Friday 23 December 2011

Seasons Greetings?

Northern Man received this email.  I thought I'd pass it on to you .....

Dear friends.

Please accept with no obligation, implied or otherwise, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday practiced with the most enjoyable traditions of religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all . 

I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2012, but not without due respect for the calendar of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make our country Great Britain (not to imply that Britain is necessarily greater than any other country) and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee . 

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms : 

This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/him or others and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. The wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher . 

Best Regards (Without prejudice) 

Name withheld (Data Protection Act).

Merry Christmas (I think)!
 

Thursday 22 December 2011

Joy to the World ....

and to me in particular as I have a wonderful two and a half weeks off work.  Big Girl and Youngest Child are back from university which makes for a surprising, sometimes startling, lifestyle.  Northern Man and I never know how many bodies may be strewn across floors when we get up, who we might meet on the stairs, or whether there will be any food/soap/loo roll/hot water left when we need it.  I wouldn't change it for the world.

The weekend before last was Shepton Mallet Flea Market.  I had a wonderful weekend - wine and chat with the Aged Parents on Friday evening, a  trip to Sherborne Antique Fair early on Saturday, a break, a walk up the High Street to do some Christmas shopping, a break and then a trip to the garden centre.  I had not realised how much I missed these simple pleasures working every day.  On Sunday we went to Shepton Flea, an enjoyable if not particuarly profitable, day out.

I bought lovely things at the Antique Fair in Sherborne.  Here they are ...

.. a Chinese carved panel, a blue glass vase with greens and greys drifting smokily through it and an embroidered wool panel which I shall probably make into a bag.


This pretty silk covered box is painted with pansies.  The embroidered box is modern, but has a feeling of the 1940's about it.

And a beautifully painted Victorian papier mache box.  A great haul!  The knitted Christmas fairy, who looks as though she's been at the mulled wine and is a little unstable about the knees, is an adaptation of my knitted doll pattern done in silver yarn with dove wings added.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.





Wednesday 7 December 2011

A crepuscular life style ....

Just another two weeks and it will begin to get lighter again.  I don't like going to, and coming home from, work in the dark.  I think it may be the reason Northern Man has booked flights to Iceland at the end of May - it will never get dark while we're there!  

So the constant gloom is the reason for the lousy photos of my latest work which will be going to Shepton Flea Market with me on Sunday....








This little vintage table is actually painted a very pretty shade of green but it is fairly difficult to make that out from the photos.  Roll on 21st December ......