’tis the season to be jolly!

It seems like only last week, but I see to my dismay that my last posting was on the 11th of December… truly, I have gone to pot in the pre-Christmas madness….

but what an eventful couple of weeks that has been-

 

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I finished the wee doll for a niece, Amy, of my dear friend Jenny (made all the more dear by dint of that fact she, too, is a Kildare-woman)- it was a pleasure and delight to make, I was so pleased with her sweet embroidered face and warm cuddly body. She was made with moveable joints and filled with pure new sheep wool; her hair was made by crocheting a cap and threading on the hair strands;

 

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I made her little babygro with soft velour and her nappy was white towelling lined with lilac flannel- I’m working on another and will post a full tutorial (sooner, rather than later, I hope!!)

 

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My brother and his truly lovely wife-to-be braved the roads to come down for a visit and despite the freezing weather we walked down the boreen with babe in the pram, thanks to her having hidden her shoes (again)…

 

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That weekend the tree went up… someone thought we were simply nuts, but got used to it and has since redecorated several times….

 

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I cut out this village silhouette, after being inspired by Rob Ryan… I was most chuffed with the trees lit up from behind with fairy lights…

 

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Fergal made this gorgeous wreath for our front door,  and Christmas week began with a seasonal fall of snow…

 

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I lit candles to celebrate the Solstice (shortest day of the year)…

 

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And then Christmas was upon us, and we woke to a white landscape coloured, on Christmas morning, by the magnificent rising sun 

 

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The Christmas robin and his mate hopped along near me as I photographed the still morning…

 

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 And then I went inside to continue the opening of presents, delighted with the shrieks of 

joy (not ALL mine!!) and to contend with cooking a huge Christmas dinner on a one-ringed camping stove (guess who ran out of gas!!!!!)

 

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Truly, a memorable, glorious day!