December... a little late!

Hello old friends and Happy New Year to you. I'm sorry I fell off the face of the earth again. I've had lots of difficult family stuff going on which is draining and I've been not just a bad blogger, but a bad blogging buddy, having failed to keep up with other peoples blogs.

Poor KATIE has had to cope all on her own with the terrible news that her true love, Joe Manganiello has gorn orf and married another woman. And I wasn't there to give a sympathetic virtual shoulder to cry on. Bad friend. Forgive me Katie. The man's a fool. What on earth does he see in her eh?

December is always a busy time. It's a scientific fact that time speeds up in December. I've had a MASSIVE clear out and sold lots of things on eBay which has been very time consuming.

I took a few pictures of the decorations but they're pretty much the same every year...

The mantel clock is 'new' to me.

Ooh look, there's my new sofa, I'm almost showing you!

A bit of an improvement on the old...

Anyway, more vintage decs...

Bauble placement is NOT my own. I'm getting good at letting Connie do it without getting all OCD and frightening her about breakages! I was actually glad of the help as Christmas decorating is a huge task.

This is my favourite part...

...opening the boxes to see the treasures I've collected! It's more thrilling than diving into a new box of chocolates!

I found another vintage German Christmas pyramid, this one smaller than the one I had a few years ago, so I passed that one on and kept the small one...

I also found a shade for the lamp above. I only use one of the pair because using two looks like a sacrificial alter, and I was thrilled to find this shade. I mean, it's not beautiful but I like the unusual shape so will probably recover it at some point. At the moment it has a papery shade which I think is fibre glass.
Jason says it looks like it's made from human skin and belongs on the set of Silence of the lambs.

So to freak him out, I drew a nipple on it.

Other naughtinesses have taken place...

Bad Bobby is a non believer.

And both he and Fat Freddy found their way onto Santas naughty list.

Christmas was quiet. And sad as my lovely Auntie passed away on Christmas eve.

New Years was more fun with some friends at a Turkish restaurant.

Now, I'm struggling to get used to the brutal alarm clock after a lazy school holiday. And struggling to get back into work mode. First job is THAT wardrobe which remains in the kitchen. As my husband likes to remind me on a daily basis.

I would make a New Years resolution to blog more, but I'd only break it...

Happy New Year to you dear readers! I hope 2016 is kind to you.

T'was the week before Christmas...

                                   T'was the week before Christmas, when all through the house,

                                           Stress levels were building, in especially one spouse.

                                                    The tree was adorned with collected old balls,

                                               By a child who was frightened of dropping them all.

                                           And a control freaky mum who likes things just so,

                                                 Tried to make it fun, but failed at it though.

                                               The stocking was hung by the gas flue with care,

                                                  In hopes that the stocking fillers fit into there,

                                               The boys were nestled all snug in their beds,

                                           While visions of tuna cans danced in their heads.

                                               The gift wrap and tape were all over the floor,

                                                     While list after list and another list more,

                                                 Were hastily written, just as soon to be lost,

                                                   In piles of crap that should be in the loft.

                                                    Internet shopping will save us some time.

                                             On occasions like this, almost wish I drank wine,

                                             But hear me exclaim as I crash for the night,

                                      ''Merry Christmas to all who are reading this sh*te!''

Link

The calm before the storm...

I'm afraid I've had little time to work on my doors. We spent much of yesterday clearing the garden of accumulated DIY crapola and taking it to the tip. I was very good and didn't bring anything home. There might have been a long lingering glance at a beaten up chest of drawers but I was very restrained. The reason for this clear up? A big storm is due this evening and we don't want to be responsible for one of our stray doors flying through someones window in the middle of the night. We are battening down the hatches, moving flower pots and garden furniture out of harms way.

This morning we set off at 6.20 to sell at the local boot sale. It was tipping it down when we left but dried up fast and we did very well. So well that Jason wants to do another next weekend. I'm happy to wait til spring!

I'll show you what I found a few weeks ago for £2 at the boot sale...

 This galvanised metal basket was £2. The top was nice metal. The bottom was coated in green plastic rather like the handles of an old shopping basket. I spotted potential but I must have spent two hours scraping off all the plastic with a knife! 

This little enamel number I bought separately from eBay to make it look like an old swimming pool locker. Erm, from a really big pool with one and a half thousand lockers. Hmm, I didn't think that through. Anyway, it adds a bit of industrial chic to the towel pile.

And without mentioning the 'C' word, (it's improper until after Hallowe'en) look at this years bauble harvest so far!

This is my favourite, it dangles on a spring...

It was very hard to photograph as it wouldn't stop bouncing!

This one is massive...

These two are unusual

I've never seen one like this before...

...it's indented on both sides...

...and this one is just beautiful...

We're going to be gearing up for our Hallowe'en party this week so I'll be back soon to show you the decorations.

Stay safe in the storm! 

Finally...

...the floors are done! The furniture is back, the tree is up and there's not a pot hole in sight.

What a difference it makes! The house is so much lighter and brighter. All the skirting still needs painting but that can wait... I was in a hurry to get the decorations up. I hope you're not all Christmassed out already because there are LOTS of pictures in this post!

Our tree complete with vintage red-head fairy...

Decorations galore...

Old and new...

...but mostly old!

From special friends...

and I think this is my favourite bauble this year...

along with the fairy my daughter 'made' in playgroup...

The stockings are up...

Obviously mine is the biggest!

  

I found a use for the vintage print tray and had more than enough vintage Christmas tat to fill it!

 And made use of the old crate for bauble overspill...

 Decorations continue up the stairs...

And in the hallway...

and lest we forget what it's all about...

But this one is going to make you all so jealous! My creative daughter was desperate for some card which I duly provided, and she came up with this!

No we're not sure what it is either, but lucky me! I shall be expected to get this out every year! (Why didn't I give her nice white craft card??!)

And I'm yet to tackle the dining room...