End of the Holidays

We're ready to start getting back to the normal routine. We have Zack tomorrow and Imogen starts 6th form college on Wednesday. It's been a wonderful summer, but I'm definitely ready for autumn to start creeping in and for a bit more routine (it completely flew out the window during the summer).

One of the days we had Zack and big sister Izzy (she's only 9), we took deep breaths and took them to a local soft play place. I have to admit, these are not my favourite places to go, I find the noise quite deafening and they always seem to feel a bit claustrophobic despite them often being in enormous rooms, but I was a good nanny and off we went (OK I did take my book with me too as Imogen was supervising Zack and Izzy). Zack loved the ball pool and climbing on and off Thomas here.

We stayed for a couple of hours (ok, may have been an hour and a half), then left as Zack was falling asleep on his feet. Izzy was very keen to do some crafting with me, she really is the most creative little girl and loves making things. We cut out some birds from some felt she chose and Izzy sewed a couple of the wings on. It's been put to the side for when she has some time here again and I think we're going to fill them with lavender for Izzy and her mum's wardrobes., but it's a secret so can only be done when mum's not around.

Have to show you these cute little photos of Zack.My son sent them to me as he was trying the dungarees on Zack, but they were unfortunately too small. They were Imogen's, they're reversible and the other side is covered in brightly coloured cats. Imogen wore them when she was over 2, she was always very tiny, but at just 12 months they don't fit Zack... he's a big boy! I love his face in the second picture!

I've also spent some time sewing and made a dress for my Luna Lapin.

The instructions were very good, I've never made anything like this before and had to reread it a few times and unpick the collar a couple of times before I got it right with the binding, but it added to the sense of achievement when I finished it.

Imogen's had a busy summer with her NCS (national citizen service), a week in the peak district, a week staying on a university campus and a week working hard to raise funds for the RSPCA. She also had her GCSE results and enrolled in college. As a reward for doing so well and because we felt we hadn't seen much of her we took Imogen to Meadowhall where she was treated to some new clothes, we had tea out and went to see a film (I couldn't remember the last time we went to the pictures). We had a lovely time, really enjoying each other's company.

Some good news for my parents too, my dad finally received a date for his heart operation. He had a few tests to go through and goes into hospital later this week for the surgery. So pleased it's going to be done (a new heart valve), but also very worried for them both.


Take care
xxx

Felt Flowers and my Wonder Gadget

Its been a cold weekend, we finally got the snow that the rest of the country has had with minus temperatures alongside it. It was lovely to look out through the window on Saturday (from my warm place inside) at the blizzard blowing by, everything was so white and pretty, a winter wonderland... even though we're halfway through March!

I thought I'd make some flowers to try and bring some Spring into the house and use up some of my felt bits and pieces.

Not sure yet what I'm going to do with them, maybe put them on hair grips or sew brooch pins onto them, perhaps make some more and sew them onto some embroidery.

I've been using these sewing needles, as you can see from the packet, I've had them a few years.

They're still lovely to use, but have tiny eyes. I'm sure as my eyes grow older, these needle eyes get teenier and tinier. This is my super duper wonder gadget that helps to thread the smallest of needles... I love it!

It's called a table top needle threader and is one of my favourite ever gadgets. The needle is placed by the 1, pointing upwards and your thread rests in the little groove.

The white lever (number 2) is pushed down and the needle is threaded as easily as that! Number 3 is a small blade to cut the thread with.

My sewing machine has a built in needle threader, but I really struggle with it, I wish it was easy to use as my table top one.

I have a few felties cut out and ready to sew. I think my favourite at the moment is the little camper van. It makes a cute car air freshener when hung on a piece of twined filled with lavender.

Keep warm

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

Over 25 Years in the Making!

Hasn't it turned really cold, time to start wearing bed socks on a night time, blanket over my knees in an evening, bit surprised by the snow during the week! We're planning to put the tree up next weekend and Imogen has started  opening her advent calendar (Imogen has a chocolate one and we bought Izzy a lego one). I think I've finished my Christmas present shopping and I just need to get some more paper and do the wrapping up. The television is full of Christmas adverts and Imogen has been doing Christmas parties at work.... there's no escaping it, Christmas is just around the corner...

I finished Izzy's bunting, I quite enjoyed sitting and hand stitching her name on it. Just needs to be wrapped up now.

I've sewn pompom ribbon down the sides of the first and last pieces, but it's hard to see from the photo.

I've also started sewing together some decorations I've die cut from felt, this one's from some sparkly red felt I had.

I should explain the reason for the title of this post. I started making my son (who is now 29) this little latch hook dinosaur rug when he was only a toddler. I don't know what happened, he was probably too old for it when I picked it up after leaving it for a while. Anyway, it's been aired out and finished off and as Adam is perhaps a bit too old for it now, I shall give to to my grandson, Adam's son instead so it may have taken over 25 years to finish off, but will at least be going to a good home now!

Are you getting in the Christmas spirit or has it crept up on you too (doesn't seem that long since last Christmas)?


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

Baking and Baby Photos and a mini Video

I can't believe we're so far through the summer holidays already they always seem to go by in a flash and this year has been no exception. I think the holidays have felt shorter than usual because of waiting for little Zachary to be born at the beginning, then illness (which I found very frustrating as it seemed to linger) and Imogen is older now and makes lots of plans with friends too.

It's already feeling a bit autumnal, the nights are slowly drawing in, there's been a chill in the air and summer seems to have left us early. It feels that the best of summer this year was back in May and June, it was an early summer and I'm so glad that we made the most of the garden back then, spending lots of time outside.

I've been baking some of my son Adam's favourite treats. I always make them 2 batches as Holly is a vegetarian and Adam loves his meat. Ham and cheese (just cheese for Holly) pastry bites, so simple to make and tasty to eat, whenever I make some for Adam I always make some for Andy too.

I started with some puff pastry and covered it with cheese (grated cheese goes further) and a nice smoked ham. Lots of seasoning, some oregano and garlic salt.

Roll it up, carefully so you don't lose the filling, lengthways so it makes a long roll. With a sharp knife, slice every couple of inches.

Pop in a lightly greased baking tray and brush with a little egg before sprinkling with poppy seeds.

They only take about 15 minutes (or cook until a lovely golden brown), oozing cheese, delicious.

They are so popular with Adam and Holly that I was sent a video when I was ill with Zack (and the help of daddy's finger on his chin) asking me to bring some to them, he even specifies, meat and veggie ones please! Took me a while to figure out how to upload this, but thrilled I managed it, you will have to turn the volume high though.

Here are some pictures of my gorgeous boys taken yesterday

I think this may be my favourite as little Zack here is the image of his father as a baby, the only difference being hair colour and size (Adam was a tiny little thing with dark hair). It makes me want to put my finger into the photo and stroke his little cheek... I am totally besotted!

Take care
xxx