Reflection and 'Moving' forward...

It's been awhile, and now we've entered into a New Year, I need to get back into the blogging rhythm despite whatever madness is going on around
I don't need to think at the start of this year, like I usually do, about how to move forward, what changes I want to make, or what I want to achieve, because it's happening now, we are in the midst of it now!

We've talked for awhile about wanting to live by the sea, but talking and making it a reality are usually two different things. Before we knew it an opportunity arose at work and it was actually happening.
So this last month has been non-stop craziness, with the silly season, the busiest time at work and any spare moment at home was spent cleaning, tidying and decorating, a mammoth task at not the easiest time of year!

So we know we will be in a new area, with new places to explore, in a new house (which we must keep clean and tidy, a fresh start!) and hoping to get out and about more to be more active. It's very scary but all exciting too.
The main problem for us to sort is finding somewhere new to live. At the slowest time of year for properties and at a time when there's so many Bank Holidays its made it very difficult, but on Monday we will be taking the trip south to do a full day of viewings and fingers crossed there will be something suitable for us. It'll be a fast and furious and stressful month ahead, but I know for sure in the months going forward it'll be well worth it!

Christmas was a quiet affair for us, just cozied up indoors in front of the tv. We didn't even bother to unpack the decorations but Mum gave us a little decoration for us to light up

We had a lovely roast dinner

We had lots of lovely presents, though it was weird not having a tree to put them under!

We opened them slowly but surely throughout the day

Mum always gives us a fun lucky dip bag to open, and this year it was full of food goodies!

I hadn't picked up a hook in about a month, and it was hard, as that is my relaxant and creative outlet. At Christmas, having some rest days, I grabbed my hook and a ball of multi toned yarn, with no plan or idea or pattern and went ahead and made a flower. I wasn't sure about the way it was looking with the sporadic colour changes, but I went with it and made more flowers, joining them together as I went.

It worked up quickly, and it felt so good to be making again, and the more flowers I added, the more I liked the way it looked

I went out last week with the girlies from work for my leaving meal. We went to Carluccio's as it was one of the new restaurants in town that I hadn't been to. We had a great evening with delicious food.

New Year was yet another quiet affair, just the two of us snuggled up, with a little drinkie to see in the midnight chimes...

So we will see how the next few weeks unfold on our venture towards the coast, and I will do my best to keep you posted along the way.....

Birthday week...

So this week has been my birthday and the celebrations have all revolved around food

Hubby made me a lovely brunch

We had tea and cake in the afternoon

And in the evening we went out to dinner at Zizzi's

Later in the week, I went out for yet another meal, this time with the lovely girlies from work

We went to Bill's Restaurant, which I haven't been to before, but I will definitely be going back!

I had Mac Cheese and Lemon Meringue, and it was so yummy!

I had some amazing presents, 2 new bags and scarves to add to the collection

And a few more crafting items to keep me amused!

There has been precious little time for crafting, and there will be less and less as we near the mad season, but I have made a few more shawl flowers, i'm just struggling to work out how to continuously join, but i'll get there slowly...

Santa came twice...

So santa came to visit us again this week, aren't we lucky, spoilt twice!

Mum came to visit us on Monday. We had a nice cuppa on her arrival, and had a natter and catch up. Then our attention turned to the pressies, it seemed weird not putting them under a tree!

Everyone was very pleased with their gifts, even the ones deemed a risk were a big hit! We stopped part way through for lunch and a glass of wine.

For dinner in the evening we had one of those bagged meals, the ones where you chuck the meat and veg and in the bag and pop it in the oven, great when you have guests as it can be left and then hey presto!
Before she left we had a look through some of her photos of various trips shes been on.
All in all it was a lovely relaxing day!

We treated ourselves to a couple of items for the home. Firstly a laundry basket, not very exciting I know, but we've been using a make-shift one, which is technically a magazine rack! Plus we got a food mixer, something we've wanted for awhile, and hoping this will encourage us to do more baking in the future!

I've not managed to do much to my 2014 blanket but I've sewn bits here and there. ..

I have though kept up with this years though, still managing to create a little colourful flower each day..

With each flower I add, i'm loving it a little bit more!!

A visual little Christmas

This is actually my first post for December, it gets too busy towards the crazy season working in retail and something has to give.

So for a quick summary.

I did make a couple of presents (another reason why I couldn't log my progress on here) 

Firstly a hot water bottle cover for my Dad, made from different shades of stylecraft acrylic, surrounded by a lovely grey Noro.

I didn't have a pattern to follow, and there would be things I would do differently if I were to do another, but i'm still pleased with the results...

I also made a mini one for a colleague. I made it in a different way, as this was all one piece, in a multi-toned yarn, with a soft ribbon for a finishing touch.

Hubby celebrated his birthday and we were able to visit his sister and see her perform in her groups pantomime

and after a trip round the shops we stopped off for a lovely Indian meal

Christmas for us was a quiet, relaxed affair. 

Now my focus has turned back to my mood blanket 

I've completed the last two squares

The penultimate is a memory square, for my Mother-in-law, who died last year on Christmas Eve, 

and the last one has a traditionally Christmas feel

I'm looking forward to seeing how it all comes together, and fingers crossed I can get it near to completion by the end of the year...

 ** happy new year **

Birthday outting

This week i've had two trips out.
Firstly, on Monday, my Mum came to visit. We haven't seen each other for awhile, so it was great to catch up. After some lunch, we drove to nearby Staines, where we spent a couple of hours around the shops trying to look for present ideas.
This weekend, we had the novelty of a whole weekend off work. It was my birthday on Saturday so we took the train to Kingston for a day out.

The Christmas lights were up, and we started working our way round the shops.

We found a little traditional little market. Some cute little stalls.

We also found there was a Craft Fair too. With beautiful stalls of handmade goods. And I did manage to pick up a chrissie pressie...

We saw a fantastic duo called 'Idrum', who made drumming fun and exciting to watch.

We stopped for some lunch, before tackling the big Bentalls shopping centre.

It was pretty busy, but it was enjoyable to do something that we don't normally get the chance to.

The hours soon flew by as we were engrossed with all the lovely goodies in the stores. We stayed right till the stores closed, and then spotted a nice little Italian restaurant just as we came out the last store.

A lovely dinner, followed by a scrummy pudding!

After the train journey home, I still had my cards and presents to open.

I was very lucky and was thoroughly spoilt with lots of lovely goodies...

We just finished the night off with a nightcap...

Only a little crafting has happened in my busy week, but I did manage to get 3 little mini stockings completed. I've stuck to traditional red and white, in slight variations of stripe, this i intend to hang as a garland, after i've completed a few more little socks...