Christmas Day Food & Gifts.

We had a lovely Christmas Day - everyone seemed to enjoy the meal I cooked and the gifts they received. 

It is incredible to think that it was 19 years ago Christmas Day that we arrived in the UK for what I thought was going to be a four week holiday!  How life changed, and how time flies! 

So the menu for yesterday was:

Roast Turkey with cranberry sauce

Roast potatoes, parsnips & carrots

Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peas

'Pigs in blankets' and stuffing

Yorkshire puddings & gravy

For desert we had Trifle and Pavlova.

I'd also made a fresh fruit salad and had a Christmas pudding - but they didn't make an appearance we were so full!

For later we had a buffet style meal

Sausage rolls, sliced ham, sliced chicken

Salad leaves, carrots, spring onions, celery, cucumber, tomatoes, red, yellow & green peppers,

Freshly home made bread, crackers & cheese.

Just before we all sat down - older son playing the fool!

Some of my gifts:

From my older son I got this great book and bird feeder (below)

From my MIL, these two furniture kit sets for my project.

She also gave me some 'smellies'.

A joint present from DH, DS1 & DS2 was rather a totally unsuspecting shock!

A leather case, sim card & iphone!

Leather case from DH

Sim card from DS2

Mobile phone from DS1 - he had refurbished his old iphone for me.  

I would never have guessed as it came in its original box and looked brand new!

I'm guessing they didn't want me to be incommunicado (which actually I quite liked) for any longer!

So now I've just got to learn how to use it!

And for the most unusual and perhaps unusable gift....

From my MIL....

My Aunt also got given some and we had a great old laugh at how on earth to actually use them!

It is now mid-day Boxing Day and I am the only person in the house up and about...

Very quiet and peaceful.

FRIENDS SWAP - Gifts Received - Part Two.

Yeah!  The missing two letters 'F' & 'N' arrived this afternoon - so exciting I just had to unwrap them....after all I had been rather restrained and hadn't opened the others.

Here they all are!

A lovely card came with 'F' & 'N' - so beautiful and the message inside hoping that this time the gifts made it safely....fortunately they did!

F - Fabric 

Oh and such pretty fabric as well in my favourite colour.

R - Rotary Cutter and Case

This is just fantastic and will be so useful and the case is simply wonderful as well.  So beautifully made - with roses AND butterflies!  Melanie you really are a star, thank you!

I = Inspiration!

Full of wonderful inspiration indeed....now why didn't I find these magazines when I was looking for Inspiration?!  Still probably just as well or we would have sent each other the same gift!

E - Egg Cup Covers

These are just great...and actually I will have to keep an eye on the 'little people' who reside in this house in case they decide they want them to keep their heads warm this winter!

N = Notebook

They say great minds think alike!  Again Melanie has really matched this perfectly...roses and my favourite colour.  I had been wanting a rose notebook and do you think I could find one?  So this is just what I needed.

D = Drink

Green tea is indeed my drink of choice.

S = Sewing supplies.

Another simply wonderful gift I will treasure.

Isn't this just great and exactly what I needed!

Makes me want to see if I can attend some quilting group again - just need one closer to home so I can manage the driving.

Melanie you really excelled yourself and I am absolutely stunned and delighted with the gifts you sent me.

Thank you so very very much, you have really brought a smile to my face.

FRIENDS Swap Gifts - Part One

It was fun joining in this FRIENDS swap hosted by Sew Prim Khris as it has been a couple of years since I have taken part in any swaps (apart from the Sasha Swaps I have hosted)

I was partnered with Melanie of The Patchwork Robin who was also in the UK which was great for the change, especially with the huge hike in postal costs.  

This is what I sent her.

F =  Fish

A fish to hang on her wall

R = Roses

Anyone who knows me well would have to have guessed I would send some 'Roses' to represent R.

Rose scented drawer liners and Rose chocolates.

I had lots of ideas for 'I' but could I find those 'Inspiration, Images or Ideas' ?  No I couldn't so in the end I settled for something practical that I have often thought of getting myself....a little travelling iron for those little sewing needs...quilting/patchwork days etc...

I - Iron

Melanie mentioned she liked stitchery so I am hoping that these will come in useful....

E = Embroidery Threads.

N = Notebook

A little magnetic notebook - for those little ideas...

D - Dishcloths

M for Melanie

Butterfly Dishcloth

S = Shopping Tote

Melanie has also blogged about the gifts here.  I have received my parcel from Melanie, but unfortunately the package was open when it arrived and a couple of the letters were missing.  Melanie is very kindly sending replacements which is ever so thoughtful of her so I am waiting until they arrive before I unwrap the gifts.

Thank you Khris for organising the swap - it was great fun indeed and has hopefully got me back into the mood for crafting other than doll clothes for a change!

A Gift, Quilting and Scouting

I've been meaning to show the lovely gift my friend made for me for ages now and finally got round to taking a photo yesterday.

All hand crocheted, isn't it lovely?

It has been pretty wet and miserable here today, although fortunately it was my quilting day, so we were all tucked up in the hall merrily sewing along.

I have made good progress with my jellyroll quilt.

I sewed all the blocks together today, cut the triangles and the borders

Ta da!

Ready to baste on to the backing fabric and wadding now ready for quilting.

Unfortunately due to the dullness of the day the gorgeous colours don't really show their full glory, but next time it is nice out I will take another picture.

Just after lunch during a brief spell of no rain I had a little wander around the village

Village square, I would imagine it would look really pretty on a lovely day!

Yesterday saw us saying goodbye to DS1 and his scout group who are all off to Swaziland...

Packing the trailer

Waiting in anticipation

Group photo

Just caught him before he got in the mini-bus

They're off!

Heard today the arrived safely in Johannesburg and then at their campsite in Swaziland.

What an adventure!

Sewing on Sunday and a Giveaway

Certainly wet and miserable today, but not cold so that is a good thing. I spent the day listening to jazz and sewing in my studio. Some dolls dresses, and an alteration to a pair of trousers for a fancy dress party.

We popped into my MIL's to drop of the shorts and she surprised me with a little gift she thought I might like...

Some wonderful brightly coloured wool which will be perfect for making some jumpers for Sasha & Co.

The 'new' shorts were presented and duly tried on by MIL's partner.

Suitably skew wiff, with patches.

To finish the ensemble a tie and a white shirt with ink stains on will be added.

I made three pretty dresses today and have offered a Giveaway over here should anyone be interested in entering.

Fun on Friday

The rose that was just a bud yesterday burst open into full bloom today. It is very delicately tinged with pink on the edges and creamy white on the petals and smells lovely.

Parcel opening fun today...

Toys for Sasha!

A lovely tea set with napkin rings complete with little napkins.

Two pretty aprons.

A couple of chair cushions

A pretty little tablecloth

A lovely appliquéd mat.

Some fun Sasha sized bunting!

All made by a lovely Sasha friend Sue Hanson.

Thank you Sue they are wonderful.

I am sure they are going to have great fun playing with these this weekend.