Getting ready....

...for Christmas?

Some new items ready for sale...

Can it...

...make up its mind today.  From brilliant sunshine to heavy hail showers...with rain and wind in the mix.

Just when you need a dry, bright day the weather breaks and the photo session has to be done indoors against a window to gain as much daylight as possible, but we coped...

Red wool Harris Tweed cushion with a red and white gingham one leaning against it, warm bright tones on this dull day.  Lime tote bag with a covered diary and card wallet.  A needlecord handbag and Elle J Wilson print, this time a cat...

Interested?  Just contact me and I can help...I make most of the items I sell.

Oh, and don't you love the tax office.  A letter received this morning asked if I could send my P60 from my employer UDC for the year 2010/2011.  I haven't worked for them since 2008...in fact haven't been employed since then, and am now self-employed.  They were sent all the relevent paperwork at the time!  Oops!!

Time...

...flies when you're enjoying yourself!!  Well when you're busy it does!

Lots of markets and fairs have passed since my last post.  We had great fun at the Hare Fair in Docking at the end of September.  It was in the church and Nicola Hart had worked hard in making all the stalls so pretty.  Others have not been so good, and my regular days at Docking and Swaffham have been good to slow, but I think everyone is checking their pockets these days, so I'm not surprised.

Back to the Hare Fair...hare bags, cushions and prints were favourites and I came away with all the hare cushions and bags having been sold.  I do have a couple of hare prints still, along with a variety of hound prints.

But I've been busy with orders, like the Mum and daughter set below.  Made from Annabel Grey's beautiful fabric, a little bag with purse to match mum's.  A cushion is now available...  Various colours of a my hand--knitted scarves, either frilled or fringed....more fringed on the way.

Christmas is beginning to loom on the horizon with shops having cards and decorations on sale.  Hand made bunting on sale and to order, along with decorations and gifts...

I'm at Docking Market on Wednesday...but there is no market on Friday at Swaffham, we have to give way to the Art Show, but all back to normal next week.

At last...

...I've met another neighbour. The couple who live on the corner, which is next door. They have the post box outside, and when I had cards to post and saw the lady of the house hanging her washing...I had to say hi.

They were very nice...we had a chat about this and that in the village, which houses are holiday homes (which seems the majority are). I'll be interested to see who comes for Christmas...and about the Carol Service on Christmas Eve and all back to the manor house for nibbles after. One thing she did hint at though, our lady of Norfolk has put her house on the market! And yes, sure enough it is.

My home is beginning to sparkle. I've got my tree all decorated and lit, and anyone who knows me will tell you, this is early for me...and the logs were delivered earlier this week, and now I have fires in the evening, keeping us all snug...

How happy and contented life is, when you know you've done the right thing...

Okay...

....I've got to start with the love of my life...my football team! ;)

We were being televised last night (I was there live), and we drew...okay...we drew, but in such a way...the referee found four additional minutes, and Derby scored four minutes and five seconds into that, but we played like a new team, not the best team in the league, but vastly putting our previous performances to shame...and if we continue that way, we'll get ourselves out of the trouble we put ourselves in. We've extended Martyn Waghorn's loan period by a month, he's on emergency loan at present, and Sunderland can call him back with immediate effect, but hopefully we can sign him to a normal loan in January, then we can keep him until the end of the season....he's a very talented eighteen year old, with a huge potential.

I get very disappointed reading some of those who would think they have more knowledge than me...blimey, are they depressing! I want to bang my head against a wall with some of their comments. Some are brilliant though...

Christmas has finally come to our house...one chimney was swept today, and a ton of birds nest was removed...we still have one blocked by Jackdaws nesting, but we've got to remove a stove before we can have that swept. After that, and clearing the dust...the trees were finished...just one more to go, and other little bits are beginning to make the festive feel.

Okay Christmas...now you can arrive...I'm prepared!! ;)

It's cold...

...it's wet and it's 4am. Woken by my shoulder pain, the clock said 2:59am, so I came downstairs, found the painkillers and am typing with my right hand.

I've read my football teams website, and our interim manager is staying through the "Festive Season". I'm not sure he feels very festive, if he knows that'll be it! But, it gives him some time to try to raise the team by the boot-straps....for they certainly need something inspirational. Maybe a few supporters in the dressing room would help....and I've just realised the cricket has started again...(please wait whilst I tune in!) There...cricket peace has come to the world.

I read through some of the blogs I follow, and some I dip into...it's always fun and interesting to read what others are up to, where crafters are showing, and how this world of artisans knows no borders. I'd love to get to a fair in Brooklyn tomorrow, and find a flea market in Los Angeles...view a painting exhibition at a car show room in the Netherlands. I might get to that craft sale I spoke about a couple of weeks ago. It's the last weekend of the craft, though the Christmas shop is open for the rest of the period.

We brought home our tree yesterday. We always have a real one, and now it's waiting to be decorated in the sitting room, and as I can't touch it, it'll have to wait until tomorrow...unless my husband's home early today. I also want to take down a unit in there, move the sofa over, and a cabinet my paternal grandfather made. I'm not sure if it's because things have been "on hold", while we were trying to sell, but I've become restless about homemaking, and now it's been decided life must go on...so the furniture moves, at least! And when the rain stops, and the sweep has been (we've had a rook family living in one chimney), I'll collect some ivy and holly from the garden, and make my other decorations...I use it to decorate the stairs, tables and front door.

And now I need a cuppa...

Sitting looking...

...out my window, at a thick frost spreading out across the fields and hedgerows (I was going to insert a photo here, but my camera has just run out of power), listening to the cricket from India. It's a beautiful morning.

Yesterday I went to my youngest grandson's Christmas play; he was a reindeer. It was about the Faerie Clock Mother helping Mum get ready for Christmas, and they were brilliant. The children are five, six, with a few sevens...infant school age. Those that had narrative, remembered every word, all the dancers knew their steps, and everyone had fun. I miss getting involved with the school things, being a class room assistant, and my sons school librarian, it was always busy.

Today our eldest grandson is off to see Peter Pan in Milton Keynes and the youngest goes Monday. Oh, to have that magic of Christmas again...the innocence of the time. I can remember when I was about five or six, hearing jingled bells outside our window, and my parents convinced me that was Father Christmas' sleigh, and running upstairs to find my pillow full of presents. It was my uncle who lived next door really...but, at that age...it was definitely the sleigh bells. I do love my Christmasses, but they're different now.

Back to my team. It is reported the interim manager has been told he won't get the job permanently, not after the performances of the team, especially the last one on Tuesday, so now all fans are waiting to see who will...and the chatter, rumours and wants go on. It's also reported that one of our ex-managers has told his last club he wants £3m as a pay off. Nice credit crunch if you can get it!

Another beautiful....

...day. The rain is sweeping down across the fields, but at least I haven't got to go out...well, not until later.

I didn't say, but we had more viewers on Sunday. A couple moving out from the East End, wanting to bring their daughters up in the fresh air, and who can blame them. So again, waiting to see...somehow I don't think this couple will be thinking of faerie dust though, it'll be a yes or no....straight answers.

I also got to the Newmarket bead fair Sunday morning. Got the beads I needed and spent far too much on some natural "fingers" of kyanite, crystals and keishi pearls. I did see some old acquaintances...four of them have got together to sell at fairs. I wish them the best...it's hard work, enjoyable, but hard.

One thing I've never tried is beadwork. There was a lady selling Toho kits, and they seemed the easiest way to try it. I'm all for trying something, and then I can say from experience whether it's for me or not. I bought a bracelet and a necklace kit. I'm part way through the bracelet, and the directions are as easy as she said to follow, but, don't go by their timelines, not unless you've done this before...the nylon has a mind of its own, even if steamed, and so thin it's difficult to see, let alone use, but the article is pretty...and a useful project. I have so much admiration for those who design and make the intricate beadwork items...I take my hat off to you!

All my orders passed muster. Always good to hear. Now all I've got to do from that order are the ear-rings to match a necklace already bought, and the reason I had to go to Newmarket. I've got the closest to the Christensen canes I can see, if they're not the same...and will be in the post this afternoon, for inspection.

Oh! and the puds passed the smell test too...I think I'm getting the hang of this being at home lark, bread was made yesterday (the old-fashioned way)!

My call...

...came on Monday. It seems my viewer decided they liked our house, couldn't say anything against it, location, house was all okay, but they'd decided it didn't have "faerie dust".

So what do you do? Do you do as is supposedly right, and take some of the personal accoutrements out, so they can "see" the house, or leave those touches in? Of course, I'm making the leap that's what they meant, that for them it didn't have that little extra...but, they're buying a house...not my faerie dust, they need to discover their own, their magic...their touch of genius, that makes a house their home. I hope somewhere they find their dust for their daughters...

Tuesday, my car had to go to the garage for an "adjustment", something minor could fail and could I bring it in. Duly it was delivered and I took the time to walk into the nearest town, Bishop's Stortford, something I don't do, as it's ten miles from my home. I looked at all the Christmas decorations filling shelves of the beautiful home shops the town has, and imagined where they'd go, but at present I feel as though I'm in limbo, not quite here or there...oh, I know I'll be here for Christmas now, but I want to be making another house my home...Don't get me wrong, I do love my present home...but, it's run its course, and having decided to move, I've been letting go emotionally to it, and am now set ready to go. When I left work, they made me a gift of some book tokens, and on visiting the local chain store, I found a beautifully illustrated and written childrens book, but I'd forgotten my tokens...I'll have to go back...I'd also forgotten to put my little notebook in my bag, so now I have no idea who the books author and illustrator is...but, I know exactly where on the shelf the copies were... And I really must walk around my village more...I used to...but, it's changed.

Wednesday...yesterday, it was Mum's birthday, and I went to visit. She lives on the edge of London, and Kent. A borough which is neither one thing or the other, and during the summer I'd told her of a Lavender Farm, and their open day, which my sister took her too, as I was in Northumberland. As I'd never been, we decided to go...I was a little disappointed, but did buy some Lavender shortbread...my, but they're strong! We found a local hostelry for lunch...and if you're ever in Ightham, then I can recommend the food and service in the George and Dragon. Both are excellent. While out, I had a call from our agents, they'd got someone who'd been let down with their purchase at the last moment, and were exchanging on their sale next week. They were moving from Sussex, to be closer to their daughter who had moved into town...Saffron Walden. They had seen our details and wanted very much to view...was I home that afternoon or Thursday morning. Being seventy odd miles from home, I said this morning would be best. Ten minutes later I had another call...the prospective viewer had looked on a map and we're not in the right place, being eight miles from "town". Now please work that out before I get all excited....my emotions can't take this up and down... I keep telling myself it's only a house move, and not a death or worse...but, as I've said...it's limbo... Oh! And I've picked the paint out to renew the kitchen...you do have to keep living.

Today...this morning...I'm mixing the Christmas puds...best go!!

Enjoy your days...