It’s Here ……..

Everything is done and if it’s not …. tough. The Towers is peaceful and full of anticipation for the days ahead spent with family.

I have to admit, although I posted an awful lot during December I am a bit disappointed that I didn’t get as much done crafting wise as I had hoped, I had ordered a whole pile of tiny bottles, among other things, to make some bottle within a bottle tree decorations, I just never got the time. I also never got to make any individual Christmas cards or use any of the triangle shaped jewellery parts I had been collecting for tags and cards ……… having fun with those Baby Grandies just got in the way.

But,  when all the hullabaloo is over and while I am still feeling this way I am going to get on my horse exactly where I left it and start Christmas all over again. A week or so ago I ordered a whole lot of reduced Christmas bits and pieces from Hobbycraft and Marc found me a couple of half price Aldi Santa Advent Vans to Fiddle Fart with so there’s no excuse …..

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas …… I’m taking the next week off from posting, but I’ll see you again, I hope, to celebrate the start of another New Year on the 1st of 2019. 

My Festive Shelves And Christmas Tree

I have had a really good jiggle about with the festive shelves in my lounge this year, mainly because I think I put all the best bits in the guest room for Mr Marc’s Imperial State Visit!

I seem to have put a lot less on them, using only one glass dome, where in the past I have used up to four.

I also have to be mindful that the Ikea floating shelves won’t take that much weight……

…… or my clumsy movements or bumps.

I’ve included one of the two sets of Advent drawers I’ve made this year …… my original Tesco Advent House is in need of some repair – that’ll be one of my first jobs in the New Year, while all the Christmas stuff is still out, sadly I ran out of time to do it in the run up to Christmas this year.

My Christmas twig tree has also undergone a major re-vamp ………

I had gone off the idea of the chandelier drop/icicle effect of the past two years and instead have gone all out for much more volume in purple, turquoise and cerise jewel colours with a plenty of gold glitter (thanks to B M Bargains)

I also found space for the boho style decorations I made and posted a little while back.  I wonder what I will be writing about next year?

I have to admit I rather fancied a rainbow Christmas tree that I’d seen this year …… now if they had one in the sales, it could quite possibly come home with me!

Liverpool – City Of Sparkle …… And Objects Of Great Desire

I love Liverpool! Most years Lu and I usually pay an overnight visit in December for a show (usually Ross Noble) and to do some mooching of the shops …… and last week we made our latest annual pilgrimage …….

With the sentiment on my “first coffee in the morning” mug ringing soooooooo true, Liverpool did not disappoint. I have never seen so many lovely “shiny things” ……… and naturally a considered festive purchase had to be made ……..

 

Cinderella shall go to the ball!  My intentions was to get a pair of black glittery pumps or converse type boots to wear over the holiday, but when my eyes alighted on these beauties I was a gonna!  From Evans, reduced from £48 to £15 and in an E width (I have very wide feet) what’s a girl to do. I wore them for the first time when Marc stayed, when we went for a meal and they will be my footwear staple over Christmas …… talk about mutton dressed as lamb!

Last year Lu and I missed visiting Taskers in Aintree because the weather wasn’t too good and we thought we’d better get home, but this year we made it!

I was really happy with how I’ve got The Towers ……

……… but that was before I travelled up that fatal staircase to the furniture showroom and then I became a helpless deer caught in headlights! 

What can I say?

If I could …… you know, I think I would …… but no, no considered purchases were made ……..

…….. but just look at this chandelier! I did stand under it for rather a long time and  admit to stroking it very carefully, if only with one finger …… and no, I wouldn’t dare colour it in with any of my Sharpie pens!

The walls of The Towers are just painted at the moment ……. but can you imagine having jewel encrusted wallpaper? But what happens in Liverpool stays in Liverpool …… it was just an hour or so of pure girly fantasy …….

…….. However, I have always loved Kylie Minogue bed linen …….  (as modelled by Nigel) and I am sorely tempted, perhaps for my festive bedroom next year? It’s another dream, but it wouldn’t hurt to see what gets put in the January sales, after a little research on how they wash etc. ……. and wonder if, when I wake in the morning, I’d find my face embossed by hundreds of sequins, never a good look!  What am I like?

https://www.taskersonline.com/

Charity Shop Shopping With Marc ….. Plus a Couple Of Other Bits and Pieces

As I said yesterday Portobello Road and Notting Hill are not really the stomping ground for the charity shop connoisseur or poundshop aficionado, however Evesham has plenty enough to fill a Saturday afternoon, even for Marc and I.

It seemed as if all the charity shops had put all their Christmas bits and pieces out this weekend when I had been out really looking a few weeks back with little luck.  Marc and I spent a very happy time rifling through the 10p and 20p baskets.  He would fertle first and then I would go through them again, just in case he’d missed something.

We found enough little wooden figures to almost fill my Home Sweet Home “thingy” in the kitchen, it was put together especially for Iris and Bertie. I am sure they will love and be fascinated by it when they come round, it’s making another memory, I hope.

I think our best considered purchase was this copper Arts and Crafts angel for just £2.00.  It has something missing from its hands, but I don’t think it will take long for inspiration to kick in and a substitute found (if it’s really needs it???)  I love it so much that it won’t be packed away after Christmas, it’s definitely going to find a permanent home on my shelves all year round.

These two framed cross stitch pictures are beautifully done and appear to have some age to them judging from the frames and at just 50p each, they also found a home with me, as did Santa, part of Marc’s haul for around 25p I think.

Other little treasures were also found and when we got home spaces on my festive shelves were excitedly filled in with more than the odd flounce and flurry …..

……. and each will hold a very special memory of Marc and my first proper Christmas shopping expedition together.

Oh, I almost forgot, we also found a nativity set, with a few spare animals but minus Baby Jesus for £1.50. Well, we soon made a baby using one of the wooden figures above, wrapped in kitchen roll and placed in a coloured in match box.  It’s now under the Christmas tree awaiting Bertie’s next visit, I think we’re assured of an awe and wonder moment or two.

On Sunday we went up to Crafter Companion up at The Valley just outside Evesham, I have to say we were quite restrained.  I loved these sewing dies, inspired by an example on the shelf, but why on earth didn’t I take a picture of the card as a reference. Lesson learned and thank goodness for a Google search

https://www.crafterscompanion.co.uk/gallery/signature-collection-by-sara-davies/sara-signature-sew-lovely.html

In Marc’s honour and visit, I also went all vegetarian, I didn’t really miss the meat, but I think I may have tried a little too hard, even for Marc  when it came to our Saturday morning bacon butties …….hmmmmmm.

And finally ……. when we get together Marc and I love watching YouTube films of people going round Poundland/Home Bargains/Primark etc. and then going through their haul ……. I think now Marc has a brand new shiny phone (that’s a whole other story but please don’t ask as we are both still traumatised by our EE experience)  we should invest in a phone stick thing and produce one of our own!!!!!!!! Now that would go viral, but probably for all the wrong reasons ……….

Christmas Has Come Early To The Towers

What can I say?  Christmas came early to The Towers in the guise of Marc bearing gifts  ……… one very overwhelming gift in particular ……..

………. a Scan N Cut machine.  What on earth do you say when someone gives you something soooooooooooooooooo wonderful?

However, knowing Marc, seeing me gradually master the machine and start using it on projects will bring him an awful lot of pleasure and it is another adventure we can share.   I admit to being a little nervous, but there is really isn’t a lot that can go wrong.  Once we had unboxed it, we put on YouTube and followed a couple of tutorials ….. I “think” I can just about “weld” now, a concept which before we had a go terrified me.

I have registered with the Brother Canvas Workspace so that I can work on projects via my computer with a larger screen and a few extra buttons which  I think will give me more confidence at this stage as I am more computer literate than I am Scan N Cut literate, if you know what I mean.

When not Scan n Cutting Marc and I also hit the charity shops and Crafters Companion.  Marc might live in central London but  where he is it is sadly lacking in charity shops, and the likes of Poundland, Home Bargains and B and M.  We also hit Crafters Companion up at The Valley, just outside Evesham. Needless to say we talked non stop, swopping so many ideas. Sorry, I could kick myself, but no photos as they just got in the way of our excitement and talking!!!   But tomorrow I have a couple of our festive charity shop buys to share.

Iris’s Keyrings

I found this keyring set in Asda, I think it only cost £1.49 which was a real  bargain, and although it said “football keyrings” I immediately I had Iris lined up for a festive job.

The pack contained 6 plastic cases, six footballer templates (of which I made several more templates, just in case little one wasn’t happy with anything she’d done), plus six chains and rings to hold keys.

They were a resounding success, with Iris reproducing all the most important people in her life.  I love Granddad Ken, especially his beard, accompanied by Granny Denise above.

I left Iris to it,  she knew exactly what she was doing, and to be honest any “adult interference” from me would just have spoilt the innocence of each creation.

She even managed to captured Auntie Lu Lu’s propensity for a flowery top and glasses perfectly!

And as for Mummy and Daddy, what can I say?  Once everyone was done, they were all carefully wrapped by Iris in tissue paper and put in their own box with a special message (Nanny’s job) and have now been safely squirrelled away for Iris to give at Christmas. I doubt there will be a dry eye in the house, money just can’t buy presents like this.