"Waves" shawl

Eye infection spread to whole side of my face so a trip to the Hospital doctor for antibiotics yesterday! They seem to be working and my sight and temperature are returning thank goodness.

Another finished item, this time a shawl by Justyna Lorkowska called Close to You. The pattern is available free on Ravelry.com
I used a size 4mm circular needle and ball of King Cole Zig Zag  75% Superwash wool and 25% Nylon colour 1251 Waves,

I think I am becoming addicted to knitting these shawls and have now started another in a plain colour. Getting a start on 2018 birthday and Christmas presents!

Pinned to foam boards for blocking

Close up of the pattern

Christmas in Scotland

This will be a short blog entry as I have an eye infection and writing is difficult.
We had a wonderful week in Scotland with the family.

The lounge

Our bedroom

Busy in the kitchen

Collecting click and collect groceries from a van in a car park!

Mince pies with cream

View of the sea from the window

Richard in charge of breakfast, I did evening meal duty

A visit to a Christmas Tree exhibition at Newton Stewart

Loved this "tree" make form lists of Bible scriptures

A "book" tree

Trees of every discription

Knitted trees

Girls opening their Christmas Eve boxes

Distributing the gifts on Christmas day

Its a good job its a BIG lounge

Christmas dinner

Another view from the house on a cold and frosty morning

The lighthouse in Port Patrick

Such a pretty village

Too slippery for me to get closer

A long stone depicting the events of Scotland made in 2000

It was so interesting with all the facts.

Sadly closed for the winter, but within walking distance of  the house

GlenLuce Abbey

As near as I could get

Playing the bag game

Rummikub this end of the table, Crib the other end!
A week of non stop games.

Christmas week in Glenluce Scotland

This is our home with the family for Christmas. Called 'Up Yonder'.

Situated in the south west corner of Scotland the upstairs balcony offers distant sea views of the Machars Peninsular and the Galloway Hills.

We have all setttled in well and the house is HUGE, with every mod con.

There is so much food we need not leave here for days before needing more.

It was interesting picking up the click and collect food from Tesco! Instead of going to a normal Tesco the food was in a delivery lorry in an MOT station car park on the outskirts of Stranraer.

I hope every one has a great CHRISTmas and remembers the real meaning of CHRISTmas, CHRIST!! I know that He lives, I know that He loves us all and I know that as we remember His birth and all the events that took place in his life we can all be saved and see the true meaning of sacrifice and His love for us all! 

Hamtune Party

The traditional Hamtune Quilters Christmas Party was a great success. We were each asked to bring a small plate of food, well the plates may have been small but the table was full of delicious tempting goodies.

My plate, I just love the marshmallow snowman

After the food we played the Right/Left game with the £5 presents we were all asked to being. I 'won' a box of chocolate truffles.  Next came the raffle numbers game, where each person was given three raffle tickets and a selection of prizes were placed in the middle of the circle. As your number was called you selected a gift until they were all placed, then it was a free for all as each time your raffle ticket was called you 'stole' a gift from whoever had collected it in the first place... this continued until all the raffle tickets had been used. Funny how there are always one of two gifts that everyone wants !

Christmas pyamids

Yesterday I decided to make to a few Christmas pyramids. They are quick and such fun to make.
Ideal for hiding a small gift for the Christmas table, or to hang on the tree.

The Welsh hair cut

While in Wales I decided to have my hair cut.
I have been thinking of having it cut for some time so googled the nearest hairdresser to the Hotel we were staying in and booked an appointment.
The ladies in the Enigma Salon were really nice and I love my new look.
In fact walking back to the Hotel I caught sight of myself in a shop window and almost had to take a second look!

Went in like this

Came out like this

Llandudno Wales we made it!

Decided to leave home in the Land Rover and face the snow and bad weather. It was a bit hairy until we reached the motorways and then we had no trouble driving the 185 miles to Llandudno.
The Somerset Hotel was warm and welcoming and I had asked, and were given,  the room we like, mostly because we can get WiFi in the room and not have to go down to the lobby to pick up emails etc.

Plenty of parking right outside the hotel.

The idea of the five day break was just to "do nothing" and other than a few trips out and a lot of walks that is exactly what we did.

Snow in the distance, viewed from the top of the Orme

Love these stone walls at the top of the Orme

Narrow one way road around the Orme into Conway

Conway Castle

Will we fit ?

A very rare sight, a manned railway crossing, hope its a steam train

No! just a small Arriva train

Railway man had to come and open the gates for us.

The food was good [full English breakfast and evening meal] in the hotel and we were seated with a couple of ladies from the Midlands who were great company. All in all a great break away and only cost £59 each as it was a last minute deal.  Plus a bonus the snow has gone from home.

Let it snow

Yesterday started with a bitterly cold weather forecast as I set off for the Christmas Fair, at The Castle Wellingborough, unloaded the car and set up the stall, everyone setting up was nice and friendly looking forward to a good day. Ten o,clock arrived and one person walked in, not a good sign!
Sadly it was a complete failure for everyone, and at least five of the stalls didn't take a penny. I only took £10 so 5 hours later returned home saying "never again!"

Setting up for the fair

Awoke this morning to a heavy snow storm, the first of this winter. I had planned to go to church and then we were off to North Wales for five days holiday. An early phone call said church was cancelled. The roads outside our home are causing cars to slip and slide all over the place even though we are on a bus route and it is usually gritted. I have not seen a gritter and it is getting worse. Wales is on hold for the moment!

The garden

Happy Room IAM Christmas Party

Lots of preparation went into our annual Christmas Party, the only time all nine of us get together. Pauline usually only comes when someone is missing, as the tables are really ideal for eight.

Tables covered and the Christmas Banner up.

Santa sitting guard over the £5 game prizes

The morning started with happy chatter and a little sewing and knitting. Presents and prizes were loaded onto the cleared worktops. Each member brings eight £2 gifts, a FQ [fat quarter of fabric] and a £5 gift.

Pack up lunches  and the desserts brought by Shirley were eaten, and very yummy they were too!

Show Time was as always popular, with everything from crochet blankets, bags etc. to photos of items already packed and sent off to Santa.

Penny showing her bag made on Stuart Hillard's workshop
Notice the piles of gifts behind her!

Angels made by Penny

Crochet baby blanket made by Shirley

We all fell in love with this stool and its crochet top and "feet"
Shirley bought it as a kit, designed by Dedri Uys

A little bird brought in my Ann

Jenny's three Santa's looking very smart

Dorn's Christmas card made with the finger prints
of her granddaughter and children

Two of my embroidery machine stockings

Bib from a set made by Pauline

Quilt to go with the bib and two bags [opps no photo] made by Pauline

Tree ornament by Pauline

Time for gift sharing, lots of oohs and aahs, this is the 17th year of the IAM group meeting and I cannot think of a single thing that has appeared twice. Searching for eight £2 gifts seems to be high on everyones list throughout the year.

The eight gifts I received were
Back scratcher, toast tongs, candles, dish and knitted bell,
picture frame set, scarf, scented sachet, finger puppet
The candle was won playing the bag and swap games.

We spent the afternoon playing games I had organised, find the item in the bag, Swap your prize every time the dice has a cross and Snowman beetle drive. Too much fun and laughter going on for me to remember to take photos.

I'd like to wish all my crafting friends 

a very Happy Christmas and Healthy New Year.