Steady on

No, you're not seeing double, two posts in 24hours!! I probably should have posted this yesterday, it being the first day of advent, but anyway I was very excited to have finally MADE an advent calendar. I have wanted to make one for many many years and finally I have. A few weeks ago I asked my friends on the SC forum for inspiration as they are such a talented bunch and always willing to share their ideas. Inspire me they did with lots of lovely possibilities and having gone public with my long time intention I thought I'd better get on and actually DO IT!!







Technically it isn't really finished(ran out of time!! as I think it needs some more embellishing, but I'm thinking I can add to it a little bit each year. I sent it to my youngest daughter, who even at 23, still longs for a calendar every year. She received it yesterday in the post and was thrilled at my efforts. I have put a series of notes for her in the pockets and I guess there are lots of possibibilities for future years.
Thanks shabby chiccers for giving me the oomph to do it at last!!

Put me on the naughty step and a lovely surprise

Failure to post on a regular basis is clearly a misdemeanour that deserves at the very least a spell on the naughty step! Well I have been on the step but tried to make myself useful at the same time.I've been varnishing the stair edges ( I'm sure they have a technical name but no idea what it is)

There is unfortunately much painting still to be done in this household and it's not a job I relish as I'm sure no-one actually notices what door frames and skirting look like, and who on earth gets down on their hands and knees to examine the stair thingys?! Now a spell with my sewing machine or baking a few cakes and biscuits, that's more in my line. I know I have to do it though, so must try to stay focussed and plod on with the boring task. Today though I was stopped by the ringing doorbell.Happily abandoning my paintbrush, I rushed down the stairs to find that the postman had brought me a parcel! I love parcels as they always contain something nice. Letters, well, they are usually bills or forms that need filling in, but parcels, well that's an entirely different matter.
It was a very well wrapped parcel with an outer covering, then corrugated cardboard and then bubblewrap. Excitement caused me to dismantle these coverings with gay abandon whereupon these were revealed





How sweet are they! I love them and I can honestly say I've never had 'proper'cake tins ever before. Mine consists of a motley collection of plastic boxes,and recycled margarine containers, not something you'd ever want on display. I could almost feel my kitchen smile at the thought of these smart additions. They were a very generous give-away from Claire at dollydollop.blogspot.com and I was the lucky winner.

Inside one of the tins Claire had added a small gift beautifully wrapped in tissue and tied with a velvet ribbon. I unwrapped this with a little more decorum and found this




A beautiful hand made brooch which I am thrilled with. I had seen one she had made in a swap she recently did for the SC forum and commented on how lovely it was. Now I too have one and I am delighted. Mr Secondwind was most intrigued with it's construction and finally announced that it was indeed a creative piece. So thank you Claire so much for my lovely goodies.
Now I must decide which recipes will be the first to have a stay in Mr Large and Mrs Small dot tins....... gingerbread men perhaps, Claire? Any other suggestions most welcome and I'll let Mr Secondwind choose.......