Tangled

I'm starting with the positive.

Some time before Christmas I showed some sneaky little pictures of some Christmas knitting here. Now they've been and gone and been merrily received I can do a g-r-a-n-d r-e-v-e-e-e-e-a-l.

First there was this.

Which turned into a crochet shawl for mum.

Ravelry details here.

Then this.

A hat for Big Sis' big squeeze.

Followed by these.

A couple of happy dishcloths for the lovely Gloria over at Canela Kitchen. A blogger who I was fortunate to be paired with for Amy's Christmas card swap.

But that's where the woolly wonders finish. I've gone off at a bit of a tangent and got myself in a right royal twiddle.

I decided that I could easily knock up a pair of socks for Big Sis in time for the big day.

I was only half way through sock one when I lost three of the needles.

I decided to fall back on my tried and tested 'easy armwarmer' pattern. 

One down one to go.

Now I know at this point there will be some of you thinking 'why doesn't she just get that other armwarmer finished and then think about starting something else?' 

I'll tell you why.

I'm a terrible flitter.

I saw Teresa's lovely diagonal crochet hotpad and at once requested the pattern. The lovely lady that she is immediately obliged and I had visions of snuggling under a diagonal afghan by the end of the month.

This is the result so far.

I'm sorry Teresa - I will keep trying!

But to top it all. The knotted turret atop the castle built out of confused yarn (I really don't know where that analogy came from). The project that I got so excited about that I sent off for some new interchangeable needles.

Was this.

Can you guess what it is yet?

How about now?

No? 

It's a miracle way of knitting socks that means you can knit two at a time via a magic loop.

Honest.

It's just having a few technical problems.

Anyhow I know the question you'll all really want the answer to. You're wondering what that metal wire type thing is loitering on the edge of my dubious quality photographs.

Do you really want to know?

Really?

Go on have a guess.

I'll tell you next time!

If I'm not completely tangled up in wool that is.

Oh dear.

Jane

xxx

Blessed

Such a busy week but, after the terribly sad news about Vanessa Cabban, I'm lucky to realise that it has also been a blessed one. With that in mind I'm going to limit this post to as few words as possible.

We have enjoyed...

wonderful food

Wintry weather

Colour and cheer

And surprise gifts!

But most of all the warmth of family and friends

At a time that can be - and has been - so difficult for some I feel truly blessed. 

And out in the garden, under all the dead leaves and frosted ground, there are new things emerging. 

And with them comes hope.

I hope that wherever you are - however big or small they may be - you all have some blessings to count.

Jane

xxx

A Selection of Santas

Meet sixties Santa.

Not sure what happened to his hands but he's one of the first Christmas ornaments I remember. As you wheeled him along the little reindeer in his sack would pop up and down in excitement. 

Then there's sleighing Santa.

I remember being amazed by the detail on this one. To me this was a true representation of  what would be flying through the sky on Christmas Eve. Mum remembers it being displayed on her grandmas dresser alongside toddling Santa (more on him later). 

Each year it was my job to check that all of the presents and snowmen were tucked safely into the holly on the back.

But there's one missing.

A small plastic Santa with moving feet. You would put him on a slight slope and he would merrily walk along. When I asked mum about him she rifled through her Christmas box and found him skulking at the bottom. 

He's not the prettiest Santa Claus, and his paintwork has certainly seen better days, but he still reliably toddles down any given slope with his sack of goodies.

I realise that I may have given the impression that for two weeks of the year I did nothing else but push tiny Santa down tea trays and watch reindeers bob up and down. Not true. But these were the Christmas staples. I could rely on the fact that once these were out of the box Christmas had officially 'started' (and not some time back in October!) 

So for some not very expensive plastic ornaments they represent a lot. Forty years on they are still going strong. And forty years on mum and dad still put them in pride of place.

(Apart from toddling Santa - he's come home with me!)

Have you got any ornaments that remind you of your childhood?

Jane 

xxx

Shhhhh!

I've been busy.

Organising squirrels.

Secret squirrels. 

Which means I can't show you this

or this

And there's no way I can divulge these little treats

No way Jose.

What I can show you however is this

?

A tray of onions.

After paying £2 for four teeny tiny caramelised onions at the weekend I thought I'd have a go at making my own. The recipe is easy. Just empty bag of onions and bung in to a hot oven. They're smelling pretty tasty.

What could possibly go wrong?

!

Wish me luck.

And shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Jane

xxx 

Just not feeling it ...

... are you?

I've been trying ever so hard.

Maybe it's the unseasonally warm weather we've been experiencing.

Or the fact that frosts haven't yet forced my pelargoniums inside.

But I just haven't got the Christmas bug. 

Not yet.

There are three separate Christmas productions going on at school.

And glitter abounds.

But even though the beautiful strains of 'The Snowman' keeps echoing down the halls  I'm still not 'getting it'.

This morning we received our first Christmas card. I've put it next to our gorgeous smelling mulled wine candle (I told you I was trying) on the mantelpiece in an attempt to ramp up the Christmas cheer - but no. Nothing.

The ingredients for the Christmas cake - usually mixed together with great competitive fervour in anticipation of winning our annual 'cake off' - are gathering dust behind the fruit bowl.

Don't get me wrong. I like Christmas. My singalong songs during December vary from anything between 'In the Bleak Midwinter' to 'All I want for Christmas - is Yoooooou' (for which I apologise). But I think that might be the point. It's still November.

I have many dear friends who already have presents wrapped and cards sent. But for me Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without the mad dash around the shops hours before the big day. 

Something needs to snap into place. Just like the urge to plant seeds hits me in the Spring, and making jam is an absolute must in Autumn.

So what have I been doing?

Well I've made a couple of happy purchases.

Look at this set of pretty glasses. £2.50 for six!

Surely these will twinkle perfectly against the fairy lights on Christmas Eve?

And I had to snap up this sign for £1.

Who wouldn't want a knitted brassiere - that fits!

I've gathered the last of our apples.

Made lots of soups.

And been fascinated by the rate this hyacinth bulb has put down it's roots.

I've also been doing a bit of crochet. I love the idea of having a snuggly wrap around shawl for the colder evenings.

With a chunky wool and 7mm hook this is building up really quickly.

I've also been tempted by the new Rosie Mitts pattern by Pink Milk.

The embroidered rose detail is so sweet.

So there we go. I'm not complaining. In fact as I sit typing this I'm being bathed in the most glorious winter sunshine. Mr K is down at the allotment adding finishing touches to the shed and I'm about to don my wellies and wander down with emergency coffee. 

I'll try and spot some robins!

Jane 

xxx