And the winner is.................

Thank you to everyone who entered my "Mollie Makes"  giveaway draw and welcome to my new followers who joined me for the draw.  I wrote out all your names put them in my hat and the name drawn out was.......... Annie of  "A Stitch in Time".  I have been in touch with Annie to get her address and she told me "I never win anything".  Well Annie I am absolutely delighted to have "broken your duck".

All the cards have been given or posted and the parcels have been wrapped and delivered or collected.

Finally last week I put up some decorations so now it is "beginning to look a lot like Christmas".

My lovely little silver tree which my Mum bought from a Women's magazine either in the late 50's or early 60's, complete with its very cute angel.

This is part of the display in the kitchen.  The plaque was painted by my late Father-in-law and it stays up all year as, on the reverse, is a painting of Skiddaw. The small red horses are Dala horses.  We have had the two small ones for years, their new large friend was a very recent find on a second-hand stall at the local garden centre and cost the grand total of £3, he still has his original label too.

Our new (well new this year) dresser, bought from ebay, complete with some beautiful bunting I bought at a local craft fair the other week. How did the crafter know the exact size to make it?

A little baking on Thursday didn’t last very long when family and friends visited yesterday.

The Cranberry and Chocolate Cookie recipe can be found on Cherry Menlove's blog (big thanks to my friend, DH, for the recommendation).

They were delicious, as were the Mincepie Muffins.  The recipe for these can be found on Rachelle's "Ted and Agnes" blog (the very same lovely Rachelle I met with Tif aka Dottie Angel at the workshop earlier this year).  She says these are her "make in 10 minutes no fuss and bother" muffins recipe - they really are too. (the mincemeat isn't burnt - just looks rather dark in my photo!)

Something else I would recommend is this absolutely wonderful “stove top pot pourri”.  I’ve had some on the stove for 3 days and the smell …….. well, it is beginning "to smell a lot like Christmas”.

Tomorrow evening I will be going to the Carol Service at our local Church and I am so looking forward to it, then it really will "feel a lot like Christmas".

Finally I would like to wish you, and all your loved ones, a very Happy Christmas and a Healthy and, above all, Peaceful New Year.

Carol xx