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

A lovely Break and Lost Tooth!

Well we have been on holiday enjoying the sunny weather in our little part of the world. Southwold was the first port of call with yummy fish and chips down the Harbour Inn - Hubby and Father in Law spent the afternoon on an Adams Brewery tour - whilst I took the kiddies for their first crab fishing session of the year at Walberswick. Alas not many crabs about but lots of gloopy mud !

This followed with one of my favourite days out of the year - The Spring Fling at the Norfolk Show Ground, this must be the 4th or 5th time we had been and it lived up to expectations again.

After trying out the machinery, it was on to a little thatching..........

I can't praise the day highly enough - £6 a person (inc a hog roast and apple juice) - full of hands on activities, giveaways from seeds to sausages, milk to keyrings and educating the children all about farming and the countryside and they don't even realise, they are too busy having fun!

Then we went to see the beautiful majestic Suffolk Punch Heavy horses at Hollsey Bay

A wonderful sight, especially seeing the magnificent horses galloping so gracefully in the fields.

In amongst all this jollity, R lost a first front tooth - knocked out by a swing in the garden - my beautiful girl's smile is taking some getting used to!!!

Lastly, I have had little time to doing any sewing, but ran this up last night...

Too nice to give away I think.....

That's all for now, until next time

Linda x

Beach Huts !

Just a quicky blog to show you a doorstop I made for a friend's birthday this week.

Each summer they have a beach hut in Lowestoft

and so it gave me the perfect theme for the present!

Each hut on the doorstop is named after a family member....

Must go, battling with uploading on ipods and a new camera (at last!) to master.

 I'm very near to 40 and becoming a techno-phob!!

Linda x

CoLoUr SwAp LoVeLiEs

Thank you to JoJo Designs http://www.jojodesigns-jo.blogspot.com/ for my lovely Colour Swap parcel It came to work and was a lovely surprise as I was expecting my husband's coals for his BBQ he had ordered!!

My colour was purple and what a delightful lot of handmade items I received!

The cushion my favourite item ! A lovely little make up bag and soap...

An Easter chicken (a favourite with the children), tissue holder and shopping bag.

Thank you very much Jo  :-)

Jo's colour was green. I decorated a cushion using Poppy Treffry Free style embroidery

( much harder than it looked!!), and Easter bunny heart,chocolate, smellies and ribbon.

HaPpY EaStEr to you all!!

GoOd EnOuGh To EaT !

I have signed up for this lovely swap.

Why not pop over to Ems Shabby Shack www.emsshabbyshack.blogspot.com

and sign up right away!

Linda x

CUB MAKES AND A RARE SIGHTING

What a busy few days and a funny end to the weekend - I'll come to that in a minute.....

Firstly, We have been doing our Astronomer Badge at Cubs and I thought I would share with you the planet solar system as made by the Cubs..

The photo doesn't do it justice - it involved paper mache and paint - Am I mad ? YES! The enthusiasm around the Space theme was fantastic, really caught the cubs imagination and so much easier to take in when it is very visible and made by them!

Then it was Easter craft night tonight involving the inevitable Easter egg hunt and chocolate nests and this little chap...

Apparently there were comments about Pete the Duck from Harry Hill ?

Sunday afternoon was a walk around our local RSPB reserve where we saw a Tawny Owl roosting and deer in the reed beds. As we left, we drove into a moment of madness! A Lesser Kestel had been spotted in the field on the exit road (as it turns out, a very rare bird with only a handful of sightings since records began in Victorian times and never recorded in Suffolk!)

The twitcher hotline had obviously been in action and the single track exit road was blocked by a trail of cars, acting as if on a fire shout, all heading to the reserve.

It was totally bonkers and we were caught in the middle of it!

But yes, we did see the bird in question and apparently it has drawn a large crowd again today. It is amazing how something such as this changes the whole dynamics of the day.

We have also been busy on the field this weekend, 8 rows of spuds planted, beetroot, carrots, spinnach, sping onions and raddishes planted and seeds sown in the greenhouse. Now Tim and I are complaining of neck ache, backache etc....

Time to go now and start planning the Easter weekend.

Linda 

Aprons and Lots of Ideas

Isn't this week flying by...........!

Well, firstly my trip to the Stitch and Craft Show was a great day out

and I would recommend a visit next year - however ...........

It did set me back a few pennies ......................

Clarke & Clarke material for aprons I think or cushions, perhaps with,

Some Lazy May embroidery panels sewn into the middle !!

 These are fab iron on transfers ( bigger than the packet)

 I chose a heart, spiral wording and cupcakes,

check out the website for other designs.

We took part in an hour tutorial on applique and learnt couching

- I have that to still finish !

I even managedto fit in a brief trip to Ikea at Thurrock on the way..

The stripe material is for a floor cushion for "R" -

a bargain £4.99 for 3 metres, as was the red material!

Finally, I have been working on an apron

 for my sister in laws birthday

and then "R" thought she might like one

for the "help" she gives me in the kitchen!

I really pleased with them -

 I chickened out of using the Poppy Treffry free stitching

for the cupcakes (perhaps next time.)

Until next time.........

Linda x

Please HELP!! Easter Crafts with the CUBS!

Hello to you all,

I will be blogging later this week with some finds from the weekend trip

to the Stitch and Craft Show at Olympia - a great day out!

Today started with frogs having fun in our pond (no frog spawn yet though!)

and finished with hubby and I chasing a rogue bee

 which had found its way into a sock on the washing line

 and was fighting its way out of the ironing basket! Spring must be here :-)

Cubs next week is the obligatory Easter theme night

before the end of term and I could do with some new craft ideas !

 I have 24 polystrene eggs and 24 little fluffy chicks

 - Inspire me please !!!

I look forward to your suggestions.............

Linda x

Springtime Tilda Swap THANK YOU KAREN !

This morning, I had a rare day to please myself,

the sun shone, I lunched with friends

and my tilda Swap parcel arrived!

Thank you to Karen, my Tilda Swap Partner -

Make sure you check out her blog! http://www.karensplaytime.blogspot.com/

I received some lovely bright packaged gifts.........

The snail from the new Tilda Summer book is fab -

 I much prefer this to the little pests

I find in the greenhouse eating my plants......

The two embroidered hearts will complement my bedroom perfectly

 and the card and matching notebook added bonuses !

 (There were some chocolate bunnies

 but they lasted no time at all - shared with L & R!)

THANK YOU KAREN :-)

My first swap received - how lovely!

I went a bit bunny mad on my theme for Karen ............

Spring must be in the air!!!

Linda x

Alice.........Painting.......and Stitch and Craft

Hello, this week started off with taking my Mum and daughter to see the new Alice in Wonderland film

- Brilliant entertainment from start to finish.

R's favourite characters were Tweddle dum

 and Tweedle Dee (AKA the wonderful Matt Lucas)

whereas it take a lot to beat Johnny Depp as The Mad Hatter for me,

(mind you, I must admit the Pirates of the Carribean Johnny is my fav!!)

Enough dreaming..........

The plan this weekend is to decorate R's bedroom.

Like most 7 year old girls, it is a clutter of bit and pieces and more bits.

 Today the worst of it is over - yes clearing the room to be able to paint!

I no longer have a single room upstairs not cluttered up with the contents of said bedroom! At present my craft table is housing a playmobil hospital

and the sewing machine has disappeared from view!

Never mind we must get it finished at the weekend

as next weekend I have a weekend away with a dear friend

 and a trip to the Stitch and craft Show at Olympia on the Saturday - yipee!

If any of you have been - I would welcome your comments! I will of course have the handy plastic at the ready!

Linda x

Sunshine Award!!

This is the very first award I have ever received, now I have to pass this on to 12 other lovely bloggers, they are as follows:



1. Pixie Dust


2. Sew Scrumptious

3. Vintage Vicki

4. Coco Rose

5. Vintage Betty's

6. Faerienuff

7. jillecymraeg

8. The Vintage Gardener

9. A Thrifty Mrs

10. A pink Feather Paradise

11. Magsmcc

12. Crafty Helen @ Home

Now this is what you have to do:


Place the logo within your blog or post.


Pass the award on to 12 blogger's.


Link the nominees within the post.


Let the nominees know they have received the award by commenting on their blog.


Enjoy.

Linda x

East Anglia really would be a FAB place for a Cath Kidston, Hobbycraft, Ikea..... PLEASE!

I'm afraid I have little in the way of crafty WIP to show a the moment as they are being created for a swap! The only other creativity this week has been a hurriedly assembled black cloak with batman's symbol for World Book Day.

Don't you just love it when the letter is brought home Tuesday night for today!! Fancy dress optional ! Yes the option being to do it or be a bad mother for your child being one of the few not dressed up !! Fortunately we settled on Bat Girl which was very easy (pic to follow later) - Rebecca is now affectionately known as "TAT GIRL" due to the state of her bedroom!

Now on the my post heading - The lovely "Crafts Beautiful" magazine arrived on the doorstep yesterday - I do enjoy curling up in bed and having a good read of it. However I am frustrated ! I live near the vibrant, lovely city of Norwich, a contender for City of Culture for 2013, I believe.

However the only Cath Kidston shop I have been in was on holiday in York, I have never even set eyes on a Hobby craft and a 100 mile trip to Thurrock presents me with the nearest IKEA! I know our infrastructure here in Norfolk and Suffolk is a "little" challenging (I should know my husbands a civil engineer!) but PLEEEEEASE.......  consider us for your next outlets!!

Right, rant over, now off out for a lovely meal with friends.

Linda x

What Do You Call a Group of Babushkas' ? A Babble?

It happened....... lunchtime today, in my greenhouse chitting my potatoes, I felt the sun warming my back!

Yes at last, however it was not long lived but I managed a walk down Southwold High Street whilst it still shone! I confess to not having been a C S junkie until recently reading various blogs - This is my first CS buy.... What do you think ?

I thought it was a very sweet and pretty ornament and in good condition.

This week I confess to purchasing one or two books (Ok 3) from Amazon. Joining in the Tilda swap meant purchasing the Tilda Summer Ideas and Sew Sunny Homestyle books (ok not compulsory for the swap - but a damn good excuse!)

I fancy making the cupcake apron next I think.........

Also thanks ( I think - I'll explain in a mo...) to Vintage Vicki  for suggesting I may like Poppy Treffry Free and Easy Stitch Style book.

So this week I made a babushka doll for my niece's 5th Brithday and went into overdrive and made another 4 - no idea what I'll do with them.... perhaps I should think about craft fairs - any ideas out there ?

Then, I thought I would have a go at the Poppy Treffry free stitching on the sewing machine .. I mean.... how hard could it be?????

Well, as a woman, I DID read the instructions and saw where it said it may be safer to start off using a darning foot on your sewing machine rather than no foot at all.

But yes, I ignored the suggestion and now have two puncture wounds in the finger where the needle and thread went in and then came out - oophs ! Not sure whether I achieved what I wanted with the stitching........

Not a very good picture I'm afraid.......

Well, better go for now as son has managed to catch daughter's hair in his yoyo and now is having a paddy because it won't "sleep" anymore (fortunately managed to retrieve hair without the use of scissors! - which I thought slightly more important..............) -

TTFN  Linda x