Blog Archives - Jenny Wren Crafts

27th December 2020

12/27/2020

Back home now after spending Christmas with Mark and Michelle. I had some really lovely and useful presents from everyone including this from Mark and Michelle. (You need to be a Gavin and Stacey fan!).

I also had eatable things, smellies, clothes, a baby hazel tree, decorative things, some wool and a pattern for a crochet blanket, a large storage basket, a jigsaw, a guillotine for paper crafting, a kit to connect up my caravan water when I am on a fully serviced pitch, some money and a Hobbycraft gift card.

Now that everyone has opened their presents I can also reveal what I was working on before Christmas. Plus two pairs of navy fingerless gloves for my boys.

23rd December 2020

12/23/2020

No builder today. He came yesterday and pointed up but said he would not be back now till after Christmas as it was due to rain today. I certainly did rain too, I have a mini lake in the middle of the lawn. Just waiting for the ducks to move in!

My last present arrived today (hoorah) so I was able to wrap it and put all of the wrapping stuff away for next year. Richard came late morning for a doorstep present swap.

Finally got around to spraying some pine cones gold that Michelle gave me last year. They are now with the white ones I already had and some other bits and pieces in two bowls. I bought the dried oranges and other bits from the Victorian market in Worcester last year when Michelle was with me. We had a lovely day. The lady who sold them to us sprayed them before putting them in the bag so they smelt very strong. I had also bought some cheeses from another stall which also smelt very strong so the journey home in the car was very smelly!

21st December 2020

12/21/2020

Shortest day today!

Builder came at 7.45, barely light. Not actually raining but extremely wet and water dripping off the trees. He has made a really good start though and the outer skin of brickwork is completed up to window height. He is popping in tomorrow morning (nice and early again!!!) to do some pointing up and then on Wednesday to lay the blocks on the inside. It's becoming more obvious now what it's going to be.

Have managed to find photographs for all the little frames I sorted out. Spent an afternoon a few days ago going through a huge box of photographs from the Smith side of the family looking for old black and whites. Found quite a few but many of them I didn't know who they were. Some I have scanned for my ancestry research but I did find enough suitable ones to finish off the framing. Now all hanging in the squares on the landing and in the hall.

The first display is 'guess the child', the second are very old c1914 - 1935 and are all from my mother's side of the family. The final lot are more recent c1939 - 1973 and cover both my side and the Smith side of the family.

Have delivered most of my Christmas presents now so that they can quarantine before Christmas. It was lovely to catch up with my friends Tracey and Adam, even if it was only on the doorstep wearing masks. I have not seen them since last Christmas and they have not had a good year.

Looking forward to seeing Richard and Debbie (and Brendyn and Olivia I hope) for a door step visit on Wednesday. I usually go and stay with them and we go to the pantomime at the Lichfield Garrick but unfortunately not this year.

19th December 2020

12/19/2020

The builder came this morning to check on the bricks and declared them dry enough to lay. He is coming back on Monday to make a start.

Met Mark, Michelle, Anais and Roman for a walk round the grounds of Hanbury Hall. We were not expecting the house to be open but some of the downstairs rooms were and they were dressed for the 70s and 80s. See better photos on Michelle's blog.

15th December 2020

12/15/2020

Another fine day for the builders and really good progress was made ... up to a point! That point being that when the bricks arrived they were too wet to lay so they now have to dry out and that's not going to be easy this time of year. Oh well, at least I don't have to get up early again tomorrow. The builder is going to check on them on Sunday or Monday.

In the meantime I have been carrying on with painting the little frames I found in black or gold and finding some suitable photographs to put in them. As before I am sticking to black and white photographs. I now have an additional 10 frames to fill to hang on the wall plus 2 black and gold art deco style frames that I bought on my travels in the summer which have to stand.

14th December 2020

12/14/2020

Well, the first of my home improvements started this morning! I will share some pictures as it progresses and see if you can guess what it will be.

Have now wrapped most of my presents. Just a couple I am waiting for delivery and a couple I am still working on. Need to get them delivered the weekend so people can quarantine them before Christmas day.

12th December 2020

12/14/2020

Mark and Michelle managed to get tickets for Coughton Court (NT) so we had a nice walk around the grounds. The weather was fine but it was very muddy. I was surprised at how busy it was.

The rest of the day was spent wrapping presents. I heard a tip on the radio once about using the ironing board to wrap presents and I must say it's a really good idea. The other thing that helps is a weighted sellotape dispenser.

4th December 2020

12/4/2020

Have been busy working on some more Christmas presents. 5 completed so far. Also busy sorting out some home improvements that I want done, getting quotes and deciding what to do. All sorted now, just waiting for start dates!

Christmas cards written and posted, decorations up and bathroom in its Christmas colours. Presents almost done, just a few to get and then wrapped. I decided to have a change this year to the tree. I usually have all red, green and gold decorations but this year have gone for pearly white.

Have found some more small picture frames so next project is to paint then either gold or black and sort out some black and white photos to go in them.