Year's end

just a few days left of my JYC pages to upload and I will finish on the 31st as I did last year.

29th A time to reflect it has been a hard time for me this December and I am finding it difficult to find the silver lining.

Last year though the snow had gone and the weather was dreary I still found joy in the natural world around me on the 29th December 2009

I needed another page to even up the album so have done this one of my two companions Samantha and Rudi


A time to reflect on the year just ending, to realise again that the natural world is full of beauty and even on the dullest day there is something worth noting and recording in a photo for all times.

I love taking pictures of the natural world, and a walk down the back lane never fails to give me a thrill and something worth photographing, every month has its special sights. Even when I am away from home I still find plenty of hedgerow flora and fauna to add to my collection of wonderful nature discoveries

Christmas indulgences

Christmas is a time to enjoy some of the special things we like. Family fun, special food and drink. Relax from the everyday activities, play silly games, watch sloppy films on TV a little break from reality for a short while.

A PJ Day

I could have gone to my Son's again, yesterday, I could have got dressed and gone for a walk, I could have done lots of things but no! I had a PJ (pyjama) day. Not got dressed not bothered with cooking just grazed on nibbles and things I could find in the fridge, cocktail sausages, cheese, pickles, savoury biscuits, chocolate biscuits, nuts and sweets. Very silly really but I survived.

At home alone

Time to catch up on projects and Journal Your Christmas and hopefully on blogs that I visit regularly so without any ado here is the finished Noel Minibook (thanks to Jimjams for the instructions )

Done a bit of catching up here too
a very simple one for the 23rd just a photograph of the stocking hung up ready for Santa to fill at Neil's house with all the Christmas lights giving it a warm and inviting glow.

Two pages for Christmas eve just because 


and a double page for Christmas Day all of Rufus because Christmas seen through a child is magical


and for my boxing day I thought I would go for something different.

last minute crafting

Good Christmas Eve Morning to you all. Hope your preparations are going well and that you can relax a bit today and enjoy the sights and smells of Christmas around the home.
I have been doing a little bit of last minute crafting. I saw a tutorial for a Christmas Angel here (you have to scroll down a bit), and I turned it into a Santa.

I cut a 3" circle and a 2" circle from red paper and cut them both in half. I also cut a small circle from funky foam for the head
with one half of 3" semi circle I made a cone and stuck it down squashing it slightly.
with the other half I cut it into two and made cones of those for the legs
One of the 2" semi circle I cut in half and made smaller cones for the arms
the other 2" semi circle I fiddled with until I got a cone that would fit on the head. I squashed this and bent the top over.
holding each piece I drew the fur on with Fluffy Stuff from Woodware (I have had this for ages and just not found much to use it on) after using the heat gun on it the effect was perfect. Incidentally the heat gun was OK on the funky foam so was able to make his beard with Fluffy Stuff
Assembled my Santa and drew a face on the head and here he is 3" high in his stocking feet

Yesterday for my dinner I had Chicken Risotto but instead of peas I added a some Raisins, Cranberries and chopped dried Apricots to give the meal a Christmas touch.

My To do list

Parcels are wrapped but there’s labels to make

more coconut crispies and pasties to bake

there’s mess and there’s muddle must tidy the rooms

I want to be ready for Christmas looms

I’ll load up my trolley once the presents are done

To go under the tree at the house of my son

With  a glass of mulled wine I’ll sit and reflect

I’ll be ready for Christmas and that’s a fact

I am managing to keep up to date at the moment. Here is my page for today, did it this morning before I did the baking but after I did the present labels


Pasties are now made but not cooked, will cook them Christmas eve before I go to my son's. Decisions decisions, should I freeze the pasties now or just leave them in the fridge. I really can't decide.

Still not got any tidying done, procrastination is my downfall, the more I think about doing it the less likely I am to actually do it.

Yesterday while I was in town I bought myself a 'present from John' a gift that he would have bought me if he was still alive. My eternity ring had lost two of its stones so I thought another ring to replace it would be the ideal gift. I managed to get one very similar to the original Garnet and Zirconia .  
Not exactly a surprise present but one I wanted to add to the JYC album and as I needed an extra page so that the 20 and 21st could face each other this page fits the bill perfectly.
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Journal Your Christmas

As Christmas gets nearer and nearer I get more and more in a mess, but that is ideal for today's page.
I love sitting on the floor and wrapping presents, this year I have lots of parcels for the lucky dip. I've been picking things up at the sale on Thursdays all through the year and although I said I would wrap them as I got them, of course I didn't. So all yesterday evening found me with presents and paper and sticky tape and ribbon, sitting on the lounge floor with the TV on in the background wrapping lots of funny shapes. I wanted white crepe paper but couldn't get any but I did find a pack of cheap paper table clothes which did just as well.

Yesterday's page


today's page

When presents are strewn across the floor

Decorated tree and lights galore

No one to complain about the mess

Just me and the cats and we do our best

To carefully tread where angels dread

Neil should be over with Rufus shortly and I will go into town, there is no way that I can have a 15 month old rascal around in my bungalow at the moment. I do have one or two things that I could do in town so perhaps a break from the mess will be a good thing.

I still have pasties to make for Christmas Eve dinner and some more Coconut crispies, must try and get them done tomorrow.

Journal Your Christmas

Two more pages done

John love to give surprises and one year I had three near identical parcels under the tree Numbered  1, 2 & 3 which had to be opened in that order. First one was a bottle of washing up liquid.. Second one guess what, yes washing up liquid (he was determined I wouldn’t run out this year). The last one was three boxes with these crystal cats, they more than made up for the first two parcels.   It did cause a laugh so I forgave him for the pun.



This one I did the journalling to the tune of My Favourite things

Turkey and trimmings and rich Christmas puds ,
coconut crispies and homemade mince pie
chocolate and nibbles and fruit and mulled wine
These go together for our Christmas dine.
When the snow falls
when the light fades
when it’s cold outside.
We’re happy and merry ,warm and well fed
and so we all feel - snug inside

And now here is today's page, I have deviated from the prompt which was a letter to Santa, and gone for Celebrating the greatest gift of all Jesus Christ our Saviour's birth.

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Today I am grateful that the snow is crunchy enough to hold me upright and not to slip over

That we have the freedom in this country to openly worship or Saviour

That Christmas is just around the corner.

Gratitude

I didn't do this last year as I wasn't feeling very Christmasy, not sure that I am this year but I am grateful for so many things that I have done the page on prompt.

As I was putting the list together I had one of my cats on my lap it is so good to have a pet they don't ask much of you except food and warmth and a bit of a fuss now and then.

20 Questions

20 Christmas Questions  

 

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?

Wrapping paper.(but I always have too much

2. Real tree or Artificial? 

Artificial, it's a little fibre optic tree that was the last decoration that John bought. I didn't think it was necessary but he wanted one. It is a link to happier times for me.

3. When do you put up the tree? 

This year it went up the second week in December

4. When do you take the tree down? 

New Years day usually or the day after

5. Favourite gift received as a child? 

I remember getting a string puppet one year, and a dolly in a pram. Also a colouring book that I rejected, but my childhood is so very long ago.

  

6. Hardest person to buy for? 

It used to be my son as he hated surprises, but now it is my daughter in law as she never know what she would like unless it is something for the home or for my grandson

7. Easiest person to buy for? 

My three grandsons, they are at an easy age to buy for
 

8. Mail or email Christmas cards? 

 Mail. but not many as I don't think it makes sense to send cards to those I see regularly

9. Favourite Christmas Movie? 

It's a wonderful life

10. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

I find little things throughout the year, but the mad rush starts mid December

11. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

Yes but not giving it to anyone I know, just taking it to the sale we have at the church every Thursday

 

12. Favourite thing to eat at Christmas? 

A good old English Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings and my own Christmas pudding with Rum sauce so moist and rich and yummy
 

13. Lights on the tree (coloured or clear)? 

 they are fibre optic light and change colour

14. Favourite Christmas song? 

Silent night and In the Bleak Mid Winter

15. Travel at Christmas or stay home?

Going to my Son's and I can walk there after Church

 

16. Angel, star or ribbon on top of tree? 

Usually a star but this year I bought a lace poinsettia (white) and have placed that at the top

17. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? 

It was always after dinner after the grandparents had their doze so about 3.00 but now it is when Neil and Gemma decide I think last year it was after dinner

 

18. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?

feeling that I won't get everything done I want to get done

19. What do you want for Christmas this year?

As I stir the Christmas Pudding mixture I always pray that there will be peace on earth over the Holiday, one day this will happen I know it will

 

20. Traditional colours (red and green) or other colours? 

Traditional colours but I also add silver, gold, midnight blue and white to the list

Journal Your Christmas

Up to date with this simple layout for today.

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Today I am thankful that I am beginning to see daylight at the end of the tunnel. 

That I have got myself a new printer

Looking Back at Christmas

I have had a very restless night, everything seemed to cave in on me even watching TV last night didn't help Heartbeat was about foot and mouth and the loss of a prize herd built with love. It disturbed me, for although it was only a story, it has happened for real for a good many farmers. OK I am not a farmer nor have had any connection to farming of any kind. But peoples suffering affects me and in the middle of the night I can't rationalise it.

I looked again at the prompt for the 12th and thought about Christmases past. This again made me sad as I seemed to have lost all the sparkle that Christmases had when I was a child and also when John was still alive. So my page for this day reflects where I am at the moment in time.
I took a photo on the 12th of an oak leaf, brown and covered in frost and somehow it seemed appropriated
I made the background go from the brown of the leaf to a warm and welcoming red. from despair to hope.
Have I the faith to hope for a better future.

Rushing around getting no where fast

Yes I am behind with Christmas preparations and seem to now be rushing around but not doing anything practical.
I did get the parcel sent up to Skipton today so that is one thing I can cross off my list.
I tried to pin my son down to sort out what size bird and if he wanted me to get a ham as well, that got me no where, so I had to leave that on the list. I also needed to know what it was he wanted for Christmas, that will have to wait too as it is in John Lewis and Neil will have to take me there.
I did do a little bit of nibble shopping and hope that I can restrain from starting on them too soon before Christmas.
I've also made a minibook for Gemma to give to her friend, so the day hasn't been completely useless.

Today entry for this


I have managed to catch up on one of the missing days too, the 8th we were looking at signs of the coming season and my neighbour's Christmas Reindeer seemed just right.

All behind

Oh dear Oh dear, I am all behind on preparations for Christmas. I still haven't posted the parcel up to Skipton and not done any cards yet. I really must try and get some made and sent in the next two or three days.

I am also finding it difficult to keep up with this project and now have two missed days even though I am doing them so simply this year.
still I do have two pages to share.
on the 11th I managed to get my Christmas tree set up and some of the decoration around the lounge arranged, but I haven't tidied up and the room is a mess now

Today's prompt was for Christmas music and what better than the Sally Army band in the town centre, even if this photo was taken on Saturday :D

Catching up fast now

Well I think I am more or less on top of Journal Your Christmas, still got the 8th to do may make that my list of things still outstanding, which incidentally is most of it, oops really am behind this year.
Off into town to try and get some present shortly but thought I would put up yesterday's page before I tackle the crowds. Mind you I do love the hustle and bustle of a busy town centre, and hopefully I'll get some photos too.

Journal your Christmas

I am gradually catching up with this project though it is more of a journal of December's activities
on the 6th Daniel decided he wanted a snowman so we went to Leith Park Edinburgh and built him one. It was more like a snow troll but looked great.

On the 7th, our last full day in Edinburgh, we had a lazy start, Danny and Ben were so full of cold that they just wanted to take things easy at first, but by the afternoon Danny wanted to go out so we made our way up to Princes street and into John Lewis, there, of course, we found the toy section and I bought Danny a car transporter and Ben a book.

On Wednesday 8th we travelled home, a long journey but all went smoothly and I arrived home about 6pm. The Cats were pleased to see me but mainly because they knew that if they asked nicely I would give them some more food (my neighbour had already fed them really)
I didn't take any photos this day so will have to think about how I do this page.
The 9th being a Thursday was the sale at the church, but as we were having a Christmas meal the following day, folk came ready to prepare the vegetables. This is something we have done now for about 4 years so is becoming a tradition.