ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 52ND OF 2020

 Well lovely people tis Friday time for 

Well I know Kate said she would see me in the new year and Lisca is visiting her Mum so she too is probably too busy to post, but I thought I'd pop a quick post together.  Anyone that follows my blog, knows that I clock the positive and happy moments each week as a way of reminding myself what is important in life, which if you are interest are the people in my life and the memories we make, not things, but I'm sure you know that already.   

This year of all years has been particularly difficult for everyone (possibly with the exception of New Zealand who seem to have it nailed) and over this last week I've looked back over the past year initially thinking clocking 12 photos (one from each month) as part of my Journal at Christmas may prove hard, in fact it really didn't and I was spoilt for choice, whether it be the social distance catch up with my Mum in her garden for Mother's day or the 40th and 21st birthdays of my sister and niece (in socially distanced marquee garden parties).  We managed a trip to Chatsworth when it was open, we enjoyed the gardens at Wentworth Woodhouse and managed to squeeze in a weekend away and two weeks to cottages in this country. 

I managed to motivate and cajole my Mum and my sister to making big improvements in their homes to make things easier to manage and we made some improvements ourselves when lockdown took hold and we had time on our hands. 

We get to the end of the year having lost a few relatives this year, one of which was a first cousin, so difficult to lose someone so young.  We also get to the end of the year with fewer around the Christmas table, but in line with guidelines it is a must.  We are all prepared and have done as much as we can, the food is as prepared as it can be on Christmas eve.  The presents are wrapped (actually I can hear hubby with cellotape upstairs as I type).  The trees are twinkling the table is set, all we need is family around us and to enjoy the season.  So I will sign off on my last post for 2020 and wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I will be posting next Friday of course, but that will be the first one of 2021. 

If you fancy joining in pop a post together come back and link up and we can come and visit. 

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 51ST OF 2020

 Good Morning tis Friday time for 

So first up last Friday we enjoyed a jaunt to Yorkshire Sculpture Park it was mighty wet if I'm honest, but we didn't mind as it got us to blow the cobwebs off which was definitely needed.  

There was new artwork in the park, which is always a blessing, this piece a Henry Moore 

We stopped for a selfie at the David Nash artwork

And stopped off for a lovely lunch despite it being somewhat wet out there!

On Saturday we ventured in the afternoon to Chatsworth, unfortunately due to the tiers the house may be decorated but it is still closed so this might be as close as we get!

There was a trail around the garden with anecdotal tales on them

And as the afternoon turned to evening, we stopped for a drink to warm us up, a hot chocolate with all the trimmings, very naughty and very nice

After dark the lights around the garden were lovely 

Although we had enjoyed the house in some lovely winter sunshine during the afternoon

And managed a selfie next to some rather bright lights

My favourite shot from the day was actually during the golden hour looking down the valley

And the tree with lights was definitely a favourite. 

I've enjoyed opening my Harry Potter lego advent calendar and yes you do have to build it, when you open the door each morning there is a little packet of lego pieces and the door contains instructions for building the items

I got a table with a vase and a flower on the 9th

Ron is his dress robes on the 10th 

A fire place on the 11th 

A picture frame with a flower on the 12th which I'm assuming connects to the fireplace

A decorative Christmas tree on the 13th (although my Mum thought it was a rocket)

another picture frame this time with Neville's toad on the 14th

More photos from Chatsworth, the lit Emperor Fountain looked like a volcano with the colour change

On Sunday we eventually (there were technical issues) watched a Deathly Dark Christmas Carol on You Tube.  

On Monday I took an annual leave day and we headed to Sheffield, we wandered around the Cathedral and saw this display 

This was a Christmas tree in the Christmas tree festival they were holding.

I loved the little character on top

Sheffield was so very quiet, these apparently light up at night. 

And these spheres nearby

Inside the Millenium gallery made us smile, if you look they have adorned the heads with facemasks

And finally on Wednesday this week we had a very long journey to Belton Hall to see the external lights. 

My favourite light display was the cathedral lights

And that my lovely people was my week, if you fancy joining in then pop a post together come back and link up so we can come and visit. 

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 50TH OF 2020

 Good morning lovely people time for 

Well first up last Friday was my day off and hubby decided to head out to collect a few things that we needed, it is mighty strange being able to hit the shops again, if truth be told but it was also nice to be out of the house.  So we headed to Hobbycraft, B&M and Ikea picking up the few things I needed (plus a few extras) to finish off some things I'm on with.  

Saturday soon arrived and we decided to head down to our local heritage centre, there is the most lovely of craft shops down there that I haven't been to since March amongst lots of lovely other shops, a favourite beer shop of hubbies and a lovely stained glass shop that also does crystals.  It was lovely to just have a wander and because it feels old it also felt very Christmassy something that has been sadly lacking the last few days. 

I went to the craft shop for 

and I left with 

I'm sure other crafters can relate.

There were a number of trees dotted about the site

and we had some blue skies overhead, albeit that it was very cold

There was a replica of one of the nearby follies in the courtyard, which is known as the Needle's Eye

And this was my favourite tree on the site as the light level was reducing the tree  seemed to stand out more. 

I do a Christmas newsletter every year, it goes back sooooooooooo far if I'm honest and it has become something of a tradition and I get little bits of feedback from people telling me that it isn't Christmas until they receive it, many taking a cuppa and sometimes even a mince pie and some quiet time to sit and absorb, so I shared this on my Instagram feed this week and got a few of those aforementioned comments. 

After we got home on Saturday I set too on some homemade gifts I'm working on this was the state of my desk, I'm sure other crafters can relate. 

This was our haul from two of the shops at the Heritage centre, Belgian Blue is one of those Christmas beers that hubby loves and normally partakes in a pint or two at the local pub, alas the pubs are still all shut due to our tier 3 restrictions and so the bottled variety may well be the only source this year.  The other bottles are for yours truly, as I'm teetotal it is nice at this time of year to find something festive but non-alcohol and Belvoir do a fabulous Christmas range of which their Spiced Ginger Punch is my absolute favourite. 

My other joy this week has been my advent calendar from hubby, I think I mentioned it last week it is a lego Harry Potter Yule Ball calendar.  These are what I've opened up to now. 

Harry 

A very miniature Hogwarts

A miniature Durmstrang ship

A miniature Beauxbaton carriage

Cho

As well as the usual Christmas cards this year, I sent a few personalised ones in 8 x 8, this was for my sister

My Mum and her hubby (in their favourite football team colours)

One for my niece (and BF) whose a fashion student

Other ones I've sent out

Goblet of fire

Then a gramophone on the 7th 

Sofa with the golden egg 

The week has been a busy work one as usual for me, working from home Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, still busy bid writing at the moment. 

I physically went into the office on Tuesday and had another busy day it was nice to catch up with work colleagues. 

The evenings have been spent making homemade gifts, it doesn't matter how organised I am I always end up making gifts at the last minute, it must just be something I do.  Hubby has been quite happy to  die cutting some of the items for me which is boring and rather monotonous but has kept his brain occupied, so a big thank you to hubby.