This should have been a post about our Christmas outing to Derbyshire but that had to be postponed for another day due to unforseen and unfortunate circumstances which I will tell you about later. So today instead of going out I stayed in and put the filling into the cake for my younger daughter’s 40th birthday (which is on Monday but we are celebrating it tomorrow) and mixed the buttercream for the coating. Then while there was a smidgen of light left I started making my Christmas cards.
Well better late than never!
Each year I try and produce a few of my own Christmas cards – they vary from year to year, different sizes, different medium, different designs. Many readers will have seen previous cards I have made and anyone interested can search my blog under the Creating Christmas link in the sidebar or in the menu above.
Sometimes I want to try out a few new ideas that I have and sometimes I have a very definite idea of what I want to do.
This year because of time pressures I have produced a very simple lino cut print of mistletoe from a few sketches I did 2 years ago.
It is still in the development stage – testing the design for unwanted marks and the colour. My initial print was a bit too much lime green so I added first some white (too wishywashy) and then tried again with a little Prussian blue to tone it down.
Much better. Currently I am debating the wording; if I decide to use any wording it will be stamped on afterwards as cutting out the ‘mistletoe‘ wording, as I had on the original design sketch above, has to be cut out backwards on a lino print which is an art in itself and I really don’t have the time.
So this is my progress so far. It is meant to have that home made look that is one of the qualities of a lino cut. Sorry about the awful light it goes dark so quickly these days but you will get the gist.
Hopefuly I will get them all printed tomorrow – I find lino cuts are a good way to do a mass production.
It has been a turbulent week for us so far and one where I am left wondering if anything else can happen.
To summarise briefly my mum is not a happy bunny at the moment and so my daily calls are a bit fraught trying to keep her cheerful, one of our relations in Scotland has sadly died and there will be a funeral next Thursday, decorating the cake I have made for my daughter’s birthday has proved a bit of a challenge time wise (will I ever learn), then the icing on the cake (not my daughter’s as I have still to do that)….is that we received a call from a friend in Scotland in the same village as our cottage to tell us the recent storm was horrendous and the waves along the shore have been so high and so powerful part of the harbour wall and other concrete sea defences have been taken out, the surface of the main road broken into pieces, and some nearby wooden holiday chalets at Ardwell village flooded out….and…wait for it….. the wind has completely ripped off the felt on our flat roof kitchen extension (oh dear, here we go again).
We hadn’t planned to go up to Scotland so close to Christmas but we will have to now and I have had to rearrange hair appointments next week and other planned tasks and DH has been on the phone all day trying to find a roofer who can come and replace the felt; but of course they are all busy repairing all the storm damaged roofs in the area.
To add to our problems all week I have been having dizzy spells (such a lot of tension in my neck) …not surprising. Our Christmas plans will be on hold for a while and what gets done will and otherwise I am not going to worry (too much) but I think we will be lucky if we get our Christmas tree now!!
So for any readers following along with my creating Christmas I may go quiet for a day or two as my advent blogging is interupted, but hopefully not for long.
I am going for my tea now and then have another go at getting the cake decorated if the phone manages to stay quiet for an hour or two and there is no further bad news.
I really fancy going for a lie down in a darkened room.
back soon x
where the journey takes me 2 
Oh no! Sorry for your troubles, Viv.
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No doubt we will wade through them one by one – just a lot before Christmas to get sorted.
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Oh, I’m sorry about all the turmoil, Viv. I had read some articles about storm damage in Stranraer which made me wonder about your cottage since I know it isn’t far from there. Try to take some deep breaths and not put pressure on yourself to get things just so with regards to Christmas and birthdays. Hard to do, I know, as you are feeling pulled left, right, up and down at the moment. Will be sending good thoughts your way and hoping that things calm down and that a roofer (or some very large tarpaulins) may be found to secure the roof. Safe travels.
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We thought we had been lucky with storm Arwen but this was much worse with a different wind direction. The locals have taken some pictures to pass on to the council so they can see just how bad it gets down near the Mull and hopefully they might take protection a bit more seriously. x
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Oh Crikey … that is a lot to deal with at a very busy time of year. I hope you manage to get your roof sorted … We are just back from a week in Northumberland and Arwen had certainly left her mark up there too. Take care and just do what you can … sometimes we just have to accept that we can’t do everything … even though it may not sit comfortably. X
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The weather is certainly getting much worse in many places it is only when things affect London that anything seems to get done, meanwhile everywhere else has to battle on.
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It never rains but it pours, eh, Ali? Things will work out eventually so take care of yourself and only do what you comfortably can.
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Thank you Chris – the rain feels a bit like a hail storm at present but I know it will pass over.🎄
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I’m sorry you are dealing with so much right now. I hope you can slow down and take care of yourself!
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Thanks Dar – once the cake is finished and we have been out tonight to the Light show (which we cannot cancel and it is not everyday we celebrate our daughter being 40) I can concentrate on getting up to Scotland and sorting the roof.
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I’m so sorry you have all this to deal with, Viv. And especially at this time of year, when life is often hectic enough already.
Wishing you a safe journey up to Scotland and I hope the roof gets sorted quickly for you. X
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Thanks Jules I only hope the weather calms down as it is hard to repair any roof in a strong wind. x 🎄
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So sorry to hear of your news Viv, what rotten luck with your cottage roof we too are trying to find a roofer, and they’re like gold dust.. My 92 yr old mum lives independently, near us, but it’s a challenge ! She’s blind and deaf as a post . Try not to get stressed, you can only do your best. We’re all the same at Christmas, wanting everything to be nice , and jobs completed, but no point making yourself ill with exhaustion. If you run out of time to get a Christmas up, treat yourself to a little rooted potted one and decorate that. Next year it can go outside , that’s what we did last year. If all else fails, treat yourself to some lovely Christmas flowers for the lounge , a few fairy lights and all will look lovely . Hope things settle down a bit soon, have a lovely peaceful Christmas xxx
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I have the Christmas tree outside and a few decorations on the mantel and that will probably be our lot. I am more disappointed we had to cancel our trip into Derbyshire yesterday – it is one of my favourite Christmas outings, still it will be nice once we reach the border going up to Scotland as the run down to our cottage takes us through some lovely little towns and villages and they will all be trimmed up by now. xx
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Oh gosh … a lie down in a dark room must sound like bliss for you at the moment. I really feel for you. I hope you can sort out the important things and still somehow manage to enjoy a simple and peaceful Christmas.
Take care. Xx
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So very sorry to hear of all your troubles. The most recent storm after Arwen did seem to target Ireland and the west coast of Scotland. Really hoping you manage to find a roofer soon. They are like gold dust at the best of times, and costs are ever increasing. We have just been quoted £6,000 to do some pointing work on part (not the whole!) of our roof in Edinburgh. I won’t offer any unsolicited advice about your neck tension – you will know what’s best for you – but only to say do try to find time to look after yourself. xx
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In our part of Scotland the prices are always very reasonable when we compare them to home here (West Yorkshire). I am thinking we will probably not make a claim on the insurance as that can become a costly experience and the thought of dealing with them again fills me with dread. I am more worried that the weather will not be the kind that you can do the repairs in. I am praying for calm and dry! xx
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I am so sorry to hear about your roof Viv, that sounds exactly like the icing on the cake and what you did not need right now. I do hope that you have been able to get it all sorted.
Your card is lovely, when you make them yourself you need them to be something that is easy to mass produce don’t you. I used to have these ideas, in the past, that were so complicated it felt like a chore to get them all done! Hope you had a lovely celebration with your daughter.
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My goodness, what a week you have had. Take all the time you need to attend to what needs doing. We’ll still be here if you get the chance to post some more. Good luck with everything.
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