Dog Walking

Have to admit had a touch of the grumps recently so when a friend asked me to do a little bit of dog walking this morning I thought that was probably a good idea, let the wind blow away the cobwebs (and the blues!) It was impossible not to smile when watching Alfie literally jump for joy!

Bird Houses!

I saw these wonderfully cute birdhouses on a brilliant blog... mylifeandcreations.blogspot.com (the original design is by Nichole Heady - Papertrey Ink). I just could not resist having a go at making a pair. I'm planning to give them to my parents for their Wedding Anniversary this weekend - I think they will have pride of place at the dinner table! :-)

Teddy Bear!

I am very happy and very proud of myself! I have handmade a mohair teddy bear. This gorgeous creature came in kit form and was a gift from my parents last Christmas and I was determined not to let it sit at the back of the wardrobe, it just had to be made.

I embarked upon the 'bear adventure' with a lot of trepidation - I can sew, cross stitch etc but it is very different to making a toy. This bear kit was featured on Kirsty's Homemade Christmas, Channel 4 - last December and can still be purchased at the.alicebearshop.co.uk

So starting off you cut out the bear body parts, snipping as opposed to cutting is the done thing with mohair! Assembling his head is tricky but possible - the finished head looks a little macabre especially as I put him in a spare flowerpot while he awaited his body! Once his eyes were in place I panicked over stitching his nose and mouth - but finally he had a character and I instantly loved him. Being a dab hand with pliers (all that jewellery making!) was a big plus as his joints are made with 'cotterpins' - all new but interesting.

Finally, two days later and being an absent mother for a couple of meals he was finished. He now has pride of place on top of the bookcase and I will treasure him always. Thanks Mum and Dad - probably one of the best gifts I've ever received. :-) xx

Creative but in a different way!

So what have I been doing??? I've immersed myself in the wonderful world of playing with paper! Scrapbooking - it is heaven. I've just returned from a long weekend away - Scrapbooking Retreat (or rehab as my son likes to call it!) I've spent a few days with wonderful people making beautiful things. It is SO addictive. If you were ever one of those people that adored stationary, card marking etc you just have to have a go. So guess what I'm doing today - taking tons more photos ready to scrap! :-)

This cannot go on!!

Two teenage sons = double the stress every morning because they do not get out of bed!

This morning I resorted to pulling their duvets off their bed in the hope that they would not want to lay there shivering but they did! Admittedly the house is not a fridge but I wouldn't want to be stripped of my duvet first thing in the morning, far nicer to ease out of bed into my fluffy slippers and cosy dressing gown.

I've tried bribery, cajoling, reasoning and then finally full banshee screaming! I have to share with you that it places one in a very very bad mood first thing in the morning!

The Power of Cake!

I do not profess to be a wonderful cook but I do enjoy baking a cake. I have two teenage sons who are willing eaters and they've come to expect something spongy, chocolately or gooey under my glass cake dome in the kitchen each week.

It therefore came as a sort of back-handed compliment and shock when my eldest announced that my coconut and lemon cake had become famous at his school. Why? Well, it transpires that lunchtimes at schools are now used for poker games! My son never having any money, (every coin and note burns holes until it is spent) has resorted to gambling with my lemon and coconut cake! Not only is that hard to believe but that all his gambling friends find it acceptable! It throws a whole new slant on gambling with chips!! :-) x