My Heart Wanders

I hope you had a VERY Merry Christmas!

We had a lovely time...It was wonderful to spend three days with our middle daughter and her family. To have a little one in the house again at this special time of year made it perfect. 

She got the hang of opening her presents and soon had it down to a fine art! :)

Lovely chaotic dinner time!

Boxing day walk.

I had some lovely gifts. 

Some from New Zealand.

Watch and Barbola bowl from a friend. 

I also had this book from a friend.
There are some truly beautiful photographs inside...
But I'm not totally sure about the message the book gives out - Perhaps I need to read more before I judge it. I'm sure it would be inspirational to an 18 year old just starting out in life, who can perhaps afford to be a bit selfish...
But for a woman nearer 50 than 40 and with all sorts of commitments, it can be difficult to think of following your heart to any great length...
There are some words that I agree with in the book, but they are documented as advice from the authors mother! Perhaps that says it all...?!

It has got me thinking...but then that is something that happens at this time of year anyway. The days before the New Year feel like a fresh slate and if you're lucky enough to have some time off work, I think it gives you an opportunity to re-evaluate.

I may be closing my blog, or possibly just keeping it as part of my website. I may give Facebook a try and see where that takes me...Its a difficult decision, as I have been Blogging since 2006, but perhaps it has run its course... ?

If I can just quote a few lines from Pia Jane Bijerks book above, then maybe you can see where I am coming from?...

"The simple mention of Paris had a direct influence on people's impression of my life. When I first arrived back in Sydney, each time someone expressed adulation my immediate reaction was to counterbalance it with the negative, which is when I received the blank, unbelieving stares in return. My mother was always questioning this habit of mine, her voice echoing over the years: 'Why do you feel you have to explain everything to people?' 'Because it's the truth!' I would snap back. 'People don't want to know the truth. They want to believe what they want to believe no matter what lengths you may go to for the truth. Conserve your energy, my love - live your life and enjoy it, don't worry about what other people think.' It took my mother saying this at least a thousand times over a period of twenty or so years before it started to sink in. I was redefining my life and it was important to just get on with it and enjoy as many moments of it as possible."

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I'll be back to wish you a Happy New Year and to look back at 2012 from the bits I chose to share on my blog.

Much happiness be yours,

Niki x

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas...

A festive post including a few of the last minute things I've been up to this week.

I called in with a gift for my friend Anne on the way home from work on Friday...

I am a regular caller to her little shop and had recently commented on a lovely rustic wooden crate that she had for sale. She had convincingly stencilled the word Bristol onto the side of it (one of the nearest cities to us) -I jokingly said that if she had stencilled the town Shepton Mallet onto the side instead, I would have bought it!...

Anyway, on Friday Anne presented me with this wonderful trug she had handmade, duly stencilled, and we laughed...
It will be used for display purposes in my shop (probably for lace.)

Its been lovely to have a little bit of time this year to make some gifts for friends...

I made this fairy doll for one friend...

She's been wrapped and delivered this afternoon (the doll, not the friend! ;-))

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After work yesterday, hubby and I took a short walk around the village where we live, to look at some of the festive lights that our neighbours had put up to decorate their gardens. It was pouring with rain, and understandably the light was poor, but I thought you might like to see some of the sights...















The village pub.
I couldn't take a photo of the village church, as it was too dark - will take some more photos another day in the day light.



A brook with a sluice-gate runs through the village - After a day of non-stop rain, it was pretty full!
I couldn't help but think for a moment about the unfortunate people whose properties have flooded over the last few days, and so won't be spending Christmas in their homes this year.

A time to count blessings...

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A few corners of our home...

Miniature ballet shoes that I bought at the Vintage Bazaar, next to a thank you card from a friend. 

Gifts waiting for the big day...

Other gifts have arrived safely on the other side of the world...

 This will be our first Christmas without our eldest daughter being here...She'll be enjoying her festivities in the sunshine, no doubt! Thank goodness for skype and the joys of catching up with her regular blog posts - We'll all be together as best we can... 

Wishing a Very Merry Christmas to all who visit my blog. 

Hope you have a wonderful time, 

Niki x