What a difference a week makes, an award and a tag!!!

Well I must say I'm glad the last week is over with. Twiglet is on the mend, I've got most of my work commitments out of the way and can start to plan for our hols at the end of June. We've spent a lovely day at Grandma Twiggys today, I've been dozing in her lovely summerhouse while she played with Twiglet all day. She has spent 5 days out of the last 7 at our house helping out. Aren't mums brilliant? As ever, this will be a mammoth post. I've not had time to update over the last week (Above is a local wind farm, we took Twiglet up there on Friday night as he was spotty and a bit stir crazy after being under house arrest).

Here goes...........................

This is a little something that I've made for Twiglet as he is being a very good boy while he's ill. Don't know if you can read it, but it reads, little ray of sunshine :) haven't decided what to make with it yet.Here's a lovely load of stash that I won recently in the Papercrafteruniteds lucky numbers drawer, I in turn sent the next parcel of goodies onto Angie. It's a bit like a PIF and lots of fun.This is a card I made for our Papercraftersunited challenge card kit.

Look at this little lot, as you can see Twiglet had lots of fun playing dress up in this mountain of fabric that I was lucky enough to win on Freecycle (please don't look at my disgraceful carpet!). Blimey it will keep me going for ages. There is far too much to photograph, but I'll do my best at a later date. I've also won some soft toy patterns which I'm going to collect this weekend - yay !!! As Frank Carson used to say, (do any of you remember him?) and there's more.......A mystery benefactor from the Crafts Beautiful forum has sent me this totally lovely and unexpected package. A fabulous pack of stained glass paints, I'm so giddy, I've always wanted to have a go at this and it really made my day. Step forward you lovely person so I can thank you by name. How kind is that???

As you may have realised I was on a bit of a downer last week for several reasons I posted about and a few more that that I won't go into here, but things are looking brighter this week and I'm feeling like my usual self now, but I would like to say thank you so very much for all your lovely supportive comments they really mean a lot to me (Ohhh I'm filling up, group hug everyone:)I'm Cross Stitch Crazy at the moment and made this little thing at the weekend, I really like it and it just sums everything up for me and I'm sure for many of you too.

I've won an award from the lovely Daisie at Daisie Days (see my favourite blogs for details - I'm so lazy). Daisie said -You make me laugh, give me inspiration and an alternative look at life that I really love.Well right back at you lady, and I'd like to pass the award on to a few people that really make me smile, even when I'm sure I don't want to :) - all details in my favourites list, they are:-

Anglesey Allsorts

Daylily Lane

Falling Down the Rabbit Hole

Home is Where the Heart Is

Ok, now I'm a tagee (have I made this word up? probably) I've been tagged by Juicy Fig - wahey, go take a look at Figgys blog, from Twiggy to Figgy ! it's lovely and has photos of naked men on a beach on it - honest !!!

Here goes...........................

1) What was I doing 10 years age...
Well I spent most of my 20s in a drunken haze - blimey I'm making up for that now, I'm practically tee total anyhoo, erm, had just resigned from a job as a marketing manager for a really pants company and was finishing off my OU degree.

2) what are 5 things on my to-do list today?
Well as it's the evening now I'm going to ................

1. Package up some goodies for a certain someone, shhhhhhh

2. Paint my toenails - is that too much information?

3. Finish off a cross stitch card

4. Iron some sensible work type clothes for college tomorrow afternoon

5. Watch the young upstarts on The Apprentice get slaughtered in the interview round - I REALLY shouldn't get so much pleasure out of it.

3) Snacks I enjoy
chocolate, chocolate, chocolate
blueberries
toast and marmalade

4) things I would do if I were a billionaire
Pay off my mortgage and criminally large debts
sort out family & friends financially
go and live in a beautiful farmhouse near the sea in South West Cork
buy a book cum craft cum fabric shop that also sells lovely cakes with a built on garden centre.
buy a night of passion with David Tennant - only joking -mutter, mutter, probably can't afford him anyway :(
Only do the work I want to do and not what I have to do.

Restore historic crumbling buildings then give them to the nation and pay for their upkeep.

Ensure that every single child had a happy secure, upbringing, felt loved and protected and important - now I may need a magic wand for this one, but this would be where I'd invest my charitable donation.

5) places I have lived
Erm, 2 villages and a city in West Yorkshire, yes boring I know!

6) bloggers I would like to know more about...
Has everyone done this now? well if not, then :-
Daylily Lane (I'm keeping you on your toes lady:)

Solstice Dreamer

Lizzie Jane

Phew, I need a rest now, bet you do too. Don't forget to watch The Apprentice and catch you later.............................

Oh woe is me............

I thought I better blog this evening. Now I usually avoid moaning on my blog (yeah, yeah, since when, I hear you say :) but today I'm going to, so bear with me.

On Friday I was driving to the train station as Twiglet and I were going to catch a train for a treat - you know he's train obsessed). Anyhoo, some dingbat woman drove into the side of my car, thankfully no one was hurt, the car paintwork has been damaged but that's it really. We exchanged details (she admitted it was her fault, I agreed) and I reckoned we still had time to catch the train.

Got to the station, ran to the platform, down the subway, etc etc. Hooray, train was there, guard saw us coming, closed the doors and mouthed sorry!!!!!!!! Twiglet was absolutely devastated and crying his eyes out. I was not impressed, lodged a complaint, upshot is, apology from Northern Rail, dressing down for guard, complimentary train tickets for Twiggy - hurrah!!! justice for Twiglet.

As you know (have I mentioned it before- lol) I was working all weekend and now we all have a stomach bug and spent most of today playing with Twiglet (we now have moon sand and glitter all over the carpet :)- yay or speaking to the insurance company - boo or the tax office - double boo!!!! So that's me, grumpy. Thanks for reading, I will now shift up a gear into entertaining mode - hopefully :)

The poppy at the top of the page, is my first one of the year, isn't it gorgeous and above is a photo of my Clematis, which is sooo pretty.

Look who I found in one of our local charity shops a very French looking Miss Miffy, I am a big Miffy fan and was very excited, she only cost me 40p!!! Twiglet wanted her, but my need was greater, so I bribed him with a Union Jack mini-which is pretty cool.

Isn't this beautiful ? It's actually a pillow case, but I think I'm going to make it into a bag, it cost me 50p!!! The work that has gone into it is tremendous, and it's going to be another treasured item.Although I am v.busy with work at the moment. I've managed to do a bit of crafting, here are my ATC swaps for the Papercraftersunited vintage swap. As I'm always mentioning :) I LOVE vintage, so really enjoyed making these.Finally, it was pretty quiet at work over the weekend, so I got some cross stitch done, this is just one of them, I'm pleased with the result and it will be winging it's way to a certain someone in the next few weeks............................

Righto, off to watch The Apprentice now - ohhh it does make me giggle. I used to work in sales (still do, I suppose) but all the slimey Erics that I've met in the past seem to resurface on this programme it's priceless. Have a terrific week......................... PS Have just discovered Twiglet has chicken pox, oh my better buy some calamine lotion !!!

RAKs, Swaps, All Manner of Loveliness.........

In true Twiggy fashion, I have much to tell as I've been a very lucky girl over the last week or so. Firstly, can I just say thank you for all the lovely comments that you left on Twiglets birthday post. But hey enough chat and here goes........

We had a great day out for Twiglets birthday on Monday following a party at Grandmas house on Sunday. (Must mention here how brave our boy was on Sunday. His daddy was putting Twiglets bike in the car boot and little Twiglet put out his hand to grab his bike, anyhoo, little poppet got his hand trapped :( so we had to visit A & E on Sunday night on our way home. Thankfully his hand was ok, and he was telling the nurses it was his birthday tomorrow and he had a Thomas cake - bless. He's fully recovered now). We visited Scarborough and went on the North Bay Railway which was great, Twiglet loved it. Also spent quite a bit of time in the lovely Manor Park Gardens where Twiglet rode his little bike. Had to visit the beach too, and call in at Bridlington on the way home for fish and chips, the weather was lovely and a grand day out was had by all !!! Here's a photo I took of Sunny Scarborough showing the beach and castle...............

Aren't these beach huts gorgeous? I love the vibrant colours........Received my Inspirational Summer Swap from Jan at Pug Yoga, thanks Jan. What a box of goodies...............................Aren't those shoes the cutest? There are even more magazines than pictured but my mum is currently reading them - harumph!! I love the initials, especially the one with the sea horse. Thank you soooo much Jan, really lovely stuff.

Isn't this card gorgeous? I received it from one of the lovely ladies from the Crafts Beautiful forum, Lisa AKA Glitterbug, so much work has gone into it and it is in pride of place on top of my sewing machine :) In fact it's currently lined up with some other lovely cards that I've received recently.

Look at this beautiful RAK card from Dee Senior - apologies for the fact I've loaded it sideways - I've got laptop gremlins this evening - not my fault of course. Isn't it cute?

Also received this card from Tiggerstastic, it's sooooo pretty.........And there's more, lovely, lovely Tiggertastic remembered that I'd mentioned that I love seahorses and sent me the following goodies. a set of nautical themed rubber stamps including a seahorse !!!Not only that some totally lush fabric and pretty sealife papers. Honestly what a tiptop Tigger, thanks a million honey. Those Crafts Beautiful ladies are a lovely gang.

And there's more, I also received this lovely little bundle of papers, embellishemnts and feathers from Kyla, thank you soooo much. They are so pretty and will be put to good use. What a lucky Twiggy.

I am currently taking part in a card swap challenge on Papercraftersunited. We've done one before when you make up two identical kits and send one off to your partner and see what you come up with. Here's mine made up from the bits and bobs I received from Margaret. Like a nut I sent two sets of embellishments to Margaret - durrr!!! Will show you the finished item from my kit, when it's completed.

Finally, here's my Ted bag which will be making it's way into my Etsy shop in the very near future.

Another mammoth Twiggy post ( I did warn you). Might not be able to post again for a bit as I'm working tomorrow and Bank holiday weekend, so wanted to give you all something to get your teeth into :).

Have a great weekend, whatever you're doing. Think of poor Twiggy at work - bah !!!

Ohhh Excitement !!!

This is my shortest post ever - a Twiggy first !!!! Lovely Lynsey at Swirly Thoughts has sent me a message to say Algenon the Alien has been featured on Cuteable today - woohoo. I'm very giddy.

Will do a longer post today or tomorrow as I've lots to tell but very little time at the moment !!!

Go take a look at Cuteable peeps !!!! http://cuteable.com/

Happy 3rd Birthday Our Beautiful Boy !!!

First we had each other.

Then we had you.

Now we have everything.

Happy birthday lovely boy, we love you, sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

PS Our birthday boy was born at 5.20am 19th May 2005, weighing a bouncing 9lbs 150z !

Inspirational Summer Swap, Watercolours and Very Dirty Hands :)

Hi Everyone, apologies for not being around much. It's Twiglets 3rd birthday on Monday - where did the time go argh?????? I'm sewing like mad at the moment as I'm making him a little train mini quilt for his birthday. (By the way I took the photo above at Cannon Hall, last week, isn't it pretty?)

I've got a stinking cold and I'm also doing a lot of exam invigilation work at the moment.

I finished my Inspirational Summer Swap this week and will post it at the weekend, so I'm going to shout this bit, please forgive my rudeness.

JAN, DO NOT LOOK AT THE NEXT BIT, STEP AWAY FROM THE PC..............................................

Has she gone? ok, here goes.

Firstly a little card I made that to me, represents Summer.................

Here's something completely new for me, an applique mini quilt doodah - I was inspired by Lucy Lockets swap, but too chicken to join it :) Also inspired by a lovely photo of a paperweight I saw in the Times, will have to dig the picture out for your comparison. A little scottie dog pincushion and added some cottage garden seeds - what could be more evocative of an English Summer, a lavendar candle, a bracelet and obviously some vintage buttons. Well it would be rude not to, wouldn't it? Anyhow, hope Jan likes her parcel, I've really enjoyed doing the swap and can't wait to see what everyone else made. (Please excuse my rubbish photo).
Like many of you Twiglet and I have been enjoying the gorgeous sunny weather and potting up lots of plants. Will have to do a seperate post about all that as there is too much to mention. Suffice to say my little greenhouse is filling up nicely.

I bought a little watercolour paint palette this week so we had some fun with that yesterday.Righto, that's me for now, I've got to go and read my info on tomorrows exams as I'm invigilating alone for the first time - scarey! Bye for now..........................................................................

Banana Aeroplanes,George Formby and Lovely Post............

Phew, hasn't it been hot this week? it's been lovely in Yorkshire and I would have blogged sooner but kept forgetting to charge up the battery in my camera so you'll have to believe me when I tell you what Twiglet and I have been up to :) Well, lots of playing in the gardening, potting seedlings, making rhubarb crumble (rhubarb supplied by nice man that lives across the road), water play, eating ice cream, feeding the ducks, shopping, going to the playground, errands, watching CBeebies, making Get Well card for Grandad erm think that's it. No wonder I feel soooooo tired. The above banana aeroplane is a Big Cook, Little Cook recipe taken from last weeks CBeebies magazine, who needs Nigella ?
I've been mainly working on my Inspirational Summer Swap this week, here's a sneaky peek.....To quote Rolf Harris, can you tell what it is yet? For once I'm remaining tight lipped, but hope Jan likes the finished items.Here's a current WIP, I love this cute little chap and feel he looks like he may be called Ted, what do you think? It's actually my first atempt at a bag and will probably end up in my Etsy shop, hope you like it.Remember I told you about my love of George Formby and my signed programme. Well look what Mr Twigs has dug out of the attic for me !! ha ha never touched me etc. Those of you that have never heard of Mr Formby, probably think I've gone crazy, although all of you may think that to be honest - lol.Look what a lovely surprise I received in the post this week a gorgeous RAK ATC and bag of goodies from Ultramum AKA Eve from the Crafts Beautiful forum. Thanks honey it's so pretty and it was really kind of you.This bundle of lovely embroidery threads arrived today. The lovely Maureen from Papercrafters was having a clear out of her embroidery stuff and look what she sent me, how lucky am I ? Thanks Maureen, it's much appreciated and will be put to good use.

I received this months edition of Cross Stitch Crazy in the post today and noticed that the Jo Verso cross stitch book I mentioned in my last post is to be republished. it is a great resource for any cross stitch fan and will retail at £12.99 - so I'm really pleased I bought it for £1 - wahey !!!

I've been tagged by lovely Cazzy at http://cazzytime.blogspot.com/

It is time I responded to this. Here are the questions and answers:

1. If a movie was being made of your life who would you like to be cast to play yourself and why? The very beautiful Moira Shearer as she was in The Red Shoes, totally gorgeous, so graceful and a super dancer and she looked fabulous in those HUGE false eyelashes. Or Greer Garson as she was in Mrs Minniver another very beautiful lady.

2. You are spending a whole month on a desert island for charity, and you have to choose your favourite celebrity to spend the first two weeks with you and & your least favourite celebrity to spend the second two weeks with, who would they be and why? David Tennant, oh I don't have to spell it out to you do I ?Or The very lovely Alan Rickman, who could read to me in his wonderful, wonderful voice. ( I once saw AR play Hamlet, it was a really small venue, I had a stinking cold and snuffled all way through it, we were only 2 rows from the stage. I wouldn't have missed it for anything , it was MAGIC - can you tell I'm a fan?)

When the person I wasn't keen on turned up I'd use my time machine to go elsewhere, see answer further down the page.

3. What are your 3 favourite crafting products? Buttons, fabric, embroidery threads or buttons, buttons, buttons (my goodness I sound like John Barrowman - lol).

4. If you could invent something what do you think it would be?A time machine, so I could go back in time and enjoy Twiglets baby days - sigh.......

5. What are the last 3 books that you read? Exit Music by Ian Rankin, Yeah I Made it Myself by Eithne Farry and Untold Stories by Alan Bennett.

6, QVC or Create and Craft? Neither - I'm too tight to pay the postage and packing charges.

7. What is your claim to fame? I used to live next door but two to Jane McDonalds' (of The Cruise) mum. She used to put my dustbin out for me. Lovely lady, as is Jane. My SIL phoned once to say there's a documentary on TV about Jane McDonald and your house is on the telly. Wish I'd weeded the garden :)

I also met the very lovely and amusing Ian Rankin at a book signing. I was wearing a pink tartan skirt and he said, what do you call that tartan? I said erm groovy - I'm such a card - thankfully he was gentleman enough to laugh and sign my book (and not write anything rude in it :)

Ok, I have to pass this onto 5 peeps, so only do this if you want to and over to............

Daisie at Daisie Days

Max at Maxs Craft Creations

Vicky at Anglesey Allsorts

Josie at Sykes Silly Site

Jennie at Falling Down the Rabbit Hole

All links are on my favourites list.

Phew, good job I only post 1 - 2 times a week, that was a mammoth post. Also the second time I typed it as my ******* PC crashed and I lost it first time. so if it's not as good this time round, I apologise :)Mr Twigs is working in the morning so planning on young Master Twigs and I mooching in our PJs for a bit.

Have a great weekend................

Inspirational Summer Craft Swap, Gardening and Stuff !!

I know I've used this photo before but it's one of the whopping sunflowers we grew last year and I LOVE the photo. Hope all you UK residents have had a terrific Bank Holiday weekend, I haven't been working this weekend so it was so nice to sleep in ( thank you Twiglet for allowing us :) in fact Twiglet has been a little ray of sunshine all weekend and I'm so proud of him as he still has a grotty cold and cough ) mooch around and just do `stuff'. Big hello and hope you had a nice weekend to everyone else too!!!!
The weather in our part of Yorkshire has been pretty dire until today which has been gorgeous, we've been pottering in the garden all day, (in fact I think I may be a little sunburnt - naughty Twiggy) which I LOVE. We appear to have been adopted by a very friendly Robin who sat on Twiglets swing/tractor/Mr Twiggys garden fork and gave us a good coat of looking at. I'll have to try and take some photos.

As I look out of the window right now (8.05pm) the sun is setting which makes the old stone farm buildings and church across the valley glow a deep red and orange and I have the window open so I can hear all the birds settling down for the night. This is a magical time of year and I'm so thankful that I live here.I've also spent this weekend cracking on with my Inspirational Summer Swap, I've been partnered up with a lovely lady called Jan who lives in South Carolina, USA. Go take a look at her excellent blog here :-http://www.pugyoga.blogspot.com/

I would show you some sneaky photos but my batteries are flat - well mine and the cameras :) so you'll have to wait, I do hope you like it Jan.

Hey come to think of it, that's two lovely ladies called Jan that I know in the USA, blogging is fab, isn't it? The other one of course is Jan at Daylily Lane - yoohoo!!!!!!!!

Remember I told you that Twiglet and his little buddy were the President and Treasurer of the Under 3's Horticultural and Sculpture Appreciation Society. Well this is one of their very early field trips to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park :) It doesn't seem two minutes ago and they are both 3 this month - arghhhhh, where does the time go? so we'll have to change their society to the Under 5's instead.

I was tagged this week by Cazzy, I promise to do my duty as a tagee in the next couple of weeks, will have to have a good think first. Meanwhile, why not take a look at Cazzys blog :-http://cazzytime.blogspot.com/

Righto, that's me for now, I'm off to do a bit more on my swap for Jan and watch Waking The Dead, everytime Trevor Eve puts on and then removes his glasses, we shout SERIOUS MOMENT, I guess we'll never grow up but Hey who wants to :)

Charity Shop Finds, Buttons and a Monkey...........

I've been a bit remiss this week on the blogging front as wee Twiglet has still got a grotty cold and I'm starting with it now, so we've spent the last couple of days cuddling under a throw on the sofa, very nice. no one gives a cuddle like a nearly 3 year old (yes my baby is 3 this month - where did the time go???) however, they do tend to end with him rolling on my head or tickling me or something equally as minxy.

Anyhoo, I've been meaning to post some of my charity/thrift shop finds for a while now and blimey I've found another belter this morning in the next village. I've lived here for 2 years and never noticed it. Ok, here we go.......................

Firstly above is a fantastic book that I found with oodles of cross stitch patterns in it, it is so useful and cost £1 !!

Don't know if I've mentioned this before but I love peacocks,(I also love seahorses, and nearly called my blog Peacocks and Seahorses, but I digress :) love their colours, their shape,everything. I was v.giddy to pick up this Irish linen tea towel for 25p !!!!!!! still haven't decided what to do with it but I LOVE it.

Here's a bundle of scarves that I bought purely because I love the colours, I've already worn the teal one as a kind of jaunty neck scarf -ooh get me. I love the colours of the one at the front, it just encapsulates Spring to me, gorgeous.This beautiful tea tray cloth was a find in the new charity shop I discovered this morning, it is wonderful and hand embroidered, it cost me 30p!!! I know the work and love that no doubt went into this, so I'll treasure it forever.I can't believe the amount of books that I've bought for Twiglet from charity shops, all of these were great finds and are Twiglets bedtime favourites and you wouldn't believe me but they are new and cost 30p each, they are all fairly big as well. I actually put the Spike Milligan one (it's wonderful by the way - buy it for you, never mind your children) on my Amazon wishlist and it was around £17 so imagine how pleased I was to find it :)The beautiful lady lying next to the books is Nellie my elephant that my Grandad bought me before I was even born, so imagine how old she is. She's covered in bald patches, her tail and ears have been sewn back on more times than I can remember and Twiglet now loves her as much as I do. Don't tell anyone but whenever I've been in hospital or doing something scarey, I've hidden her in my bag, she was introduced to Twiglet on the morning he was born - yes I'd smuggled her in , in my bag :)Seeing as I've introduced you to Nellie it would be rude not to mention Musha. This is Mr Twiggys well loved teddy bear, who is now completely bald. Apparently a cousin of his passed him on to Mr Twigs when Mr Twigs was very small and his name was Monsier bear, however this proved a little difficult for him to say, so he was christenend Musha, isn't he lovely?? He has pride of place in the spare room as he doesn't feel it would be dignifed for a bear of his age and stature to be manhandled by Twiglet :)Look what I received in the post this week, OK call Buttons Anonymous, I'm an addict, I just can't help it. Aren't they lovely? I played with them for ages and now have 2 large button tins - woohoo.

Finally despite Twiglet Towers being a germ zone this week, Twiglets little mate is 3 on Saturday so I had to get busy. Don't know if you remember the baby blanket I made for his little brother?but I promised James a sock monkey and finally here he is.........................................I do hope he likes him, but if not we've also bought him a little die cast James engine and a big pack of Thomas the Tank Engine stickers, chosen by Twiglet. Very subtle my son, can you buy them for my birthday too Mummy, erm ok, but look surprised when you open them :)