Happy Christmas giveaway

Hello everyone,  I didn´t hold a giveaway for my blogaversary last month, so in appreciation of those who take the time to visit and leave a comment I thought I would say  thank you by celebrating a surprise Xmas giveaway.

All the comments made on my blog posts during this month of  December and up until yesterday entered in the giveaway. And what am I giving away?  well the four little mug rugs with a red crochet edging seen on my last post.

I numbered the entries in their order of publication (so starting from the 8th Dec) and the winner, chosen by Mr. Random Number Generator is

.......... Number 9,  Carol from Stitching Dreams.  Congratulations Carol. I will be in touch with you requesting your mailing address.

I also promised to show in more detail my crochet tea candle holders which are very easy to make and I think make a nice decorative detail.

The pattern is of a snowflake and therefore I started making a couple in white but then added a couple more in red.  The tutorial can be found here in two parts and although it maybe isn´t in your own language, you can follow the lady easily as she makes the snowflake very slowly and clearly.

I ordered some battery tea candles from Ebay as we can´t get them here and of course they are much safer than normal candles.

My last photo says it all.  May you spend a very Merry and Blessed Christmas.

Sheryl

Advent Calendar Blog Hop

Hello friends and visitors.  Welcome to Day 17 of the Advent Calendar Blog Hop hosted by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching.  Jo asks us to show some Christmas stitching and to describe our Christmas Eve.

I have stitched quite a few gifts this Xmas and started with this skinny legged Father Christmas which I made into a bell pull.

I found the design on the Internet here and then made a few placemats.

and then with crochet hook in hand, added an edging to these Christmas mug rugs or maybe champagne rugs!

and then made a few red tea candle holders which I will show in more detail next week.

My Christmas Eve, here in Spain, is spent mainly in the kitchen because the 24th December is when families gather for a long and large evening meal instead of that of Christmas Day.

I usually prepare a typical English meal of roast turkey and all the trimmings but also have to include the traditional Spanish (DH) fare of a delicious seafood soup which is coveted by all and sundry but which takes forever to make and then roast lamb.  This year I have got clever and shall order the Spanish menu from a local restaurant and so halve my work load and be able to greet and enjoy my family when they arrive instead of being banished to the kitchen amongst the pots and pans.

On arrival the grandkids lose all appetite when they see that Santa Claus has once again remembered that nana is English and therefore has left gifts under the Xmas tree and so they don´t have to wait  until Kings day on the 6th Jaunuary when the three kings deliver gifts to the Spanish.
At nine o´clock we listen to the King of Spain´s Christmas message and then dine.

After our supper the gifts are opened and all chaos let loose for the rest of evening while adults chat and watch television.

I do hope you are all enjoying this Advent hop and wherever you live, will spend a very enjoyable Christmas Eve.  I will leave you with a typical Spanish Christmas carol.

Until next week.

Sheryl

Gift bags

Hello everyone, Just popping in quickly today with some photos of a few small bags that I made at the weekend.

Due to our horrible wet weather, on Sunday I decided to try and finish some Christmas sewing so to be able to concentrate on getting decorations put up and important shopping done this week.  Hate leaving everything to the last minute when the shops are packed.

I found some sparkly fabric that I think was part of a child´s fancy dress in bygone times and decided to add a bit of lace and ribbon to sew up a couple of small bags for I don´t know what, but that always come in handy.

I made two different types although I like the drawstring fastening best.  Have loads more of the fabric left for other projects.  As they are neutral colours, I am linking this post to Wendy´s Simply Neutrals.

Twelve Days of  Christmas update.

I am still busy with this free design by Paulette Stewart, we are now up to the Tenth Day and I have started sewing the surround as it is going to be finished in a rush if I want it done for Christmas.

So many lovely Christmas things that fellow bloggers are making, I am taking note of designs to do next year.

  Thank you for passing by.  Hope you will visit again next week on the 17th when I am taking part in the Advent Calendar blog hop organised by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching,  Good idea to pop over and see what the other participants are doing.

Sheryl