December Photo Scavenger Hunt

This month, we had the task of taking 26 photos for a Christmas A-Z.  You can see other interpretations over at Postcards from the P P.  


Here are mine 


A is for  Advent Calendar

B is for Berries

C is for Christmas Cards

D is for Drum Decoration

E is for Evergreen

F is for Father Christmas

G is for Games
We love playing a few games on Christmas day

H is for Holly

I is for Ivy

J is for Jelly  
being added to a trifle

K is for the three Kings

L is for Lights
on a tree in the middle of a local pond

M is for chocolate Money

N is for Nuts

O is for chocolate Orange

P is for Partridge in a Pear tree
I've used a bit of artistic licence here as it's neither a partridge nor a pear tree,   and I suppose technically it's on the tree rather than in it; but hey, it's Christmas!

Q is for Quality Street
I forgot to take a photo on Christmas day, and by Boxing day the tin was empty 

R is for Robin

S is for Seven Swans a Swimming
A few more than seven but I think there are actually seven in the water.  These were on the Serpentine in Hyde Park last week

T is for Tinsel

U is for Unusual and Useful gift
A cute punk rock style washing up brush

V is for Very favourite Christmas card
I've had this card for years and bring it out every Christmas.  The picture is foil and when the card's tilted about, it alters the look of the scene.

W is for Wrapping paper

X is for Xmas kisses

Y is for Yule log

  
Z is for ...zzzzzz.....

Picturesque way to work off the excesses

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!
As usual I've had way too much to eat over Christmas, so yesterday my daughter and I took a train to Bridlington on the Yorkshire coast for a bit of exercise.
It's been unusually mild for the time of year and yesterday was lovely and sunny, although it did cloud over later.  
There weren't many people about at this end of the beach

A few star jumps used up some calories

There are benches all along this cliff top footpath which are dedicated to the memory of people who lived in Bridlington and those who loved to visit here, which I thought was a nice idea

Can't get you out of my head

Last week at choir, we sang 'While Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night' to the tune of 'Ilkley Moor bah t'at'.  Apparently that was the original tune for While Shepherds Watched.  I've been singing it ever since, much to the disdain of the family.  Especially as I've got the word sheet with all six verses which I keep singing over and over, and let's just say I need other people singing with me to sound anything like!


I've found this on YouTube for your delight

It probably won't have the same effect on you if you're not from Yorkshire though!

If you look hard enough...

I have to say that Winter is my least favourite season of the year and also seems to last way longer than any other.  So far though the weather hasn't been too bad round here, apart from the wind which has been relentless. 
It does seem a bit boring though when there isn't any frost or snow (not that I'm wishing for snow - I had enough of that last year) and I haven't been taking many photos because it all looks a bit drab.
Yesterday it was lovely and sunny though, and whilst out for my morning walk I managed to find some things to photograph.


A few crab apples left on a tree that really shone out in the sun

White Silver Birches against the blue sky

The field next to this footpath has a flock (or is that gaggle?) of geese in it, but some of them had got out

I never noticed until Pear Tree Log mentioned it, that trees have eyes.  I had a look round our little woodland and found these

and in a shaded corner I found a patch of frost after all, which really made these leaves stand out

Every dog has it's day

What do they say; if you haven't worn an item of clothing for a year you should get rid of it?


Well dear reader, I have had this dress for getting on for 30 years and I've never worn it.

I got it from a jumble sale to wear to a 60s themed party, but then found a leather pinafore dress with a zip up the front which I liked better, so I didn't use it.  It's been languishing on a shelf in my wardrobe ever since (although not the same wardrobe due to house moves).
I'm not a great fan of orange on me and it's not really practical with it being lace but I just had to keep it.


I loved the orange cuff that I made so much, I decided to make another one for myself and wear it with this dress.  This time I covered the shirt cuff with orange organza overlaid with some black lace which already had sequins and beads on, and then added a couple of flowers.

The dress is a bit big for me so I can wear a black top underneath with a black slip, and pull the waist in with a belt

I've been out in it tonight, but over jeans because it's a bit chilly round here, and I had someone compliment me on my outfit and someone else on the cuff so I think it was worth hanging on to all this time, don't you?

All can be revealed

As they have all been received now, I can show you the things I made for the Pay-it-forward.
To make it more personal I'd asked what the three winners favourite colours were, and  two were purple and the other one was blues and greens.  These are colours I love too, so I had plenty of suitable fabric and wool to play with.


First up I made these patchwork needle cases which I had so much fun making

Ring pincushions

A couple of lavender pyramids each

Knitted bow brooches

and small drawstring bags