Hi Skills Exchangers

First of all, I would like to thank Karina for organising the Christmas get together and congratulate her on its success. It was great to meet everyone today. I bought some lovely decorations for my tree and am looking forward to the cheesecake that Karina is making for me to share with my guests. My mother in law will also be delighted with Sally’s Ginger Truffles and I got some of Martha's beautiful ear rings for myself and my friend for Christmas.

I have been somewhat remiss with putting feedback on the blog so here are some of the highlights from this year.

I have spent 9 months working really hard in my garden to make up for the last 11 years of doing very little. I do have to say I have learned more from Flora in this time than I have learned during my whole life !! Flora helped me with planning a large planted area, serious tree, bush and rose pruning and generally sorting my garden out. Karina also earned several gems helping clear severe overgrown areas out. I had Flora round last week for a final trim back and move a couple of trees and plants. I am hoping that next spring my garden will be looking a real treat. Flora did say that she was using last week’s gems for her facial and back massage. I would like to recommend Flora to anyone looking for a bit of technical help with their garden, allotment etc... She has probably forgotten more than I will ever know about gardening !!! I mainly earned my gems from sewing, lifts and repairing things. Between us, Mike and I can mend most things.

I am looking forward to the gift wrapping evening at Louise’s on Wednesday – I have a challenge for her – and then the week after I will be at Karinas treatment evening having a massage and facial.

I am pleased that Mark is happy with his Pool table or rather Marks children!! and John did tell me today that he is delighted with Marks chairs (which needed to move to make space for the impromptu arrival of the pooltable!) I dropped the wardrobe round to Louise who is delighted with it. Not sure how her father will feel about having to put it back together in her newly decorated spare room.

Finally I have a recycling story :-
The Life of a Ribbon

Last year Karina was donated end of line ribbon for the Melton Road Christmas fayre by Cole fabrics. The very same ribbon appeared wrapped around the truffles that Sally gave me and today I noticed that the ribbon that I used on my handmade cards was the very same ribbon that Sally was using. Hopefully the person who receives the Christmas card will realise that they can pull the decor off the front and reuse on a new card – A piece of ribbon that would probably have been thrown away by Cole fabrics has been reused 3 times and possibly 4.

After Karinas get together I now have 23 gems so will probably be looking for a bit of annual cleaning !!! and a few treatments to keep these gems circulating.

Best Wishes

Cath M



Ps. If anyone is interested in any glass items, please feel free to contact me as I have quite a bit of stock at home that I will happily show to you. I can do gems for several items.