Spoiled Rotten!

I'm slowly getting myself back into a routine after indulging way too much over the past weeks.
For me, food has got to be one of the biggest and most enjoyable things about the Christmas festivities (along with spending time with loved ones). However,  I do find I get to a point when I just can't do it anymore. No more sweets and chocolate but a trip to the gym instead to lift my spirits.
It's been quite hard to break the cycle of eating too much junk food, especially as my family (very kindly) sent me a great deal of chocolate over from England.
Sometimes I think that maybe my mum doesn't realise that they also sell chocolate here in Germany :-)

Well I've finally got myself back to the gym and I am feeling good for it. The Christmas decorations are coming down and life is returning back to a somewhat normal pace. I do hate taking down the decorations, everything looks so empty and bare. I can hardly believe that for 95% of the year the decorations were not there anyway.
To fill the void that removing the Christmas decorations had left, I had to splash out on something a little cheery for the apartment. Some lovely bright roses. They make my heart feel all fluttery!!

I could stare at them for hours! Gorgeous, bright colours and everyday they open up a little more spreading bucket loads of light.

Tidying up the apartment and removing the tree gave me a moment to go through all of the lovely gifts I received. I really am very lucky!
Along with the mountains of chocolate my lovely family sent, I also received some clothes, candles and of course socks!! I've learned to appreciate receiving socks for Christmas, I used to hate it as a kid. I have to say, thanks to my mum I have a rather splendid sock collection for 2013.
Along with all of these lovely gifts I also received some rather amazing crafting goodies.

An adorable selection of buttons and ribbons from my amazing sister and my lovely friend Tracy.

Aren't those buttons crazy and I really can't get over how cute the ribbons are.!
I will definitely be putting these to good use, although part of me doesn't want to sew or cut the ribbons up as they seem practically perfect just the way they are.

I believe my sister purchased them at the cute little craft store in Bath. (The Makery Emporium)

You may have also spotted the cute little owl? it was also from Tracy, she sent me this as a 'thank you' present for the yarn I had sent her earlier in the year. She really didn't have to as she was actually doing me a favour by giving my unwanted yarn a new home. Nonetheless, I was chuffed to bits to receive this cute little needle holder. Thank you Tracy!!!

So sweet! I love his googly eyes, not to mention how organised my little needles are!

 My final crafty present, was a brand spanking pair of new handmade slippers! Ok I know it sounds a little crazy to get so excited about new slippers, and what's so crafty about them? Well...let me explain :-) These were my old ones:

Dennis made them for me. I loved them so very much and wore them all of the time, which very sadly meant this happened:

Soo sad! They were well passed retirement and sadly needed to be sent to slipper heaven.
But, imagine my utter delight when I received a new pair on Christmas day!! WOOP!!

Aren't they just lovely! Dennis did a great job making these and picking out a lovely set of new colours. I love them even more than my last pair.
I'd wear these on the street if I could, just to show them off to passers by :-)

I'm so very lucky and extremely grateful for my new gifts. I can't wait to play around with those crafty goodies whilst wearing my new slippers!!
Not sure what I'm going to conjure up yet. First i want to finish my current projects! Here's a little snippet of something I've been working on over the Christmas period.

It's my first time trying out some entrelac crochet and I'm enjoying the feeling of playing with this technique. I'll keep you posted with how it progresses!

What "new year projects" are you all working on? Something amazing, I'm sure!!!

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