My heart's a flutter....................

with the tinkling of new Christmas decorations.....................

Thank you Gisella Graham, you never let me down on the decorations, every year there's more sparkle, more whimsy, more fairytale like treasures to discover.....

I added my own ribbons to Father Christmas, The Frog Prince, and Birdy............just because.

Though the frog seems rather disgruntled......... perhaps because we haven't kissed him yet, and turned him back into a true Prince....who can say.


For now, they will live here........( you can get similar baubles from paperchase)

ALSO....and I am super excited about this, my heart flutters for these ickle little babies........

Bunny slippers!!! Eeeeeeeek, I literally could not think about anything else from the moment I discovered them at  X TINY OWL KNITS X along with Mr.Fox and all the other scrumptious designs ( which you can download for a very reasonable fee )........

I cannot claim to have done them though. Should I have just kept quiet?! " yeah, I made them, what about it?!"...........No sadly, I sent the pattern to my Mother, who with in a few days had sent the "skins" back to me, ready to be felted and adorned....Clever Mother........hearts you xxxx

I may have been talking to them while they were having their eyes and nose sewn..........and a big bumblebee did walk by and snigger at me ( though, now she wants a pair of her very own......you see.....????!!!! Do not mock me!!! )

Since being finished, these little scamps have been hoppity hopping around the house in a hap hazzard kind of fashion......

I found them reading my books,

hopping onto the piano for a kiss ( they do this alot.....eskimo kisses with noses.......CUTE! )

and I even found them on big bumblebee's feet

Right now they are watching The Sound Of Music snuggled in amongst the cushions on the sofa.......I think I can hear snoring.


Flutter, flutter, flutter xxxxx

Christmas Fayre time........................x

What lovely people you all are!!! Thank you so much for all your nice words, and the Q is ever so grateful too.

Yesterday we spend the afternoon at the School Christmas Fayre. Q wanted to get out of the house, cabin fever has def. set in. So he came along and helped the bumblebee's with their hook a duck stall ( which they made £35.20p on for the school....pretty good I though, for a few sweeties and rubber ducks )

And I was stall sitting. For a lovely pal, wot sells ever so nice homey bits and bobs. As crhistmas fayre season is well under way, she was busy doing another that day, which was fine by me as I got to handle and ooooh and ahhhhh over all the stock...fab!

There is a slight pressure in getting the display right when it's for a friend, but as we are like minded, I think she was pleased when I sent her a picture.

What with strawberry doorstops, Emma Bridgewater tins, ditsy mice, and knitting nancy's........what an array of splendor!!! Stop by COUNTRY HOME AND CRAFTS and have a little look around!!!! Tis a bit lovely.

I didn't manage to take any other piccies, but there were some lovely outside stalls, with vintage bits, homemade crafts etc etc......and of course inside a father Christmas grotto ( BARGAIN!!! £2.50 in a lovely grotto, with a fairy friend too, and a book each...woo hoo) and many many school stalls. You know, Father Christmas came by helicopter no less!!!!!! 

Happy Sunday lovelies x

This week....................x

Thank you all for you patience and messages.

We had a little shocker early on this week...Q had been suffering with a sore tummy. So Monday morning came, and off he popped to the G.P's.....to our alarm he was told to make his way to the hospital with an over night bag!

Can you imagine?! Not only did I have big bumblebee home with the wheezing ( and expecting to end up at hospital with her later that day because of it ) I now had a poorly Mr.Q...whom I dropped off at A&E where the surgeon was waiting for him.

Well, I tell you..he didn't want me with him ( he's wasn't being a MAN about it, just a good daddy, as he wanted Big bumblebee kept away from the dreaded hospital, there's no knowing what her little eyes might see ).

All day I waited upon text messages, telling me this and that from the Q. That afternoon he had his keyhole surgery, which took a little bit longer than normal. Yup, I was pacing up and down, calling the ward.......then when he arrived back at his ward, I zoomed of in a puff of smoke to visit.

Groggy, dazzed, sicky, but still a hottie....Mr.Q laid in his bed. War wounds ahoy. But well. You see they thought it was his Appendix, but No ( though he did have those out too...in for a penny an' all that ) but rather a nasty lumpy bit of colon, that had twisted and turned and caused all sorts of nasties.......including gangrene.

Home now ( that was all in 24 hrs!! ) sore, and sleepy he is well thank you very much. And I have never been so pleased to have him at home.

The big bumblebee B.T.W was well, and didn't end up in hospital ( I had a  vision of running from one end of the hospital to the other.....with little bumblebee chasing the keep up..) and is just about as right as rain.

Phew.....what a week. All's well though, no need to panic now, just cuddles. Lots of cuddles. 

I have to say it, I am a very good nurse ( so say I ) and I do love my Q ever so much. He scared me, no doubt about that, but I am so grateful for my little lot. Truly I am.........

Do me a favor? Go and hug and kiss the ones you love right now........tell them how much you love them.

What a week, what a week.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Piccies from the yummies I've been making for the school fayre this weekend. Force feeding the Q cakes and biscuits....can't be bad.

xxx

Normal service will resume......................

......................................... We've had a time of it here at the cottage. Now time is needed to just be.

Then I can tell you all about it....( if permission is granted from Mr.Q  that is )................much love xx

Today..............................x

I have issues....with my camera, what have I done?????????? Everything is blurry and dazed and fluffy.

Very annoying I must say.

When we arrive back from school late in the afternoon now, I have been leaving the lights on, I know naughty me, wasting electricity. But I love to come home , and look in, it all looks so cosy and comforting...Shhhhh don't tell Mr.Q.......

Though, the dropping of the school bags as soon as the bumblebee's enter is not so welcoming......

I told you, blurry, blurry, blurry.

This morning, after having a well deserved cup of tea with a friend, I trundled into town, bought a few Christmas presents, stocking fillers, and generally felt quite pleased with myself. I took my time, deliberating between chocolate father Christmas's and teddy bears, jars of colourful jelly beans and stripey candy canes. Snuggly  woolly walking socks, bottles of local ciders, smelly seasonal candles......then I came home dashed to the bathroom and realized I have been wearing my top inside out........not only that, but back to front too, with label showing to all................pffffffff....The shame!

Today is the first day this week I've had to just catch up, and not feel like I'm chasing my tail. It's been great, and needed. I even managed to put together some knitted bunting for the School Christmas Fayre box.......ouch then was told the huge window poster I had been working on this week to advertise the fayre had to be in last week.....deadline missed. Have I been juggling to many balls? 

I think we can get over it, and use a shop window in town instead, but hey, ooooppps, what can you do?

Cup of tea? Well go on then.......xx

If you can't deal with Christmas yet...look away x

My head's filled with all thing Christmassy. And I like it!

I was thinking yesterday, as I finished off these present sacks, and this is what I thought.

This year, our decorations are going to be handmade. using paper doilies, pom-poms, and tissue paper, all white and all delicious....our normal style is quite.... eclectic ( anything goes, any colour, any place, any where )..this year will be more managed and make do and mend.

Last year.........not this, I'm not THAT into it all x

A few walks are in order, pine cones need to be gathered, and I've seen some nice thistle heads down the lane I'm going to claim. ( that rhymed ).

You see the bumblebee's are off school the WHOLE week before Christmas Day, which is unheard of, and I'm going to make the most of it this year. Too many parents grumble about having the kiddie at home in the holidays and to be honest ....I'm fed up of hearing about it. If you don't like kids, you shouldn't of had them. If I 've upset you sorry, but this bloggy place lets me say my thoughts out loud and we all have our own views huh? And I quite like my girls, it's great to have an excuse to play and make...it's not going to last forever, so I'm enjoying it. 

Perhaps it's because I only have two bumblebee's , maybe having more would be harder, noisier, more chaos.  I think really, you have to give up on the clean house with kids under 10years. It's just not going to happen. Not in my home anyway. And I like that. We get the glitters out, the glue, boxes, pens, air drying clay because.........well because we want to.....

The week before Christmas I'm going to make sure we have lots and lots of bits to do, meet a few pals for festive gatherings, and watch the crappy and the good films on the telly.

Have I completely overloaded you with Christmas planning and chatter?!!!

You know, I have also been buying presents and am nearly done!! Hurrah, because my goodness tis tre expensive non? That lovely lady over at   x A Thrifty Mrs x made me stand to attention a while back, and I stole her presents ideas.......( hope you didn't mind! )....because she had a super idea about P.J's and popcorn. have a little look

Right T.T.F.N..............xxxx

Candlelight and new obsession.......steady x

I love these dark night drawing in, snuggling up with tea or a hot chocolate.

I feel a little sad, that we still don't have a REAL fire in the cottage. I can't boast to you all about how we snuggle and warm up our toes in front of the fire, ( we will have to line our chimney, and I'm think a cream wood burner would do me just fine, one thing at a time ) but for now...............

Candles will just have to do.

Ready for my latest OBSESSION??????? Perhaps, no, probably ,  I am years behind you all with these things, but one lady has come to my attention for her wonderful, whimsical, clever little creations. And all I can do is "ooooh" and "aaaaah" and want, and need, and long for every single thing she has made....ever, and for perhaps just half her brain, then I could think up such wonders.

TINYOWLKNITS is where it's at for me right now.Go,go,go,go there now my little lovelies, you must, you owe it to yourselves.

It's like I'm looking right into my head, and who wouldn't be happy with some kitty gloves, or bunny slippers??????? Come on now, we all want!

I think the bee keepers quilt has been doing the rounds in bloggy land for a while, and rightly so...it is quite honestly........the bizzo.....yes I said bizzo.

Did you ever see such gloriousness? ( is this a word? )................................... if you already knew about TINYOWLKNITS  I beg your pardon, just go back to the top of the post and look at my candles. If not, you are welcome, your life will now change, and all you will think about before you go to bed are bunny slippers, gnomes, beekeepers quilts, butterfly gloves and Mr.Fox........( I do NEED one, I WILL have one ).

Happy Weekend xxx

Doodles and nattering.................x

Hurrah..yippeee...whoooo hooooooo...I have so nearly finished some artwork for a little job I was given. I hope they like them. If not, I will keep them for me, and only me, all for me, for on-one else because I'm really pleased with how they have turned out. You never quite know do you though, what it will all look like in the end? I have loved this little project , really enjoyed it, I'm sad to see it coming to an end, my doodles will go back to being just for me, in my little doodle book.

The brief / theme was St.George and his Dragon........slurping away on the home grown, homemade plum and damson Gin..( St. George has connections with the area don't you know, regularly visits, I hear he snores like a dog...the dragon, not George ) anyway....like I said nearly, nearly there.  

Which is just as well as I have a few other bits I need to be getting on with, Christmas present sacks ( personalized no less, I'm thinking of carrying around a bell with me. Every time I hand over a make, I will get out my bell..." ting, ta daaaa"...................................not really. The earl Grey's got to me today, I've had tooooooo much ).

I wanted to tell you about some one in the webby place, bloggy world I have discovered, but you know I think she deserves a WHOLE post, because I'm that obsessed ( I'm not a creep ) I really am..........you know when you see something, that's makes you want it right now, you have butterflies in your tummy because you are sooo super excited by it?????????? Well THAT'S what I'm talking about....and will follow on tomorrow.

Do you know, I might need to go and lie down.......I've got serious crazy talk and jitters from drinking far too much tea today. Surely there's no such thing as too much tea?

I'm going before I drive you all crazy..........................................what have you all been up to today?

xxxxxx

P.S........Picture has absolutely NOTHING to do with this post, but I love a twinkle and this was the dining room last Friday for my pals......think I need more twinkles..

xxx

A happy Knitter...............x

Did you all enjoy some fireworks this weekend?

I'm a bit of a baby where there are fireworks, the bangs, oh the bangs are almost too much to bear.

I'm not sure who was holding on tighter, littlest bumblebee or me???????

We joined some pals in a nearby village and watched a lovely display, ( with ear defenders for the bumblebees) and ended up getting two displays for the price of one....I love a bargain! ( there is a private school just by the cricket club where we were, and they too had a fabby display ).

Then drove back to pals house for a feast fit for a king, and a lot of chattering and nattering...brill.

Not sure why, but are all feeling a little jaded.

What better to cheer yourself up, than by finishing off some knitted bunting? ( whilst watching the last Downton Abby, it was a goody eh? I love Maggie Smith as Gran, " Have we all stepped through the looking glass?"............she steals the show for me. )

I do very much love this, thank you JANE BROCKET super knitting needle lady.

I like instant success.

I like swifty projects.

I like bright happy colours.

I love ric rac.......especially red ric rac ( say it fast, red ric rac, red ric rac, red ric rac, red ric rac )

So easy peasy, for a learning knitter like me........EVERYONE MUST have some knitted bunting in their life.

Oh and just so you know, I'm aware of my rubbishy looking pictures today, and I apologize for them, I just couldn't be bothered to charge the batteries in the normal camera and used my mobile instead......Lazy, lazy girl.....( it's going to be one of those weeks......I'll just have another cup of tea, and another, and another....I might even have a choccie biccie too....)

Have a fun week x

Shout out's and incomplete's.....x

I would like to get one job finished, before starting another one. I'm terrible, does this mean I have a short attention span, or that I just can't complete and task and follow it through? Whatever, I have a long list for Q on the kitchen memo board ( previously used for FUN things, now full of boring jobs all incomplete housey type things ),  many a sewing project started with  good intention, left in a cupboard all lonely and half heartedly forgotten, two knitting presents....not quite there, owwww and a hundred other things I really cant be bothered to mention....because I would like to pop my head back into the sand now please.

So I have refrained from attacking this piano stool with my paint brush, fabric, wadding, and ric rac......although it's one of those things where I really can't stop looking at it every time I go through the dining room, thinking...." it wouldn't take long, just the afternoon "....NO I must get on with other bits first....I MUST.

Important things like, laying the table, making it look pwetty for my pals wot are eating dinner ere tonight. THAT is a super important job.

And shouting out about the lovely GIVEAWAY from Jools right here at Sew Sweet Violet ( please enter, or not, because that will mean I have more of a chance of winning...mmmwhhh haa haa ha ha )

And also telling you about my lovely Jacq. My lovely Jacq moved away ( how wicked of her ) a few years back to Australia. I know ,how rude right?! She is ever so clever and talented and brilliant, and makes lots of lovely pictures, illustrations, clocks, you name it really.

I love the simple birds she does, and she sent big bumblebee's birthday card with one on, handmade of course. Check her out at funkydory .

So happy weekend, enjoy what ever you will be doing, speak soon xxxxx

Here I am.....................x

It's been a while since my last post, and I've missed blogland. We went away in half term, spent some much needed time with some special friends we don't get to see as often as we'd like.....That's what happens when you move away from where you are brought up I guess..........

Effortless friendships. The ones that mean the most, but you don't have to try, you just fit. You giggle at the same things, enjoy the same days out, the children play and laugh together.....you can pick up where you left off.....you know who you are.........( wink ) x

It's always nice to come home though...nothing like your own snuggly bed, with your perfect pillows, and their own smell ( we're NOT dirty, just so you know, but every house has their own smell don't they? I can tell if the grandparents have left something here that I don't recognise...I give it a deep sniff and know! )

With the bumblebee's back at school, a few jobs can be done.

Darning a friend's girl's pointe ballet shoes.

Getting on with some knitting projects.

A few doodles for a job I'm doing.

THINKING about the floor to ceiling poster for the school Christmas fair......

Knitting, knitting, knitting.......we love a bit of knitting. In fact I'm helping a class at school on a tuesday afternoon now.....yup knitting. Each child will....hopefully.... knit a square each for a blanket, they want to use in the classroom for snuggling when tired or poorly....such a sweet idea.

Halloween fell on an inset day this year, the girls invited a friend to play, and we headed off in the wind and drizzle to Wayford Woods and had a lovely walk, was perfect weather for a scary Halloween walk actually. There are fairy doors in the crooks of the tree roots, and a goblin house too....wishes and letters were posted inside...then spooky chocolate eye balls were perfectly discovered in a clearing....how did they get there?!!!

xxxxx