A Lovely Giveaway...

Some days I struggle to think of something to say that won't have you all dozing off within seconds, and tonight the wonderful Fi at Patchwork Delights has saved the day, for you and me both!

Pop on over and enter her first giveaway and try to beat me in winning one of her brilliant rug mugs, it's got gnomes on and everything - how great is that!  Thank you Fi - what a super opportunity to get our hands on one of your beautiful creations.

Don't forget to check out her lovely Etsy shop too.

In fact, I've changed my mind; please forget that I mentioned any of this, I really really want to win!

Ch..ch..ch..ch..changes...

Today we have gone from this...

... to this, the beginnings of a playroom, and a full loft above...

From this...

... to this, a bit toxic-smelling at the moment but squeaky clean and ready to paint.  A night in the cabin should clear the air...

... and whilst I took a shower and made lunch, the gang returned from the paper shop with these...

I think that constitutes a good day! 

HUG - Day 3

OK, I will stop posting pics like these until I've achieved something a bit more inspiring!  However I have set up my Flickr Set and will keep adding everyday, so you can keep tabs to make sure that I'm not slacking!  (Look, see, down there on the left!)

Today was a 'nice' day; whilst the boys headed off for a haircut, the girls and I went to the garden centre for cake, and a look at the fish and bunnies; and later I got to wander round the village and actually go into the cute shops and browse alone.  I got into a debate with the lovely lady in the fabric shop about the best thing to use to string together the bunting - any tips ladies please...

I also spent a couple of hours picking and peeling the old Fablon off my trusty filing drawers/cabinet that was starting to look a little worse for wear.  Dad gave me the little red cabinet years ago, and I promptly covered it in sticky-back plastic!  I have a vision of a super-revamped version, and today my quest began.

Shiny Happy Morning!

Love, love, love...


R.E.M. - "Oh My Heart" Video (Live In Studio) from stereogum on Vimeo.

HUG - Day 2

Tell me when you get bored of this!

I feel, despite what looks like evidence to the contrary, that I am cracking on at great speed!  Hopefully I will have completed the top 4 rows this evening, and then I'll get to use a different colour.

Today was cold - so I spent a little time running strips of insulating foam round a couple of drafty windows and the door from the hall to the garage, and I can't believe the difference its made! 

If you are in or around the South East this weekend and are stuck for something to do, Liz and Quilty Pleasures, and many more will be at the Ardingly Spring Quilt Fair.  Unfortunately I think my destiny will be passing things up into the loft again, not a happy prospect.

Whatever you get up to, here's to a cosy weekend everyone.

HUG - Day 1

This counted cross-stitch is making me go cross-eyed!  I toyed with starting with the 'U', I pondered over using a hoop and working methodically, but in the end plumped for starting at the top and seeing how it goes.  There are four solid rows of lilac to begin with, so I am hoping that once I have confidently counted the correct number of stitches (266), it should all fall into place if I go off the straight and narrow.

Ta dah...

OK... don't laugh...

... it's a start!

Getting my mojo back!

Today I received my lovely parcel from Mandy at Simply Solids... I can't wait to get stuck into this little lot...

I also followed Mandy's link to Cherry House Quilts, where there is going to be a quilt-along.  I have never even thought of doing one of those before, but the grey is perfect for my Dad, substituting one of the small square rows with some yellow... OK so quilting 'along' may not actually happen, but playing 'catch-up' could well be on the cards.  They even have a giveaway to get the fabric required!

And now I am sitting here with my Emily Peacock 'Hug' kit... so no time for chatter!

Size matters!

Well having 'given' hubby free-reign on the new TV, we are awaiting the arrival of a whopper!  OK, so 40" in some circles is still a bit quaint, but to me it's enormous!  Hence my dilemma of trying to find something big enough, stylish enough and maybe even magical enough to be able to detract from the mega-box that will be perched on top!

So here is the result of my hours of searching...

In an attempt to lure the children away from the 'big screen' we will also be ordering some bar stools for the conservatory/kitchen bar.  As this is a converted kitchen window, it is, as we are now finding, a lot higher than most stools seem to rise to!  But I think we've cracked it, (and the kiddies will grow soon enough so that they can get their chins above the edge!!).

All this shopping and no action is making me a dull old bird, so I think, in fact I promise, that tomorrow I am going to make a start on one of my Emily Peacocks.  For now, the frocks on Big Fat Gypsy Weddings are taking my breath away!

Pooh sticks!

This morning, having spent too long passing boxes up to hubby in the loft, we took our first 'off road' walk to the village and back.

The children loved the mud, spotting the little waterfalls and crossing wooden bridges as we walked along the river.  We all stopped at one point to look at some branches - a reindeer - what do you think?

We picked a few early pussy-willow and they loved playing pooh-sticks with them.  Despite the cold, it was a lovely hour or so.

I am still having a TV cabinet dilemma, (the curse of my Interior Design qualification - I should know what will look good, apparently!); but I have narrowed it down to 2... I think!

You will have spotted that the blog has had a minor overhaul - I had to refresh my Shabby Blogs coding, and ended up tinkering - the fact I couldn't get it back to it's original layout is, quite frankly, not the point!

Hope you have all had as relaxing or constructive a Sunday as you'd hoped for x

...and I'm back in the room!!

Hello world!  How have you all been?  I will try to drop by your blogs over the next few days to catch up - I bet I've missed loads, and I have missed you loads!

It's been a long couple of weeks, but BT and Virgin finally got their act together, so here I am at long last!

The move went as smoothly as it could despite the torrential rain - the removal guys were great, the money moved around the virtual universe quickly enough for us to have the keys by midday and dear son came home from school just in time to see the last bits being unloaded.  We put the girls in nursery for 'long days' for the move and following day, so they didn't see the house or garden in daylight until the weekend, but they have all adjusted to the mayhem very well!  No-one misses the old house at all, me included.

We are still surrounded by boxes and piles 'to be sorted', but after the months of packing and deadlines, it's quite nice to know that we only need to unpack to keep our sanity, we can take as long as we like.  The fact I have not seen my new iron, or a few other probably quite crucial things since we've been here is a bit of a drag, but we can survive for now.

My urge to get on and make things has been kept in check by utter exhaustion, but I did make a couple of trinket pots for the girls from kits that their great-aunty sent them for Christmas, (not the easiest with a plastic needle provided - but all my bits and bobs remain as yet unsorted!).

I must confess that we were back online yesterday, but there are so many things to buy for the house, that without the internet we were going a bit mad, so surfing for a TV cabinet/sideboard took up most of the evening, with a quick diversion c/o Mandy at Simply Solids for a little shopping spree including an 'Its A Hoot' layer cake to make some bunting for the girls' bedroom.

Some of my lovely things have made it into the open already, and the stained-glass leaves from Dad have taken pride of place in the conservatory and cast the most amazing coloured shadows.

I have received some great mail in the post here already, some unexpected fabric, with the sender's details obliterated by the redirection sticker and my fantastic '40' sign thanks to Benita of Chez Larsson.

We have ordered some furniture from IKEA - some tall white Billy bookcases that would never fit in our car, and some bits for the bedroom, and I spent last Saturday evening putting together a superb Lotus lampshade from Next, which we haven't put up yet, but I'll take a picture when done.

So much to do, and so many (changing) ideas... but it's good to be back!

All good...

Just a quick note to say we are all moved and awaiting internet access - it's been a good week xx

Not for much longer...

Who on Earth would live in a place like this?

Well not us for much longer!

I will be back, all new and improved in about 10 days - if Virgin keep up their end of the deal!  If I don't get the chance to log on elsewhere, take care everyone.  Don't forget me!

See you soon xx

Back to school...

The Doctor, as he now wishes to be known, started at his new school today, and it seems to have been a success.  By bedtime there seemed to be some realisation that he no longer had a 'best friend' there, but it's only been a day; so even if I am going to worry, he's been told not to!

As for the packing - our belongings seem to be multiplying!  We didn't stop until 9pm, and there's still so much to do; we'll be having a takeaway and a very late night tomorrow that's for sure!

Unfortunately once we move, we won't have an internet connection for at least a week, so I am not going to be able to keep you updated ('Oh thank goodness for that' I hear you all shout!), but if I can wangle it, I might be able to post a line or two from work before I start, but no pictures :(

So until tomorrow...

A stitch in time...

Today I got to pick up a needle and thread for 5 minutes... to sew on name tapes for the new school uniform for tomorrow!  I am definitely the most nervous about this; dear son is saying how excited he is, and he is definitely still too little to just be being brave!

So I am going to be having an anxious day tomorrow, waiting for 3.15pm to roll around to hear tales of the first day.  Good job we've got a lot to do to keep me occupied... like packing up half the house! 

3 more sleeps...

2011 here we go!

New year, new smile!!  I better call the tooth fairy pronto!

Any excuse for a sneaky peak at Harrison Ford in the background! 

Tip trips, new Sew Hip, Elle Decoration subscription renewed and the house is still full of cake and chocolate, 2011, so far so good...