2012 Collage

I found this Collage a challenge.  What to include and what to leave out?  I think it is a good representative of the 'Crafty' chaos that surrounds me for much of the year.  This year has been a busy one.  Just as I like em. We have had family adventures and I have learned new skills.  I did not know how to make a 'Space Banana' in 2011. . . then in 2012 I go and take 'a prize' for my handspun Space Banana along with the rest of the 'Solar System'.
           I also tried my hand at basket weaving.  It was a little hazardous and hard work.   It may be a while before I try that again!  I have learned how to use and Inkle Loom and a Peg Loom.  I just have not learned how to make more time!  I could really do with 30 hour days!
          It was a big year for the UK with the Olympics and The Jubilee, next year of course we will have the Royal Baby.  In July I will also hand over the the 'makes' for the 'Rainbows Preemie Project'.  This has already exceeded my expectations and is still going strong.
           I also increased my 'flock'.  I am now the Proud 'Mama' to four Chickens and seriously with all this rain my lawn will never be the same again.  Hello chickens, goodbye green lawn!  The Lovely Lavender came into our lives and I promptly became a 'top shot' with a high velocity 'Water Blaster'.  We love her eggs even if they are the size of an underfed pigeon's egg!
            Both of my boys are growing and changing faster than I can keep up with.  I try to keep it all in perspective by surrounding myself and submerging myself within my own crafty pursuits.  I feel I would have gone totally bonkers by now if it was not for 'Woolly Stuff'.  I really would not have things any other way.  It is my chaos and I rather like it!
            I am sure 2013 will be a 'good one'.  I will try to find time for more 'adventures'.  Hey we all survived the Apocalypse and deserve a pat on the back for that!  I live in hope of winning the Lottery then I could introduce even more chaos into my life. . . there would be goats, pigs, sheep and alpaca, oh and of course more chickens, possibly a few ducks and if I felt really crazy some geese, oh and quail are cute.  If any one knows how I can 'order' this from the Cosmos, please let me know!
XXX  

Had to Share 'this' from 'Colour Me There'

This is available as a 'Free' Printable from Colour Me There.  I do not have a printer (yet) but I do have use of one.  I am thinking of getting some nice glossy paper and printing this to frame and put up in my hallway.  I love it!  Some of the messages may sink in subliminally if I look at them enough.  XXX

The Aftermath

'Aftermath' is not really the right word.  The living room does look like an 'Aftermath' though.  This has to be the best part of the Christmas Holiday.  The 'hard work' is over.   The meals have been cooked and eaten and the gifts unwrapped.  The 'usual' routine has been postponed for another week at least and everyone is happy playing with their 'new' toys.
      Our Christmas Meal was rather good, even if I do say so myself.  I did not photograph it, as my lot grow a little tired of me photographing 'spurious' things for my Blog.  Each year I am getting better at streamlining the Christmas Celebration as it can be over the top to the point of stifling.  We ate our 'Starters' on boxing day and had a light lunch of 'Seafood Cocktail'.  Euan had 'Prawn Sandwiches' as he insists he does not like 'Cock Tails' even though we have reassured him no 'Cocks' or 'Tails' are involved he is not risking it.
Our Christmas Lunch was:
Turkey Crown...much easier than a whole bird.  Quick to cook, well quicker than an enormous Turkey and there seemed to be less guess work...'Will it be dry'?  'Will it be raw'?  'Will it fit in the oven'?  It cooked well and we had lovely moist Turkey.
We have to have 'Pigs in Blankets' - Sausages wrapped in Bacon.  Lovely.
I also made Sausage, Chestnut and Cranberry Stuffing.  Lovely.
I made homemade 'Bread Sauce' for the first time instead of a packet mix.  Easy Peasy.
I also made homemade 'Cranberry Sauce' this year for the first time.  Lovely.
We had Roast Potatoes and Roast Parsnips, roasted in Goose fat - we only do this at Christmas.
Mashed Potatoes.
Carrots
Peas
and lots of Brussel Sprouts.  Euans job on Christmas Eve is to pick all the sprouts off the 'Sprout Trees'.  He likes that job.
We now have the fridge full of leftovers, cold meats, pickles and cheese.  I also have the 'slow pot' full of 'Turkey and Vegetable Soup'.  This easy catering for a day or two makes for reading or crafting time.
          I have finished two books.  Both by Annie Murray.  Both books are Historic novels based around Birmingham.  I like these books as I can relate to the locality and I have family from Birmingham.  My Grandparents settled in Birmingham and bought a house but they were 'bombed out' in the War and came back to our 'home town' to live with family.  They never bought a house again.  'The Chocolate Girls' is about a group of girls working at Cadbury Chocolate Factory during the war.  This Factory is still going strong although I believe it is not British owned any more.  The Cadbury Factory was built by Quakers and it was a great place to work in it's day as the Quakers looked after their workers with trips, classes, sports, arts and all manner of activities.   You can still go to Bournville, it is is a Village within Birmingham that is built around a green, there are no Pubs in keeping of the Quaker religion.  The Spinning Guild I go to is held in a Quaker 'Friends Meeting House'.  I will add these two books to my Fifty Book Challenge List.

   'Birmingham Rose' talks more about life in the slums of Birmingham.  I am very familiar with Birmingham Centre and it is all based around places I would know.  It talks about 'The Bull Ring' and Birmingham Markets.  My Grandmothers used to go to the Birmingham Markets for an outing and come back with delights like fresh whole crabs or prawns.  I used to go with my Aunt on the train and travel back eating 'Sea Food', cockles or whelks drenched in vinegar and salt and pepper, from a paper bag. Sometimes Euan and I go to the markets and now they cater for a variety of ethnic cultures.  We walk around the meat stores and look at goat heads, cows feet, squirrels, Salt Fish and other alien foods to us.  Euan is partial to Crab and prawns too but we both hate whelks now.
        I feel like in the 'Aftermath' this post is all over the place.  I am sorry if you are struggling to keep up.  I am hoping today will be about crafty pursuits.  I have three things in mind.  I have some crochet to be getting on with.  Some fleece to finish spinning and then ply and my brother bought me a new toy.  A Mayan Spinner, or Rakestraw Spinner.  I am hoping to teach myself how that works and tell you more about it. . . I hope you are all enjoying 'The Aftermath' too.
XXX      

Ready as I will ever be!

Wishing You All A Very Merry Christmas

And

Best Wishes For The New Year.

Nearly There...Eeeeeek!

This is my mess!  I quite like it this way.  Well those are Euan's socks in shot, I never noticed them.  Today I have spent the Whole day cleaning and tidying.  I could still carry on but my back is telling me 'nah' not a good idea.  I called in 'The Cavalry' this afternoon.  I gave a 'distress' call to my Mom.  She came and whizzed around with me and wrapped all of the boy's presents.  I really really dislike wrapping.  I feel like I am on track now.  I can almost relax and enjoy the holiday if I try hard enough.  How I get myself in such a clutter and a fluster I will never know!  The kitchen was dreadful.  I spent about six hours in there alone trying to clean and tidy.
            Euan and I made some Mince Pies.  We have been threatening to make mince pies for a week.  I enjoyed making the pastry in a large bowl with both of our pairs of hands rubbing all the butter in with the flour.  I used a jar of 'bought' Minced Meat but I added to it.  I addend a few good slugs of Brandy, some grated apples, some grated lemon rind and the juice of a lemon.  I added more dried fruit, cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg and some dark marmalade.  The result is rather morish.  Both Euan and I have been disappointed with shop bought Mince Pies this year.  I have had to stop him from eating all these homemade ones.  He says they are better than shop bought because he can taste the booze, the lemon and sugar.  He also said the shop ones are not 'golden' and Mince Pies should be golden.  I think I could have a chef or food critic in the making.

This plate of pies is for my parents.   I have also made some stuffing today and will give half to my parents.  It does not look great to photograph as it is uncooked.  I have made Sausage, Chestnut and Cranberry stuffing.  This year I made 'Homemade Cranberry Sauce' for the first time.  It was really easy.  I just made it as I would a 'high fruit' jam.  It is very tasty.

You know it is Christmas when you bring out the Cranberry Sauce.  Now Euan is in bed I might just have to treat myself to one of these:

A 'Baby Guinness'.  This is a tiny liqueur glass, honest!  I use 'Tia Maria' and then pour Baileys Irish Cream over the back of a spoon so it floats on top of the Tia Maria.  Last night I could not sleep, tonight I think I may sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.
          I find Christmas is a 'strange' time of year.  I can get very 'reflective' during Christmas and the New Year.  We have unexpected things happen at this time of year in our family.  One year we found two very underweight German Shepherds and we phoned the dog warden to come and collect them, that was a bit sad.  At this time of year 'pets' and animals can become an expense too far or a chore too many. . . many animals get abandoned at this time of year.  Another year we had a little 'Zebra Finch' fly into the kitchen on Christmas Eve Evening.  It arrived with a 'Beep beep'!  That is what Zebra Finches 'say'.  Zebra finches are 'African' birds I think, this one must have escaped an aviary and would not have survived the wild.  We were not kitted out for a bird.  We used a box and made a perch.  All the shops were shut for Christmas, so we fed 'Beep' on crumbs.  We had that little bird for years in the end.  His name was Beep and he was very cute.  He would come out and run around like 'Road Runner' 'Beep beep'.  He would also fly around and sit on your shoulder.  (actually 'he' was a 'she' because one year he laid an egg!  Another year my Dad and I were walking our dogs on Boxing Day and we saw a beautiful Siamese Cat at the base of tree, in a damp ditch.  We thought it was dead and were going to see if it had a collar so we could let the owners know.  When we got to the cat it 'moved'.  I quickly ran about half a mile to get a box from a large store.  We put the cat in the box and took it home.  It had a bad case of cat flu and looked very old.  We took it to the vets and the vet prescribed antibiotics, eye drops and gave it a couple of injections.  The cat 'peed' all over my bed!  At which point my Dad said it had to go!  I cried all the way to the 'Cat Rescue'.  In the end through the local paper we traced the owners who were looking for their lost cat.  He was quite old and they had just moved house so he must have got lost.  They got reunited, which is a happy ending.  Now at this time of year I half expect a 'Festive Animal in Distress' to appear over the holidays.  Before you ask 'no' it won't be a little Sausage dog.  I have lay low on that one!
        I did have a 'Festive dilemma' last night though.  It was not of the animal variety but of the human variety.  I rarely walk the dog in the dark.  Last night she kept pestering me, so I gave in and took her for a walk at about 9pm.  I have to be careful where I walk at that time of night as this is not a 'trouble free' town.  I was walking along the road when I saw a pair of feet in the air!  Obviously you have to do a double check at such occurrences.  Yep it was definitely a pair of feet in the air.  I came across a 'drunk' rolling around on the ground with all of his money spilled over the ground.  Thank goodness for big dogs!  I am sure 'Lacey' would protect me.  I asked the geezer if he was ok.  He clearly wasn't.  I picked up all of his coins and gave them to him.  Then I offered him a hand up.  He does not live far from my house.  He was not far from 'home'.  He was on his feet for about thirty seconds when he fell again, face first, whacking his head on the curb of the road as he fell!  He cut his head and was bleeding at this point.  I sat him by a tree and told him I would  help him.  I knew I needed to phone an ambulance.  Luckily a car stopped with a young couple in it and three children, they helped me and the young man phoned the ambulance.  We also managed to flag down a police car.  The 'drunk' was bewildered and really incoherent.   He kept putting his had out for me to hold it.  I left him in the care of the police waiting for an ambulance.  This has really made me think about 'needy' people living in our communities.  I had a lengthy conversation with Henry about helping the 'geezer' and what you can do to 'help' people like that.  If I had not have stood him he would not have fell and bumped his head in the first place!
          The Police told me there was not much 'Festive Spirit' in our town last night they had already dealt with two 'stabbings'.  This sickens me.  I know I could not have left the drunk alone and vulnerable.  I have wondered about 'Clive' the drunk all day.  I have wondered about putting him a small 'Care Package together.  A small box of basic supplies and dropping it around to his flat.   Henry said 'it would be a drop in the ocean' but I said the act would give Clive as message stronger than words or written words.  Maybe our society is so harsh because we are afraid to care?  A stray birdie or cat is one thing but a stray person is an entirely different matter.  I am yet undecided about the 'Care Package' I will reflect on.  I really do not need a new 'friend' without sounding harsh.   I think in the 'New Year' I may phone the Salvation Army and ask their advice as I know they regularly deliver 'care packages' to the 'needy'.  Clive was not just drunk, he was disheveled and unkempt.  I have seen him around for years as a 'local figure' he clearly has a long standing alcohol problem.  I guess we can only conclude, this time of year is not 'happy' for many people and many creatures.  I will be sparing a thought and a prayer for the vulnerable living within our communities this Christmas.
      I really hope all your festive plans are on track and going smoothly.  
XXX

Gratuitous Chicken Post

I got up nice and early today, to attempt a bike ride with the dog.  I got dressed and ready and then went to get my bike out of the shed and only then noticed it was pouring with rain!  What a fool, I coulda, shoulda, woulda stayed in bed with my book!  Make note to self:  Checka da Wevver before getting dressed!
       It has been a while since I have mentioned these girls.  All is well in the coop.  I appear to have four healthy hens.  In spite of the weather they are still happy and bursting to come out to play rain or shine or frost or fog.  Their half of the garden in looking far from pretty.  It is wet and muddy with not much grass and plenty of puddles.  I am beginning to worry that it won't come back in the Spring.  These girls positively 'bowl' out of their coop in the mornings.  They were hungry girls this morning.

Poppy, Daisy and Rose were all tucking in and poor old Lavender could not squeeze in...to her dismay.  She had a right little panic.

That is better, I don't have to worry about Lavender, she somehow sorts things out and end up at the front or in the middle of everything.  This girl is certainly not backward in coming forward.  I am getting three lovely eggs a day again for the moment.  I do have to work for the 3rd though as someone has taken to laying in a very awkward spot of the garden right behind a large tree.  I nearly fall over each time I crawl for this egg.  There is a hidden little nest.  Somebody prefers peace and quiet.  I am trying to get the fourth egg by addressing the diet of these girls.  Less Kitchen scraps and top quality 'Organic' layers pellets.  Even their corn in take has been reduced.  They also have Oyster shell available at all times for Calcium.  Calcium is needed for egg production and to produce eggs the calcium is leeched from the Chicken's bones rather than obtained directly from their food.  It is important to make sure they have calcium.  I also save all the eggs shell and bake them to kill bugs then grind them and scatter them as a food supplement.  Chickens need shell and grit to break down food in their gizzard.  As we know Hens to not have teeth!
    I am very tempted to make a Christmas Treat for them, especially after I saw this:  Scratch and Nut Edible Wreath.

Isn't it beautiful.  I am sure it would not last long.  I could almost be tempted to have a little pick at it myself!
XXX