Christmas in July

No you have not read the title of my post incorrectly. I am so fed up with this weather that I decided that as I am such a Christmas lover that I would have a Christmas in July post. Yes there are only 167 to go. I thought I would show you some recent things I have been up to and put a fun Christmas slant on it . It is official that June was the dullest wettest June on record and so far July is going the same way...but

It must be Christmas in July because....
the hosepipe ban has  been removed!

We had this introduced in our area our area in early April and within a week it started raining. We have actually been more fortunate than some poor souls in the North of England where very severe flooding has and is still taking place.
Despite the rain it has not been cold and my plants are still flowering beautifully.

I have hardly had to water any of my pots this year. The flowers don't seem to mind the weather and still show off in all their finery. They are all so cheerful to see growing away.

Even the lawn is lush and green, the only down side is that I hardly have a chance to mow it as I have to keep dodging the showers.











It must be Christmas in July because......
I have finally re potted my indoor cacti and succulents!


This is only about 3 years overdue. I am such a keen gardener but I am afraid that any indoor plants I have survive by total neglect. As I have been unable to work outside in the garden very much I decided that my poor indoor souls would finally get their Christmas in July present.

Just look at them, especially the one in the foreground, it had so outgrown its tiny pot that it had difficulty standing up. I spent a few hours re potting them all a few weeks ago and to my amazement some of my cacti have even started flowers again and the plant in the front here looks so happy....

We call this one Clint Eastwood and look at the new "arms"  he has grown, I think I can even hear him humming now in my porch ;0)

The flowers on these 2 cacti are amazing and no these don't have names ;0)

It must be Christmas in July...
because I bought a new tin.

Yes I spotted this in good old M&S. It is another that has been issued for the Olympics/Jubilee and I think the images on it are really good fun. The shortbread biscuits inside were yummy and the tin has gone down to my studio and is already being used for my crafting stash.

It must be Christmas in July because...........................................

I made my first Christmas card.

Yes there are a lot of  Christmas in July card challenges on at the moment so it was time for me to join in with one.  This one is using one of my Lili of the Valley stamps I bought last year. It is called Milly winter window and I love it so much as it reminds me of my Milly and Billy sitting waiting for Christmas.

I decided on a "white on white" theme for this card as I think these cards look quite sophisticated. It is also a great way of using up your white stash! I have hand punched some snowflakes and used holly embossed backing paper and embossed glittered velum.

 I also used lashing of glitter glue to give some bling to it! As I have been so organised I have put this one up for sale in my Esty shop here. Last year I never had enough time to make more than a few Christmas cards for my shop so I am determined to make a start early this year.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;

Ladybug Crafts Ink Christmas in July, new release!

Forever Friends Christmas in July, using an animal in image #40

 Christmas card challenge Challenge 32

Ribbon Girl Girlie card

Winter Wonderland white on white

Sparkles Christmas Challenge #18 sketch

Make it Monday Linky Party #97

The Stamp Man Bring on the bling

Lili little Fairies Anything Goes

Crafter's Companion Ho Ho Ho Christmas #26

Party Time Tuesdays Let's get punchy,use punches etc #76

A&T Emerald Faeries Challenge Use Lace #28

It must be Christmas in July for Billy.......

because it was so wet outside yesterday that when I saw the naughty boy flat out on my just changed bed linen......

 I actually let him stay there!

What a cheeky lad he just stretched out when he saw me and that little pink nose as always melted me and he was allowed to stay.

And finally, it must be Christmas in July....

because in 18 days time my darling daughter is getting married.

And that has to be the most exciting count down. I went to her Hen Party on Saturday held in London. We had such a fab time, we mixed cocktails in Vodka Revolutions in Soho. There was a lot of laughter there.  I won't tell you what the design of the straws we drank through the cocktails through were but there is a clue in the word ;0) Afternoon tea in the Dorchester in Mayfair was so elegant, the tea was a special "Wimbledon tennis tea" and all the cakes were tennis related and totally delicious. We ended the day with an evening at Ronnie Scott's Jazz club, such amazing music and then caught taxis back to our hotel where we collapsed into bed at nearly 2am. Such a fab time.....I will share a couple of  photos.

On the tube to Soho.

Cocktail shenanigans

Walking past Bank to catch the tube with her bridesmaids to be 

A slightly more sedate afternoon tea at the Dorchester hotel. We made this last for nearly 3 hours! There was no photography allowed at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, our last Hen stop in the evening  but you can take my word that is one place in London that you really should visit!

I hope this Christmas in July post brought a smile to your faces. Let's hope that the weather really does become more summery soon.

Enjoy the rest of the week, 

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x (AKA Mrs Christmas)