My turn at the craft table.

The date crept up on me unexpectedly.  I said yes to organising the craft table at toddler group ages ago & then suddenly it was here!

Lots of rushing around but I managed to get there eventually.  We were making christmas trees from green paper plates, with glitter, stickers & a badly cut out gold star.  I think the kids had fun.  We got covered in glitter anyway.

'oh, are we making hats today?'  I got that at least twice! Ahh well.  Hopefully it won't be my turn for a while yet!

On top of the world!

Today we went for a walk to the place that has been declared 'the top of the world' by our children.  It goes to show just how flat it is around here!

It was so extemely cold.

We had tea & coffee at the top to try to warm up.

That & jump around like a dizzy gazelle, whilst trying out a borrowed camera.  Yes, I finally got a photo of me on this blog.  My beloved husband finally got round the other side of the camera for me.

Vintage at the Village Hall

Yippee.  Its Vintage & its near me!  Just hope Roo will let me enjoy it properly.

First one done!

My dear sister gave me 24 hours notice that they were coming to stay on Monday.  I had to clean the house & make safe for crawling baby again & finish her advent calendar.  Obviously priority went to the tidy up. 

Then mad sewing into the night.  It all went horribly wrong about 11pm when I discovered that I cannot, in fact, quilt at all.  I don't know why this should have come as a surprise as I don't quilt, I just assumed that it would be easy. 

Note to self: If I ever get round to making that dream quilt I will just be a topper & ship it out to an expert that doesn't cobble & bobble.

I decided to back it with blanket to give some weight & back that to make it look finished.  I sewed the blanket on with the buttons then the backing & turned through.  I felt really smug with myself at this point.  Then top stitch.  Which is where the party ended.  Looked awful.  Had to undo seams several times until I gave up & went to bed in disgust.   In the end I realised I'd just have to do subtle hand stitches to make it hold together & not look too bobbley.

Which meant that I had to give it to them before I had finished it, & then sit sewing it with them in the evening!  Luckily they were delighted.  My sweet sister was beside herself, which was exactly the response I had been hoping for.  Not expecting the same from my brother but hopefully he'll appreciate his.  He has the advantage of the second hanging with me having, in theory, learnt from some mistakes.  By the time I get to our one I'll have it down pat!

The photos really didn't come out very well, the light was really poor, not to mention my photography skills.  Want a close up?

The wooden ornaments hang on the buttons.  That's the plan anyhow.   Yeehaa. I got one finished!

Cough cough

We are all a bit poorly in Keepapi Cottage.  So we have made some homemade cough medicine.  Made using a recipe given to me from a New Forest witch. 
Basically you cut up an onion, some fresh thyme chopped on top, then cover it in honey.  After several hours a clear liquid appears that you strain off & use as cough medicine.  Tastes OK & the kids like it.  Jury is out as to its efficacy, but it feels good enough. 
In case you were in any doubt as to what we look like right now...

I think I love these labels more than the medicine!

Nature's pavement art

Does this mean its late autumn now?  Which means it will be Advent very shortly. Oh my.

I/We have three advent calendar hangings in a state of almost ready to be finished. Ha! Which means they totally aren't finished.  Trees & pockets are sewn on.  Now needing buttons to hang the decorations on and Finishing.  My problem is that I am not sure how to finish them off to make a nice hanging. 

This is actually a metaphor for many of my projects.  I am fantastic at starting things.  Not so good at finishing things.  I think I need another Santa elf who comes along behind my whirlwind of ideas & completes & makes good.  Any offers?!

Surely she can't be that old

My sweet 8 year old girl & I went to her new school open evening.  I got all nostalgic & sad that First school is in its final year.  It only seems a couple of years ago that we were deciding what first school to go to.  Now she's all bigger & not my little-girl anymore.  I really see the changes in her body preparing her for adolescence.  I try not to get all bitter sweet about it but dammit, its all getting away from me.  I really need to remember my word for the year - Delight - and enjoy what is.  My sweet baby is growing into a young girl, soon to be a girl-woman.  That is the way things go, and its OK.  She will always be my precious first born, whatever age she is.