Giving every £ a job

Blackcats

Thank you for your kind comments about the blanket.  I have to dispel any thoughts that it was complicated or clever to do.  I think it's one of those projects where the component parts are simple but the overall effect looks good.  I enjoyed choosing the colour schemes for the squares and it was a great way to use up fairly small scraps of wool including some of my mum's odds and ends of leftover wool.

@lucielle - please post a picture of your creation - I'm sure it's beautiful and has been made with love.  

@Makingabobor2 - I think your crochet skills will soon come back to you and you will enjoy creating something.  I find the clearest and best instructions and projects are on Attic 24's website.  

I gave the blanket to the birthday girl today and she was very pleased with it.  I agreed with her elder sister that we will chose a granny square design and both work on squares so that we jointly make her blanket.

My Advent jewellery today is my fabulous Murano glass necklace and earrings.  The beads are beautiful bright colours - blues, pinks, greens and whites.  I rarely wear this set but whenever I do I am reminded of my trip to Venice where I bought it and also reminded of how much I like this set from the moment I first saw it.  I undoubtedly couldn't afford it but at least it's paid for now 🤦‍♀️.  Felt very glamorous going to the local cafe for brunch this morning after battling through the howling wind and driving rain.

6 of us had brunch today - 3 adults and 3 grandchildren 2 of whom are teens - the bill was £58 which I thought was ok as we all enjoyed our food and had plenty of time to catch up.  Kids are fussy eaters but they each found something they enjoyed as well as an Oreo or Kinder milkshake.  £'s have been transferred from eating out pot to cover the cost.

Makingabobor2

No heard of that website. I will look it up

Sun_Addict

What a beautiful blanket, well done. 

Blackcats

Thank you @Sun_Addict.
today's Advent jewellery is a longish chain with hammered effect silver and gold interlocking circles with matching earrings.  I used to wear this quite often for work as it looks nice with black clothes but it's the first time it's emerged since I retired.  I also wore my winter woodland socks that make me smile.
Christmas cards are written so they can be posted 2nd class tomorrow.  Last year I used up a real mismatch of cards so it was an absolute delight to use my Whistlefish cards this year.  I really enjoyed choosing the most appropriate cards for our friends and family.   I plan to deliver the cards for my neighbours and my dad's neighbours at the end of the week.  Still buying presents but the end of the list is in sight (as is the end of the budget 🙀)

Sun_Addict

I used to love wearing necklaces but as my job requires me to wear a security pass around my neck I stopped wearing them. I have quite a few squirrelled away so plan to let them see the light of day once again. 

EssexHebridean

Your jewellery sounds lovely BC, and that blanket is gorgeous! I like a granny square blanket - as you say, relatively straightforward but also very effective! 

Blackcats

@Sun_Addict - could you wear your long necklaces on working from home days?
thanks @EssexHebridean

today's lovely thing was wrapping presents whilst listening to my audio book - Murder Under the Mistletoe by Rev Richard Cole's and drinking a cup of caramelised biscuit tea.  Oh and whilst I was doing this, Mr BC made salmon and prawn linguine with cherry tomatoes which was very yummy indeed.

I'm buying the final few presents now.  I've saved all year for this but my goodness the money is flying out of my account at a very rapid pace.  It is making me feel a bit jittery going into a spend, spend, spend mode but I'm reminding myself that it's actually save, save, save and then spend, spend, spend.

PennysIntoPounds

That sounds lovely indeed, I well fancy a caramelised biscuit tea now.
Make sure you're going through cashback sites where possible, and think how much you've saved already this year solely in telling those skanky relatives to b*gger right off!
Has BC Corporation decided when to allow its hard working employees to exchange secret santa gifts?

foxgloves

Lovely blanket, @Blackcats. I love a crochet blanket. We have 2 on permenent stand-by over the back of the sofa for chilly evenings & the cats are very fond of their much smaller ones on our bow windowsill above the radiator. It will be nice doing the joint project one with your grandchild.
F

EssexHebridean

Seconded what PiP said about kicking the grasping rellies into touch - that is a saving (in sanity) in itself!