Day Twenty One

I woke this morning feeling exhausted with all the planning and preparation and wishing it was this time next week. But a few hours sitting knitting with friends over coffee and brunch was just what I needed. Perfect time out.

 

 

At the very last minute we decided to have a Secret Santa and I got lucky. A tea towel edged with some fabulous pompoms and a journal for jotting down my knitting inspirations. It also has pages of tips for knitters including "Yoga poses for knitters". The others were relieved that I decided not to demonstrate "The Downward Dog" over my coffee. Thank you Santa!

 

It was also a chance to add a few more rows to a Christmas present that despite my optimism, will not be finished by Christmas Day. But then why spoil what has become something of a tradition. He only ever gets one sock!

Day Twenty

It was our book group Christmas party yesterday evening, which we hosted. I thought it would be fun to serve cocktails. That was after I gave up on the idea of literary themed food & drink... I only got as far as a "What the Dickens is in this Punch"... but I digress...

 

 

My cocktails were in the form of mini cupcakes... Strawberry Daiquiris and Pina Coladas, both recipes from the Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days again.

In my mind they were going to be very grown up, sophisticated, little bite sized morsels.

 

And although they looked quite beautiful, and I followed the recipes to the letter, the reality was little soggy, overly sweet and sickly, bite sized morsels! Well, the pineapple and coconut ones weren't that bad but there was room for improvement.

 

But I do still like the idea of cocktail inspired cakes... so I'll be working on this to perfect my own recipe... and when I find it, I'll let you know!

Day Nineteen

...setting myself up for disappointment?

 

 

I'm ever the optimist!

Day Eighteen

As there are gradually less days to go until Christmas Day I'm finding I have have less time to think about blogging and less things I can think to blog about... but there also seem to be less people reading judging by diminishing comments so I assume the pressure is on for everyone. Either that or I'm boring the pants off you! But I don't like to stop something once I've started so I'm here for the next week!

 

 

But all is still calm here and I thought I'd make a start on the present wrapping. I actually love wrapping presents and making the parcels look pretty but usually find I run out of time and they are sellotaped together with lack of finesse at the last minute... but not this year. I've even been making my own labels...

 

I knew I'd kept all the cards from last year for a reason... Although I may have made enough to last me for the next ten years.

 

It does remind me of a story about my Nan. When we were children the entire family... aunties, uncles, and numerous cousins all congregated at my Nan and Grandad's each Christmas for tea and exchange of gifts. Nan would have a big pile of wrapped presents, none of them labelled and we would have an annual ritual of her having to feel all the parcels in turn to try and guess what was inside and then remember who she had bought the item for... often with hilarious consequences and a quick swapping of parcels once the contents were revealed. Eventually she solved the problem by buying all the men socks and all the women hankies every year. She was a truely 'one off' my Nan... a wonderful lady. I hadn't thought about telling that story when I started to write this post... but I'm glad I did... Happy Christmas memories.

Day Seventeen

The rest of the decorations have gone up today.

 

 

Every year I think I might do something different but once the boxes come out of the loft and all the old favourite things come out, I decorate the house the same way as I always do.

 

Occasionally there is a new bauble or two... and this year I seem to have lots more lights around the house. Just simple white lights in every room... but you can never have enough fairy lights! Or candles!

 

But mostly it looks the same as always does.

And that feels comfortable and good!

Day Sixteen

I've been out all day so just a quick one today...

 

 

The tree is up and my old fairy has been re-instated.

Beautiful though she is, the new one just didn't make the grade.

Day Fifteen

Joe: Are those sticky toffee cupcakes? My favourite!

Me: Not for you, I'm taking them to stitching with me tomorrow.

Joe: What! You can't take them out of the house... they won't travel well you know.

 

 

Jacob: Are those sticky toffee cupcakes for us?

Me: No, they are for my friends.

Jacob: *sigh*

 

Stewart: Oooh... are they sticky toffee?

Me: They are but they're not for you, I'm making them for tomorrow.

Stewart: Oh...

 

I haven't told them yet but I have made some extra just for them.

 

Sticky Toffee Cupcakes by special request from Iz for our meeting tomorrow.