Kirstie eat your heart out!

As you may have read previously, our daughter was born on Christmas Day and celebrated her 8th Birthday this year. No one is ever able to manage Birthday cake on Christmas Day so this year I attempted a gingerbread cookie Christmas tree (thanks to a Lakeland template kit!) with the children breaking off a star as when they were hungry - a success!

Secondly, this is my finished picture for my Mum for Christmas. "Blue bells and Morning Glory"  - felt embellished with ribbon and stitching, unfortunately the light is not great but I was really pleased with the final piece.

All which it leaves me to do now is wish you a Happy and Safe New Year - I think 2011 will see my life taking a different direction - more to follow in due course.

Linda x

ThAnK U SeCrEt sAnTa !!

Thank you Secret Santa - I'm afraid in my haste ( and trying to keep an eye on the children opening presents in a hurry) I never took a photo of the lovely packaging and handmake crocheted tag, but inside lots of lovely candy cane material there was choc reindeer, pretty pins, a felted stone, needlecase, mug, tissues and a little crocheted robin I'm sure I have seen on someone's blog............ I wonder whose ??

Thank you again Secret Santa x 

A Midwife with Antlers, playing Jingle Bells, eight years ago!!

Yes at 2am tomorrow, Christmas Day, I gave birth to our lovely daughter  Rebecca. She was the first baby born in James Paget Hospital Gorleston that Christmas and the nursing staff were very lovely - having your baby delivered by a midwife wearing antlers and jingle bells playing was certainly novel.

As was my husband's quote for the local paper which stated" We were happy Rebecca had arrived safely, but she made a bit of a mess of Christmas Day" - heavens forbid!!

So tomorrow will be filled with Merry Christmas wishes and Happy Birthday's and far too much eating, drinkingand being merry.

Have a lovely time everyone and I look forward to sharing my Secret Santa present with you all.

Linda x

Thank You Secret Santa !

Just a very quick update to let Santa know the Secret Santa Swap parcel has arrived safely and is sitting under the tree ready for Christmas! ThAnK yOu!!

Snails pace!

I must start with an apology at how slow I have been recently to blog! No excuse except busy nights and not enough time to collect my thoughts!

So today a brief update :

More experimenting with felt and machine embrodiery.

  My friend's and my first craft stall at the local school Christmas fair - we both came away with a tidy profit and things left for Christmas presents - so a result all in all!

Ah... my visit to Birmingham NEC to see Aha say farewell! Very enjoyable.

Last but not least - our Cub Christmas Tree Festival Second place "Best of Britain."

The lovely Secret Santa Swap has been completed and sent and I am looking forward to receiving mine!! :-)

I hope this week sees lots of carol singing, mince pie eating and a little less excitableness (is that a word?) from the children!

Linda x

Free Stitch Embroidery and Felting

These are the two felting pictures now framed as per my last post.

So I thought I would have another go - This time I tried to be too precise with "where and what" I wanted the final picture to look like - something I have now discovered with felting is - it has a mind of its own! I wasn't overly pleased with the results so I thought I would have a go at free stitch machining on the flowers - and I liked the results!

I'm really enjoying trying this new craft!

Half term is flying by already - today was spent at a wet and windy Minsmere, birdwatching. We saw a siskin ( well it was a yellow bird in flight - identified as a siskin by a warden, for us!) This was followed by a hot chocolate!

Now working out how to be first in the queue to get my "Take That" tickets when they go on sale on Friday!!

Linda x

Felting is FAB!

 After a trip to Ally Pally and the Knit and Stitching Show, I purchased several bags of merino wool tops and silk bits and bobs to have a go at felting. I had an idea and was really pleased with the results. This is the method I used :



I "half felted" some lovely reds and oranges together to make the poppy colours. I laid the merino wool tops in the three layers (in different directions) on bubble wrap, together with some silk tops (when I could disconnect them from my hands!) and wool for the stalks. I then cut the half felt poppy shapes and placed on. I covered the whole lot with hot, soapy water, holding each poppy as I did so it didn't move, covered the top with the bubble wrap and massaged and rubbed the fibres for 15 minutes.

This is how the fibres felted giving a lovely texture and the colours I was especially pleased with.

I also had a go with pinks and purples.

Last night I spent embellishing the poppies and embroidering and embellishing the pink flowers. I'm now off to get the poppy felt framed and will let you see the final results soon!

Now the hard part - do I keep it for myself or give to someone for Christmas - DeCiSiOnS!!



GOKTASTIC!

Hello, I spent last night with Gok (well ofsorts!) I was lucky to get tickets to see him at a "Dinner with Gok Wan at Carrow Road, Norwich." What a great evening it was - he was funny, thought provoking, teasing compere Kevin Piper unbearably and just a great chap. He coped with 400 mainly female ladies very well, all wanting his photo!

Today it has taken a while for me to get going after the late night but I have just had my first go at felting with some merino wool tops I purchased at Ally Pally last Saturday. The Knit and Stitching Show was fab - but 4 1/2 hours each way on a coach was a little taxing!!

I'll post the felting results next time.

Have a lovely weekend.

New makes for shh........ (Christmas!)

Hello,

It has all been happening here - Last weekend saw a major repair in the fish pond thanks to a hole made by a sharp stone, and for once, it was hubby's fault not my sons!

However, we found 50 small fish (this year's fry) we didn't even know we had!

I finished making some shoulder bags ready for Christmas presents - I'm trying to make a handmade present for all the ladies / girls this year - don't think I can think of enough ideas to include the men!

Also I had my first go at felting in the washing machine with some lovely eco yarn  - knited flowers - the dahlia can up a treat - going to try felt a rose over the weekend - will let you see progress when next

blogging.

I'm resurrecting my violin tomorrow after (cough cough) 22 years for a play day at the Beccles Music Festival with the London Mozart Orchestra accompanied by my son (grade 1 distinction trombone) so I'm sure we will have fun :-)

Linda x

A 40th Birthday Treat????

Yes............ I'm the one in the pink top - dangling from a cargo net in a tree in Thetford forest Go  Ape !!

My "friends" bought me this opportunity (?) as part of my 40th Birthday pressent. In fact 11 of us did it - 7 adults and 4 children.

My son had a fab time (no fear!)

As you can see, it isn't for the faint hearted! To round off the day we came down to earth and joined the younger children and their chaperones for a champagne pic-nic. What fab friends I have.

I will forgive them for sticking me up a tree and not being able to pull the handbrake on in my car until at least three days later - I am fairly fit (a regular spinner) but my arms are weak!

I must say the next part of my present is a half day cooking workshop with the Humble Cake Bakery in Flixton, Bungay (Christmas goodies) This seems a much safer option! Then lucky me and my hubby are off to Chelsea Flower show next year to round off  my 40th year.

Hope you are all settling back into the routine of school and blogging might become a bit more regular for me.

Linda

Whoops - Another month has gone!! New Makes!

Hello, sorry I've been so lazy with my blog over the summer. I have been experimenting with 100 Flowers to

Knit and crotchet, hence the bluebell brooch,

and this rose brooch. I am trying a poppy next.

Also it has been my Mother in Laws Birthday and I made her a patriotic cushion to go with the Emma Bridgewater Union Jack teapot we got her on our hols in Derbyshire.

 

Next, I kept driving past a little antiques shop in my local town and this cheerful little face kept smiling at me and I was smitten..........

Eventually I gave in and sent hubby to negotiate a price - I thought it was an ornament but it is actually a vase, she makes me smile :-)

And a great piece of luck - A friend told me about a furniture warehouse clearance this weekend and the fact that they sell end rolls of upholstery fabric (at a fiver each!) - well it would have been rude not to get any!!! Even hubby was impressed with my bargains!

Let's hope the weather cheers up this week - we were all on hold last week, which was wet and windy, the washing machine broke, but had good times at Southwold Maize Maze and Africa Alive.

Makes Makes Makes

Time has flown by and only a little crafting has been accomplished...

Lovely Amy Butler squares from ebay have made two lovely cushions.

Some material received for my birthday has made a lovely notebook cover

A Tilda book idea for the jar with the pin cushion lid to be made into "Make Do and Mend" sewing kits and the cupcake brooches for fun.

What shall I make next ?

Where Have I Been ?

A HoLiDaY, CuB CaMp and turning the BiG 40! A busy month I Had!

Lets start at the very beginning......

Half term week saw us spend a lovely week in Derbyshire in a little village called Kirk Ireton. The weather was mostly great, but the one wet day saw us head for the Emma Bridgewater Factory.

Where we took a factory tour and then decorated a cereal bowl and mugs which turned up back home a few days later fired and glazed and looking lovely -

I may have bought one or two things from the factory shop..........

The following week saw me getting ready for the annual District Cub camp which stayed dry and reasonably warm - a couple of days to recover then.............

39 no... now 40 !

A quiet celebration and lovely meal in Southwold with hubby. I was very lucky, lots of lovely jewellery

A fossil watch, some more Pandora charms for my bracelet and lots of pretty summery coloured jewellery.

A  lovely selection of seaside fat quarters and a lovely superduper Brother sewing machine with 294 stitches! This time of year is just so impossible for craft I find, so must make time to use new machine!

I also have a lovely bunch of friends who have organised a trip for us all and children to Go Ape and a champagne picnic. Also tickets for me to go to Chelsea flower show next year and a cooking course with Humble Cake cookery at Flixton, near Bungay - Yum ! Plus, sewing books, chocolates, wellibobs and Fat Face vouchers - what a lucky person I am :-)

Lastly, summer really has been here this weekend......

Friday night I relived my youth watching Spandau Ballet live at Newmarket races - Tony Hadley singing "True" live was wonderful.

Lastly a picture of rosy, summer loveliness and a cottage gargen at its best - not mine unfortunately, but my Aunties so I will be using her as my consultant on cottage garden planting next year !

Well, I've caught up at last! I hope you are all enjoying June x

All worthwhile............

I spend my life either at work or ferrying my two children to dancing, football, scouts, brownies, cricket etc.... sounds familiar ?

Add to that, I'm a Cub Leader and wonder how I find the time.....


Then, when you see this...............




You remember why you find the time - 23 excited cubs and their leaders snowtubing!

GoOd EnOuGh To EaT SwAp - THANK YOU !

I was very fortunate to be paired up with Alex http://www.alexandramason.blogspot.com/ for my swap partner and today received a parcel of loveliness!!

A pretty cupcake hanger, ideal for my big bunch of keys !

 
A cute little bear and chocolate bath fizzs and more fizzs.....
 
 

A gorgeous mobile / ipod case and a yummy chocolate cookie keyring....

A fantastic candle holder reminding me of scrummy chocolate fondant fancies....

Silicone cupcake holders and a yummy recipe for chocolate caramel shortbread......

Now this lemon meringue soap really is good enough to eat!!!!!!

Thank you Alex, it is all lovely x

So Lucky to live here..............

Just a quick blog today. My daughter has Clover Brownie Bear this week to look after - anyone who has had this before will know the routine.........Look after said soft toy........take it out and about (whilst trying not to lose it!)....... looking in the "diary" ..... seeing the numerous epilogues and photos put in by the previous children (or should I say parents!)............. sinking heart feeling of what are we going to do........ then organising the week around photo opportunities with said soft toy.... SOUND FAMILIAR!!!!?????


As we had a wet Saturday, said bear made it only as far a R's tap exam as the lucky mascot and Sunday was to be a lazy day at home. However, as photos were needed, we wandered down to the local museum and then to the river....  looking at this scenery, I would say Clover bear is very lucky to live where she does!

p.s. Good Enough to Eat Swap - if you would like to see what I sent ....



 
or look at Alex's blog for some far better photos.
 
Linda x

What a HOOT !

This wise old owl can't seem to be able to predict the outcome of tonight's election !

This week has been busy, busy, busy ! Two nights ago we lost the hamster ! The children were in bed and my hubby let him out for a play in his ball. After a few minutes of constant bashing, it went quiet only for us to discover he had escaped - He was found quickly BUT behind the boxing in of the pipes behind the downstairs toilet ! He was eventually coaxed out without waking the children!!

I bumped intoMrs BoBo Bun http://www.mrsbobobun.blogspot.com/ in Fat Face Wed morning and had a nice catch up - several years since our children went to Presma. Check out lisa's blog it is inspiring.

Also R has been busy crafting for her Brownie badge ........

After much concentration.......

The finished lavender sachet - and very proud she was too!

This weekend son is on a Scout camp ( after a compromise of coming home early Saturday teatime as he has his SATS next week.........), 7 a side District Cub football for me and hubby refereeing and a tap exam for R, not much time for crafting I think!!!

Have a lovely weekend.........

Linda x

A Blog Award !

Thank you Julie and Swedish House for this award !

I now need to tell you seven things about me !

Well...................here goes.............

1. I am 5ft 11" and grew up not impressed at being the tallest in the class but now as approaching middle age it has its own advantage of helping to disperse weight over a larger area!!

2. I celebrate the big 40 in June!

3.I have been a Cub leader for 20 years ! Yikes.......

4. My fav meal in steak in red wine and garlic and rosemary wedges cooked by hubby on a Sat evening :-)

5. I have always crafted from a very early age, I hate twiddling my fingers and having idle time.

6. I am hoping to train to teach one day........

7. I am enjoying blogging and swaps!!!

Nothing too earth shattering but suffering from a stinking cold so not very inspirational at the moment I'm afraid.

Linda x