In the bleak midwinter ....

you need warming up from the inside out ... Day 14's gift (opening Day 15 due to yesterdays little mishap!) from Jorja is Mary Englebreit's 'Starry Night Wassail' ~ apple cider spice to add to warmed apple juice or apple cider (like the UK mulled wine). Kathy sent me a double ended highlighter and some pink post-its, a perfect gift as i put these into my stitching mags to mark a page and i can add notes/ideas for future reference just in case i forget an idea LOL

O come all ye faithful ....

readers of my blog, i have a big confession to make .... my brain must be getting all frazzled with all the Christmas preparations and exciting gifts i'm getting as i actually opened Day 15 today instead of Day 14

I could have rewrapped them and opened the proper day but as i am an honest person i decided to come clean, i do hope Kathy and Jorja don't mind. Jorja has made me 2 padded coasters filled with winter spice scent and Kathy sent a rose scented candle, they both smell wonderful. I have given myself a slap on the wrist for the mistake and will take much more care in future LOL

I can only plead insanity due to excitment as it happened after the postie arrived with an armful of goodies as well - a gift from Sally (sent to santa) thank you Sally. The stitched gift arrived from the US for the secret exchange at JA - put away till 25th. From Lynne (cocokat) i received the most wonderful stitched ornie and 'special friend' kitty for my tree, she also enclosed a little tea bag with instructions (you can read that on the pic if you enlarge it) thank you Lynne, i will treasure these gifts and i love the Snoopy card, Another envelope had the Loopylou chart 'Christmas Wishes' that i won from Jacqui in a contest at TS

Hope you all have a great weekend even though they are predicting very cold weather in the UK. I'll be leaving the shoppers to their panic as i have now finished all the pressie shopping, they are all wrapped and ready for despatch and cards are all sent too. I just need to make a list of the final foodstuffs i need to get .... why am i so organised .... i'm bound to have forgotten something !!!

Oh the weather outside is frightful ...

and i need to keep warm and cosy inside, so my advent gift from Jorja today was very welcome, she sent me a lovely Christmas Santa mug, its really big and will hold lots of tea/coffee/hot chocolate LOL. Kathy sent me some cotton wool pads but i think i'm going to loose these to DD as she's always running out of them


I've finished another stitched gift but can't show you it as the lady reads my blog, so much for this blog being about my stitching and sharing it with you all ..... it's the time of the year and i'll endeavour to put up pics after Santas been

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells ...

announcing that it's Sally's birthday today
'HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU SALLY' as i know she's received the gift i stitched for her i can reveal my stitched tin. I'm sure there will be better picks on her blog after the day when she reveals all the lovely gifts she received, she's such a friendly lady, i'm sure she'll have plenty of fan mail LOL


Advent Exch Day 12 brought me 2 more wonderful gifts. From Kathy i had 2 baskets and i know exactly what i'm going to put into these. Jorja's clue today was 'It's a girl thing .. we can't help but sniff them' it was a mango/mandarin scented candle - hands off Karen - you can't have it - i know you are the candle sniffing Queen LOL

Deck the Halls with boughs of holly ....

but not with Midge who has decided that now it's gone a bit colder he'll take up residence on the chair in the hallway next to the radiator. I wish i could curl up and sleep in the daytime like he does and that he would do all the things i have to do.

I'm trying to make the heading of each post a Christmas Carol - did you guess that LOL

Day 11 is here and Jorjas clue today really baffled us 'I know you've been good, but just in case' .... i opened this cute snowman box and inside was a poem and a lump of real coal, what a super gift. Kathy also sent me a great gift, some travel wipes, you must be psychic Kathy as i threw away an empty packet out of the car when it was cleaned out last time.