warmest wishes

Just a quick post (no pun intended!) to say merry christmas to you all. I hope you have a lovely day tomorrow. It's been a wonderful year of blogging for me and I feel like I've met so many great people through writing here. You've made it a pleasure with your lovely comments and emails! I'll probably be back here in the new year if not before.

Warmest festive wishes to you and a happy new year! x

Mr Whippy

Not very seasonal unless you live in the southern hemisphere! This was a special request of an ice cream van rubber stamp for my beloved. It is one of the little gifts that I have put in the wooden advent calendar in the run up to christmas. Ah yes, I think I forgot to mention those. I meant to write a post about them because they've been so much fun to do. It all started because usually we have a chocolate advent calendar each and this year with my diet changing and having to exclude dairy I couldn't have one. So I decided to embrace that and go one better instead of feeling bad about it and now we have one each because Mr P thought it would be unfair if only he had to think of little gifts each day which is fine by me... i've really enjoyed the challenge! So rubber stamps have found their way into a couple of Mr P's drawers. I just can't get enough of making rubber stamps. It's so addictive. In my calendar I have found lots of lovely things like little ink pads and beads. He knows me so well!!

A thank you goes out to nà who very kindly passed me the true blue blogging award (and helped me to think of a couple of things to put in the calendar - thanks!). I'd like to pass the award on to all the lovely readers of this blog who leave me comments. It makes my day reading them and I appreciate each and every one of them. Thanks everybody! :-)

sugar frosting

I woke up yesterday to a world dusted in crystals. So after feeding the birds I grabbed my camera and this is my favourite of the bunch. Pretty, no?


I thought I'd share a few pics of one of the presents I've been making as I don't think the intended recipient reads my blog. I really enjoyed making this bracelet and have finally figured out how to oxidise the sterling silver to a lovely antique finish. You can see it on the clasp. The photos don't get across quite how lovely the colours are with the red being toned down by the mossy green-grey and subtle lilac-grey beads, you'll just have to take my word for it!

the brilliant crowded house

I meant to write about this a week ago but we couldn't get the photo off P's phone. Anyway, now I have it!

Crowded House at the MEN in Manchester. They were absolutely brilliant!! One of the best concerts I've been to I think. They played a great mix of new and old songs. There were some really fun bits where they had the audience singing and it sounded amazing! My favourite part was a slow song when they turned all the lights off in the arena and it was filled with the twinkling lights of people's phones. Who'd have thought mobile phones could be so magical? It looked like thousands of stars.

I hope they come back again.

Have you been to see any live bands recently?

The siskins have returned!

I've been so excited this week because one of my favourite birds is finally back. The siskins flew in at the weekend. A flock of about 40 landed in the alder trees behind the garden. We are so lucky to see so many. They are very small compared to the other birds. They even make the goldfinches look big. The flock seems to have left a couple of pairs behind and gone on it's merry way. For a better illustration and to see the colours have a look on the RSPB site.

Have you seen any where you are?

making christmas

I've been wondering what to post about because while I have been making lots of things recently as crimble presents I don't want to spoil the surprise for anyone! It is so difficult to keep things a secret!! I have to try extra hard because I'm rubbish at it!

I have been carving lots of rubber stamps and P cut me some little blocks of wood for the very thin rubber sheets I have. I wasn't sure what glue to use so I chose superglue. I was slightly worried that it might dissolve the stamps or something but it seems to have worked fine and makes life sooo much easier. I no longer have ink all over my fingers. ;-) I thought I would have to turn up to the christmas parties covered in ink! :-)

Starting to feel very festive and I've bought a cd with classic christmas songs on like White Christmas by Bing Crosby and Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt. It's great! There are a few dodgy ones on there like All I want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth but I just skip over those ones!

I love seeing what everyone's up to on their blogs... pics of christmas trees, handmade cards and baking. Hope you're enjoying the build up to christmas as much as I am.