Treasures in St Margaret's

I met Suzanne yesterday for tea - she loved the candle-in-a-teacup!- and snapped these beauties when I was waiting.

This lovely French shop next door always has beautiful displays to match the seasons.



 

These beautiful finger plates belong to this stylish shop

And I finished decorating the cake, the other half I iced as a gift for Susan .

candle-in-a-teacup

I made this candle for Suzanne's Christmas present - we're having tea at Zoran's in St Margarets this afternoon. I found the cup and saucer on Ebay, and I chopped up half a church pillar candle, saving the wick and melted it in a jug over simmering water (like melting chocolate) and carefully poured in the wax. I was pleased with the result for my first attempt. Next time I'll experiment with colour and fragrance. We saw some when we were in Canterbury in the summer and Suzanne said she liked them, so I hope she likes this one!

Tea?

It's amazing what people throw away. This elegant teapot (or perhaps coffeepot, it's more of that shape) I found on the pavement put out with the recycling. The handle was a bit wobbly, but a little application of superglue did the trick. It goes beautifully with this cup and saucer (with 2 others) previously rescued from the rubbish!

Christmas Swapsie

Look at my lovely swapsie gifts from Mama Syder! All beautifully wrapped in festive cellophane, and all carefully chosen: she knows me really well just from my blog!

Some piano music, (complete with choreography instructions!), seasonal tissues and a hanging pomander combining my twin loves of hearts and flowers!

Sweet crocheted tree bunting (now adorning the sofa like anti-macassars) and a lustre-glass bowl of pine cones that smell of Christmas - cloves and star anise.

And this dainty teacup candle - cinnamon scented. Thankyou so much Mama - I am thoroughly spoilt! Many thanks too to Lakota at  faithhopeandcharityshopping.blogspot.com/ for setting up the swap; a fantastic idea and great fun. Have a look at her blog and you can see other swapsie gifting.

Hark, the Herald Angels Sing .....

......Glory to the new-born King!

Wishing everyone a very merry and peaceful Christmas!

Silent night, Holy night....

 ....All is bright

Just off to Midnight Mass

O Star of Wonder....

Stars seem to be the theme for the tree this year. The red one was my present from Siobhan; I was allowed to open it early to get maximum use! The tin star was from Wisteria on Thursday, and the blue/silver one from Julia's House Hospice charity shop.

Just off out to get my vegetables for tomorrow, then make the mince pies listening to Nine Lessons and Carols from Kings College Cambridge.

Winter warmth

Auntie Janet's birthday today - I customised these plain gloves from Marks and Spencer with crocheted flowers, and then made a matching brooch for a scarf / coat / bag. 

Edible Christmas Gifts: part 4

Some more gifts from the kitchen for Mummie's hamper; a little cake,( heavy with rum!) and some festive mincemeat for mince pies. I'm going down for the day tomorrow.

Edible Christmas Gifts: part 3

I made another Christmas cake this year to make tiny ones for presents for the other members of the Senior Leadership team at school, and packaged them in cellophane bags. They went down well!

Last day of term today; we finished with a lovely Service in St George's cathedral and a celebratory lunch at the Slug and Lettuce by the London Eye.

Edible Christmas Gifts: part 2

Here is the Summer fruits vodka. This one is for Teresa, and I also made a bottle for Julie, to say thanks for all their typing, phone calls to parents etc. Enough for a small bottle for us, too - it's very fruity, and not too strong, a bit like sloe gin. Very simple and quick to make with frozen summer fruit, equal amount of sugar, and half a bottle of vodka. Heat the fruit gently till defrosted and the juices run, add the sugar and mash till dissolved. Strain and add the vodka, shake up and decant into bottles. From The Scrimpers Guide to Christmas on Channel 4. (Mrs Thrifty's stained glass Christmas biscuits featured too!)

Edible Christmas Gifts: part 1

Time has flown by in a whirl of concerts, carol services, special assemblies, pantomime Peter Pan and rushing to finish units of work, and still 2 days to go! Plus writing cards to beat the last posting deadline. I spent the weekend catching up with myself, and making some Christmas gifts from the kitchen. This Cranberry and Juniper sauce is for Teresa - together with some summer fruits vodka which I shall decant and show you tomorrow. Saucer from a charity shop, jam spoon from an Ebay job lot of fancy spoons, recycled jar and label and hat from Morrisons.

Nice finds

Mummie and I went to Winchester for our usual December visit and I found these treasures: the little hearts in Age UK and the others in Oxfam.Found some other lovelies, but they'll have to remain secret for a while! The kilt-pin brooch I love, and will make something similar, and the tartan taffeta will become something pretty. I have been after a tartan kilt/skirt for a while - seems everyone else who trawls the charity shops is too; can't find anything! We went to the German market in Cathedral Close too - always so lovely and festive, and fun to watch the ice-skaters.