Yes Virginia there really is a Santa Claus

The power of blog and all the little santa's can read blog too - so thank you 2 u , thank you 2 u 2, thank you, and thank you xxxx .... i shall smell plesureable for ever more thank goodness ha ha The tree takes the theme of the Snow Queen - with clear glass, silver and rhinstone ornaments.

Old favorites - Holly from HollyDoodles made this Crown for me a couple of years ago and it stands proud on top of my tree

a new pink fluffy wreath and i have added sadie lou's gorgeous betseys

this one looks so peaceful

and below more betseys have been added to this wreath Wouldn't be Christmas with out Rudolph

back soon with some christmas vignettes.

Merry Christmas

Ginny x

The bets are on for a White Christmas

The bets are on for a white christmas here in the UK. One man has bet £1 million that it does snow on Christmas Day and if he wins he gets £14 million. hmmmm I don't think so ... we may be faking it like the pic above (from Vakre magazine).

WELL IT DID SNOW HERE

..... but its not Christmas yet and so can't count.

I came back from dancing last night in a flurry of snow - and by the morning there was a thick blanket of beautiful white snow. So as the British always say it won't last though .

Anyway thought i would share this gorgeous magazine with you - yes its is a Scandinavian magazine and i cannot understand a thing in it LOL - but the pictures of interior homes and ideas in this magazine are always beautiful and inspiring - they are predominantly white and grey interiors with a splash of colour -

the christmas stockings trimmed in fur are very festive and popular this season

and love the image and the script on this cushion

I love the fur trimmed cones - i must do one like this

slip covered tub chairs make this scene look so cosy

silvered balls all grouped together

I love all these festive images

Vakre is one my favorite magazines i wish they would translate it so i could actually read it too (blush :-0)
Oh well off i must go and creative some of my own

Ginny x

This Christmas

It'll probably be raining here .... again.
But my daughter and her young family have jetted off to sunny South Africa for 4 weeks -

its summer there, but this autumn and before the rain put a damper on things we were able to spend some days out together and that included trying out the new bike that little un got for her birthday.

This stately home is on my doorstep.

and has lots of lovely walks all around it which you can enjoy for free.

Walled gardens - you can imagine how this garden would have looked in the 19th Century - stocked to the gunnels with vegetables and flowers - the trees beyond are where the fairy rings can be found. However nosey parker thought maybe this was her new home and wanted to explore so off she went its a pity she can't read yet ;-)

Yes that means you too!

be back soon with a visions of lovely ness - well my christmas nest - (what's left of it) :-)

Love Ginny xx

The Blatent Pleasure of it all

Christmas is in the air and talk of christmas lists has made me thinking about what I would really like for Christmas. There will be no Diamonds or trinkets ... Top of my list would be my close family and friends sharing Christmas with me. Thats all I want ~ The mulled wine, the roaring fire, laughter smiles hugs and kisses, twinkling candles, rooms filled with twinkling lights and the smell of good cooking.

Christmas past - but you get the idea :-)

But if there was one thing that could maybe squeeze in the stocking it would have to be this.

One of life's simple PLEASURES.Fresh as flowers after rain, this sheer,
shimmering floral is a spirited blend of Lilies,Peonies and Jasmine, all tingling with the rare essence of exotic Baie Rose

For the first time ever I have run out !! I've not had a standby bottle of this on hand. I have always had some in my bag or on my dresser. But now I found not a drop was left ~ i was desperate !! Well could I find it anywhere ~ i couldn't believe how difficult this was to find, non of the big supermarkets stocked it, non of the high street chemists did and the only place left was into the big city to the big dept store.

Well having found it eventually I also noticed this WONDERFUL offer too!!!! very reasonable price if you buy an estee lauder product .... ooooh now that would make a great Christmas present wouldn't it. JUST LOOK !!!!!

Well this WAS (as in past tense) last ditch chance of making sure the kiddie winkies see what I am moaning and hinting about, so has been all for nothing as have been told too late they have already got me a Xmas present.

Whats a girl to do!

Yes it is blantently obvious, I would LOVE some Pleasures this Christmas ... but

ooooh I wonder what they got me instead hmmmm ????

Anyway off to pull out all the decorations and see what i need to keep and what i need to part with. May create a few pretties too.

Catch you soon ;-)

At the going down of the sun and in the morning - We will Remember them

Remembrance Day and a poppy. Recorded for this journal for the education of younger members of my family and anyone else who wondered why we wear a poppy. At the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, the Two Minute Silence is observed on Armistice Day, the day which marks the end of the First World War.
When we bow our heads in reflection, we remember those who fought for our freedom during both World Wars. But now we also mourn and honour those who have lost their lives in more recent conflicts. Today, with troops on duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and other trouble spots around the world, Remembrance, and this two minute tribute, are as important as it has ever been.

So what was Armistice Day and why do we wear a poppy? Well this is why.

Armistice 1918
On 11 November 1918 the Armistice was signed between the Allied and German armies, ending the First World War – a global war that lasted four years with the total human cost to Britain and the Empire of 3,049,972 casualties, including 658,705 dead.

Of all the millions of men who joined up to serve and defend the country, there are now no survivors in the UK left.

The last three stalwarts of the Great War. Harry Patch, Bill Stone and Henry Allingham all died during 2009. With their passing, the Great War has finally moved from living human memory to history.
Henry Allingham said: "These hellish memories of war are ones I'd rather forget.
But never my comrades !
Never the men who gave their everything.

" During a visit to a war cemetery in France, he was quoted as saying,

"All of us must remember them, always " and so we do.

So why do we wear a poppy?
Doctor John McCrae, a Canadian wrote a poem in 1915 called

“In Flanders Fields”

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses,

row on row

That mark our place;

and in the sky The larks,

still bravely singing,

fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead.

Short days ago We lived, felt dawn,

saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved,

and now we lie In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

these were the battlefields where many thousands lost their lives and the only thing that continued to grow in the aftermath of the devastation was the Poppy. Moira Michael, an American was so moved by the poem, she sold some poppies to her friends and donated the money she raised to servicemen in need. In 1918 Moira wrote a poem in reply to “In Flanders Fields” entitled “We Shall Keep Faith”. According to her Poem, she promised to wear a Poppy in “memory of our dead” and so the tradition of wearing a poppy on Remembrance Day was born.

The poet Moira Michael wrote this poem in 1918

We Shall Keep the Faith
Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet - to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the FaithWith All who died.
We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the deadIn Flanders Fields.
And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.

The Poppy is used in memorial of war time loss all over the world.

For example within Australasia, Anzac came to stand not just for the troops in World War I, but for Australian and New Zealand soldiers in time of war more generally. Anzac Day is observed annually in memory of those soldiers who died in war. It is commemorated each year by both countries on 25 April, the date of the first landing at Gallipoli in 1915 on a beach known as Anzac Cove. It is similar to days such as Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Armistice Day our Remembrance Day

Lest We Forget

Banner was created for free use by http://flossiebellebags.blogspot.com/
extracts taken from The Royal British Legion with LINK
and the Seaford Club British Legion. LINK

Little Giggle moment ~ humour me

A friend of mine sent this to me for a smile and had to share with you.



(as seen in a US news paper)
This has to be one of the best singles ads ever printed. It is reported to have been listed in the Atlanta Journal. ...


Read more:



SINGLE BLACK FEMALE seeks male companionship, ethnicity unimportant. I'm a very good girl who LOVES to play. I love long walks in the woods, riding in your pickup truck, hunting, camping and fishing trips, cozy winter nights lying by the fire.
Candlelight dinners will have me eating out of your hand. I'll be at the front door when you get home from work, wearing only what nature gave me.
Call (404) 875-6420 and ask for Daisy, I'll be waiting....

This is Daisy.

Over 150 men found themselves talking to the Atlanta Humane Society.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhh I hope she found her man :-))

There are some dancers and then there are some ...

Personalized Glitter Graphics
If you have followed my blog over the last 6 months you will have noticed that I have taken up dancing ~ well it is called Ceroc ~ ( a mix of modern jive, and latin), well my friend and I have come across some unusual dancers in this time.
There are some and .........

and then there are some

and if your foot is on the floor ... as so ....

you do have a better chance of survival from this position (known as a drop lol) ,
though I will avoid this type of dancer at all cost (i'm just not ready lol)

preferring Feet firmly on the floor (Rumba).However I could maybe stretch to this (Tango)

Any way lol !!

My birthday is looming up fast and my girls have clubbed together to send me off to a dance weekend full to the brim of workshops on modern jive, salsa, tango, pole dancing

ooops yes you heard me right

This new exercise craze is sweeping the nation you may have already discovered it yourself. Apparently pole dancing is the newest fitness activity,not relegated for the sheer pleasure of gentleman anymore.Yes POLE dancing is supposed to provide you with great posture, strength and style which all aids to the perfect dancing.

;-) oh yes

Yes it can keep you fit, but boy you need to be fit just to get a hold of the pole while you slowly slither to a heap on the floor.

note how I keep trying to justify pole dancing hmmm cough cough . Should I have trained for this maybe???

Am sure I will enjoy it.

glitter-graphics.com

And with strictly dancing returning to British screens soon

Keep Dancing :)))

Catch you soon

Ginny x

This 'll make you smile

My friend knows how to make me laugh (wink) ~ do you notice the odd one out. Purrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Frou Frou and frills ~ its a Christening !

The Lil miss had a beautiful dress made for her it was a huge frou frou ball of loveliness with a bodice of peach velvet flowers, butterflies on the hem and little bells in the inner skirt But lil miss was late for her own christening ~ she refused to put the dress on ! took 10 minutes !! She ran around the church yard like a right little tom boy getting caught on all the rose bushes.
Swift left arm action and frou frou dress is saved and so are the rose bushes.Ooooooh ducky .... ooops whats he doing with that water ??

Slightly alarmed when the pardre came out with a flask of steaming water ~ was he about to take off for a cuppa ~ after all the little un had dropped quite a few hymm books on the stone floor of the beautiful ancient church enjoying all the echoes, not to mention running up and down the aisle and throwing her self down in front of the alter enjoying the layers of petticoat parachuting around her .... hmmm but all was revealed when he took the flask to the font
The point at which water meets head ~ but take a close look ~ in little hand sits little duck ~ little duck used to live in the font ~ oooops Mum and Dad make this quick I've got places to go people to see

at last got rid of the gown and now i can relax

Well it wasn't long before one too many obstacles got in the way and dress gave way to comfort, now what would everyone think if we all decided to take this stance at gatherings. Toddlers just have way too much confidence sometimes. lol.
OK You get the drink (whats left of it) if I get my ball back ~ otherwise no deal ~ now don't mess with me ok ~ I may look cute but I have power !!

the cutest cake

They came from far and wide, as far as South Africa and America to attend the christening of little miss. The hardend godfathers sat back with a drink or 2 and shared tips with the newly appointed god parents, and all the while waited on by all the ladieeeees lol.
one of the long standing godfathers ~ ;-)) finishing the tirimsu

Four Generations of us females ~ :0)) Yes what a handful LOL

And the really good thing about this dress ~ Once it was way too small.

Sat in my wardrobe with its labels on for a few years much to the displeasure of all, that I should even keep something that doesn't fit all this time, Now I find it is toooo big but soooo pretty, I wore it anyway and although baggy at the back I love it. So glad I held on to it all those years.

( heavily trimmed with sequins and stones in pink and green)

Twinkle Pink ;-)

be back soon Ginny x