Birthdays, new members of the family, and treats

Exfoliating lavender soap, not very pretty but smells delicious, off in the shop later.

The lady that found Casper on the side of the road came knocking on our door on Tuesday with this little bundle in her car. Someone had dumped her at the village hall, and did we want her??!! Of course said we - so here is Willow. Approximately 8 weeks old, and the softest, friendliest cat you ever met.

JJ was 4 on Friday. He'd already had a choccy cake that we took to the home ed group, so we made this stacked pavalova for Friday - lovely it was too.

-x-

I read this blog, and love the artwork that she makes so I decided to treat myself when it went in her Misi shop. When it arrived the lovely lady had also put one of her printed artwork cards in as well. Go take a look she has some fantastic cards.

Handmade Yule Gift List

I sat for an hour last night writing down my handmade Yule gift list - I would like to make as much as possible this year, or buy from mamas who make things by hand, so here goes:-

• 4 x pamper hampers (couples) to include 2 bars of soap, 4 bath bags, 2 chamomile bath milks, 1 bottle massage oil, 1 bottle rosehip vodka, 1 jar fudge, 1 teacup candle, 1 bag or basket to hold it all.
• 1 x pamper hamper (single mum and her 2 girls) to include 2 bars of soap, 1 salt scrub, 1 face mask pot, 1 teacup candle, 1 jar fudge, 1 massage oil, 1 bag to hold it all.
• 1 x 'special Nan' pamper hamper to include 1 bar of soap, 2 bath bags, 1 chamomile bath milk, 1 bottle rosehip syrup, 1 cake, 1 jar jam, 1 bag to hold it all.
• 1 x teenage girl pamper hamper to include 1 bar of soap, 1 face mask pot, 2 bath bags, 1 chamomile bath milk or bath salts, 1 jar fudge, 1 bag to hold it all.
• 3 puppets, fabric or knitted.
• Sewing kit, including pin cushion.
• 2 pen pots
• 2/3 book marks.
• 1 pyjama bag.
• 1 lego play mat.
• 2 pairs fingersless gloves.
• 3 padded message/notice boards.
• 2 fabric book holders to fasten to beds.
• Man bag.
• 1 apron.
• 1 dolly from the lovely Pippa.

I'm sure there will be other things added as I go along, and I know I'll struggle with the teenage/young man nephews but hopefully I'll find something along the way. The above piccie is the first two completed - 1 bookmark and 1 pen pot.

New Card

New card completed yesterday - in the shop along with the brown cat cards (finally ;o) )

Treats and orders

It's been a busy week this week so I've treat myself to a couple of books. The first is ideas for felted items that maybe shouldn't have been felted and the second is Kirsty's Homemade Home to go with the television series that she did. Both really good books.

-

I had an order for 12 purple felt hearts so.....

Picking the ribbons.

Cutting everything out ready.

2 done.

All 12 done and nearly packaged ready for the post office.

-x-

While I was shopping for ribbons I emptied the reel that one was on. I asked what they did with them and was told that they throw them away and asked if I would like it....yes please says I, so they gave me a bagful of empty reels. Fantastic. It will hopefully mean my ribbon box is a bit tidier :o).

I also got some holly fabric for yule treats. Once out of Boyes I discovered a new fabric/wool/haberdashery shop!!!!!! Oh my...it was a good job I had JJ with me or I would have spent a fortune as we just don't have a decent fabric shop round here. The choice was amazing - the vehicle fabric came from there (JJ's choice).

-x-

Now, I'm supposed to be passing on a blog award to 10 bloggers that I love but I want to give it to all blogs that I read. I know thats a bit of a cheat but the 50 blogs that I 'follow' are all fabulous for various reasons - so, if I follow your blog have this award too, and thank you for making me happy with your knowledge, heartwarming stories, crafts, recipes, links, warmth, friendship, love.

Award

I had a lovely suprise the other day when I was awarded this lovely blog award by Jenevieve over at Buttons, Ribbons and Other Things. Go take a look at her blog, it's beautiful (and she loves buttons too). Thank you. I'm supposed to pass the award onto 10 other blogs so I'll try and do that later - got a big order to finish :o).

10/10/10

My darling Hubby's birthday is today - 10/10/10, what a date! I am so, so happy with his card. The campervan is the exact colour of our van...and I made it so he can use it as a badge too :o). Piccie of his cake - organic except for the sprinkles, as I didn't have 37 candles in the house. I love how the organic icing sugar makes this gorgeous pale gold colour - lovely (although extremely sickly).

I had some yogurt and some coconut milk that needed using up so I mixed them together with a little sugar and made ice-cream.

I've just finished a felt food order, so thought I'd finish these cards too. I'll get these in the shop tomorrow as the light isn't good enough to get a decent photo.

I've been struggling this last week with my mood/anger. I frightens me some times the anger that seems to build inside me so I've been trying to write things down in my journal. It seems to help for a little but I think I need to work through quite a few things which seem to bubble to the surface. I have been brave though and posted my cheque for the green parent weekend.

Organic is great :o)

Chamomile soap - pleased to see the dried chamomile I added is still yellow (ready 2 November).

I can't remember the last time I bought new fabric but as soon as I saw this I thought of JJ and a bag for Yule. It's organic cotton (my first) by Birch from Etsy.

Children are Amazing

As is their resiliance. By lunch time on saturday JJ was just starting to eat again, the swelling reduced by half. By lunch time sunday he was back to his usual self with a little swelling, but not much. He still has the grazes, and we have to make an appt with our dentist (who is currently off sick!) for a check up and to see what happens next. Thank you all for your words of comfort and support, they've made a big difference over the last couple of days.

Yesterday was my brother in laws birthday so hubby took the kids and left me home alone for a couple of hours. I updated my website and my Misi shop as they'd been neglected, took the dog for a walk and got the tea ready - it was lovely. In the evening a made a couple more cat cards - white this time. Oh, this is the scarf I was knitting the other night too. It's quite a dinky one (perfect for a small child) as I only had 2 balls of this gorgeous Twilleys Freedom left.

Did I tempt fate?

My lovely morning yesterday turned into a horrid one. While taking the dog for her walk JJ went head first over the handle bars on his trike and landed on his face! So after 3 hours in the local A&E where staff attended to JJ for approx 5 minutes!!, then a 3 hour wait (at home) to see the emergency dentist (ours now has friday afternoons off), we have a poor boy with a suspected broken nose, a lip three times the size it should be, grazes and tears inside his mouth, a tooth which may have to be removed under anaesthetic if it doesn't come out itself, and grazes across his face. He's refusing drinks, food and pain relief - it's so hard watching him all battered and bruised.

Life is good

I know I've mentioned the new home ed group before, but I can't quite believe how much difference it has made to the way I feel. I am so much more calmer, much less shouty mum is here, even though my period is overdue I've only had a couple of wild/crazy/awful moments where I've lost the plot. The boys love it too (which I suppose is the main reason for going ;o) ). Definitely the right decision to pluck up the courage to go - just need to pluck up the courage to send my form for the Green Parent weekend in November.

Do you like my new house up there? My teeny tiny house made for me by my biggest boy Aaron :o).

And here's one of the birthday cards that needs making for the October birthdays - this one is for my neice who is 3 today. I've had an urge for knitting these last couple of days so I got some needles out last night and started a scarf for JJ, although this morning he told me he wants one that matches my scarf not a blue one! This will just have to be for someone else then :o). I'll show you piccies some other time.