Instagram round up: December 2012

At long last the mid-year assessment period is over, the essay has been handed in and the exams sat. Few, glad that's over! At long last after a Christmas spent revising and writing essays I can have a couple of days break at home with my parents before heading back to Uni for a new term and new modules (snow permitting!!).

So, now that I have a little bit of time on my hands, I thought that it was about time I got December's Instagram round up up here for all of you to see. Here we go...

Top: I indulged in a bit of Christmas cross stitching with my little reindeer. He's still being used as my bookmark at the moment actually - must remember to swap him over for something else! I also spent a couple of train journeys cross stitching on my travels between Sussex and Dorset. You can see the finished stars garland in this post.

Middle: I finished my job at a well-known high street fashion and home store. I was really sad to leave and am missing the lovely girlies who work there already. They spoilt me rotten and gave me this teacup Pandora charm to remember them by, seeming as they get through so many cups of tea a day! Church set up a stable in the quiet room for local schoolchildren to come and see and we decorated the dog's bed for Christmas. Hector ate the fairy lights about half an hour later.

Bottom: I made my mutant iPhone case that never quite got there and enjoyed our Christmas decorations.

Top: More Christmas decoration admiration and watching Hector rip open his Christmas Present. I started crocheting myself new, slightly more slimline iphone case, which I then posted about here.

Middle: I also started a cross stitched case using felt and waste canvas, although I haven't got all that far, and appealed to Instagram for help in choosing a button fr my crocheted case. I also crocheted a chunky hat for my cousin's beautiful new baby boy and met him for the first time.

Bottom: Finally to round of 2012 I had a Daddy daughter evening with Dad and played a rather lengthy game of Monopoly (Brighton & Hove edition!), Gloria did some posing, and I accidentally cut our Christmas cake into heart shaped pieces! 

As you can see I had a reasonably busy month which was surprisingly productive actually, considering I also did so much Uni work. I wonder what next Christmas will be like? Will it be quiet and filled with all the crafty things I wished I'd had time to do this year, or will I have a new job by then and be rushed off my feet?

aLittleBlonde

Christmas Decorations 2012

Time managed to slip away from me this year in the run up to Christmas and there's lots I didn't manage to get done or tell you about. I've saved a lot of my ideas in my head and on Pinterest ready for next year when I shall hopefully have the time and the money to put them into action, but for now I'd like to give you just a little glimpse of a couple of our Christmas decorations this year.

Decorating the Bassets for Christmas - Hector ate
the fairy lights 30 mins later

Our porch on Christmas eve

My bauble, bought last Christmas

Our baby potted Christmas tree

My finished cross stitched garland
hanging in my room

They missed a real trick with those cross stitched star garlands. It came free with Cross Stitcher issue 257 and was so popular that loads of people wanted to buy additional kits with the punched paper stars. They released a tutorial on how to make your own, but it's not quite the same. I know I for one would have bought a pack them if they had they sold them.

Anyway, apologies if you've seen some of these photos before or they get repeated in my December month in pictures, but I hope you've enjoyed having a little look at a few of our decorations this year.

Happy Wednesday, 

aLittleBlonde

Christmas Eve

I can't beleive it's Christmas Eve already! Time really has flown hasn't it? I suppose it's not really surprising given that Christmas is the busiest time of the year in our household what with my dad being a church worker and all three of us being musicians.

There's so much I wanted to do, make and show you and I just haven't had time! I've got exams in January, coursework due in and an empirical project to get of the ground, so time is especially short this year and I'm struggling to come to terms with it and feeling a little lacking in Christmas spirit at the moment.

Never mind, at last now that it's Christmas Eve I am allowing myself some time off and taking a break from writing the dreaded essay for a coule of days. Today will be all about getting ready so that tonight and tomorrow I can start enjoying the Christmas holiday.

It hasn't been completely devoid of making round here though, I still have my finished cross stitched star garland to show you in situ, a few photos of our Christmas decorations and a poor unfortunate iPhone case that needs sharing. There's also this little chap -

My cross stitched reindeer who is currently acting as a bookmark in my Harry Potter book.

I've decided just to let it go and go with the flow. This Christmas can be about simply taking a break from the madness that is third year and celebrating that fact that I'm still afloat! Instead of stressing myself out about things I want to do and don't have time to I shall instead make a mental note for next year and stash away ideas (thank heavens for Pinterest!) for when I shall hopefully have a job (and money!) and some propper free time, free from 'homework' for the first time in what must be about 12 years!

So, to everyone out there, I hope you have a happy and, more importantly, peaceful Christmas.

Happy Christmas Eve,

aLittleBlonde

Ps I completely forgot about my fortune cookie! Truthfully, I can't really think of anything that happened that fits the bill, but I shal have a think and let you know.

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A month in pictures: October and November

Now, don't judge me, but I am aware that I haven't actually posted last months Instagram mosaic yet, so here we have a two in one post - both October and November's month in pictures. So what did I get up to in October? Well...

I celebrated my 21st birthday, bought bread from the Lewes farmer's market, did a bit of autumnal cooking with a mushroom risotto, had a little package through the post from my Mum, made a Monday morning much more bearable with a Cath Kidston mug and moomin spoon, got going on a new cross stitch project for someone's Christmas present, baked a chocolate and banana loaf...

...and then wrapped it up in brown paper and string (whilst loudly singing songs from the sound of music), ate said chocolate-banan loaf in the staffroom at work, did yet more cross stitch preparation and watched the stormy skies from my bedroom window.

And in November...

I went to london with Mum and had the long anticipated paella in Covent Garden, we started singing new Christmas music at choir, Mum bought me a marzipan piglet from Harrods, I had my first gingerbread latte of the year, did a bit of christmas cross stitch on the train, practically lived in this lecture theatre for a day, burnt the first christmas scented candle of he year, did more chrstmas singing at choir, had an extended weekend in Dorset to celebrate Mum's birthday and had snuggles with this dozy lump of fluff...

...made marble cupcakes for Mum's birthday (and then forgot to take photos of the finished product), had more snuggles with Hector, saw the Christmas tree go up on campus and finally treated myself to a couple of cute Christmas decorations.

Sorry for such a long, picture laden post. I had a feeling that if I didn't do it now I never would and we most certainly can't have a gap in the month in pictures series now can we?

Happy Friday,

aLittleBlonde xx

PS You can find me on instagram as @aLittleBlonde or you can see my online profile here

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Accidental Christmas purchases

Just a quick post today whilst the photos for my next post are brewing and the dinner is cooking. I popped into one of the gift shops I frequent in Lewes earlier for a quick browse (fatal I know!) and saw these two. I did, however manage to be very self-restrained and refrain from buying them to save my pennies.

However, when I had to walk past the shop again this afternoon after my second trip to the supermarket to pick up the stuff I forgot the first time my self-restraint wavered a little bit and look what I accidentally bought....

Oops! I was a very good girl and managed to underspend on my weekly shop so thought I'd treat myself. Plus I've been meaning to make gingerbread for ages and had no suitable tin to store and transport it to work in so the tin was kind of an essential... kind of. And who wouldn't love the little wooden snowman calendar, hey?

Happy Wednesday,

aLittleBlonde xx

PS The tin appears to be made by dotcomgiftshop and you can find it here. I love that shop!

The Christmas ban is lifted!

I've been such a good girl and managed to hold off from mentioning the c-word for so long now, but now that's it's November I can finally say it. Yes, Christmas is coming! Christmas, Christmas, Christmas! As you may have guessed, I am quite excited that it is now only 29 sleeps away!

Despite having kept quiet about all things chrimbo on here it has gradually been seeping into my life over the past few weeks. What with various blogs I read starting to talk about making things for Christmas or writing about how they refuse to talk about Christmas yet, the general invasion of Christmas features in the various magazines I read and, probably most influentially, the fact that I've been surrounded by and selling Christmas items at work since the beginning of September. Personally I think I've been quite restrained until now! And yes, you heard it right, they did indeed have me sticking a display of Christmas items (mostly sweeties!!!) on the first of September. September, I ask you! Even for me that's a bit early!

Anyway, I have gradually started making a few Christmassy items and as well as planning and purchasing gifts. Want to have a peak at what I've been making? Well, I've started 3 different new projects for Christmas to date - two decorative and one present. I don't want to overload you with too much Christmas in one go, so I'll disperse my new projects over the next few days.

If you've been reading my blog recently you'll already have seen the beginnings of this little guy I've been stitching on the train, who's nearly finished already. I imagine he will be finished in the next couple of days, if not on the train journey to Sussex later.

If you follow my instagram you will also see that I've begun getting into the Christmas mood lately as well - I really am a sucker for a gingerbread latte!

Happy Monday,

aLittleBlonde xx

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Busy, busy, busy!

I apologize again for it being so long since I last dropped by. Whichever part of me thought it would be easy to balance the final year of a Psychology degree, a weekend job, write a blog and have some free time for craft was obviously just a little deranged! So what have I been up to since we last spoke? Well...

Mum came to visit a and I was a bit rubbish with remembering to take photos, we had a quick shopping trip to Brighton, including an expensive trip to Cath Kidston (thank heavens for student discount!), we paid a visit to the land of the blue and yellow flags, spent too much money yet again, ate meatballs, went on an adventure to London, had paella in Covent Garden, went to Harrods, was overwhelmed by how the other half live - they even sell puppies. Puppies I tell you! And, the main reason for Mum's visit - we went to the Hollywood Costume Exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum. It was a great exhibition and I thoroughly recommend a visit, regardless of what era film you're into. Particular highlights for me where the LBD from Breakfast at Tiffany's, Eliza Dolittle's flower seller outfit from My Fair Lady, Elle Woods' pink outfit complete with pillbox hat and bag for Bruiser from Legally Blonde and of course the classics - the blue gingham dress and red sparkly shoes from the Wizard of Oz and Marilyn Monroe's white dress - you know the one!

Image source: V&A Museum Website

It was a truly brilliant exhibition, if a little crowded, despite entry being ticketed within specific time slots. I also completely understand why strictly no photography was allowed, however I think they missed a real trick in not selling a programme with a few photographs and some information about the exhibition and some of the costumes. They sold a book with lots of photos and a guide through the exhibition, but with a £25 price tag it was a bit out of my range! The Hollywood inspired gifts and pieces of costume jewellery available in the shop were a nice touch though.

Image source: V&A Museum Website

Since then I've generally spent my time catching up on work, completing coursework and beginning the long and laborious process of seeking ethics approval for my planned project that will hopefully become my dissertation. I've also been back for a whirlwind trip to Dorset (all 49 hours of it!) to watch WOW Youth Musical Theatre's production of Oliver on Wednesday and then help out backstage on Thursday. In fact, I was in Dorset when I started this post, but I dare say I'll be back in East Sussex by the time I've finished!

However, despite all the rushing about I have had the chance to do a little bit of stitching, mostly on the train I have to admit. When I first started stitching on the train when travelling between East Sussex and Dorset over the summer I noticed the odd funny look from people on the train. However this week I was a girl on a mission. No amount of funny looks or snatched overheard conversation was going to put me off! Needless to say this little guy is nearing completion already

I am also aware I haven't managed to post October's month in pictures yet. What can I say? I'm sorry, it's a work in progress. I've also written 4 more posts that will be published automatically over the next couple of days, seeming as according to my rules I am now officially allowed to start using the C-word!

So, so long fare thee well, pip pip cheerio, we'll be back soon! (spot the naff reference to Oliver)

Happy Saturday, 

aLittleBlonde

That Friday Feeling

Apologies, yet again this failed to post when it should have. What gives blogger? Anyway...

Yep, you've got it, today I've got that Friday feeling. Just where exactly has this week gone? I remember selected highlights from my day off on Monday and my high-speed shopping trip on Wednesday, but aside from that its all just blurred into one. In fact I wouldn't be at all surprised if it turned out this week was actually only 3 days long! My dad has a theory about extending and condensing time, maybe I'll tell you about it some time. After all he is one of life's great pontificators!

It's scary to think that next week will be week 7 for Sussex students. That's half way through the autumn term of my final year! Although scary, I'm reaching the point now where I just want to get on with it and speeding through this year is absolutely fine by me! Bring. It. On.

I have so many little snatches of things to tell you and no time to do so before I find more to talk about over the next two weeks (there are exciting things afoot!). So, it appears we are heading for a bit of a Friday mashup - are you ready?

The C word.
I am desperately trying to be a good girl and not mention the C word until at least after bonfire (it's a big deal where I live - just do a google image search for Lewes bonfire), but trust me I am finding it really, really hard. I've got craftiness and new projects a plenty to be telling you about, but I'm being very strict with myself and holding off until November, at which point I shall probably explode like a veritable festive glitter ball. Although to be fair, there'll be so much going on here between now and the beginning of November that I doubt I'd have time to show you an awful lot of what I've been up to c-word wise anyway!

Although I will give you a couple of sneaky peaks of preparations...

Aren't the evenings beginning to get really dark now? I've been trying really hard recently to plan out stuff I need to get done and work efficiently through the day so I can get a bit of time off in the evenings. That's all well and good, but that often means that by the time I eventually get round to blogging its too dark to take decent photos and when it's light enough I'm inevitably busy! I fear more organisation is in order. Either that or a non-energy saving lightbulb.

As I've already alluded to, the next 2 weeks are going to be busy. I've got my dissertation project to finishing planning, an ethics form to submit, bonfire and my mother is coming to stay. There are also several over-ripe bananas languishing in the fruit bowl that need making into something. It's either going to be very quiet around here or you won't be able to get rid of be because I've got so much to say!

I had thought I'd tell you about my little speed-shopping trip on Wednesday  but I think I've kind of said enough for one day. Instead I shall write that up and schedule it to post automatically over the weekend. Ooh get me. Let's see how that one turns out!

Happy Friday, 

aLittleBlonde