Time flies when you are having fun!!

Just to let you know what I have been getting up to the last few weeks, here is a brief ??? post.

 I was very lucky to get two free tickets to the Stitching Sewing and Hobbycrafts Show at ExCell n November. Diane and I had a lovely time there, browsing all the stalls, but I was very restrained and came home with money in my purse for another day. Bonus!

 At school this term is hectic, reports to be written and Christmas play rehearsals to fit in .  was asked to help with some of the props, Juniors were doing Peter Pan for which they needed a button, thimble and a needle.  My friend made me a lovely needle and after finding a charger plate which with holes drilled in, resembled a button, I found out it had to be acorn shaped. I forgot to take a photo of that though.  couldn't have a needle without a reel of thread. The cable drum has been in the loft year's waiting for the right project. The thimble was made from a container I found in the Poundshop which was the right shape.

 I gave a talk to Chelmsford Embroiderers' Guild and here are all the boxes I took which contain just a small selection of my work. I was very nervous as it is only the 2nd time I have talked about my work.

 Work has been done on my latest doll. To make the jacket  had to order a pattern from USA. I could not believe how quickly it arrived. I have adapted the jacket to make it fit my doll, as the pattern is for a much bigger one. It is machined together and now I need to stay stitch it, hopefully in the next few days.

 One Saturday, my friend drove his wife and myself up to Gloucester to visit a friend for the day. On the way home we stopped at this marvellous service station,not a McDonald's in sight!

 Another Saturday I had to go to Hinkley for my husbands Christmas do.  We woke up to snow and the river almost completely frozen over. A horrible journey home, what would normally take on average 2 1/4 hours took nearly 5 hours!!

 The snow bought the long tailed tits back to the garden though.

 Last week, at the very last moment I got a chance to go on a school trip to the lantern festival at Chiswick House. Just a few photos, none of which do it justice. Unfortunately, because it was last minute I hadn't taken my camera to work and only had my phone which was not fully charged.

I have been without a car for over a week now, so I have had lots of time in the kitchen baking for Christmas. I have already had my 'Christmas Day' as my youngest daughter was hoping to be in Japan for Christmas, unfortunately her trip has been postponed for a few weeks, which has given her time to get a visa to work in Australia after Japan.