In my closet there are trees.

Down with a flu I am and went to the doctor yesterday. So I am on antibiotics and inspite of that I had fever yesterday. So I am too miserable to say something funny or anything so I'd better tell you what I did last Saturday.
We met again at Anna's In My Closet very cozy welcoming kitchen to make things. This time we were about 20 people and almost one on top of the other! But it was so enjoyable. The initial idea was to make various Christmas ornaments and we ended up making mainly the felt Christmas tree! I loooooved it! Mainly because it was something I could easily do as I have been making similar trees for the school bazaar lately!
The good thing was that Anna had prepared the base for the trees.
Here are photos from the meeting!

 Anna showed us the pattern and gave us the details!

 Some joked about it and made fun!

 Others like me fell on the job!

 There was lots to choose from but I chose this lovely soft light green felt.

 Everyone was making their own tree.

Some were taking photos.

 I made two trees. First I made one with beads I borrowed from Christina for Lia, a member who couldn't come.

Then I had a break and ate some great sweets !

 Martha made some lovely cardamon biscuits.

 And Anna's sister Vassiliki made the amazing Christmas tree cookies and oreo covered cookies. You can find that recipe here at her blog!

I also tried some of Demetra's chocolate mint icecream.
 After eating I made a second tree this time for me and adorned it with beautiful buttons that were sent to me at an exchange by Valma. They looked gorgeous on my tree.

The two trees in the front row are the ones I made.

I ate some great chocolate pie by Christina, and took some cookies at home.
I made cheese and dill muffins. I heard they were good.

You can read all the details and see me posing with my first tree in Anna's blog here.
Bytheway if you are eager to win some threads Nancy is having one more giveaway on her blog Victorian Motto Sample Shoppe. Go have  a look here.

Getting ready for Christmas...

Thank you all so very much for your comments and for being here. I am still unable to answer directly on the comments so I just try to use personal e-mails for that.
I am trying to catch up with my favourite blogs too but they are too many.
Anyway last night I wrote a couple of Christmas cards and prepared a couple of packets so they are off this morning not in time for Christmas unfortunately. I still have more cards to write and letters and e-mails.....
I spent the whole of this morning baking. Here are the things I made....
Chocolate chip orange peel little muffins in Marabeth's muffin tray,

  White chocolate almond truffles,

  caramel chip, whole hazelnut dark chocolates and white chocolate, almond, cranberry cookies I found in Paula's otchipotchi blog. She always makes lovely cookies for Christmas.

And here is the dish I sent to my mother-in-law. Wrapped and ribbons added of course.

These are for relatives and friends and for us as well. As you can see I am not the one to make the usual Greek melomakarona and kourabiedes sweets that are traditional. Maybe I will make some later.
We will spend Christmas Eve at home just relaxing. I will open my presents from my friends abroad.Juliana's and Marabeth's parcels are under the tree I am so looking forward to this!
And we will probably watch a movie I think it is going to be Ice Age 4. When we first watched Ice Age 1 my son was small and we still went to the cinema together watching children's movies. I admit I miss that!
So popcorn and movies tonight, cozy with candles and the tree lights for us. Maybe a hot soup too.
I hope you enjoy a relaxing sweet atmosphere on Christmas Eve wherever you are.

with

and

from all of us here!
(Star and Joy ornaments made by me, Peace dove ornament made by my Portuguese pen friend Maria Jose)

A day at the beach

We spent a lovely day today with my brother's family and their friends in their beach house.
We strolled the beach (not much sea glass unfortunately) and ate a lot of delicious food and sweets!
Lovely views....

 Some were swimming and sunbathing...

 A lovely lady was resting under a bush...

 Umbrellas are getting ready for summer...

 Boats upsidedown waiting for their next fishing trip...

 A fig tree rooting inside a palm tree...

 The winter winds brought out the most amazing things....

 The barbeque is the best spring-summer treat...

 Sheep in the neighbourhood...

 Sweets....chocoate biscuit sweet, carrot and pineapple cake...

 and more sweets....and my strawberry cake...

 Birds were watching us....

 That's the only decent find of ours a lovely wooden face(painted on both sides).

 And some tiles my brother found on another beach.