Update.

I have been busy getting ready for Christmas like everyone else.  Now it is Boxing Day, I have got time to update my blog and let you know what I have been up to.  I have done lots of cooking:- 

 Mince pies with frangipagne topping ala Gina.

 Cupcakes in various flavours to put into boxes to give as presents.  These were vanilla flavour with fondant topping.

Chocolate cupcakes with Dooleys and whiskey.

Vanilla cupcakes with vanilla butter icing. (below)

A birthday cake for my friend who loves marzipan, so I used a Simnell cake recipe.

A knitted shrug for a friends Christmas present.

A Christmas ring for my lounge.

Then I made one for my daughter.

I offered to help my daughter make the hamper for the local playgroups Christmas fair.  I did not want to decorate the  cardboardbox with wrapping paper, so sprayed it before embellishing it.  Great fun, the house was smothered in glitter.

I had intended making Christmas cards for some of my friends but just ran out of time.  I did make this one inspired by a tree decoration I saw on a blog, sorry, I don't know where I saw it. 

I had to make a card for each of my grandsons.  Kezzy think they look like alien snowmen.

And last but not least, I finished the quilt for my friend to keep her warm, in time to give it to her before Christmas, just!!!I am knitting again, another shrug but I can't say who it's for just yet!

Happy Christmas everybody!!!!!

It's been very quiet here

......................the reason being is that I have been busy working on this quilt for my friend.  I have only one and a half squares left to bead and then I will be able to deliver it to it's new home.  It has taken longer than I had hoped as I had a problem getting the right bugle beads and the few square's that I had beaded when I made this quilt years ago had tarnished badly, so had to re-bead them.  Well worth it , couldn't stand the look of the distressed beads against the very shiny new beads.  Photo of the finished quilt very soon.

Final one of the year!

By the time I got home from work and shopping yesterday, it was too dark to take  photo of my journal pages.  I would have had to use artificial light, which creates too much glare on the glitter.

December, started off being coloured with distress inks and then a colour spray on top.  I wasn't happy with it, so I just covered over with an acrylic gold paint, letting the green show through.  Painted the letters in red then glued and added crushed velvet flock.  Stockings cut out on my Big Shot.  Christmas tree, stamped and coloured before adding loadsa bling!!
Go to Kate's blog, to see more journals.

I went to help at my Grandsons 4th birthday party this afternoon.  It was a paint a plate party at
 Paint & Play.  What I didn't know, was that they also sold beads.  I just couldn't resist these ones!  the large one in the bottom right corner was only £1.20, Kezzy has her eye on that one, especially as it has a 'k' on it!  I shall be going back for another shopping trip soon, as they are so reasonably priced.

Jae Maries.

We have 75 members now at our Branch and I think they must have all turned up tonight to hear Jae Maries, the room was buzzing!!

 Jae showed us samples of her work and then a slide show of work by many varied artists showing how stitch had been used in their work.  Jae will be back in Chelmsford on Saturday, as she is doing a workshop for our Branch.  Unfortunately, I couldn't get a place and was on the reserve list.   Tonight a place  became available but I have now made other arrangements to go out for the day  :0(  I shall have to see what everyone has created at our next meeting.

First of all, there was sock monkey, now, glove dog.  My' Blue Peter one I made earlier' for the January meeting of YE.  It cost 50p for the pair of gloves, thank you Primark, and everything else, I already had in my playroom.

Chelmsford Embroiderers Guild

Just to let anyone know who is within travelling distance of Chelmsford, our speaker tomorrow night is Jae Maries.  We meet at Christchurch, New London Road.  7.30 for 8

Magazines.

 I went to Craft Arena today to collect Sew Somerset and Art Quilting Studio that Denise had put aside for me and saw the new Pages magazine.  It's all about journalling and bookmaking, just flicking through it, had to say it looked very inspiring, hence leaving the shop, clutching it in my hands.

In half term I went to Sugar and Spice with Diane and got talking to Marion about the new magazine that was coming out in November  Scrap 365.  I asked her to reserve 2 copies ( Diane and of course, mine)  Lucky I did, they sold out of this magazine in half an hour!!! 
Just need to find time to sit and read!!

 A very foggy drive up to Cambridge yesterday for my FET meeting.  Lovely to see all the girls and catch up on news, as I have missed the last couple of meetings.  Morning started off with everyone showing what they are planning/working on.  This was followed by Pauline showing us how to create an interesting background and embellishment.

Then as it was the last meeting this side of Christmas, we had our party.  Everyone bought a plate of food to share, mmmmmmm!!!!!
A sunny drive home listening to my music.