Valentine

Happy Valentine's day everyone.
I don't know about you but I had trouble getting through my front door when I arrived home from work, must have been something to do with the pile of valentine's cards on my door mat! (kidding obviously)
Have fun!

: )

It's been a while

Well hello there.
I'm still here although it seems like ages since my last post.
Iv'e been a bit, what you could call 'out of sorts' lately.
I'm not entirely sure what it brought this about but I'm guessing it may have had something to do with me being called upon to do jury service. I think I have been feeling a little anxious without realising it, I have even lost a few pounds so I know something is up!
Anyways I have been excused from the call up as they have enough for the jury, so I'm now feeling slightly relieved, but at the same time a little disappointed...there's no pleasing me is there?!!!

There's nothing much happening around here at the moment, the usual day to day stuff, school run, work, tidying up after EVERYONE, laundry, throwing together a meal before back out for the school run, you know how it is!
I suppose that's another reason why I haven't been around much, just getting on with life really.


Last Monday evening we attended little H's school for a GCSE options presentation. I'm doing a fabulous impression of an ostrich at the moment, burying my head in the sand, wishing it would all go away, as my baby is far too young to be considering his GCSE options (o.k I know he's nearly 13)but the only options he should have to face at the moment is whether to put ketchup or brown sauce on his bacon buttie or what colour pants to wear!
I am so not ready for this.

I have managed to squeeze in a teeny weeny bit of crafting, just to relieve the stress you understand.

The campervan hexie cushion is coming along nicely albeit a little slower than anticipated, probably due to the fact Iv'e started something else....OOOPS just how did that happen?!!!

I couldn't resist the colours of this cheap as chips wool. I think I just needed something bright and cheerful to cheer me up on the dark, dull and downright miserable January days.

Iv'e also managed to make a few cards but not nearly enough to see me through the year, which if you remember from my last post was my intention. Never fear the card making stuff is still on the dining room table so I intend to crack on with a few more this week.


I feel slightly more myself now that February is here because as some of you know February is my birthday month.
I'm not that happy about being another year older and even less enthused about looking another year older but on the plus side birthdays in our house are always celebrated with a day out somewhere and ALWAYS cake.
This year Mr. H and I will be tootling over to Buxton to see a band and the lovely Mr. H has also booked a little place to stay over, so no driving home.

I haven't had much luck with the thrifting lately, my local charity shops seem to be struggling to fill the shelves at the moment.
I did attend a jumble sale last weekend where I did pick up this cute little bookcase.

Sadly it went downhill from there as I ended up in a slanging match with a couple of blokes who thought it was acceptable to push me so hard I nearly ended up on top of the table along with the jumble, suffice to say I left in a huff with my little bookcase tucked tightly under my arm!

: ) x

The good, the bad and the downright ugly

Iv'e been holed up at home all weekend and with the ironing and housework done I set to work finishing my hexie cushions.
As some of you know I'm not great on the machine but I think I managed to do an o.k job.

I'm pleased with both cushions but I think my favourite has to be the blue one.
(rubbish pictures...sorry)

With the cushions done and dusted I set to with the card making today, I had lots of ideas buzzing around in my head and couldn't wait to get going with my fabby new papers.... sadly my card making mojo seemed to do a bunk the minute I sat at the table and I struggled to come up with anything remotely good.

However,I was successful in managing to turn the dining room into a complete bomb site.
I finally gave up and decided to call it a day after Mr. H asked why the dining room looked like it had been turned over and why was I was being so ratty.
.....who knew paper crafting could turn so nasty!

Calm was soon restored when I sat down to watch call the midwife with a little slice of chocolate panetone, it didn't take long before I was back to my old self again!
I'll have another bash at the cards tomorrow.


.....So Fingers crossed for more white stuff this week, hopefully the proper stuff, just like we had in the 70's!!!

: )

Brown paper packages tied up with string

It's been a bit like Christmas here again this week when two very nice parcels arrived with my name on.
Remember I said I was going to make a pile of cards to see me through the coming year, well I decided I wanted needed some new supplies, especially as I have quite a few man/boy birthdays coming up, and being as Iv'e completely exhausted the C.K cowboy theme, I knew it was time for some new inspiration.
I have recently discovered this company (I can't remember how/where) but I knew they would have exactly what I was after.
luckily there are a few U.K stockists so I didn't have to pay extra for shipping from the U.S
I eventually decided to order from here, and with great postage rates and super quick delivery it would be downright rude not to order from them again!!!

My little box of papers did not disappoint, lovely quality and double sided to boot!

Rocket Age perfect for boys both large and small!

Not sure what I had in mind with this one but just couldn't resist it's cuteness!


Obviously I couldn't overlook the Christmassy papers and a couple of those just fell into my virtual basket!
I don't know about you but I'm still not quite ready to let go of the festive season even though we are well into January!

There were a couple of other little paper purchases but I couldn't wait to get chopping

As if that wasn't enough,a huuuuuuge box of goodies arrived a couple of days later, a perfect blog photo opportunity you may think... unfortunately I was in the grip of over excitement and before I had the chance to grab the camera/phone I had untied the string and literally climbed into the box (I did say it was huge!!!)
Sadly it wasn't all for me :(
As it's a wholesale company you have to place a minimum order of £125, now don't get me wrong I could have quite easily made the minimum order myself but not convinced I could make Mr. H understand why I needed 6000 buttons and 8 miles of pretty coloured ribbons I thought it would be a good time to get together with a few of my crafty mates.
I did eventually managed to whittle my order down to a few essential items, but never fear, I have another list of goodies ready and waiting for next time ;)

So all that's left to do now is settle down at the table and get down to some serious paper crafting.......now where did I put the glitter?!!!

Don't stop me now

Well the first week back at work done and dusted and boy am I glad it's over.
Things are a little unsettled AGAIN as another co worker bites the dust  (through choice) so as from Monday I am back to running the cafe practically singlehandedly until the new lady starts in a few weeks time. TBH I'm trying not to even think about it!
 There will be more disruption to come in February as Iv'e been called upon to do Jury service, I'm  excited and nervous scared to death at the same time...eeeeeek!
On the plus side I'm on a crafting roll at the moment and there's no stopping me.
A small mountain of hexies have been lovingly whipstitched together ready to be made into two cushion covers...hopefully by next week.

 Hand stitching is most definitely my 'thing' and Iv'e loved plonking myself on the sofa of an evening, feet up with a cuppa and one or two  three or four biscuits to hand, stitching away... trouble is, I don't want to stop there so Iv'e embarked on another hexie cushion project, this time for the campervan. It's going to be another random pattern (not sure random pattern makes sense but I know what I mean!)  Iv'e decided I prefer this look on a small project, and I also have lots of odd bits of fabric to use up, so two birds one stone and all that.

Like I said hand stitching is my thing, it always has been and I'm proud to say I have been complemented on my teeny tiny stitches more than once, However I'm determined that 2013 will be the year I bond with my sewing machine and hopefully dare I say it, become firm friends... (don't hold your breath as Iv'e had this same conversation with myself on many an occasion!)

I also had a pile of badges to sew onto little H's scout shirt (not my favourite kind of stitching project!) but it reminded me of another little job I wanted to do....unpick the badges from his cub scout jumper so I can stitch them onto the family camp blanket.

This brought a little tear to my eye, it's the helpers badge that little H  had to stitch on all by himself, I think he was 8 or 9 when he did this so not bad eh!

 In a bid to become slightly more organised with the birthdays this year and to satisfy my craft obsession Iv'e decided to make all the cards (plus a few spares) I'm going to need for the year.
I'm always on the last minute with birthdays, sometimes only remembering the day before, or in my step Sister's case the day after...ooops sorry Sis. Anyhow it gives me the perfect excuse to order myself a few new goodies to add to the stash.
 I will also be popping over to Creative Breathing for inspiration. I have dipped in and out of this blog for ages now but after seeing the fabulous Christmas creations I am now a regular loiterer!
I have to be in the mood for card making but when I am I become obsessed, especially when I come up with an idea, I end up with endless variations on that theme.

Sadly there have been no thrifty finds of late and I'm starting to feel a little tetchy so I'm planning  a mooch around the local charity shops tomorrow....better wrap up warm!

Hopefully I will be back next week with at least one Tah dah.

Have a great weekend   : )