Friday 31 December 2010

Christmas!

We have had a wonderful Christmas!  Lots of family gatherings, entertaining, too much food and drink, and lots of lovely presents!

I finally got round to uploading some pics yesterday!

 

Mum stayed over Christmas eve and was with us for the present opening!  It was lovely.

 

Here’s Nicholas waiting patiently…

December daily 374

 

And then getting stuck in….  this was a sci-fi magazine

December daily 378

 

Lucy’s presents waiting to be opened.  She needed a new litter bin for her bedroom, so I filled it with little presents…

December daily 375

 

Here she is modelling her new sundress and sunglasses – for her holiday to Bali in a couple of weeks.

December daily 388

Mum opening a present…. that big black blob is Merlin trying to help!

December daily 380

And here’s DH, dressed in new clothes!

December daily 383

Merlin had the time of his life amongst the wrapping paper!  His best present was a cuddly toy – a pheasant that makes a duck noise!  He loves it!!!

 

December daily 384

My friend attached this gorgeous little bird to my present.  I didn’t want to unwrap it!  (It was 2 Cath Kidston mugs)

December daily 393

 

After a dog walk, we took Mum to my brothers for her to spend the rest of the day with them.  Here''s my niece and her fiance.

December daily 396

 

Lucy, me and Mum at my brothers.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Lucy made toasted sandwiches for lunch, then we al went to visit MIL!  We haven’t all been together for years. 

December daily 398

When we returned home I cooked the turkey and we ate Christmas dinner about 5pm.  After clearing up we watched Dr Who and Strictly Come dancing on tv, then another dog walk, more tv and bed!

 

Lucy writing her shifts down in her new diary!

 

December daily 401

Here’s a really bad picture of us all on Boxing Day.  Maurice’s brother and family came down for dinner…. roast lamb, roast potatoes, ratatoiulle, mulled wine red cabbage carrots and brcolli.  it went very well!  We finished off one of my christmas puddings and a trifle for pudding!

 

December daily 408

 

And then on Tuesday we all went to Mum’s for dinner.  it was nice because we were all there, including Nicholas and Izzy (my brothers other DD) who live away from home now.

December daily 430

Thursday 23 December 2010

Christmas Music

 

 

 

Try this version too!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/chris-evans/christmas-2010/

KT Tunstall and James Dean Bradfield sang it live on Chris Evans show this morning, so you have to find it!  Scroll along until 2.22.00

Brilliant!

The Tree

Lucy and her friend Kristina decorated our tree at the weekend.  It looks absolutely gorgeous!!!  It is probably the best real tree we’ve ever had, it’s a perfect shape and smells divine!

December daily 293 December daily 296  December daily 312 December daily 313 December daily 314  December daily 318

It’s Christmas eve eve now and I’m very well organised!  Just got a couple of last minute presents to wrap and tidy the dining room, and then I’m done.

 

Really looking forward to seeing Nicholas tomorrow- snow permitting:)

Sunday 19 December 2010

Christmas concerts

3 concerts this weekend!  Ok only 2 of them were Christmas themed.

First of all on Friday I went with my friend Angela to watch Jeff Wayne’s ‘War of the Worlds’ at the Brighton Centre.  It was fantastic!  Look at this brilliant film screen as a back drop to the musicians!

december daily 331 - Copy

Jason Donavan played the Artillary man.  He was brilliant!

 

december daily 335

 

The light show was awesome!  It looked as though the ‘machines’ were firing off the screen into the audience.

december daily 343

Saturday night we went to a local church for a concert given by the Salvation Army, Worthing Choral Society, St Botolph’s Church Choir and Rose Setten, soprano, the lovely daughter of our friends.

They always give a great show, this is the third year we’ve been!  The salvation Army band jazz it up a bit, and Rose is just divine!

 december daily 355 december daily 357

And then this afternoon, we’ve been to Brighton for the Christmas Concert at the Dome.  The Brighton Festival Chorus and Brighton Youth Choir were joined by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and Julliette Pochin, mezzo-soprano.  Awesome! 

 

december daily 359 december daily 364 december daily 366

Sunday 12 December 2010

It’s beginning to look a lot like…..

CHRISTMAS Part 2!

Here’s what Brighton looks like today:

A street sellers stall

december daily 162

Santa’s grotto in Churchill Square

december daily 164

Churchill Square looking busy!

december daily 168

My lunch in Spud-u-like!  Nice and healthy!

december daily 171

Some Christmas stalls outside Churchill Square

december daily 174

Then we wandered round the Lanes, soaking up the funky atmosphere, and taking pictures of the funky shops.

 

 

december daily 180december daily 181december daily 183december daily 184december daily 185december daily 186december daily 189december daily 193december daily 194december daily 196

Saturday 11 December 2010

It’s beginning to look a lot like……

 

CHRISTMAS!

abcdabcdabcd

Worthing town centre today:

december daily 131

december daily 134

december daily 135december daily 138december daily 142december daily 145

Friday 3 December 2010

My Quilt

I have finished my Quilt!  It has taken me 18 months!!!  (Lots of other samller projects in between though).  I have made it a priority for the last couple of months, and managed to sew the binding on yesterday.  That alone took 4 hours!  I wonder how many hours work has gone into it?  It is 90% hand sewn.  The only bits machined are the borders!

 

I made the bed this morning and had a little photo shoot!  I am really pleased with it, dead proud of my achievement!

december daily 057 december daily 058

The border is made with this gorgeous cream fabric with white printed butterflies.  I decided to make a butterfly template and use it for the quilting.

december daily 059

The points of the 2 larger stars are done with log cabin.

 december daily 060  december daily 062

 

Here’s a close up of the central star.  The gorgeous salmon flower fabric is my ‘signature’ fabric, and makes the largest star points.december daily 063

And finally, here’s my Christmas table runner and 2 of the mats.  This is my first go at machine patchwork and quilting!  Love those Basic Grey fabrics from Moda!

december daily 069