Boxing Day Skywatch

We went for a little walk on boxing day and it was very very foggy. The sun started breaking through and burning it off so I used the hipstamatic app on my phone to take these.

To Buy Or Not To Buy

My cooker has had a dicky temperature for a while and on christmas day the turkey should have taken 5 hours to cook and it was done in 4 hours. I'm at a stage where I'm thinking just get rid and buy a new one (would have to be on credit though :( )

It is well over 10 years old and has seen a lot of use.  The knobs kept burning their silver coating off whenever the grill was on almost from day one and once the warranty was up I stopped replacing them.  All the writing has worn off so unless it is me using the hob part then everybody else uses trial and error to know which ring they are lighting.  The ignition broke quite some time ago and a lot of the black trim has worn off over the years.  It looks incredibly tired BUT I am in two minds about whether to replace it yet or not. I am very tempted - actually no I'm dictated to by our stupid financial situation -  to leave it until it gives up the ghost and we HAVE to buy one.

I had a quick look in Comet and the lower price end isn't anything like my current one. Mine has a glass lid which is invaluable as extra worktop space so I don't really want to lose that but I need to spend a bit more to get a lid.  When we first moved into our house almost 19 years ago we bought one of those cookers with the high level grill and it had a storage section at the bottom which was fantastic for storing baking tins etc.  Again though I wouldn't have the lid and the extra work space if I got one of those. It would however free up a bit of room on top of my kitchen cupboards where I currently store my baking trays etc. Arrrggghhhh too many things to consider.  I do have time on my side at the moment though. Fingers crossed the current on stays working for a while longer.

I am secretly coveting this one from Cannon just because the knobs aren't covered in a film that will burn off and it is stainless steel but it is £620 in Comet.

I really wish I had the room for a proper big cooker but the previous occupants of our house designed the kitchen with only just enough space for a 50cm one.  Yes we do still have the same kitchen as was in when we moved in. Yes I hate it. Yes I want to replace it. The problem is lack of funds for one reason or another and other things have always been more important. I am always tempted by the DIY shop kitchen sales and would love to have the capability to fit one myself or for my husband to be more of a DIYer. We have a massive space in a corner hidden behind the cupboards which is doing absolutely nothing and is crying out for one of those snazzy corner storage thingies.  One day I may surprise people and just go out and buy one and fit it or maybe those pigs might fly past too.

Merry Christmas Everybody

Merry Christmas everybody. Have a safe one.

Harvey Nichols Christmas Window Display

We went into the city this week to do a spot of shopping.  My first ever time in a Cath Kidston shop.  You could have heard the excitement across the world I think.  I love that place.

We passed Harvey Nichols and their window display really stood out from the rest.  I managed to take a few quick pics with my phone. It was very busy and we were trying to avoid the canvassers and street sellers so they aren't very good plus the sun was glaring right at the window.

 What made it stand out was the heads of the mannequins.  They were rather freaky to be honest but different to the boring same old traditional department stores.

Skywatch

This week there was a lunar eclipse on the solstice (like you don't already know lol).

This bad picture was all I got.  The moon was almost entirely covered by the earth's shadow at this point.  I really wish I had taken pictures earlier in the eclipse.

Anyway here goes

A Winter Mystery

Mystery knitting that is.  I joined a winter mystery shawl knit a long over at Goddess Knits.

This is the progress from clue 1

I chose some pink 4ply yarn.  The pattern uses beads which I haven't really used in this way before.  They are attached very simply with a crochet hook during knitting.  I'm glad that for once a hook has had some use because I keep telling myself I will learn crochet but can't seem to get the hang of it.

Picture is pants because the light at the moment is dingy and dull.

First Punky Scraps Challenge

The first Punky Scraps challenge is up.

The challenge was to use 3 of the following:

White Cardstock
Paint
Ribbon
Buttons
Cardboard

I chose white cardstock, paint and buttons and came up with this

I took the photo when we were out in the snow earlier this month and I noticed my son had collected quite a lot of snow on his very long eyelashes.

Still A Snowy Skywatch

The snowy scenes are still here although underfoot it is very very slippery.

This photo is another one from the ones I took with my phone last week.  This week it has been more a case of trying to stay on my feet rather than being able to take outside photos.

My Goodness - Loads Of Candy

WOW just take a look at this for a serious amount of giveaway candy.

Snovember & A Snowy Start To December Skywatch

My littlest decided we had got Snovember earlier in the week when it started snowing.  I'm not sure whether he made it up or he heard it somewhere but I like the word Snovember.  Not sure what I can do with December to make it a snowy word.

The snow started last saturday and basically has been here ever since with lots of additions to it. It isn't normal for November or even early December here in England.

Lots of skywatch piccies for you today.

This is the view out of my loft window this morning.

and one of the main roads

the supermarket