Journal Your Christmas - the day itself!!

We had a lovely......if rather manic....Christmas Day......9 adults....2 children......and not forgeting the 2  dogs!! Oh......and one cat [who was mainly absent].

This is the one 'page' in the album that has no journaling........I just wanted the photos to 'speak' for the day......I wanted lots of them......and a wide variety.

I ended up using 3 pages.......and it was the only time making this album that I would have liked bigger pages!!

Hopefully it manages to give a flavour of the day.

Journal Your Christmas - a bit of baking

DD2 and I spent most of one day with the last minute preparations for christmas.........and a lot of that was baking.

Amongst other things we made stollen for the first time [shhhhhh....we weren't actually too keen on it]........and although we always make semolina biscuits.....this year we made them into a star tree......which went down very well on Christmas Day......along with the mars bar trifle.......with those who don't like christmas pudding.

 The christmas cake was iced and decorated.......we had great fun with the edible glitter.

And some greenery was picked from the garden to make some floral decorations.......that I hope will last through to New Year.

Journal Your Christmas - Meeting Santa

I couldn't resist adding a page about Little A's first 'official' meeting with Santa........according to her mum......most of the other little ones were very wary of him [DD2 was terrified of Santa as a small child]........but Little A was straight over there and up on his lap.......and seemed completely fascinated by him......and doesn't he just look like the real Santa!! 

Though I'm not sure if we should be slightly worried by her being fascinated with strange men!!!!

Little A's Christmas post

Oh wow.....is it all for me?

How did Santa know Minnie Mouse is my absolute favourite?

One day I'm going to be famous!!

I think I'm getting the hang of this unwrapping lark.

Thank you so much for my lovely present.

Ok doggie....this is no time for sleeping.

What's in this one dad......and I know this is my new hat.......but why am I wearing it indoors?

At least my hat doesn't look as silly as yours!!

And if these presents just keep coming......we may have to move house.

Which one exactly is the biggest?

It's about time for a cuddle.

Ok.........I'm getting bored now....it might be time to go home.

Hope your Christmas was as much fun as mine.

Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas everyone

Countdown to Christmas 23- This brought a tear to my eye

It's rare I have a post with no photo.......but I really wanted to share this conversation I had with DD1 yesterday.......it brought a tear to my eye....partly from sadness....and partly from something else entirely.
She came home from work with Christmas cards......and showed me one.
It read......

To Tasha

 Have a VERY Happy Christmas

 Thank you for being so kind to me.

love J

Now DD1 works in a BUPA Care Home and I assumed it was from one of her clients.

Me  "that's nice she appreciates what you do for her"

DD  "J's not a client....I work with her......she used to work on the 3rd floor and they were all horrible to her....they didn't talk to her....they laughed at her......they told her she was useless"

Me  "why on earth were they like that"

DD  "because they're t.....s!"

Me  "is there something wrong with her"

DD  "NO.....she's a lovely lady....and do you know....she's 75 years old and still working. Now she's working on our floor and A and I have taken her under our wing.......and we make sure she's ok......and chat to her......and include her in everything"

Me  "I'm so pleased to hear that"

DD  "And it's a good thing A and I were at the Christmas meal.......because otherwise J would have been all on her own......with nobody talking to her. We made her sit with us.....and we made her get up and dance with us. She said she'd had a lovely time.I just don't understand why some people pick on someone and are so horrible"

Neither do I,Tasha......but I'm so glad you're not one of them.

Countdown to Christmas 22 - JYC - Another meal-more goodbyes??

Looking at my christmas journal......I realise there's a lot of pre-christmas eating and drinking going on this year.......a lot of christmas socials........far more than usual......my clothes are going to be complaining after Christmas,I'm sure!!
And on Tuesday evening yet another one......a meal out with my close colleagues from our 'Family Learning' team......which included food,drink and a Secret Santa......we had a great evening........and were the last people to leave the restaurant....I think when they started to totally clear the table we realised we might have outstayed our welcome!! 

The evening ended with us all agreeing to regularly meet for a meal together.......I do hope it manages to actually happen.

Countdown to Christmas 21- definately the last one this year

This is....it really is....the last card I'm making this year!!!!! 
And entering the last challenges this year as well.........Crazy Challenge want 'christmas'........ 'last minute cards' for Charisma........'the last christmas card' [very apt] for Papertake Weekly........and 'christmas animals' for Oldie but Goldie

This is also my last day at work this year.......so from tomorrow.......it's time for baking.

Countdown to Christmas 20- A bit last minute!

One of my resolutions next this year should be to make a list of everyone I want to send a handmade christmas card to......and do it now.......that would save a last minute panic......I am 2 cards short for a Christmas meal I'm attending.....2 people I definately want handmade cards for......so here's the first one......made slightly quicker than usual!!

And Shimelle's lesson to use patterned papers layered up without mounting on cardstock comes in very useful when you need to be speedy!!

Countdown to Christmas 19- JYC - Favourites

There's a few decorations that have to come out each year....in fact, they're usually added to each year.....even though the DDs aren't too keen on them.
I love christmas candles.......cinnamon ones to burn......and 'folksy' ones to save.....I usually find a new one in my christmas stocking each year [thanks,Santa]........and as well as dotting them round the house.......I always have some in the hallway grouped with some other 'folksy' decorations and little lights.
It just wouldn't be christmas without them!! 

Countdown to Christmas 18-JYC- An unexpected gift

On Wednesday evening I met with my friends J and S for our weekly 'crafty' get together. J was adding buttons to her knitted bunting.....S was stitching a stuffed heart garland......and I was altering my box and making cards.....we were crafting and drinking coffee and eating cakes and chatting and laughing......and exchanging christmas gifts.
So getting a gift from S wasn't unexpected.......but her saying "you need to open it now as you might want it before christmas" was.
Inside the pretty paper was a beautiful mixing bowl......and a bag of stollen mix......we both laughed......because we knew why she'd bought it.
The previous evening we'd both been at a christmas quiz.......'what type of food is stollen?' asked one of the questions.......we both thought it was cake.....but another member of our table was very sure it was bread.
Seems like we were right.......and now I'll be able to find out what it tastes like!!

Countdown to Christmas 17- A little bit of altering

Back in the summer I made a set of cards with the gorgeous MME Lost and Found papers.......as a christmas present for my non-cardmaking SIL.

I wanted to put them in a box.....but couldn't find a suitable one........then when I was unpacking all our christmas stuff.....I couldn't believe my luck.....I found a box just the right size in a fairly neutral colour. I used some of the paper scraps to do a little bit of altering on the top.

And with the final few pieces made a couple of cards.

I may be very brave and print a greeting directly onto this bottom one

The challenge at TipTopTuesday is 'make a gift'......Charisma Cardz want 'last minute christmas makes'.......and Fairy Tale want 'a gift box'.

Countdown to Christmas 16- JYC - Christmas tree

The Christmas tree is one of my favourite 'christmasy' things.......DD2 and I decorated it at the weekend......she was in charge......apparently she has better taste than me.....and certain 'tacky' decorations are not allowed on the tree.....but they're still hiding in the bottom of the box.......waiting their chance in future years!!!
Our ancient lights had given up the ghost......so a new 'multi function' set were purchased.....and for my JYC Journal entry I decided to focus on the lights this year.

sorry for slightly blurry photo

You can tell I'm not a great photographer.....but I still like the effect of the lights against the dark background.

Countdown to Christmas 15 - a family tradition

It's a bit of a tradition in our family to go to Christmas fairs.......the children loved them when they were little.....and I like snapping up bargains.......and getting creative ideas.
This year my MIL has moved into a 'care home'.......she really couldn't look after herself and her home properly anymore.....she didn't want to move......but now she's there.....she loves it.....and has made friends with 2 other elderly ladies......they sit together in the lounge putting the world to rights......though the DDs think they look and sound more like a witches coven!!!!!!
Anyway.....on Saturday it was the Home's Christmas Fair....all the money raised provides entertainment for the residents......so our whole family went along to add to the funds.

And who was the star of the show.....Little A.....keeping all the residents amused with her antics!!
She was given far too much chocolate......but managed to eat all of it without getting a trace anywhere.......apparently chocolate is the only thing she eats without plastering it all over herself.....too keen for every morsel to go in her mouth.

We also managed to come home with an enormous hamper of fruit....courtesy of the raffle.

Countdown to Christmas 14- JYC -The end of an era

The last 3 months have been a bitter/sweet time at work.......the government funded organisation that I've worked for for the past 10 years closes its doors on December 31st......it would be easy to blame government cutbacks.......but the local education authority had been given the money to fund it......they chose to use it elsewhere.....despite massive protests by the local schools.
Each week there have been less and less people in the office.....as they were redeployed......or found other jobs......it began to look like a ghost town.....and even the furniture and resources began disappearing
On Friday we had our work christmas party.......billed by the organisers as 'The Big One'......because it was the last one.....ever.....and over 100 employees and former employees attended....a grand sending off for an organisation that has changed the lives of many children and their parents locally.
It was also a rather loud and raucous send off......with large quantities of food and alcohol.......the music cranked up.......the games very silly......the laughter and the tears flowing.

And with my JYC page I decided to focus on the debris........possibly the sign of a great party?? 

Countdown to Christmas 13 - JYC - How do you wrap your presents?

Anyone who's seen any of my past Christmas Journals will know I hate wrapping presents........I love making them......buying them......giving them.....receiving them.....I even love seeing beautifully wrapped presents......but I just don't have the patience for it myself!!!!
Then last week I received a gift.....that decided me to make a totally different page this year......no whinging about wrapping.....just admiration for what I'd received.
Because as well as being beautifully wrapped.......this gift came with a unique handmade tag......the most gorgeous knitted holly.

 And because the photos printed a bit dark......here's the original.....how cool is that on a tag??

Do you wrap beautifully....or just get it wrapped??

Countdown to Christmas 12 - Afternoon tea anyone??

Last Thursday some of the ladies from my W.I. group had a pre-christmas treat of 'afternoon tea' at a local hotel.....the £10 cost seemed a little expensive to me......but boy.......was I wrong......I've never felt so full in my life!!!!!

We had dozens of exquisite little sandwiches in a variety of flavours......hot welsh rarebit........scones with jam and cream.......an assortment of cakes.......and hot mince pies.......all washed down with a never ending supply of tea......and the service was brilliant.

We spent 2 hours eating, drinking,chatting,laughing.....and never felt in the least bit rushed.

And as such great service deserves publicising.......the hotel in question was 'The White Rock' hotel in Hastings......give it a try if you're ever in the area.

This definately had to go in my JYC album.

Countdown to Christmas 11- JYC - guilty pleasures

Completely off prompt again.......but I was thinking about one of my guilty pleasures favourite things about this time of year........magazines.......oh yes.......I'm a real magazine addict.......most of the year this addiction is kept under control.......but come Nov/Dec I just can't resist all the 'christmasy' magazines.....be they craft ones, cookery ones, home decor ones......just looking at the covers make me want to buy them......and I spend far too much money buying them at a time of year that I have more important things to buy.......so it's probably a good thing I buy/make most of my christmas gifts before December!!!

Do you have a guilty pleasure at this time of year??

Countdown to Christmas 10- 10 christmas creates on the 10th

This is my post for Shimelle's 10 things on the 10th........and as I've heard it's christmas soon.......some christmasy inspiration.....and hopefully clicking on the photo will take you to the link.
1. It has to be Tim's 12 tags of christmas......and one year I'm going to join in this!!

2. This lovely knitted advent calendar.......I'd like to make this for Little A next year.

3. A beautiful mixed media christmas tree collage by Christy Tomlinson........I so love her work......and want to try my own one of these.

4. These stunning patchwork baubles.....can be recycled from old ones.....and there's a tutorial with them.

5. This snowflake made by Sue for her Journal Your Christmas album.....and she has a link to the YouTube video tutorial.

6. A great way to use old newspapers to make a shimmering christmas tree.......from Martha Stewart with a tutorial.

7. Some really cute owl decorations........perfect for making during an evening of TV.....with downloadable patterns.

8. This peppermint bark sounds.......and looks.....like a delicious christmas treat [thanks Margi].......I love anything minty.......so will definately be giving it a try......go check out the recipe.

9. These lovely little crocheted holly leaves by Lucy at Attic 24.........complete with a perfect tutorial/pattern.

10. I love Kath's wonderful,creative and funny blog.....she has a tutorial for this lovely snowflake decoration.

Hope you've enjoyed these 10 christmas ideas........you can find more '10 on the 10th' here.