November Photo Scavenger Hunt

It's time to post my November contribution to Kathy's Photo Scavenger Hunt:-

1. A Lucky Charm

I thought that this was going to be a difficult one, but then I remembered my sixpence that I had in my shoe on my wedding day - "Something old, something new ... and a silver sixpence in her shoe." Unfortunately this one was minted in 1958 and therefore is made of cupro-nickel and not silver!

2. A Poppy

It had to be a Remembrance Day poppy.

3. A Self-portrait

I took this one with my iPhone, in July whilst we were on holiday. That's me on the right! ;)

4. Comfort Food

I'm on a diet, so all food is comfort food to me at the moment! This photo was taken during October, as of course I'm not eating any cake this month!!! :)

5. Memorial

Not a very good photo I'm afraid, as I didn't have the tripod with me, but I thought it would be a change to photograph the war memorial at night time.

6. Polka Dots

I love polka dots and so it was purely coincidence that I bought new bowls for the cats this month and that they are dotty ones.

7. Silhouette

Ella sunning her whiskers on top of the patio roof.

8. Something Purple

When it came to this photo I suddenly realised that there isn't a lot of purple in our home. Luckily I have two purple Trollbeads in my collection and I wore them on this necklace the other night, when we attended my son's GCSE Certificate Evening.

9. Something that Lights Up

It's November so that would be fireworks! :)

10. Something that You Have Made

Surprisingly this was a difficult one for me as my blog is full of items that I have made and I wanted to photograph something that hadn't been featured on my blog before. Cue this box of lace. All hand-made bobbin lace, made by me 20+ years ago. I learnt to make bobbin lace when I was 19 years old, but I haven't made much since my children were born.

11. Staircase

An excuse to show our cats sitting on the stairs.

12. Warmth

This morning I was "scratching my head" over this one until Ella started roly polying in a patch of sunlight near the patio door, before curling up to sleep in the sun's warmth.

Thank you Ella. :) One month left to do!

Outside and In

This week I finally found the time to work in my neglected back garden. As we have only had a couple of frosts so far this winter, all the nasturtiums were still in flower, but I felt it was time to have a tidy up for winter, so I pulled them up and the annuals that were past their best. I have pruned the shrubs and perennials and will sort out the lawn another day. The trees around the outside of the fence will need to be pruned as well. Somehow it seems right to see patches of bare earth once again. A lot of plants are still thriving, due to the mild weather conditions and I could even see the shoots of some bulbs beginning to poke through the soil.

Before

After

Indoors I have been knitting and hooking. I am knitting this scarf as a Christmas gift. Lattice stitch is new to me, but it was simple to learn.

These stars are now for sale in my friend's shop. I plan to make some for our Christmas tree next.

I have also started to crochet another scarf that will be a Christmas present. It is now only one month to Christmas Day. :) Last Friday I started my Christmas shopping and on Saturday I had nearly finished! :) I just have a couple of gifts to buy and I am all done. :) I have bought a few Christmassy magazines over the past month, perhaps I will now find the time to read them!

Best wishes, Pj x

Christmas Preparations

At the end of last week I finally got around to baking my Christmas cake. As usual I made Delia's Classic Christmas Cake. It has been "fed" its first lot of brandy and has been wrapped up in foil. I don't need to do much Christmas baking this year as we plan to spend time at my parents' this Christmas.

On the crafting front I have designed and painted these wooden trees. My Dad cut them out for me :) and my friend is selling them in her shop.

I've crocheted some snowflakes, as I plan to change the festive decor this year to red and white - hopefully with a Scandinavian feel. Next up will be some red stars.

Also I have completed a few shell necklaces for sale

and now I just need to do my Christmas shopping. Normally I'm finished by now, but this year I have hardly started!! So I'm off into town today to make a start.

Best wishes, Pj x

Bonfire Night ...

... aka Guy Fawkes Night, is the night when here in the UK we celebrate The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, with fireworks displays and traditionally bonfires with a Guy (an effigy of Guy Fawkes) on top, although this tradition isn't a common occurrance nowadays.

This year we missed our village display (it was a week early!), so we went to the Mayor's Firework Fiesta in town. The fireworks were wonderful, but my ears are still ringing from the loud music!

Three bright sparks!

October 2011

Monday was Halloween and I like to decorate the front porch to welcome the "Trick or Treaters".

One group was so impressed with my Jack-O'-Lanterns that they said, "Forget the sweets, can we have your pumpkins!" :)

I also like to decorate indoors

and to make something sweet to celebrate.

Time for the monthly round-up. October's mosaic had to include Halloween and of course our anniversary cards. It also includes two "cause and effect" photos - too much cake has meant I have had to go to the gym!! ;) Besides my new gym routine I have been knitting, planting up the pots for winter and I went shopping at Gunwharf Quays on Saturday with my husband and son and we stopped to admire the boats in the harbour.

In the garden the nasturtiums have taken over and there are still roses, dahlias and cosmos in full bloom, due to the mild weather we have been experiencing. So far we have only had one frost and temperatures have regularly been between 11 and 15'C.

So now it is November and I will finish my third and final post of the day with this thought:-

It's only 51 days until Christmas! ;)

Pj x

Hot off the Needles

My second post of the day is all about why I am behind with my blog. I have been busy knitting premature baby clothes for SSNAP, a charity that Jodi of Ohsewbeautiful supports.

These little matinee sets are now in the post to Jodi and my thoughts are with those parents that go through such a difficult time.

Best wishes, Pj x

October Photo Scavenger Hunt

I'm playing "catch up" with my blog today. This first post is my Photo Scavenger Hunt entry.

1. A Black Cat

That would have to be Maurice! Here he is beside of the kitchen cupboard that contains the cat food. This is his "Please feed me Mummy" look. :)

Ella has a better idea - self-service!!

She knows that this handle opens the door, but luckily she doesn't seem to be strong enough to open it! :)

2. Candlelit

My Halloween jars that I painted a couple of years ago.

3. Crunchy Leaves

These leaves were blown onto our driveway.

4. Fog/Mist

Early morning mist heralding a sunny October day.

5. Golden

Golden cidre not cider!

And these beautiful leaves on a tree in our road.

6. Graffiti

This was a difficult one as there isn't too much graffiti around here. This one near Bramley station made me smile, because of the words "NEVA SEEN".

7. Heritage

The Vyne - A National Trust property, in our area, that we like to visit.

7. Pumpkin

One of our home-grown pumpkins that I carved for Halloween.

8. River

The River Loddon that runs nearby. I snapped this photo whilst my husband and I were Geocaching.

9. Something Eerie

Not sure whether this is eerie or scary (or neither). I guess it depends on how you feel about spiders!

10. Sunset

I had a "blonde moment" and took a photo of a sunrise!

So here is a photo I took of a sunset in Turkey during July.

11. Witch's Hat/Broomstick

Hat and broomstick modeled by Gretel. (I used to collect Cherished Teddies.)

Now for November's list:-

• a lucky charm
• a poppy
• a self-portrait eeeek!!!!
• comfort food
• memorial
• polka dots
• silhouette
• something purple
• something that lights up
• something you have made
• staircase
• warmth
• 
  

I'm not sure about number 3!! ;)