Smiling

Here are two things which have really made me smile this week, despite a number of things which have made me very sad …

L bought me a dozen red roses for our anniversary – not just any red roses, but my very favourite shade of red and my favourite kind of roses!

How can I not smile?!

I made my hubby a Cherry Pie!

I’ve cooked and baked many things for L, before and during our marriage, and one of the sung favourites has been a Cherry Pie! What’s not to love?!

I am told I inherited my Grandmother’s skill for pastry, so let’s bake!! 😀

What has made you smile this week?! 🙂

12 Pictures of My Christmas

A month or so ago I mixed up a Christmas cake for my Grandparents – Apricot and Brandy, from a brilliant recipe that let’s you choose your own combination but still comes out wonderfully moist!

I wrapped the cake and fed it twice with brandy, keeping it the dark bottom of my wardrobe …

… and tonight, after a minor-ish slip-up :P, I covered and decorated the cake ready for delivery tomorrow!

On the 9th of December we had friends round for Mulled Wine and Mince Pies …

… and to help us put up and decorate our Christmas tree – a tradition we love repeating every year, so much fun!!

We had a Lady of Light!

I grew a tinsel beard … as you do! 😉

Our tree-builders relaxed with a glass of L and I’s special home-brew Mulled Wine – a little more potent than the ready-bottles but oh-so-yummy! 😛

Our lovely Lady of Light made us gingerbread cookie decorations to hang on our tree – a really sweet and thoughtful Christmas gift!! Maybe I’ll just go and have a little nibble … 😉

S took a Christmas photo of my hubby and I for us! 🙂

Some close friends of ours are getting to adopt kids next year, so for D’s birthday party (which being on the 22nd December always feels like the start of Christmas to me!), they asked us each to bring an ornament to put on their tree, which they can tell their kids came from their friends – what an awesome idea is that?! I am so excited that they are soon to become parents and loved making a tree decoration for them!

A few nights ago I settled into a three-hour plus marathon of present wrapping! I genuinely enjoy wrapping presents, but when it comes to Christmas, even I need to do the wrapping with the company of a film! 😉 I chose Magnolia – if you haven’t watched it: do!!

For my last photo, because I’m a die-hard believer in a Baker’s Dozen (notice the mention L?!) … by tomorrow evening this little pile of presents will be sitting underneath my lovely in-law’s Christmas tree, waiting for the morning …

Have a very Happy Christmas and a most Blessed New Year!!!

Christmas Stitching

This year I am trying to make as many Christmas presents as I possibly can by hand … preferably from inexpensive materials 😉

This, of course, takes time, so my Christmas present planning started over two months ago …

Here is my latest project:

An Owl Christmas Tree Decoration

My Grandma loves owls. She has always had a thing about owls, as long as I can remember. Kind of like me and dots I guess. Grandma has paintings of owls, aprons with owls on, cross-stiches of owls, ornaments of owls, sweaters with owls on the front, mugs with owls on … you get the picture! My Grandma also likes handmade, crafty types things.

So I made this especially for my Grandma, although I might not last out until Christmas … her birthday is on the 10th December, so I might give into temptation … 😛

I am going to make myself an identical owl to go on L and I’s Christmas tree. It is our 3rd Christmas being married and I’m making a new Christmas tree ornament every year!