Happy new year.

Just popped in to say happy new year, but most of all to say thank you to everyone who reads my "ramblings" on, follows me, takes part in swaps and leaves me such lovely comments.

I love reading all your blogs about what you get up to, what's going on in your day to day life and all the lovely things you make and becoming such good friends.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR"

I'm off to see the fireworks,

Lucey x



In my stocking were.....

On christmas morning sticking her head out of my stocking  was "bobtail" a gorgeous pink rabbit

 and if you lift up her tummy she's a sewing set, she used to live in Jessie chorleys shop in London but now she lives with me!!

Just beside Bobtail, with his pipe held firmly in his teeth, was  "the snowman" filled with chocolate,

does anyone remember these sleeves made by Rowntree's at christmas time? I think I've seen something similar when we were at Beamish museum.

And deep down in the toe was this teeny tiny book brooch

"ONCE UPON A TIME"

chapter XIII

Last Things

Good night and sweet dreams he cried on this night as the curtain was drawn back...

and there lay the beginning of an exciting adventure...

The End.

There was a note attached to the brooch that say's "this book brooch is inspired by the minature books of the 15th century that were worn by merchant princes either as a pendant or on their belts as a keeper of information, a calender or a souvenier."

I got some lovely books aswell so after my bath I think I'll pop off to bed for a read,

night all,

Lucey

Christmas Eve

Smoke is billowing out of the chimney on this  special christmas eve as big flakes of snow fall  from the sky, making everywhere look white and sparkly and slippery underfoot,

The family go out for a walk in the snow gathering  a  big bunch of holly as they slip and slide along the path

Back home it's warm and cosy with a big log fire roaring in the grate and  Isabella's stocking is hanging above the flames, there's an orange wedged in the toe  and a teddy bear and some gingerbread poke their heads out of the top. Placed next to the stocking is a pair of red leather shoes that Isabella has long  admired in the shop window.

Mrs Bulmer, the old lady next door, and her son George give Isabella a brown paper bag containing an apple, an orange, some nuts, sweeties and some pennies.

There's christmas cards  strung across the brightly lit room along with paper streamers, and outside a snowman stands proudly in the garden, as night falls everyone heads off to bed and if you've been a very good girl

"the sleigh will ride tonight"

 and santa will fill your stocking while you dream of sugarplums.

Merry  Christmas,

Love Lucey x

A few days shy of christmas.

Not long now till "the big day"
 all the presents are wrapped and under the tree, we've done the big shop, the house is shining like a new pin, the doggies are bathed and I'm erm.....knackered!!

So I'm going to sit in the snug with a nice magazine a slice of chocolate log and a large sherry,

as soon as dusk falls I'll be lighting loads of candles and I've got "the snowman" to watch.

 

"The stockings are hung by the chimney with care"

this is mine that I got from London,

and a smaller one for mr lucey.

 

On second thoughts I might just have 40 winks!!

Lucey x

Ice Skating.

Today's activity is....Ice Skating!!

Mustn't forget the flask of hot chocolate with a nip of Baileys in, only for the grown ups of course!!

Be nice if it snow's.

Lucey x



When santa come down the chimney.

When santa come down the chimLey (as my daughter used to say when she little) he brought two friends with him and landed on my mam's bed!!

I stitched these for  mam about 20 years ago and every year she gets them out and puts them beside the fire but this year they have pride of place on her bed.

Merry Christmas Mam

Lucey x

Decorating the house.

Sorry to go missing but what a busy two weeks I've had!!

First we had new gates fitted at the front of the house,

then we celebrated a birthday, so much fun in  a box there were hands dipping in and out all week!!

I've had loads of visitors and we've exchanged christmas  presents, I've iced the cake,  decorated the house  for the" big event" and packed our bags  and had a weekend in York, phew!!

 Snapped  these in a shop window just waiting to be whisked off on a special journey.

Onto the decorations, a few weeks ago I bought some lovely doggie christmas cards from Poppy Treffry that were so nice I sprinkled them with glitter and threaded them onto some ribbon for the hallway,

and this year I bought a new tree for the living room and decided to go "less is more" with the decotations on it, the room looks lovely on a night with candles lit and loads of coloured twinkling lights on the tree,

and I copied someone from last year and tore up a book to make a garland for the wall

with lashings of glitter sprinkled on!!

Off we go up the stairs where the red glass lanterns cast a lovely glow in the dark

and "Apply Dapply" gazes out of the window with her big red bow waiting for a suitor to trot by!!

I' m going to Alexa's nativity play at school this morning so I'd better take a big pack of hankies as I know I'll have a huge lump in my throat and tears pouring down my face, ooooohhhhh I can't wait!!!

Lucey x

Wedding day.

Today my lovely friend Lynda (hookin with laalaa)  married her gorgeous Joe

Congratulations Lynda and Joe xxx

Advent aswap.

Mr Postie left me a card in the door when I was at work on Saturday to say there was a parcel waiting to be collected so I had to contain my excitement until 7 this morning when I went to collect it!!

I was partnered with the lovely Jess from Bibbitybob, in the advent swap, look at all my lovely red packages,

and as today is the 5th I got to open 5 parcels

some rainbow pens, a piece of fabric, a  waterlily candle, some deco pieces and a lovely crystal charm that I've hung from chandelier, thanks Jess.

Here's my parcel I sent to Jess.

I spent the morning making a door wreath, well I say making, I bought a plain green wreath and then I added fir cones and slices of dried orange and some red berries and added a ribbon bow and then I stitched a jingly bell to the bow as we all know christmas isn't christmas without a jingly bell!!

"Hello Mr Robin"

I have a little idea for us all to share but it will have to keep for next time.

Lucey x

This time last week....

...we were walking down "Columbia Road flower market"

as well as loads of gorgeous bunches of flowers there were christmas trees of all shapes sizes and varieties, big bunches of holly, wreaths and hand made swags

I got some hyacinth bulbs and a big bunch flowers then we went for a cuppa,

there was a lovely old fashioned bakers shop on the corner and the back yard was a cafe

this is where we sat with our tea and donuts, a lovely little place with a big burner in the corner and a pile of books to read.

The sweet shop was called "suck and chew" it was filled with all the old fashioned sweets and loads of vintage tins filed with toffee's

these chaps are keeping everyone in order, "woof, woof!"

Round the corner there was a market I got two lovely big "sundae" glasses to pot my hyacinths in and I'm sure I saw "wee willie winkie" choosing a candle holder!!

What a little gem of a place to spend a Sunday morning, especially at this time of year,

we also went ice skating in Hyde park's "Winter Wonderland"  but that's another story....

Lucey x