CASTING OFF FROM SKY SCARF 2012 AND STEPPING ONBOARD 2013!

No doubt you've all heard of storm chasers!

Well, today we were out for our first walk of 2013 and I was chasing clouds!

Not a single one could be found.

How brilliant is that!

The start of the new year also means an end to my sky scarf.  I cast off the stitches and sewed in straggly ends when we got back from our walk. 

Back at the end of March 2012 we enjoyed some Spring sunshine In Villefranche sur Mer, in the South of France!

 In September 2012 we were back in France yet again, this time the sun caught our eye in Archacon.

Then as the December days closed in, the skies became dark and clouds top heavy with rain, we celebrated Kate and Peter's wedding. 

I really hope that 2013 sees me being more creative, I think I need a new challenge, not another sky scarf though!

Fngers crossed the rain will ease and the sun will shine on 2013.

Happy New Year to you all! 

WEDDING CELEBRATIONS

It took exactly one year of preperation but finally our daughter Kate married Peter on Saturday having got engaged on 22nd December 2011 whilst skiing.

On Friday her beautiful dress hung ready to be worn.

These lovely ladies were very much appreciated by the four flower girls.

Kate and Peter looked radiant.

The table decorations were just amazing,

  

and I got to bring one home!

Merry Christmas to everyone who has dropped by and read my blog this past year.

Happy New Year to you all!

A WEEKEND IN THE LIFE OF SUPERGRAN

As the weekend slowly comes to an end, here it has been hectic, full of surprises and great excitement.

The little bridesmaid dolls are finished,  all dressed in their finery and ready to go to the wedding. 

I am so pleased with them and will definitely post another photo on my blog after the wedding. I don't want to spoil the surprise!

Charlotte and Jessica came for a sleepover on Friday night so it was an ideal time for them to decorate their Christmas cake. I really did leave them and the tree cutter to their own creative devices. This is what they came up with, which though I may be biased as I'm their Granny, I think deserves top marks. 

Top marks also for Grandad, I must add, who cleaned up the entire kitchen afterwards while I put both children in the bath to wash off excess icing sugar and green icing.

Saturday after finishing the last of the Christmas shopping Michael and I decorated the tree. I have tried not to buy any new decorations this year in fact, I disposed of quite a few that have been lingering in the loft for a few years. However I did succumb to making one purchase, a new fairy. She looks very elegant and my daughter in law noticed her as soon as she came in today, I was very impressed!

Much excitement today, Charlotte and Jessica were told that they're off to Eurodisney first thing tomorrow for a few days. (They will be back in plenty of time for the wedding!) 

While Grandad is driving them all to a hotel in London for the night, I'm here supposedly finishing off the Christmas present wrapping. 

Just one job to do before they go, print photos of rainbow bear and rosie bear for their passports.

They're off to Eurodisney too!

WEDDING COUNTDOWN!

Yesterday at 2pm while 11 of us were sitting down to afternoon tea at Baumanns restaurant in Coggeshall we were reminded that in exactly 2 weeks time Kate will be getting married. 

That therefore means in just over 2 weeks time it will also be Christmas.

I am currently running 2 lists, one headed "wedding to do's" and the other, no doubt you've guessed, "what to do, what to buy, what to cook" for Christmas!

The afternoon tea was excellent and it was really nice to sit and relax and chat for a few hours.

The wedding now is getting so close and it is a very exciting time.

There was another kind of excitement earlier in the week when on Wednesday morning we received our first snowfall of this winter.  Now I'm sure the weather forecast on BBC's Countryfile predicted this for Wednesday (unless I dreamt it!) but obviously Essex County Council didn't watch the program as they announced that it had come as a surprise. So, consequently there were no gritters out the night before and no grit meant traffic at a standstill for most of the morning.
By lunchtime all excitement had diminished as the snow had melted and people could get back to the normality of their day.

On Friday, Diane came over and we made the bows for the hair and shoes and she sewed the mouths for the bridesmaid dolls. I'm really pleased with these and once the dresses are on I think they'll look brilliant.

Also, my knitted blanket is finally finished. It was a long task but I'm over the moon with the result.

SKY SCARF NOVEMBER UPDATE

This is a very quick update on my sky scarf!

Firstly, it's extremely long!!!

Secondly, fairly grey!

It now also  has a little friend. This much smaller scarf was knitted up using Colinette yarn,  made in a couple of evenings -  light wedding therapy relief.

I wouldn't say that, with just over 2 weeks to go, Kate and I are stressed  BUT I just wish that whoever dished out the hours for each day had looked on us more favourably. I could certainly do with a few extra.

SEW, STILL A WAY TO GO!

For a woman that states that she cannot sew, I do believe I've had a crash course this weekend.

Firstly I must say a very big thank you to my friend Diane who spent a considerable time on Friday helping me with the hair and eyes for the 4 bridesmaid dolls that I've knitted. Though they're not quite finished this one here is Grace, hair made by me but sewn by Diane. She's now ready to go to the dressmaker tomorrow for a dress fitting.

(The dressmaker who is making the bridesmaid dresses is also making identical little dresses for the dolls) 

My mum very kindly has given me her folding cutting out board which has been really helpful.
Yesterday I was able to lay out my blanket on the dining room table and spent the afternoon sewing yet again.
Today I have 6 squares of the last panel to sew in and thankfully today the sun is shining through the windows, that will be a great help.

The sun today will also bring a welcome change in my sky scarf, it's been looking very grey recently!

JUST ONE MORE SQUARE!

Oh, so slowly but finally my blanket is getting near to completion. I have the last square on my knitting needles and today I managed to sew the fourth panel in place.

I do realise that once it's all sewn together I will have quite a task ahead when I attempt knitting the border. I have 2 sets of circular needles ready and waiting.

Life in my house is is now virtually 100% in wedding mode, just over a month to go now until the event.  I do believe that my ideal of all christmas shopping, purchased and wrapped by Nov 30th will actually fail to happen. However, I am still  hopeful that christmas cards will be written by the end of this coming week. Kate is wrapping all her presents tonight and guess where they're going to reside until christmas day. In the next couple of days my spare room will look like a bridal shop and a christmas shop all rolled into one.

Deep breathes, keep calm and just keep my needles clicking on with my last square!