Back to life .... back to reality

Well that's the festive season over and done with for another year .... all packed away till next time.

The children were back to school on Wednesday and husband back to work to be given the wonderful news that he will be on a three day week again from 16th January .... he does get paid at basic rate so mustn't grumble but then will have to pay back the time on a Saturday when it suits the company of course.  They seem to be gradually working towards an 'on demand' workforce that they can pick up and drop when the fancy takes them .... the permanent workforce is dwindling and being replaced with contractors at a much cheaper rate (no surprise there!)

Good job I sneaked a visit to the Cath Kidston factory shop at St Neots last weekend ..... or Kid Caffrey as Ellie is calling it ..... she is getting to be quite a CK officianado having visited the St Pancras store last week too.  She really needed a new school bag and pencil case apparently so soft touch nanny got caught again!

We had just stepped in the door and who should we bump into ..... Tilly Rose ..... also having a bit of Cath retail therapy.  It was nice to have a chat and a little catch up and I really must get along to her new venture this year .... I just ran out of time towards the end of 2011.

They had a good range of fabric and I also treated myself to a little spring loaded tape measure and a glasses case.

New Year ..... new start ..... I am going to concentrate this year on the Vintage & Handmade Fairs run by Ann & Trevor and my little outlet at Country Matters in Hexton.   Unsold Christmas stock has been retrieved from Hexton and I am pleased to say that there wasn't a lot left and I will be joining the Vintage & Handmade Jumble in Northampton on Saturday 14th January with lots of clearance items including fabric, textiles, books, ceramics and some handmade items.

Do please come along to this great event if you can.

I have been stashing away blue fabrics for ages in the hope that I could get around to making a blue & white themed quilt for myself and this week made a start on cutting out the squares for the first blocks.

There is a mix of modern prints together with vintage Laura Ashley and other vintage cottons. 

The first little bargain find of 2012 ..... a green leaf design Carlton Ware cup from the charity shop for one whole pound



and finally a little collage of my previous quilt makes

Happy New Year all x

Happy New Year everyone

Well there it is all done and dusted for another year .... I've just taken down the tree and everything is back in the loft until next time.  I love the build up to Christmas but always feel tired and stressed on the day itself.  Boxing Day is my favourite day when I can relax.  Always felt the same and don't suppose I will change now.

I thought I would share this with you today .... it is from a book I purchased for the grand total of £1 a couple of years ago in Lyme Regis.  It is a little tatty and forlorn but then so would we all if we were 133 years old.

It is a lovely collection of children's stories and was published by Ward Lock in London in the 1870s  .... this inscription is on the inside cover

What a kind Uncle William he was and I wonder who Dear Little Amy was.

There are stories for each month of the year and this is the one for January

There has been lots of talk on other blogs about plans, targets, resolutions, lists of things to do etc etc

Well my plan is to take each day as it comes and be thankful for that day.  I will not fret about what I haven't achieved and will just concentrate on the things that I can do.  All this list making is useful in its own way but we really run the risk of creating more stress by worrying about it.  An old work friend used to say "if nobody is going to die then it aint worth worrying about"  and I always remind myself of this when I feel the stress levels rising.

On the 24th of this month it will be my 1st blogiversary ..... this time last year I discovered blogland purely by accident and I am so glad that I did .... there are so many lovely people out there and it truly restores your faith in humankind to know this.

To celebrate this nearer the time I will be having a birthday giveaway.