XMAS 2022

28 December 2022

A yuletide post! The weather is pretty wet and grim outside right now, although we can't complain when the US and Canada is under a ton of snow. A little bit of snow would be nice though!

We have had a delightful xmas. Baking and eating basically. I have been run off my feet this month so now I'm being extremely lazy, and maybe I have eaten too much.

The dog loves to sleep in the kitchen when we are cooking or eating, as little bits come accidentally raining down and happen across her wide open mouth. Just by accident of course (look at that face!). She is particularly fond of vegetable scraps and tiny bits of cheese.

I love P's biscuits especially that fox.

We just had four of us + dog for xmas dinner (we have a big family dinner beforehand) which is perfect.

I'm still recovering from all the pastry I have consumed.

Very happy with my poached pears with caramel sauce I made, tasted really good!

Otter was very happy with her new toys too, although I may have to remove the squeakers as they are driving me nuts!

I hope you've all had a great xmas and are ready for 2023 with full bellies and a cupboard full of booze ; )

It will be just me and the hound as the kids will be away, which is sort of good in a way as I am planning to gut their room to fit in their new toys.

After that I'll be back at the jewellery bench with some new designs I'm excited about. I have been sourcing some new stones which I had planned to add before xmas but in the end I was too busy. I'll be doing some wax carving too for a new collection.

I will post some pictures here when they are ready!

Best wishes to you all for a wonderful, healthy and prosperous 2023 xxx

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A Xmas tale

21 December 2022

I'm trying my very best this year to make xmas the best ever. We've had a very scary time recently with my son being very ill for a long time and finally being treated in hospital for five days. It was awful just trying to get medical help, it was a terrifying battle that will stay with me forever. He is thankfully doing well at home now but has been off school for about a month. He is getting stronger every day, the best xmas present ever! We don't know exactly what he had but it may have been scarlet fever or Kawasaki disease (or both) he was tested and treated too late to confirm.

The day after we came home from the hospital, I got a xmas tree! and decorated the flat a little. It was a glorious day. I am so thankful for the nurses who looked after my son (and me!).

It was lovely and frosty too, and we watched films and ate chocolate a lot.

I have no idea how I managed to keep up with xmas jewellery orders during his illness. I was like a machine, sleeping at the hospital, then racing home to make orders and post them whilst his dad was there, and then racing back again. I managed to only have to do this for a couple of days per week by working in large batches...I didn't sleep, wash or eat except for at the hospital. It must have been all the adrenaline! I'm so grateful for all my customer's orders, thank you!

It was great to have our pup Otter back too as she was being looked after by my brother and his family whilst we were away. She loved the frosty grass, she really loved eating it too! She has just turned five months old and has a huge new set of adult teeth that are too big for her mouth, but she is becoming more sensitive and affectionate lately. We all love her to bits! (even though she is extremely naughty).

We have a traditional tree in the kids room that they decorated, it's just like last year.

In our living room we bought a little sapling cypress tree, I like that it doesn't obscure our view of the downs!

Luckily I did all my xmas shopping on my phone during the nights at the hospital, so nearly everything was waiting on our doorstep on our return! They are all wrapped up now, a satisfying mountain of presents that dwarfs our weedy tree.

We have already had a lovely xmas dinner at my mum's with all the family...this takes place a week before xmas for everyones convenience. So now I just have to don my Santa costume and fill up those stockings, make some mince pies and sit back and relax! Omg, I.am.so.tired,