Auld Lang Syne - Mairi Campbell

God's promise.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.                                                                       Jeremiah 29.11

Life is too short to wake up with regrets
So love the people who treat you right.
Forget about the one's who don't.
Believe everything happens for a reason.
If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands.
If it changes your life, let it.
Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.  

Harvey Mackey

Artist's Wife sewing - Hans Heysen, 1877-1968

My New Year Resolutions are :

• Take one step at a time and relax.
• Eat more foods that grow
• Resume my sewing and crafting
• Make the time every day for a walk
• Radiate more Love and Kindness out to the world for the collective good of all.

St Stephen's Day : Lá an Dreoilín

I'm a day late posting this : Lá an Dreoilín : ♫The Wren, the Wren, the king of all birds, St. Stephen's Day got caught in the furze♫. The Cork and Kerry tradition of the Wren Boys out and about yesterday, the 26th December, chasing the wren.

St. Stephen's Day or Boxing Day as it's known in England.  After my daughter and her husband left yesterday, I did nothing but watch the television all day, there were so many great films and programmes on offer. I started with an Affair to Remember followed by Ben Hur and in the evening the Christmas special of Downton Abbey, of course.  I recorded the new BBC series Death comes to Pemberley ,which I watched this evening, very enjoyable.

Happy Christmas

To wish you and yours a very happy and loving Christmas.  May love, peace and harmony enfold every person and home.  May God in his wisdom guide us all this festive season and surround us with love, patience and joy.  God Bless you all.

♫ Joy to the World ♫

♫Joy to the World, the Lord is come, Let Earth receive her King.  Let every Heart, Prepare him Room. Let Heaven and Angels sing♫

Come, let us adore him.

A few of my favourite Christmas films, in no particular order:

Sleepless in Seatle

Miracle on 34th Street

The Santa Claus

Home Alone

Meet me in St Louis

While you were Sleeping

All that Heaven allows

It's a Wonderful Life

Jussi Björling - O Holy Night

Blessings for the Festive Season.

The Festive Season is upon us once more.  Life flows on here and all is well, thank God.  I am so glad that I started making handmade gifts (with a few machine sewn ones as well), earlier in the year for this Christmas. Following the awful pains in my arm in July and subsequent surgery, I don't know where I'd be, if I hadn't made a few items at least, particularly after promising everyone last year that I would make Christmas decorations. The first of this year's Christmas family 'get-togethers' is lunch next Saturday at my niece's house.  It's an all Girls lunch where we exchange gifts.

With busy schedules and babies it is getting harder to see everyone, so this is a very welcome and lovely gathering.  We used to have a tradition of a 'Present Night' in one of my sister's houses for all the family, up to a few years ago.  As the children grew up and some got married, it became difficult to get everyone together the week before Christmas. All are grown up now, so my niece has begun a new tradition of gathering her sister, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephew to lunch to celebrate the Festive Season in her lovely home.

Here are a few samples of the gifts I have made. There are still a few finishing touches to do. I hope they like them.

A little hand embroidered heart for my lovely neice.  The pattern was free from a lovely inspiring blog called
Cindy at her Country Home. 

Handmade decorations made from a pattern by Daisy Chain Designs which I bought at the
Festival of Quilts in Birmingham.

More little decorations

Pixie houses from Helen Phillips book and my own felt holly decorations.

Teacosy and matching heart made with Lakehouse Tea Fabric

Teacosy and matching Mat made with Clarke and Clarke material and little pixie house made from scraps.

Three little peg bags below:

I am really looking forward to spending the day with my special niece, whose hospitality and generosity are so appreciated.  She loves her family and makes such an effort with us all, despite her demanding job and busy life. How blessed we all are.

I hope this Christmas brings special blessing to all..  ♫May the Lord bless you and keep you, and may his light shine upon you and may he be gracious unto you♫. 

Sxx

Advent : O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Today 1st December 2013 is the first Sunday of Advent.  This is my favourite time of the year in the church calendar.  Advent from the Latin adventus meaning ‘coming’ - prepares our hearts and minds for Christmas.  The beautiful celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ on 25 December.  Our choir sang the beautiful hymn, my favourite of the Advent hymns, O Come O Come Emmanuel, this morning at 10.30 mass.

Sung here by the Choir of the Clare College, Cambridge.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.