With a smile and a sigh, it was gone

Hello, hope everyone had a good Christmas. A short time before the day itself, I finally made it to the Christmas market in Brno. Sadly, poor little Eliska was too cold to stay there long, so I had a quick look round. I saw lots of people there and admired their ability to suffer the freezing cold, then noted the wine they held in their hands. Ah, so that is the trick, I mused.

I was rather taken with the coat worn by this young lady, so had to hover by her trying to take a picture. I do hope she did not mistake me for a deranged stalker.

I found some dear little birdies here and practised my awful Czech whilst buying them. Luckily, I was understood and the man who makes them locally happily posed for a picture.

In the new year I will be making more stuff, such as the lace cuff above, the dolls  and the doll brooch, a work in progress. Roman bought me a sewing machine for Christmas, so that should help make things easier. I will be opening an Etsy shop to put these things  in. Hopefully, someone might buy my strange spangly creations.

Eliska was transfixed by the Christmas tree at the home of her grandparents. She is still somewhat mystified by the whole shebang though.

The snow melted just before Christmas day, the very cheek of it.

I made this very sparkly doll just before Christmas and her sparkles seem quite fitting. I think she looks a little tipsy in the first picture. With so many sequins, she seems a bit fiddly for Eliska, so I think she will be a present for my friend Bess.

Roman says that Christmas is all about curling up on the sofa. This sounds like a plan.

We are still in the process of doing up a little house and hopefully will move there early next year. It sounds hard to believe, as there is still lots to do, but we now have a chimney breast, windows and a lovely arch into the kitchen.

Well, that is kind of a summing up if things going on before and around my festive period. In the blink of an eye, it is all gone. and it will be time for the start of a new year.

Cerny caj prosim

I hope I spelt that right. It should be Czech for = tea please. Eliska loves to play at making Mum a cuppa. Hey, one day she will be doing it for real.
The gorgeous fabric teapot and cup were made and sent to us by my lovely friend, Caroline, who makes delightful toys, bags and clothing for children.
It means a lot when something arrives in the post, like a mini Christmas and a delightful feeling of being cared about. I whooped with excitement when this arrived. I will be posting more of the sweet things sent to me by friends, as they mean a lot to me.
Bugs and fishes from Krepice. x

Caravan Sophie

At least once a day, Eliska, insists on persusing my Sophie Dahl cookbook. She often mimics Sophie, chin on hands and her wide eyed gaze. She is also fixated, as am I, by the photos of the delectable caravan.

It is an interesting mix of cookbook and sort of biog, which seems particularly related to the relationship Sophie has with her body and food. There is a wince inducing account of her overhearing her fitness trainer telling someone how fat she was. How ridiculous.
The book is accessible to fairly basic cooks like me, with homely recipes like fruit crumble.
I love that kids can love all kinds of books, not just the ones you expect them to.

Come back, the magic is gone

I think this tree looks like a gateway to Narnia. Although it is funny how we romanticise Narnia, when it was only so snowy because the mean old queen cast her evil spell and turned every creature to stone.

But as I said before, there is something magical about snow...silver streets, blue tinged skies...I am wishing it back.

Snow Maid

                                 This dolly I made is wearing a dress made of vintage lace.

It may seem a naff pursuit to some, but I love making things when I am stuck inside on snow days. I would quite like to wear an outfit like this. Her socks are made from an old lambswool and mohair jumper.

                               I think the flicked part on her eyes could be liquid eyeliner or oriental. 

This is what she looked like when I was making her.

She scrubs up well.

Christmas is for girls

  

Ok, that is a bit sexist. It is just that in my humble abode, Christmas is even more of an excuse to create a look of an explosion in a sparkle factory. If you have an aversion to that sort of thing, please look away now.

Christmas is not only a perfect excuse for spangle and glitter, but also  time for confectionary in a variety of forms. Eliska and I recieved a gingerbread Christmas tree kit, which consisted of biscuits, icing qnd teeny tiny Smartie like thingummies to decorate the biccies with. This is what happened next...

Eliska took on the role of chief chocolate tester and did very well, snarfling quite a quantity of the mini Smartie thingummies. There were a few left, which went on the biscuits, as seen here. I hasten to add, they did not stay there long.

More biscuit news...it is more important than it sounds here as choc and tasties are not up to scratch here, in my opinion. So, have been to Marks and Spencer, which I must say, I never went to in the UK and now seem to frequent like a little sugar addicted granny. I bought some biscuits, which in Lola language are EXTREMELY CHOCOLATEY. I have managed so far not to devour them. Mmm, ok, a few from the other packet were consumed on the way home.

Imagine that, if you will.They are sure to be a taste sensation. I wish my old chums were here to scoff them with me. I can eat yours if you like. If only you could join me here for a cuppa and good old BBC Radio 6.

Toodle pip birdies... x