10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.................

The countdown is on....Goodbye 2011, you've been great! Hello 2012, I hope you're great!
No partying for me tonight....wahhhhh!!! My inner ear is playing up and it feels like I'm drunk already so I'll be staying in trying not to move! Had to get an injection in my bottom yesterday to help ease the nausea, the big lad wanted to take a photo!! Thankfully he didn't! Anyway....... moan over!

We'll all be staying in, hanging out on the sofa......................thinking of our what new years resolutions we want to make!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!! I hope 2012 brings you good health and happiness xx

Blog School

Yesterday my cousin Lynne from Tea for Joy kindly gave me a lesson in blogging! I have to thank Lynne for her patience! I'm not an easy person to teach, I'm easily distracted,  get frustrated and then generally give up! I've got my notes and so far I've tried out a couple of her ideas (with a little help from the big lad)  A new camera is defo top of the list and maybe I can rope my photographer friend kathryn from Little Red Rooster to give me a lesson. Thanks again Lynne!

My night with Marilyn

Last night was the 1950's themed Christmas party at my aunt and uncle's house, brilliant fun! and great to see all the family again and skype chat with my aunt and uncle in America. Everyone had made a real effort with their outfits but none more than my sister Christine who came as blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe!

Christine flawlessly recreating the iconic subway scene from The Seven Year Itch........
Ridiculous!!!!

I'll never forget my night with Marilyn : )

The Big Day!!

Well.... Did HE come?
Yesterday was so much fun! The big lad and I spent our first Christmas day together! (we've been together 12 years but he usually goes to his family and I usually go to mine) so this year was extra special! We opened lovely presents, ate like kings, learned the history of Tom Smith (He invented the Christmas cracker) watched my parents wedding and old family cine films projected onto a big screen, played retro games and ate loads of chocolate then in the evening headed to the big lad's family for more fun and more cheeeeeeeese! I'm all cheesed out! Too much cheese before bedtime and I had a nightmare that I'd killed Phil Mitchell and written a confession in the Argos catalogue, strange indeed!

Nice surprise! The big lad bought me the Riverisland cat jumper!!!! The hints on the blog have proved very useful when it comes to presents! LOVE IT : )

We played our retro board games but when SOMEONE (you know who you are) is the world's biggest cheat and worst loser, we gave up and played a free for all version of Articulate...gets the old cogs turning again!
Bring on the Boxing Day festivities, my aunt and uncle are resurrecting the family Christmas party and it's a 1950's theme this year!
Hope you're all having lovely family time this Christmas xx

Brown paper packages, tied up with string.......

These are a few of my favourite things.......I've kept my wrapping very simple this year, keeping in mind one of life's great lessons, it's what on the inside that counts! Simple brown paper packages tied up with string...........

 I love this idea from Chatty Bratty of wrapping up small presents in huge boxes Chatty Bratty, brilliant for people who like to squeeze and guess their presents! and my cousin Lynne's ideas for getting creative with the Christmas wrapping  Tea for Joy 

It wouldn't be Christmas without watching The Sound of Music.
Hope you've all been good this year and don't wake up to a lump of coal! Merry Christmas one and all x

Mini Christmas muffin puds

Are you feeling festive? I made these festive treats this week to bring into work, Christmas chocolate muffins topped with icing, a drop of snow (coconut) and some holly, like they needed anymore sweet treats!! every shop I've worked in this week has had a tin of either Roses, Quality Street or Celebrations! I've eaten so much, I literally cannot say no when it comes to chocolate!....T'is the season to eat as much as possible! Happy Christmas everyone xx

Linda's homemade Christmas!

It's not bad for a first attempt at wreath making, if I do so say myself! It was really fun to make and very relaxing, I could see flower arranging as a new hobby perhaps.....It was pretty cheap to make, I bought the holly but everything else came from either the garden (neighbours garden) or stuff I already had, so it's a bit makeshift......

The ring is made out of twisted up newspaper covered in parcel tape, I cut up a sheet we use when we're painting and wrapped it around, some string too and tied on some decorations.

Then add the holly, ivy and fir, tucked in under the string and cut up duvet so it stays in place. I added a few more balls and a bit of string so it would hang on the front door.

Finished : )

Only 4 sleeps!!

Souper Sunday!

A super easy soup to warm away the winter blues, curried carrot and parsnip soup. I make this all the time now, it doesn't cost much to make and it's perfect for using up any carrots and parsnips left over after Christmas dinner ......uuummmm Christmas dinner, yum!
Ingredients....................................

1/4 jar of korma paste

Carrots, parsnips a large red or white onion and a vegetable stock cube

 How to..............................

Chop the veg, cover in boiling water add the stock cube and the curry paste.....simmer until the veg are soft

Whizz in the blender until smooth

YUM!! ENJOY

Have super Sundays everyone! I'm off to make my Christmas wreath x

The Holly and the Ivy

The fireplace just wasn't Christmassy enough and I'm feeling a little creative today..... so bought some holly  and cut some of the neighbours' ivy that falls over our fence (Ta very much) and decorated some more. I love it!!  To finish it off ...a little robin, of course. Tomorrow I'm going to attempt a wreath with the left over holly : )

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

ONLY 8 SLEEPS TO GO!!

Here to stay is a new bird

It's beginning to look like a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds in our living room! I love Robins, real or fake, I'd have them perched everywhere! Mary doesn't seem to notice them, she's more interested in the shiny balls, the bottom layer of the tree is starting to look very empty!

tweet tweet

Vintage decorations

I've added two new tree decorations to my vintage collection, picked them up from the Totally Bazaar Christmas Vintage fair last Sunday. The little angel is so familiar to me, she's so cute, I think my granny must have had one just like it and I couldn't resist the Nativity scene decoration., so kitsch! I've said it before and I'll say it again....they just don't make them like they used to! My camera does not do close ups so apologies for the photos, new camera is on the Christmas list....

Mary's guide to staying warm this winter

Day 3
Share body heat......

It's begining to look alot like Christmas!

YEAH!! IIIIITTTTT'SSSS  CCCCCHHHRRRIISSSTTMMMAASSSSSS!! The tree is up and I'm finally feeling Christmassy! It's not easy trying to find the right space for a 7ft tree in a small living room but after a few compromises, we found the spot and got rockin'. Christmas tunes on, getting tangled in the lights, decorations everywhere! LOVE IT! A certain cat is also loving it, a tree to climb??....IN THE LIVING ROOM???? and all those shiny balls!!! NO MARY!! is becoming frequently heard in our house! 

Mary's stocking, she's hoping Santa brings a new toy and some gourmet cat food.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!

Totally Bazaar Christmas vintage fair

Panicing about those last minute Christmas presents? There's no neeeeed! Tomorrow at the Holiday Inn Belfast.........

Totally Bazaar Christmas Vintage FAir

Mary's guide to staying warm this winter

Day 2
Hibernate to the hot press........

Mary's guide to staying warm this winter

Sit under a light.......

The lost weekend

What a weekend! On Saturday evening I was struck down by a mystery bug, up all night boking (too much information?) and spent Sunday in bed with no energy, nibbling on dry brown toast and sipping flat pepsi. In another life the big lad should have been a nurse, he's looked after me so well this weekend, and I'm not an easy patient! I've been trying to figure out how I got sick, I'm allergic to egg whites and I'm guessing I contaminated the spatula and poisoned myself when I licked the icing bowl, baking is a dangerous business! I was baking a birthday cake for my dad and the annoying thing is I never actually made it down for the birthday visit but apparently the cake went down a treat......

Christmas cat jumpers

Primark, £18 I think!

River Island, cute kitty knit £32

The pink kitty is too cute for words!

And they married in the Fall

A wedding present for Gareth and Lisa, who got married last month..........