Ooooo Festive Post and the Lurgy!!!!

Oh I'm sure you're bored with reading that we're ill, I'm bored with it too. We've now all got Twiglets flipping chest infection, there's a lot to be said for home schooling. (Check out the sunset we photographed on Wednesday, photo doesn't really do it justice).
Not really done much on the crafting front due to feeling grotty, but have watched a lot of evening tv instead. I'm enjoying The Devils Whore on Channel 4, I do like John Simm, anyhoo I digress......
I have many pretty festive piccys to show you, so here goes.
A few cards I've made for my MIL, she's keeping me in crafting stash at the moment with all her orders, Gawd bless her.I sent off my festive PIF to Moogsmum, Pretty Shabby & Jan @ Daylily Lane (note to self, tell Jan not to read my blog, in case parcel hasn't arrived yet!)

Hand sewn Christmas decs, mulled wine spices and Green & blacks choccy, Christmas in a parcel!Here is my swap that I made for lovely Jennie at Falling Down the Rabbit Hole for Indigo Blues Christmas Decoration Swap - you'll notice I don't do understated!

I dragged my weary self down to the post office to collect a parcel today - in the rain, I hasten to add for extra pathos! So glad I did as it was my swap parcel from Jennie, what a load of loveliness. Not only 3 gorgeous trinkets for my tree including a darling little puppy - how did Jennie know I write puppy on my Christmas list EVERY year and Mr Twigs says erm, no chance!!But ALSO a totally fantastic, gorgeous mucky bunny for Twiglet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Isn't he splendid? Twiglet has decided to call him Humfer ! He also got very excited about the bags of sweeties in the parcel and the cardboard box it all came in to be honest, but that's 3 year olds for you. Jennie you are a lovely lady but I already knew that anyway. Many thanks from both of us.

I have a confession to make I always buy pressies for people I REALLY like and then want to keep them, exhibit 1, birthday gift for my MIL from Silver of the Valley. These are make from a silver cast of a honeysuckle blossom and I WANT them!!!!!!!!! Aren't they beautiful.

I think I'm going to buy some for me and tell Mr Twigs he's bought them for me for Christmas!And finally, I've been spending my Christmas card earnings in the fab-u-lous (said like Craig Revel Horwood) sale at Artymiss, check out my stash it only cost me £8.88!!!! the quality is so fab, I went back and ordered another load of stuff, but that's for next time.

Keep warm, keep well

love

Twiggyx

Halcyon Wintry Days

It has been a lovely day here today so we got wrapped up warm and went for a walk in some local woods, they really are beautiful Mr Twigs has discovered loads of local walks around that area so we will definitely return. I LOVE Wintery Sunday afternoon walks.
I had my hair cut yesterday, can you tell :)
Who would have thought there were snakes in West Yorkshire woods, we were surprised.
Well it turned out poor old Twiglet has got a chest infection so the very lovely doctor gave him a I am a star sticker and a bottle of medicine and although he is still poorly at least he is sleeping through at night again. He had to miss the fancy dress day at nursery on Friday, so wore his cowboy costume at home and made biscuits with Grandma while I was at work. Very tasty they were too (that's why half the plate disappeared before we took a photo)Mr Twigs deserves a mention, here is the Ivor the Engine he and Twiglet made. Not only that he's made potato and pancetta (we didn't have any bacon before you accuse us of being poncey:) soup for tea AND homemade bread to go with it, what a star!I spent a bit of time clearing out my greenhouse this afternoon, a sure sign Winter is here, it doesn't seem two minutes since we were checking for ripe tomatoes on a daily basis. I've made all my November and December ATCs for Papercrafters this weekend. Have just finished a few bits and bobs off that I can't show you yet, including my Christmas Decoration Swap for Jennie, hope you like it Jennie.
I'm currently making a pompom snowman for Twiglet and might get my knitting needles out and have a go at some Christmas jiffyknits from here.http://www.amazon.co.uk/Greenhowes-Jiffyknits-Exciting-Garter-Stitch/dp/B0010YRLB6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226855318&sr=1-1 my knitting skills are rubbish so no laughing ok?

I'm VERY excited as we booked tickets for us to go on the Santa Express in December, today, steam trains, Father Christmas and sherry - woohoo!!!!

We're also hoping to have Bonfire Night on Thursday - 3rd attempt due to illness, so keep your fingers crossed.

Righto off to scoff my lovely tea now.

If you're one of the millions suffering from colds/coughs/lurgy hope you're soon feeling better.

Have a great week.

Twiggy x

PS Have just popped my brooches in my Etsy shop.

Staying in is the new going out !!!

Well that's what we told ourselves last week, both of us were off work sick but we're ok now apart from wee Twiglet, one boy germ factory, he has a doctors appointment on Thursday morning for his old mans cough. Had to laugh, when I rang surgery to make an appointment for him they couldn't see him until Thursday as 3 of the doctors are off sick!

Anyhoo, he loved having us both at home and to be honest although we felt grotty it was nice to be at home with no visitors or real life stuff to deal with - we declared ourselves a germ zone, and huddled under blankets watching telly and mooching about, it was just like being on holiday but with lots of medicine :)

We (well me really) like to get in the Christmas groove nice and early so this weekend we got cosy on the sofa under Twiglets Ducky blanket and watched our top Christmas films (well apart from Scrooge - too scarey for Twiglets and Miracle on 34th Street of course). The Snowman, Father Christmas, Muppet Christmas Carol (yay!), Elmo Saves Christmas and It's a Wonderful Life, tip top!!!

I kept my fingers a bit busy whilst film viewing. Here are a few brooches I've made, which will go in either my Etsy or Folksy shop soon..........

A few ATCs for the November Papercraftersunited swap.And a sneaky peek at a WIP, I'm saying no more.................These are a joint effort made my Twiglet and me for Nana and Grandma.
Today we did a bit of baking after nursery and started to make cheese straws that ended up being cheese Thomas the Tank Engines and friends!!

Met a lovely lady at the weekend through Freecycle who has very kindly given me her old jam making pan, so I can make big batches of chilli jam and chutney now, hooray!! beats having to halve all recipes and very slowly stir contents in a casserole. We also exchanged jars of chutney and recipes :) I've just parted with one of Twiglets baby gates this evening - sigh. I couldn't resist giving it away to a very nice man called Dickie who needed it for when his grandaughter stays over, isn't Freecycle excellent?

Also, sorted out Twiglets outfit for ~Friday he's going to be a cowboy!!! yee haw !!!

Bought him a very fetching sheriffs hat, if I didn't have such a big head I'd steal it. I will provide photographic evidence of his cuteness after Friday !!!

Righto that's me for now, stay cosy and if it's as windy and wet where you are as it is up here. Stay wrapped up and inside the house.

love

Twiggy x

Armistice Day - 90 Years On.

Today we commemorated the 90th anniversary of the end of WW1. I was at home around 11am so watched the ceremony at the Cenotaph and as ever found it deeply moving. Particularly (like no doubt many others) the three old soldiers who were laying wreaths who had fought in the first World War (one of them had actually fought in both wars). http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7720601.stm

I know many people who had loved ones who were involved in the two World Wars and several who had relatives who sadly, never came home. My Mum had several cousins and uncles who died for their country. It makes it even more poignant now that I have a son as my Mums cousins were boys really, 19 and 20, no age at all.

Anyhow, we used to attend Remembrance services with my dear Dad every year as he was in the RAF for a time and later in life became a member of the Royal British Legion, where he had some fun times with his old mates :) I'll have to do a post about their fundraising books that helped to build a local war memorial sometime. Here is a poem that was always read at the services and one that I personally find extremely moving and evokes memories of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, those who are doing the very same thing today and finally my dear old Dad.

The Soldier (War Sonnets No. 5)

If I should die, think only this of me:
That there's some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever England. There shall be
In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;
A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
Gave, once her flowers to love, her ways to roam,
A body of England's, breathing English air,
Washed by the rivers, blessed by the suns of home.
And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts a peace, under an English heaven.
Rupert Brooke (1887-1915)

Get your thinking caps on please!!!

Just received an email from Twiglets nursery, saying the children can go in fancy dress on Friday to celebrate Children in Need. Any ideas/thoughts will be gratefully received.
Cheers
Twiggy x
PS I might just pop to Asda tomorrow :)

I Like Your Trousers..........

Not much to report from Twiggy Towers this week, we're all still suffering from coughs, colds, upset tums and general lurgi, so I've had little enthusiasm for anything other than laying on the sofa watching tv and reading books - shameful I know. We eat pretty well and I'm now taking Vitamin C, Echinacea and wee Twiglet is on the Halib orange so fingers crossed we'll be on the mend soon.

Last week we had Halloween, Bonfire Night and Christmas all rolled into one. We started with cute pumpkin carved by Nana (apologies forgot to take photos - oops). We were going to go to a big firework display but Twiglet was ill so we bundled him up in pyjamas and ducky blanket and we all drove up to Castle Hill to watch the fireworks from up there. It looked great and was very cosy. Here are a few of Mr Twigs very arty photos.

The next day Twiglet, Grandma and I cosied up on the sofa and watched Raymond Briggs The Snowman - this still makes me cry and the little boy looks like Mr Twigs when he was a little boy - sigh and Father Christmas - brilliant way to spend a germy afternoon.

I've got a commission for more cards, my MIL and her friends are keeping me busy hurrah!

Here are some fab trousers I made for Twiglet last week, I love this Ikea fabric and have a roll of the same print in green so watch this space.Twiglet is most taken with his new strides :)

I've also done a little bit of sewing which I'll show you at a later date, will probably be used for Christmas themed stuff for my Etsy shop.

It was Mr Twigs birthday last week so Twiglet and I made the obligatory birthday cards, I think Twiglets is fab - apologies for mine being sideways and choccy birthday cake.

One of my cards won a prize in the Papercrafters Little Haven Charity competition which I was very surprised and pleased about. Most importantly a lot of money is being raised for a fantastic cause.

Talking of fantastic causes, have all you UK lovelies bought a poppy for the British Legion Poppy Appeal?http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/

If anyone needs to be reminded what a fantastic charity this is then watch some of the Armistice season on BBC television. I watched a really moving programme about a wonderful chap called Harry Patch who is 110 and fought in World War 1. Here's a link if you missed it, what an inspirational man. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0074t0t

Oooo it's been very murky up here today, we're so high up we spent the day in low cloud, so very drizzly and extremely dark.

I'll leave you with some photos from our jaunt out with friends yesterday to Cannon Halll Open Farm. Fresh air, exercise, piglets and cake, what more could a girl want,

Righto off to have a Lemsip now and looking forward to watching Spooks later - taped it last night, phwoar Richard Armitage. By the way I have realised that my failing health is probably related to the fact that David Tennant is stepping down from Dr Who, I will have to get my jollies elsewhere, now then where is that Spooks recording???????????

Have a good week.

love Twiggy x