ROCKING YOUR WORLD 53RD OF 2016

Good morning and this is the final Rocking your World post of 2016 - the 53rd - no less! 

So how has your week been, have you had your fill of turkey?  Couldn't face another mince pie, in need of a clean start to 2017 - yes I hear you! But for now let us look back! 

We were all set for Christmas with the Harry Potter tree, here it is in all it's finery together with the Death Eaters mask, various wands and a homemade full size sorting hat! 

This was two days before Christmas - I believe the signs of madness are starting to show, hubby making floating candles! 

And said 16 year old turning a certain chocolate into golden snitches! 

And the table all set in a Yule Ball theme for Christmas (as the normal Harry Potter banqueting hall, mean all long tables and pewter platters and tankards which didn't appeal!) 

Time with family has been especially precious this week, chatting with said 16 year old who was waiting patiently on Christmas morning to open gifts whilst I was talking to my Mum on the phone! 

Now there aren't many occasions that we can manage a decent surprise for said 16 year old these days - but this gift certainly raised a smile! 

I also got some beautiful gifts, including a few secret santa gifts that raised a smile, I took part in two craft related ones linked with UK Scrappers!  This was the contents of my Secret Santa Stocking swap

And this was the contents of my Secret Swappers Secret Santa Swap! 

Managing to have all the family around the Christmas table was especially precious this year. 

I got a lovely photo of my fabulous sister!

And my beautiful niece

As well as all the family enjoying their gingerbread challenge! 

I remembered to flame the homemade Christmas pudding (albeit it after I'd chopped it up - whoops). 

We enjoyed a winters walk - just in the local area to where we lived! 

We went to my Mum's for tea the day after boxing day - look at the size of this cheesecake - her own recipe - no reference to any book or google, hence the very thin base and the crazy thick top!

I shared a few piccies on instagram, the floating candles

And the angel wings we finished just before Christmas - the photo doesn't show you the scale! 

And an arty one of the table!

And Mum's cheesecake! 

I even managed some scrapping (finally after months and months of nothingness - I don't count my journal as it is only 8 x 8)

As you can see they are all Christmas related - but last Christmas not this one! 

Thursday we managed another jaunt to Chatsworth as said 16 year old hadn't been when we went the other week, we have now thoroughly put our members' cards through their paces!

I managed to get a photo of these two in the corridor! 

And the snowflakes in the chapel

The library was gorgeous as always, would love to see what books are in there!

And the sleeping lion by the exit! 

Enjoying a wander around the garden! 

We had to giggle about the Santa hats that had appeared on the bronze heads in the garden.  I think Prince Charles looks rather fetching with this on his head!

The grotto garden was beautiful - freezing cold but beautiful! 

We sat for a short while, but the stone was sooooooooo cold

Said 16 year old set to sketching 

And then we split up as he wanted to do another sketch in the garden, we spotted him later on - can you see him - he is in the picture - sketching! 

and again! 

The winter sunshine was just what we needed, we've all been full of the lurgy this last few weeks so a chance to blow of the cobwebs was very much needed if I'm honest.  Not that we came home feeling better just felt better for having some fresh air as it were! 

I hope you've had a truly beautiful and blessed Christmas, that you've managed to have time with family and friends and time to sit back and reflect on the season and the year.  I know it isn't always easy for people so I hope the season has been kind to you! 

Now I turn my head towards the next year, the clean slate, fresh sheet that awaits us with the letters 2017 emblazoned across the top.  I've some plans for 2017, I need to create a formula to put them into action.  

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

Until next year my dear friends. 

Rocking Your World Friday 52nd of 2016

Good morning tis Friday and the 52nd Friday of 2016 - which means it is time for 

Well it has been a mighty strange week - is it really a week ago that I stopped for a break for Christmas - the week has flown if I'm honest. 

We made these on Saturday - using some gherkin jars that I refused to throw away because - well because they were too lovely!  Hopefully you can make out the Hogwarts silhouette on the jar which we've repeated on two sides!

We also started another craft project - this one not Christmas orientated thankfully - I'll be sharing when its complete! 

We were feeling pretty rough last weekend, the virus seems to be lingering!  Thankfully a rum toddy and some crafting helped a lot! 

Said 16 year old had a Christmas jumper day - unfortunately the jumper he has worn for the last few years is now too small and to be honest, the chances of me getting him in a Christmas jumper any time in the near future is remote, so instead he wore my Christmas hat! 

I finally managed to track down decorations for the table centre piece, although I feel I've walked far and wide and still not quite achieved what I fancied but it will have to do! 

Said 16 year old finally finished school on Tuesday but I wasn't home when he got in as we were attending Aunty Joan's memorial service, they are always so difficult no matter the time but particularly hard at this time of year if I'm honest, although it was lovely to catch up with members of family, despite the sad occasion. 

Wednesday said 16 year old had friends over from school, they enjoyed having the fire lit, opening gifts they had bought each other, watching Suicide Squad, eating pizza and decorating these little beasties!   Said 16 year old was obviously reluctant when I mentioned it - but he enjoyed it regardless! 

The rest of the week has had cleaning and washing and sorting things out, food shopping and relaxing trying to chill out and keep up to date with my journal. 

Today (thursday) I've really not felt 100% and me and said 16 year old have remained in PJ's all day,  we had a lovely afternoon watching Miracle on 34th Street this afternoon, a film he never recalls watching before, most of it filmed in New York (which he visited earlier in the year).  It is always funny when he does the - I've been there - routine, but even more funny when he declared they were skating the wrong way around the ice rink in Central Park and where were the cones in the middle! 

It's been lovely just stopping! 

As Christmas looms ever closer, the time for whittling and worrying about whether we will get it 'just right' really don't matter.  The time of the year is to sit back and take stock, to count your blessings and remember those that aren't with you any more.  Time to relax and reflect and celebrate the season.  

May you have a beautiful and blessed Christmas 

I will be back next Friday for a 53rd Rocking Post of 2016 - who knew there would be so many! 

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY 51ST OF 2016

Morning tis Friday 

Which means it is time to take stock, sit back and clock the silver linings/positive moments from the last seven days. 

So first up was said 16 year old walking through the door with his final piece of DT Food coursework - all I can say is I'm going to miss these! 

The local (within a mile) garden centre was open late last Friday, so we had a wander, there was only the main centre and the restaurant open, but it was lovely to see the pretty lights and the children enjoying the outdoor skating rink. 

I loved the wintery windows that were beautifully decorated as well! 

Saturday saw me finally making some decent headway into my Christmas journal, I've been keeping the notes but managing to actually document the days has proved easier said than done! 

It also saw us have our first day time fire, the room was cool so hubby sorted it for us, you can imagine the glee of said 16 year old when he headed down later in the morning to find a toastie room to play on the Xbox!  

We went to the local outdoor retail park so I could help said 16 year old in his Christmas present buying and I loved the patronus like light displays around it!

Hubby had a great time crafting - yes I did say crafting on Saturday - his challenge this Saturday - create me a Hogwarts outline for the window (obviously to go with the Harry Potter tree), I then photographed it and played with the photo on my apps to create a wintery scene!

On the flip side I was gelli plating the world - creating the base for next year's Christmas Cards (yes I did say next year).

This is the window at night - we giggled at the shadow outline of the tree inside - can you make out the mini sorting hat on top!

I continued to share some photos from Chatsworth last week on instagram - this one of the sugar plum fairy 

And I shared the full Harry Potter tree

Saturday however brought some devastating news that my Great Aunty Joan had passed away, she was a formidable woman in life and I have many fond memories of holidaying at her home in Scarborough when I was a little girl.  She has left a huge hole and passes away only a few weeks after her sister Diane.  So I find myself facing yet another funeral in the run up to Christmas, except this one is with a difference, Aunty Joan never wanted to be at her own funeral and was quite adamant that her body be donated to medical science, despite the difficulties of arranging this her daughter Liz managed to find the consent form (dated 1983) and ensure that that last wish was fulfilled.  So a memorial service is what I will attend next week - like I said quite a formidable lady!

I succumbed to the lurgy earlier in the week, but battled on with work regardless managing some working from home time to help.  

I also had a beautiful belated birthday surprise from a fellow crafter earlier in the week - this is the gift a beautiful handmade bullet journal!   Thank you Chris

And then I also received this in a Christmas card from another crafter! 

So in the middle of the sadness I also remember how very blessed I am, how I am grateful for every single day and for every interaction, conversation, time spent with friends, loved ones, colleagues.  May your week have been a good one, if you fancy joining in blog, pop back link up and pop a comment on so we can come and visit. 

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY 50TH OF 2016

Good morning/evening/afternoon lovely people

it is Friday and that means it's time to find out what is 

So said 16 year old was off out with his friends on Saturday morning (helping celebrate a birthday) so we were at a loose end as it were - fear not - a spot of Harry Potter - or should I say Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them - we booked, we went we enjoyed a coffee/hot chocolate at Starbucks and then we thoroughly enjoyed watching the film - twas fab! 

All I can say is that I would really love to own a Niffler - if you've seen the film you will know why! 

So Saturday afternoon me and hubby headed around the corner to the Christmas tree festival at the local church, it is only a 5 minutes walk from where we live and is always so lovely to visit.  We decided to pop and enjoy it before the Christmas Fayre in the evening as we never get to enjoy the Church when the Fayre is on as it is far too busy! 

Fabulous decorations 

I loved the Scouts' tree, with the tents

and the mini fires 

For the trees decorated by adults - I adored the Choirs' tree!

My niece came along for the first time she didn't 'get' the Christmas Tree festival, feeling let down by the homemade decorations - I think she thought it would be a mini Chatsworth!

The fayre wasn't as fun either as previous years, but I managed to get a great shot of said 16 year old and niece so I was happy!

I've been enjoying opening my craft advent calendar that I have as a result of a swap through UK Scrappers - this was one of the gorgeous gifts this week - a home made decoration!

I've been sharing our Harry Potter baubles on instagram

Sunday we went to Kelham Island for their Victorian Christmas Fayre, here is hubby and son as we were enjoying a drink by the river. 

There was no beer stall this year - well not a real ale one anyway much to hubbies disgust (as I had volunteered to drive).  We did however have a fab time catching up with his cousin and his cousin's missus, we enjoyed grabbing shots of the place as we went around.  We had a fabulous discussion with a lady who offers courses in silversmithing when we were there - the statement watch this space comes to mind! 

Monday me and hubby had a very rare day off together, we decided to head to Chatsworth (putting the member cards through their paces again). 

This year's theme is the Nutcracker, it wasn't as elaborate as we've seen in previous years, however, in its own right we really enjoyed it - just tried not to compare it to previous ones. 

The chapel was beautiful, a gorgeous tree and the statue of Saint Bartholomew

The dining room was very different to normal, but I loved the contrast to the chandelier. 

There were literally hundreds of nutcracker statues 

We loved the ballet shoe tree, made with used shoes.

We also loved the fairies over the bath (despite the extensive bottle neck of people in the area). 

And the tutu tree

After our walk around the house, we set about enjoying some of the gorgeous gardens, as it was a cold crisp day we were treated to a very wintery scene despite it being mid-afternoon when we ventured out. 

We managed a selfie

And I loved the frost on top of the maze!

Tuesday night we went to the Breast Cancer Care Carols by Candlelight at Sheffield Cathedral, we went with my Mum and her hubby, a charity close to our hearts, it was a lovely evening, listening to 3 different school choirs and then being treated to a military wives choir, they were amazing and it was lovely to spend time enjoying the beautiful church at this time of year. 

Mind you mischief one and mischief two had found that they were obviously rather warm that evening and before you ask no they weren't like that when we arrived at the church and were given them!

Wednesday was a busy day at work (very busy and very late) and then food shopping (boo hiss) and today has been much the same with some cleaning this evening thrown in for good measure - so why the grateful - well firstly hubby and said 16 year were happy to get on and get it done and secondly - the house is clean! 

So there you are my lovely people, our week with its positive moments, fun days out and silver linings.

I hope you've had a great week too. 

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