The Festive Shopping Begins

How has your week been?  Eventful?  Fun?  Personally, this has been one of the quickest weeks I have had in a long time.  Extremely busy at work and occasionally infuriating at home when trying to re-vamp my blog.  Thank goodness for Sandra and Meg  who saved me from frustration on how to put icons and links together!!  Thank you so much for your advice...it worked! xx

And now on to what has been happening in my little world.

The Christmas lights have now been switched on in Peterborough, don't they look beautiful?  When you walk under them it is as though you have a cloud of stars above your head.  This photo was taken from the Norman arch that contains the oldest pair of working gates in England (they date back about 800 years to the 13th century).  This is the gateway to Cathedral Square and the Cathedral itself.  

This is the view looking the other way...well I had to didn't I?

Now back to the lights...avenues of light covered trees...

and of course the Christmas tree itself which had the Mayor put the star on the top.

The early evenings here are, as you could just see, now looking very festive.  Crisp, dark evenings envelope the busy shoppers laden with their colourful bags full of exquisite surprises.

My own shopping so far has been the warm and comfortable kind.  A nice cup of sweet Yorkshire Tea, a comfy desk chair, a warm and happy dog pleased to have her owner sitting down with her and a mouse in my hand clicking away for those gifts that will take a slightly longer time to be delivered. 

All done on that front now, received and hidden away so it is time to head to the shops and get the little nick nacks that fill up stockings and boxes.

One of the shops that I have been going to (a little bit too) frequently is Sweet Perfections in Peterborough.  It is a beautiful old fashioned looking sweet shop.  I went in this week to get some aniseed twists for the office (we have a slight addiction to them).  They are weighed out and put into lovely little sweet bags (can you remember the sound of hard boiled sweets being gathered up with the metal scoops and put onto the weighing scales - cosy memories!).  So simple but so lovingly done.  While I was there I noticed little candy canes and home made chocolates wrapped in shiny festive foil.  Well it would be rude not to buy wouldn't it??!  It is truly a beautiful, comforting shop with happy and helpful staff.  It makes me feel like a child again going into a proper hand made sweet shop to get a perfect tooth crumbling sweet!

On the way home a couple of times now, I have taken to a quick rush into Hobbycraft to get some bits and bobs for my Christmas decoration masterpieces.  It's the perfect time to 'pop' in, no crowds!  I plan on putting the decorations up when the children are at school on my day off next Friday and then see what they think.  Watch this space!  We have had the same decorations for a number of years now, so I feel it is time to bring in the new, however I will still bring out some of the older pieces that are full of memories for us.  Such as the 'Christmas Elf' who would sit next to the TV to watch for any bad behaviour and then mysteriously disappear on Christmas Eve to report back!

The bunting is so tantalisingly close to completion, I can't wait to show you...in fact I will!  So close, and as my hubby would say 'we have all the tools' to finish the job.

The baubles have their bells on, Mary Bendy Legs and Robin are getting ready to sit on their nest and the hearts are ready to fill in the gaps...

Just some shiny happy decorations to get and we will be all set to complete...can't wait!!

Have a wonderful, crafty weekend xxx