Photo Hunt 24 December 2021 - Stocking

And another week has disappeared....

Well this was a hard one for me as I don't wear fancy stockings nor have I ever had a Christmas stocking.... so what do I write about?

When I worked (and always wore

trousers) I'd wear these.

Not stockings as such but crochet leg warmers

I made a few years ago.

They are so good, that I made another pair last year.

I must apologise for a thin (and boring) post.  I did not feel it was appropriate for me to take photos of the stockinged legs of school girls on their way home the other day!

Wishing you all the best over the holiday period and I do plan to be back for the last word of this year.  Thanks again to Astrid and click here to return to her link-up page.

Bye!

Photo Hunt 17 December 2021 - Homemade

Once more it's time to interpret this week's word, Homemade, which (according to Google) is made at home rather than in a factory.  This was easy for me.  So I'll show you some recent homemade items.

Here is my Advent Calendar I made from a pre-printed panel.  As you can see,

it has been yielding its daily treats!  I have spare treats just in case someone

turns up so I can re-fill the pocket for them(and me!).

A better photo (I hope) of the filled pockets!

A tri-fold organiser I made recently; a Lynette Anderson kit.  A bit of a challenge for me

as I have little experience of putting zips in and the instructions were not always

clear but I did it and am very pleased with it.

The front of the tri-fold organiser had a panel which I had

to stitch; again not something I do much of so a bit of 

a challenge but I'm pleased with it.

A friend gifted me some yarn months ago and I recently

made myself a new hat; it is crochet using the crocodile

stitch. I wear hats all the time other than on the very

hot days.  It took 3 goes to get it the right size but

I do like a challenge.  I've yarn left over so I plan

 to make some matching mitts using the crocodile stitch....

I have an obsession with Christmas trees....  the ornament

on the left I bought many years ago but the other one

I made recently after Hawthorn sent me a photo of

one she'd seen on Instagram.  She likes to feed 

my Christmas tree obsession.... thanks!

I've recently returned to card making and

am having fun. The outer circle is made from

little fabric triangles sewn onto the pale grey

card.  The little Christmas tree is made

by sewing it on to a plastic film and then

putting it in cold water to dissolve

the film.

I've been practising a lot!

Christmas baubles as well as trees!

Bought a strip of the Paisley style

embellishments and have used them

to make cards.

Oh dear, it's another Christmas tree.

And another; I've been determined to use up my bought

embellishments....

Hearts bought but I made the card.

Not a Christmas tree in sight either.

Malcolm modelling a bag I made a few years ago.

This is now know as the Lava cake.  I made one last week 

and it rose and cascaded down the sides of the tin.

The cascaded bits looked like lava and they did taste good.

So I had another go this week, using a larger tin

and all is well!  It's a ginger and black treacle cake.

Well that's all for this week.  As usual click here to return to Astid's link-up page and I can't wait to see what you have for homemade.

Bye!

Photo Hunt 10 December 2021 - Mug

 Phew, I just remembered in time to prepare this post; the last week has galloped by.....

I like mugs!  I gaze at them when I come across them out shopping.  I am tempted to buy one (or two or more) but I already have so many!

Usually this cupboard is full to bursting but quite a lot

of mugs are in the dishwasher...

Some extra (rarely used) mugs live in another cupboard.

It was a hard choice to select just a few favourites to share with you!

On the left is a mug that I've had for over 25 (if not more) years.

On the right is a Christmas present from my dear quilting

friend; I use it every day; even the metal tin it came

in is used regularly in my craft room!  She said I was

like a small child, playing more with the packaging

than the 'toy' inside!

Beloved likes Land Rovers and Tractors and china mugs.

So these two are perfect.  They are quite big and not used

much; a bit too precious to break!

Finally, 2 other mugs currently in use.  They are china but

chunky china. 

What do I have in our mugs?  Nothing exciting; tea for Beloved and hot water for me with a single coffee each day. 

Apologies for a bit of a boring post!

I'm looking forward to next week's word as I think I can do better!

As usual thanks to Astrid and please click here to return to her link-up page.  I like to think the other posts will be more interesting than mine!

Bye!

Photo Hunt 3 December 2021 - Ornament

I think this word will be easy.  I found the following definitions for ornament:

• a thing used or serving to make something look more attractive but usually having no practical purpose, especially a small object such as a figurine
• make (something) look more attractive by adding decorative items.

I'm not sure I agree with the phrase 'usually having no practical purpose' as they make me smile/happy!  

Well I do have a lot of ornaments!  Not as many as I used to have as prior to the move here I did go through them ruthlessly.  However I do seem to be acquiring more, either made by myself, by friends, purchases made by myself or gifts from friends.

I will share just a few with you.

Made for the first greenhouse; might make one for the second one.

Hope you can see the bead embellishments.

A recent gift from a friend.

Out with a friend in Settle and I could not resist this snail.

I bought the blank felt horse shape and embellished it.

It's meant to be galloping through the waves and foam

at the seashore whilst kicking up cockles and razor shells .....

The other one!

A few years ago I attended a funeral and we were

asked to wear bright clothes; I wore these in my

hair and yes I had made them.

At a quilt show years ago and saw this.  They only

accepted cash and I did not have enough with me

but I knew one of the stall holders so was able to

borrow the money!  Well, if you don't ask....

I saw this on Attic24's blog (2018) and, rather 

than buy the kit, I made my own mushroom.

Then I made a little scene (and mouse)

to display it.

With it being December, I suppose one's thoughts turn to Christmas so I started to get my decorations out on 30 November and finished on 1 December.  I know I keep saying 'I don't do Christmas' but I just select the bits I like and ignore the rest!

Bought this recently at a Craft Show.

I saw this at a Craft show in 2018 and thought I could make

my own.  It was fun to make and I do have some non-Christmas

papers to make another one, which I will do 'one day'!

This fell into my shopping basket recently.

I saw this picture back in December

2017 and finally I  made some recently.

I did make 3 in the end;

one was gifted and I have

the other 2.

Rather than sew the 'bauble' to the top I managed to

thread red beads onto some wire to support the

bauble.  It wobbles if touched!  Bonkers, I know.

A friend was selling these so I felt

I had to support her!

I think I have to admit I have an obsession about Christmas trees.

Here are most of them...

All lit up with wire lights.

I think I had better stop now.  Where I am sitting now I can see at least 50 ornaments.....

I can't wait to see your ornaments and the stories behind them.  Thanks Astrid, I enjoyed this word.  Click here to return to her link-up page.

Bye!

Photo Hunt 26 November 2021 - Tradition

A bit of a struggle this week as we do very little that can be classed as Tradition.  I had a quick look to see that the word meant and found the following:

the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way.

Hmmm, that was not very helpful so I'll be thinking outside the box on this one.  So what do Beloved and myself do that has become our own set of traditions?

Looking back to my childhood/early adulthood there was very little done of a tradition nature.  The only event I can recall is helping Mother prepare Christmas dinner for which the preparations were spread over weeks and in the few days beforehand, it was non-stop.  There were my parents. my two younger sisters and myself.  All that fuss for a meal......  so now, by non-tradition, I do not cook on Christmas Day!  I will happily re-roast a duck or goose but not a full blown cooking session.  That leaves us free to go out or whatever.  Besides, now we have our own tradition for Christmas Day - we pack up a picnic and drive to Ribblehead viaduct.  Cue photos!

Somewhat suitable photo for this time of the year.  There was even a train going over it.

We visit several times each year; a lovely, scenic drive and we park on the Ingleton Road

not at the bottom where most other people park.

Part of the tradition of going to Ribblehead is calling in at

Seasons Bakery and buying some goodies!

My dear quilting friend gifted me this card in November 2020 and of course we

had to take it to Ribblehead!

Years ago when we seemed to be always working up at the

fields, we would go up there on 1 January and have a small

snip of port to welcome in the forthcoming year's work

up there.  Until we got the shed finished we'd sit out

here.  We even had a table and chairs.

I make cheese and Marmite palmiers every year.  I made

some a few weeks ago and they freeze well.  Yipee!

Home-made mincemeat made into mince pies with 

home-made pastry.  Now I think about it I used to

help Mother make mincemeat and that is a tradition

I carry on.  It's so simple to make and I store it in a plastic

tub in the fridge.  It lasts for weeks and weeks.

Another memory from childhood is Mother and the Christmas tree.  She insisted

on having a live one and dressed it herself. Yes it look pretty but it was

a lot of work and then there were all the falling needles.

Also wherever I have lived since leaving home, there has been no where for a tree.

Roll on the years and I have an idea from all the yarn-bombing that was happening.

Without Beloved being aware I cut

a suitable ash tree branch and yarn-bombed

it!

It even has red lights.  It stands between the

2 long windows in the upstairs lounge and

is there all year.  Come December I remove

the non-Christmas dangly ornaments and

replace them with the Christmas ones, 

including chocolate Santas etc etc.

Well everyone, I'll be returning to Astrid's link-up page (click here) to see what traditions you have; I suspect they might be more traditional than mine!  

I hope the next set of words will be a bit easier on my brain!

Bye!

Photo Hunt 19 November 2021 - Something you see every day

Once again, it's time to scratch my head and think.  My problem is I see so many things every day so I've been strict with myself and will only show you a few photos.

I wake up and see this wall hanging I made in 

March 2011; I joined a workshop to try this

technique and happened to take some blue

fabrics with me.  When I finished the block

I was advised to make more!  I did as I was told.

Again I see this when I wake up.  I made it at

another day workshop in about December

2010.

On a quilting course I was attending, a lady was making a

colour-graded quilt. This reminded me about a framed postcard

I'd had hanging on my since 1990.  I took the postcard out of

the frame and was dismayed to see no details about this

quilt. Liking a challenge, I set to and made my own version.

Finished size is about 73"square.  It hangs near my computer

and I use my computer every day.

It took me from March to July 2010 to make it.

I even used a spreadsheet to help me plan it

as I don't have any quilt design software.

The upstairs lounge where I 'play'. I'm in there everyday
and love to see my quilts and crocheted blankets etc etc.

The view from one of the tall windows in the upstairs lounge.
I look out of these windows many times a day, counting the
sheep or looking for rabbits or whatever.

The view of the garden, especially my 2 new greenhouses.

Apologies if the above is a bit boring but it's been a busier week than usual!  Click here to return to Astrid's page.  

Bye!