Happy Days

I have finally got round to making and writing my Thank You cards for all my lovely presents I received when I left work. I was just so lucky and everybody was so generous.  It all still feels a bit surreal.  I know I have left but I hadn't finished some of the GCSE marking so I have been in for a few mornings to complete it.  I am hoping to have completed it by the end of next week.

Viners Cake Stand; Cath Kidson Patch Book;

We have taken advantage of the lovely weather this weekend and have been out and about.  Alongside other children Mimi always looks quite eccentric with her sunglasses and her crazy clothes.  She is fairly tall for her age and she can speak really well so I get a bit hacked off when people look at her and expect her to behave like a 4 year old at the end of the day she is still only two and isn't three until May.  

 We also spent some time painting cards for Aunty A & F, Grandma & Pa.  There was an attempt to blow the paint with a straw but I have a feeling that she might have sucked instead!  YUM!!!  When we did eventually get the hang of it I think we ended up with more spit than paint blowing but never mind.  As for the glitter somehow we ended up with some mixed in with our cheese last night!!  I keep finding the stuff everywhere.!!!

Rain Rain Go Away!

With the end of the summer holidays nearing the end there is a definite chill to the air.  I would prefer not to have been woken up this early but when I got up at 6.30 this morning it was only 12 degrees outside.

There are lots of positives about being a teacher but I am starting to come to the conclusion that the holidays are too long as I have almost managed to convince myself that I no longer work.  However unfortunately this is not the case and it is now dawning on me that on Tuesday I will have to walk back through the school gates!

The weather has been pretty shocking over the last couple of days.  One minute it is raining cats and dogs and freezing and the next its brilliant sunshine and you are sweltering under your fleece.

This is exactly what happened on Thursday when I took Mimi to Dover.  We went to see if there were any baby joules clothes on sale at De Bradelei Wharf.  Mike had gone the day before and said that there were loads.  However I am not sure what he was looking at because we couldn't find much.  It was all for children about 3 years older than Mimi.

By the time we came out of De Bradelei Wharf it was seriously warm and the sun was shining.  So we decided to go for a walk along the promenade.  Mimi insisted on pushing Mr Doggy in the buggy.  She was really cute, we had to stop every few mins to check that he was ok.

If you look carefully in the photos you can just about see Dover Castle on top of the hill.

It was so bright I could hardly see anything.  When we set off from home it was dull so I hadn't bothered with my sunglasses.

Mimi made a horrible mess with her ice cream and we were chased by a swarm of wasps that were in her hair and sitting on her hands.  A swarm might be a slight exaggeration but there were at least 5 or more.  In the end I had to literally throw her in the buggy and run with her to get away from them.

Then Friday evening my mum came to babysit for Mimi and we went down to see some friends for the most amazing supper.  Slow roasted belly pork.  It was seriously delicious.  When people talk about Belly Pork it always brings back horrid memories of the pork my mum use to do.  But this has made me a convert and I am off to try a belly pork recipe I found in this months Women & Home Feel Good Food.

On Friday I came across pininterest.  I have heard people talking about it on other blogs but I finally got the gist of it on Friday and I have to say I have become quite addicted with it ever since.  I have come across some great people, new blogs and great ideas for both, home and school.   One of the best ideas I have come across in ages is this organisation system.  So simple yet so effective.  I am definitely going to be using this from now on.

Check it out on Jen & Jakes Blog.

After a lovely evening and not too much alcohol we set off early for a trip to Canterbury as I had my hair cut at 8.30am.  I go to this really cute hairdressers called the Chair.  As I have really curly hair in the past I have really struggled to find someone who can cut my hair well and this is the first place I have been where they know how to deal with it.  Then I had my eyes tested at Vision Express (they had sent me a free voucher plus £50 off).  I have really noticed that when I am tiered I struggle with my vision and have to squint lots.  I find it difficult to read in bed and after a while on the computer I notice it.  Anyway the upshot is that my eyes are ok, but they are just on the edge.  So  I decided that I would get a pair.  However they first pointed me towards these great glasses but at £395 a pair not including the lenses, I thought that they were having a laugh.  Eventually I did find a pair that were considerably cheaper and with my free eye test voucher and £50 off they seemed much more reasonable.

Final choice.  Very similar to the Tiffany ones but at a third of the price!

After a few other errands we were home by 11.30 which in Mikes book is a good shopping trip!  Mike was supposed to go on a sailing expedition with the sailing club but just as he left to go to the club a huge thunderstorm came through with squalling winds.  Hence he didn't go and was then under my feet for the afternoon.  Had I known I would have gone to Canterbury on my own.

In the afternoon I made a jacket for my note book.  I have been struggling to find a good note book for the start of the new year.  

Then last night in an effort to be more economical and waste less (we had some left over Gammon in the fridge) I made a Ham, Peas and Cream Pasta for dinner.  It was a slight adaptation on the recipe I found in The Geometry of Pasta book.

Now on a very different note I have just been to the toilet to find a "WHOLE" toilet roll stuck down there!  I wonder who did that?

Not enough time in the day!

We are nearing the end of the summer holidays and I have been busy trying to cram in as many things as possible as I know that once I go back to work I just wont find the time.

So to save on having to upload endless photos I have decided to upload a mood board of some of the "little" projects I have started this week and some of the things that have inspired me.

My new book Material Obsession has arrived and I have decided which quilt I am going to set as part of my winter project. I am very excited about making it and I am determined to finish it.  I often start projects and loose interest in them and they sit untouched sometimes for years.  We have been out and brought the material and last night I finally managed to find some spare time to start cutting out some of the pieces.

Mike has very kindly taken Mimi out for a couple of hours so that I can get some things done.  The constant whining is really starting to get through to me and I am very grateful for the peace and quiet.

My desk and a cup of tea - ahh the peace!

I should really be sorting out my folders ready to go back to work, but instead I find myself sitting here updating my blog and avoiding my school work.

Since my last post we have been fairly busy.
We finished our stone project and I am quite pleased with the outcome.  Mimi did however manage to cover herself in permanent pens including a pair of her trousers!

We have been to see D&H again for more HTC CPD, and Mimi seems to have grasped the whole potty thing.  Yipppeeee.

Everyone down at my Mum & Dads has finally got over their stomach bug so we have eventually managed to catch up with my Dad.  Mimi loves her Pa and they spent a lovely afternoon messing about.  Its really great to see them playing together.  I am sure that my Dad was never like that with us.

Messing around with Pa

Oh no who is this with uncle J?

We spent some time in the garden enjoying an ice cream in the sun.  I don't know where the sun has gone this morning as it was distincly chilly when I went out earlier to hang the washing out.  A definite autumnal nip to the air!

And finally my new bracelet arrived from Etsy.  I think I may have to order some more of these for Christmas presents.  Anyone who has not taken a look at Etsy really should.  There are some great original gift ideas.

Only this morning I brought something on there.  I was checking out How about an Orange blog which had this fab article by twirling betty on using making tape to make magnets.  Following the links I have brought some masking tape with grey spots from Pretty Tape.

Project 4 - Fair Isle cardigan for Mimi

Yay I have just completed the Fair Isle Cardigan for Mimi.  I am really pleased with the outcome.

I am pleased I knitted it one size bigger than needed as the sizes come up on the small side.

Yippee a Child Free Morning.

I feel like a terrible mother but boy was I pleased to wave Mike and Mimi off yesterday morning.  Mike was going to London on business and Mimi was going to Granny's & Grampy's.  As they drove down the road I felt like leaping around for Joy with the thought of all the things I could do with a few hours peace and quiet.  I did seriously consider going back to bed for a few hours but decided that would be a waste of valuable time.

So what did I get up to with my time?  After a few loads of washing and some tidying up I decided to work on some of my embroidered cards.  I was quite pleased with the results and even made my first sale (admittedly to my sister, but a sale is a sale!)

Then I popped over to Granny & Grampy's for lunch and to collect little Miss.

When we got home Mimi didn't want a sleep so we decided to go blackberry picking in the field.  I really like my blackberry compote and thought we would pick some more to put in the freezer so that I can make some more later in the year.  

I also thought that I might try this recipe I found in a magazine for blackberry & pinot noir jam.

1 small apple peeled cored & chopped into small cubes

1kg of blackberries (I need to pick more!)

700g sugar with pectin in it.

350ml (12fl oz) pinot noir

Basically heat the apple in a saucepan with about 4tbsp of water then add it to a preserving pan with all the other ingredients - reserve 1fl oz of the pinot noir.  Bring to the boil, then boil hard until the setting point.  When the Jam sets on a cool plate you know that it is ready.  Add the remaining wine and put into sterilised jam jars.

My brother popped up about 3ish for a cup of tea.  My sister was going to come to but decided not to as her little boy has got a tummy bug.  I have got everything crossed that we don't catch it too.

Mimi & Uncle J

Then I cooked Mimi's tea which was really yummy and I almost wished we had the same.

Double baked jacket potatoes.  I think they are an adaptation of a recipe I once got from Nigella.

Pre-heat the potato in the microwave for about 2-3 min.  Then pop it in a pre-heated oven at about 200c and bake for about 20mins.

Cut the potato in half and wait for it to cool slightly before scooping out the insides into a bowl. Put the  skins to one side.  Don't throw them away as you will need them again in a bit.  

Cook 1 rasher of bacon.  When cooked remove the fat and chop into small bits.  

Add the bacon 1 tbsp of sour cream some chives and a handful of grated cheese to the potato.  Mix it well together and then spoon the mixture back into the potato skin.  Sprinkle a bit more cheese on the top of the potato mixture and place it back in the oven for about 15 mins.

These are a hit and she always asks for more.

Mimi's Tea.

A Crazy Few Days

Jobs for today:

• Visit Grandma (they are off on holiday early tomorrow and my Mum is desperate to see Mimi before they go away)
• Shopping for some fabric, Get Well Soon Cards & Wedding Cards
• We are off to a Wedding Reception this evening and we are all going to stay at Granny & Grampy's so I need to organise everything & get ready to leave the house by about 3ish. (hopefully Mimi will settle better than last time we attempted this!)

We have had a few crazy days with some good news and some not so good news.  We have had the horrid news that Mikes aunty has been diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer and is to start chemotherapy on Monday for 3 months.  On the better news side I had a smear test which showed dodgy readings and had to go for tests which on further inspection they don't seem too worried about (although I have to go back in 6 months).  With regards to this I was called and called to go to the doctors for a smear and I kept ignoring it as I am sure like most women it is not something I look forward to.  It was only when I received a letter from the doctors saying that I had to sign a disclaimer and they would stop sending me the reminders that I thought I had better go.  Despite the fact that I then had to have further tests and in view of Mikes aunt I am now pleased that I did go.

The really good news is that I have decided that I am finally going to take the plunge and set up a small design business selling some of my design projects.  I just have to decide on a name - suggestions would be gratefully accepted.

On a lighter note we have had a busy few days. After going to the Howletts Zoo in the morning with her Daddy Thursday evening was carnival night so we walked down to the seafront to watch it.  Mimi had a lovely time - I was a bit tight and refused to buy her a helium balloon on the basis that they were £5 and would be flat by now.

Howletts Zoo is quite good at the moment they have an annual entry which costs about £16 but you can use it as often as you like.

Then yesterday we had to do some shopping then D came over (on my recommendation) she had brought a HTC phone but was struggling with it so we had a CPD session.  I then managed to find time to finish Project 7 an ABC poster for Mimi's bedroom.

Then Kate popped up for a cup of T and a glass of wine followed by my Mum & Dad and Mikes parents for a BBQ - which we had to eat inside as it with typical British weather it started to rain!

I caught Mimi looking out of the window with her binoculars.

With my Mum & Dad going away tomorrow I have been given the honour of looking after the "special plant" which was carefully delivered last night and apparently needs a pint and a half of water a day.

The "Special Plant"

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Jobs for today

• Pop into work to sort a few bits out
• Tidy the house and put things away
• Continue/finish chair project (when Mimi has her afternoon nap)

We have our first tomatoes of the season!!!

About a week ago I decided that I was going to renovate an old chair that we found in the loft when we were clearing out a few months back.

It was in a bit of a state with a cork pad which had been stuck to the seat and paint that had seen better days.
  

BEFORE

I carefully removed the cork seat sanded it down, gave it a couple of coats of undercoat paint and found some paint in Harbour Blue in the garage (which we brought ages ago to paint the bathroom in France).

I then made a cushion cover using some old jeans we were going to use for rags and some recycled cushion covers (found in the garage) which I dyed china blue.

AFTER

The final bit (which I will complete tomorrow morning when Mimi & Daddy go to the Zoo) will be a coat of clear varnish.

The remainder of the day was spent occupying Mimi.  We went Blackberry picking again and then after Tea and bath we went to the beach to watch Daddy go sailing.

    

Project 6 - Vicky's Birthday Present

Project 6 - Vicky's Birthday Present.

In line with my previous post Thrifty Saturday I decided that I would make my friends birthday present.  A lovely personalised fabric covered notebook.

Note Book before restoration

Buttons threaded on to the page divider

Mimi discovered that the buttons fitted nicely in to her little Tangled  frying pan.

A while back I inherited a load of old buttons and today I came across this old Debenhams bag

The finished article a personalised fabric covered note book.

Project 3 - Kate's Birthday Card

Last night I made this Birthday card for my friend Kate.

Project 2 - Quilt for Mimi

I made this quilt for Mimi's bed.  She has taken to carrying it all over the house and loves lying on it in front of the TV when watching peppa pig.