All wrapped up

I started wrapping presents today. Most of my Christmas wrapping paper has been used and I've not bought any more as I use material bags to 'wrap' the family presents. This bag was made from an old shiny gold top. All I did was sew the bottom up.

Fill with presents then just tie the shoulder straps together. Other bags have been made from clothing or material in shiny, Christmassy colours.

This year I tried something different and wrapped some presents up in a scarf - shiny and Christmassy of course. The recipient has a present on the outside as well as the inside. The scarves are bought very cheaply from the CS.

This scarf wrapped present is adorned with festive tassels and decorations.

Only a few more presents to wrap now and another task is ticked off the list.

xx

Cheers!

Grr! I'm having trouble with the new Blogger. I only had a blank screen when I opened a new post so I tried a different browser. Now I can get to start a post but I can't put the cursor above my first picture. I've had to cut and paste to get it down below. Grr! Anyone else having problems? Rant over now back to the post.

My present to DD's partner is a Beer Advent calendar. I've purchased 24 bottles and I've just finished the numbered hats to top them with. The hats are made out of those Christmas cards that hang around for years and years in the Christmas card box. I'm sure you know the ones I mean.

I've put them to good use now. Just half or nearly half a circle bent round to form a cone and a natty little decoration on the top. This next one is a portrait size card fringed at the top and selotaped to make a tube.

 

 

 Grr! I still can't move the cursor down by the pictures.

Here's one that looks like a crown. The bottom is decorated with some stick on santas.

 On this one I cut round the picture to make the top.

 

I did 4 of each design.

 

Tops all done now, beer bought - just a crate to find before the 1st.

 

xx

Grr!

Cheers!

Questions

1. What was the 'best bit' of yesterday?

2. What was the most exciting thing you did?

3. What was the most boring thing you did?

4. What was your 'good deed' for the day?

5. Did you achieve what you set out to achieve?

Aren't I being nosey! One day tends to blur into another sometimes and the days and weeks rush by. Nothing seems to stand out much and life can be pretty hum drum at times. But is it? Some activities must stand out above others. Here are my answers to the above. They aren't sensational as life isn't most of the time.

1. I had candles lit around the bath. O.K. so they were the battery lights as we don't use real candles but the lights were low and the candles flickered - very relaxing.

2. Ah, exciting. Well exciting for me. I tried out a new chicken casserole recipe that popped up on Facebook last week. It was good but very same-ish so I will add my own embellishments to make it more interesting next time.

3. I brush the kitchen floor every day but it takes me a while to dustpan the crumbs up at the end of sweeping. I will avoid it because it's so boring. It gets done eventually.

4. Always do at least one good deed a day - good girl guide style. I called in at the CS and gave them a bit of help for about half an hour. No trouble as I was passing. (Plus I had a nosey round the shop for any bargains.)

5. Yes, I did - all my list was crossed off, not that it was very long in the first place. Saturdays are put things away days so all that was done and hobbies pursued.

xx

Open when ...

One of my presents I've made this Christmas are some 'Open when …' letters for one of the family. They've taken quite a long time to put together as I had to write 18 different letters which corresponded to 18 different items. The items are trivial but mean quite a lot. Each letter and item are put into an envelope to be opened at certain times during the year.

For instance -

Open when …

you are missing me.

Open when …

you need peace.

Open when …

you're happy.

Open when …

you're down.

The recipient lives quite far away so I've included - 

Open when …

it's your birthday.

Open when …

it's your Anniversary.

The first card to be opened is the Open Now envelope which explains the whole process and lists all the sentences on the envelopes. Here's part of my letter.

"Dear ……, Your present this year is a box of letters. What? Why write letters when we can Face Time or send each other messages and texts? There's even a telephone we can use. Well these letters are for certain times in your life to help, guide or encourage you. If you read the envelopes you will be able to see those times…….."

Only the Open Now and the Open when … it's Christmas envelopes are to be opened on Christmas Day.

I've enjoyed putting these small notes together and decorating all the envelopes. I do hope the person who receives these will enjoy reading them.

xx

Solving problems

I like brown and he likes white.

Who's to say who's wrong or right?

Think a bit and use your loaf,

Then bake some bread that's a bit of both!

xx

One moment in time in the kitchen

The time is after breakfast, first thing this morning after a drink of lemon. The basket of given to me apples needed attending to. This year I'm tackling them a few at a time so ...

10 were peeled ready to stew.

While this was going on I had started the bread making and was making up 2 lots of 2 loaves. The first lot was wholemeal.

Another cuppa was ready to be made.

The floor was swept but the bits not picked up because ...

my second batch was being made - white this time.

While I was at it I decided that the Christmas cake needed its first feed. There's whiskey and cognac further along the counter.

My burnt on casserole deposits from yesterday were being given a seeing to with bicarb and a damp cloth. I'm leaving it to soak in before I wipe them off. I'd done 'pulled pork' slow cooked pork on a bed of garlic, onions and carrots with a little stock to keep it moist. Left in for 5 hours it came out really well and is enough for a few meals.

2nd batch made and final floury bits wiped up.

Must stimulate the brain while doing all this practical work so while I was buzzing around I noted down a few other things for the shopping list this week. I always go with a list so I know exactly what's in my cupboards. The other writing on the paper must be some measurements for the greenhouse. I tend to re-use any scrap paper. It's surprising how much accumulates.

Apples nearly ready - have to be quick otherwise they go brown and I'm not giving them my lemon for my drink.

It's 10 o' clock now and at this particular moment I'm typing this post and drinking my lemon. Now for my next task on the list.

xx

I'm channelling

xx