Welcome 2009!

BEST WISHES TO ALL WHO HAVE VISITED MY BLOG THIS YEAR. DEV X

Frosty Winds Made Moan

It has been freezing here for the past few days, so much so that it has made going out very hard indeed. However, it had to be done and today was as good as any. The early morning horizon was shrouded in dense white foggy clouds, the sky tinged with pearly pink. The ground hard and unyealding, but glittering in the first rays of sun to peep over the hill, each droplet of moisture a fiery crystal, blazing with a rainbow of colours. Breathtaking, and sadly beyond my capabilities to photograph. Maybe that's what makes it truly magical, because you can only see it through your own eyes.

The landscape is sleeping...dormant...faded.

But if you look closely, there are plants clinging to life and plants bursting into new life. The wheel turns....eternal..life giving.

I didn't venture far or stay out long, but it was good to behold the joys of nature and feel a luke warm sun on my back.
Dev X

Yo, Ho, Ho!!

Merry Christmas everyone. We have had a wonderful day full of laughter, sharing, family and a few sherry's it must be said! It was also the time to come clean to my daughter about Santa......groan!

You all know what I mean and I bet, like me, you can all remember when you realised that it wasn't some jolly, fat, red dressed person who loves a coca cola or three! For me, it was my Pa coming into my room to hang my stocking up at the end of the bed. I can still remember the shock to this day. I won't go into the why's and how's, it's enough to say that there is never a right time to tell a child the reality of the situation, but it had to be done, and so despite being a bit upset at first, she is now okay with it and has been reassured that she can still write a list next year.

It is all part of her growing up and she has been wavering a little this time around, asking awkward questions, seeking reassurance that has been hard to give without feeling somehow that we are misleading her. Has anyone else had a problem this year? What did you do?

Anyways, she has gone to bed a happy, contented and very tired little person and that is where I am headed to right now. Dev X

Sing Hosanna!!

I was recently asked to name my favourite Christmas Carol and I chose Silent Night. It is such a beautiful piece and sums up what Christmas is all about for me. A few days later, I went to Isabel's School Bazaar and found this lovely little book.

It is a really nice little book and the illustrations are so pretty don't you think?

I would love to hear from you all what your favourite carols are, so drop me a comment and let's compare notes!

The holidays really started in earnest today. Work and school finished yesterday until the New Year..yippee! I have been so lucky in my working life over the years in that I have always been able to have time off. Today we had a lovely meal with friends at lunchtime and then back to theirs to watch a dvd and open a few early pressies. Well at least the children did, mine being 9 and hers being nearly 40!

Friends are coming to exchange gifts tomorrow. There is now the beginnings of a pile of brightly coloured, sparkly papered presents under the tree. Each one a jewel to be shaken, sniffed and then reluctantly placed underneath the green branches, for the most part still a mystery, but for the odd one, a suspicion forming as to its contents. All part of the fun I think.



The weekend will be spent with my family. I am spoilt rotten by my Mother who insists that I just chill out and recharge my batteries. I have new wool to knit with and a pile of gorgeous magazines to drool over. For me it is the calm before the storm, for Isabel it is a chance to see her Nanny and open some more presents!


I will return to the madness just before the big day and then the countdown starts. We have a wonderful crib service on Christmas Eve and I will hopefully be able to post seperately about that later. Our is a bit different in that the Nativity is built up by the children as the story is told. Isabel loves to take part in this ritual and over the years has placed Mary, a King, a camel and the baby Jesus into the tableau. Another memory in the making for her and an essential part of our celebrations. I say different, but maybe it is not, perhaps your congregation do this as well. It's just that I have never seen it done this way in any other church that I have attended.

I hope that all your plans are coming together and all your lists have a least got one or two things crossed off by now because.... and I don't want to panic anyone but......there are only 5 days until Christmas Eve, yes that is FIVE DAYS!

Bye for now. Dev x

Yo Ho Ho !!

The trees are up, the decorations are up and now I feel a bit more festive. I have done the last of my shopping and what I haven't got we will do without, save the fresh items that I buy at the last minute.

I say trees in the plural because I always put a small one up in the kitchen as well.

This little one is the perfect size to display some of the many angel and fairies that have collected over the years.

And what about this bevy of beauties?

I made this wall hanging last year and was really pleased with how it turned out considering that I hadn't had much practice with applique. I used a pattern from a friends book but changed the colours to suit those that I like, in particular red, gold and green. It's not perfect, it's a bit wibbly in places, but that's what I like about it! (well I have to say that don't I!)


This hanging was made by a dear friend many years ago now and I love it so much. I can cross stitch, but I would never have the patience to do something this intricate. (You can click on all the photos for a closer look).

The fireplace is the centre of our home giving us light, warmth and slow cooking our winter casseroles. It is our only source of heating and the smell of woodsmoke cannot be beaten.

As Christmas stockings go, this one is hard to beat. It was a serious extravagance the year before last and when I saw it I just had to have it. Do you know what I mean..it sort of spoke to me and I knew that I couldn't go home without it! I have never seen another one like it since.

I also made this last year. It is so simple to make and looks sounds so pretty. I hang it on the back door and everytime we open or close it, the little bells tinkle. I couldn't seem to get a decent picture, but you get the idea I think. I made up slightly smaller ones for the swaps that I took part in recently.

I also made up some angels and a fairy doll which I can show you now that my partners have received them.

I finished writing my Christmas cards this afternoon, there is a turkey in the freezer (sorry, yes I do buy frozen!!) and I am feeling slightly smug that the worst is over and the best is yet to come. I hope you enjoy a glimpse of what Christmas will be like at the Fairyglade this year.

Dev X

And so it begins!

Yes it really is that time of year again, and how quickly it has arrived. It has sort of crept up without me realising it! Now, I should really be in an absolute panic as the days tick by and I have nothing much prepared for the coming festivities. Half of my present list is still unaccounted for. I have absolutely no idea what to buy my sister-in-law and to be honest, I don't seem to care.

That is not to say that I haven't made any preparations at all. I have been busy crafting away on two swaps and I have also received some pretty special things from my dear friend Marja including this beautiful little person which she kindly created for my daughter. She has made her outfit from vintage silk material and she is wearing an old Barbie hat that suits her so well. Thank you Marja and Isabel loves it to bits.


I can only show you glimpses of what I have been up to as my swap partners will not have received their goodies yet. Here is just a little peep.

I also knitted this little number up over the weekend as it has turned so cold here recently. 100 grams of wool, a pair of size 7mm needles and 25 stitches. It was easy peasy and only took me a few hours to make.

The tree will be going up this weekend and then it will feel like the countdown to Christmas has really begun. Oh and by the way, if anyone has noticed the pink oilcloth in the above picture. Well let me tell you it was a bargain. Dunelm Mill for £6.99 a metre. The picture shows it a little on the pale side, but believe me it is really pretty and so like CK you wouldn't know the difference. As that costs around £18 a metre, then it doesn't take a genius to work it out! They do it in green, beige, pink and blue.

Twinkle, Twinkle....

I love the night sky in Winter just as the setting sun disappears below the horizon. A hush falls on the surrounding landscape a special quietness, no bird song. It is time to settle down for the night, heads tucked tightly under wings, noses tucked under tails. There is the occassional rustle from the undergrowth as the night creatures begin to stir. The owl begins to call, the bats begin their nocturnal hunt for the moths that throw themselves mercilessly against the outside lights now lit in gardens to ward off the enveloping night.

The horizon is now a watery yellow band below soft pale blue interspersed with the earliest of the stars that appear as if by magic, in the blink of an eye. Then the planet, Venus is visible in all her splendour, a twinkling crystal of light, hypnotic in her beauty. Higher up, a deep rich midnight blue and then the velvety purple blackness. The temperature drops, the fire becomes more inviting, going out becomes a chore.

As the evening deepens, the moon, inside her cage of branches bides her time. When the hour comes, she will break free and sail forth into the open sky to begin her solitary journey across the heavens, her silver light illuminating the world below, casting strange lifeless shadows surreal and colourless.

Such beauty! Rarely seen as we sit by the fire, curtains drawn, candles lit. It is all unoticed as we write our lists of things to do in time for Christmas, begin crafting for family and friends, but it is out there, just the other side of the curtains, a peep away!

Dev X

Mud, Mud, glorious MUD!!!!

I don't seem to have had anytime for blogging lately because, quite frankly, I am exhausted with the events of the past couple of weeks. Halloween was a case in point. The Thursday of that week we were at the school party, on Friday we went to the Rare Breeds Centre for their Spooky evening (check out their webpage and click on Halloween),which I have to say was fantastic and on the Saturday, we had 8 screaming witches for a party of our own. It absolutely poured down all day and most of the night...mud, pumpkins, mud, ghosts, mud, skeletons, mud....well you get the picture.

Then there was Bonfire Night. Isabel's school really pulled out the stops this year for a fabulous display of fireworks. Another wet night and lots more MUD! We in turn had our own fireworks party on Saturday night which my gallant man person had set up during the day hoping all would be well and you've guessed it...torrential rain all day and drizzle throughout the display. The sparks from the bonfire nearly set the neighbours on fire and more, MUD! I ask you where is all the rain coming from? I absolutely adore country living but I absolutely hate MUD!

Things have calmed down somewhat and I am now getting back to some serious crafting for Christmas. I have several works in progress but they are for 2 swaps that I am involved in and so must remain secret until the recipients have opened their packages and hopefully like what I have made for them.

The weather is now calmer but cold and crisp. As I drove home yesterday the moon was clearly visible through the branches of the trees that surround the house and this was 4.30 in the afternoon. My neighbour had a fire lit and the smell of the woodsmoke wafted over on the cold air. I love that smell.

As the night wore the moon appeared in a clear black velvety patch enabling me to take a picture.

Not a fantastic picture for such a beautiful object that shone down and illumnated the whole garden in it's soft, golden light.

And tonight, such a beautiful sunset, the sort we could have done with over the past couple of weeks!!

Dev X