A List of Nice Things

I have a note on my phone titled ‘Nice Things for Me to Do’.  About 18 months ago I decided to try and do something nice, just for me, each month.  They didn’t need to be big things, just nice things that weren’t work or business related (all work and no play etc etc). 
Looking back at the list I can see that I managed to do something most months; some were planned in advance and some just happened, some were with friends and some were by myself. 

They included 3 theatre visits (I also saw Billy Elliot but didn't have a photo), 2 exhibitions, finding a dragon, the Sudbury Light Night, walking in a blue bell wood, discovering a lovely new garden, trips to Snape and the seaside, our annual trip to the Knitting & Stitching Show and a lovely evening in London meeting up with my cousin and his family over from America who I hadn't seen for 10 years. (I also did a wonderful 'bat walk' one evening with a friend but didn't take any pictures!)

I already have some things planned for 2014, including 2 trips to the theatre in London (going last year reminded me how much I love this), going to the Textile in Focus exhibition in Cottenham (I couldn’t go last year as it was during a work week) and a possible visit to the fashion museum. I also know that we’ll go to K and S again and that many other things will just happen spontaneously throughout the year.

Writing them down has made me realise what a lovely year I’ve had - here’s to another lovely one next year, for all of you as well as me.

What No Christmas tree?

Shock, horror - no christmas tree?  "But you must have a tree!" said many of my work colleagues when I said I was planning on doing things differently this year.  I'm not a huge fan of Christmas decorations but I did want something, so I decided to keep things much simpler this year and this is what I've done.

I picked the red stems of cornus elegantisma from the garden, wrapped some lights around them and hung a few small gold or wooden decorations from them, including some gold skeleton leaves.

The table candles have been given a wrap of ivy (my garden has loads!),

and the stairs have their usual garland.

I sprayed some agapanthus seed heads (again from the garden) and put them in a vase with lights and gold chains (next to Mrs Bovver Boots Angel),

added some more ivy above some pictures and mirrors and put some of the unused baubles onto a platter.

It's simpler, it's more me, and I'm happy!  Now I still need to tackle wrapping presents and doing some cooking, oh and watch the Strictly final too :-)

Happy Christmas everyone - have a wonderful time whatever you're doing.

Wrap Me Up!

Hello, it's me, I'm still here! I'd like to tell you that I've been really busy making lots of wonderful Christmas presents and decorating the house beautifully - but I haven't. I've been really busy at work (with the day job) and really busy with our business, The Treasure Tree (hope to have some news about exciting new developments to share with you in the new year).

So what would any sane person, who has done very little so far for Christmas do on a free evening?  Probably not block their knitting which was what I did!

This blocking called for wires, but I don't have any proper blocking wires so I made some from this:

Garden wire!  It was a bit bendy and difficult to control but I got there in the end.  And after leaving it to block overnight this is what I've got.

Blocking it so severely has given it a lovely drape and it's going to be just the thing to wrap up in during the cold weather.  The pattern is Guernsey Wrap by Brooklyn Tweed, and I treated myself and used their yarn which I bought from Loop.  I've never been to the Loop shop, but intend to change that during 2014!

Now I really must go and do some Christmas bits - there's still loads of time isn't there?!