'If we did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.' Thomas Edison









30 November 2010

Definitely Winter

How very fitting that King Winter arrived today when my own land turned to Narnia! Just look at how beautiful he is! This photograph really doesn't do him justice, he is stunning. Thank you so much Dawn - such a talented lady (now get that shop open ;o) ).



And my very own Narnia. Must get some piccies tomorrow it's just sooo beautiful outside. Thank you for your comments regarding yesterdays post. Feeling a littler better today, but definitely need to do something, just need to get started!

29 November 2010

Frustrated

Hubby made a joke earlier about the lack of decorating going on here - my mood plummeted dramatically! I think my Yule gift list is starting to look a little daunting - trying to find the time and space to make some of the items with the children in the house is very frustrating, the house is still in need of some serious decorating since the extension at the beginning of the year. Heck, even the housework being done would be nice!! Maybe his comment was the kick up the butt I needed to give myself, so this evening I've got the fruit steeping in brandy ready to make the christmas cake tomorrow. I've made 3 of the 5 (only got 3 tea cups at the minute) tea cup candles for the pamper hampers. I've got some bath melts setting in the fridge.


Hubby has now gone to work so I'm going to go to bed with my book, my blankets, and a couple of candles. Here's to a new day tomorrow.



27 November 2010

Autumn or Winter?



Think we can safely say that today is winter :o). Took this picture this afternoon once it had melted slightly - it did look much nicer this morning. I love the sound (or lack of) when you have a good layer of snow - blissful.

I'm sorry to say that one of the craft suppliers that I love is closing down so I thought I'd take advantage of their sale - go take a look over at altered element before it finally shuts.



I took part in Polly's ornament swap and mine arrived this morning - just look at these gorgeous gifts. Got to post mine on Monday then I can show you what I made :o).


21 November 2010

Who needs Facebook anyway!

Firstly, let me show you my gorgeous prize from the talented, strong, beautiful, amazing woman - Polly. She had a give-away on her blog to celebrate opening her shop and I won :0). Of all her artwork the above is the one I love the most so it's fantastic that I now have a print of my very own. Thank you so much Polly.




So back to my title who needs facebook anyway! I know some people will think I'm slightly bonkers (actually I know a few people who think I'm more than bonkers ;o) ) but I darned some socks last night!!!! I found the Make Do and Mend book on the bootsale in the summer and it's full of really helpful stuff. Hubby was watching some of his programmes so I took myself off to the quiet (actually not really that quiet as I have a small child that is fastened to me with a very short piece of elastic) of my bedroom with my socks, some darning thread (bought years ago in a charity shop), my darning mushroom (another second hand gift), my needle book (handmade of course) and then spent a lovely evening darning socks. While sat there I was reminded of my Grandma who used to knit my Grandad his socks - it was such a lovely evening that continued long after the kids had gone to bed and hubby had gone to work. Who cares if I'm bonkers ;o).

17 November 2010

My Gift




Look what my wonderful hubby made for me yesterday - a proper soap mould. It's different to the ones you usually see but it's just how I like 'em. Fab, fab, fab. Thank you xxxx

16 November 2010

Shameless selling of craft items :o)







Link to my photobucket account which should have basic details and prices. Priced everything to sell so if your interested in anything you can contact me at shell.good@btinternet.com (i'm open to reasonable offers on multiple purchases :o).
Edited to add: I haven't added postage just in case someone wants to buy more than one thing ;o).


Decisions


Decisions, decisions ;o). I have decided to sort through my vast amount of craft stuff and sell the stuff that hasn't been used for years. And I've also realised that hanging onto my Mum's craft stuff (a lot of which I've stashed away!!) is not what she would have wanted. It's quite a relief to say that - she is in my heart, not in things. I've also decided to close my facebook account. I don't think I gain anything extra from it - I just seem to whittle away time reading what other people are doing or playing a couple of games. So I'm reclaiming my time.
_
Yesterday I made my first hand cream from the Neal Yard book Recipes for Natural Beauty. I won't say the first attempt was perfect (the emulsifying wax hadn't completely dissolved) but my hands feel so soft and smell wonderful (I made the rose and almond hand cream), and I didn't give any hard earned cash to those pharmaceutical giants :o).
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Becky - the book cost £55 for 250 odd pages with a discount (can't remember how much the discount was - 10 or 15 percent).

14 November 2010

Winner and stuff ;o)

Thank you, everyone, for your continued support when needed and for your lovely comments which you leave. This blog would mean nothing really without other people reading it. Although it is primarily a record for me and my crafty adventures/rants/rambles/business ventures, it just wouldn't be the same without you lot. So, my 2 year blog-iversary give-away was drawn after tea...and the winner is Claire :o) (I'll be in touch asap).


I decided we needed some sweet stuff this morning so here we have almond and apple muffins, some shortbread (and the daily loaf of bread).



I finished these little handwarmers the other night - no pattern again, just made it up as I went along. Perfect for a 4 year olds stocking at Yule.



And finally, a gift to myself - the first year of my blog in a book! I've drooled over the idea of these for so long, had it saved on blog2print for months, and then I got a discount voucher via email!! Anyway, 245 pages of my crafty stuff and ramblings, preserved in print.


13 November 2010

Off the Handmade Yule list :o)

Aaron's crocheted scarf that I started at the GP weekend and completed at the beginning of the week. Two colours used at the same time again (as requested).


Remember the felted blanket I bought on the bootsale in the summer? Well I sat and made 2 storage boxes which shall be used for the pamper hampers. I'm also using the fabric storage boxes that I made in the summer which I never got round to putting in the shops.

One crocheted bookmark and one pin cushion. These are for Aaron - he's terrible for leaving books open flat and ruining the spines, so hopefully with a selection of bookmarks in his book holder that will also be made for Christmas, I can encourage him to store them better. He likes to sew puppets and things so he's his own pin cushion (plus one of the needle books that I put aside for him) to go in his stocking.



And lastly, a little something for me - a crochet choker. Took all of 30 mins. One chain of 75 (for my neck), one row of half treble, with a double all the way round that so it creates the loop on the end, then stitch a button on for fastening, easy peasy.


--o0o--
Don't forget the giveaway - I shall draw it early evening to give everyone a chance if they want to enter (and I don't mind where I'm posting to either). Good luck :o)



09 November 2010

Calm

Geranium Rose Soap - ready 6th December 2010
Thank you so much for your replies to my previous post, they helped me hugely. Since writing that all down and getting it off my chest, the effects of the weekend away have been huge for me.
Firstly, this is the first time I have ever been away (other than through pregnancy/births) from my husband! I missed him, of course, but the confidence I gained was massive (plus the knowledge that he pined for me the whole weekend was particularly heartwarming as it is usually me doing the pining). Secondly, seeing people that I can actually relate to, rather than feeling like the weirdo, was a very re-assuring and calming experience. One particular family was amazing to watch - a team for sure. Thirdly, I have realised that I don't need to be on the computer to catch anything I might miss because the most important things, ie my family, are right with me now, and I don't want to miss that. Lastly, and most importantly, I have not shouted once since we got home :o).

-x-
Right, it was my 2 year blog-iversary over the weekend so I think we need a little give-away to celebrate. If you leave your name in the comments section and I will draw a winner on Sunday 14th November. You can choose any 2 bars of soap you would like. I've just made geranium rose and plain lavender which will be ready on 6th/7th December respectively which I shall also include in the give-away (you'll just have to wait until they are ready though, if you would like either of those).

08 November 2010

Highs and Lows


My goodness, what a hectic up and down few days we've had. The above is my Dad's cake for his birthday. As he doesn't really do birthdays, and he won't ever take us up on a meal invitation I decided we would take the meal to him and he wasn't allowed to make excuses :o). I think he actually enjoyed it too.

Next up was my mother-in-law's birthday so I made her a mini pamper hamper. A couple of bars of soap, some massage oil made from jojoba oil, sweet almond oil and patchouli and orange essential oils (her favourite), a jar of olive leaf and clay face mask, and a tea cup candle, all placed in a fabric tub.

Inbetween all the birthdays I had to pack for the Green parent weekend meet-up in the forest of dean. Above are the two orders I was taking with me and below is something I had to leave at home ;o).

I had such a lovely time over the weekend. I met some amazing people - some of which were exactly as I imagined and some not ;o). It's funny how, when reading blogs or through the things we say on the forum, we have an image of how that person is. Meeting them for the first time felt very odd indeed because we know so much about them already, but then there is so much we don't know about them as well. For me, it was a fabulous experience, and one I would definitely do again. For my eldest it was a completely different matter, and one I didn't fully appreciate until I'd gone to bed last night when it hit me and I felt awful for being such a useless mum. He was the eldest there (by quite alot), so had no-one to play with. When he brought out his puppet (which I suggested he take), it was immediately turned into a monster by the younger children (which is perfectly understandable but not usually how Aaron plays with it). Then Aaron was turned into the monster and pushed, shoved and shouted at for most of the weekend. So he was rather grumpy for most of the time :o(. He is such a sensitive boy, why I didn't see it from his side I don't know. Maybe I was just enjoying myself too much?! Why I didn't defend his mood when told "I'm glad that big boy is going home" I don't know. Maybe I didn't want to offend the other parents?! Why I wasn't more patient when he was clearly struggling with the disruption to the travel arrangements on the way home I don't know. I do know that I need to look at some of my parenting skills (or lack of). The whole thing brought me to tears last night (and while typing) so the first thing I'm going to do is apologise to him when he gets up. And sorry everyone else for this ramble but I needed to get it off my chest.

03 November 2010

Loads to show you

It doesn't seem like it's been over a week since my last visit! Anyway, I've got loads to show you so here goes. We going to the Green Parent meet up this weekend and have to travel by train so I thought JJ could do with a small bag. It's made like my purple shoulder bag and lined with denim.


This is a commissioned card from last week.


I've had another tattoo - the cat was already there, but I've had it re-freshed and all the flowers and bits added. I completely forgot to take a picture before hand!


JJ wanted a new scarf - he picked yellow and orange so I crocheted the two together so it was quicker, then added the fringe onto the ends.

One of the Yule list - a reversible apron for my nephew.


Ten (plus two for me) san pro pockets and inners.


Chamomile soap ready in a few days so I'll hopefully get that in the shop later today. I've got loads to do - it's my Dad's birthday today so I'm making him a cake as he doesn't really do birthdays anymore so I thought this was a good compromise, we shall see. I've also got to get my MILs birthday present ready for Friday as I won't be here - I'm making her a pamper hamper as she's asked for something else for Christmas.
Hope everyone else is enjoying the gorgeous autumn weather and managing to squeeze in some crafty time too.