’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-

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;

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!!)

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)…

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

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…

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

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

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

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

 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!!!!!)

Truly, a memorable, glorious day!