Ticked Off The "To Do" list

With the last of the twinkling lights and decorations packed away and, on the one day the sun did shine, the house looked a right mess so it got a mini spring clean and a few daffs and hyacinths spread about!!

(I started this post last week!)

See the lovely card on the windowsill? it's from Jenny at the custards blog, it's far too nice to put away just yet and as we have a dusting of snow it looks right at home.

Now I'm not one for making new year resolutions but I do like a "to do/make" list so here's mine,

I've already made the bracelets for me and Alexa out of some pretty green beads I got from a lovely shop in York last year but she took hers home before I could take a pic of it,

yesterday I made the "sewing pinny" for when I go to a couple of classes at Hope and Elvis in April and June, no guesses for what classes I'm attending.....I only managed to book both Julie Arkell and Jessie Chorley....whoop whoop!!

I made the pinny out of a lovely green linen tea towel that has pink rosebuds on it and I stitched an embroidered tray cloth on the front for a pocket big enough to hold a tape measure, needle case and cottons etc,

and this morning I ticked off another make, a needle case made from an old embroidered napkin, I have an assortment of these so I thought I'd use them up instead of them being shut away in a drawer,

and inside is a piece of pretty blue cotton with some wadding in for a bit of padding.

I love these old buttons and the tiny cream, blue and pink safety pins were a lucky find at a flea market along with some other old sewing bits and a big pot blancmange mould, now I just need a recipe so I can try it out.

Love Lucey x

Happy New Year

Hope everyone has had a lovely Christmas?

Anyone got plans for this evening, it being the last of the year? 

We're going to the neighbours  so we haven't got too far to walk home after a tipple or two!!

I shall be donning a bit of sparkle and these two will be accompanying me

"Bertie and Bella"

along with  a high heel and a "moon boot"!!

Happy New Year to all my lovely bloggy friends, see you in 2013

Lucey x

Christmas Eve

There's something magical about Christmas Eve... 

After  a "full English breakfast" we'll have a lazy morning  then we'll get dressed and spend the afternoon at the local garden centre feeding the reindeer as they have a busy night ahead of them.

 Then we're all meeting up for mugs of hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows before walking to church for the carol service at tea time.

So that's the plan for today and I can never decide If I should have an early night  or to wait up and hope to catch a glimpse of Santa and his reindeer......however much I try I always fall asleep just before he calls.....

Round guy
red suit
so cool
so cute
big smile
full pack
St Nick
he's back.

It's Christmas day in the morning...

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas

Lucey xxx

Gingerbread House

What could be nicer at Christmas than a gingerbread house, so I got myself a kit from IKEA and set to with the icing sugar 

after I'd stuck the walls together I filled up the icing bag and I was off.


I think the hardest part was trying to make the icicles, then just when I'd finished Alexa come in from school and said
"I've took all the hanging  bits off for you grandma"!!

I don't think it will last until Christmas tea as she's itching to eat it now, I knew I should have bought two!

Lucey xx

Shall We start At The Front Door

Not many people bother but I do like a nice wreath on the front door,

this is mine with Mr Robin nestled in the middle.

I managed to hobble upstairs to the snug where I decorated the tree with all my little socks I'd  embroidered in the summer,

some have cheeky little mice in them and others have jingly bells sewn on,

and some bigger stockings with....

'Twas the night before Christmas"

 sewn on them, 

I really enjoyed making  them and it didn't take me long.

I love sticking cloves in oranges, they're on the kitchen windowsill where I can smell them as I wash up...not my favourite pastime!!

And we've celebrated a birthday Mr Lucey loved his card from the dogs,

I've been buying them from  e bay, they're about the same price as a modern card but twice as nice.

This time next week it will be Christmas Eve and excitement will be running high, all the last minute jobs will be getting done and a few sherries will be sipped!!

Lucey xx

Advent Swap And Busy Needles

Well hello Jack Frost!!

You've certainly been out and about last night with your long fingers, turning everything in sight, white,  cold and frosty while I'm all cosied up indoors opening more lovely advent gifts.

Day 10's were mother of pearl buttons and some gorgeous green ones on their original card,

next were sticky notes, a bit of CK yumminess,

a gorgeous "holiday cheer" garland that's now up the stairs, I'll take a pic when the day is a bit brighter,

and today's gift is a bangle covered in pretty fabric and tied with a bow, such a lovely idea.

"Clickety clack" the needles have been busy lately,

this purple and cream scarf with reindeer's and snowflakes on is for my uncle,

I've also got him a little "tipple" so he'll be warm both inside and out!!

And this one is for me when I''m out riding "Poppins"

I haven't made pom poms for years and had to look on the internet to remind myself....doh!!

You can just see the cushion covers I run up from a "log effect" fabric I got from IKEA, 

and there was just enough left over to make a tablecloth.

"very rustic" me thinks!!

Lucey x

AdventSwap

Hello girls,

My "bloggy" friend Mandy  (Daisy Moon Blogspot)  and I decided to do an advent swap and my beautifully wrapped

 "brown paper packages tied up with string" 

arrived in plenty of time for Dec 1st.

When  I opened day 1 I found this beautiful advent calender inside,

it's now hung up with little chocolate santas and coins in it's pockets.

These are days 2 to 8's presents, I did mean to take a pic of them daily but didn't!! 

Some lovely xmas fabric, lots of jingly bells, some EB hankies, and fabulous covered CK buttons,

and today, some lovely red spotty jam pot covers and tags, 

this is so much fun thanks Mandy.

Well that's week one over of the "dreaded moon boot"!!

I'm so glad I started Christmas shopping back in October getting things when I saw them, buying cards and gift wrap and organising food as now I can only go out if someone ferries me about as I can only stand for a short time.

Briefly what happened was, back in June while on holiday you may remember we went parascending and I landed on my bum, as I got up my right foot ever so slightly slipped and I thought nothing of it until the next day it was a bit sore.

Back home I was in so much pain in  the Achileas tendon that I went to the hospital where I was told to take paracetamol and ibrupen.

A couple of visits to the Drs followed and 6 sessions of physio, then at the 6 week check up I told the "very young physio"that  I was in so much pain and the tendon  was so swollen and she said "well it's just age and wear and tear" so I said "can't I have any more physio on it" and she replied "it wouldn't do any good"!!

So I asked if I just had to put up with it and she said "I'm afraid so"!!

 Then she said I could get a scan and a steroid injection if I wanted,  to ease the pain but I'd have to go on the waiting list of about 6 weeks.

I wasn't happy at waiting so long  so off she went to get the senior physio to have a look and she managed to get me an appointment for the scan in just 4 days....amazing eh?

After the scan the Dr said it was the worst injury to the Achilles tendon he's ever seen and it was so inflamed and he showed me the scan and it  was bright red and orange just like a flame.

2 days later I saw the orthopaedic surgeon who gave me the steroid injection, and I can't begin to tell you how much that hurt, and said I was to wear the "moon boot" for 6 weeks(in the old days it would have been a plaster pot and crutches) and rest the tendon as in this bad rainy weather if I was to slip over the tendon was now so bad it's ready to snap!!!

I don't like to cause a fuss but I'm not happy that I had to wait 5 months for a scan when I think the hospital should have x rayed it back at the beginning of July.

Anyway rant over, I'll show you what I've been up to while "sitting on my bum" next time!

Lucey xx