TWINKLE TOWN

a lovely london day out with mum

gazing at twinkly lights
getting aquainted with uniqlo
eating christmas sandwiches with parsnip crisps
+
becoming smitten with everything in liberty
(these trimmings had to come home with me)

at the risk of sounding crazy i'm going to aim to post each day for a week...probably the busiest time of year + all but lots going on creatively + my mum did mention that it's been a bit quiet on my blog front lately...so see you here tomorrow for a mince pie + a new banner (well it is winter now so i'd better get with the season!) xxx

MORE TIME PLEASE?

i'm getting that festive feeling

also that slightly panicked feeling
...a feeling of a need to make many's a list!

at least our tree is up + decorated

...now can i blame bosco for lurking around when i bring an outdoors tree indoors...cover it with sparkles that dangle + sweet birds? pure temptation!

so now it's back to the to do's + some baking with this delight...yum

SILLY B

i nip upstairs to get something
...what do i find?

silly bosco in one of his funny sleeping positions!
love that spotty belly : )

MR SMART + MR BENNETT

i'm working full-time at the post office this week
+ it's starting to get busy
(yes...christmassy-busy...eeek!)

busy means queues + queues can mean a few people being a little on the grumpy side...but there's also nice things that happen + here's a few that made me smile today...

i see a lot of dark colours + a lot of fleece in the line but today i served an elderly gentleman in an outfit which sung out style. i'm not sure if his wonderful colour co-ordination was intentional...but it certainly made my day...his 3 piece wool suit was sage green...with a carmine shirt + a paisley patterned claret tie. special.

i had 2 letters to send off to santa c/o the north pole too...so sweet!

sticking a stamp on a beautifully scripted envelope + making sure to voice my appreciation which always takes the person by suprise but i genuinely admire the gift of lovely handwriting + it's quite rare to see nowadays.

oh + a mr gordon bennett came in to pay his phone bill : )

PARTY PEOPLE

a few seasonal projects...

decorating this mask for my cousin vicky
for her work's christmas-do

i have my party feet sorted for our family party where we 'll be doing a lot of dancing : ) i'm also shocked to report that i have made my frock already (this is so not me...i normally leave it 'til the night before!) it's aubergine velvet + doesn't really photograph well in the dark...so when i get some light i'll be proud to show it off...just need to make myself a dressing up cuff or maybe a little headpiece to glam it all up.

speaking of which...there's a few new sparkly things in my shop for the season.

hoping that all of your weeks are off to a good start. i'm full time at the post office this week but have lots of evening craftiness to look forward to...off now to make a start on a design for our christmas card!

HE' S A SUPER-SHOPPER

as promised i am back with some show + telling today...courtesy of my lovely dad (aka my shopping-mule!) who went on his last captain's trip to america before he moves on to pastures new + some loop the looping over here near us lot which means we get to see more of him : )

so without further ado here's my stash...

this goodies set from martha stewart...so's i can wrap up my baking this christmas + play at running a pattiserie with my boxes/twine/glassine! i'll be having fun too with other bits from the ms crafts line which we can't get over here like a nice bird punch + lovely ribbons.

then came fabric heavenlies from purl...
you won't be suprised to know that these were a pure joy to unwrap!

i've got a couple of projects in mind for these + now i know how easy it is to order online i'm sure i'll be back for a fix before too long as luckily they do post internationally!

i bought small pieces from a mix of designers including yuwa...heather bailey...joel dewberry + koka

the frosty weather here has meant that my uggs haven't left my feet since they came out of the box! i'm off now to do some weekend chilling by the fire with a pile of december magazines...bliss indeed.

p.s. i must send out a special thanks to cabin crew lady dawn who actually brought the huge box of ms craftiness on the next flight back to england when it hadn't arrived in time before my dad left the hotel...you're a sweetie! x

LONG TIME NO HEAR

hello. my name is kelly...i used to write a blog

that all seems a while ago now
...but today i return!

so a little catch up is in order :: here are a few things i've been up to over the past 2 weeks

spying an autumn rainbow

chopping kindling...oh the happiness such a basic job can bring!

enjoying my 1st gingerbread latte of the season
(no cream on top)

baking a marmalade cake...thinking of how long i can hold off on the mince pies (gigibird has got me in the mood!)


dipping my toe in the already crazily-busy shops to spy an outfit idea for 2 festive parties round the corner...this caught my eye in the latest blueprint...i couldn't carry off the orange but i love the style + the hair too (have you seen this gorgeous style by the way?)

thinking it's got to be handmade this year for my gifts...some made by me + so's i don't have to work every spare hour over the next few weeks i'll be perusing etsy + getting inspiration from the wonderful artists featured (2 each day) this week by shari over at the glass doorknob

burning clove + mandarin essential oils

hearing that a new kitten is coming to live with my parents : )

selling the new christmas stamps at work

wearing tights + new uggs which my star of a dad bought for me on his last trip to america...that man can do some mighty fine shopping! he also returned with other goodies (more of which to come later in the week)

hope november's been treating you all well. scary to think it'll be halfway through tomorrow

time for me to make some lists! xxx