Sand Through Fingers

That's just how I feel about time, it's just like sand through my fingers. I hear people saying how long January is and I wonder myself where January has gone! My time management feels like it's flown out the window... and taken all my time with it, it feels like we go from a Wednesday to a Saturday with barely a breath inbetween!

I think, I know really, it's because I'm so besotted with our little charge and spend the 3 days we look after him fussing over him, playing with and watching him. Little Zackary is now eating food, not just having his milk. We make him up some porridge in the morning and mum and dad usually bring a little tub of yummy goodness for his tea (they cook and puree different vegetables and freeze them in little tubs, so by the time he eats it here, it's defrosted and just needs warming through).

Zackary sits in his bouncy chair, opening his mouth like a little baby bird... I do enjoy feeding him and he is such a neat little eater... most of the time...

Zack likes spending time on his quilt on the floor, though now he can turn quite easily from his back onto his tummy. He gets so frustrated though when he can't roll back onto his back. Growing so fast and of course everything he gets hold of goes straight into that little toothless mouth (the same mouth that gives me such gorgeous smiles and giggles).

I have spent a little bit of time in my craft room. I don't feel I've had much opportunity, but I have been able to play with my polymer clay. A little leaf or two.

I've also found my old Pippa dolls from my '70's childhood. They need their faces washing and a hair pamper day after being in the loft for so long. As part of our decluttering, we (I say we, but it's Andy who goes up and down into the loft) are trying to clear a lot of stuff from the loft. Bringing a box down, going through it and deciding what to keep, give to charity or just throw away.

Here are my poor neglected girls. Did anyone else have Pippa dolls when they were young? I always dreamed of a Sindy or Barbie doll, but I loved these small girls.

I'm also trying to do a little bit of stitching on Zachary's christmas stocking most days. It's coming along, but still has a good way to go before making it into a stocking. It has a lot of stitching...

I miss 'blogland', so must make more of an effort to write weekly and get round to reading everyone's news. When I look through the photos on my phone, they all seem to be of Zackary. I have a BIG birthday next week, that will be something for me to take photos of.



Take care
xxx

Post Christmas

I hope everyone was able to enjoy their Christmas and welcome the new year in with joy and happiness. We're still enjoying the school holidays here as the new term doesn't start until Tuesday, but the trees and decorations were safely packed and put away last weekend.

Here's our little Christmas grandson, filling us full of happiness

He looked rather dapper on Christmas day itself although I think he found the whole business rather overwhelming.

I'm trying to get back into my crafting groove, there're so many things I'd like to do. I have a few kits that were gifts with magazines that need to be used. As I'm also trying to declutter (well, a bit), it seemed a good idea to start using things up. Here's a cute doggy keyring.

This one wasn't from a magazine, it's a little feltie bear I've made into a brooch.

We're ready to establish a routine again... helps me remember which day of the week it is... our little charge is back with us again for a full day on Tuesday and it's Andrew's birthday on Wednesday, everything back to normal again.

Hoping everyone is happy and healthy and 2018 is a wonderful year for everyone.


Take care
xxx

Scottie Dogs Christmas Prep

Here we are again, I seem to be just managing a post a week at the moment. It's so lovely to see I have a new follower too, hello.

I've been trying to have a bit of a tidy up and declutter this week in preparation for the Christmas decorations going up next month. I found some things that are no longer used, needed or wanted, so put them on eBay. I'm not sure if they'll sell or not, they have a week and will be donated to a local charity shop if they don't go. I do try to be ruthless, but I'm an old sentimentalist at heart so I'm not very good at it. I decided it was time to say goodbye to one of my craft totes/bags, it's just a small one that I often have sitting next to me on the sofa with some ongoing project or another in it (as well as my other paraphernalia such as notebooks, pens, crochet hooks, tissues and my phone). I added it to the charity pile when Andy commented 'oh, are you getting rid of that', so that made me wonder if he thought I shouldn't, oh no, will I regret it once it's gone. I was very good and let it go... am I the only one who has trouble letting things go, forming attachments to 'things'?

I found this blanket in one of my cupboards. it had an awful lot of ends that needed sewing in. It seemed a shame to leave it languishing in there, taking up precious storage space. Out it came and I spent a hour or 2 sewing and weaving in all the ends.

I'm glad I spent the time doing it, I'm really pleased with it now and know a little girl who will enjoy wrapping herself up in it on chilly afternoons.

I've also been making some other preparations for Christmas. I need to make some pretty bunting with blue in it, also for a special little girl. I found some fabric in my stash with pretty blue flowers and little paisley patterns.

It's all cut out and waiting to be stitched up.

I've made this sweet little scottie dog for Christmas too. I cut 2 dogs out in felt and stitched them together with a blanket stitch. Gently stuffed them and also put in a small muslin bag that I stitched and filled with lavender. This little chappie smells quite divine and is just the thing to hang in a wardrobe or on a hook somewhere.

I think I shall make some more in different colours.

Thank you for popping by and please stop and say hello.

Take care
xxx

Small Craft Room Makeover

I have the small box room in our house as my craft room. Unfortunately it has also been used as a place for items that have had no home of their own or are in transition from one room to another. I do give it a good sort through now and again, but space is so tight as it's only just over 5' by 7', I did a post about it last year here.

I decided the time had come to give it a proper makeover, I've seen other tiny rooms on pinterest made over and looking quite gorgeous as well as functional. I'm so thrilled with it that I have to show it off to you... I have a very wonderful husband who put everything together for me.

This is where my chair is, I have a desk in front of me and at the side too.

This is the desk at the side

Pegboard is so useful and if I had the wall space I'd have more pegboard!

The shelf we bought has hooks underneath, making the most of every piece of storage.

These little cubby holes are full of ink pads.

My little Ikea trolley is so useful and great for attaching my magnetic tins to.

These Ikea drawers are fab for storing all my bits and pieces in and make great supports for the desks instead of legs. The trio of baskets are just the thing for storing ribbons, it means I can see them easily too.

I used to have my cutting dies stored in a dvd tower, but I've streamlined them and arranged them on a shelf. On the shelf below I have jars with flowers and buttons, the one above has things that I don't need as often, such as scrapbooks.

I tried to be really ruthless when I was sorting through everything and put quite a few stamps and cutting dies on eBay and gave others to charity. Checked through supplies that i've had for a long while and threw away items that were no longer of any use or past their best. I'm not always good at throwing things out or moving them on, but I was ruthless (much to Andy's delight).

I still have some bits and pieces to do, I need a blind for the window as it's south facing and I don't want my lovely bits and pieces to fade in the sun. I have to say though, I'm very thrilled with how everything looks and how accessible it all seems to be (I have a lovely chair with wheels on it so it's easy to turn from one desk to another).

Now I just need to find the time to create lots of things and make sure no one uses it to store anything other than my crafting supplies...

 Take care
xxx

Pasta All Round

I'm not the biggest pasta fan in the world, but hubby loves pasta and it can make a quick and filling meal, especially on a cold winter's evening.

I made 2 different dishes, one with tuna, cheese and black pepper for Adam

and one for us with chopped up gammon , garlic and cheese.

I also cooked a pan of pasta just for the chickens. Poor things need all the help they can dealing with this freezing weather.

Lots of decluttering going on, I've completely cleared out my wardrobe with just the aid of bags! I hung up clothes I know I'm going to wear and feel comfortable in, had a bag for items to go to the local charity shop and a bag for items that I can use as fabric. It's now a pleasure to open my wardrobe doors and look inside instead of fighting with what's in there!

Meanwhile Imogen has been enjoying the snow, though even she is now getting quite fed up with it all.

Take care
xxx