aNNIE'S aNTICS

red rose

2011-05-10T10:54:00.001-07:00

Triptych in acrylic on 5" box canvas - £40 with free p&p within uk

iron man

2011-05-05T03:40:00.000-07:00

ironman is now finished :) really enjoyed doing this to say its not my usual sort of subject - now what shall i paint next???

next painting coming along nicely.....

2011-04-19T00:11:00.001-07:00

finished poppy

2011-04-15T07:37:00.000-07:00

the commission piece of a poppy is now finished! aologies for the poor photo - the paint was still wet and for some reason i can no longer open the photo editing software i use so couldnt chop the badly chipped toe nail paint off lol.

anyway i had a very very happy customer with this one - lets hope there are more to come!

POPPY

2011-04-14T09:40:00.001-07:00

A mid-way through photo of the commission piece i have been asked to do of a poppy. it is across 3 5" suqare box canvas' and done in acrylics. really hoping i can get it finished later tonight :)

on a completely unrelated subject, i have just found out a friend of mine has been diagnosed as having skin cancer :( she has 3 little ones like me and it is a scary time for her and her family. fingers crossed it will be dealt with quickly and she will be back to full health soon

facebook page

2011-04-06T00:05:00.000-07:00

I've now got a facebook page . please feel free to 'like' it and keep up to date with the art i do :)

Daffodil

2011-04-04T08:33:00.000-07:00

Acrylic painting of a Daffodil on 8" square, 1" deep box canvas, Available for sale at http://www.thebridgegallery.co.uk/

Nappy Cakes

2011-03-12T11:00:00.000-08:00

Have you ever made a Nappy Cake? they are a relatively new phenomenon here in the north of england - basically it looks like a tiered cake but is made out of nappies with lots of extra bits n pieces tucked in to suprise the mum-to-be at her baby shower.
Infact, baby showers themselves are pretty new here. my last child was born only 4 years ago and i didnt have one - i hadn't even heard of one! but what a fabulous excuse for a party! cupcakes, gifts and a celebration of the new life soon to arrive.

my best friend from school is currently 37 weeks pregnant and its her baby shower next week (i really hope baby is comfy and has no plans to make an early entrance!) and i have created this nappy cake for her. my first attempt at such a thing lol.

I dont know if you can see too clearly on this photo, but it has a plush toy cow and some handmade baby mitts and hat on the top layer of a large, cosy yellow baby blanket. i should point out my friend doesnt know if she is having a boy or girl so weve had to go as neutral as possible on the colour scheme.

the middle layer (with nappies round) has bottle of baby shampoo, lotion, talc and bubblebath, and the bottom layer has a curled baby sling in the centre.

baby slings are the worlds best invention - or rather the west's best re-invention. when my eldest (now 9) was born, you could only get the front tpe of baby carrier - not the comfiest of things to wear. but when Dan my youngest was born, i had got a baby sling from that most fantastic of marketplaces, Ebay, and he literally LIVED in his green peapod-like baby sling. Honestly, he screamed non-stop if he was taken out of it right up until being about 6 months old. i could breastfeed him easily and discreetly, and often people didnt even realise there was a baby in there at all!

anyway, my point being, i love baby slings and i think no new mum should be without one :)

I just really hope my friend loves the nappy cake and has a really enjoyable time at her baby shower x

some drawings

2011-03-10T02:32:00.000-08:00

a few quick sketches of rabbits and hares i've done recently in preparation for some bigger pieces.

its been a looooong time since ive posted on here, but lots has happened since and life has been very busy. we have moved house (again) into a lovely big old place which needs total refurbishment and ive now quit working and am back to being a stay-at-home momma. i loved my job, but juggling work, home, 3 children, childminders, nursery and school was a bit too much. hopefully now we have the project of the new house to keep us busy, a new garden and greenhouse (!), my allotment, my lovely little chucks, a new sewing machine (yey!) i will not get too bored and will be happy staying home :)

i'm definitely going to try and keep up with posting once again and reading and commenting on all your lovely blogs :)

2010-09-01T01:02:00.000-07:00

there is a new free block of the month flowers of love on Fiona's blog - mothers cupboard. the first block is up now :)

courgette cake

2010-08-07T07:56:00.000-07:00

i've come across a lovely website the prudent homemaker which has some lovely recipes. often there is a glut of a particular veggie in the allotment and you are wracking your brains trying to think of something new and interesting to do with it. i saw a fab recipe for courgette cake, and after tweaking it a bit and converting it into english measurements, here it is....

12oz self raising flour

16oz sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

350ml veg oil

4 eggs

18oz grated courgette

optional - nuts and raisins

bang everything into the food processor (cept raisins if adding) and whizz until smooth batter. put into cake tins (makes 2 2lb loaf tins or so) and bake at 180'c for about 1hr.

icing

2oz marg

3oz cream cheese

dash of vanilla essence

10oz icing sugar.

mix together and sread on top of cake - yummy!

ps. just think of the veggies the kids are eating here without even realising it!

2010-08-07T07:46:00.000-07:00

We seem to have a plague. of bugs. this summer, there seems to be even more than usual - more flies, more hoverflies, more butterflies like this one

the children enjoy watching the wigglies.

we even have moths out in daylight hours! they seem to love the sage flowers.

summer is here!

2010-07-23T00:23:00.000-07:00

School is now officially done for the summer! no more running round looking for uniform, finding homework or dashing out the door for half 8 in the morning (well ok maybe still the last one when its a mummy-work day!).
the allotment is producing really well just now. unfortunately we eat everything just about as soon as it is picked and i keep forgetting to take photos, but yesterday for example we had peas fresh out of the pod, new potatoes cooked with mint, salad leaves, radishes, beetroot, courgette - and then a few things for dessert, redcurrants, gooseberries and raspberries. and some lovely flowers to cut and decorate the house. i love summer!

super cute!

2010-07-14T23:40:00.000-07:00

how adorable! and up for grabs at once in a blue moon until 18th july!

teachers end of year gifts

2010-07-13T00:09:00.001-07:00

this is what i have made for the teachers at the children's schools for their end of year gifts. lots of apples lol. i really hope they like them!

knitted baby bootees

2010-07-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

these are what i have been making this weekend - i have a friend due in august with a baby boy (going to be called Leonard - such a cute name!) and these knitted up so simply in a hour or so. only thing, is trying to guess the size of a newborns feet. hmm bit hard seeing as i dont have any just now lol, so the first pair i made on size 10 needles, but they were so tiny, i made a second pair on size 6 needles.

the pattern is free from ravelry

giveaway!

2010-07-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

lisa at just for you designs has a suprise parcel up for grabs!

The Naiad Frock Grosgrain Giveaway

2010-07-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

The Naiad Frock Grosgrain Giveaway

2010-07-11T01:47:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

just a few photos to show what we have been up to recently.
Here is one of the many, many bras we have collected for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance making the last leg of their journey. THANKYOU to everyone who helped out. we collected 675 in total - an amazing amount! (and we even had the newspaper round taking photos of us to do a story!)

and this is the newest addition to the family - welcome to Milky-Way. isnt he just the cutest bunny fluffiness?

we are finally getting into a good routine of work, childminders, and family life :)

Dan has (at long last) been confirmed as having a delayed milk protein allergy - yes it has taken 3 years and constant pushing but finally someone has listened and done the tests. thankfully, the consultant says he i well on his way to growing out of it, and by christmas will probably be able to tolerate milk almost as well as any other child.

Olivia has had her school report - fantastic as always :) we've got a bright spark there! and jess is very excited at the prospect of starting full time school in september. just 2 weeks until the summer holidays! wow where did the year go!

I've even been doing little bit o knitting - photos of extra baby-cuteness coming shortly!

gosh its been a while since i did a post!

2010-06-05T00:15:00.000-07:00

but there is a good reason for it - we've been on holiday and LOOK at these gorgeous scenes. we went to north Devon, and the scenery there is just amazing. we had a fantastic time :)
and i've started working 3 days a week! children have started nursery, out of school club and a childminder so it has been rather hectic! but everyone is enjoying the changing circumstances (except perhaps the hubby who is having to pick up a little bit of housework -ha ha)

hopefully in a few weeks things will have calmed down as we all get more used to the routine, and i might get a little more time for sewing and blogging again :)

The Oh Dear Frock Grosgrain Giveaway

2010-05-10T05:40:00.000-07:00

The Oh Dear Frock Grosgrain Giveaway

this weekend

2010-05-10T03:42:00.000-07:00

we've all had a busy weekend here! this is a dress i have made for my neice (on a rather unwilling model!). I didnt have a pattern but basically, it is two trapezoid shapes for the top part - or rather 4 because it made it double so it is lined, with straps which tie so the length of the dress is adjustable, and the skirt is just one long rectangle the width of the fabric which was gathered and then sewn on.

the material is very soft and flowing so it makes an ideal twirly sort of dress, and i made the length a little longer so it would hang better.
we also did a bit of home-schooling. my children attend a normal day school, but i dont think it does any harm 'backing up' that learning with a bit at home if the children are content to do so - and mine tend to love their activities! this one i got from here and it reinforces, shapes, colours and sizing as well as following a pattern from a picture. jess then wrote her name and the title on the top of the picture herself. i was very pleased that dan managed to concentrate and sit thru the whole activity.
and we did some baking. these are rock buns from the bero recipe book. a very easy recipe for children to do, and a quick, inexpensive type of cake to make - perfect for lunchboxes or after tea snacks.
rock buns

60z marg

6oz sugar

12 oz SR flour

2 eggs

splash of milk

whizz in food processor or conbine everything in a big bowl until it resembles thick cake mixture

add some currants, or cherries or chocolate chips etc

put heaped teaspoonfuls onto greased baking trays (makes about 30) and pop in oven on about 180c for 15 mins or until browned.

this is a great teaching aid for children. my 4 year old measures all the ingredients out herself (and the recipe is very forgiving if she gets it a bit wrong).

Rolling In..........

2010-05-07T03:30:00.000-07:00

are lots and lots of Bras!!I received one lovely parcel from my friend Emma who i am actually going to meet next weekend when we go to her yorkshire air ambulance charity night in memory of her dad, Ronnie. I can't wait for that!
I also received a parcel from christine with more lovely bras and this supercute card inside

and another HUGE parcel of bras from my friend Shell. she has now sent me through quite a few parcels, so a big thankyou to Shell, and the other ladies helping us out.

In total i now have over 250 bras collected!!!!! and they are still coming in. i cant believe just how many people have been helping us out. its great :)

the best pizza recipe yet!

2010-05-04T14:42:00.000-07:00

i got this recipe from the down to earth community forums and i have to say, its the best home made pizza i have ever made!

here is the recipe:

1 cup of luke warm water

1 sachet of fast-acting dried yeast

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp veg oil

mix altogether and leave for 10 mins for the yeast to start working. it will go all frothy.

then add 3 cups of strong bread flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

and mix into a soft dough. roll out into 2 12" circles, or 6 smaller ones, and leave to rest on a greased baking tray.

in a pan, mix a tin of tomatoes with a chopped onion, a tbsp of garlic puree and a tbsp of tomato puree. add some oregano if you have any. cook for 5 mins then puree into a smooth paste, and coat the tops of your pizzas with it.

then add whatever topping you like - cooked chicken, peppers, tuna, sweetcorn, pepperoni, ham, herbs etc.

grate some cheese over the top and pop in oven at 180'c for about 10 mins or until nicely browned.

i usually make the pizzas up in the morning and leave them to rest until teatime, and this seems to make the dough very soft and springy and it has been a complete success - even the children all wolfed it down! and its certainly a healthier version than the frozen ones we have bought in the past.

the first of the season!

2010-05-02T10:08:00.000-07:00

Its been a good week on the allotment. i really feel we are achieving things now. we've taken some gravel down and laid 3 paths. Ive moved all the random strawberry plants into a proper strawberry bed, planted lots of seeds, and dug over another bed ready for something. hubby has built me a lovely little raised bed with some scrap wood which i'm going to plant lettuces and other small salad crops into. i must remember to take the camera own and snap a few photos of the progress.

but the best thing about the allotment just now - the rhubarb had grown high enough to nab a few stalks from. we had rhubarb crumble yesterday, and rhubarb pie today. and it was YUMMY! nothing quite beats the taste of the first rhubarb of the season :)

pillowcase dresses anyone?

2010-05-01T05:30:00.000-07:00

here are 2 pillowcase dresses i ran up last night. i got the pillowcases for just 25p a piece at our local charity shop, and as i didnt have any ribbon for the straps, i crocheted some chains. i've made these for loving hands who currently have 4 charity projects on the go. why not go across and see if there is any way you can help?

these dresses are headed for Funsani - an orphanage in zambia. i have plans to make some more yet, and some shorts and tops for the boys.

Emma, Ronnie and the YAA

2010-04-30T08:02:00.000-07:00

my friend Emma sadly lost her dad last year, and she is raising funds for the YAA in his memory. she has a 'ronnie' digi stamp for sale and i competition where you can win some copic markers as well as other prizes! what a prize!

please hop alongto her blog and join in :)

anyone for a rugby shirt?

2010-04-27T03:29:00.000-07:00

please take a look at the rugby shirt here on ebay. we are trying to sell it to raise funds for the yorkshire air ambulance. it is fully signed by the batley bulldogs rugby team and 100% of the money paid by the winning bidder goes to the YAA.

sunhats!

2010-04-25T11:31:00.000-07:00

we were told this weekend would be glorious. in the 20's, wall-to-wall sunshine they said. in preparation, we needed sunhats - no burnt children please! so i made these up one evening using this pattern. it turned out really well! the same size fitted both my 4 and 8 year old, and it was so simple to make.

but guess what

the wall-to-wall sunshine never made an appearance. there i was decked out in shorts and t-shirt ready for a little sunbasking, and i ended up going in to put jeans on caus i was cold! hurry up summer!!

a productive day!

2010-04-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

we had a few hours child-free this afternoon. whilst the children were on the beach with our family, we went for a wander round the local market, and a little fabric stall on there had a remnants bin i couldnt help but dive into. for a total of £4 i got several large off cuts of 100% cotton material - i loved the colours and patterns on it but had no idea what to use it for.

anyway, hubby then commented that we could really use some cushions for the garden chairs, so i took the sewing machine outside - its been so nice and sunny today there was no way i was staying inside! - and sewed up 3 cushions. this is one side of the cushions:
and this is the other side!
i stuffed them using some old baby quilts so they havent cost me more than a couple of pounds to make and i always like recycling if possible :)

wat have you done today?

Sew LO Patterns GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-04-23T13:18:00.002-07:00

Sew LO Patterns GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Romeo and Mae Sewing Patterns GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-04-23T13:18:00.001-07:00

Romeo and Mae Sewing Patterns GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

The Rice Baby $30 Guest Giveaway

2010-04-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

The Rice Baby $30 Guest Giveaway

The Romance Novel Blouse Grosgrain Giveaway

2010-04-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

The Romance Novel Blouse Grosgrain Giveaway

simple womans daybook

2010-04-20T06:34:00.001-07:00

outside my window : sunny but very windy and rather cold

i am thinking : how nice it will be when some of the many things on the go are finally completed

i am thankful for : the person who is buying my house and allowing me to consider my next step

i am wearing - my 3 quarter length trousers (caus i thought sunny = warm until i actually went outside) with a long grey cardi caus i then realised it wasnt as warm as i thought it was!

i am remembering : what a lovely weekend we had

i am going : up to school shortly to collect my eldest

i am currently reading : nothing actually, but i just finished angelas ashes by frank mccourt and it was brilliant.

i am hoping : it gets warmer this week so i can go onto the allotment

from the kitchen: rock buns yum-yum, and pasta for dinner

around the house - washing while the weather is windy lol, and lots of kitchen cupbaord tidying this morning.

one of my favourite things - sitting on the windowledge in the ront room and basking in the warm sun through the window :)

look what i won!

2010-04-17T00:46:00.001-07:00

this beautiful, summery purse and oh-so-cute owlie key chain have arrived for me all the way from australia! as you can see, they have already been put to good use - and i have had loads of compliments about them too!

They have been sent by Naomi from http://beeshebags.blogspot.com/ after i won a giveaway she was running. go check out her blog for lots of fab creations (have you seen that fab polka dot bag - i would so love one of those!)

what do you when..........

2010-04-16T02:45:00.001-07:00

your mummy makes you a brand new dress? you do a little dance of course!

and then your baby brother has to get in on the action!not that he is so much of a baby anymore - he will be 3 next month! where does the time go.

i made this dress using the pattern from oliver & s and the material was an old skirt of mine (now too big hooray!) and a red pillowcase. as there wasnt quite the length in the skirt required for the length of the dress, i added a ruffle along the bottom of the dress to make up for it. however, its plenty long enough and would have been fine without.

what do you think? i now have to make one in the 8 year old size as big sister is also pestering for one. shes already spied some yellow fabric i have, and wants orange? for the trim. hmm not sure about the orange but we'll see!

Romeo and Mae Sewing Patterns GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-04-15T10:16:00.000-07:00

Romeo and Mae Sewing Patterns GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

The State Fair Frock Grosgrain Giveaway

2010-04-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

The State Fair Frock Grosgrain Giveaway

BEING A BIT MORE FRUGAL

2010-04-13T02:18:00.001-07:00

money is becoming a bit tight in our house. we are in a period of transition - we are hoping to move into a bigger house - maybe even a new area - before the end of the year, and we need to save some pennies ready for all the bills that entails :) i love my house, but the garden isnt very big, and the childrens room arent really big enough for them to share. in short, we have too much stuff (yes i'm as guilty as the children what with all my craft supplies and general hoarding) and not enough space!

so the first thing i'm doing to save us money is reducing the shopping bill. not to such standards as scrimping on healthy eating as i have 3 small children after all - one with a diary allergy, so some things even though expensive will have to stay. but after checking my freezer out, i have drafted a meal planner for the next three weeks using mainly the food i already have. this means i shall only need to spend about £25 a week on bread, milk, fruit and veg, cheese and juice - the things we go through a huge amount of. i'm still looking at ways of cutting the £25 a week down further (i have been spending around £60 a week normally so it is already a vast reduction) so if anyone has any ideas they would be gratefully received!

i am also potty training the youngest. he is three next month, and we have had several attempts at potty training already - he just doesnt seem to get the hang of it - but i spend a good £8 a week just on nappies and wipes, so now i'm carrying 3 lots of clothes with me wherever i go lol and hopefully if he realises the nappies are gone except for bedtime, it will make something click in him!

on a more crafty note, this is what i have been crocheting the last month or so. i'm quite pleased with it - i just needed something easy to have a go at, and this can nicely hold my balls of wool for me.

WANTED: your old bras- and a little giveaway too!

2010-04-11T07:20:00.000-07:00

last year my husband was involved in a horrific road accident, and needed a ride to hospital in the yorkshire air ambulance. without the helicopter ride, he would almost certainly have died, so we owe them a lot :)

our family have so far raised £1300 from 2 charity auctions, but rather than ask for any money, i am concentrating now on collecting up the old bras you no longer wear. everyone has one or two bras in the back on their drawer which dont fit anymore.

the air ambulance are trying to get a target of 200,000 collected, which will help them raise £10,000. the bras are then shipped to west africa for the ladies there to wear, so the smiles are spread half way around the world!

please email me for my postal address if you have some to send on to me - or send them direct to the address on the air ambulance website http://www.yorkshireairambulance.org.uk/recycling/bras/ but please let me know in a comment below how many you have sent because....

i AM HAVING A GIVEAWAY!

for every bra you send either to me or the air ambulance direct, you will receive one entry into the drawing for a mystery prize - just leave a comment on this post with how many you have sent.

If you blog about this cause yourself directing even more people back here, please leave a second comment for another prize draw entry.

depending on how many people enter, i may add a second or third prize :)

flower swap

2010-03-30T02:48:00.000-07:00

i joined a flower swap on sew scrumptious and here is the FABULOUS flowery parcel i received from Jane at marigold jam. included were a gorgeous lilac bag, a sweet smelling lavender bag, a fat quarter of a beautiful peachy fabric, the most intricate, sweet crocheted flower (which has gone straight on my spring coat!), some primrose seeds and some little notelet cards. it is truly such a fantastic parcel - thankyou jane!and i know jane has received my parcel now too, so i can show you what i sent!

a fat quarter of this bright yellow fabric, a flowery shaped pin cushion with some pearl headed pins, a felt lavender-filled drawer scenter, a funky crocheted bag hanger, a little blue felt flower for jane to use on whatever she fancied, some cosmos seeds and some orchid cards.

Leila and Ben Patterns GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-03-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

Leila and Ben Patterns GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Flirty Aprons GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-03-19T00:04:00.000-07:00

Flirty Aprons GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

the simple womans daybook

2010-03-16T07:03:00.000-07:00

outside my window: its quite a nice day - even a bit of sunshine! very welcome after he long winter we have had here

I am thinking - of where to go on the way home from our holiday in a few months time to break the journey up and (hopefully) reduce the travel sickness of little ones

I am thankful for - the happy life i lead everyday

I am wearing - my old jeans and cardi because we have been to the allotment this morning

I am remembering - how this house was when we first moved here just less than 2 years ago

I am going - to pick the eldest child up from school very shortly

I am hoping - the headache i have is on its way out

From the kitchen - we've been eating homemade jammie cake, but for dinner, we have a new rule of fish n chips on tuesdays in preparation for when i return to work in a few weeks time

Around the house - toys, toys and more toys!!

One of my favourite things - sitting in a patch of the spring sunshine watching my children play in the garden

todays picture:

needlecase

2010-03-13T00:43:00.000-08:00

this is the needlecase i have made following the pattern here for the magical crafts march sewing swap. i was really pleased with how it has turned out although i deviated from the pattern quite a bit (lol can't follow a pattern!) and added a ribbo to make a closure over the button.

sewing

2010-03-12T10:21:00.000-08:00

i made this skirt for a freinds daughter for her birthday using this excellent tutorial. somehow, it hasnt worked out quite right as its much bigger than i thought it would be - but that is more than likely due to my terrible measuring than anything else! anyway, it will still fit ok so its all good!

Shabby Apple San Gabriel GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-03-11T08:33:00.000-08:00

Shabby Apple San Gabriel GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

look what i've got!

2010-03-11T08:05:00.000-08:00

ALL this for only £4.40!!!!!!!!!! i love local markets dont you? i've been after some crochet hooks (now i'm rather hooked lol) and a friend suggested i try the local village market. well, i was amazed when they actually had some, and not only crochet hooks - i also got 3 sewing patterns, 2 crochet patterns and a whole roll of rikrak for next to nothing!

and the sun is shining today. i feel happy :)

two lovely parcels

2010-03-01T07:11:00.000-08:00

I've received two gorgeous items in the postthis week - this beautiful dragon fob from Helen on the opposite side of the world in Australia. i won it in the one world one heart blog party.
and this beautiful piece of art from Nancy in canada! Here it is framed. its such a special thing to receive mail knowing it has come so far just for me :)

Allorahandmade Party Sunny Necklace GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-02-26T08:46:00.000-08:00

Allorahandmade Party Sunny Necklace GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

my OWOH prize and a bit of sewing

2010-02-24T08:44:00.000-08:00

Citrnolla from http://sewingwithmoonbeams.blogspot.com sent me these gorgeous fairy wings and some pieces of very nice trim from the OWOH giveaway. they are soooo beautiful - i cant wait to use them on something!

and this is what i was working on a couple of days ago. some new trousers for my boy. they have lovely large pockets on the legs for him to put cars, pebbles and all that other boy clutter they all collect! i know there are numerous tutoirals out there in blog land for making boys patns, but i just made my own pattern up. these just have an elastic waist and i lined them with fleece to make them all cosy :) i dont think i really left enough room for his nappy covered bum (he really should in pants now!) and the next pair i make i will with a bit more room in the top, but i dont think they were bad as a first try - definitely wearable anyway

friday nite sew-in and a pan holder for a swap

2010-02-17T00:51:00.000-08:00

i shall be participating in the friday night sew-in on handmade by heidi's blog.

who knows what i shall actually create! maybe some bedding (if daughter 1 EVER tidies her room up!) or maybe some more boy trousers, or maybe some more crochet - my new addiction!

this is the pan holder i made last night for the sewing swap on http://magicalcrafts.freeforums.org/ i'm hoping it is going to be okay! there will be a new theme up for march (can't wait to see what it is) and anyone can go join in if you fancy it!

Happy Pancake Day!

2010-02-16T04:37:00.000-08:00

mmmmm pancakes all round! after a long walk on the beach in the february sunshine, pancakes are just what little tummies need!

and how lucky am I! i won, not one, but two of the OWOH giveaways :) i shall show piccys as soon as i receive them

OWOH winner!

2010-02-15T01:01:00.001-08:00

And the winner is................. TOP FLOOR TREASURES (comment 85)

I used random number generator to choose the winner

I have emailed her for an address and hope to hear back soon

thankyou everyone for entering and i hope some of the entrants manage to find their way back to my blog occasionally for a chat :)

a bit more sewing

2010-02-12T07:56:00.000-08:00

dont you just hate waiting in for parcels? its even more of a nightmare when you HAVE to take children to school - que lots of notes pinned on the door saying you'll only be half an hour - only to find the delivery men havent been able to wait *sigh* well, thats the kind of week i've had - waiting for several parcels.

so what is a girl to do when she cant leave the house? settle the children to an activity and get sewing of course!

i've been meaning to make these curtains and bedding for the childrens' room for a while now, and have finally got it done. the children love them - they were even happy to go to bed for a change! well ok, not happy, but not the usual miserable either :)

i've also finally taught myself crochet! how pleased am i lol. i promise to show you my first crocheted item when it is completed.

mouse swap and a sewing swap!

2010-02-10T03:15:00.000-08:00

i was recently involved in a sewing swap on the magical crafts forum where we made a little hanging sachet. i forgot to take a piccy of mine, but it was heart-shaped and said love on it - in line with the month of feb lol. and this is the one i received back - its filled with lavender too :)

this month we are making pot-holders, so if you fancy jumping in and getting involved too just head over and sign up!
I was also in a mouse-swap on http://thimbleprimsstudio.blogspot.com/ which was simply to make and send your partner a well-dressed mouse! this is monty the mouse whom i received from Helena. he is felted and soooo soft and cute!

and this is the mouse i sent her. she's well dressed for the wintry weather we are having :)

weekend fun!

2010-01-31T10:54:00.001-08:00

whew! we've had a busy weekend!

yesterday we decided to take the children to the kids showing at the cinema. it was UP! - something they hadnt seen, and at reduced rates was a good cheap way of spending the morning. tho the snow which had fallen during the night and covered the road made the trip there a little hazardous! luckily by the time we came back, some had melted and it wasnt quite so skiddy for the car.

after the cinema, we decided to treat ourselves at a restaurant. they were so nice to the children - giving them colouring books and pencils, and helium balloons. it was the nicest eating out experience we've had as a family for a long time. even daniel was well behaved.

then today, olivia had a cubs trip to ice-skating. shes never been before, and was a little nervous, so mum went with her and we skated together, tho im amazed how easily she did it by herself once she had her confidence! it was the first time ive been skating since i was a teenager, and boy did my feet ache by the time the 2 hours were up, but i think we enjoyed ourselves!

dad took the younger 2 to the local indoor play area whilst we were away, and 3 tired out children should hopefully mean bedtime is a little easier :)

hope you have all had an excellent weekend

one world one heart giveaway :)

2010-01-24T15:08:00.000-08:00

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED - thankyou for all the entries - i shall announce thewinner tomorrow :)

are you ready for a magic carpet ride?

if so, click on the above picture to be taken to Lisa's blog where all the fun starts! take a ride around the hundreds of blogs participating in the one world, one heart giveaway.

if you have arrived on your magic carpet - then welcome!! please make yourself at home here and spend a minute looking around to find out all about me :)

So what am i giving away?

this raggy doll!

she is made completely from recycled fabrics, and has a removeable skirt. I kind of think her colouring reminds me of valentines day :)

she is not a child's toy, but i can see her sitting in the car, or keeping watch on an office desk. she is about 55cm from head to toe.

to participate in the giveaway please leave a comment below with some way for me to contact you should you win (comments without a link back to their blog or an email address will not be eligible for the giveaway) - i am happy to post worldwide and the giveaway is open to everyone as long as you have a blog. I am however NOT responsible for any postal restrictions or taxes imposed by your country.

the giveaway shall close at 8am uk time on 14th february, and i shall announce the winner on the 15th. if the winner hasnt replied to me within a week, i shall choose another winner.

im really looking forward to visiting all the other participants - this is such a fun event and a great way to meet new friends :) hope you enjoy the rest of your magic carpet ride

quilt for Haiti

2010-01-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

this gorgeous quilt is currently on sale on ebay here.

it has been produced by the stitch for charity group and all proceeds are going to the Haiti Fund, so well worth a look!

Sew Much Ado Ruby Lou Doll AND Pattern GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-01-20T11:47:00.000-08:00

Sew Much Ado Ruby Lou Doll AND Pattern GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

cathy's giveaway apron

2010-01-20T08:01:00.000-08:00

Cathy is giving away an apron to mark her 200th post. nip over and have a look at her blog - its lovely :)

rageddies giveaway

2010-01-19T13:05:00.000-08:00

Cath has got a lovely giveaway going on her blog - go take a look!

Gambia school bags

2010-01-19T08:01:00.000-08:00

there was a notice in our church saying a local lady was going to Gambia and wished to take some very lightweight school bags with her for the children there. so i used the pattern here to create a couple of bags. they use very lightweight materials, but are lined and seem strong enough to carry several large books/folders with no difficulty - yet fold to practically nothing!

i really hope these can be sucessfully used by the children in Gambia, and im hoping to create another couple before sunday :)

the simple womans daybook

2010-01-17T23:53:00.000-08:00

outside my window...

it is wet n dismal, but at least it isnt snowing!

i am thinking....

time is getting on and it will soon be time to get coats on so we can walk to school

i am thankful for.....

nice neighbours who dont mind toooo much the amount of noise my children make at this time in the morning :)

i am wearing....

jeans, a green top and a grey cardi with my trainers

i am remembering....

the funny dream i had last night

i am going....

to school and nursery, and then to an art club for the youngest, followed by nursery pickup

i am currently reading....

a book called mothers milk. am about half way through and still havent made my mind up if i like it or not

i am hoping....

its not too cold when i go outside

on my mind....

the haiti earthquake :(

noticing that....

my children are growing like weeds

from the kitchen....

hmm i dont know what we are having for dinner tonight, but there is some lovely home made mushroom soup for lunch

one of my favoruite things......

the colour yellow

from my picture album......

a photo of hubby with our friends daughter who we looked after this weekend.

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

happy new year!

2010-01-01T05:26:00.000-08:00

here are some of the gud bits of 2009 - there werent loads, and im hoping for many, many more in the next 12 months .

happy new year to everyone - lets hope it brings us all health, wealth and happiness :)

my daybook - monday 28th dec

2009-12-28T12:02:00.001-08:00

outside my window - it is now dark! cold and wet :( the snow has now melted so at least it isnt so treacherous on the paths and roads

i am thinking - bout my sis in law and her hurt and how i can possibly help her.

i am thankful for - a lovely family christmas, and the fact we are all healthy and able to look forward to 2010 with enthusiasm and happiness

i am wearing - my jeans and a new green top i received for christmas.

i am remembering - that 2009 has been a traumatic a

nd difficult year for us as a family, but we have shown amazing strength and have gotten thru all the tough times together. i am proud of us all.

i am going - to get a mince pie to eat with my cuppa :)

i am currently reading - breaking dawn the 4th book in the twilight series - its brilliant!

i am hoping - 2010 is gonna be a successful and happy year for us and everyone we know

on my mind - my friends who are struggling at the moment with loneliness or heartache. they are never far from my thoughts

noticing that - my daughter is still up when she should be in bed by now!

pondering these words - 'everything happens for a reason, and sometimes bad things are really good things in disguise'

from the kitchen - mmm roast beef dinner today

around the house - lots of tidying up and sorting out in an effort to get the house back in order and find a place for all the christmas presents. its not an easy job lol

one of my favourite things - my beautiful real log fire. how cosy!

from my picture journal - my little star :)

recycled t-shirt yarn

2009-12-27T10:03:00.000-08:00

I saw a tutorial ages ago here about making yarn from old t-shirts, so when hubby decided to clear his closet out this afternoon, and i saw the pile of t-shirts, i couldnt help but have a go! now i have 5 lovely little bundles of 'yarn'. any ideas what i could make from it??

christmas time!

2009-12-27T01:48:00.001-08:00

Happy day after boxing day lol :)

we have had a super christmas as always. it started on christmas eve with the arrival of aunty sue and carol and Bob. we went to the christingle service with the children where daniel did his usual centre of stage performance (honestly hes such a character lol) and had everyone in stitches with his antics. good job his grin isso cheeky he can get away with it! we then had a fish supper, and tucked the kids up in bed.

christmas day was the usual blur of presents and wrapping paper. santa was very good to the children once again - so many packages! Daniel loved his 5 ft crane (santa didnt think about where that would be housed exactly) and the girls got DS's. Jess got a double pram for all her babies and olivia got a special pet panda which she needs to feed and make better.

nanna and grandpa arrived and i prepared the christmas dinner. we had turkey and goose this year - our first taste of goose and i think everyone enjoyed it! a little drama when i managed to tip hot goose fat down my arm - quick stripping and cold water have meant my arm didnt blister thankfully. after dinner, everyone settled down - the children with their toys, the adults with tea and mice pies, infront of the big log fire.

boxing day was spent tidting at least some of the mountain of presents away (to be continued today!) befoe t mving camp to my mum-in-laws where the party continued! the children received yet more toys and we ate until we were stuffed :)

all in all, a very enjoyable christmas time! hope yours was just as enjoyable.

happy christmas everyone!

2009-12-24T02:14:00.001-08:00

hoping everyone has a happy and peaceful christmas time :)

we have snow, the house looks magical and the children are excited and giddy - what more could we want?

oh yes - my hubbyhas been seen by the consultant and signed off - he is now fit and well - just in time for christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!! all our christmas wishes coming true at last.

hope everybody elses are too

A H'artfelt christmas blog PARTY!

2009-12-12T03:53:00.000-08:00

ok, so its more like lunchtime than morning now, but hey, i dont get the chance of a lie-in very often!

i'm so loving being part of the H'artfelt christmas blog party - have you taken a look at those blogs? wow they are fantastic!!

i'm starting to feel all christmassy :) the tree is up - all 8 foot of real pine tree - sweet smelling and green and cheery - and i love nothing better than decorating it wth lots and lots of homemade and handmade decorations.

i started a tradition when my children were born of buying or making them a special decoration each year which when they leave home into their own homes, they can take with them to decorate their own trees. here are a few of those:

here is a really really simple way of making a handmade tree decoration of your own. these are hearts - to symbolise the love we all share, especially at christmas time.

using some recycled materials (these were some shirts of jess's she had gotten too big for) cut some heart shapes out in varying sizes and styles - big and fat, long and thin etc. they dont have to be perfect because we are going for a handmade feel to them.

then just sew them round - i did mine by hand as some of them were a bit small and fiddly for machine sewing, but leave a gap somewhere and turn them and stuff them - i used a bit of pillow stuffing from an old pillow.

then attach a string or embroidery cotton, and sew a sweet little button where the string attaches to cover the knot. such a sweet little decoration which takes maybe ten minutes to sew up :)

craft neutral bauble swap

2009-12-05T06:35:00.001-08:00

this is the fantastic swap package i received from kirsty of www.felinedream.craftyblogs.net she included a sparkly felt chrsitmas tree decoration, two lots of buttons and a piece each of red and white sparkly felt. such a lovely parcel - thankyou kirsty!

and this is a photo of the package i sent to her. a knitted santa decoration, and a little plastic zipper bag with a selection of ribbons, some salvaged fabrics and glittery netting, and a little assortment of beads, embroidery floss and buttons.

a little xmas present

2009-12-03T13:14:00.000-08:00

here is a little xmas present i have made for a friends little boy. it is a drawstring bag with half a dozen bean bags (filled with rice and lentils for different weights) for him to throw around and play with. i'm making my son one also but will save it for his birthday - just incase he or the girls cotton to the fact it is made out of the same materials mummy made his bedding from.

zip brooch

2009-11-29T08:06:00.000-08:00

I went out last night, and a friend of mine had a brooch on which was basically a zip rolled up into a flower. it looked fab, so i had a little go myself and this is the finished result:

i basically sewed a button into the first round of the zip to hold it in place, and then folded the zip round, sewing it as i went, to hold it in place on the back. I cut a circle (ish!) shape for the back, and threaded a safety pin into it before using my hot glue gun to stick the felt onto the back of the zip.

a stylish accessory which took less than half an hour to make and cost me nothing!

what we've been up to!

2009-11-22T09:20:00.000-08:00

on friday evening i went with my girlfriends to see :
if you havent seen it yet, it is definitely worth seeing, although there werent as many of the 'swoon' moments in his one as there was in the first, as it focuses more on jacobs story (swoon moments are those where their eyes meet across the carpark etc). still very romantic, and finished on a bit of a cliffhanger to make you NEED to see the third.

i am going to borrow the books off a friend now as i'm sure they will be even better than the films :)
then today, Jess and I made a new muffin recipe. these are gingerbread muffins with lemon icing, and i have to say, they taste divine! very soft and sweet and spicy and tangy all at once. mmmmmm - ive eaten 3 already - oops

then the kids wanted to do something christmas crafty, ad we had loads of pipe cleaners and lolly sticks, so we made these christmas trees.

basically, using a hot glue gun, i made a square base out of 6 lolly sticks - and the tree is a pipe cleaner with 'branches' of pipe cleaner twisted round the main stem. i hot glued the tree to the base, nd then let the kids decorate them with little christmassy shapes, pom-poms, glitter glue etc.

while the finished productisnt exactly a wow piece of art, it entertained them for a couple of hours so was worth it :)

what have you been up to this weekend?

play fruit giveaway :)

2009-11-22T07:12:00.000-08:00

http://alittletipsy.blogspot.com/2009/11/feature-friday-melissa-doug-toys.html

what a super cute giveaway! ALL my children from the 2 year old to the 8 year old would play with something like this.

ends 25th nov

The Last Minute Frock GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!! (with free bonus pattern in post)

2009-11-22T04:11:00.000-08:00

The Last Minute Frock GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!! (with free bonus pattern in post)

LOOK AT THIS!!!!

2009-11-21T05:05:00.000-08:00

How utterly FAB is this cutie! this is what Angel sent me in the charity toy swap and i just adore him. i love his hat - it is made from really fluffy wool, and his nose is so cute - the way she has knitted his cosy red scarf and attached the buttons is just lovely.

Angel thankyou so much for swapping with me and i hope u like your toy as much as i like mine :)

a christmas party!

2009-11-20T05:03:00.001-08:00

ooh i love a christmas party! come and join in the fun :)

http://hartfeltchristmas.blogspot.com/

chocolate caramel shortcake

2009-11-19T10:34:00.000-08:00

mmm this is just yummy, tho a bit of faff to make.

you need:

4oz marg

40z sugar

5oz flour

pinch of salt

cream marg and sugar - add flour and salt, and then press down into the bas of a 7 x 11 sandwich tin. bake in oven gas mark 4 for about 20 mins

small can of condensed milk

tbsp golden syrup

put the condensed milk and syrup in a pan and cook until it turns a golden colour and goes very very thick. will take about 30 mins. spread over the cake base and pop in fridge for 10 mins or so

melt some choclate and spread over the caramel. pop back into fridge until it is set, and then cut into squares and eat with a nice cuppa!

she looks like a cherub....

2009-11-18T11:22:00.000-08:00

ok, here is the finished??? charcoal drawing i have done. i keep looking at it and maybe it isnt quite finished, i dont know yet, but im happy to say it is for now :)

gorgeous jewellry giveaway

2009-11-18T10:54:00.001-08:00

giveaway for gorgeous jewellry by the brass hussy

look at what you can win!

2009-11-17T12:38:00.000-08:00

wow dont these offerings look absolutely fab! this giveaway is only open until tomorrow so hurry on over to magical holiday artists for a chance to win

work in progress

2009-11-17T10:57:00.001-08:00

this is my current work in progress. such a beautiful model - not sure i can do her justice! i'm working in grey-scale pastels, but really i would like to do it in full colour as the colours are so bright in the photo.

just from putting it on here right next to the actual photo, i can already see some glaringly (is that a word?) obvious mistakes which i was unable to see with the picture right in front of me.

thanks for looking!

a recipe and some other bits

2009-11-16T05:34:00.001-08:00

so this is what we've been up to recently....

lots of play dough, baking, painting, reading, walking on the beach, water play, roller blades, scooters, - oh and a funny hair cut, courtesy of his father!whew! hopefully we've enough wood stored now to last us a few months into the winter. with hubby not working because of his accident, the less we need the central heating on the better! oh and its environmentally friendly as we only use salvaged waste wood - all our friends and family know where to fetch any waste wood they have!and this is my scrummy yummy recipe for Almond slices. it was on the back of the Whitworth semolina packet, so thought i'd give it a go yesterday. needless to say, it will be a firm weekly favourite!

8oz of shortcrust pastry

2 tbsp raspberry jam

2oz semolina

20z ground almonds

4oz sugar

1 egg

1/4tsp almond essence

3 oz marg

1/2 oz flaked almonds

preheat oven to gas mark 3

grease an 11" x 7" sandwich tin

roll out the pastry and line sandiwch tin

spread pastry with jam

mix together all the filling ingredients exceptthe flaked almonds.

pour mixture over jam and smooth down

sprinkle the flaked almonds over the mixture

bake for 30 mins and leave to cool in the tin before cutting into slices :)

wow what a super give-away

2009-11-15T01:19:00.000-08:00

another gorgeous giveaway! seeing as i collect this style of teddy, i am really, REALLY, hoping i might be lucky!! it is open until nov 24th at bear-bits

another giveaway!

2009-11-14T04:21:00.000-08:00

how gorgeous is this little gingerbread gil? and she has a lovely blankie to match! this giveaway is open until 23rd nov on http://prim2pink.blogspot.com/2009/11/my-holiday-gingerbread-giveaway.html

giveaway!

2009-11-14T02:29:00.000-08:00

http://wilmaswimzees.blogspot.com/2009/11/tis-season-for-giving.html

this gorgeous little doll is part of a giveaway on the above blog. she is so cute! giveaway closes 16th nov

new dress!

2009-11-06T03:27:00.001-08:00

its my friends little girls birthday party tomorrow, so i decided to make her a dress (being modelled by jess in the photo!)

once upon a time, this material was a skirt my sister had and then gave me, but it was too big to fit me nicely, and pink isnt really my colour, but it was a waste not to make it into something else! so i cut the main skirt part off and reduced the width of it slightly, so it didnt have too much gather around the top, and then sewed a channel around and fed some elastic through to make a kind of elasticated waist skirt. then, using the original waistband of the skirt, i made a tube threaded through with elastic and attachd half at either side as the straps.

the child the dressis fo is a fair bit skinnier than jess, so i made the elastic a little bit tighter than i would have done had it been for jess, hence why it looks a little tight on the picture.

oh i nearly forgot about the flower :) just to add a little contrast and interest, i made a quick flower out of some ribbon and attached it using a button in the middle.

now i need to go and help with other party preparations - bun making and sandwich creation i think!

belated halloween

2009-11-03T06:24:00.000-08:00

here is a picture of all our lovely halloween costumes. we had a lovely time as we went down to the lighthouse who had a spooky walk on, and then did a bit of treat or treating. some of the family were here too, so it made it a bit extra special :)

things havent gone so weel snce tho. ive gotten myself swine flu (seriously we need a health fairy to spread some good health around here!) which isnt the easiest thing to cope with along with looking after 3 children and an already poorly hubby. although i was nearly at deaths door on sunday/monday, today i am doped up on lemsips and actually dont feel too bad except for a terrible headache. however, ste has now started with the cough too so im expecting him to have more symptoms by tomorrow.

hopefully normal crafting etc will be resumed by next week :)

Noah and Lilah GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-10-29T13:14:00.000-07:00

Noah and Lilah GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

santa tree ornament

2009-10-26T13:52:00.000-07:00

apologies for the not so hot picture, but this is a knitted santa ornament i have made. i used the little knitted toy ornament from little cotton rabbits which i used to make these a few posts back. i thought i would develop the pattern slightly and make the head pointy, and knitted a band of white around the middle like a belt. to create the beard, i just looped the wool.

he will look lovely hanging on my christmas tree in december!

last day.........

2009-10-25T02:47:00.000-07:00

to sign up for this

ive already been creating my toy - its so sweet, im not going to want to give it away!!!

fantastic giveaway!

2009-10-22T12:55:00.000-07:00

if you fancy winning this fabulous selection of material, check out pumpkin patch primitive quilt shoppe . its an amazing prize :)

little christmas bears

2009-10-22T00:17:00.001-07:00

here are 3 little christmas decorations i've made following the pattern on little cotton rabbits except i *ahem* dont know how to make i-cord so ive not bothered with the arms and legs, but i think they look sweet anyway- kinda like their arms and legs are tucked into their sleeping bags lol.

i also made the little box they are in, and they will be a little present for someone.

new school bag

2009-10-21T02:08:00.001-07:00

my daughter has now started junior school and fetches home not only her packed lunch but also a reading book and occasionally homework - so she asked me for a bag to put everything in.

this is what i came up with! it is made from recycled denim and some gorgeous yellow fabric. i used velcro in a cross shape to fasten the bag so the top can be pulled tighter or looser depending on how full the bag is.

olivia adores it :)

only thing i think it perhaps needed which i havent done (as yet) is put a lining in it. which i may do tonight in the yellow fabric.

own photo circle journal

2009-10-20T08:07:00.000-07:00

here are some pictures of my own photo circle journal which arrived home this morning. i love what everyone has done with my photos :)

Christmas Charity Toy Swap

2009-10-18T07:44:00.000-07:00

I would like to host a Christmas Toy Swap here on my blog :)

the idea being that each person in the swap creates a christmas themed toy - this can be made in whatever medium you like - crochet, knitted, sewn, etc and needs to be sized around 8 inches (20cm) from head to toe. some ideas could be, a knitted gingerbread boy, a sewn doll with christmas themed fabric clothes, or even a santa claus!

the swap will be international to allow everyone to participate.

please note - the toys created in this swap are not going to be suitable for children - they will be collectors / decoration toys only.

the rules - please read them all thoroughly before signing up:

THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE

this swap is to help raise money for the yorkshire air ambulance - therefore i require each participant to give them a donation. this is very easy to do. if you have a mobile phone you can just text to donate or you can donate online. all the details are on their website

http://www.yorkshireairambulance.org.uk/

i would recommend a donation of around £2 - this means if 25 people sign up for the swap - the charity will gain £50 - BUT FEEL FREE TO GIVE AS MUCH OR AS LITTLE AS YOU CAN AFFORD OR DESIRE. no one else will know what you have gifted - not even me (unless you tell us anyway!)

please leave a comment on this post ONLY if you want to participate in the swap. please leave me an email address so i can send you an email with a swap information form to fill in with your details sign up will be open for one week and will close at 9PM ON SUNDAY 25TH OCTOBER (british time) :)

you will be swapping directly to your partner - but this will NOT be the person you receive from. this is a SECRET swap in such as it is a secret until the parcel is received- but please make yourself known to the your swappee in the parcel.

take a photo of the items you are sending, and the items you receive, and post them on your blog so everyone can see and enjoy them. because of this, a blog is required to participate.

please say thankyou to the person you receive from (its only manners!)

please create a toy you would love to receive. i dont expect you to be a professional knitter etc, but i do expect you to put some time and love into your handmade item.

ALL ITEMS MUST BE POSTED BY 25TH NOVEMBER AND MUST BE POSTED SIGNED FOR / RECORDED DELIVERY - this way items should reach their new homes in time for christmas. i will do my best to match people as close geographically as possible, but please be aware this is an international swap and you must be prepared to post internationally. of course, if you would prefer to post internationally, then please state this in your sign up email :)

please please please DO NOT SIGN UP IF YOU CANNOT FULFIL THE SWAP. of course there are occasions when an outside influence will mean you have to drop out. inform me of the situation as soon as possible. no one wants to be left without a package at the end of the swap, so the sooner i know about any problems, the quicker i can sort something else out

please take the picture in my side bar and add it to your blog (linking it back to this post) to show you are participating in the swap. also please add a post on your blog about the swap, and become a follower of my blog - the more publicity we can gain about the swap, the more people will want to play!

end of rules - phew! :)

i really hope the swap fills up quickly and easily, and everyone enjoys it, but the most important aim being raising a few pounds for the yorkshire air ambulance - without whom my hubby would not be with us. for those who dont know, he had a terrible road traffic accident on 21st august and broke his neck in 3 places, his back in 3 places, his shoulder in 2 places, his collar bone, his shoulder blade, fractured his skull, shattered the thigh bone in his leg (it now has a titanium rod holding it all together), and dislocated his shoulder and ankle.

he was in a bad way. but luckily, because of the air ambulance service and the paramedics doing their magic, he was transferred quickly to hospital, and has survived. we have our fingers crossed he will make a full recovery, which, when he is just 31 years old with 3 young children, just means everything to our little family :)

the air ambulance is completely charity funded - no money is provided for the service from the government so they desperately require continual donations to keep the helicopters flying.

quilt along!

2009-10-15T00:34:00.000-07:00

im very excited to be having a go at a quilt-along with http://bumblebeans.blogspot.com/ its been a long time since ive done any patchwork, but ive been checking out lots of quilting blogs for a while now and drumming up the courage to have a go. this quilt doesnt look overly hard (no measuring or straight lines lol) - tho i reserve judgement to change my mind once i start!

hmm choosing fabrics now............

good news!

2009-10-14T10:19:00.001-07:00

well, today we have had some good news. the police arent going to prosecute ste for the accident :) we dont know exactly what happened that tea-time of the 21st august as ste has no recollection of anything, but a witness report says that ste went on his motorbike out around a lorry to possibly overtake and hit the car coming the other way. ste isnt a typical biker - he had only had the bike 3 months and was a nervous driver on it so it would be out of character for him to do anything dangerous and thankfully the police agree it was a complete accident and we have all suffered enough already.

lets just hope the good news continues tomorrow as we are back at the hospital for ste to have xrays to see if he can weightbear on his arms or legs yet. if he can, he may be able to try walking! which would just be the best thing ever!

in the mean time, here are some shots of the kids playing their new game - racing up and down the new ramp required for ste to get his mobility scooter / wheelchair in and out of the house :)