ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 52ND OF 2024

 And here we are at the last Rocking post of 2024 and for a change (rolls eyes) I'm late again! 

Well it has been a mighty busy week, Christmas eve we went over to my son and daughter-in-laws flat for a Christmas gathering with family and friends, it was a lovely afternoon and the few hours of stopping were very much appreciated. 

Christmas day and the table was all prepared

Said 24 year old and his wife came over in the morning for gift unwrapping, this was a gem art that my Mum had done that we framed for them as a gift which was well received

and this is my daughter in law opening some silver earrings that hubby had made that had a sentimental link

We had a full house, but there was a noticeable hole in the day that my Mum has left, I missed her so very much, Christmas was one of her favourite times of the year and I know how much she loved being surrounded by family, it seemed so very strange. 

But we did her proud, had a good day, there was laughter as well as a few tears. 

My sister's melt down first thing Christmas morning, will stay with me as one of the funniest things I ever did see when she realised the mix up of the meats.  Thankfully she cooked both joints and they were both perfect. 

We didn't make place cards this year, we made gonks (that became gnomes as they had eyes). 

This was my scrapbook paper holding one

Niece and her fiance's gnomes, she is holding board games and dice and her fiance's one is holding a record player and LP, it even had a pull out button insert. 

My sister's gothic stories and crystal holding one

My step-dad's united one complete with programme, chip butty and football

My brother's fiancee's gonk held a passport and travel guide to Mauritius as she travels a lot with her job. 

my brother's one holds Audrey 2 from Little Shop of Horrors as he made me one a few years ago

Son and d-i-law, Steelers one and the Twinkl diary kindle holding yellow one

Finally hubby's blowtorch silver smithing one. 

they were all well received and everyone took them home with them

My sister helped to recover the house between courses on Christmas day which meant the great Christmas clean up was not quite as monumental as previous days. 

More items made for Christmas, me and hubby enjoyed decorating his Christmas cake, one went to my sister and the other to my brother. 

And this was ours using my Mum's holly leaf punch

I also made this Care bear, using the same pattern as the ones my Mum used in the eighties with an image of a Swallow on the same.  The brown fur being made from a top of my Mum and still holds the smell of her perfume, I made it for my little brother who was over the moon with the same. 

Boxing day and I hurriedly made up the cookie jar to take to my step-Dads.  Here is a picture to show how giant the coffee jar is. 

The cookies were lovely. 

and a lovely afternoon was had by all.

Another Christmas gift, these were made for my sister who has leaned towards a very gothic feel to her house recently. 

 

And finally the silver earrings that my hubby made for the girls in the family. 

The rest of the week has tripped along and I'm enjoying having some down time, I'm now definitely starting to plot and plan for 2025. 

I hope you all had a beautiful and blessed Christmas and that you know how much you mean to those that know you, I for one love to see parts of your life through your blog. 

May the close of 2024 be calm and happy and may 2025 bless you with wonderful memories and opportunities. 

Hugs

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 51ST OF 2024

 Afternoon, I know it isn't Friday, apologies for that but I don't want to let this weekly post disappear so time for

So last Friday I was in work for a board meeting and our AGM, it was a long day and I headed home to finish the minutes off, so I was glad to get that day done if I'm honest. 

Saturday was a busy day just getting things sorted towards Christmas as you do then on Sunday I had a Christmas wreath class, for those of you that follow my blog you will know that this is something we do in the head up to Christmas and is something that I usually did with my Mum this year it was just me and my sister, my daughter in law and her Mum (who also lost her mum this year). 

We had a lovely afternoon together

We enjoyed a latte when we had a break and enjoyed a festive treat

This is us with our finished wreaths, we had all gone for a red and gold theme. 

And here is mine on my door. 

Monday and I had taken a day off (to compensate for Friday).  I enjoyed catching up on my Christmas journal which was fab. 

Tuesday I was back in work, unfortunately hubby fell down some stairs and hurt his back so it was a bit of a stressful day, thankfully he is OK, just somewhat battered and bruised. 

Wednesday was my last day in work before the Christmas break and I managed to get everything done that I'd set out to do which was brilliant. 

Thursday we had a busy day catching up on things that need to be done for Christmas and in the evening we headed to Sheffield to the Crucible to see 'Little Shop of Horrors' 

The set, the singing, the acting were all fantastic and we had a really lovely evening. 

Friday and it was finish off Christmas presents that I was making (yes I know nothing like leaving it to the wire), then I made a table cloth, made some labels for a gift hubby has made, then we iced three cakes and then we went Christmas food shopping and hit 5 supermarkets to get all the items we needed. 

I've had some lovely chats with my sister this week who is struggling, I've had chats with our son and hugs from him too which were much needed I feel very blessed to have such amazing people in my life. 

I hope you've had a grand week too. 

Hugs

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 50TH OF 2024

 Tis Friday time to clock those silver linings and positive moments it is time for 

So last Thursday night me and hubby had a date night and this year I've discovered the idea of 'firsts' where the first time you do something is always the most memorable, even if you repeat the activity it never has the same impact as the first time.  However, when you reach this many years into a relationship it isn't always easy to find 'firsts', so when I spotted a cake decorating class, I thought it was something that neither of us have done before and would make for a great night out. 

In the local town there is a charity for children which centres on literacy, I've admired it from afar for a while, so it was lovely to be able to attend, they've been moved several times in the town where they are based but hopefully are now in their permanent home which is a converted church. 

It has a wonderful shop and a fabulous café and the décor is truly stunning

Roots growing through the ceiling

We had a fun couple of hours, we were given a cake made by their chef which was already covered in marzipan, we were taught to add the icing (and how to smooth it) and then given free reign to decorate it. 

Our finished cakes mine on the left, hubby's on the right. 

And we got a date night photo so definitely win win

On Friday we went to a preview show of Snow White at Sheffield's Lyceum, we were in the balcony on the front row, I wasn't overly keen on how high we were, but they were great seats. 

We were encouraged to take photos at the end, Damien Williams has been the Dame at Sheffield for 17 years and never fails to raise a smile! 

Saturday and hubby is continuing to feed the Christmas pudding as well as the Christmas cake

Said 24 year old returned this advent calendar recently, I made it for him in 2008 and it was beginning to look a little the worse for wear, including having a match box missing, not that we could locate another one, so I had to make one from scratch.

Here it is recovered and restruck, I haven't done a brilliant job with it, it is now quite old and definitely creaking but it was made with love and repaired just the same way.

Saturday night and my works do, it was held in Leeds, work had put on a minibus there and back, the meal was lovely and it was great to see people outside of work, but as a none-drinker and the minibus back being 10pm (when the meal was 6pm), the loud bar left a little to be desired if truth be told.  Added to that the bus was held up in traffic and when we finally got picked up around 10.25pm I was the last drop off, 11.35pm before I walked through the door, so despite the lovely evening if it is in Leeds next year I will be avoiding it, I like my sleep too much at this age. 

Weirdly enough said 24 year old and my d-i-law went to visit my niece and her fiance on the Friday and took photos in the very spot I walked past on Saturday - talk about weird.  Anyway this photo was taken of said 24 year old and his Mrs and I thought it was lovely so thought I'd share.

Busy work week, had a big meeting on Wednesday which went well and on Friday morning have a board meeting and AGM to minute take, so preparing this in advance. 

I hope you've all had a good week. 

And that my lovely people is the week that was. 

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 49TH OF 2024

 Morning lovely people tis Friday time for

So last Saturday we enjoyed a trip to Kelham Island for their Victorian Christmas Market 

My daughter in law enjoyed a Biscoff pancake, hubby enjoyed a Belgian Blue beer

whilst me and said 24 year old enjoyed a hot chocolate

It was a lovely afternoon, then we headed into Sheffield and wandered their Christmas market.

On Sunday we headed around the corner for the Christmas tree festival with a theme of peace and unity which was lovely.

I've put together the cookie jars for this year, you can't tell but these jars are huge!  I make them each year for family and use old coffee jars which I've sterilised, a great re-use of the jars if I'm honest, then I design labels (this year's on Canva) and glue them to the jar with instructions for how to convert them into cookies (adding butter and egg and cooking them)

A busy busy working week, but did a few tasks after work to keep things on an even keel and then on Thursday we went to Wentworth Woodhouse to enjoy

more mice, the theme seems to be following us about this year

this corridor was stunning

and one of the volunteers wanted to know if we wanted a photo together which was so lovely of him. 

I really loved the dining room. 

and the bed positioned on the stairs. 

Then we had a cuppa in the tea room and shared a cheese scone and a cronut (which are still very strange). 

and that my lovely people was the week that was, busy in the run up to Christmas and I'm still finding it hard without Mum, but I'm trying to remain focused on enjoying fun times and reminiscing about the good. 

I hope you've had a grand week. 

Hugs