11.1.11

A date to remember

because

this little beauty came into this world today

Welcome Millie born at 10.11 am this morning ...... photographed with her big cousin at 7.30 pm

My precious grandchild number 4

xx

Who pinched the weekend?????

Where has the time gone to again??

Why do the week days drag and Saturday/Sunday fly by in a flash???

I started my weekend on Friday evening with a rare night out.  Firstly a dinner at the local Indian restaurant which was absolutely delicious with my daughter, sister, mum and nephew.  It was a wonder we ever got up from the table with our full bellies and made it into town to the cinema.  We were off to see this lovely specimen

Colin Firth in The King's Speech .... a wonderful film beautifully acted by himself, Helena Bonham-Carter and Geoffrey Rush.   The story was both sad and humourous and it was lovely to take in the period detail and also have a brief history lesson.  If you are thinking about going to see it I strongly recommend that you do .... you won't be disappointed.

Had a lovely lie-in till 9.00 am yesterday (which is very late for me) and then toddled off to the Watermill to purchase some yarn for the next project.  Why is it that I have a cupboard full of yarn but can't quite find the right colours when I need them!  My nephew is 21 in a couple of weeks and the daft big kid wants a jumper with Wallace and Gromit on it like he did when he was little .... well if that's what he wants I'd better get cracking.  Sadly the little wool shop is to close next month and I shall miss it along with the quilting shop that went last year.  I am hoping that something else crafty will move in because I am fast losing my excuses to visit there.

I'm hoping to make this my project for the 2011 monthly challenge.

Today has been spent loading some of my clutter  collections onto Ebay ..... it takes sooooooo long to do but all done now   I have listed Art Deco glass, vintage books and toys and here is a link to one of the items under my Ebay ID lalabi-baby in case anyone is interested.

Feet up time now and had better get those knitting needles going while I am watching the new Larkrise to Candleford.

Thanks for the lovely comments about my new header .... I spent some time last year sorting through my mum's photo box and scanned a load.  This is me with my mum and dad.

 

xx

Blog Giveaway and a terrific challenge for 2011

I have just discovered a wonderful blog over at Annie The Felt Fairy and dear Annie is offering this really useful book in a giveaway

take a look at the link on my sidebar too for the Monthly Make Challenge for 2011 xx

How does your garden grow ?????

Back in November I started on another quilt completely using reclaimed/scrap materials ..... some cream cotton curtain lining and curtain fabric samples acquired from my local scrapstore and from a gorgeous fellow blogger Bloomin' Myrtle.  Even the threads used are from my stash of vintage threads ..... how eco-friendly is that????

I found a lovely book in a charity shop and scoured it for ideas ..... I never stick completely to a pattern or instructions (it's the non-confirmist in me!) and tend to choose a basic idea and let it evolve from there. 

I chose Granny's Flower Garden

It's a lovely easy one consisting of small hexagons sewn in in a flower shape and appliqued onto a backing square.   I have used some more of the curtain fabric samples to make larger hexagons for the border and binding.

So this ....

now looks like this ......

My first completed project in 2011!

Is it safe to come out yet????

Is it finished?

Can I relax now?

Can I get back into my steady routine?

I must be turning into a right curmudgeon in my old age! 

 Or perhaps it is the hormones .... yes let's blame them although that said, I always enter into this period of not quite depression but gloominess at this time of year.  I love the lead up to the festive season with the decorations & pretty lights, watching the children in Christmas productions at school, visits to Santa etc etc but always get a deflated feeling after Boxing Day.

So

What is to be done??

Following a swift kick up the derriere I am going to start filling in my 2011 diary .... that's a start isn't it?

Merry Christmas Blogland

A very Merry and Peaceful Christmas to all of you in blogland

Special thanks to everyone who takes time to read and comment on my ramblings and to those of you who have sent lovely cards and messages.

See you all next year !

xxx



We've been to the North Pole ...... brrrrr

I booked to take the grands to have breakfast with Santa at Barton Watermill this morning but after yesterday's deluge of snow it was looking doubtful that we would make it.

We telephoned to check that they were open and that the roads were passable and took the plunge!

It truly looked like winter wonderland and all the fake snow that was sprayed around the Mill was covered in a thick layer of the real thing.  The mill pond was frozen solid and there was no sign of the ducks.

It was such a shame because they'd got loads of bookings for the breakfast but it turned out there were only three families that made it and one of those was some friend of ours.  We were ushered into the restaurant were the children had a lovely cooked breakfast and there were home baked mince pies for us grown ups and then the man himself joined us and read stories to the children as they ate.

Excuse her rudeness .... I didn't realise she was doing this!

 Ellie then turned the tables and read a story to Santa before we went back to his little cabin to get Charlie's present .... on the way there DD1 remarked that we were going to were Santa lived in his grotto .... Charlie piped up no Lala he lives at the North Pole silly!  Never argue with a 3 year old ;-)

dropped off safely as close to home as I could .... they live at the bottom of a cul-de-sac which is impossible to get in or out of at the moment so the sledge came in really handy.