Christmas

We spent Christmas in Billingham with Libby and Steve. It did not take Tia long to make herself at home.

She is used to going there every year for her annual holiday.
On Christmas morning after breakfast we went for a walk along the beach at Seaton Carew.

 Jaco likes digging in the sand

 and playing with pebbles. Just like Freya over at Catflap Cavalier

But very old cats like Oswin prefer to snooze on the sofa.

And even

busy pups enjoy the odd cuddle

makings

 Last Monday I had a message from Terri to say that she had posted my swap ornament. So I thought that if the post was very kind and efficient it might make it here by Christmas Eve. Imagine my surprise on Friday when there on the mat was a jiffy bag from USA and inside this lovely ornament.

It is beautiful, stitched over one thread and patterned on both sides. Thank you Terri so much.

I have finally finished Mr Snowman

He is adapted from a pattern in a book by Debbie Mumm that has sat on my shelf for years. I am more than pleased with how he has turned.

These little chaps I designed my self having seen a string on paper ones in our local Waterstones cafe.

I had to make the scarf in two pieces and so if I make another set with make and adjustment on the pattern.

These stars are made from two layers of felt covered in some rather nice organza type reindeer fabric.  I cut the out with pinking sheers and stuff them with polyester stuffing and a few cloves. Two I have strung with red thread for my daughter and the other 3 will become some kind of dangle for my house.

The sewing machine is now packed away for a small break. I expect I shall be knitting over the holiday.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Blackbirds and a magpie

Every Autumn I wait for the blackbirds to reappear. They stop singing in August and then disappear for a few months. Last year it was quite late on in December before they returned but this year they were a bit earlier.

Mr Blackbird is very fond of mealworms. He does not seem to mind the dried variety.

But Mrs Blackbird found these red berries and had a great feast. The only reason there are some left is because she was too heavy for the smaller branches. I was so pleased to see her eating because I had planted berry bearing plants especially for the birds.

Mr Magpie  is not too fussed what he eats.

Mr B is also partial to some suet pellets. We have also been visited by a robin, greedy starlings, blue tits and some goldfinches. No sign of the wren so far this year.

Decorations

We have a new tree this year. It was an impulse by back in October when we went to buy paint at B&Q! The previous tree had served us well since Christmas 1997 and over the years it had been easy to decorate because although it never looked exactly the same I knew  how it should look. This one is taller and slimmer and so it has taken me a while to put it together.

I am pleased with it even though it has no star at the top yet.

Mother Nature Winter is in her corner

and the snowmen are watching from across the room.

I made these hearts last year

and the stars are new. We still have to put the big X stitch picture above the fire place and hang the dangles. But we are nearly ready for santa. There was even a few flakes of snow today. Tia of course is not happy because she has been banned from the front room unless under supervision.

Swap

For the last couple of years Terri and I have done a Christmas Ornament swap. This year I was extremely organised and sorted it all out very early and posted it off.  It arrived at  the end of November and here it is.

I was pleased with the result. I don't do very much x stitch now a days.