I seem to have left my blogging mojo somewhere the last few days, I've done stuff on the list, honest I have, I'm just not writing about it. We're off to see cars tonight, of the wedding variety, and theres lots a'happenin' around here (not least that we have exciting house news finally, more on that another time) which fill up all my days. I'm still reading your blogs, as you probably noticed from my comments, I'm just not writing, but I will, soon. promise.
In the meantime, I joined twitter. you're a persuasive lot. find me @ becca_clare - I didn't want my blog name on there, and I didn't want my married or maiden names in there either, so if you've been getting random tweets from someone of that name, its me.
Showing posts with label random. Show all posts
Showing posts with label random. Show all posts
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Friday, 18 June 2010
tweeters.
I feel like I'm missing out not being on twitter, am I?
(Of course, you lot will all say yes, you're all on the damn thing!)
Just another way to waste my day, instead of climbing the insurmountable pile of things TO DO IN REALITY. ugh. what to do...
(Of course, you lot will all say yes, you're all on the damn thing!)
Just another way to waste my day, instead of climbing the insurmountable pile of things TO DO IN REALITY. ugh. what to do...
Wednesday, 16 June 2010
1st
I spent bout a week constantly checking what date I had started blogging one year ago, and then managed to forget on Monday. oh well, Happy 1st birthday Blog, Its been lovely!
Thank you all, for coming along for the ride so far, It really does make my day to come home and hear from you all, and I love reading your blogs too, long may it continue.x
Thank you all, for coming along for the ride so far, It really does make my day to come home and hear from you all, and I love reading your blogs too, long may it continue.x
Friday, 11 June 2010
for your amusement.
I thought I'd tell you about my day.
James has gone away for the weekend to France as he does every other year to watch the 24 hr race in le mans. so I'm home alone, and this morning I started hearing noises from the kitchen. Our flat is part of an old house with fireplaces in every room, the one in the kitchen we took out and blocked up when we moved in, for space and because it was a hideous 70's tiled affair, leaving only a 6in wide vent hole.
A bird had fallen down the chimney. (God I love my life. why does this happen when the man is away?)
I decided (40minutes before work) that I would have to pull the plug in the vent hole (James never actually put a vent in, just bunged the hole up - workmen and jobs at home n all that...) out so that the bird could come out into the kitchen and hopefully fly out the window.
So I sat for a while, watching this hole with the cats shut out of the kitchen, me shut in, and the window wide open. The bird had gone very quiet when I'd started moving around the room. Eventually, a JACKDAW hopped into the hole and started looking at me. Every time I moved it would go back into the hole in fright.
I suppose this was a sort of bizarre narnia to him. One minute you're sitting on a chimney pot, the next you're in a dark sooty hole, and then a 'door' opens, and you're in someones kitchen! Does that make me the white witch?
Anyway, I sat very still for a while, with a cushion in front of me for protection, and the bird and I looked at each other. I tried chucking bread in front of it to get it to come out, I tried hiding next to the hole so it couldn't see me. Nothing worked. By now I had 10 minutes til I had to start work (thank god for living in a small town) so I decided that I would have to leave for work with the kitchen window open, the door shut, and hope that the bird worked out what it was to do.
No such luck. It had solved half the problem, when I returned home 4 hours later, by leaving the hole in the chimney, and finding a perch on top of the curtain pole.
My immediate response was to call my Dad AGAIN and ask who one calls to remove crows from kitchens, at which point we embarked upon a ridiculous, needless conversation about whether it was a Jackdaw or a Crow, with my dad relaying between my mum and I.
In the end I decided I would have to go upstairs and get my neighbour to help me. He obliged by coming in, and poking it with a bamboo cane until it left its perch, and flew into the top shelf of a full height (10 ft) built in cupboard, where my Christmas decorations are kept.
More poking.
More flying, this time full pelt at the large window, and the lovely orchid my Mum got me for my birthday.
Then my neighbour managed to grab the Jackdaw (since we had decided that was what it was) and chuck it out the open window.
It then sat, rather dazed, in the back yard for about 20 minutes, until its mother/friend came down and started talking to it, and it seemed to wake up, and eventually fly off.
After which I resumed
a)sweeping up the soot it had propelled around the kitchen
b) taking cuttings from some plants out the front
c)looking for the cat
d) feeling rather rubbish/taking cold and flu tablets
e) went out for tapas.
Just another day in the life.
James has gone away for the weekend to France as he does every other year to watch the 24 hr race in le mans. so I'm home alone, and this morning I started hearing noises from the kitchen. Our flat is part of an old house with fireplaces in every room, the one in the kitchen we took out and blocked up when we moved in, for space and because it was a hideous 70's tiled affair, leaving only a 6in wide vent hole.
A bird had fallen down the chimney. (God I love my life. why does this happen when the man is away?)
I decided (40minutes before work) that I would have to pull the plug in the vent hole (James never actually put a vent in, just bunged the hole up - workmen and jobs at home n all that...) out so that the bird could come out into the kitchen and hopefully fly out the window.
So I sat for a while, watching this hole with the cats shut out of the kitchen, me shut in, and the window wide open. The bird had gone very quiet when I'd started moving around the room. Eventually, a JACKDAW hopped into the hole and started looking at me. Every time I moved it would go back into the hole in fright.
I suppose this was a sort of bizarre narnia to him. One minute you're sitting on a chimney pot, the next you're in a dark sooty hole, and then a 'door' opens, and you're in someones kitchen! Does that make me the white witch?
Anyway, I sat very still for a while, with a cushion in front of me for protection, and the bird and I looked at each other. I tried chucking bread in front of it to get it to come out, I tried hiding next to the hole so it couldn't see me. Nothing worked. By now I had 10 minutes til I had to start work (thank god for living in a small town) so I decided that I would have to leave for work with the kitchen window open, the door shut, and hope that the bird worked out what it was to do.
No such luck. It had solved half the problem, when I returned home 4 hours later, by leaving the hole in the chimney, and finding a perch on top of the curtain pole.
My immediate response was to call my Dad AGAIN and ask who one calls to remove crows from kitchens, at which point we embarked upon a ridiculous, needless conversation about whether it was a Jackdaw or a Crow, with my dad relaying between my mum and I.
In the end I decided I would have to go upstairs and get my neighbour to help me. He obliged by coming in, and poking it with a bamboo cane until it left its perch, and flew into the top shelf of a full height (10 ft) built in cupboard, where my Christmas decorations are kept.
More poking.
More flying, this time full pelt at the large window, and the lovely orchid my Mum got me for my birthday.
Then my neighbour managed to grab the Jackdaw (since we had decided that was what it was) and chuck it out the open window.
It then sat, rather dazed, in the back yard for about 20 minutes, until its mother/friend came down and started talking to it, and it seemed to wake up, and eventually fly off.
After which I resumed
a)sweeping up the soot it had propelled around the kitchen
b) taking cuttings from some plants out the front
c)looking for the cat
d) feeling rather rubbish/taking cold and flu tablets
e) went out for tapas.
Just another day in the life.
Wednesday, 2 June 2010
RSVP words.
I've started fiddling about with the invitations, and while looking for RSVP wordings, I found this gem. I WISH I could have this wording:
Please take a moment to fill in the blanks:
____________! (Exclamation)
_____________ is/are ____________ to attend (Your name{s}) (able/unable)
There are ___________ people in our posse. (total number)
Kindly mail by June 16, 2006
Please take a moment to fill in the blanks:
____________! (Exclamation)
_____________ is/are ____________ to attend (Your name{s}) (able/unable)
There are ___________ people in our posse. (total number)
Kindly mail by June 16, 2006
Saturday, 8 May 2010
political baking.
I made these for an election 'party' a couple of friends and I had on Thursday night. we had coloured food, drink, balloons, and dress. we played mario kart on the Wii, and it said 'victory to the red team', which we thought might be a prediction, but now I'm not so sure. believe me when I say that this was the best looking food by far that evening, and I'm not just blowing my own trumpet.
I used the hummingbird bakery vanilla cupcake and frosting recipes, I can't believe how much better they were than anything I've ever baked before, just because of a different recipe. I was only given the book for my birthday, (I'm a little late to the hummingbird bandwagon) and I;d made the brownies the night before. flippin heck they are GOOD.
Friday, 7 May 2010
Thursday, 29 April 2010
thoughts on details, with many brackets.
my head is full of wedding thoughts again. (When was it ever not). I feel like I'm mentally working on about 5 different parts of it at the moment, so I'm hoping that by writing this down again (to compliment the lists, you understand) my head may de-fog a bit.
Current thoughts:
headband - how to make/what to make/ custom order on etsy?
stationery - specifically invitations, and maps to go inside.
My ring - I have one design stuck in my head since the lovely R put up with being trooped round many many ring shops selling all the same rings last week. I'm going to my jeweller man tomorrow to talk about getting a similar one made.
that elusive 3rd umbrella - I know I can get it online, but it annoys me that its double the price of tkmaxx.
clutch bags for the girls - this should be underway next week, I've done a trial run following a fantastic tutorial online, I'm just waiting for the paycheck to go into my account so I can buy the purse frames for the real things!
oddly, transport is not on my mind, this seems to have gone onto a back burner, and we really must get it sorted.
Its odd that its the details that currently concern me most about the wedding. I know that on the day, I'll likely not notice most of them, but it satisfies me to know that I accomplished something. I've read many posts on details mattering, not mattering, being the single most important point of the day, and so on. I have to say for me, right now, they do. I'm an arts graduate for heavens sake, I spent 5 years at college being taught about colour and composition and style. I know that it makes me no more married at the end of the day, and that I will enjoy my wedding because I will be surrounded by love and friends and smiles, but I can't help, right now, carrying the strap of a bridesmaids dress in my wallet so i can check it matches ribbons and ties and envelopes.
I think James understands this better than my parents some of the time, hes understood my need to buy umbrellas for the bridesmaids (its called preparation), he even participated in the choosing of colours for them, instead of telling me I was mad (I am a bit). He let me take him round tie selling establishments til I found ones that somehow, wonderfully, match every colour in the bridesmaids dresses.
I'm also learning to say no. to cross, rather than tick things off my list, because really, its going to stress me more than please me. making pashminas for the girls has gone this way, even though I am a weaver, its much finer than I'm used to working, and there was the aspect of sourcing materials too. I've seen some in monsoon that are the perfect colour instead. I thought I would find it hard to cross, rather than tick that one off, but it was actually a blessed relief. The venue gave us another small get out clause the other day too, they told us specifically NOT to do a table plan (unless we really want to).(which I don't).
I seem to spend my time mentally flitting from one of these thoughts to another, its actually quite tiring! I'm hopeful that in the next few days, I can get a couple more ticked off, odd how a little mark in a box can be so fulfilling!
Current thoughts:
headband - how to make/what to make/ custom order on etsy?
stationery - specifically invitations, and maps to go inside.
My ring - I have one design stuck in my head since the lovely R put up with being trooped round many many ring shops selling all the same rings last week. I'm going to my jeweller man tomorrow to talk about getting a similar one made.
that elusive 3rd umbrella - I know I can get it online, but it annoys me that its double the price of tkmaxx.
clutch bags for the girls - this should be underway next week, I've done a trial run following a fantastic tutorial online, I'm just waiting for the paycheck to go into my account so I can buy the purse frames for the real things!
oddly, transport is not on my mind, this seems to have gone onto a back burner, and we really must get it sorted.
Its odd that its the details that currently concern me most about the wedding. I know that on the day, I'll likely not notice most of them, but it satisfies me to know that I accomplished something. I've read many posts on details mattering, not mattering, being the single most important point of the day, and so on. I have to say for me, right now, they do. I'm an arts graduate for heavens sake, I spent 5 years at college being taught about colour and composition and style. I know that it makes me no more married at the end of the day, and that I will enjoy my wedding because I will be surrounded by love and friends and smiles, but I can't help, right now, carrying the strap of a bridesmaids dress in my wallet so i can check it matches ribbons and ties and envelopes.
I think James understands this better than my parents some of the time, hes understood my need to buy umbrellas for the bridesmaids (its called preparation), he even participated in the choosing of colours for them, instead of telling me I was mad (I am a bit). He let me take him round tie selling establishments til I found ones that somehow, wonderfully, match every colour in the bridesmaids dresses.
I'm also learning to say no. to cross, rather than tick things off my list, because really, its going to stress me more than please me. making pashminas for the girls has gone this way, even though I am a weaver, its much finer than I'm used to working, and there was the aspect of sourcing materials too. I've seen some in monsoon that are the perfect colour instead. I thought I would find it hard to cross, rather than tick that one off, but it was actually a blessed relief. The venue gave us another small get out clause the other day too, they told us specifically NOT to do a table plan (unless we really want to).(which I don't).
I seem to spend my time mentally flitting from one of these thoughts to another, its actually quite tiring! I'm hopeful that in the next few days, I can get a couple more ticked off, odd how a little mark in a box can be so fulfilling!
Friday, 23 April 2010
one track mind.
(and not the one you think)
for the last two days, James has been wearing sample wedding rings from here. they will send out silver versions in the exact size and shape you want for you to try before you buy. this has been invaluable since James has never worn jewellery in his life. I keep catching him looking at it oddly, like an insect has taken up residence on his ring finger. In fact, I keep looking at it oddly. its nice to see him with it on. (don't tell me if its bad luck, I don't want to know).
Anyway, last night, as we were turning out the light, I was playing with it on his hand.
James: 'don't do that, I'll take it off'
Me: 'no, its nice, its a symbol of our lunch!'
Seriously. I think about food, all the time.
for the last two days, James has been wearing sample wedding rings from here. they will send out silver versions in the exact size and shape you want for you to try before you buy. this has been invaluable since James has never worn jewellery in his life. I keep catching him looking at it oddly, like an insect has taken up residence on his ring finger. In fact, I keep looking at it oddly. its nice to see him with it on. (don't tell me if its bad luck, I don't want to know).
Anyway, last night, as we were turning out the light, I was playing with it on his hand.
James: 'don't do that, I'll take it off'
Me: 'no, its nice, its a symbol of our lunch!'
Seriously. I think about food, all the time.
Thursday, 11 March 2010
etsy buys...
I love how long packages from the states take to get to me, I've almost forgotten I've bought anything by the time it arrives, so I get a nice surprise when a package lands on my doormat!
I'd been hankering after one of white owls lace necklaces since I noticed them on several blogs a while ago, and they're even more beautiful in real life.It sits just how you hope it would, even James commented on how nice it is! The packaging was beautiful too, a strong reminder that first impressions really count.
I'd been hankering after one of white owls lace necklaces since I noticed them on several blogs a while ago, and they're even more beautiful in real life.It sits just how you hope it would, even James commented on how nice it is! The packaging was beautiful too, a strong reminder that first impressions really count.
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
The Gestalt Prayer.
I do my thing and you do your thing.
I am not in this world to live up to your expectations,
And you are not in this world to live up to mine.
You are you, and I am I,
and if by chance we find each other,
it's beautiful.
If not, it can't be helped.
(Fritz Perls, 1969)
Found via Micaela.
I am not in this world to live up to your expectations,
And you are not in this world to live up to mine.
You are you, and I am I,
and if by chance we find each other,
it's beautiful.
If not, it can't be helped.
(Fritz Perls, 1969)
Found via Micaela.
Thursday, 18 February 2010
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Catching up.
I'm not going to apologise again for not being here, it is after all, my prerogative. I've been busy, when I'm not working selling a shocking amount of wallpaper to customers, I've been making various things to sell. My friend is opening a shop in just over a week, and I'm putting some bits in to try and sell. So here is the last few weeks in work and pictures:
Pinnys made from linen, and recycled fabrics from charity shops. in the above case an embroidered lace edged traycloth, below, a mans shirt!
Mini production lines to make more of those sewing kits, here needle books...
and here cupcakes:
(Its amazing how much quicker it is to make things if you do it in a production line. I don't understand why, the cupcakes do proportionally take hours, but it must be something to do with getting into a rhythm or something)
this sewing machine foot has saved my life the last few weeks - I love rolled hems.
Winding shuttles full of wool with a battery drill, ready to weave on my loom. (Ill post a picture soon R!)
So there we have it. That's my last 3 weeks in pictures, and now I'm giving myself some time off work to hoover and iron and sleep and eat.
Thursday, 14 January 2010
Frosty walks
There's been a lot more snow, and a thaw, and more yet snow since I took these pictures, but I still thought they were worth sharing with you. We went for a walk in the park, with two, yes two cameras, and apparently I made the walk about 3 times as long because I kept stopping to take photos. (he lies, I'm sure of it)
the cricket pitch:
This is the main (read: ONLY) bridge over the river through town. See that log that has somehow achieved equilibrium on the pillar of the bridge? That was put there by those floods I mentioned a while back. Thats a road bridge by the way, and that log is probably about 8-10 foot long. but I'm no good at judging dimensions. Gives you some idea of the depth and force of the water in this river at times. I can't wait til all this snow melts, and it does this AGAIN.
then I became obsessed with seed pods and frosty Cow parsley:
the cricket pitch:
This is the main (read: ONLY) bridge over the river through town. See that log that has somehow achieved equilibrium on the pillar of the bridge? That was put there by those floods I mentioned a while back. Thats a road bridge by the way, and that log is probably about 8-10 foot long. but I'm no good at judging dimensions. Gives you some idea of the depth and force of the water in this river at times. I can't wait til all this snow melts, and it does this AGAIN.
then I became obsessed with seed pods and frosty Cow parsley:
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
my head is spinning...
Over the last week I've thought of the content for at least 4 different posts, but written none of them. I have so much going on in my head that I can't actually focus on one subject. I've found myself standing in work with my hands on my hips, completely forgetting what I was doing because my mind has moved on about 5 times since I started thinking. So please, lovely people, bear with me. I have so much I want to tell you and show you, both wedding related and not, but right now, I want to get into my comfy pj's, even comfier slippers, curl up under a blanket, and read. x
Friday, 18 December 2009
...and merry Christmas.
This idea came to me a couple of days ago, and little and insignificant as it is, I've decided to roll with it. As you may have guessed by now, I love Christmas, I love everything about it. I really believe that it can be a magical time of year for any age (I'm 25, and I was still skipping around at work today to carols).
I also love all the interaction that happens here in the blogging world, its such a great community. I've already enjoyed Micaelas ornament exchange immensely, and loved all your efforts at spreading Christmas joy so, I thought I'd start a little 'tag' of my own - for whoever wants to join in, in the spirit of Christmas, about Christmas. I'm going to write about my favourite memories, feelings and traditions to do with Christmas, and then pass it on to all of you, my little band of readers, friends. Whoever wants to write their own thoughts out, go for it, just comment back here to this post so others can read yours too. What do you think? Anyway, if nothing else, you get a bit of an insight into my weird and wonderful Christmas traditions...
Christmas for me, is the ultimate sensory experience. There are so many colours and decorations to see, food, wine, pine trees to taste or smell, crackling warm fires, carols and music to listen to, and presents to rattle and unwrap. My mum makes Christmas pudding to my great Granny's recipe, and its absolutely beautiful. Every year Dad and I force mum into making far too many puddings and mince pies, we're only a small family, but somehow we eat them all! (my dad and I have BIG bellies.)My parents and I would decorate the tree together listening and singing to carols, hanging glass icicles alongside felt Santa's and trees I made as a child.
When I was little, my grandpa would always come for Christmas. on Christmas day, I would sit in the middle of the room and hand out presents to all three of them, and get one for myself. We'd open them together and then start again. My dad keeps a clipboard by him even now, on which he makes a list of who-got-what-from-who, so that we don't forget who to write thank you notes to. He also insists on a box put in the middle of the floor, for us all to throw our wrapping paper into, and then he misses every time.
This year, my parents have moved up north, which means that they now live much closer to me. It also means that they live closer to my great aunt, who is going to come to my parents for Christmas. My aunt has now all but lost her sight, but when she could see, she was a wonderful embroiderer. She not only made me my advent calendar, but also the stocking my mum still fills for me every year. This year, in a nice role reversal, I am making my aunt a stocking, along with new ones for my parents (because the old ones were too small to fit anything in!)
Also due to my parents move, this is the first year since I was born that I won't sing any carols in my village church where i grew up, and my Dad ran the village choir. This is the one thing I am really missing this year. I adore singing, even though I'm not amazingly good, there's nothing like the feeling I got of singing with the group of people who have known me all my life, and sadly I'll probably never have that again, although I would like to join another choir one day. This was a massive part of Christmas for me, walking to church with mum over frosty crunchy grass, singing our hearts out to candlelight, wishing my oldest friend a happy Christmas as the clock struck midnight during the midnight mass, and mince pies after before bed.
The other tradition I'm missing is wrapping day. That same friend and I would save our presents until we had bought them all, then get together, shut my parents out of the living room and wrap all our presents on the floor together, watching the sound of music, and singing along to every word. We now live too far apart to make this in any way practical so I think this year, I need a different friend, an different film , and the start of a new tradition for Christmas!
I also love buying presents. I've nothing against handmade presents, in fact I'm all for them, and as you may know, I'm doing a few myself, but I also love choosing that perfect gift for someone. This year, I've bought a copy of a book about one of my parents favourite wildlife artists who also knew my Grandpa well, and I wrote to him and asked if he would sign it for my parents. He was absolutely charming about the idea, calling me literally as soon as my letter hit his doormat, and now I can't wait to give the book to my parents. We've had an old map of the lakes framed for James dad, who is awful to buy for. Not only does he literally want for nothing, he almost pushes things away again! I've still got some presents to make, I want to make my aunt some padded coathangers if i can, perhaps with a scented heart to hang with them, and I've yet to finish the cupcake pincushion for the SIL's sewing kit!
Do you have any thoughts on Christmas that you'd like to share? so many of you are far better writers than me, I'd love to hear your traditions and memories. just write your own post, about whatever you like, and then either email me or comment on this post so we can all read about your Christmas too.
(eeep I'm a little bit nervous, please be nice!)
I also love all the interaction that happens here in the blogging world, its such a great community. I've already enjoyed Micaelas ornament exchange immensely, and loved all your efforts at spreading Christmas joy so, I thought I'd start a little 'tag' of my own - for whoever wants to join in, in the spirit of Christmas, about Christmas. I'm going to write about my favourite memories, feelings and traditions to do with Christmas, and then pass it on to all of you, my little band of readers, friends. Whoever wants to write their own thoughts out, go for it, just comment back here to this post so others can read yours too. What do you think? Anyway, if nothing else, you get a bit of an insight into my weird and wonderful Christmas traditions...
Christmas for me, is the ultimate sensory experience. There are so many colours and decorations to see, food, wine, pine trees to taste or smell, crackling warm fires, carols and music to listen to, and presents to rattle and unwrap. My mum makes Christmas pudding to my great Granny's recipe, and its absolutely beautiful. Every year Dad and I force mum into making far too many puddings and mince pies, we're only a small family, but somehow we eat them all! (my dad and I have BIG bellies.)My parents and I would decorate the tree together listening and singing to carols, hanging glass icicles alongside felt Santa's and trees I made as a child.
When I was little, my grandpa would always come for Christmas. on Christmas day, I would sit in the middle of the room and hand out presents to all three of them, and get one for myself. We'd open them together and then start again. My dad keeps a clipboard by him even now, on which he makes a list of who-got-what-from-who, so that we don't forget who to write thank you notes to. He also insists on a box put in the middle of the floor, for us all to throw our wrapping paper into, and then he misses every time.
This year, my parents have moved up north, which means that they now live much closer to me. It also means that they live closer to my great aunt, who is going to come to my parents for Christmas. My aunt has now all but lost her sight, but when she could see, she was a wonderful embroiderer. She not only made me my advent calendar, but also the stocking my mum still fills for me every year. This year, in a nice role reversal, I am making my aunt a stocking, along with new ones for my parents (because the old ones were too small to fit anything in!)
Also due to my parents move, this is the first year since I was born that I won't sing any carols in my village church where i grew up, and my Dad ran the village choir. This is the one thing I am really missing this year. I adore singing, even though I'm not amazingly good, there's nothing like the feeling I got of singing with the group of people who have known me all my life, and sadly I'll probably never have that again, although I would like to join another choir one day. This was a massive part of Christmas for me, walking to church with mum over frosty crunchy grass, singing our hearts out to candlelight, wishing my oldest friend a happy Christmas as the clock struck midnight during the midnight mass, and mince pies after before bed.
The other tradition I'm missing is wrapping day. That same friend and I would save our presents until we had bought them all, then get together, shut my parents out of the living room and wrap all our presents on the floor together, watching the sound of music, and singing along to every word. We now live too far apart to make this in any way practical so I think this year, I need a different friend, an different film , and the start of a new tradition for Christmas!
I also love buying presents. I've nothing against handmade presents, in fact I'm all for them, and as you may know, I'm doing a few myself, but I also love choosing that perfect gift for someone. This year, I've bought a copy of a book about one of my parents favourite wildlife artists who also knew my Grandpa well, and I wrote to him and asked if he would sign it for my parents. He was absolutely charming about the idea, calling me literally as soon as my letter hit his doormat, and now I can't wait to give the book to my parents. We've had an old map of the lakes framed for James dad, who is awful to buy for. Not only does he literally want for nothing, he almost pushes things away again! I've still got some presents to make, I want to make my aunt some padded coathangers if i can, perhaps with a scented heart to hang with them, and I've yet to finish the cupcake pincushion for the SIL's sewing kit!
Do you have any thoughts on Christmas that you'd like to share? so many of you are far better writers than me, I'd love to hear your traditions and memories. just write your own post, about whatever you like, and then either email me or comment on this post so we can all read about your Christmas too.
(eeep I'm a little bit nervous, please be nice!)
Friday, 27 November 2009
on marriage.
' I was thinking about my wife June and I, how we share everything. When we're cut we both bleed. When one of us is hit we both hurt. When you're married, you're one. Ane whether its a soulmate marriage, or a holy matrimony marriage in a church, its all the same you know. If you're bonded to someone you love then you pull together as one.'
Johny Cash, on his marriage to June Carter Cash.
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
it never rains but it pours...
I've been given this lovely award by Fay of Dreaming of an aga
I get to answer all these quickfire questions about myself, and then pass it on to other people that I'd like to find out more about. Here goes...1. Your hair: annoys me, I have a cow lick right where a big chunky side fringe should sit.
2. Where is your cell phone : in my pocket. always.
3. Your father: is hyperactive, and a perpetual child. also very practical.
4. Your mother: is tired from moving.
5. Your favorite food: oooh too difficult to pick one. I'm a sucker for a good pudding though...
6. Your dream from last night: don't think I had one.
7. Your favorite drink: orange juice.not squash, juice.
8. Your dream/goal: to make money from selling my textiles. actually, my dream right now should be to actually start making those textiles. one thing at a time!
9. What room are you in: the living room.
10. What is your hobby: ummm, not sure? my weaving isn't really a hobby...maybe currently, its making pompoms?!
11. What is your fear: I have a perpetual fear of falling down stairs, or tripping up in the street. apart from that, losing someone I love, including the cats, or the fear that I'll never do anything with my damned degree!
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years: ummmm, married, hopefully have a child, or two ;) and at least the start of a business?
13. Where were you last night: at home, homemade pizza for dinner, and James listening to David Gray on repeat while I did christmas shopping online.
14. Something you are not: standing up for myself. I will argue a point in my head, but I go to pieces in person.
15. Muffins: are nice...
16. Wish list items: currently, navy blue tights that fit me, more dresses, a house elf to sort the bedroom, and a 25th hour in the day.
17. Where did you grow up: Helpston. near Peterborough.
18. Last thing you did: went to a farm shop just out of town, because theres a quilting shop there. spent a bit much on fabric I have no need of.
What are you wearing: teal stripe jumper and my howies jeans.
19. Your TV: Spooks :), bbc breakfast, and most things on Dave.
20. Your pets: 2 cats. Benny (named after the pope - don't ask - all black, clumsy but elegant), and Louis (we just liked the name, I pretend its de Bernieres, black with white paws and bib, small, disobedient and stupid)
2. Where is your cell phone : in my pocket. always.
3. Your father: is hyperactive, and a perpetual child. also very practical.
4. Your mother: is tired from moving.
5. Your favorite food: oooh too difficult to pick one. I'm a sucker for a good pudding though...
6. Your dream from last night: don't think I had one.
7. Your favorite drink: orange juice.not squash, juice.
8. Your dream/goal: to make money from selling my textiles. actually, my dream right now should be to actually start making those textiles. one thing at a time!
9. What room are you in: the living room.
10. What is your hobby: ummm, not sure? my weaving isn't really a hobby...maybe currently, its making pompoms?!
11. What is your fear: I have a perpetual fear of falling down stairs, or tripping up in the street. apart from that, losing someone I love, including the cats, or the fear that I'll never do anything with my damned degree!
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years: ummmm, married, hopefully have a child, or two ;) and at least the start of a business?
13. Where were you last night: at home, homemade pizza for dinner, and James listening to David Gray on repeat while I did christmas shopping online.
14. Something you are not: standing up for myself. I will argue a point in my head, but I go to pieces in person.
15. Muffins: are nice...
16. Wish list items: currently, navy blue tights that fit me, more dresses, a house elf to sort the bedroom, and a 25th hour in the day.
17. Where did you grow up: Helpston. near Peterborough.
18. Last thing you did: went to a farm shop just out of town, because theres a quilting shop there. spent a bit much on fabric I have no need of.
What are you wearing: teal stripe jumper and my howies jeans.
19. Your TV: Spooks :), bbc breakfast, and most things on Dave.
20. Your pets: 2 cats. Benny (named after the pope - don't ask - all black, clumsy but elegant), and Louis (we just liked the name, I pretend its de Bernieres, black with white paws and bib, small, disobedient and stupid)
21. Your friends: are few but lovely. I know many many people, but theres only a couple I'd turn to for comfort.
22. Your life: is quite good really. seems all mapped out at the moment, which I don't mind, I like plans and lists.
23. Your mood:meh. I should be less meh, and more yay, I'm just not always good at being on my own.
24. Missing someone: my Grandpa, I wish he could have seen me through college and to get married. but I think he's watching still.
25. Vehicle: a hyundai atoz, the ones that look like postman pat vans. in fact I should sit louis on the parcel shelf and wear a blue cap. Its moved my house for me twice, without aid of a van, and gets me from A-B no problem, so I can't complain.
26. Something you're not wearing: earrings. it makes me feel underdressed not to have jewellery on, I'l have to go find some.
27. Your favorite store: for what?! I'm loving M&S at the mo, but I don't think their homewares are that great shakes. I love accessorize, I wear mostly Laura ashley because I get clothes for uniform (yes, I work there), I get my veg from the market, my meat from the butchers, my food from morrisons but I can't wait for the sainsburys to open, and I like independant shops for gifts and originality.
28. Your favorite color: oooh toughie. I'm wearing a lot of purple at the moment, but I love teal too. jewel shades really.
29. When's the last time you laughed: I think it was at bill bailey on bbc breakfast.
30. When's the last time you cried: I cry too much, but probably the last time was the night before my parents moved, when I realised Helpston wasn't home anymore.
31. Your best friend: is lovely :)
32. One place you go over and over: home, carlisle home. ma-in-laws house, because its about 2 minutes away, and the vets!
33. One person who emails me regularly: amazon!
22. Your life: is quite good really. seems all mapped out at the moment, which I don't mind, I like plans and lists.
23. Your mood:meh. I should be less meh, and more yay, I'm just not always good at being on my own.
24. Missing someone: my Grandpa, I wish he could have seen me through college and to get married. but I think he's watching still.
25. Vehicle: a hyundai atoz, the ones that look like postman pat vans. in fact I should sit louis on the parcel shelf and wear a blue cap. Its moved my house for me twice, without aid of a van, and gets me from A-B no problem, so I can't complain.
26. Something you're not wearing: earrings. it makes me feel underdressed not to have jewellery on, I'l have to go find some.
27. Your favorite store: for what?! I'm loving M&S at the mo, but I don't think their homewares are that great shakes. I love accessorize, I wear mostly Laura ashley because I get clothes for uniform (yes, I work there), I get my veg from the market, my meat from the butchers, my food from morrisons but I can't wait for the sainsburys to open, and I like independant shops for gifts and originality.
28. Your favorite color: oooh toughie. I'm wearing a lot of purple at the moment, but I love teal too. jewel shades really.
29. When's the last time you laughed: I think it was at bill bailey on bbc breakfast.
30. When's the last time you cried: I cry too much, but probably the last time was the night before my parents moved, when I realised Helpston wasn't home anymore.
31. Your best friend: is lovely :)
32. One place you go over and over: home, carlisle home. ma-in-laws house, because its about 2 minutes away, and the vets!
33. One person who emails me regularly: amazon!
34. Favorite place to eat: casa romana in town. its not amazing, but its familiar and cheap.
and I also got given this brilliant award from Kristy at I'm gonna marry you someday
Its from Brazil, and means your blog is super cute. which is just too sweet.
so Ill just pass this double bundle on to a few supercute people who I want to know more about!
I'd have passed it onto more of you but you all seem to have just had it! you know I think you're all super cute! anyway, enjoy...
Saturday, 7 November 2009
remember, remember...
We stood at the top of our hill this evening watching the citys bonfire and fireworks display down in the park. I only took the rubbish camera with me, so the photos aren't great. I wish I were a decent photographer.
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Sugar award
Hello all, again I'm sorry that I've not been here much recently, there's a lot of changes going on at work, and wedding wise all is quiet (mainly because I'm avoiding facing the things that I really need to sort at the moment, but hopefully I will soon). I've still been here, reading your blogs and posting about irrelevant things like pompoms (I'm up to 16 by the way). In the meantime though, Buhdoop gave me this award, which always makes me feel better of a morning! (Thank you Buhdoop) so I have to pass it onto ten other bloggers, and tell you ten things about myself :).
I'm going to try and pass this onto some of the newer blogs I've been enjoying, so...
Blushingjoy
Cowdy Calling
For the easily distracted
I'm gonna marry you someday
My spare thoughts
Under lock and Key
pepper stitches
Conversation pieces
Colour + Sound
I will make do and mend
phew! enjoy, all of you! you get to pass it onto 10 others, and post ten things about yourselves too.
And now for my ten things...
1)I love love love Christmas. hence why I'm spending my evenings making pompoms to drape across my fireplace come December. I find Christmas window displays quite inspiring, I really want some of the gigantic purple baubles in the NEXT Christmas windows to hang over my stairs. I could go on.
2)I love coffee, but don't get tea at all. I'm sorry, it tastes like dirty water. Don't hate me.
3)I'm just starting to like fish. I think it was the bones, and I don't like smoked flavours, but I've come round to salmon now, and fish pie/cakes. in fact, I'm starting to crave the stuff!
4)I'm just starting to learn how to wear heels. not big ones, but James bought me some lovely small-heel-tan-leather-mary-janes that I wanted recently, I'm training my feet by wearing them at work for increasing periods at work.
5)I collect images and samples of things I love in interiors/home decoration. We are moving next year (more on this to come but its a tricky subject to write about) so I keep images of things that I like and put them in a sketchbook so I don't forget what I like!
6)I'm really loving this blogging lark, everyone I've 'met' virtually on here has been wonderfully supportive and really inspire me. Thank you to everyone who comments on here, I love reading your reactions and opinions, and most of all your own blogs!
7)I would love to be able to knit, I know how to do the stitches, but I can't ever cast on neatly, and I have a tendency to forget my pattern of stitches halfway through so I end up pulling it all apart.
8)I'd also love to learn upholstery. That would be an amazing skill.
9)I'm really superdooper excited because I literally just a moment ago saw an advert for Spooks starting tomorrow on BBC! so so so excited!
10)Florence and the machine is permanently on my ipod at the moment. I really really love them, and I don't care who knows it :) I know some of the songs have slightly morbid ideas, but I don't care. I find her voice, and the music really uplifting. You can see me grinning my way across the bridge in Carlisle nearly every day because of Florence. that is, if any of you were mad enough to come here.
That was harder than I thought! over to you lot now...
I'm going to try and pass this onto some of the newer blogs I've been enjoying, so...
Blushingjoy
Cowdy Calling
For the easily distracted
I'm gonna marry you someday
My spare thoughts
Under lock and Key
pepper stitches
Conversation pieces
Colour + Sound
I will make do and mend
phew! enjoy, all of you! you get to pass it onto 10 others, and post ten things about yourselves too.
And now for my ten things...
1)I love love love Christmas. hence why I'm spending my evenings making pompoms to drape across my fireplace come December. I find Christmas window displays quite inspiring, I really want some of the gigantic purple baubles in the NEXT Christmas windows to hang over my stairs. I could go on.
2)I love coffee, but don't get tea at all. I'm sorry, it tastes like dirty water. Don't hate me.
3)I'm just starting to like fish. I think it was the bones, and I don't like smoked flavours, but I've come round to salmon now, and fish pie/cakes. in fact, I'm starting to crave the stuff!
4)I'm just starting to learn how to wear heels. not big ones, but James bought me some lovely small-heel-tan-leather-mary-janes that I wanted recently, I'm training my feet by wearing them at work for increasing periods at work.
5)I collect images and samples of things I love in interiors/home decoration. We are moving next year (more on this to come but its a tricky subject to write about) so I keep images of things that I like and put them in a sketchbook so I don't forget what I like!
6)I'm really loving this blogging lark, everyone I've 'met' virtually on here has been wonderfully supportive and really inspire me. Thank you to everyone who comments on here, I love reading your reactions and opinions, and most of all your own blogs!
7)I would love to be able to knit, I know how to do the stitches, but I can't ever cast on neatly, and I have a tendency to forget my pattern of stitches halfway through so I end up pulling it all apart.
8)I'd also love to learn upholstery. That would be an amazing skill.
9)I'm really superdooper excited because I literally just a moment ago saw an advert for Spooks starting tomorrow on BBC! so so so excited!
10)Florence and the machine is permanently on my ipod at the moment. I really really love them, and I don't care who knows it :) I know some of the songs have slightly morbid ideas, but I don't care. I find her voice, and the music really uplifting. You can see me grinning my way across the bridge in Carlisle nearly every day because of Florence. that is, if any of you were mad enough to come here.
That was harder than I thought! over to you lot now...
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