HAPPY CHRISTMAS

This is my last post before Christmas. Getting everything ready for a trip down south first thing Christmas morning and an anxious eye on the weather to see if it'll be safe to go. There were snow showers last night and this morning, but the weather is gradually warming and is thawing slightly, so we'll wait and see.

Here are some photos of Christmas trees. Shopping trips recently to Wakefield after work and Leeds just this last Saturday and there are some lovely decorated trees out there.

This is the tree outside Wakefield Cathedral. It stands alongside what was the German Market. The market didn't last out until Christmas as it was closed down.
And this is the one in City Square, just opposite the railway station. In the background is the Old Post Office, which now houses restaurants and bars.


And here is our own Christmas tree. Had to buy a new one this year (we only have artificial trees, never real) and this one is said to fool Father Christmas that it's a real one. I say that after several sherries and mince pies he won't notice the difference!!

Last year I bought a snowmen decoration which has multicolour lights and has a lovely glow from our bay window and they are really cute. Here they are again.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE
HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME

Christmas Makes and Surprises

I saw this on another blog and I thought, why not, lets be part of a Show n Tell and so I'll share what I've made this month...
The December BQL Challenge quilt and above is the front, below is the back. I blogged this a short while ago but I never showed the back of this little quilt (it's only 12" square).
Those snowmen look rather jolly, don't they. This is the last BQL challenge and will miss what will come in the next month. I'm sure there are more things out there to challenge me.

Another item that I've made has been a Christmas card with my needlefelting machine and stitched onto card. This was for the Embellisher Group and was sent to Pam in Port Talbot. I hope that she likes this. The background is made from white velvet with cream scrim and some Angelina fibre trapped between the layers. The Christmas tree is green wool roving with Angelina fibre and green organza. Then the tree was punched onto the background fabric. I zigzagged around the edge with a glittery thread before sewing onto the card.

Now the surprises

As for the surprises, as part of the same swap I received this card from Janet. A lovely rich looking figgy pudding, with some flames on the top. It really looks lovely.
Another surprise was this wonderful little stocking with this gorgeous little deer button on the top from my friend Chris. In the stocking was a tea bag with a little verse to remember her on Christmas Day when I have the tea. Lovely!

Here's Freddie

After a quick dash down south as mentioned in my last post and lovely to have time to see my son Jamie and his family and have a cuddle of the new baby.


So here he is, Freddie. When we visted Carly and Freddie were still in hospital he could have had an infection so has been on antibiotics to be on the safe side, but they should be out of hospital soon, if not out already, by this time.

Somethings happened now

Today we've had big news - daughter-in-law Carly had her baby - a week late. He is quite a size, weighing in at 10lbs 4oz and his name is Freddie. No pics to show as yet, I think Jamie is too tired but he'll e-mail some tomorrow, so I hope to share then. Hopefully we'll have a quick dash down south to see the new arrival (and his family of course).

Meanwhile I have also managed to finish the last of the challenge quilts and this one below is my December one.


This is a quick mosaic with raw edged pieces of fabric (my choice was Christmas fabrics throughout, pinned and stitched on. For the edging I have some ricrac with gold metallic thread through it. I didn't have enough of either the red or the green to go all around so opted for 2 opposite sides in red and the others in green. I shouldn't have used a green fabric background to place this on as the ricrac edging doesn't show up to well. But I am pleased with my effort and it was very quick to do.

Not much happening...

I hoped to say that I've done sewing and I am in the process of doing the December Challenge quilt, but not finished, nothing to show yet. More importantly I was hoping to say that I have a new grandchild, due 1 December, but nothing yet, my poor daughter-in-law is still waiting.

I did say in my last post that I had photos from our visit to Manchester so here goes. 3 weeks ago we went to The Lowry which is an arts complex with theatre and galleries then over the bridge on the Manchester Ship Canal to the Imperial War Museum north. It was a wet day again - the last few weekends have been like that- but at least most of what we went to see was indoors and it was an enjoyable day out.
And here's another view of The Lowry..

This is the outside of The Lowry, the entrance has this peculiar shovel thing above it.

Going over the canal via a swing bridge across to the Imperial War Museum North. There is a connecting pathway with occasional mosaic pictures in it.
This is the outside of the Museum, looks very grey and gloomy, just like the weather. There is an observation platform the top of the tower.

I hope next time I have some news.