Let it Snow Let it Snow Let it Snow - but maybe not yet!!!!

Well its nearly here and I have been busy doing my Christmas Shopping (still some presents to get) but Saturday morning this was what greeted me from my bedroom window,

so we are a little bit stranded as they don’t clear country lanes! I know it looks pretty but I need to get out and I am a little worried that my boys won’t be able to get here. The OH says I am panicking and he is probably right I am sure it will all turn out okay in the end.

Finished decorating the home – I have been busy making this bunting, really pleased with it – I haven’t bought any new decorations this year just made them and I am very pleased with them all if I say so myself!

not too good a photo but I have cross stiched HAPPY CHRISTMAS on it 

not quite like the magazine!!

Had some very disappointing news this week, my sister Diane is unable to visit me for the new year celebrations and I was so looking forward to being with her as haven’t seen her during the Christmas time for nearly 10 years now, perhaps one day I will.

Well its back to the kitchen - now whats on my list to do today – stolen, cranberry sauce, brandy butter, ice the cake, better get started Cd player is at the ready to keep me going I don’t know about you but one of my favourite carols is In the Bleak Midwinter whats yours? I also love The Pretenders singing 2000 miles. It really reminds me of my boys when they were little we were always playing it!

At this time of year there is something else that I love to make on Christmas Eve and that is a lovely Champagne cocktail, its one part limoncello to one part orange liquor and then topped up with Chanpagne or Prosecco, gorgeous!! Try it if you dare!

I don’t know whether I will have time to blog before Christmas so I would love to send you all a VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS and enjoy all the festivities and being with friends and family.

Old Friends

Well the title is not quite a give-away but on Sunday I was reunited with long lost and sometimes very old friends, they are all contained in the boxes that came out of the loft.  I am always so surprised at how neatly and carefully I have packed everything away, and it is such joy unpacking everything, a lot with so many memories,
But my favorite is my Angel,

I bought her from the Victoria and Albert Museum about 16 years ago - such a lovely day when one of my son's went to the School Carol Concert at the Albert Hall. Lots of lovely memories.
But today was the trip to the Christmas Tree Farm,

 and I am sure you can imagine the dilema, so many trees,

you find the one you want and they come and chop it down for you - can't get fresher than that, and such a beautiful morning.

So the afternoon with carols playing I decorated the tree, saying hello to all my old friends. 

This beautiful heart that we bought on a romantic holiday to Venice one December its Murano glass and so beautiful!

I love candles on the tree - the OH has a hot sweat when I say I am going to light them!

Just a short post today, as still loads to do and would you believe it - I have not bought one present yet! so its an early start for the 50 mile journey to Exeter - but good excuse to visit my sons and attend a Flute Concert at the Cathedral.
I hope you are all enjoying the exciting time of preparing for Christmas and thank you so much for all your lovely comments.

A Nip in the Air

Well Jack Frost has certainly been nipping at our toes at the beginning of this week, but needs must and we set off to Blackberry Farm to order our Turkey or maybe goose!! It was so cold, but the drive over there was stunning I had to get out and take lots of photos even though I spent most of it slipping all over the place!!!

Of course after all that hard work it would have been rude to pass the pub so the fire was very welcoming!

I love Kate Rusby and today I had a lovely surprise my son had sent me her new Christmas CD I am very spoilt Thank you Marcus!!! Boys can be so thoughtful (well sometimes!)

A few weeks ago I promised Lou who has a  lovely blog that I would make a rag wreath – it was great fun to do and I used up all my scrap linen and an old gingham (which was a little faded to use for anything else) they are so pretty and I can see it staying up a lot longer than the Christmas period.

Well I had better start thinking about supper the OH has lit the fire so I feel a glass of wine coming on! Keep warm everyone and have a lovely week.

Candles Candles everywhere!

I certainly have a thing about candles as all of my family and friends will tell you. I have no excuse for lighting a candle every evening and sometimes in the morning for breakfast.

 This time of year it can be so dark in the morning that candlelight at your breakfast table just adds a bit of warmth to the darkness.

I have so many candles one of my favourites is a pair that I bought in the Greek Island of Crete they are tall a little modern but sit perfectly well on my mantelpiece,

 I also love these two candles that I bought in France in the shape of a gourdes I am afraid I haven’t lit them because I love the shape so much.

Another find was this unusual lantern from Amsterdam I have had this years but still love it.

Now when it comes to the Advent Candle (which I always buy)

I have a real problem already it has burnt down to the 9th I just keep forgetting it, my son’s have never forgotten when I went straight to no 24 on the lst of December, so I am doing quite well already.
I also have this very pretty night light by my bed

Here are a few photos of my favourite candles (or at least some that I would like to buy)

The small little candles I think I bought at Caroline Zoob and the large ones from a shop in Exeter called The Orange Tree.

This fireplace looks so lovely and elegant!

Just adding this picture (I know there are no candles on it) but it is a brilliant idea and one that I am definitely going to do this christmas with the Chandelier I have in the dining room. (I will let you know what mine looks like near Christmas)

It seems a while since I wrote my blog but the time seems to be going so quickly and I seem to be so busy – although what at I don’t know. I had a lovely morning at the Vintage Fair at Pamphill and it was lovely meeting fellow bloggers especially Cecile from Elegance Maison – who I am sorry I couldn’t stay longer to talk (and she was very busy which is good). We have also had birthdays in the family and we have visited our new addition Ottis at my son’s Olivers home he is so good and cute and Oliver is finding him such good company. And here he is

I would just like to thank all the people that have visited my blog I really love hearing from you and now I am going to catch up and read all your posts.

So much to do!!!

Well its that time of year when you start making lots of lists but just don’t know what job to start first. I have been very busy this last week, sewing cooking and visiting 2 lovely places the first was Donna Flower lovely house where she had one of her opening days

 – I did have my camera but I always feel a little conscious of taking photos at these events, so not many photos but did buy some lovely fabrics which I will show you later.

her lovely kitchen where coffee and tea was served.

I then went to a  Christmas Fair at The Cowslip Workshop, so many very talented people with lots of goodies to buy and inspire you at Christmas – sorry once again no photos.

But I have also been busy sewing and making things for Christmas as well - I have this idea of finding a branch painting it a very subtle white (perhaps primer paint will be fine) and hanging tiny lights and little stars that I have made with vintage fabrics.

You can just see my clove covered orange as well as the stars I made.

I have also made bunting made with hearts and the fabric that I bought at Donna's - although it wasn’t Christmas fabric I think the bright red rosy fabric looks pretty.

Then there is a job I always  love doing in the evening a very sticky and time consuming job but the end result fills your house with Christmas smells – the job well it is sticking cloves in an orange until it is almost completely covered, I find it easy if you use an old darning needle to start the hole before putting in your cloves. I left a small line for a pretty ribbon. They then dry and leave a lovely warming smell and can be kept for quite a while.


Then I made mincemeat (for anyone that doesn’t know what this is – it is a combination of dried fruits, sugar, apples, suet and lots of brandy) I think it tastes so much better than shop bought and of course I made my first mince pies, some didn’t make it to the freezer can’t think who ate them but he has the initials of OH.

Well I have more orders this weekend so its back to the sewing machine but also more list writing I love writing lists but it is always so satisfying if you actually achieve ticking off all the tasks (never happens in this house as I have  too bigger aspirations then I can actually achieve).

I also have something very exciting to tell you all but this is just going to have to wait for another post!!!

No I can’t wait we have a new addition to our family - well my son’s Oliver, he has been waiting for a long time now to get a Guide Dog (Oliver is blind) and last week a lovely black labradour called Ottis arrived and he is now giving my son so much happiness and company as well as making him feel so much safer when he ventures out. I will let you have a peep at him in future posts.

Calm before the Storm!

Well the weather man promised us a nice day on Wednesday so I had to make the most of it - so off to the North Devon Coast to a place called Hartland - after a pub lunch at The Hart in Hartland (amazing beef sandwiches made with devon ruby beef - sorry any vegetarians!!) we were all set for our walk.  We parked at Hartland Quay

 and headed towards the lighthouse. There are spectacular views towards Lundy Island

 - it is really stunning and after a while you come across this lovely cottage called Millhouse part of the Hartland Abbey estate.

But we are not the only ones that think what a fabulous location as this cottage was used in the BBC adaptation of Sense and Sensibility.

As you can see they altered it a bit by added a false front door. But doesn't it look pretty, we then continued our walk to the village of Stoke,

 we came across this amazing tree across the path

you had to crawl underneath it to continue and then the first signs of christmas a holly bush with loads of berries on it. 

 We ended up although a little muddy at the lovely church in Stoke,

 it had the most amazing ceiling

It was such a beautiful walk and as I look out of the windows today I am certainly glad that we took advantage - no sewing today the house is looking a little neglected!! Off to a auction tomorrow in a small village of Hatherleigh so hoping I can find some lovely things!! I will let you know.