glad tidings of joy...

well the count down to christmas is really on, i have had 'three' sightings of santa, first the one when i was carrying my wood pile...the second whilst waiting at Safeway's deli for some cheese...

"look" i said to our #1 "not three yards from you is santa"

"that's not santa that's just an old man with a long white beard, who probably hates this time of year 'cause people like you point and whisper" she replied

"no, no, that is santa, he is just wearing his 'day off' clothes and collecting his deli chinese meal for dinner. it's all about believing"...

"i don't believe" (gasp!) it took me a while to recover, i had trouble looking her in the eye because she is heading to 5ft 10 inches, so i tippy toed and said

"i shall pretend that i never heard that"

a festive monster from our #4 (with a little help from Miss Ethel)

the third time was this saturday just gone, i was busy struggling with a queen size mattress and our van in the parking lot when he wandered by...

"morning santa" said i from under the mattress

"ummm, yeah, hi"

what was that, is that how santa would talk to you, i think not...lucky for him i was doing my balancing act. i have now come to the conclusion 'this santa' that always seems to be hanging around our local parking lot is not the 'real mccoy'...he must be an impostor...how else can i explain the 'ummm, yeah, hi' bit.

surely santa still goes "ho ho ho"...even if he ends it with a "dude"...

and so dear readers i have some fan-tab-u-lous news...it has been one hundred and forty days since we first stepped inside the yellow house and started to dream about moving.

the ups and the downs have taken their toll...i have doubled my gray hair count, added at least four new frown lines to my forehead and am requiring some serious under eye cream these days...but i am letting you know we are 'sold' and we will be moving to mossy shed (hurrah)...you can uncross your weary fingers and toes for the holidays (i thank you kindly for doing that)...at the moment i am surrounded by packing boxes as we have decided it would be a very wonderful exciting thing to pack and move most of our belongings, four children and several pets (accept heavy furniture because i'm a weakling) by ourselves...yes it is true to say we are going to go nuts...

in seventeen days (yes, seventeen...you heard me right) we will be living in our 'mock tudor' number amongst total chaos, me with my 'rose colored' spectacles and my man with his "where's it all going to go" "there's no attic space" "the ceilings are very low" "i think i need a shed" 'man blinkers' on...

so i wish you all a very merry time, what ever your celebrations this december...and i will return some time around the 14th January 2008 typing at my little blue desk, in the corner by the lovely fireplace at mossy shed...

she's wishing you a Happy New Year ~ Tif

according to plan...

according to my grand plan i would be posting a 'wonderful lovely' tutorial about crocheting a popcorn garland with lots of helpful pictures...but alas my plan has been thwarted by several things...first my 'flu' like symptoms that have plagued me for several days...secondly after spending nearly an hour trying to get non blurry pictures i have given up and thirdly i am blaming the lousy weather conditions and not my camera skills...

so you will have to use your imagination with this one, no pretty pictures sadly.

i might also add this is the most simple easy peasy crocheted item you will ever make, however with my inability to write clear concise 'crochet terms' it will appear to be the most super duper complicated item you have ever attempted...dear readers do not be 'put off' just pick up that yarn and before you know it you will have 'bluffed' your way through my instructions to your very own 'popcorn garland'...

so with the help of some 'irrelevant pictures' of Miss India Rose i shall begin...

1. you will need a 'worsted' weight yarn and a size 4.0 mm hook (i used lambs pride worsted yarn...it is a beautiful clotted cream color and crochets up a charm)

2. chain a length of around 2 yards...you could just chain one huge length but i prefer to do several shorter garlands so i don't get in a tangle)

now that was the easy bit...

3. slip stitch back into 14th chain from hook to create a 'loop' for hanging onto your branch

4. single crochet into the next six stitches

5. chain six

6. double crochet into 3rd chain from hook, repeat 6 more times until you have a fan shape

7. remove hook and place into first double crochet, collect loop and pull through to create bobble

8. slip stitch into base of chain to join bobble back to main garland

9. repeat from row 4. until 14 stitches from end of garland and make a loop for your other branch.

the garland will naturally twist as you proceed...i do so hope that i have made this clear, basically you need to count, six single crochets, six chains, seven double crochets, one slip stitch and repeat...plus remember i am using american terminology and i believe for british crocheting it will be different...my trusty rowan book tells me...

US single is a UK double

US double is a UK treble

right, i think it is quite true to say that if you attempt this you will be requiring a drink within 25 minutes...if you actually manage to work out a 'popcorn garland' from my instructions then please let us all know so we can believe that miracles do happen at christmas...

she's hoping you can work it out ~ Tif

'tis the season...

for hanging stockings by the fireplace...

for not forgetting little ones...even the naughty ones...

for men to dig out their 'man blinkers' for shopping...

for lovely gift wrap from anthropologie...

for ginger snaps in pretty tins...

for handcrafting gifts...

for pesky gnomes to rest a while and sleep...

for starting a new yarn project...

for Tif to do a 'popcorn garland' tutorial on Thursday...

better late than never ~ Tif