maryannlucy

April...

2011-04-07T19:13:00.000+01:00

...is here already. What happened to March? Where did it go?

It was a time for sun-bathing cats...

Beautiful spring flowers in my bedroom...

Beautiful quilts on the bed (but only when the cats aren't about)...

And tired cats who can sleep anywhere...

April is a time for Vintage and Handmade Fairs , a time for the end of one course before the next one starts on May 1st, and a time for crocheting blankets.....

See you Saturday? x

Quick update...

2011-03-14T18:39:00.000Z

Just to let you know that I have heard from the lady in Japan, and she says that she, her family and her friends are all safe.

Japan

2011-03-12T17:12:00.000Z

Today I received my copy of the fabulous crochet accessories book from Pomadour on Ebay and Etsy, posted from Japan on the 3rd of March and arriving at my home today. Given where she is based I have been watching the news of the last 24 hours and can't imagine what she may be going through.
I have googled mapped her address and although about level with Sendai she appears to live on the opposite coast.
I can't begin to imagine how people are coping there, the news brings more awful updates every hour, the film and photos are showing unbelievable scenes, it looks like a very expensive Hollywood blockbuster filmset. As I sit here with my lovely little house, surrounded by my family and cats, enjoying a cup of tea I can't believe how lucky I am, living in a country where natural disasters are luckily very rare.
Technology brings us all so close together, but when things like this happen it is a reminder that not only are we ruled by nature, but also that we are all so far apart.

The Bedroom.....

2011-03-07T21:18:00.000Z

A VERY picture heavy post......

A new room isn't a new room without the help of some very nice swedish people....DH isn't swedish, the flatpack is......

He's gonna get this thing built, and doesn't require any help!!

He is very serious about this and tackles it from the inside!

My lovely curtains, courtesy of Mr John Lewis. They are called Magic Trees which I think is lovely, they are very serene and the calming colours are perfect (especially as they were purchased over t'internets).

My fab, gorgeous wardrobes!!! Love 'em...absolutely perfect, couldn't have asked for better! I can finally open my doors wide and peruse what I would like to wear from my clothers, I have never been able to do that before.

My lovely chest of drawers purchased unseen from Ebay. The seller is local, and delivered them for free and better yet, he stored them for 3 weeks until the carpet went down. His 3 yr old son helped deliver them and we talked about how much chocolate he could eat before he popped whilst his dad and DH carried my purchase upstairs. It wasn't supposed to go in the window, but my measurements were slightly out, though I think it is perfect where it now lives. The mirror is original and is bevelled, and Nick painted it, "stressed" it and waxed it and sold it for a ridiculously good price. I will definitely be going back to him in the future.

Our old bed and bedside drawers polished up with some briwax and looking fab, with bedding from Ikea YYs cat bed is back in place, and she is very happy to be resettled.

The finised article as built by DH, somewhere to house his "collection" including his crows which he has owned for about 12 years, but have been packed away waiting for a home. The baskets are to hide his crap in...keys, wallets etc.....

My lovely curtains.....again!

Once again, the drawers!!

The curtains in their full glory.

YYs bed again.

Crows and Topseys bed.

My beautiful light fitting which was about the 5th one to come home, but it is perfect, worth the search.

And finally, ready for catching up with everyones news.....

This was 14 years in the waiting (as I said previously, a very long story) but absolutely worth the wait....now I am planning the rest of the house.

If anyone needs a builder and painter and decorator I can highly recommend one from Burnley.

If anyone needs fab furniture, I can highly recommend a local guy.

Dh and I are both delighted with the results.

So excited...

2011-03-04T09:45:00.000Z

...the carpet fitter is in! So in about 1 hours time we will be able to move back into our beautiful new bedroom. This has taken 14 years to get to (long story, I won't bore you - lol).
I have curtains to put up, new bed linen to go on, pine to wax, ikea bookcases to build and some chest of drawers to be delivered - what an exciting day!!
Photos will follow x

I have started a small collection...

2011-02-28T20:10:00.000Z

These are from our local antique barn.

This picture so reminds me of primary school. I had a picture of a duck above my peg.

This picture takes me right back, it is so evocative I can feel the carpet on my legs.

I had to include this one as it made me laugh!! DD is having none of it, so DH will not be lucky enough to receive one of these on Father's Day.

And this picture......bloomin' chickens are the same whether real of fictional!!

Egg count today: 2

Audrey: 1

Amelie: 1

Egg sandwiches for lunch tomorrow and frittata for dinner!

Wet Sunday...

2011-02-27T20:54:00.001Z

egg count: 2.

Amelie - 1, Audrey - 1.

Good Girls x

Another day....

2011-02-25T12:50:00.001Z

.....more crocheting.

Please meet The Crochet Cat - Topsy.

She likes nothing more than sitting on my lap when I am knitting/crocheting. She loves being wrapped in whatever is being made, and she likes to be hot. In fact, she is known to sweat a little - EW!

Crochet Cat Heaven.

She is also happy to have yarn all over her. She doesn't eat it, chew it, or even bother with it, so there is none of that acky pulling it from the back of her throat.

Unlike this one. The Tail-less Wonder...P McGee (Pumpkin). I love this photo, taken yesterday as she was trying to hide from the painter.

This is a quick shot of the one surviving flower from Valentines Day. DH came home last night and asked who the rose was from...doh!

And finally, to those of you who still want chickens, look at my garden and think again. The bottom photo is a bad shot (through glass otherwise you get chased as they try and rush into the house). But can you see where my bluebells are? My bleeding hearts? My cowslips? No?? Thought not! The girls have eaten them!!

And to add insult to injury....egg count today is 0.

The bright green bowl in the first shot is Audrey's porridge bowl, Amelie prefers apples.

The garden hasn't photographed too badly, it really is a LOT muddier than it looks.

Back to work tomorrow. Assignment is done, I will give it a spell-check and tidy up on Sunday night before I hit the dreaded "Send" key, but it is done.

But now, back to some more of this

and a cup of tea

The sun is shining......

2011-02-24T12:37:00.000Z

....it is like Spring, and the girls have been laying!

It really is hit and miss. They started relaying on January 1st, and then stopped again. Had a slight spurt at the beginning of February, and then stopped, and then this morning Amelie laid an egg.

and with the sun out, it seemed like the ideal time to show you my latest treat....

Isn't he lovely? I am so happy with him. He has lived at the local antiques barn for some time, and has been there for our last few visits, so I decided he had to come and live with us. I knew I would be so upset if on my next visit he wasn't there. But there is a problem.....he doesn't hold water that well. I filled him full of water and daffodils on Saturday afternoon, and discovered on Sunday that the water seems to leak out of the base, and has marked my mantlepiece. I am not worried about the mantlepiece, but would welcome any ideas that anyone might have on how to make him water tight. he has a glaze and there appear to be no cracks or holes, but he is a leaker! But with a face like that, I can forgive him anything.

And finally I wanted to photo my blanket in the sunshine, thank you so much Attic 24 for your inspiration, I would never have tackled this. I would still say that I don't crochet, but I do follow her wonderful instructions. I started this for DD to take to Uni in September. I wanted it to be something to give her hug in the evenings, something from home and made with lots of love.

She immediately informed me that she doesn't like crochet, it makes her feel "icky".

Great!!

But since I have perservered I have caught her looking at it sideways......she has since told me that she will make a judgement when it is finished.....which I have taken to mean that actually it isn't that bad.

Must dash, I really must get this assignment done x

Didn't we have a lovely time.....

2011-02-22T10:57:00.000Z

...the weekend we went to Hay-on-Wye.

What a fabulous place: beautiful countryside, extremely friendly people, delicious food, fantastic accomodation, no chain stores, and 100s of book shops, and only an hour or so from home.

We discovered Gooseberry Crumble and custard.

We discovered a bookshop whose interior is the inside of a transylvanian church.

I stood in the sunshine waiting for DH whilst admiring the cottages.

And we discovered our favourite bookshop, not only does it have a fabulous cafe where I ate 3 different types of toasted bread with blackberry and apple jam accompanied by a proper hot chocolate made with melted dark chocolate, they also have resident cats, sofas, rocking chairs.....oh and a fab selection of books.

What more could we want.......we are going back soon x

No photos today...

2011-01-24T19:52:00.000Z

my battery needs charging, and I should be studying, so off I am going to study :-(
never mind, keep thinking of the end result :-)

I did manage to score some "seconds" Liberty fabric today for £6 a metre, and the 3.9m I bought (it was all they had left) has got nothing wrong with it. It will back my quilt, so look forward to getting to that stage soon. Piccies will follow.
x

What a busy day!

2011-01-22T17:42:00.002Z

My first weekend day off since about the middle of December, so we were up and out early. We dropped DD off at work, and DH went to get his back done, so with half an hour to myself, I wandered into town for a coffee and a read of the newspaper....how civilised. I wandered past Shakespeare's Birthplace - look! No tourists!!!!! I said it was early, I certainly couldn't have got this photo half an hour later.

Opposite the Birthplace is the Christmas Shop, it looks so pretty so worthy of a photo.
As you can see, the weather continues to go crap, horrible light, very chilly and a light layer of mist but not enough to see if you get what I mean, it was just grey and miserable.

So, with that in mind I had to buy Daddy Aardvaak, mummy and baby still have their christmas ribbons on, but perhaps it was in celebration of becoming a family of three. Anyway, these are DHs aardvaaks, he is very happy to have the full collection. They are a warmer orange than this, but again it is the crappy light.

I got a cat bowl at my local CS for a fab 79p, and they are all very happy with it, and I got this bowl (below) for the Featheries.

They seem to like it but couldn't see their grapes, and I got a look as if question my absolute stupidity at giving them an empty bowl, but then suddenly they saw the grapes - happy Chooks!

I went and rescued my fabulous tin. I first saw this before Christmas, and mentioned it to DH. He decided just before Christmas to go get it for me....on the day it started to snow. A journey that normally takes about 10 mins took him one and half hours, and when he got there, it was closed!! So we popped back today, and I thought it had gone, but it was hiding in a corner. It is now sitting very proudly in the kitchen with this in it - see below!

A portuguese Bolo Rei! Mum sent me one on 9th of December and it arrived on 12th of January and was flatter than an envelope, so she very kindly me sent me another. This was posted on the 19th of January!! Amazing! I shall enjoy some of this tonight :-)

Such a lovely day, and thoroughly spoiled! Dh bought me 2 more trolly things for my bracelet. The red one is for Valentine's Day, and the silver one is for getting a distinction for my last course. It is called Love Lies Within, because the bumpy bits you can just see on the inside are hearts. It can be engraved, but we couldn't think what to put on it, so for now it is plain.

And finally, the epitome of a harmonious day! Archie and Topsey are sharing the cat blanket in front of the fire. Archie (ginger) is 19, blind and deaf but copes very well, and Topsey is one of our rescue cats, she doesn't normally tolerate anyone, but I guess today she was desperate for the heat - she can normally be found lie full length against a radiator....sweating!!! She is lovely, but has a few disgusting habits!
Anyway, off to enjoy a glass of wine, some cheese and bread and a quiet evening in front of the telly. Back to work tomorrow.
x

You only borrow them for a short space of time....

2011-01-20T19:15:00.000Z

Freezing fog, and VERY cold temperatures. UGH!

BUT very good news...DD has had conditional offers for her 2 top choice Uni courses, so now the pressure is on to get the points she needs. But it also means that my baby could be leaving home in 8 months time!!

Where have the last 17 years gone?

It's cold....

2011-01-19T18:44:00.000Z

...and I am back at work, and tonight I must study....I would far rather be here

only 7 months to go lol
x

hmmmm another day off......

2011-01-18T19:46:00.000Z

The sun came out today, and cast some beautiful shadows, so I took this photo.

Then after having a look through some blogs, I decided to bake, I love these rock cakes in Jane Brockett's book The Art of Gentle Domesticity. I turned the oven on, got the baking tray out, and went to the drawer to get the baking parchment.....and I hadn't got any. OMG, no rock cakes today!!!

But as consolation we got 2 deliveries of post today (makes a change from the days over Christmas when we got nothing - Christmas cards are still arriving!) and in the second one I got my Spring Sarah Raven catalogue, with 15% discount - I am so happy, there are some wicker hurdles in there I will be ordering to try and keep the girls off my flowers - I know, I know it won't work, but at least it will look pretty.

I added some more fabric to my quilt, which is growing beautifully.......followed by....

tea cakes with my daughter. What a lovely day.

x

Working today...so cat photo post

2011-01-15T18:44:00.000Z

A photo of YY. Has to be done, she was a gymnast in a previous life.

We only have classy cats in our house ;-)
x

You know when you are looking for a book......

2011-01-14T14:47:00.000Z

but you don't really know what book you are looking for! I just fancied something "lovely", I had the need for a new book, and the local book shop kept calling to me. After several visits, not finding quite what I was looking for, today I went in and this book was right at the front, and in the sale - yay! I love a bargain! It is the history of the rose from Roman times to the present day. The cover is beautiful, and the plates inside are lovely, even if I never read it, it is a beautiful book to flick through, and has filled my need for a "lovely" book.

Another recent purchase - which was an absolute bargain - is my fab 4 in 1 rice cooker. I originally bought a Cusinart one, which decided to leak water all over the worksurface, as you can imagine I wasn't too impressed. So after reading reviews on Amazon (which did warn about the leaking!) I decided to try this Tefal...IT IS FAB!

DH is currently working very late nights, last night he got home at 1.30am, so this little beauty has been a boon. DD and I had rice which was cooked perfectly in 15 mins, and the machine stayed on "warm" until he got back, and 1.5 hours later his rice was just as good.

Today I am trying out its slowcooking function, and it also makes porridge and can be used as a steamer. Can't recommend it highly enough - I think I am in love :-)

Memories...

2011-01-13T18:21:00.000Z

When I was a little girl, I used to spend my afternoons after school with an elderly next door neighbour called Mrs Lodge. She used to make me sugar sandwiches on wholemeal bread with Stork. After tea we would play a card game, and this was something I had forgotten until I came across a pack of Lexicon cards recently.

We haven't played it yet, as I have forgotten how, but I intend to get the instructions out tomorrow and remind myself. Wouldn't it be funny if we never played the game properly, just a version that she made up!! It was always very serious, and turned into marathon sessions.

At the same time I picked up Lexicon, I also picked up Lotto which we played on Christmas afternoon. It is complete, and the numbers are all on little pieces of wood. We had a lovely time, especially as we were making up our bingo calls - two fat ladies, 22!

Jack Straws was a game I played when I was little too, at a friends house, so I couldn't resist treating myself when I saw it last year.

These boxes give me so much pleasure. Just looking at them, the quality of the boxes, the typeface and general design, but more especially the history of them. Who played them? Who won? How much joy did they bring to families?

So much social history.
x

Night away....

2011-01-12T21:15:00.002Z

we are so tired! It is that time of the year for everyone. We don't have the time to pop down to St Ives, as much as I would love to......sigh!
So I am going to book a night away in Hay-on-Wye.
DH has never been and I have only been for a girly weekend - well when I say girly, it was a yoga retreat at the local Youth Hostel, which was fabulous. So I think it is about time we visited those books!

Must dash, I am being entranced by Indiana Jones whilst waiting for Tesco
x

Crafting

2011-01-11T19:07:00.001Z

Today, I have had my sewing machine out for the first time in ages. I had the house to myself, and no urgent need (or desire) to attempt any house, and I certainly wasn't going to do any studying. I didn't know whether to do some more to my quilt or some knitting, but the sewing machine won out.
After wrestling with it for half an hour, we spent a happy afternoon together.
I started this back in July, after I bought a couple of packs of fabric from Salssnippets when I visited the Fashion and Textile Fair last July, and started sewing them together in a random fashion with the idea of making a patchwork quilt for our bed.

DH asked what I wanted for Christmas so I asked for more fabric so I could carry on. After tracking her down and sending an email, she confirmed that she would be at the Christmas Fair, so it was arranged that DH would pick up some fabric when we were there, so after receiving it on Christmas Day, today was the first day I have had the chance to add some more.

I'm afraid the photos aren't great as they were taken late afternoon, but it will be good to have a record of how it grew. Between days off, housework and studying it won't grow as quickly as I would like it to, but as we are having our bedroom redone in February I am hoping to get a dressing table to double up as a work space so I won't have to keep putting things away. When it is put away it is difficult to do a quick 5 minutes, but with it all set up I could even just do a square a night.

And hopefully Furry Helpers might not be so "helpful"

I have put it all away for now, and can't do any tomorrow as I am doing a training session at work tomorrow evening until 8pm, and I really should do some housework on my next day off, Friday, but maybe I could pick the needles back up and finish my cardigan.

I am hoping to continue my studies with a view to working towards a degree. This is a challenging thought as I can see the next 6 years (or so) will be given over to that and my crafting will take a back seat (and so does blogging as has been proved already), but it will be worth it. I am enjoying the challenge of learning, and utilising my new knowledge both at work and at home, and I am very lucky that the company I work for are happy to sponsor me threw it (that spelling of threw looks so wrong!!)

Anyway, have a lovely evening.

I need to go back to work for a rest!

2011-01-05T20:36:00.001Z

Sadly, I haven't managed to get any knitting done, but I have no work due until next week, so I am hoping to get my needles out tomorrow.

DD spent all day yesterday in bed, but made it into school today and seems brighter. And I have got the house sorted:
- all of the christmas decs are down and packed away
- a weeks worth of food has been cooked, and is in the fridge and/or freezer
- lunches for work have been made
- house has been vaccuumed, so why does Topsey insist on pulling her fur out - ggrrrrrrr, bloody cat!
- chickens have been fed porridge, and we have had another egg, one a day for the new year - good girls.

What I really wanted to do today was add to my patchwork quilt I started last year. DH bought me some more fabric from salsnippets when we went to the Vintage Fair last year, and I finally got my hands on it for Christmas but have had no time to do anything with it. Today was planned to be that day! but as my first job was to unblock the dishwasher and I discovered I had to buy a special screwdriver (who knew!) to take the pump out, so that wasn't done, the rest of the day kind of went to pot.

Anyway, DD took some lovely photos of Christmas bits which I will pop on here starting off with our Christmas Icicles, in lieu of photos of my 4 headed amaryliss (which has already had 2 heads on it) and my beautiful hyacinths. (eta I forgot to link to her blog - god, am I in trouble!!!!!)

Off to watch Indiana Jones - how fab is that on a Wednesday evening, thank you BBC1 x

Happy New Year

2011-01-03T21:28:00.000Z

We had a lovely, quiet start to 2011.

DD is ill with a bad cold which may result in a fight with the Dr receptionist tomorrow to get her an appt - let's see.

I have been fighting with my second assignment for this current course. I had a light bulb moment earlier today, and then have worked on it since 1pm, so now it is complete I have sent it! I really can't see me wanting to reread it, so good luck, marking tutor, you may need it with this one!

We have had 2 eggs so far this year too, which after a drought of about 4 months is lovely. We have fattened the girls up with porridge, which they love and has helped keep them warm in the cold, cold weather, but now they are looking rather plump. I must get some photos.

Anyway, off now for a well deserved glass of red, then off to bed and 2 more days off work (one on my own!! no assignment either, can't wait - I haven't knitted for weeks and am desperate). I will take the rest of the decs down tomorrow, the tree came down today and it is all looking very sad. I usually like it when the tree comes down as the room looks fresh and bright, but this year it all feels like it has been too quick.

Oh well, I bought my first bunch of daffs today x

Happy Christmas from Snowy Stratford

2010-12-27T15:56:00.000Z

9 days on and it is still here :-)

Still here......

2010-07-16T14:05:00.000+01:00

Things are still very busy, and I keep thinking I really must post.....I will catch up, for now I am cleaning the house....I love this time of year though, look, flowers from the garden x

All caught up...for now ;-)

2010-06-30T18:21:00.000+01:00

Just had a phone call from DH: Where are you?
I am at home! Where are you?
At your work waiting to pick you up!

Good job my communication is better for my assignments!

I can't believe the score of my last assignment - I never performed like this at school, and I didn't even know I was really this interested in Business Studies. I realise that pride becomes before a fall, this isn't pride - it is shock!! No pressure for the next one!!

I have been busy making too - gooseberry jam. I am told by "him who knows" that apparently it is very good. The plan was to save it for autumn/winter, one of those cold miserable grey day when you need a reminder of summer - oh well, at least it is being appreciated.

DD bought herself some peonies as she loves them, so I thought I would share a photo of one of them in their full gorgeousness.

A quick snap of some of my pots :-)

And finally a photo of my street this evening. Children being taught their cycling proficiency - how summery.

And very, very finally.......it's my b'day Friday and we have 2 days of excitement and picnics planned. I am not entirely sure what we are doing, but am very excited!!

Have a nice weekend x

grumble, grumble

2010-06-22T13:53:00.000+01:00

off work with a bad back (muscles are failing to relax - hhmm, wonder why!), I have been working on my assignment due in next Monday (well I want to get it in asap, so I know it is there, as I have a new computer, and Windows 2007 might not be compatible with the system of sending assignments, and although I have made it compatible I won't believe it is there until I see it...and breath!!). Anyway sitting here tapping away, missing the good weather, back aching, I think I have almost finished this one, when writing the Executive Summary I see that my assignment doesn't quite pull together, I seem to have chosen to study one problem but the solution is resolving another I have only just touched on - BLOODY HELL!!!! just when I thought I had it, it looks as if I am going to have to rewrite it....AND I SPENT ALL OF YESTERDAY AND SO FAR TODAY ON IT!!! For goodness sakes!!! I am going to walk away, catch my breath and do some crochet, but I know it will be playing on my mind.......I will revisit tonight otherwise I won't sleep properly.
AND my days off are Saturday/Sunday this week, but now I will probably swap them for the 2 days I have had off sick, so I don't lose any pay..........grumble, grumble!!

can't keep up.....

2010-06-19T19:55:00.000+01:00

I am keeping with blogs I follow, and sometimes even commenting, but I am finding it difficult to blog at the mo!
This last week was sooooo busy at work, one of those weeks when you know what is going to happen, so you plan accordingly then circumstances decide to send a few curve balls - hey ho, nothing major and we got through it!
So DH and I decide to book a night away at a local hotel, a change of scenery, a bed without cat fur, and space for DD to have a friend round. I found a really good deal on t'internet. 4* hotel, about 5 miles out of town, an old elizabethan building that Will apparently used to frequent, and all at a last minute price. Fab! Yesterday was my day off, so I got up early and cleaned the house, and DH managed to get home from work early. It started raining, so no chance to wear a summer skirt, it had gone chilly too. We went to M&S to get our carpet picnic and fizzy for watching the football with, in the privacy of our cat hair free bedroom. It started to rain harder (this really should have been a sign)......the carpet in the rooom was stained, there were no staff in the bar, and breakfast this morning???? we had to sit in the bar with other guests, waiting for tables to become free in the breakfast restaurant despite 6 tables not being laid for service!!! I have come home feeling like I have a 24 hour thing really crappy, so am hoping to shake it off soon.We went to the Little Chef for breakfast which was fantastic, great service, great food and fab staff....would we go to this hotel again? No! Are we on to try another hotel soon? Yes......we have been spoilt, a couple of years ago we stayed in a Hyatt for a night - fabulous :-) but rather pricey....I think we will start saving. Despite the hotel being crap though we had a lovely time, just me and him, no cats, no chickens and a change of scenery, a real little mini-break. Back to work tomorrow - back to posting properly (with photos!!) sometime soon x

The Archers...

2010-06-09T19:51:00.000+01:00

I miss a couple of episodes and then the shocking storyline of the year happens.....I won't spoil it if you don't know....but goodness me, I would never have seen that one coming!

Monday, Monday...

2010-06-07T09:35:00.000+01:00

Only a couple more days off before I go back to work - sigh! I love work when I am there, but do find it hard to go back after a week or so off.

Anyway, DD has painted our bird table in an attempt to lure them to us. She chose summery ice-cream colours. It looks lovely, but the birds are yet to appreciate it. A while ago I posted about the 10 or so bird feeders I had hung - they didn't work either. We have loads of birds round here, the little blighters are more than happy to wake me up at 4am, but they won't use the feeders!!!! But the latest attempt is very pretty :-)

And here is the view they have from their feeding post. Not too bad, I am sure a lot of other birds would be very grateful for their surroundings!!

DD and I are off for hair cuts, then we will come back and make cakes - hooray!!

Have a lovely day, hopefully you can avoid the rain.

See you soon x

PS ANY advice about getting birds onto feeders would be very welcomed, thanks x

Lovely weekend

2010-06-06T18:03:00.000+01:00

As ever I forgot my camera. We always seem to be heading out and on the road before I realise I haven't got it. You would have thought I would have learnt by now......

We headed out to a big carboot this morning, DH and I really have the bug now. This was a huge one, we couldn't believe the size of it. It took us about 2 hours to walk round, and what did we buy??? Well, I bought nothing, and DH bought 3 books from the very last stall. He has spirited them away, but I think one of them was an Eagle annual....again, hidden away too quickly to take any photos. On reflection I think we both felt that this one was too big, or maybe we caught it on a bad day. It was full of stuff that I got the impression that you didn't ask where it came from, piles and piles of kids clothes, and stalls full of kids toys...oh and lots of bottles of domestos - so very disappointing, and I am at work next weekend so won't get to another for a fortnight. I also pop onto other blogs and see lovely items that people have unearthed for pennies - sigh! So if anyone has any tips as to where/how we are going on, I would love to know.....

We wandered into town this afternoon to see the delights of sunny Stratford , and I went to say hello to this lovely family, Sew Special Bears. I had spotted on the blog that they were coming to Stratford to exhibit at a Bear Fair, and I felt it would have been rude not to have said hello. Her bears are absolutely gorgeous, I don't know how she is able to part with them. It was great to meet up, say hello, and put a face to a blog. Hopefully we will meet up again in Chipping Sodbury at one of the 2 Vintage Fairs later on this year. If not, there is always the bear fair again, this time next year.

Hope you had a good journey home x

When we were in town I picked up a copy of this months Homes and Antiques.

Look who is featured:

Happy loves Rosie

How exciting! To have your home chosen for a magazine feature. The article is great and the photos fab - lovely article. This edition will be a keepers (as they say in films!!). I can never throw away my magazines away. I will be found one day dead, buried under piles of magazines........lol

Something else that we have been up to is starting to make some elderflower cordial

here is my bucket of blossom. We walked miles to get it, there wasn't much were I chose to go (we have seen load since), and a lot of it isn't quite open yet. I think next weekend will be perfect but we are both working then, so I wanted to get some going. It is smelling good, all I need to do now is to source some citric acid. We also plan to pop out one evening this week to harvest some more.

The recipe is from here

Enjoy the rest of your weekend x

I am in love....

2010-06-02T19:19:00.000+01:00

.....with my fabby new computer. I am still getting to grips with it, so bear with me, but for now I will leave you with a photo of the dinner chefs, who cook dinner when I am studying.

79% for my first assignment, so they must be cooking something right.

Enjoy your evening x

Apology!!!

2010-05-27T18:46:00.000+01:00

When I said better late than never yesterday, I meant my posting NOT receiving my parcel

DD asked me to point this out as she felt my post was ambiguous, which I certainly never intended.

Good enough to eat swap

2010-05-26T20:43:00.001+01:00

Better later than never, here are the photos of my fab package from sewjustinesew

I'm afraid to say that I didn't get a photo of anything wrapped, DD and I just tore into it. I was excited to receive a beautiful parcel, and DD had been sitting at home looking at it all day waiting for me to come back to give her the go-ahead.

Justine spent so much time hand-making such wonderful things for me. I will admit to wussing out of making anything for her as I had seen the quality of her things on her blog, and I know the quality of mine, so I took an easier option and picked up some fab hand-made items for her. I was absolutely delighted with what I found for her, and I hope she is too (and compared to what I would have produced...well.....enough said).

So in the piccie above there is a beautiful hand-made card, a fridge magnet, a little note book which is now living in my CK bag (where else??) and some lovely buttons covered in cupcake fabric. I think these need to go onto a brooch :-)

2 lollies and a pack of milk chocolate beanies, sadly now all gone, but they were very nice!

A lovely soap (I just love the embellishment - I would never have thought of that!), and some yummy hand cream. In the background you can see the cupcake paper my parcel was lovingly wrapped in. And everything is lying in and on the tissue paper and ribbons that each gift was wrapped in.

A hand crafted book mark which is already in use on my OU books, and a scrummy pin cushion.

"A coffee cozy for my favourite take-out!"

How fab is this????? I am off next week, so this will get a few trips out I am sure. Look at the fabrics and the work that has gone into this. I absolutely love it.

And, look at this pot holder and tea towel - far too nice to use!!

Justine, thank you so much. I am absolutely overwhelmed with the gifts you sent me. I feel like it is christmas in the middle of summer.

Thank you so much for your generosity and creativity x

Let me tell you how wonderful...

2010-05-24T21:12:00.000+01:00

this lady is! sewjustinesew

Today I recceived the most fabulous parcel from her for the "Good Enough to Eat Swap".

What a gorgeous box to be sent - thank you so much.

I haven't got any time at the mo to do it justice, but I wanted to say a huge heartfelt thank you to a very generous person, and let you allknow how lucky you will be to ever have Justine as a swap partner.

photos and gushing descriptions will follow later this week x

Still here!!

2010-05-23T18:50:00.000+01:00

Assignment has got to be in onThursday -so I am planning on Wednesday as the latest. I will celebrate the small milestone with a new bead for my bracelet and catching up with everyone's blogs, and maybe putting a worthwhile posting on here too.

Just as a quick question - did you see Ashes on Friday???? OMG, what a fab end of series..I am SO going to miss it though.

Justine - Parcel went out yesterday, I really hope it is with you in the morning (and that you like it) x

Colouring....

2010-05-10T18:25:00.000+01:00

Look what I bought.....

These babies are fab and very very very strong.....

This was just opening the tops and after lots and lots of handwashing. They are still blue now, oh well guess it a hazard of the task!

I didn't realise they were so strong when I was making my icing......

They are a little more vibrant than I expected....scarily vibrant!! But they taste good, and next time I will be very sparing...at this rate these colours will out live me!

Anyway, after vibrant cupcake making and 5 hours of study, questioning my VirginMedia bill (do I really spend THAT much a year just to watch Maury!!), I am going to cook dinner, and then this....

Have a lovely evening x

Sometimes...

2010-05-06T20:38:00.000+01:00

only this guy will do!

I may need more depending as to how our wonderful nation wakes up tomorrow............

off to clean the computer, macro can be good for so many things, but my keyboard, I think not!

x

Another day off work....

2010-05-05T09:29:00.000+01:00

9.20am and so much done already!!

Dinner has been made

Quiche Lorraine - I haven't made one of these for years, and I even baked the case blind!!

The sun is trying to shine and Topsey can't decided whether to go out or stay in - so she is having a case of the "inny/outys"

Ideal situation for a cat who can't commit!!

I have hung my bunting from the Fair

I am really pleased with it, great quality, double sided and the colours are so rich.

On another note I had forgotten to post a photo of the bracelet DH bought me on Saturday

I have loved the Troll bead bracelets for ages, and was going to treat myself to one, but DH said he would buy it and bought me an extra charm too - the ball of yarn, very appropriate!

I love the colours, though DD was surprised I hadn't gone red, but that is the joy of these. You collect beads and charms and then interchange however your mood takes you.

The shop we bought them from keeps a list of the ones you have so you shouldn't get any duplicates, and after every 10 you buy you have a free one - the persn who served us put me down as having 5 as he included the bracelet and the clasp, so I am half way there already.

Can't believe how well this has photographed!

Anyway, must dash, more studying to do to stay on top of this course.

Have a good day x

Vintage and Handmade Fair

2010-05-02T18:31:00.001+01:00

Didn't we have a lovely day, it was all I hoped for and more. The weather held off and was quite warm, and we had a beautiful meandering drive through the Cotswold countryside to get to Chipping Sodbury.

Was it worth the drive to get there?

Oh yes! Not just for the Fair but to see the countryside shining in the May sunshine.

The Fair was fab, so many lovely things and so many lovely people.

A few weeks ago I said to DH that I fancied a day full of loveliness, and yesterday I got my wish.

We arrived at 9.55am and joined the excited queue that had already gathered. The town bells chimed 10am, and the queue shuffled expectantly, and then the doors opened.

DH and I headed straight to the main hall as the entrance hall was already crowded. We walked around looking at the beautiful items displayed, and I spotted Niki's gorgeous stand and discussed the fab cushions with a keen customer who wasn't sure which one to buy. Both were beautiful and luckily it wasn't a choice I had to make as having 4 cats, cushions that beautiful aren't coming into my house. The work was so intricate and quite took my breath away. I imagine the lady I was talking to is sitting gazing at hers right now.

We wandered round and found these lovely people Henhouse and their beautiful stand. I treated DH to this

which he is very happy with, and I now fear I have started a collecting bug for these books.

And I also bought these

My photos really don't do the colours any justice. They are absolutely gorgeous and I couldn't resist them, and could easily have cleared all of her stock. We chatted about their recent holiday, though it is strange to know about people I have never met because I follow their blog.

DH treated himself to these

and a vintage school room poster of the building of the Wear Bridge in Sunderland.

These were from Country Cottage Chic.

We grabbed ourselves a cuppa and some very tasty cakes, and took stock, and walked around again, and again, and once again.

I also bought these lovely smellies pictured below from Slimbridge Soaps. The lady I spoke to was very knowledgeable and has created some wonderful products that smell gorgeous. Some soaps, bathbombs and lip glosses - the hyacinth bathbombs are mine!!!

I managed not to take any photos, but to be honest it was so busy the photos wouldn't have been very successful. All stands were about 4 deep at most times. Everyone was very friendly, and the atmosphere was electric. There was so much to see, and an awful lot of "do you remember that...", "I had one of those when I was little...", "goodness me, I haven't seen one of those for years...."

Will DH and I being going back on November 28th?

Most definitely...hopefully then I will spot some people whose blogs I read, as yesterday I didn't see anyone but having said that it was so busy, even if I had arranged to meet anyone I probably wouldn't have found them. And if I had been looking out for someone carrying a CK bag, well I guess that was all of us there. It was almost like a CK convention lol.

What really made my day. We popped into Poppies for a bite of lunch (the cafe across the road from the Townhall), and a couple of older ladies came in dressed in very spring-like pastel shaded macs. They placed their order and when I looked up again they were both sucking strawberry milkshakes through pink straws, with very satisfied expressions on their faces. On the way out I stopped for a quick chat, and apparently they had moved onto milshakes as they were all "tea'd out".

Other things: today I have baked

These spotty cupcakes papers were bought in a great cake decorating shop just up the road from the Fair, and the red food colouring was from there too. She had a great range so I will be ready to stock up on bits for my Christmas cakes when we go back in November.

Thanks to everyone who attended the Fair, your stock was fabulous and your talents amazing. I am so looking forward to seeing what you have for Christmas.

Wow, where is the time going??

2010-04-27T21:03:00.000+01:00

I don't seem to get the chance to post. It isn't through lack of things to post, purely lack of time, and I can see that things aren't liable to improve - yikes! My course starts on Saturday and looks pretty intense - so apologies in advance for how things may get worse from here on in. I am popping onto blogs to see what others are up to, and sometimes even commenting (!!).
Work is also getting busy......

BUT whilst my course starts on Saturday, there is also this
http://www.vintageandhandmade.co.uk/

can't wait!!! Who will I see there? Looking forward to meeting people I only know through blogs (and also buying a few treats, which I will post on Sunday!)

Who's coming??

'Eat, Pray, Love'

2010-04-17T22:09:00.002+01:00

DH bought me this book a few weeks ago and I read it in a few very quick days and bought a copy for my sister. If you haven't read, then do. It is beautiful, funny, thought-provoking, fabulous, simple, deep.....it is wonderful! And now I see it is coming out as a film in summer with Julia Roberts...I am SO excited!!!!

Wow!

2010-04-09T11:42:00.000+01:00

Where did that weather come from? You can tell I am back at work on Saturday!

Yesterday was gorgeous, it felt like a summer's day. Today is nice, but cloudy, I am hoping that it will disappear after I have finished my inside stuff, so it will be nice and sunny when I go and put my potatoes in. ETA - it is burning off nicely, the front door is open, and cats are happily wandering in andout wondering what this open door policy is all about!

Yesterday was spent very productively. I cut the grass, tidied up some shrubs, and hung some bird feeders!!

ok, I have 9 on here, birds!! 9!! I want to see at least one of you making use of these! I don't want to have to throw any away due to rotting - not sure why, but our local featheries don't eat the fat balls! I just need to get some starlings...that way the tree will be stripped bear in about 5 mins! I know, I know, careful what you wish for...

DH finished work early, so we went to a local garden centre, where we sat outside drinking tea and eating home-made cake - very civilised. I bought some seed potatoes, and a jar of local honey to hopefully stave off hayfever!! Let's see!

When we got back we were interrogated as to where we had been:

Amelie and Audrey continue to be naughty and I haven't had to cut any grass on this side since last August!! Not surprising really, as we have no grass - bless em. Very cheeky, complete garden destroyers, but love them to bits. Never thought I would say that about chickens!

Also this week, after a little conversation (as in "do you remember what happened this time 20 years ago??") DH and I realised that we have been together for 20 years this week. Where have those 20 years gone....20 years is a long time, well it used to be, goodness, I have nearly been with him as long as I have been without him!! We have known each other for about 27 years, but that is a whole other story!

Have a lovely weekend. I am back to work tomorrow, so will be standing inside licking the windows desperate to get out...in the meantime I feel the need to bake some cupcakes, and then get outside and enjoy this early summer x

Still raining....

2010-04-03T20:08:00.001+01:00

I can't believe it is STILL raining, and neither can these very fed-up Featheries and Furry.

So the only thing to do yesterday was to bake

Hmmmmmm chocolate vanilla cupcakes...... headless chicks I'm afraid, not sure where the heads went..

3 minutes later I returned to a scene of devestation!!! These were to take to my sisters on Easter Day. There was nothing for it but to make some more today

yes, I have bought my self some piping nozzles and piping bags, and for a first attempt I reckon these are pretty good!

I got myself some Green Gate cupcake papers :-)

And this is DHs cake. He iced it, and I themed it

Donnie Darko!!

Let's hope these last until tomorrow!

Happy Easter x

Corner of my kitchen...

2010-04-01T20:07:00.000+01:00

I thought I would share with you a few photos of my kitchen, just cos I can, because it is raining and because I don't have much else to blog about...anyway, here goes:

This is where I put postcards and special bits of paper that mean a lot and also make me smile.

So, in a little more detail: I have a signed photo of Evan Davis (just got to love Evan - DH wrote to him requesting a photo for my b'day, and we got a great letter back too), an autographed postcard from Eddie Izzard, postcards from Miami Ink, Times Square and the Empire State Building (sent to me by DH and DD when they took MIL to Graceland via NYC), an autographed card from Amy Butler, a postcard of Le Mont Ventoux (that is DHs), a card about Jeff and his cats, a card of a Jack Russell that makes me giggle, and a photo of bikes (DHs again).

We went to see the fab Mr Izzard a few years ago (actually a very long time ago now I come to think about it). He was fab and I love him, and getting to meet him afterwards was such a highlight.

DD and I were lucky enough to meet Amy Butler last year. She was visiting the UK on holiday and doing some work too, and a local(ish) yarn store managed to arrange an evening with Amy. She talked about her life, how she started out and how she has got to where she is now. Afterwards she answered questions for about an hour and then we got to meet her as she signed whatever she was offered. She is a very gentle and gracious lady, a real joy to have met. If you ever get the chance to see her, please go, it is well worth it.

This just makes me laugh, the only thing missing is her knitting needles or crochet needle - ha ha!

This just makes me laugh - a lot - every time I see it.

Someone who works with DH went to Florida on holiday, and her daughter suggested popping to Miami and going to see the boys. When they got to the shop, they weren't in, but were given some cards and bits as momentos. As they walked away, her daughter said "mum, mum that is Ami!", and there they were, walking down the street towards them. They happily posed for photos and stopped and chatted. What a lucky chance, not only to go to Miami Ink, but also to actually meet the guys - I would have swooned!

This is the kitchen window - just cos! Looking a bit cramped but that is like the rest of our house. Everything is used on a daily basis - esp the glass of red I now spy at the front of the photo - well it was gone 6pm!

And finally.....

It is coming together...slowly but surely....and all credit must go to this lady

Attic 24

I can't thank her enough for her inspiration, her blog and her tutorials - I had never crocheted before I found her blog, look at me now.

Have a lovely weekend x

Good Enough to Eat Swap

2010-04-01T12:22:00.000+01:00

Em at Em's Shabby Shack and Claire at Are we nearly there yet? are organising a lovely swap, have a click and see if it is for you.

I am off to start piecing together my crochet, so will post photos later, but I need a cup of tea and a piece of cake first x

So glad to hear it wasn't me......

2010-03-31T17:33:00.000+01:00

and it might mean that when I go blog browsing again, I will be able to see what people have been up to! And after all that I haven't even got anything worth blogging about - sigh.

I have been off work for 4 and a half days now, on holiday. The house is tidy (well downstairs anyway), but not much else has gone on. DD and I popped into town yesterday, only for me to realise that I had mislaid my debit card. Not only did I go a little hot and cold (to put it mildly), it also meant I had no cash - don't we rely on little pieces of plastic to live our lives! I phoned the bank: when was the last time it was used? How much did you spend? Everything tallied, but we thought it best to cancel it (we = me and the very nice lady at the bank), it couldn't even have been in the back pocket of my jeans as I haven't been wearing them recently. A new card will be with me in 5 to 7 working days, but we are about to hit a 4 day bank holiday, so I am probably looking at Wednesday or Friday next week. And despite the fact it was all sorted, it played on the back of my mind all day, I couldn't concentrate on anything that I was doing, then later in the day it finally dawned on me (amazing how your mind works when you are making the bed isn't it?) On Sunday DH and I had popped out for a wander around the local garden centres. I had given him my card to pop into his wallet in case I wanted to buy something, as I didn't fancy taking my bag. What a nuisance!! But at least it is safe, if not now entirely useless. Until the new card arrives, I have taken some cash out of the bank, but the weird thing is I don't like having cash as it feels as if when I spend it it is all gone. It is certainly making me question what I am buying, even though I haven't bought anything more than I would have done, and I certainly haven't splashed out on anything unnecessary. Our minds work is very strange ways, don't they?

Other news - I have signed up for an OU course - Introductions to Business Studies. It is a 6 month course, which does exactly what it says in the title. It is worth 30 points, and when followed up with another course I have my eye on that starts in November, together they will give me a Certificate in Business Studies. If I kept it all going til the end it would finish as a Degree, but that is years ahead, and I am not sure it is even my thing, so the Introduction to Business Studies will be fine for now.

It has got me thinking though, I feel as if I am 2 people. I love being at home, decorating easter trees, crocheting, knitting, baking, cooking etc, and yet I have chosen this course! The word "dichotomy" comes to mind. I was looking at Psychology, and Art History too, but I can't see how I can use them in my day to day life. I could do any of them as an interest, just for something to do that I would really enjoy, but I feel it is important for any course I do to have a useful link to my life, something I can make use of. To plough 6 months of my life into something like this, I want it to be useful. I also feel that it won't be too much of a mental shift (though please don't think that I mean it will be easy), what I mean is that this is something I do in my real life so I should be able to relate to what I am studying. Let's see. It is only 6 months!

I am off out for dinner tonight with a friend, which I am really looking forward to. DD is shocked "mum, you NEVER go out without us!!" Let's see how she copes lol!

Also, a couple of things I have treated myself to recently. The bag was half price, not sure why, it is in perfect condition, so lucky me!! And the notebook is fab. I love notebooks, I have lots of lists written in lots of notebooks in various handbags, so this has just joined the collection. And it is linen bound too - lovely!

I am still crocheting. Tomorrow I plan to start joining these squares together, so will post some photos then when they are all spread out across the floor (without furry friends posing all over them!!)

And finally, I will leave you with this photo again, cos I love it!

Off to cook dinner for the "Stay at homes" before I go gallivanting off.

Have a good evening x

Blogger!!

2010-03-29T20:13:00.002+01:00

was going to post with piccies, but can't see the photos, not sure if it is me or blogger, so will try again tomorrow x

DD, my superstar

2010-03-21T20:33:00.000Z

DD didn't get Head Girl. She is gutted. I have never seen her so upset, I didn't know what to do for her. I just baked her some cookies and made her some hot chocolate, and gave her huge hugs.
The head of 6th form called to speak to me after the announcement to express her thoughts about my daugher, I cried, I am so proud of her. Although she didn't get it, it has been a fantastic experience for her, she has learned so much, she had grown and she has shone.

I am away on business until Thursday. Have a good few days, I look forward to catching up with everyone next weekend x

Tonight we have a guest blogger.....

2010-03-16T20:30:00.001Z

The story that follows had to be told by DH as I couldn't do it justice - also I laughed so much it hurt and I cried!!!
Over to you DH:
This morning I went to the newsagent to get the paper before going to the Cheltenham Festival (horse racing). I parked the car outside in a designated parking space and went into the shop. I was in a bit longer than expected but not long enough to compltely lose my mind, you would think! When I came out I pressed the button on the key ring and heard the familar click and vaguely registered the indicators flash, I continued walking towards the car and got in. Whilst walking to the car I could swear that the car next to mine had flashed its headlamps when I pressed the key. So when I got in the car, not concentrating on my surroundings, I pressed the key again and low and behold the car next to the one I was in responded. I have always thought that my key must work with another car in the world, they can't all be unique, and likewise other keys would work with my car, finally I had proof, perhaps? I swung my legs into the car and looked in the wing mirror, and saw an airfreshener and a novelty pair of boxing gloves hung around the wing mirror, neither of which were in the car when I got out a couple of minutes previously, and guess what, the whole dashboard was also completely different to the one I left in my car earlier. I am sure had I looked further none of CDs etc would have been found, was I in some set up TV show? But fortunately comon sense kicked in, I focused back on the car to the right of the one I was sat in and pressed the key again, the car to my right, like an exicted dog flased in response, to my horror I realised I was sat in the wrong car. I quickly got out and went to my car, I even think the guy whose car it was looked at directly at me but couldn't beleive I got out of his car becuase he simply stopped and chatted to a chap stood by the shop. Old age is a wonderful thing, I can't wait for the incontinence and dribbling.

Update on DD tomorrow! Keep those vibes coming, and thank you x

Good luck thoughts needed please...

2010-03-15T20:22:00.000Z

It is speech day tomorrow for DD. She is standing for Head Girl!! OMG is my baby really old enough to do that? She has 4 minutes to make her speech to pretty much the whole school. Voting is happening on Wednesday. 4 are running for Head Girl and Deputy, but she is adamant that Deputy means "didn't quite make it". Her thoughts on this surprised me, but didn't, if you know what I mean. She has gone from being "yeah...whatever....I'll give it a go" to "I am determined!!"

Happy Mother's Day

2010-03-14T19:30:00.000Z

I am blessed to have such a wonderful daughter.

She had to go into work today, which she wasn't happy about, so we spent a lovely hour together before she went. She made us breakfast in bed, which we sat and munched on as we read the paper together.

So I made her some cakes.

And she brought me home some beautiful red tulips.

Aren't they gorgeous?

Sunshine Award

2010-03-13T18:57:00.000Z

Look what I have received:

A lovely sunshine award from the lovely Rosie P at Roses and Peonies. Thank you so much, you have certainly made my day.

I'm back.....

2010-03-06T20:07:00.000Z

what a "faffy" week.......and breathe, sigh!

Just a quick question to anyone kind enough to give guidance - what is the best way to join granny squares?? I think mine are ok, but think they could be better....

All help will be very much appreciated

TIA x

grrr

2010-02-28T20:56:00.000Z

could be off line for a while, computer is misbehaving and I can't use dds ipod touch! Bloody computer!!!
ps date night was good, thanks for your good wishes x

Date Night...

2010-02-27T19:19:00.000Z

She was a little nervous, but I think she will have a lovely evening...

DD: Mum, why are you blogging it? sigh!!
Me: Because in about 20 years time it will be lovely to look back and remember the excitement!! Trust me, I'm a mum x

Oohhh DD has a first date tomorrow night...

2010-02-26T21:25:00.000Z

She has invited a friend for a sleep-over tonight, so they can finalise details. Get the outfit right, make sure the make up is ok, get the hair just so, and have pizza and salad for dinner so she can practise eating said items without getting food all over herself.
The scary thing is, the 80s have come back with a vengence, so she is standing in the kitchen pretty much wearing what I wore 20+ years ago!! It is really quite scary. Is this how my mother felt, no actually it wouldn't have been but that is a whole nother story that I won't bore anyone with!!

Anyhoo, DD looks lovely, and I am so pleased for her, she is so excited.

Think of her tomorrow evening, on her first date, as I think back to mine and know just how she is feeling - excited, anxious, apprehensive, delighted, grown-up yet child-like.

My beautiful daughter.

Why is it when....

2010-02-25T19:53:00.000Z

...you want to eat healthily, what you really want is one of these??

I need to lose some weight, I want to lose some weight - not a huge amount, but nonetheless it would be good to shift a few pounds. So...I set my mind to eat more healthily, and do 1/2 an hour on the Wii Fit everyday. I have been eating more healthily, we are eating fish, veg, green veg, fruit, salad, I am not snacking....and I have been doing my bit on the Wii. Now admittedly this has only been really serious for about a week, but I have lost nothing!! Nada, zilch, bugger all!!! How pissed off am I?? I may as well go and grab a muffin (just that I can't as these were made a few weeks ago). And now I am sitting here at 7.40pm having had cod and spinach (ew!!) for dinner, I am not hungry, but goodness could I graze!! Lots.....so my plan is to have ONE dark chocolate button later, and goodness will I savour it - sigh, I need to dig in and tell myself that it will be worth it and I will start losing soon. But why is it when you set your mind to lose weight, does it not just happen overnight....that is rhetorical btw hee hee!

Anyway, to take my mind off my grazing wants, I'll show you a little of what I have been up to.

In this basket is lots of (yes, I am wearing Christmas PJs!!):

Lots of these.....

which convert into lots of these.......

and then make me some of these:

please tell me the curling will go when I join them all together and that I don't need to redo them cos my tension is crap :(

So much time, so little posting....Cat photos at end of post...

2010-02-23T14:23:00.000Z

so please feel free to skip the words and head straight to the furry goodness...
Has it really been so long since I posted, and with so many intentions?? Goodness, and what have I achieved of updating the blog?? Nothing...... oh well, it isn't the end of the world! Lots of other things have been happening. I have been busy with the busy things of life - you know the kind of thing, life's little necessities, you would rather not do them, but they do need doing. If I cast my mind back I will bore you with what I have been up to.

First off before the meeting I mentioned, we remerchandised the shop. A group of about 6 of us got our mojo on, and moved and tidied up about half of the stock. It looked so much better for it, and the sense of achievement was immense, but rapidly followed by a feeling of sheer exhaustion both physically and mentally. The meeting went well, and everyone came to inspect the shop - it was the first time most people had seen it, so it was good to be able to show them around our new "home". The following week was a normal working week, with my holiday starting on the Saturday, but to be honest I got to Wednesday and decided I needed to finish earlier, I really needed the time off. So after I made sure it was ok, I finished on the Thursday night, and have been off since - 12 days off, doing nothing!!

DD went on a school trip to Berlin and Krakow, so we had the first weekend to ourselves. We pottered around locally and had a lovely lunch at a local pub: The Bell in Alderminster. We drive past this pub nearly every weekend, and every time we drive past it, we say that we must really go in, and we finally did - it has only been about 20 years!! The food was good, and we will definitely go back.
I finished painting the dining room - 5 coats of red on one wall that was then covered back up with books. Why did I do that?? I guess it is because I know it is there and that makes me happy!!

What else did we do (DH was off with me)

We got a call from DD to say that they had missed their flight, so wouldn't be home til Wednesday. So what did we do? Go into panic and scramble the jets of International Rescue to get our baby back? No, we jumped in the car and went to Bicester Village. I had the intention of spending money at Ms Kidston. Did I? No!! I spent nothing on me, but spent £60 on DD at Jack Wills - how did I do that when she wasn't even with us, or indeed even in the country. DH bought 2 coats - this is the man who always goes to Bicester Village as a chauffeur as he is never going to spend any money - he bought a suit at Paul Smith last time!! When DD finally came home (they got flights the next day and arrived about 24 hours later after a night in the bars of Krakow - sounds hellish, she said it was tough!), she wanted to go to Jack Wills, so as the weather was so foul on Thursday we went back Bicester Village. I finally managed to succomb to goodies in CK - 2 metres of fabric for a bathroom blind, a pair of slippers (her slippers are fab), a peg bag (how exciting is my life!!), and a childs suitcase to keep "special" bits in. And Jack Wills managed to mug me to the tune of a furry hoodie and a fabulous aran cardie for me.

The weather had been awful. I am fed up with the cold weather. Maybe we should all arrange a collective calling to the Spring - what are you all doing at 10am on Sunday?? There have been small signs - snowdrops, a bit of blue sky, a hint of sunshine but the winter has been hanging around for too long now. I usually get so excited by snow, but even I am not squeeing at the sight of flakes now - I would really like some warmth now.

The bathroom is not being decorated just yet. When we sat and looked at the paper, we both decided it was not right, I was gutted as I loved it. We have a couple of other options and I was about to order another that we had both fallen in love with, but then I noticed that some of the pointing has come out from under the tiles on the eaves, and DD's bedroom window needs replacing so the money is going to be used in much more boring but necessary ways.

Hhhmmmmm, what else have we done? We have got a new lodger. Please meet Why Why (formal name: Delilah):

Isn't she pretty?

The natives are coming round to the idea (thanks to Feliway)

Back to work tomorrow, so I am spending my last day off going for tea and cakes with DD and DH later this afternoon. Wrapping up against the weather, and cuddling furries

Why Why moulting on my bed!!

P. McGee snuggling in and hoping the humans don't come too close (she hasn't noticed yet that Why Why has her tail - this manx cat isn't that bright and hasn't questioned why a white cat has a black tail!)

Hoo Hair dehyrating against the radiator

The Ninja didn't want to be photo'd, he had been asleep but got the sniff of kibble.

Question for the day: why do none of our cats have the names that they were originally given:

Archie has a few names, but the mostly used one is Ninja as in Ginger Ninja

Pumpkin has lots of names: P. McGee, McGee, Pumps, P-Ness (we don't shout this one outside the house!), Cato (cos she jumps out on Topsey from behind doors) to name a few

Topsey, known as Hoo Hair, Tops, Hulah Mallulah, and

Delilah, who has only been here 2.5 weeks, and is already known more commonly as Why Why (thank you, Tom Jones),and DeeDee

Is this the same with all cats nowadays?? Or do I live with a 4 cats each with multiple personalities. Good job it doesn't happen to DD. Actually it does she is known as various things too, but I won't embarass her today. I'll leave that for another day.

Must go. Oh no, it is snowing again!!!!

DON'T FORGET: Sunday morning 10am

Spring Cleaning.....

2010-01-29T21:45:00.000Z

I really want to spring clean my blog, but I am useless at coding HTML......so bear with me whilst I have a go. I would like to put a photo on my banner that is landscape, and maybe customise the side bars etc. I will also update the sidebar info...

BUT I have a really busy week ahead.

I am off tomorrow HOORAY!! back in work on Sunday thru to Thursday. I am attending a course on Thursday on merchandising which is being held in a hotel in town, so the team and I are busy doing the store remerchandising before Thursday. I had it planned for after half term, but it was suggested that we get it done before the visitors descend - not cos it needs it, it is looking ok, but it would be good to get our 2010 mojo on before everyone troops through. A bit like polishing your brass letter box just before Christmas I guess, it doesn't really need it but it will make you feel so much happier if you do.

So Sunday I think I will be in work from 8am til 6pm, so a slightly shorter day than normal, which will be lovely, though Monday and Tuesday I will be in 7.30am til 10.30pm at the earliest!! The online grocery order is in progress so DH and DD get fed, always a good thing. I might get the chance to change things a little tomorrow, but I think the main will happen when I am off over half term between watching the Winter Olympics, of course.

Have a lovely weekend x

PS Off to order some wallpaper as DH has said he will do the bathroom for me over half term - more hoorays for a floraly kitsch bathroom - swoon.

Thank you so much Mummy Boo Bear...

2010-01-25T20:43:00.004Z

You have made my day! What a fab ray of sunshine and happiness on a grey day. I am delighted.

Thank you x

I got my first award ever from Mummy Boo Bear

Doing very happy dance :-)

And this is after an hour of Just Dance on the Wii with DD - I whipped her butt!!

Portugal

2010-01-24T19:42:00.000Z

At work this afternoon, I met a nice family from Lisbon........how I wish we were off to Lisbon next week for a pastel de nata

My Granny Squares...

2010-01-23T13:50:00.000Z

I think I am doing them right. I am really pleased with them, I do need to start using some of the brighter colours too, but I think I have 100s more to do yet, so plenty of opportunity. Looking at how many I am doing a night I do need to start sewing as I go, otherwise I am going to have a job ahead of me that I won't fancy doing. I am very excited by this new found craft, and am already planning a ripple in cotton for the beach in summer - no pressure then!

And just a few photos of things that make me very happy:

The rain has finally stopped so the girls are happy, foraging amongst any shoots that are coming up for some tasty snack, ocassionally tapping on the dining room window to say a quick hello!

My beautiful bag that DH gave me for Christmas - I love it, red seems to be the colour of 2010.

Edvard Aardvark in Paris in the Sprintime - this is Edvard Jr, E Senior is sitting on a pile of Country Livings, bum-stamping them, he has obviously been talking to the cats!!

And my radio has been rescued from the patronising repair agent, and will be boxed up next week and sent to the very good people at Roberts to be repaired so I can catch back up with Eddie, Evan and John.

We are off out to friends tonight for good food, lovely company and probably a few hours on the Wii. DD is staying at home and watching a film with a friend.

Back to work tomorrow.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend x

A day in which I start looking for my mojo.....

2010-01-22T17:36:00.000Z

it went a long time ago - not just my knitting mojo, but my whole life mojo. It has come back for short periods at various times, but overall it hs been very sadly lacking for at least 7 years. I have done various things to sort myself out, in fact you name it, I have probably tried it. It disappeared so slowly I didn't really notice it go, it seeped out of my life and it felt too late to try and get it back when I woke up one day and noticed it had gone.

This morning I decided to get it back, no more messing around. It struck me that it wasn't going to come back unless I go out there and grab it by the scruff of the neck. I guess it feels a bit like trying to stroke a timid animal - if I sit still and keep very very quiet, it will creep over out of curiosity, sniff around a bit but flee as soon as I even try and make eye contact. I have tried this technique with no success for too long a part of my life - I am now going to start being more proactive. So today I have done nothing other than what I wanted to do.

So by 9am I had made some cookies.

I feel this is verging on healthy as the mix contains oats AND raisins, and Amelie and Audrey eggs.

The finished article - yummy.

I have challenged myself to one recipe a week from this book:

Last week it was the chocolate cupcakes. Not sure about next week yet..watch this space.

Anyway, a cookie has been eaten, a cup of tea has been drunk, granny squares have been played with and lots of blogs have been visited. I have enjoyed today.

I also painted my nails - I have always wanted to paint my finger nails red, but have always waited for them to be long enough!! WTF - if I wait for that I will never have red nails - how ridiculous. I also think I can't have red nails for work - I am not at work today or tomorrow, so why not!! They have given me so much pleasure already, love 'em!

I also did 40 mins on the Wii on Just Dance. Again, if I wait to be a size 12 again, it will never happen if I just wait for it to appear.

I am starting to find my mojo.

Phew.......

2010-01-21T19:37:00.000Z

I have been feeling very much like this

I think it is because it is winter. The exciting snow has gone, and we are left with grey nothingness - bleh! Getting up in the dark, going home in the dark. There are some good things going on: the birds are starting to sing so Spring must be on the way, but goodness it is slow. I just need to step off the wheel. I am off work for a week in the middle of February, but I need to do something positive, to have something to look forward to - so I have booked our Summer holiday.

Can't wait - now I just want it to be August.

Other news: well got to be another shout out for Stash Fine Yarns and their fabulous customer service. They replaced my broken crochet hook, and the on-going results will be posted tomorrow when I have recharged the battery for the camera.

And the radio manufacturers have come up trumps. If I send them my "little pink radio", they will repair it for a price including parts, labour, VAT and return postage all for £50.55 - isn't that fab! I am delighted, and look forward to getting it back and saving my sanity in the kitchen.

Some good news...

2010-01-18T20:22:00.000Z

I emailed the company I bought my crochet hook from to tell them of it's sad demise and they have very kindly put another one in the post for me. Let's hear it for Stash Yarns. Lovely people!! Fantastic customer service!! Will I use them again? Of course I will!

Pity they can't help with my radio - which has been condemned today. Apparently it isn't worth repairing!! No, of course it isn't, that is why DH paid £100 for it expecting a life times service from it, not 4 years and a sucking in through the teeth. The "repair" agent who called me asked if it was my "little pink radio", that it wasn't the adaptor or the adaptor socket (I could have told him that!!), and so it must be the "mother board" which is very expensive to repair so not worth it. I pointed out that I expected more from something with such a good name and that was expensive, that I actually expected life from it, especially when it never left the kitchen window. He said (and I can't believe this) that "it is an electrical item and that I shouldn't expect any more from it nowadays than the 4 or so years I got".
I have contacted the manufacturers.

Also first thing this morning DD's key broke off in the lock - I dashed back from work and I tried to get it out but couldn't so had to call a locksmith, who got the piece out in less than a minute and charged me the callout/first half hours fee of £58.75 - yes, I did ask if he couldn't have made it look more difficult to fix than it was and make it last 29 mins...he looked really sheepish, and I know its his job, but it did hurt to pay it...BUT he did sort it out, in the first time slot and I didn't have to buy a new lock so really it wasn't too bad.....

Today I just felt like going back to bed and pulling the covers up and that was before I got the calls from DD and the radio agent....

So I booked a holiday - a week in Cornwall is now written in big letters on the calender - I am so excited and can't wait to go....but will have to contain myself for at least 6 months!!!!

Very sad news......

2010-01-17T21:51:00.000Z

My new crochet hook has broken.
It is/was a symphonie - I bought it because I like my DPNs so much!

This one felt a bit "lumpy" just under the hook, not smooth. But I figured it was ok, and it seemed to be, until just now.....now I am hookless, and there is nowhere in town I can get one from! Unless I order one from t'internet I can't get one until Saturday at the earliest!!
I am not happy - I was so enjoying doing this........and I still can't find the hook!

I have emailed the people I got it from, I am hoping they can help.
Night x

Is it really 17th of January already??

2010-01-17T15:08:00.000Z

And so much has happened already. We had snow. If it snows here, it is really snowy everywhere else...we NEVER get snow here. So when it started snowing the other week, we pulled on our wellies, wrapped up well and went out for a wonderful walk. It was absolutely beautiful.

This is the house across the road from us.

DD is very excited about the weather!!

These just prove that you shouldn't breathe out through your mouth when taking a piccie of snow!

And despite all of this cold, cold weather, the girls continued to lay. I was putting hot wheat bags into the Eglu at night, to try and stop them from freezing to death, and most nights I lay in bed worrying about them. DH wouldn't let me bring them in! It is a good job I am not a farmer - we wouldn't be able to move around the house as we would be up to our knees in sheep as soon as the weatherman said it was going to be below zero.

Bless 'em!

Today the weather is positively Spring-like. It is warm and sunny, and showing huge amounts of potential for the year ahead.

So nice, in fact, that these 2 were just about happy to share a window cill. They both enjoy sitting watching the world go by, though I think the birds in the trees have something to do with it too.

Another sign that Spring is on it's way - lovely narcissi from showing their pretty faces already. And hyacinths given to me for Christmas by my friend Linda. And my latest acquisition from Ebay - the Eiffel Tower, Springtime in Paris!!

My name is Maryannlucy, and I am a Yarn Addict!!

But LOOK!!! I can crochet!! It is so addictive too. I am not sure I am doing it quite right, but it looks alright to me. I love the colours, and once again have to link you to my source of inspiration Attic24. Please go and have a look at her work, it is so colourful and happy, you can't help but be inspired.

Finally...baking was done yesterday...but a lot have gone already!!

MMmmmmmmm, yummy!

going, going....

gone!

Have a good week x

I have...

2010-01-15T23:33:00.000Z

....crocheted my first square, and it doesn't look too bad even if I do say so myself...........bloody hell, I think this huge yarn purchase is not in vein/vain (never sure which vein, hey ho!)

Piccies tomorrow - can't wait to blog 'em...

Lucy/Attic24 - thank you so much for the inspiration x

It's here, it's here!!

2010-01-14T19:38:00.002Z

Doing very happy dance!! Yay!!

What time am I picking everyone up at the airport??? The beds are made! Be good to see you too Lulu, you know you love this town!

I have a sheep's worth of beautiful yarn AND THE HOOK!!!

So I am off now to "have a go"....see you all soon.

In the meantime I have a spare copy of this month's Country Living, if anyone would like it, please email me to let me know. Claimed already - sorry people, but if I get any others, I'll let you know.

Night night x

ETA: ok - after 4 hours I have managed the centre circle of the granny square - I have done "tr" and "bobbles" as well as chains and joining a chain to form a ring - goodness this all sounded like a foreign language earlier. Actually it still does, but what I have done looks right although a little chewed from being crocheted, frogged, crocheted, ripped, crocheted, pulled - BUT I HAVE DONE IT!! I can't wait to get home from work tomorrow - I have got the weekend off!!

Also, even if it is a little wrong, if I continue to work this way, it will look right but with my own little twist.

Oh and good news, I have found someone to fix my radio.

The challenge is on...

2010-01-13T20:55:00.001Z

Bezzie, how quickly can you and the boys get over here?? conversational crochet sounds like a fantastic idea. I can do hot chocolate, snowmen and a trip to Shakespeare's Birthplace, as well as a visit to the Butterfly Farm and Fish n Chips...see you Saturday????? Wouldn't that be great?? I promise to stand in the Arrivals area at the airport sporting curlers and gum so you'd recognise me ;-)

The wool has arrived, but only as far as the front door before being carted back to the postal depot because there was no-one in to sign for it :-( so it is being redelivered to work tomorrow. I know I will not be able to resist an open and fondle before bringing it home - my resolve will weaken as soon as I have the box in my hands - I am so excited!! So excited in fact that I have forgotten to describe the snow!! One week on and it is still here, being topped up - it is like living in a real snowy place. It is so unlike this area to have snow, let alone constant snow - if we have snow here, it is really bad everywhere else. One of the joys of living in the Midlands, that and the fact that we live the furthest from the sea - oh well.

Still no photos to post as it is constantly dark at the mo, so any photos just look crappy. I have asked DD if I can borrow her Canon thingy 1000 at the weekend, and she said yes, so I will be able to emerge from the darkness and take some photos.

In the meantime I will post a photo of my radio which appears to be dying - photo borrowed I'm afraid. It makes a really bad electrical crackling noise after being on for a few minutes. Hopefully I can get it repaired. I am really missing the 6.30pm Comedy slot, the Archers and most of all Eddie Mair, Evan Davies, John Humphries et al....it feels as though something is missing from my life. Over Christmas I had the Christmas crooners playlist on the Ipod to keep me going, but even I can't listen to Bing and the Andrews Sisters sing The Twelve Days of Christmas so late into January (though I have tried)...I will keep you posted. If it has died, then it will be replaced as soon as poss, and in this colour as I painted the kitchen to match it.

Other things that DD and I did today (apart from get excited about snow and yarn - more me than her admittedly), was to pop to Poundland where we purchased this little beauty.

Only, ours is more classy as it has 2 elephants under the palm tree, and a flock of velocoraptors (sp?) in the sky, and all this for just £1!! DH has a "thing" about the loo seat, we are not allowed to sit on it (closed, obviously), or stand on it (helps with removal of cobwebs from the ceiling), so we thought we would treat him. We figured if it went on the outside of the lid it would be upside down, so we stuck it to the underneath of the lid, closed the top and waited til he came home. Well the shout was hysterical - DD and I laughed so much. He thought it was stuck permanently to the seat, but even I am not that silly, what would happen if it had a strong adhesive? A little joke could cost me the price of a new loo seat, and the agonising from DH - really not worth it. god old Blu-Tack....ha ha! But it does mean that some people make money from these things, and other people must buy them seriosuly.....whilst browing t'internet, I found a site that will make personalised ones from your own photos and the example they give is of a wedding. Shocked??? Just slightly! Worth a quick google, look under "personalised toilet seats", please just take a look. Could certainly give you some ideas for next Christmas gift giving.

Talking of gift giving, we also spotted these at Poundland, something for Bezzie's Booby Bar - a pair of nipple tassles for £1, or as DH said, "not bad, 50p each!".

I will leave you with that thought. Night night x

2010.....

2010-01-12T23:14:00.001Z

There are so many things I would like to try/tackle/achieve/enjoy in 2010....I am going to start listing now, and probably add to it as the year goes on. I will have the chance to review as I go along and add things that have been lurking in my subconscious but don't immediately come to mind:
- I would like to wrestle some of my garden back from the girls. As much as I love them, the garden does look as though a plague of locusts have been through. It is currently still covered in a blanket of snow and ice, so doesn't look as bad as it actually is. I am sure Amelie, Audrey and I can reach a agreement that will suit everyone.
- Lose some weight - I know this is January and is a cry that goes up from most people after the indulgences of Christmas and New Year. My plan is to be sensible about it (and realistic), eat a little less and move around a little more.
- Learn to crochet - this is a must! I have been inspired by this wonderful blog, Attic 24 and her beautiful creations. Please go and have a look at her blog, you probably already know it, I can't believe it is such a recent discovery for me - so inspired that I am expecting a delivery of yarn any day now complete with a crochet hook. Having talked it over with DH there were 2 ways I could go after being hit by "I really must create something as beautiful as that!!!". I could either order 1 ball of wool and a hook, and try and learn OR order all the wool I need and then learn. DH reckons this will be enough of an incentive to learn - how could I possibly not learn with that amount of yarn sitting in my living room. So watch this space for photos any day now.
- Redecorate the bathroom - I have found some lovely Cath Kidstonesque floral wall paper. The bathroom is tiny, so DH...the challenge is on!! He has 2 weeks off in February, so this one could be ticked off pretty quickly.
- Get something done with my hair. It is kind of curly, but mainly frizzy, hangs below my shoulders with no fringe (it is too frizzy for that kind of thing), and I generally always wear it scraped back in a tie, severely scraped back off my face. I love the curliness of it esp when I have taken the time to dry it properly, but I keep catching my mother in reflections and photos...so plans are afoot. I like straightening it but this means a bit of high maintenance (well, in my life that is high maintenance!!), it would mean getting up at 6am every morning and it is all I can do to fall out of bed to fall into the shower at 6.50am....so an appointment has been made for a discussion with Marianne, and perhaps we can find a suitable cut that will suit straightening it fairly quickly in the mornings, so perhaps I can get up at 6.30am (it is a doable compromise), and that will look ok if not straightened. I guess I am looking for a hair style that I feel suits me.......can't go on with this scraped back "do" for much longer though.
- Slowly bring DH round to the idea of redecorating the living room. Decorating isn't something that happens much in this house. As we both work full time, and don't get the same days off finding time for this kind of thing is difficult. I know the arguments that if we really wanted to, we would find the time - we just aren't DIYers....one way round that really........give it a go!! Had I started doing yoga 6 years ago when I first thought about it I would be pretty proficient by now...pity I didn't start ;-)
- Get off t'internet!!!! How will I get anything done if I sit blogbrowsing all night - you all write such lovely blogs, take beautiful photos and inspire me, but I need to shorten my browsing time. This crochet thing has got to happen!!!!

Well, DH has gone to pick up DD from a night out, and I guess it is time for bed. Now we have this new toy in the house - wireless broadband - I guess I can just pick this up again tomorrow....

If anyone knows any tips for learning to crochet, I would really appreciate them - the pressure is on, but in a good way :)

Night night x

Happy New Year

2010-01-04T16:54:00.002Z

Almost there....

2009-12-19T20:13:00.000Z

....the gravy has been started!!

Not long now...

2009-12-16T18:30:00.000Z

can't believe there is only a week to go, and I have only 5 more days at work....so excited...

Our lovely tree - looking a bit washed out by the flash, but nonetheless it gives an idea.

My chalet will look so much better when the owners get home from work and put the lights on, and get rid of that deer from the forest!!

Ho, ho, ho - Happy Christmas :-)

Finally caught up - photo heavy....

2009-12-07T21:54:00.002Z

but deservedly so.

First off, me and DH did our Christmas Shopping on the annual shopping trip to Birmingham though I only got 2 photos, one of him in Starbucks admiring the Christmas trees whilst sweltering with his coat on in front of the plate glass window....in this one he is smiling (I told him it was for the blog so he made the effort, you should have seen the the first photo - miserable sod LOL).

and a photo of the merry-go-round...

Sum total of Birmingham photos. Despite this we had a lovely day, managed to get most of our shopping list, and had a bratwurst for lunch - what more could I have asked for????

Anyway, the main reason for this post is to show off my fab Secret Santa from Rachel. Here goes lots of photos:

First off, I received some holly fabric, and some red and white felt.

A box of choccies, which stuck around just long enough for the camera - yummy!

A beautiful hand made card - I love robins, favourite bird, such beautiful song and so friendly.

A gold bag with some fabby Christmas ribbons - she must have known I was about to order some. These have ho ho ho written on the red one, and christmas trees on the green one. Some pom-pommy things in Christmas colours, and some buttons.

3 candy canes - again stuck around just long enough for the camera. And a beaded book mark.

Balls of Pure Cotton - so soft, so lovely!

My favourite candle - cinnamon stick, already burning.......surrounded by snowflakes.

Don't you love this bag??!! All handmade, and such beautiful fabric, and it even has a hand sewn and embroidered tag, and look at the inside...

even more lovely fabric. And the finishing is so good.....that sounds bad, what I mean is it is so professional, and as hard as I try I can never quite do it. This has just inspired me to try harder. I LOVE this bag. Thank you.

Also, 'cos there is more.....

Look at this notebook. I absolutely love it. It could almost be my favourite part, but it isn't, as I love everything else too. But I do love this, the paper is lovely, and the colours are just my choice. I spent the week previous to receiving this parcel searching for papers and nowhere did I see anything as good as this. It is Amy Butler meets Cath Kidston somewhere in the '50s - have I told you I love it...look at the back, and the fab stickers...and the simple way to cover brads, I would never have thought of that, but I guess I am new to this kind of thing, but completely inspired to have a go.

This is almost too good to use (you haven't seen my handwriting!!)

And....there is more!

Bracelet and earrings...in the exact same colours of an outfit I bought this summer but never wore cos the weather was crappy, and I had a T Shirt tan by the time I got the dress. I bought a strawberry red wrapover cardigan to wear with it, so this jewellery is perfect

Look at that as a colour match! Amazing - and I hadn't even blogged a photo of it before. I wish it was summer, I so want to wear this dress with my new jewellery.

The wrapping of the gifts was special too - so much thought had been put into everything.

Look at this string - red and white like candy cane.

And whilst I was photographing this, the girls looked on....

Audrey at the top, Amelie following, as always.

Rachel, thank you so much for my gifts. I am absolutely overwhelmed.

Happy Christmas to you and your family, and many thanks again for your fantastic generosity.

No time!!

2009-12-06T22:32:00.002Z

Like everyone else I have run out of time this weekend.
Work is super busy - busier than we expected, and we did expect busy, so this is mad!! But good ;-)

I promised to post piccies of the wondrous goodies that Rachel sent me.
I have taken photos, but I have just run out of time to post properly.
I know if I do it now I won't do it justice - so this is an apology, until tomorrow evening.

x

Secret Santa

2009-12-02T20:53:00.000Z

Today I received the most fantastic secret santa parcel from fizzpopbang. I will post photos on Saturday when I get the chance to take decent photos in daylight (if we get any!!). In the meantime I would like to send huge thanks for my lovely gifts, I cannot believe how lucky I have been and can only hope that Rachel is half as lucky as I have been with her secret santa.

The Secret Santa was very kindly arranged by Kelly and Victoria.

I will post more on Saturday, as tonight I just couldn't do it justice.

THANK YOU x

Only 26 days to go apparently....

2009-11-29T20:44:00.003Z

and I am getting excited. The christmas DVDs are out and ready to go - first up will be Elf...can't wait!

I am finding it difficult to keep up with blogging, and I am only looking to post once a week - sad isn't it.
No photos either, and we saw a beautiful herd of deer today and even DH said "where is your camera?!?!"

What has happened this week? Not too much really:
- work has been super busy. We had our first late night which was busy. We gave out lots of chocolates, had the chance to talk to people, and listen to the children telling us that they had seen Father Christmas switch on the Christmas Lights (photos will follow - the lights are, once again, spectacular). It is good to see so many happy people getting excited about Christmas.
- my first day off this week was Friday and I am ashamed to say that I didn't get half as much done as I had planned. I was going to get most of the decorations put up (to save time later in the month), get the curtains up in the dining room, tidy the spare room, sort out the freezer etc etc etc. What did I get done? comparitively nothing...I cleaned the living room and got out 3 candles, inc the advent candle. Put up DDs advent calender, hung up my garland...hang on I might have a photo from last year

Yep, there it is. This year the metal Father Christmas is hanging on the living room door, and the oranges are waiting to be dried out and strung. And that is about all I did. In the evening we popped over to Touchwood to have a look round John Lewis, I love their Christmas Dept, and to spend some time with DD, we held her captive in the car, and released her into the shop centre where she took off quickly into TopShop, H&M and Miss Selfridges. We did get to spend about 20mins with her, which was lovely. The rest of the time she had her ipod plugged in - sigh!

- I was off today, and DH and I went into town and picked up the christmas toilet roll and kitchen towel - wouldn't be Christmas without the Christmas loo roll hee hee! We picked up a hamper for a friends b'day from this fab shop http://www.tasteofthecountry.co.uk/ We go to this shop every weekend, never come out without DH spending money on all sorts of yummy food, and he also gets a couple of bags of dark chocolate buttons that only he eats as no-one else in the house eats dark chocolate - maybe I should suggest loyalty cards. The food is local, very tasty and a lot of times very unusual. DD is convinced he only eats dark chocolate as no-one else will touch it - yuch!

So, not much to report, just a nice steady week leading up to Christmas.

Christmas Shopping in Birmingham this week, can't wait to go to the German Market again. And there will definitely be photos.

Have a good week x

Busy week at work...

2009-11-22T22:34:00.000Z

and from here on in it just gets busier...

Can you believe it is only about 30 days to Christmas? I am kind of excited, slightly anxious, not at all Christmassy, and still think it should only be about May - what happened to this year? where has it gone??

I guess it has been a hectic time at work since the beginning of May and that is where my year has gone. I started the plans for the shop move on May 3rd, working about 60 to 70 hours a week getting everything laid out on paper, listing the quantities of stock, putting the items into sections and making sure that I didn't forget anything. We managed to get a wonderful respite during our week in Cornwall (when I win the lottery I am going to live in Cornwall and Paris), before the actual physical move happened. It was great, it all just about fitted into place. The team worked amazingly hard and we got it all done in such a short space of time (6 days!!), and since then we have been so busy, it has been fantastic. That is where the time has gone.
And because of this I can't believe it is November and I am not feeling Christmassy. I am trying hard. Today we went to a fab garden centre and looked at tons of Christmas decs, listened to Christmas Carols, smelt Christmas smells - I came home with bells, cinnamon candles and twinkling stars (all in red), but I still don't feel Christmassy. We saw stockings, tinsel, and Father Christmas. We saw elves, candy canes and excited children. We saw lots of red, lots of lights and lots of Christmas food, but nothing. We even started Christmas pressie shopping today.
I am living by the premis that if you act it, it becomes natural, so I am acting very excited. I am working hard at it. We are counting down the days to getting the DVDs out. The CDs are twitching in the cupboard. The tea towels are making their way down the stairs, ready to make a move into the kitchen. The advent candle is out......I could continue listing, but you get the picture.
We start late night Christmas trade this Thursday night too - the Christmas lights go on then as well, so maybe that will be the push to start the squeeing.

In other news: the dining room is 2/3rds done - I am not planning on doing the wall behind the bookcase until the new year. It isn't vital to Christmas and takes the pressure off with everything else happening - though if it gets done then it is all to the good, and means I get to use the red.

DD was having a mad moment after work today and wanted to model against the "snowfall" wall, complete with 3D glasses with the film ripped out, red eyes and her smelly old school blazer (she doesn't wear it anymore!!).

Proper photos of the room will follow when it is all done without photos of mad, red-eyed teenagers...

Other stuff?? American Wife has been finished. I so enjoyed this book. I am not sure quite what it was that captured me: but I am almost tempted to start re-reading it immediately. I raced through it as the I couldn't put it down, sitting in bed til 1am most nights this week telling myself one more paragraph, just one more paragraph.....now I know the storyline I can take it at a gentle pace. It has also inspired a few other reads which have been added to the reading list.

Have a good week x

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

2009-11-15T18:12:00.001Z

I cannot put this book down!
It is unlike me to read fiction, but I was drawn to the cover (shallow, I know, but it is an intriguing photo), and it was on buy 1 get one free in Waterstones, so it would have been rude not to.

OMG - what a book!! It is written over 4 quarters, so I spent the first night reading to the end of the chapter only to read quarter as it doesn't have chapters as such. I was nearly late for work this morning, as I got back into bed with a cup of tea for a "quick" read. And the painting has come to a standstill - I am off all day Tuesday so will catch up then, and it is difficult to paint white gloss at night.
Not a book I had heard of before, but I so glad I saw it - must dash, I am sure I can get another few pages in before dinner....

You know you should always have your camera with you when...

2009-11-14T19:29:00.001Z

you have a day like today. We intended to go out and get the boring stuff out the way - haircuts, food shopping, paint brush purchasing and then come back and paint, but then we got side-tracked.....

We started off by visiting the tip shop to drop off the hamster cage, sadly vacated about a month ago. I had never been up to the shop before, it is a treasure trove! All that stuff that is no longer loved looking for new owners. There was so much stuff there, old furniture, tvs, videos and DVDs, bric a brac, and all the money goes to the local Hospice. And what did I find when I was there? A jug to match the teapot I inherited from my Gran, I was so excited. They also had tea cups, but no saucers, and larger jugs, but this little milk jug was enough. It made me feel very happy, and is now in the dining room waiting for a home (when the painting is finished).

We then went to get the "girls" some grit and drove through the Worcestershire countryside to http://www.domesticfowltrust.co.uk/, to see what they had. As we drove over the brow of the hill we couldn't see the view. The sky was black, and the hills had a huge rain storm on them, but the girls needed their grit so we continued.

From there we went to Chipping Campden which is a beautiful town in the Cotswolds http://www.chippingcampden.co.uk/, it is worth a click on the link to see the beauty of the place - by this time even DH was asking why I didn't have the camera but given the weather I am sure any photos taken today wouldn't have done the honey coloured stone justice. We went to our favourite tea room http://www.bantamtea-rooms.co.uk/ and managed to get a seat next to the fire. It was crackling away as we ate our cheese and ham toasties, drank hot chocolate and talked about how lucky we realise we are to live somewhere so lovely. We then got into a conversation about happiness and the importance of opening your eyes and enjoying what is around you - very deep, must have been the bad weather!?

When it finally stopped raining, we wandered round the village, popped into a small antiques fair where a stall holder was singing and whistling along to Nessum Dorma (quite odd!). Then we finally decided we had better get down to the job of food shopping for the week, and went to the supermarket, ran round it very quickly (I dislike supermarkets!!) and decided to go home.

BUT as we went to the car I spotted a sign advertising a small Christmas Fair being held in a local church, so we decided to pop over. The lady organising it had, until July 09, owned a fab shop in the local town so we thought we would go over and show our support, plus she has a great eye for products so it was great chance to pick up some Christmas Gifts.

We had a little trouble finding the church, but when we found it WOW!! It was a Catholic church off a main street in a very quaint village. Her shop was situated in the undercroft (the building dates from the mid 16th Century), and she showed us the rooms linked through. The building hasn't been used for years and is in desperate need of doing up. The farmhouse attached was lived in until recently by an old lady who had done no work on it at all - it fell to rack and ruin around her. It is a fantastic building, Grade 2 listed. We met Father Brown, and he was more than happy to show us his church. In the middle of this ruin was this most amazing church. I am so upset I didn't have my camera. He explained how the church was involved during the Reformation. All so interesting and such a surprise.

Incredible! This wonderful place hidden away and happened upon because we saw a poster outside a supermarket.

We had a fantastic day. The reason I have detailed it all is so I can come back to this in years to come and capture the feel of it.

Thank you so much....

2009-11-13T20:53:00.000Z

for stopping by and leaving your ideas...

2 to paint the dresser versus 1 not to....the photos just shouted that with the red wall it really doesn't work, and yes the items really don't stand out at the mo either....and the idea of a poly coat is clever, that could be good.
I DO really want to but DH isn't keen, there's a lot of family history to it, and he really doesn't like things "messed with". I don't like the colour, when we ordered it (eons ago) we ordered waxed, and when it was delivered it was stained (and like all things stained it has darkened over the years). It had been such a struggle to get to the stage of owning a dresser that we were just over joyed when it arrived, but now I do dislike it, but I am also concerned about my ability to turn it to shabby chic that is good as opposed to ending up with a piece of furniture I dislike even more - rock and a hard place!
So the plan is to paint the whole room snowflake, live with it over Christmas, hang the lipstick red curtains (life gets busy at work this time of year, so could do without the added pressure anyway), and see how I feel about it in January. I love, love, love the red, so would like to see it in the room, and it does look good with my huge Robbie photo. (Christmas pressie from DH a few years ago - I happened to walk past a shop and say "aw, Robbie", and guess what I was unwrapping a few months later!)

Photo by Mario Testino, as seen in my dining room.

Tomorrow the forecast is horrible, so it looks as though I could be painting some more, and perhaps get the chance to browse some blogs and talk to DH about painting the dresser.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/uk_warnings

And if you have samples of turkey dimples and elephant breath, I would love to see them - hee hee!

Snowflake and Sticky Fingers

2009-11-12T20:40:00.000Z

These are the names of my paints, aren't they fabulous names? I'm afraid they haven't photographed that well; it was very dark today.

This red is VERY red, a real primary "shouty" red, and I am concerned that it is shouting against the orange of the pine - which I am sure wasn't that orange until I painted the wall red!!

In the picture above the colour above the picture rail is white, and the colour below is snowflake - this is a lovely colour, white with a hint of grey but not cold.

And the photo above shows the pine against the snowflake.

The original plan was to have the red wall as a feature wall, with the dresser against it, but having painted it, I am not happy with the clash of colours. The reason I thought this should be the feature wall is because my curtains are red and I wanted to put them against the snowflake, so now I have a few Plans Bs...

Plan B No 1: Go with it as it is......(this may make me twitch though...........a lot!! that red and the pine..hhmmm, really not sure)

Plan B No 2: Switch the walls, make the feature wall (the one with the dresser) snowflake, and the other walls red - but that could be a bit OTT.

Plan B No 3: Leave it as it is and paint the dresser cream/white or snowflake - DH really isn't too keen on this.

Plan B No 4: Any other suggestion....

I would really welcome any suggestions that anyone may have. Please let me know your thoughts, I really look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks x

Help is needed.....

2009-11-11T22:00:00.000Z

having painted the wall a fab red, the dresser now looks blah.
Tomorrow in daylight and my day off, I will photo it against the red, and move it to the "snowflake", then all opinions will be very gratefully received, I can see that I will feel the need to paint it, which DH isn't too impressed with.
I will post photos tomorrow x

Why, why, why...

2009-11-09T22:25:00.000Z

does painting a room take soooooo long...
I went to B and Q on a whim, got my paint, and went home and started.....
so far, 3 hours Saturday, 10 hours yesterday and 3.5 hours today, and still a lot more to do.

The walls and ceiling have taken 3 coats so far, that should be enough for the walls, but the ceiling is looking patchy.....

You will be able to recognise me if you see me in the street, my head is sitting back cricked onto my shoulders, and I still have another coat to go.

But the colours are fab and I can't wait to get my curtains up. This is all because I read a blog, ended up in Ikea and felt a little inspired.

Photos will follow.

OMG Can't breathe......

2009-11-06T19:08:00.000Z

who is on Jonathon Ross tonight?????

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ntg90

Enjoy, I know I will x

3 down, 1 to go...

2009-11-04T22:32:00.000Z

No stories, no photos, no life, just lot and lots and lots and lots and lots of work - one more 15 hour day to go - phew, looking forward to Saturday.....

Lesson to be learned?

Think twice before taking a job in retail ;-)

Christmas Ads have started - hurray!! I love November 1st ;-)

2009-11-01T19:58:00.005Z

Bloody hell!!

How infuriating!!!!

I fancy getting a dolls house - don't ask me why, anyone who knows me will be completely surprised by this, as this is not usually my "thing", little fiddly things that require lots of patience - though I swear that before I get one I WILL finish the sweater that I am knitting (and this time it is for me). Maybe it is psychological (sp?), I thought it would be fun, something to have a bit of a play with. So I bid on one, lost it and wanted one a little bit more. I bid on another, got beaten in the last few seconds, literally, and wanted one even more!!! Then I find a lovely one, watch it nearly all day, make a bid only to be told I am the highest bidder BUT have not met the reserve...so I think about it, do I REALLY want it, how much am I prepared to pay (remembering to rein myself in and not go mad) etc etc and make another bid, the highest I am prepared to go to, and guess what, I AM THE HIGHEST BIDDER BUT HAVE NOT MET THE RESERVE.

If you want a certain price for an item, then put the minimum you want for it as the starting price - this is surely not a dificult concept. I am so bloody annoyed..............and breathe!!!

I have emailed the seller asking what the reserve was, you never know, I might actually hear back, but at the mo........nothing!!!

ETA: Have just had a message from the seller, the reserve was way above what I wanted to pay - bugger.........

In the meantime I will post some lovely photos from last night. We only had 3 lots of trick or treaters come to the house, but in total about 40 kids...it was great, so many fantastic costumes, and so many little people having a lovely time. At one point the street looked like a scene from Sabrina the Teenage Witch - have I mentioned that is my favourite programme. I was thinking that we weren't going to get any knocks on the door, and then they came in large numbers. I think it is because we live on the corner of the street, and that is where everyone seemed to be congregating.

DH decorated the house at the very last minute, and once again went a little OTT. Have a look:

DDs eyes really are red!!

Homemade cakes in red and blue with black butter icing - gotta love food colours!!

Then today, I have been very busy (when not watching auction sites for dolls houses). I have made some quince jelly - not sure why, but the local shop had quinces in and I was intrigued. Apparently you eat it with cheese. Whatever, I just love the colour.

Isn't that orange just a beautiful colour?? I think so.

And as I am working late for 4 nights next week, I got this weeks meals cooked, so they won't have kebab or takeaway or whatever might be easier - hah!!

Spag Bol, Beef and Ale Stew, Lasagne and Chicken One-Pot and they taste better than they have photographed, thank god, otherwise it would have been kebab and takeaways!!!

PS - If anyone hears of dolls house going for a reasonable price, let me know. Or failing that, tell me why I really don't want one........

Happy Halloween x

2009-10-31T18:55:00.004Z

Halloweeny Mugs! Love these - found them here. I just love them, bone china and very pretty.

Then, as it is Halloween, we popped along to my favourite place this time of year - Charlecote Plants and Flowers. It is a lovely, magical place to go at any time of the year, but Autumn is special. Just take a look at these photos....

And just to make it even more special, the sun came out today to make is even more magical.

Happy trick or treating!

Here come the girls....

2009-10-28T11:04:00.003Z

Bloomers! hee hee!

Audrey at the front, Amelie at the back.

Amelie Chicken

Audrey Chicken.

My once quite nice garden!

Quick review of 2009...

2009-10-27T15:04:00.005Z

Slightly blurry dahlia from last autumn - I love this rich wine colour, beautiful.

These colours are just gorgeous, so warm and rich.

This was a rose from last autumn, that grew in the garden. DD and DH gave me this plant years ago, and despite my lack of green fingers, the hacking back that it has infrequently, and the fact that the chickens have discovered the beds - it continues to bloom so spectacularly. It asks for nothing, but never fails to give so much - beautiful.

I have been looking through photos and realised that I haven't really taken any this year. I posted a few yesterday and the only other ones are less than 10 that I look on holiday this year - yes, just 10. I need to get this rectified - tomorrow I am in the garden with the girls (the feathery kind) so there will be new photos.....

Mevagissey, July 2nd 2009.

View from Fowey, July 2009

View from Fowey and a rainbow, July 2009

View from one of my most favourite places - the cafe at the Tate St Ives.

I could sit here all day just experiencing the view.

St Ives is my favourite place for so many reasons:

The colours, the views, the people, the atmosphere, the deckchairs, the cream teas, the peace.

Is it as good to live there as it is to visit?

Do the people who live there feel the way I do when I visit, all the time?

Feel the force, Luke!

Is it obvious that there is a disctinct difference in the photos of 2009 versus 2008? Could it be something that has just bitten me on the bum!! Wow, that was a message!

2009-10-26T17:01:00.006Z

Such a lot has happened since my last post. DD has grown up - this is her going to her Prom....

Ha Ha!! Not this one; since I last posted, we have actually got chickens, Audrey and Amelie - bad photos - would you believe DD is doing photography at college - her proper stuff is a lot better, I will ask her to take daylight piccies.

The top photo is Audrey, so is the bottom one, apparently the photo of Amelie made her look fat - go figure?!?!

Viral Advertising.......

2009-03-11T15:02:00.003Z

I found the cord......

2009-01-23T16:45:00.009Z

Here is our Christmas, all mixed up by blogger, but I will try and described what is going on......

Olly on the Wii on Boxing Day, Competitive aunt and DD on the Wii, FIL on Christmas Day with balloons!!!!

MIL on Christmas Day, DH on Christmas Day, mmmmmmm, christmas cake!

DD, balloons!! christmas coffee! christmas wrapping!!

Cat on box :-) Cat in wrapping! old boy keeping warm!!

christmas heart heart tree christmas kreme!! mmmm!

look, I do knit!!!!! German market men and big sausages

german market again DH at the christmas market

phew...and that is only a small part of the collection....

I have tried editing this to get the labels under the photos...I have tried 4 times, this is as good as it gets gggrrrrrrrrrrr!

So many photos, such a long time since blogging....

2009-01-23T14:31:00.001Z

and I can't find the camera cable - bugger...oh well maybe tomorrow...

Goodbye Mr Postgate, and thank you for my childhood!

2008-12-09T19:33:00.002Z

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7770882.stm

A very sad day, the Clangers dad has died at the age of 83.

It's Christmas!!!!!

2008-12-07T20:15:00.000Z

Christmas has started......

2008-12-05T17:43:00.003Z

DD's Sweetie Tree is up. We had to take a quick trip to Woolys to pick up some more lights, it hasn't photod well, but there are 200 coloured static lights on this gorgeous tree....I love this tree. It stands in the hall, and is great to see when you come in at night.

And, my garland is finished and I owe huge thanks to allsorts and creative thinking for it, the oranges are dried, the advent candle is lit (took us days to find one of those - what is going on?? you can buy tons of crap but nothing traditional?!?!?!), as is my yummy cinnamon yankee candle...I love this time of the year.

DD has been sick, so has been off school the last 2 days. She seems to be better now, she almost seems to need a couple of days out every 6 months or so....if it helps her then I am ok with it. We had a nice couple of days together.

This weekend DH and DD will get the tree for the living room. We have made the decorations for that too, and are looking forward to how it will turn out - the theme is red and cream, stars and hearts....photos will follow.

You can knit a Colinette Throw....

2008-11-26T11:55:00.003Z

but why is it that cats prefer paper and cardboard???? Buggers!

At least she is washing I s'pose!!

Onto other things...I have been second guessed on a PM sent by Lulu. She has guessed that I have started quilting...but when I say started, that is it...started. I have cut some squares, and put them in a safe place. But here is a photo just for Lulu:

And in the meantime I have been very inspired by both allsorts and Creative Breathing, both beautiful blogs that are most definitely worth a visit.

Look, the beginnings of a garland - I am SO pleased with them, and am hoping to get it finished this afternoon.....

I AM still knitting, I just don't get enough hours in the day, or daylight in the day to photo it all. And why is it that I always decide to Christmas Craft at the end of November when work is hectic, days off become limited between now and Christmas, I work late nights on every Thursday, doing a 13 hour day....DHs b'day is at the begining of December and I haven't started Christmas Shopping yet.....why can I not do this in August, and relieve the pressure!!

No FOs.....

2008-11-22T18:30:00.005Z

just a few photos, so please feel free to click away now!

It has gone really very cold, the sky went pink the other night. I tried to get a couple of photos, not fab, but gives an idea:

And just to give you an idea as to how cold it is, look at the old boy. Can anyone smell burning cat??

Oh yes, look at my furry, burny lovelieness.......are you loving me?

He gets so close to it, and is almost too hot to touch, and then he will stretch out and put his paws almost on the grate...silly boy!!

Next up, I have been bidding and winning on Ebay, but can't show you as it is a christmas present for someone who reads this blog. I so want this, it is fab, and photos will follow......I must keep looking to see it another one comes up.

AND a parcel which arrived from mum, a Bolo Rei....bad photo, but as soon as I liberate it from the packaging I will take more photos

To answer a question - what is a fry up? A fry up is a traditional english breakfast, which normally includes:
a fried egg (sunny side up I believe it is called)
sausages (link)
fried tomatoes
fried bread
fried bacon
mushrooms
baked beans (if you are really lucky)
black pudding (yuck!! - this is a sausage made with pigs blood, fried and cut into slices)
then toast and marmalade

and of course a cup of tea!! This is of course why I am so healthy - cough cough!

A pretty good photo of this feast can be found here. Enjoy!

PS I have almost finished the cross stitch I am working on, so photos will follow soon, in the meantime a question. I am going to get it stretched and framed with someone, should I wash it and iron it first??

Must go, Gary and the Boys are on X Factor - swoon!