2018

All the very best to all of you for 2018..... I do love blogland and hearing from people, and of course reading other blogs .... It's a lovely social place and I have made some wonderful friends, some of whom I have met in real life..... thank you to you all... you have enriched my life.  I'm always rather sad when someone stops blogging... it's like a friend has left town.... such is the circle of life...

Last year these are the decorations I posted out....

The fabric is from a lovely Christmas French General range ..... which I placed on Heat and Bond and carefully cut out and placed on red wool.  Sewed around the golden edge with blanket stitch (machine).  Then another layer of Heat and Bond to more wool and finally a red overstitch (catching a hanging tag) and cut around with pinking sheers.  Michelle gave me the idea (thanks my friend) and I did love how they looked....

These purses (designed my Natalie Bird) were made for a couple of friends....  needleturn applique on wool.... they are a lovely size to take with stitching, or going to town and putting in glasses, phone, cash card etc....

I think I need to make one for myself.... I rather love them ... and I managed the zips sortof ok..... hmmm

My very favourite dish done at Christmas is Sherry Trifle.... I don't always do it as someone eats an awful lot (no names mentioned) but I did this year and it went down well....

I make it the way my mum did... very easy peasy yummy scrummy..... it's good for any time of year, not sure why I only do it at Christmas.... 

Supplies are.... finger biscuits (not sure of their proper name), peach slices, best thick custard you can (my mum used to make a wonderful egg custard but mine ALWAYS turns scrambled), best sherry/port you can (if you don't like alcohol you can use the syrup from the canned peaches), some jam (apricot or raspberry are my favourite) - and some whipped cream for later...

Spread a little jam on the biscuits and layer them ....  

pour liberal amount of sherry to soak up (I like to taste test the sherry to make sure it's ok)

then add a layer of sliced peaches..... 

... and a good layer of custard (which will ooze down the sides of the biscuits 

Next layer of jammed and soaked biscuits (at this stage I soak the biscuits in a different container and move them over or it all dribbles down)

... another generous layer of peach.... 

... and more custard.... (I am very generous with the custard) 

cover with cling wrap and leave overnight ..... 

Just before serving layer with whipped cream and whatever - some years I use cherries, silver icing balls, this year I used toasted almond slivers....

Devour ....

I have rather neglected my Dutch Treat blocks lately but I did finish this one this week....

... and I got into the sewing room yesterday to have a play with my scrappy beach houses....

They are not well made, I rushed them and many roofs have their points off.... but they still look pretty...

I want a long thin wall hanging ... this is the start ... with some scrappy sky 

I will do another 6 rows to get it to the size I want.....

Meanwhile, I have started sorting my UFO's and kits to get some sort of list up for 2018 ... my one regular thing I do each year....  the list is long.... hmmmmm

Righto, Gotto Go... beach huts and UFO's are calling....