The shopping cart has been fixed now. If you tried to place an order and couldn’t check out, please do try again. Brian had to fix a small bit of code that was preventing it all from working properly. Isn’t it amazing that a letter or space out of place can gum up the whole works?

Now that everything seems to be functioning properly, I’ll begin adding more things!

Has been fixed! Good Heavens, I don’t know how that got past me, but many thanks to Rachel for bringing it to my attention!

So now when you click on “Magazine” above, the link will actually take you to the right place!

Sleep my child and peace attend thee,
All through the night
Guardian angels God will send thee,
All through the night;
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and vale in slumber sleeping,
I my loved ones’ watch am keeping,
All through the night.

While the moon her watch is keeping,
All through the night
While the weary world is sleeping,
All through the night
O’er thy spirit gently stealing,
Visions of delight revealing
Breathes a pure and holy feeling,
All through the night.

~ By Sir Harold Boulton

~**~With warmest thanks to Donna Marie, who recommended Cod Liver Oil. It worked like a charm~**~

Of Chrism has arrived. I pass along my apologies from the Brothers for the delay. Many thanks to Brother Aelred and Brother Emmanuel for getting it here in less than 24 hours. Those of you who have ordered a small bottle will be receiving your orders very soon!

It smells SO lovely!

Just a quick note from the desk to say that the link from “Email List” above has been fixed. I’m SO sorry to those of you who clicked on it and went to nowhere land… If you would like to join the email list, we would LOVE to have you! Just click here.

Also, you may notice that the “Forum” link is now gone from the header. It is with a twinge of sadness that I have decided to close it. There were a whole host of challenges with it, not least was the software itself which required a special server…

Oh… and I finally figured out how to get paragraph breaks on this theme. It wasn’t in the style sheet at all. *sigh*

May daughter Cate (a poet) wrote this prayer this morning. I wanted to share it with you.

Oh my Jesus
I wish to say,
help us on
this wonderful day

Help us to do
what we should
and show us to do
the things you would

make us grateful
for all we’ve got
like our salvation
that Your Blood bought

Oh, my Lord
Help us to know
what you did
and what you show

Show to us
all the right paths
And save us from
The devil’s wrath

Please help us
to understand
and guide us with
a loving hand

And most of all
I wish to say
Thank You for all
we receive today.

I couldn’t wait to try making a button faerie. Most of what I’ve seen are ornaments, but I decided to make her into a pin. I’ll be putting these up in the shop soon. If you would like a custom made button faerie (with your daughter’s or granddaughter’s face) please email me - I’m happy to take commissions for these.

Completed:

~ Felt pin for Bethany in Manchester, UK

~ Clay charms and book thong (to match Bethany’s pin!)

~ Crocheted Irish linen rosary for the sweet little daughter of one of my customers. I’m really pleased at the look of it and the nice big ‘beads’ the linen made. It’s delish! I think my Sophie will be getting one, too!

WIPs:

~ black and white ATCs for chocolate swap
~ Stocking Swap
~ Sophie’s smock refashioned from thrifty sweater (still not done!)
~ embroidered button (for the aforementioned smock)
~ felt monks (I can’t wait - there’s a whole story behind this)
~ slippers refashioned from vintage blankets
~ knitted socks for everyone (Patons SWS review to come!)
~ hand-knotted rosaries for orders (got a LOT of these!)
~ labels for Essence of Chrism bottles (which still hasn’t arrived from the Abbey…)
~ Advent Calendars! (hurry, hurry… it’s almost here!)

Crafts to try:

~ button faeries
~ crafty cupcakes
~ amigurumi veggies (acorn came out great!)
~ felt nativity
~ paper nativity
~ knitted nativity
(ok I’m in the nativity mood)
~ pillowcase and hankie dolls (to use up the stash)

Received:

~ Felty Pin from Cindy (who didn’t know that I lived in a little yellow house when she made it!)

~ Nifty Altered art pin (also from Cindy!)

~ Book Thong from Kathryn

~ Charm from Kathryn (SO pretty! Look at the prayer box on the end of it!)

~ Homemade Bath Salts from Kathryn again (they were LOVELY)

~ Christmas Lolly from Ellen in Teignmouth, UK (Just look at all those selections! I miss British chocs. Clearly, Ellen very kindly thought of my little ones, because there are plenty of delightful lollies for them. But see that Mistletoe Kisses bar? That’s MINE!)

I wish you a day filled with delightful surprises and simple joys!

We are so blessed. In so many little ways. Thanks to all who come by to visit me here on my weblog. And thanks to everyone who leaves a comment, or emails me. You encourage me so much.

The following is a recording of Cate, Jack and I (along with Mary, Ellen, Ann, Victoria, Becky, Valerie, and Emily) ringing bells at the Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service celebrated in our tiny hill town every year. The little voice you hear belongs to Sophie. She first announces “jingle bells, jingle bells” and then gives commentary throughout the piece. Louis was a little out of sorts, and Sophie - ever observant and concerned for the comfort of others - was kind enough to inform Papa that Louis had dropped his “bockle” on the pew in front of them.

Not quite ready for Carnegie Hall yet, but not so bad… Enjoy!

Play with your food…

But when you’re done, eat your instruments. A soup seems appropriate somehow.

The kids are dying to try making recorders and slide whistles from carrots!