Oh dear I found out today that George had passed away sometime this year which is very sad as he was a lovely man but at least he has been reunited with his Vi.
I am sort of getting there for Christmas, I think I have done all the present shopping and have even posted some of them, the rest will get sent tomorrow if I can find a post office without an enormous queue. Crikey postage has gone up (I used to work in a post office) 50p each for 2nd class, will have to start buying stamps to put aside for Christmas cards at this rate. I have spent nearly all day wrapping presents to send and think I deserve a glass of wine this evening!

One of the presents I am sending this year is this table runner in the top photo, then we have Tigger making sure it won't get away and then the fat rolly polly santa I made with Ann at Westbury Park Quilters. Lovely easy pattern, will certainly make this again - one of the members from Severn Valley Quilters, Hilary, went to Keepsake Quilting in New Hampshire and got me the pattern, definitely a good buy!

Ooh I've got a follower!! Thanks Lorraine!! I'll try and keep this up to date, nothing worse than a blog that's totally out of date.

I have finished my christmas tree as you can see. It looks good (but maybe not in the kitchen with  all the junk) it took a lot of toy stuffing and I had to get another bag - the bottom two stars took nearly most of one bag so not exactly a cheap thing to make but it will last a long time with any luck.
Blooming cold today, didn't go to Bath with Allison as there's too much to do at home such as blitzing the whole house before Christmas - wish I could be tidier!
Haven't had a card from George who I used to work with years and years ago, he was 91 in June and his card always arrives on the 1st December so hope all is well with him.

This is my pile of stars to make a christmas tree. I found the pattern when I was at Cowslip Workshops and also bought some of the fabric there. I have made holes in the centre of the stars and now need to stuff them, sew up the opening then find some dowelling to go through the centres and stand it in a pot. The top star will just sit on the top of the dowelling. They had lots of them dotted round the shop at Cowslip and they looked lovely so maybe I will make some more.

Went to a very upmarket craft fair at Tredegar House in Newport on Friday, some AMAZING stuff at amazing prices!! There are some very talented people out there. I especially liked Zoe Hillyard's ceramic patchwork (www.zoehillyard.com) and Alison Moger's designs which took me back to my childhood in North Wales - ysgol Sul, Gymanfa Ganu and welsh village life. I nearly succumbed to buying a lovely bag from one stall but will wait and see what Father Christmas brings. The catering was top notch as well, I had fish chowder with fish biscuits for lunch which makes a great change from cheese and tomato sandwiches! Managed to pop into Busy Bees for a quick visit and got the red stripe fabric in the photo. Forgot to mention the talk on the Wrexham tailor's quilt by one of the textile curators from St Fagans. This was really interesting and the quilt itself is fantastic. The story behind it is quite sad really, it took 10 years to make and was passed down to family members who hit hard times in the depression of the 1920's/1930's and asked the museum if they would be willing to buy it so that the rest of Wales could appreciate the quilt. The family wanted £75 but the museum would only offer £20 - how mean was that? It is now the jewel in their quilt collection, can't remember if it was shown at the V&A exhibition in 2010?

Smudge is being very demanding and keeps miaowing quite mournfully - do cats grieve for their lost friends? I don't know whether she is missing Tortie or whether it's old age as she is 18. Her coat is not in very good condition but she doesn't groom herself as much as she used to so I am brushing her once a day and giving her a few drops of cod liver oil which the vet says is good for her but can give her the runs, oh great!