Yesterday was our annual +4 Christmas lunch where we enjoy a bit of crafting, some good food and lots of laughs. We make each other small presents, nothing flash or expensive just something we think we'll get pleasure from. I made some wild women brooches, actually they are a cross between two patterns, one from the Sue Lawrence book Wild Women and one from a charity brooch pattern called Button Babes given away (with I think WOW) many years ago. I made five and wrapped them without names and put them in a bag for each to pick one. And here are the ladies. I had fun making them and if anyone wants to try their hand the basic body pattern is an atc sized card. Measure in half an inch at one on both sides of one end cut a diagonal line from that mark to the bottom corner. You end up with a wedge shape. This is your body pattern, cut out two, sew together leaving a small opening to turn (I left the top opened). Turn, stuff and sew up hole - you will need something to help you turn the body and to stuff it. I used a haemostat. Sew a button onto the small end and decorate as you wish. I've used a variety of fancy yarns and some silk throwster's waste.
We each got felted soap from Jenny, small items for our handbags from Pat (who has problem wrists and couldn't make something this year, she is forgiven), home made mincemeat from Elspeth, very special recipe, A box of hand made cards from Linda plus nail varnish in the cracker and my presents the wild women brooches and a small post-it book complete with jacket (not shown as I forgot to take a photo.
We had a lovely day and far too much to eat but next year we are going to get down and do something a bit special, Watch this space.
Each year St Teresa's Hospice invite those families who have lost someone dear to them during that year to place an ornament on their Memory Tree. This year we were invited as a family and after discussing it decided we would like to go. There would be tea, coffee and mince pies etc and other families to talk to. We were quite looking forward to putting the ornament on the tree for Keith.
What I hadn't been prepared for was the wash of emotion as I walked once more into the hospice. I was overwhelmed with grief and memories of our last day together. What made it worse was there was a memorial book that just happened to be opened at May and the first name I saw was Keith's. I'm afraid it was very very difficult for me and for the boys too. We wrote out our messages on the paper ornaments and placed them on the tree. Then we just couldn't stay any longer and left with heavy hearts.
Once home we talked about how we had felt, how unprepared we'd all been for the emotional challenge. But after we'd chatted, remembered some of the good times and had a cuppa we felt better. The strange thing was that that morning the app on my printer had printed out an origami angel. I was quite an advanced and I got stuck. Marc finished it off for me and I felt better knowing the paper folding had eased his mind enough for me to feel better about him driving all the way home on his own. He was picking Alix up from the airport, she had been spending time with friends in Lille. Sy and Julie went off to buy plates for Christmas dinner which left Buster and I to have another biscuit and a sleep.
