the hill, as the lights came on.

If my mum was still with us it would've been her 78th birthday yesterday hence the need to get out of the house, she loved ice skating so this was an appropriate way to celebrate for her.

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I received a parcel on Saturday morning, which was just what I needed to cheer me up after being up most of the night with Lily. It was my December shabbychiccafe swap from Viv. Look how lovely it was all wrapped up in gorgeous ribbons.

And inside there was a fabric covered address book and a tissue case both made with gorgeous fabric. Along with some chocolate scented tea lights, my favourite Belgium chocolates and a lovely handmade card. Thankyou Viv it's a lovely swap, very much appreciated. (The address book is strategically placed so you can't see how many chocs I had scoffed before I took the photo!)

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I cannot believe it is now less than 2 days to go!

Today I have to go shopping for veg and cheese, deliver presents, drink Lemsip, wrap more presents, make Nigella's chocolate fruit cake and make some mince pies. Which leaves Christmas eve for cooking ham, sausage rolls, preparing veg doing housework and going to the Christingle service. Then I can relax, well after I've cooked Christmas dinner that is! And before you start thinking that I have all these daughters to help me, it's a myth, at least it is in this house:)

I hope you all have a really wonderful Christmas, get chance to relax a bit and receive lots of lovely presents.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ....

It's been a busy week here, the Christmas panic is setting in and I've been getting up at the crack of dawn! But looking on the positive side the tree, the decorations and the outside lights are all up at last. I've even started to write cards and have wrapped half of the presents.

The lounge.

Tomte village- I got addicted to making these last year.

The kitchen.

My christmas decoration swap has winged it's way to Monique in the Netherlands and I'm eagerly awaiting my parcel. Monique requested white/silver as her colour scheme so I made some decorations from white felt using silver thread and beads to decorate them. I then made an organza gift bag roughly using the tutorial from Penny at sewtakeahike.

I've also sent my December swap to CTC at the shabby chic cafe - some felt ornaments in another organza gift bag, a cinnamon flower fairy sachet, a peg doll fairy, a crochet brooch, my first crochet snowflake (which I forgot to stiffen!) some candles and a chocolate santa.

I've finished my vintage stockings, Tara thinks they're horrible but Lily loves them, lol. I've also done a felt garland but I still haven't finished my wallhanging probably because I keep crocheting different snowflakes! And I did do 2 hours of ironing yesterday so I now have an empty ironing pile, well until tomorrow when the washbaskets will be full again!

I received my prize from the November members draw at Debbie's English Treasures, I was able to choose any cup and saucer from the site and was so pleased with my choice:

And bless her she even added a little something for Lily a rabbit in a basket. Lily is so delighted with it and carries it around like a handbag, thankyou so much Debbie and Alan of course.

Now I'm off to look through these as I have to plan my christmas menus and my grocery shopping for tomorrow.

And then these just in case there's anything else that I must make before Christmas, I don't want to get bored now do I!

And if all else fails I'll just have to crochet some snowflakes while I catch up on a bit of Fanny Craddock's Christmas, I adore this programme the woman is an absolute legend, so so funny!