Happy New Year

Hours of happy times with friends and family

Abundant time for relaxation

Prosperity

Plenty of love when you need it the most

Youthful excitement at life's simple pleasures

Nights of restful slumber

Everything you need

Wishing you love and light

Years and years of good health

Enjoyment and mirth

Angels to watch over you

Remembrances of happy years ...

Wishing you all A Very Happy 2013

Pj x

Old Year's Night/New Year's Eve

Well Christmas is now over and there is still too much chocolate laying around and too many cakes left.  My son is slowly eating his way through the Christmas cake!  It has been a very wet and rather windy Christmas period, but we have kept warm and cosy indoors.

I was spoilt this year with some gorgeous gifts:-
Two Trollbeads and a jewellery box to keep them in,

a new dress from white Stuff,

a selection of craft books to keep me busy in 2013

and some money towards my new toy.

Doesn't Maurice look a handsome boy!?

Although all of our guests have left we are maintaining the festive spirit

and still enjoying the Christmas decorations, which I will remove before the twelfth night.

I finally got around to stitching this decoration together last night,

before we went to the cinema to see The Hobbit.  I absolutely loved it and I'm looking forward to the next instalment.

I wish you all A Very Happy New Year.  See you in 2013.
Best wishes, Pj x

Christmas Day 2012

Our Christmas Day consisted of opening presents,

 and sharing jokes!

 Santa had a beer to match his hat!

 Sitting down to Christmas lunch with all the family,

 Turkey and chestnut roast and all the trimmings.

 Party hats were donned

 and faces pulled for the camera!

 Contented cats licked their whiskers after a turkey treat.

 More larking around when I tried to take a photo!  

 Late afternoon we went for a walk around the village.

 As it got dark 

 we enjoyed looking at other people's Christmas lights

 and made some new friends.

 Back home and it was time for our Christmas photo shoot,

 before a tipple

 and a game of cards,

whilst Maurice did his best impression of a sugar mouse!

 We had a wonderful family Christmas!

I hope you did too.

Best wishes, Pj x

Christmas Baking & Advent Swap

 The 23rd of December was my Christmas baking day; I spent all day in the kitchen baking and decorating:-

Vanilla Fairy Cakes

 topped with vanilla butter cream and icing toppers,

 Cheese and Marmite Palmiers,

 Sausage Rolls,

 Peanut Butter and Chocolate Krispies sprinkled with glitter,

 Chocolate Swiss Roll filled with Peppermint Butter Cream

 and turned into a Yule Log,

 Gingerbread Snowmen with Chocolate Buttons,

 White Christmas Slice,

 Chocolate Cake Pop Snowballs,

 Millionaire's Shortbread with Rosemary-infused, Salted Caramel

 and a bowl of Brandy Butter to accompany the Christmas Puddings.

I also decorated the Christmas Cake.

This year I made a two-tiered cake and coated the white fondant with a silver shimmer spray,

before creating a cascade of pink snowflakes and white snow down one side of the cake.

Here is my final instalment of Laalaa's Advent Swap 2012.

My swap partner was Ellie of Jelly Jam.

Day 23 - My The Cats' Gift from Jelly Jam

Catnip mice!

Day 23 - My Gift to Jelly Jam

Perfume

Day 24 - My Gift from Jelly Jam

A yummy chocolate tree

Day 24 - My Gift to Jelly Jam

Knitted lavender heart

Christmas Day - My Gift from Jelly Jam

Bag filled with chocolate coins

Christmas Day - My Gift to Jelly Jam

Scarf and wooden picture frame

and to The Little Jammers

CK purses filled with chocolate coins

 A big thank you to Lynda for organising this and all the other lovely swaps and to Ellie for being such a fantastic swap partner.