Warm Winter Wishes

Well as it is New Years Eve Eve I thought I would post a little early to wish you all ......

I hope that it really is that too! So many people had some really hard times in 2009 and it was interesting listening to the possible reasons ; astrological, planetary, political - whatever it may have been I hope the following year will be a little kinder and a little calmer!

I know that I have posted the thoughts below previously but I have found them so inspiring and so true that I thought they were very appropriate for the start of a new year.

I hope that the new year brings with it renewed hope and optimism for the future, love, laughter and happiness to you and I send you Warmest Wishes for a Wonderful Year ahead!

 

Warmest Winter Wishes,

Cally x x x

Merry Christmas To All and To All a Goodnight.......

Well, Christmas week is finally here and the winter weather has come too....I hope that none of you have been stranded!

We have done well with our pledge and our festivities this year have been done without the help of the high street (but with the exception of one supermarket shop which I think is allowed?!?)

I have made marmalade.....

 .....made decorations.....

baked, cooked, sewn, thrifted and recycled and had a HUGE amount of FUN doing it - and all on a shoestring!  Though I must admit the thing I have needed above all else is time and for having that this year I am truly grateful.

And now all the gifts are made and wrapped,  it is time to open our hearts and our home to loved ones.....

.....The Angel Window that greets them...

.....The Festive Dresser.....

.....Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree.....

.....The Festive Dresser's little sister....

  Warmest Winter Wishes to you all and to all a goodnight!

Cally x x x

Far from the Madding Crowds.....

Hello, well we have been having terrible phone and internet problems so I am late this week with my post!  Anyway, while we have a connection I better be quick....

We did Topsham Market on Saturday and afterwards were going to a little craft venue that has offered to sell some of my goodies in the New Year.  Getting out of Topsham was' interesting 'and we did call in to Dart's Farm on the way out - but left promptly due to the sheer number of shoppers and screaming children!  We were told that there was a little cafe just across the courtyard from the venue we were looking for, so decided on a cup of tea first !  And after all the hustle and bustle of Exeter, this is the view that met us!!

The birds were captivating - blue tits, coal tits, chaffinches, nuthatches, woodpeckers - all there happily flitting from one feeder to the other....

And the surroundings...well, were we happy to be there too!  Anyway once home onto festive preparations - and with Holly and Ivy waiting  in the car, time to get busy: so I made a wreath for the front door.....

This week's projects are salt dough decorations for my sister's children to decorate  their tree (once they break up next week) and a gingerbread house for me....

Keep you posted how I get on !

Warm Winter Wishes for a wonderful week

Cally x x x

What a lovely way to start a day....

Well today started off by a tabby cat insisting that any form of a lie-in was a luxury that I had not earned, so after various ruses to get me up her final act was to push the book I am reading off the bedside table - which worked since it is a library book and I was worried she may chew a corner or worse! So with the kettle on and the kitty cats munching I looked out of the kitchen window to see a parcel poking out of the mail box by the gate - ooh, how exciting.....

And guess what, it was from my Secret Santa, even more exciting!! So with a cup of tea by my side I opened it.....

How lovely,a gingham stocking!!! I would have been happy with just that, but it was full of beautifully wrapped little presents.....

The contents were wonderful and so thoughtful: the most scrumptious-smelling shower gel and body lotion - rose being one of my favourite scents, a little votive candle, a rose face mask, a beautiful handmade brooch and lastly the most scrummy looking bag of homemade cookies.....

So it would have been rude not to try one this afternoon, wouldn't it? Or two or three.......

Can I just say to whoever sent it that it was wonderful to receive something so thoughtfully put together, I am touched and very grateful !!

And while on the subject of gifts here is a photo of my gift from the lovely Connie - who I did a stocking swap with - apologies for my lateness posting this (what with Birthdays and markets.....)

She made a number of the items herself so once again THANK YOU, THANK YOU !!

I feel very privileged to be part of such a wonderful  blogging community, to chat to so many funny, warm, generous spirited not to mention talented people is one of the many pleasures in my life - so thank you all for taking time - time to read my posts, time to comment (and also time to make cookies, Secret Santa - they were DELICIOUS.....)

So today,I had a lovely, lovely start to my day.....

Warm Winter Wishes for a Wonderful Weekend

Cally x x x

Let there be light - and there was!

Well, these were the goodies that I was preparing for the Christmas Stall on Saturday.  It went very well and people seemed very pleased to see traditional things, sadly in all the excitement I forgot my camera!  So there is only this before shot.....

 We went quite Scandinavian  as you can see.....

As our sitting room is also Scandinavian,  here's a wreath that I made for our window which faces onto the garden and a stream - there's no light at all so I thought it would be nice to light it up a little.....

 

 And by evening light.....

And of course now we can open our Advent Calendars.....

These two are by Sally Swannell, whose work I absolutely love!

 P.S:I bought these last year and saved them as I loved them so much,so I am STILL sticking to my pledge - nothing from the high street....

Warm Wishes for a Wonderful Week

Cally x x x

Thanksgiving and Birthday Loveliness....

Well we managed to get the market done yesterday before the heavens opened!!  More about that tomorrow.  Thank you to the lovely Sal from Sal's Snippets who came and photographed - so good to see you Sal, and so pleased that you are back on your feet - take care of yourself though...

But a quick blog today that ties in with Thanksgiving too - today is my birthday!

I just wanted to say THANK YOU to the special people in my life who have sent me good wishes, made me gifts - food and cake included!!  The thrift theme is catching on here  and I have received lovely, thoughtful, second-hand, crafty and homemade things.

It makes you realise that though life may be testing at times, to know that people hold you in their hearts is a gift above all others.So I count my blessings for each and every one of you !!

 

Above is something I shall continue to strive to do.....

Warm Wishes for a Wonderful Week

Cally x x x

Garlands of fun....

Just a very quick post today as I will be showing you later in the week all the festive goodies that are off to market with me on Saturday.....

This is a garland that I have been making for the mantlepiece...

some close ups.......

it is made of some beautiful french red roses that are so realistic, eucalyptus, red berries, cones and cinnamon sticks.....

And here it is in place.......

Now lots and lots to do for the market!

 Warm Wishes for a Wonderful Week

Cally x x x

Secrets,Stockings and Santa....

If it's too early for Christmas for you then don't read on!!

 This is my lovely little patchwork bear called Adventina sitting on a shelf with her friends.They have been very excited this week as there has been lots of festive preparations going on.

I am doing a secret santa and a stocking swap so I have been busy reading the blogs of the ladies that I am paired with and picking out some little things that I think they may like, I have selected the goodies now and have photographed their parcels but obviously we can't see them before they do!!

But it has really got me in the festive mood and as I am having a Christmas coffee morning soon I thought that I should set about preparing for it!

As the cake and mincemeat are all sitting in the pantry ready I thought I should turn my attention to the surroundings and get things looking festive...

 

 A Cosy Corner....

 

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree....

 

Warm as Toast...

 

  All Done...

Now onto making sure that the Christmas Cupboard is ready too....

Warm Wishes for a Wonderful Week,

Cally x x x

Angels Gather Here.......

I was asked to make a wreath this week for a good friend of mine so I thought that I would show it to you...

 

 I took one of these....

 

  

 

Added some of these...

 

 

Like This......

 

Voila! I Hope that she likes it!

Good luck and happy selling/buying to everyone off to the Vintage and Handmade Fair

and

Warm Wishes for a Wonderful Week!

Cally xxx

Warm Winter Wishes.....

Well now that winter will soon be upon us my offerings for Topsham market this week have taken on a different feel.....

 

 

  Cinnamon Candles......

 

 Cranberry and Rosehip Pot Pourri mix.....

 

 

 Baked Apple Pot Pourri mix.....

 

 

 And supper for afterwards!!

Plum, apple, raisin and cinnamon crumble - yummy.....

Warm Winter Wishes for a Wonderful Week

Cally xxx

P.S: Thank you for your Halloween emails - I really enjoyed reading them.

Happy Halloween.....

Halloween means different things to different people – here however are a few of my thoughts about Halloween…..

This festival is the beginning of the Celtic New Year and allows you to come to terms with your past year and leave all mistakes and regrets behind you, in order to move on; it is a time to plant the seeds of new projects, to end old projects and to generally take stock of one's life.

Halloween is considered a time to eliminate weaknesses - this has evolved into the custom of writing your own weaknesses onto a piece of paper then burning it. 

It is believed that witches used the magic of this time to say good-bye to a bad habit, an old relationship, or anything else negative in life.

 

Halloween is the night to leave it all behind, hence “Happy Halloween”!

 Below are some of our Halloween photos:-

 

 That'll be me, then..... 

  

 .....and EVERY witch needs a black cat.....  

 

  .....scary pumpkins.....

 

 .....of all kinds!

 

 Halloween Tree.....

 

 .....Trick or Treat kitty.....

 

 .....Haunted House.....

  .....Happy Haunting wreath.....

 

.....and a poem I wrote!

Here are some more vintage Halloween images we love:-

All Hallow's Eve (Hallowe'en) is when witches celebrate the renewal of life.....

 

.....pumpkins are carved to ward away evil spirits.....

 

 .....a time of celebration!

If any of you have any interesting Halloween facts you'd like to share, I'd love to hear from you!

Until then - HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Warm Wishes for a Wonderful Witchy Week

Cally xxx