WOYWW 868

 WHEN YOU COME HOME AGAIN TO WALES...

G and I celebrated nine years of being back in Wales last weekend and we genuinely can't tell you where that time has gone! It was the right move for us and we love being back by the sea again - the weather was very much like nine years ago:

Sunshine and showers! And a lovely rainbow to mark the occasion xx There has been more rain than sun this past week so I've spent a fair bit of time in the JanCave getting stock ready for the upcoming fairs.

I had two metres of this pretty hearts fabric and have cut out various bits and bobs.

Everything gets lobbed onto the bed!

Strips and Zips....

Things waiting to have plastic snaps put on...

and zipped bags waiting to be ironed. Those piggies still make me smile!

I've learned how to put fabric tags on the zips for the bags, it doesn't half make a difference to the overall appearance, makes the top lie flatter with no unsightly bulges at the ends (if only I could do that for myself, lol!!)  It takes a little more time but is definitely worth it.

And here's my mindless crafting for the evenings, it's a cute little pattern called the Babbity hat and is really simple - it's effective in the variegated yarn.

I'm out at a craft group this morning so comments may be delayed. Hope you're all keeping well and enjoying your makes.

Have a great week!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

WOYWW 867

 RED AND YELLOW AND PINK AND GREEN

Hi everyone, hope you've had a good week! Before we launch into desk stuff I had a very brief conversation with Neet last week, she's likely to be in hospital for a while yet, is keeping reasonably ok but couldn't say when she might be home. I think a card or email might be a nice thing to keep her spirits up xx

Here it's been all go on the knitting and sewing front as my first fair will be on 7th Feb with two after that so I've got to get organised!

I've knitted some samples of creme egg covers and two more little bunnies. I don't like the daffodil very much, it looks like a triffid! But the others are fun and will be knitted by a couple of the RNLI gals.

There's been a lot of cutting out ready for sewing:

Some new and some donated fabrics have been for the chop!

The cat fabric made into the trio sets that sell well...

I managed to eke out a few bits from a metre remnant of this lovely peacock material...

This donated piggy fabric makes me smile! I'm going to make some zippy bags out of this as well, it's one of those designs that will either appeal or not!  

Hope you have a great week!! xxxxx

 

WOYWW 866

 RING OUT THOSE BELLS...

It's officially Happy New Year now and what a first week it's been! We've had a fair bit of snow here, enough to stop us getting out and about, it wasn't that deep but so cold it was treacherously slippy!

Big fat flakes fell, it got a fair bit worse than this!

Consequently I've spent a lot of time in the warm crafting away and not feeling guilty about it!  I finished the blanket and bunny combo and they've now been sent off to my great niece:

I enjoyed making the bunny so much I've made the parts for another two but haven't yet got round to sewing them up:

I also found this pretty variegated yarn in the stash and I thought I'd knit a little cardi/hat as a bit of mindless tv crafting ( I have to concentrate and follow the pattern - mostly - for the bunnies)

This is the scene in the JanCave at the moment:

Some more sunflowers WiPs and, oh look, there's some new fabric, it's part of the Sewing Rules to start the New Year with some fresh stash! Isn't it? Or did I make that up...possibly... *snigger*  Anyway, I struck gold in the Doughty's Sale:

You so rarely see a decent cat print that I just had to get a couple of metres of each of these, I know they'll go well!

As it's forecast for more snow at the end of the week, I may make a start on cutting some of these out. My days of going sledging are over!

Sending big hugs to Neet who is still in hospital, we miss you so much lovely gal and can't wait until your name is on the list again  xx

Have a great week xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

WOYWW 865

 WITH THE WASSAILING BOWL WE'LL DRINK TO THEE!

Here we are then, the very last day of 2025, another year of desky sharing, fun and camaraderie over and a new one lies ahead. I wish you all good health, happiness and joyful times through 2026.

It's been an odd year for us with many best laid plans going AWOL, this continued when our son Owen couldn't make it home for Christmas, he's been extremely poorly with flu or Covid, so we jointly decided to postpone things. That's just the way this year has been!

I have been back in the Jancave after getting things back to normal:

It's been good to get back to some sewing! I had one metre of this funky sunflowers fabric in my stash so am making 1 folding tote, 4 glasses cases and 3 little zippy bags (and a partridge in a pear tree, la la la!)

This makes me happy!

I've also been trying out other knitting patterns and enjoyed making this little rabbit:

She stands about 7" high - the pattern was bought from Etsy and is the most verbose, fussiest set of instructions I've read recently. And I disagreed with the construction of quite a few parts so once again did my own thing, especially with the dress....why change the habits of a lifetime eh?? Lol xxx

G and I took down our decorations yesterday, I do like a fresh clean house to start a new year and I'm sorting through the Christmas cards to upcycle or recycle:

I enjoy doing this, upcycling into new cards or tags where possible. 

And that it's for this week. I'd like to thank you all for your continuing friendship and support of my blog. Sending big hugs to you especially Neet, we're thinking of you lovely gal and missing you so much.

Happy New Year from me and my boys, lots of love, LLJ xxxx

WOYWW 864

 WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS 

AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's the last day before Christmas and I'd like to send my very good wishes to you and hopes for a happy, healthy and riotous New Year!

Here's my Christmas card to you all, something a bit daft (remind you of anyone?!)  

Our Christmas is going to be slightly different to what we'd planned as our eldest son Owen has been really poorly and not well enough to drive a long journey, so everything has been pushed back to next weekend when he'll hopefully be ok. Not a problem, it'll just extend the festivities for a bit longer.

A lovely thing happened this week, Mary Anne offered to send me £43 to make up our RNLI crafting total to the round £2,000!! So kind of you MA, the crafting girls were really happy to hear of your kindness. The WOYWW loveliness continues, it's a marvellous thing xxx

Talking of Deskers:

Lynne and I had a long overdue catch up yesterday, it's great that after 43 years of friendship we can still natter on for ages lol! I was doing some crocheting while we chatted:

I'm making a blanket for a present to give in January so got to get a move on!

Talking of presents, I had a couple of early ones from my dear mates Kim and Sue:

Kim made me a book of watercolour paper and found these beautiful pearlescent paints - I am definitely going to carve out more painting time next year to use these gorgeous lovelies.

And Sue gave me this fun little knitting brooch (plus a beautiful scarf). Isn't it fab? That's definitely going on my denim jacket with a few other prized bits and pieces xx Thanks lovely gals!!

Once again, I'd like to thank you for all the amazing comments, sharing and support through another year of WOYWW. I'm so happy that our wonderful community still meets up every week, it's a really positive thing. Thinking of Neet, I hope you're doing ok lovely gal - you really are in all our thoughts. Big Hugs xx

Have a wonderful day tomorrow and a good week! xxxxxxxxx

WOYWW 863

 TWAS IN THE MOON OF WINTERTIME

WHEN ALL THE BIRDS HAD FLED

(The Huron Carol, give it a listen here on Youtube)

Hi everyone, hope you're all doing ok and avoiding the madness in the lead up to Christmas.  It has quietened down a lot for me this week, a haircut, shop shift and seeing friends is all I'm doing!  Sending hugs to Neet who I've not heard from this week, hope you're doing ok lovely lass, we miss you on the desks - hope you're home for Christmas xx

Last Saturday was the final fair which made £204, taking the Christmas fundraising up to £1957 since November! We were all chuffed. To say thank you to the ladies, I hosted a tea, cakes and crafting afternoon at my place:

Sue led the sew/beaded card table...

And Kim taught us how to make gift boxes!

We had such a lovely afternoon, full of fun and laughs. Betty (in the bright blue cardi) is great company and how I want to be when I'm 90!  And they've asked if we're doing more next year - definitely!!

I had a big sort out of the stuff we'd made and all that was left was:

Not bad eh? I apologise for the mooning snowman....there's always one....

I am not doing any more Christmas crafting at the moment but have to do something, so all the festive yarn went away and I dug out odds and sods to make baby stuff for the local hospital:

Mindless knitting, I can do these in my sleep - the little cardi is a great pattern, you knit it from the top down and it's all in one, no sewing up, hurrah!!

And I might have bought some new patterns, these are legit ones bought from Etsy as digital downloads hence the paper copies!

Did someone mention Easter?! Lol! I'm looking forward to knitting the puffin in particular, it's an easy pattern but very effective.

Hope you're all keeping fit and well and dodging all the bugs that are around. Love and hugs to you all xxxxxx

WOYWW 862

 THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND...

Hi there lovely Deskers, hope life is treating you well. It's been one of those weeks for us, G was properly poorly but has improved since the weekend and then our chimney had a big leak around the flashing. A wonderful local company came out and repaired it within 48 hours, so grateful as we've had storms for two days running now.  Ah well, still smiling...!

But things had to carry on, it was the RNLI Christmas at the Boathouse event last Sunday:

I was helped out again by my amazing mates Kim (the Elf!) and Sue plus all the wonderful making by the ladies in the shop. The stall looked pretty and we made £300 in two hours!

And we had a lot of fun!

I did a quick stock check the following day and we have sufficient things for next Saturday's fair, the last of the season. We're low on some choc orange covers so I've made a couple more Santas:

I might make a couple of reindeer as well, if they don't sell, the covers can be put by for next year!

As well as mates helping me with the stalls, another lovely friend, Eva from Austria, sent me a surprise parcel, inside of which was:

A beautiful folk art horse that Eva made herself plus:

The most beautiful little book, again made by Eva. Inside each little page had something special about my blog:

Isn't it wonderful? It's only 4cms tall so I can only admire the patience that it took to make it. I love them Eva, thank you so much for the lovely surprise, I will treasure them xx

And that's just another reminder of the friendship found in this community, online and in my hometown. How blessed am I?

Still thinking of Neet as well, I do hope she's beginning to feel a bit better and will get home for Christmas xx

Have a great week, love to you all xxxx