Mostly...

This week I have mostly been playing with these... And more to follow...

I have also done a bit of this...

And this... And more to follow...

And my Mom gave me this...

She bought the kits to make one each for my sister and me...

I'm thinking that making things runs in my family... And more to follow...

Snow...

Ok, so I'm a bit late, the snow's (nearly) all gone. But, snow got in the way of blogging - just the getting to and from work was.... interesting.


But, the snow last Wednesday, was quite beautiful, until it got all grubby and messed up...


It sat in perfect piles on top of everything, the pots in the garden looked like bizarre mushrooms.


By Friday it had nearly all gone, just a memory blanketed in mist and fog.


So, on Saturday, Phoebe and I decided to recreate the snowy wonderland. Phoebe baked the cup-cakes, then together we made seven minute frosting. We used half the quantities of that recipe, and had more than enough for 12 very generous toppings. In fact, we also spread it over some available biscuits. We then glammed them up even further with snowmen, snowballs and edible cake glitter. The icing itself is a bit like meringue, or marshmallow. It's not as sweet as other icings, so huge amounts on the top of the cakes was perfectly acceptable to us. Definitely an icing to be used again...

A Focus Journal

So, with a plan to focus in mind, a book is needed. No, not just a book - a journal, that sounds more like it. With the snowy weather going on around here, and no real desire to venture out to buy one, I made one. It's actually very similar to the ones that I made (but didn't photograph) as Christmas presents.

I've decided that I need to write lists to help me focus - so, this is my book for lists. I've started today with the following list (don't worry, I won't blog every list...)

• clean fridge - done, but I broke the bottom glass shelf, oops, nowhere to store the fruit juice and meat, but on the other hand, much easier to reach the veg and salad!
• eat properly (ok so far...)
• outside photos - done, but very monochrome, not pretty enough to show
• water orchids - done

I've also started a "to do this week" list, with a bit of crafting and a bit of organising on there so far. This is for the not quite so urgent things, and means I won't have to carry over too many things from day to day.

Whilst doing a teensy bit of blog hopping this morning, I came across this post. Obviously, I've printed it off. I think that if I can tick off most days in a week, the bigger picture will show that I am being focused, even if I do fall occasionally...

Focus...

So, I've decided on my word for the year...

focus

I need to focus. On organisation in our home. On decluttering. On not faffing around. On making lists. And reading them. And doing something off those lists. I need to focus on the things that I enjoy - and do them. I need to continue to focus on my family. And friends. I need to focus on my weight loss, a stone and a half in the last six months, and hopefully the same again in the next half year...

And I need to focus my camera - lol... And, I'm seriously thinking about laser eye treatment - so I would be able to focus on the world around me from the moment I wake each day...

Happy New Year...

So, here we are, 2010... How did that happen? Surely it's only five minutes since the Millennium?

So many things to think about for the new year... Will I have a word for the year a la Ali Edwards? Think so, just not quite sure of it yet, (maybe it should be commitment?), my gut feeling is organise, but spoke to my friend Lisa today, and hers is ahead - which I think is great, fits with my desire to be organised. I'll come back to this, soon...

Well, I completed my idea to document something from each day in December. Even if I didn't blog on the actual day. I really like the fact that I now have pictures and words down to describe MY December, and plan to print it off and make it into a mini-book.

I did learn something from my version of December Daily, and that is that I can't blog on a daily basis (back to commitment?). But, I do want to blog more regularly. I just need to organise myself, and commit to it... As well as, take more pictures, get them onto my computer and blog on a regular basis... Ooh, these words are definitely starting to stand out, aren't they?

Hmmn, been away, looking for a picture to add to this post, and ended up looking at a list of words, and accomplish jumped out at me. Could this be the word? It feels better than organise - which I do want to be - or perhaps, achieve? Or focus?

Like the little bird up there? I sewed him up last Sunday - to keep the fingers busy whilst watching films...

Christmas Eve

Wow, how Cristmassy has this weather felt? Snow... on the ground... on Christmas Eve...

Mark had to work, this morning, but the rest of us went to visit my aunt, who lives the other side of town. Everywhere looked so pretty on the way, with the snow. And it was also quite misty, making everything a bit eerie, but in a good way. And disguising some of the less savoury sights on a trip across this city... And then I remembered, I had my camera in my bag... So, on the way home, I snapped away, from the back seat of Dad's car.

The picture above is of The Old Grammar School, Kings Norton. It, and the nearby Saracen's Head, won the BBC's Restoration programme a few years back. Well, all of the restoration has been completed, and two old buildings have been saved and put to really good use as community buildings - I know this, as I go to my slimming group in the Saracen's Head, or St Nicolas' Place, as it has now been re-named. I used to go to Brownies in the Old Grammar School, many years ago, and got married in the church that lies between the two buildings, also many years ago...

I'm quite chuffed with the pictures I took...

This is a church hall, near the city centre. I had to take a picture, as it is just so incongruous. It almost looks New England-y, but there it is, in the middle of Birmingham...

We got home, closely followed by Mark, had some lunch, then set off to see what time the crib service was to be. Picking up an extra table from Mom and Dad's, to take to Helen's - we're all off to her's tomorrow...

So, we got to the church, to find we had missed the crib service - by two days! Oh, well, better luck next year... We never made it last year, either...

Off to Helen's we went, to help get ready for the big day... The veg was peeled, the dining table was laid, but the table we had taken round didn't fit where it needed to go. So, Mark and Simon decided to bring in the table from outside. But, before they brought it in, they decided to clean the glass top, with warm (they say tepid) water, when the temperature was around zero. All I will say on the matter is - don't try to put your drink down on the outside table...

After a little drinky, home we came, to make sure all was tidy for Father Christmas. Christmas pyjamas were put on - Father Christmas had thoughtfully left us a pair each, this morning. Then a mince pie, carrots and a glass of milk were left for our night time visitors.... And then it was time for bed...

Stockings finished...

Hmmn, no work today, but today's the day for a minor melt down. Well, it had to happen, didn't it? It's all so very nearly ready - but, not quite. So, I had to lock myself in the bedroom to finish the wrapping and sorting. It's felt a bit single handed this year, but, it's all done now.

Dad brought the ham round, so that's been cooked, very yummy, as usual.

Then, down to the sewing - stockings don't stitch themselves, you know. Even Mark entered into the spirit, and stitched his own stocking. We all put our names on them, so Father Christmas will know who they belong to. Luu's is very intricate, with beads individually stitched on; Mark's is very simple, just his name; Phoebe's is more colourful than the rest, with bright beads added; and mine is fairly simple, just a heart as embellishment.

I wonder what will be left in them TOMORROW NIGHT, excitement is mounting around here...