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.

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY 51ST OF 2015

Friday again so here is my 'Rocking your World' post noting all the positives of the week 

First up Friday last week saw an inset day for said 15 year old so me and hubby also took the day off and we ventured to Chatsworth, the theme this year the Wind in the Willows. As members we didn't have to prebook which was great, although the introduction of the timed entry makes sense to give you time to have a look around whilst not 

feeling overcrowded.  So first up Mole decorating his tree.

The Chapel is always amazing and this art installation is breathtaking we've seen this done previously but not in gold.  

The trees were beautiful said 15 year old got this one of me and hubby in the main hall.  

And I got this photo from a jaunty angle.

Loved Ratty in the bath and the baubles as bubbles!

The wreaths were pretty spectacular too.

I even managed a smiley photo of said 15 year old. 

Mr Toad in partying mode.

The gifts in the shop were great too!

Saturday brought really wet weather but hubby and said 15 year old helped with present wrapping which was lovely.

Another grateful was said 15 year old asking I repeat asking if I would like him to clean and tidy the TV room - you can imagine my answer and yes he did an awesome job. 

We also had a great time playing monopoly millionaire a much improved version of the original (much improved meaning much quicker).  However, we discovered playing it with hubby after he has had a few beers was highly amusing as he demanded we give him money for auctioned properties rather than the bank and when we played it the following day he started out by asking what the rules were (I kid you not!) - the beer was obviously very good!

Next happy - said 15 year old taking over my craft table for a bit, it is lovely to see him being so creative!  

And here are some of the things he made for friends at school - no help requested! 

Being part of a crafting community is pretty much always awesome, you can talk paper with people and they get how giddy you are, or the latest paint colour you've tried or a you tube video talking about techniques with your gelli plate, it also lends itself to some seriously fab swaps around this time of year, I've taken part in two Secret Santas (both duly sat under the tree as I'm a good girl) and a secret card swap - which now isn't so secret.  My Secret Card Swapper was Rebecca who lives in France and did this amazing three dimensional card with interchangeable characters for the grotto in the middle and with fold down sides to show a photo of most of the people in the group who went on a retreat earlier in the year!  I was overwhelmed by the creativity and it will become a firm favourite each year as part of our Christmas decorations.

The rest of the week has been busy but overall fun, I had three really productive days at work at the beginning of the week - another happy grateful is my boss at my second job allowing me to work from home yesterday, it meant that I could be in for when a much needed delivery arrived, it also allowed me to get loads and loads of work done, so it was very much a mission accomplished feeling at the end of the day! 

There have been other positives in the week, funny discussions with family on Whatsapp, lovely Christmas cards through the post, some with the odd 'catch up' and this morning I sit here in my dining room looking at the most beautiful sky - feeling very blessed. 

As Kate mentioned last week, the 52nd Rocking Your World post actually lands on Christmas Day and she did ask what we wanted to do with regards to that, I will post on Friday as normal - however I will be preparing the post in advance to just drop in as it were and if I spot other people have done the same but not had time to link up then I will link for them, although we are only a merry band of 3 or 4 as it were.  

If you prefer to post once you've written then join in whenever suits you - it really isn't an issue if it's not until Saturday or Sunday or Monday or if you want to post it earlier on Wednesday or Thursday - or you might just be too busy with too many things on - if that's the case then clock those positives mentally and don't worry about putting a post together. 

Mine is part of my mind therapy to keep me focusing on the good in life, I hope that you find that too, anyway Mr Linky