Our UK styled American Thanksgiving

So it was all about the food and the chatter around the table, but it was all good. I think Oscar thought he was being given wine (as Latter Day Saints we do not drink alcohol), because he drank almost a full bottle (of Shloer), and then had to lie on the sofa while I rubbed his tummy. Once the gas had shifted he wrapped himself in tinsel (meant for the tree next week), then he played skipping rope with Gran and Daddy with the tinsel, and then he did Limbo dancing with the tinsel. All very Thanksgiving-esk I am sure.

Aimee & Oscar

Elder Tinsley & Elder Jones

Christopher & Aimee

Husband & Son & Daughter

Mummy & Oscar & Granny

This was very simple, and very cute, Thanks to Suzanne for the idea.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !

Yarn Along

READING

I have been asked to give the Relief Society lesson in church on Sunday, so I have been reading writing and cross referencing scripture. I get really nervous about giving a talk or a lesson, because despite coming over as fairly confident, I am actually really shy, and I cover up my shyness by wittering on to people. People always say to me 'You couldn't tell you were nervous' but my husband always knows lol

KNITTING

A little made up hat pattern and the knitters world famous SAARTJE BOOTEES. I love love love these shoes, and they use very little yarn and knit up really quickly. (star buttons from Ebay).

Valerie

xxx

Lighting Up

Last Thursday saw the annual switching on of the Christmas lights where we live. NO TREE! I find that most disappointing, but there you go, I guess they have their reasons.

It was a night of magic and sparkle for Oscar, who just could not get over the fact that the street he walks daily to nursery (the equivalent of our high street), was transformed in a couple of hours to a childrens wonderland.

Merry Christmas

Valerie

xxx

A Free Knitting Pattern

Vintage Style Skaters Hat

Free Knitting Pattern

Materials
Chunky Yarn in your choice of colour
7mm Straight Needles And 5mm Double Pointed Needles

Pattern : Seed Stitch
Seed stitch is , Knit, Purl, Knit, Purl (cont across row), on row 1, and on row 2 you Purl the Knit stitches and Knit the Purl Stitches
(instructions and image here - http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-knit-the-seed-stitch.html )

Using 5mm DP Needles
Cast On 3 Stitches
Make an i-cord approximately 18cm long
Change to 7mm Needles
Next Row [RS] : Knit 1, Knit Front and Back and Front again of next stitch, Knit 1 = 5 stitches
Next Row [WS]: Slip 1, Knit 1, Knit 1, Knit 2
Next Row [WS]: Slip 1, Knit Front and Back of next stitch, Knit 1, Knit Front And Back of next stitch, Knit 1 = 7 stitches
*Next Row [WS]: Slip 1, Knit 1, Purl the Knit Stitches and Knit the Purl stitches, until you reach the last 2 stitches, Knit 2 (all increase Wrong Side rows will be knitted like this)
Next Row [RS]: Slip 1, Knit 1, Knit Front and Back of next stitch, Knit the Purl stitches and Purl the Knit stitches until you reach the last 3 stitches , Knit Front And Back of next stitch, Knit 2 = 9 stitches* (all increase Right Side rows will be knitted like this)

You will have a 2 stitch Knit border, an increase stitch, Seed stitch in the middle, and increase stitch, then a 2 stitch Knit border at the other edge.

Repeat The [WS] and [RS] increase rows until you have 15 (for a medium sized head) or 17 (for a larger sized head) stitches in total, ending with a [WS] row.

You will now continue in Seed Stitch without increases
[RS] and [WS] Rows, Slip 1 Knit 1, Knit the Purl stitches and Purl the Knit stitches until you reach the last 2 stitches, Knit 2 stitches.
Continue until work measures 20cm from the start of the increases (end of the i-cord).

You now need to Decrease

[RS] and [WS] : Slip 1, Knit 1, Knit 2 together, Knit the Purl stitches and Purl the Knit stitches until you reach the last 4 stitches, Knit 2 together, Knit 2 stitches.
Once you have 7 stitches you will knit together the 1st and 2nd stitch and then the 6th and 7th stitch will be knit together, = 5 stitches, on the next [RS] row knit together 1st and 2nd stitch and then the 4th and 5th stitch will be knit together,

Once you have 3 stitches, switch to 5mm DP Needles, you now need to make an i-cord the same length as the one on the other side, approximately 18cm.
Cast Off 3 stitches and sew in ends.

** I am not a professional knitter so if there are any errors or if the instructions are not explained plainly enough, please let me know **

MY Website - http://valeriebt.blogspot.co.uk/

Tie On The Top Of The Head (tuck in ties if desired)

{ This Moment }

A Friday Ritual, A Single Moment From Our Week

Joining in with Amanda

Soulemama

Have A lovely Weekend

Valerie

xxx

In From The Cold

Yesterday was cold wet and grey and it made the cottage feel like the perfect place to be. In general, it takes quite a while for the place to heat up, but once the heating has been on for a few hours (helped by something nice cooking in the oven), it is generally quite cosy, (with exception of my room, which we are still working on).

Yesterday as the light was fading, I was thankful for the simple pursuits of recipe reading and and a little bit of knitting, accompanied by twinkling candles and a bit of (early) Christmas TV.

Valerie

xxx

Yarn Along

READING

Since I am spending so much time on my Scriptures just now, there really isn't much time in the day for other reading (although I am going to change that after Christmas, when our Bishop's Scripture challenge is over). Both Duncan and I have been dreaming of a veg garden fit to bursting for next year. Maybe we are being overly optimistic, but in the dark winter months, its good to have your dreams.

KNITTING

The SNAPPY HAT PATTERN knitted in MIRASOL SULKA in Steel Blue Mid Teal. This is a hat and yarn combination I saw on KAT'S blog a long time ago. I knitted one for my Mum 2 years ago and it was gorgeously soft. I have embarked on a hat making mission for my missionaries (4 in total), for their Christmas, which I will add some chocolates too. I am sure they will appreciate how cosy these hats are when they are walking the winter streets of Scotland as they spread the Gospel.

Joining in with GINNY and friends for Yarn Along

Valerie

xxx

Bits And Bobs

On Thursday evening one of our cats, Alabama, started being sick (from both ends). On Friday evening the other cat Morticia started being sick.On Saturday evening Duncan started being sick. We had a break from the sickness and then last night I started feeling sick. I am still sick today and intend to stay in my PJ's all day and feel sorry for myself.

Other than that though, the weekend past was our STAKE CONFERENCE. I really enjoy the conferences in our church and this one was no exception. I was asked to say the closing prayer from the pulpit at the Saturday night session (to about 200 people), and I don't mind admitting I was more than a little nervous.
Naturally I prepared for it by praying hard and asking my Father In Heaven to guide me, oh!, and also by cutting and dying my own hair.

Well, luckily for me it wasn't too bad.

Meanwhile, Duncan and Oscar spent a lot of their weekend at the plot, tiding and mending and generally trying to baton down the hatches. They say snow is on its way, we shall see.

We have been talking about seeds for a few weeks now. Its exciting to be planning a garden again, especially since our tiny cottage garden didn't yield up anything this year.

Since moving around is making me feel pretty sick, I am taking this opportunity to lie still and knit up a present for a new baby and carry on with my Christmas gift hats. I may have to get on to a hat for Duncan now though, if the weather forecast is right, since he has went from long hair to short hair this month (even more drastic than my cut, pics later). I will keep you posted.

Keep Warm
Valerie
xxx

{ This Moment }

A Friday Ritual, A Single Moment From Our Week

Joining in with Amanda

Soulemama

Wear your pajamas to nursery day in aid of CHILDREN IN NEED

Valdree

xxx

Yarn Along

READING

Well, I am Still Reading Jesus The Christ by James E Talmage. I cannot stress how much I love this book, and my slowness in reading is completely down to how tired I have been lately. We (in my Church) are also reading The Book Of Mormon from start to finish by years end as a challenge from our Bishop so this is impacting on my time to spare for the Talmage book. What I can tell you about this book is that it really focuses on Jesus and the people and places he had direct contact with. It also explains a lot of the customs and traditions in the time of Christ, which I feel is incredibly relevant to the biblical content. Surprising things I have learnt (among many others), are, there was not 3 wise men necessarily. There were 3 gifts, but no mention of how many wise men/ kings there were. Also, Leprosy was not contagious in the time Christ lived as a man, it was in fact connected to malnutrition, which is why it traveled around families. Background details I know, but I am interested in these sorts of things.

You can read this book online for free if you are interested - HERE

KNITTING

As I mentioned yesterday I am working on a few things just now, and I have a pile of wool waiting to go  (I need to stay off the internet really).

I did however finish the WEE BALACLAVA I was making for Oscar. He had requested one that would cover his cold lips and be stripey and rainbow coloured (including pink).

Sorry for the dodgy picture, I will take more when he wears it outside.

Oscar was extremely pleased with it and said it was very hot, maybe too hot. I doubt that though, he has probably forgotten how cold December and January are around here. I think I did good with this.

Joining in with GINNY and friends for Yarn Along

Valdree

xxx

Busy Having Fun

If this week had a name or a title it would be called 'crafting'. As the temperatures outside sink lower and lower, we are staying indoors more and more, and that means creativity is on the rise.
I am knitting a Christmas gift hat, a rainbow striped balaclava and a yellow/golden vest. I am also making a felt wallet for Oscar to keep his newly appointed 'pocket money' in. Also this week I am making invitations to a St Andrews day lunch.
Oscar has started his Christmas crafting which involves lots and lots of glitter and peg angels and we are going to be making calendars for him to give as presents.
We have no carpets in the cottage but we do have a really large rug in the lounge, which if truth be told, is in need of a professional clean. Currently the rug is sporting a light layer of rainbow coloured glitter, which I feel is a good distraction from the play-dough stuck in there. So you see, crafting may be a messy business, but it does have its advantages too.
(pictures of finished craftyness coming up in the next few weeks).

 Valdree

xxx

{This Moment}

A Friday Ritual, A Single Moment From Our Week

Joining in with Amanda

Soulemama

Breakfast Time Sky

Have A Lovely Weekend

Valerie

xxx

Gunpowder Treason And Plot

The Fifth of November

    Remember, remember! 

    The fifth of November, 

    The Gunpowder treason and plot; 

    I know of no reason 

    Why the Gunpowder treason 

    Should ever be forgot! 

    Guy Fawkes and his companions 

    Did the scheme contrive, 

    To blow the King and Parliament 

    All up alive. 

    Threescore barrels, laid below, 

    To prove old England's overthrow. 

    But, by God's providence, him they catch, 

    With a dark lantern, lighting a match! 

    A stick and a stake 

    For King James's sake! 

    If you won't give me one, 

    I'll take two, 

    The better for me, 

    And the worse for you. 

    A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope, 

    A penn'orth of cheese to choke him, 

    A pint of beer to wash it down, 

    And a jolly good fire to burn him. 

    Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring! 

    Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King! 

    Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!

Gruesome or what?

Anyway, thats why we have bonfires and fireworks on the 5th November each year. Its a bit odd really, when you think about it. The kids enjoy a flask of hot chocolate by the fire and the pretty fireworks (from a great distance in Oscar's case), so I guess its all right to go with it. I certainly enjoyed it as a girl.

It is a well known fact that it is virtually impossible to photograph fireworks from very far away on an automatic camera. I wont bore you with the rest of my blurry firework pictures. Here are the other blurry pictures instead   ;-)

Valdree

xxx

Slowly Does It

For the most part, my week day mornings are much the same as each other. We rise at 7.30am, I have toast and butter, Oscar has Weetabix and warm milk and a drizzle of honey. We get dressed and hurry out the door at 8.40am and take the short walk to school.
After I leave Oscar at school I have a short window of time to myself, before I collect him at 11.20am. Most days I shop for any staples we need like milk or vegetables and then hurry home, where I plan or start lunch, plan or start dinner, have a cup of herbal tea, check my emails, read some blogs, sometimes blog myself, sort out a laundry and then leave again at 11.05am.
Some days though, I take the camera with me to school and meander back taking pictures. I always feel so much better when I do this, and I am much more thankful for the beautiful things around me which often go unnoticed.

A chilly November morning -

All very random, but what a shame it would have been to miss any of it.

Valdree
xxx