Preparing for a big day....

Yesterday I went with my daughter M and her two bridesmaids to look at dresses for M's Wedding.  We had a appointments at two Wedding dress shops, one in the morning and the other after lunch and a girly day of fun and laughter was planned.  

The first shop was the smallest and very organised but seemed to be reluctant to let M actually try on any dresses she had chosen.  The staff spent their time bringing their choice of dresses to the rail, dressing and undressing M in a conveyor belt fashion with about 6 dresses and tidying any away that the girls had chosen before they had chance to try them on.  Then when the girls asked to try on some bridesmaid's dress we were told our time had run out and we would have to go back another day!.....I don't think so!

 

We had lunch in Shrewsbury with time to chat over the dresses M had tried on and then headed out for our second venue.  I have a feeling neither of these will be the chosen one.

 We were very early for our appointment but were still made very welcome and encouraged to hunt out any dresses they wanted to try on.  They had a room full of bridesmaid's dresses and mother of the bride outfits and an other enormous room full of the most gorgeous wedding dresses you could ever imagine.  We felt like we had gone to heaven  :-)

 

Several hours later we left feeling totally wowed.  M had tried on lots of really gorgeous dresses and fell in love with a lot of them but we don't think she has found THE dress just yet.  I have a feeling we may be making many visits yet [.....mostly because it was such great fun] before we find THE ONE.  :-)

WOYWW....

Hello my blogging friends.  I have been away for a few days well earned rest and to celebrate my Birthday but am back today.  We had a lovely few days in a cottage near Skipton with some very special Dutch friends.  We met them on a campsite in France in 2000 and vowed to meet up at least once every year.  Good friends should be treasured and although we have only a short time with them each year it's like we have never been apart and share lots of fun and laughter together....just what the Dr ordered  :-)

So for whats on my work desk this morning ....

.....I only have one item on my 'to do' rail so far.  It's a skiing jacket that needs a new open-ended zip.  It has lots of top stitching to unpick before I can replace the zip so it will take me a while.  I have now got 1034 customers so doubt my rail will stay so empty for long  :-)

.....I have just got my Christmas materials out for some inspiration as to what I am going to do for my Christmas cards this year.  I have such a lot of lovely materials but so far I'm not feeling very inspired....any ideas girls?

That's all from me today girls so if you want to pop over to Julia's blog you can have a snoop at lots of other crafter's desks and catch up with what they have been up to this week.

A blog well worth a visit....

I have been following an amazing blog for a while now and would love to share it with all my blogging friends.  Michelle Palmer makes the most amazing items with very beautiful unique designs on.  She is a really talented artist and her blog is well worth a visit.  She is having a giveaway at the moment to celebrate her amazing sales but to be honest her achievement doesn't surprise me one bit cos the items she makes are just so lovely.  I especially love the little birds she draws.  Do pop over here to check her talents out.  It's well worth the visit.

WOYWW.....

Good morning to all my blogging friends.  I'm pleased to say at last I'm feeling a bit better.  Think it was rather more than a head cold cos it really sapped all my energy and that of course wasn't helped by my huge sewing mountain that needed doing.  I have a feeling I know what brought all that sewing to my door last week too....I'd been to our local material shop and bought enough material to make me two new tops. 

Here is a quick snap of my fabric but needless to say I've only got it out of the bag to show you!  It's like the old saying...'A cobbler's wife walks barefoot'.   They will get made some time but I doubt they won't be finished any time soon.

But I will say this is what my 'to do' rail looked like at the end of my busy week.  :-)

Twiglet came down Monday morning and we actually got out our embellishers to play.  It's been ages since we used them but it was like riding a bike....you never forget how [except when it comes to riding a bike I never really learned  :-) ].  We got out all the boxes of yummy fabrics and yarns hoping for inspiration.  

I'm not sure the session was really successful for me but I did make a strip of tat dumfling yumminess and cut it up to make Christmas trees with.....Yes I have actually been thinking CHRISTMAS!  A bit of stitching and a few beads and I think I've cracked it  :-)

I thought I'd also show you what my eldest daughter has bought me.  She likes to find me crafty bits and has certainly come up trumps with this selection.  It was an early birthday pressie and she insisted I opened it so she could see my reaction  :-)  As you can imagine I was thrilled....Thank you M and B xx

Now if you are all wondering what my desk looks like today....who cares  :-)  I'm not in my sewing room cos I have my two gorgeous little friends here for another play day with Nanny so the sewing can wait  :-)  My desk for today will be covered with toys, jigsaws, books etc and I know we will have just the best of fun.

If you want to see more crafting desks then pop over to Julia's blog and if you haven't joined in before why not take the plunge....It's a really lovely group of crafters and everyone is welcome.

Do you believe in magic?...

Cait has written a beautiful blog using the questions from the lyrics of a song and has set a challenge for others to do the same.  She has chosen 'Do you believe in magic' by The Lovin' Spoonful.

Do you believe in magic?...I certainly do.  I make tiny felt bears and it never fails to amaze me the magic they work.  From raising the confidence in a troubled young person to giving someone strength when sad or just being a little friend while in hospital.  I've made literally 1000s now and know each and every one has worked a little of Annie's magic by raising a smile every time.

Do you believe in magic in a young girl’s heart?....Having two beautiful little Granddaughters and seeing how their smiles affect all around them I have got to say of course there is magic in a young girl's heart.

Can music free your soul?...I'm certain we all have a special song that makes us feel good about ourselves...isn't that what freeing your soul means?

Does it make you feel happy like an old-time movie?....Never been one for watching old-time movies really.

Is the magic in the music or is the magic in you?....I'm sure the magic is in the moment or the memory.  When the music makes you feel great about something It's got to be that you remember just how great you felt when you first / last heard it.

Tell me of the magic in your life.   

My life has been full of magical moments...

•  when when I passed my driving test
• the time when I met my hubby and I knew he was the one
• the moments when my children were born
• when I passed my exams in nursing
• when I delivered my first baby as a midwife
• when my daughter got married
• when we saw the first scans of our little granddaughters
• seeing a beautiful rainbow in the sky
• sitting in our garden listening to and watching nature all around me
• my list can go on and on but must of course include waking every morning knowing I am alive

Thanks Cait for the challenge.  What a lovely way to start a Monday morning  :-)

Too much fun maybe?...

Having had 2 wonderful days playing with my little friends on Monday and Tuesday my sewing had piled up big time as you can imagine.  Wednesday morning I got up with intention to plough my way through the sewing mountain.....

• A bed cover to make
• A Door curtain to shorten
• Many pairs of trousers to take in and shorten
• Sleeves to shorten on a top
• A dressing gown to stitch down the front of
• A gents jacket to take in and shorten the sleeves on.
• 2 skirts to take in
• A Bridesmaid's dress to shorten

Yes, I had all that and more on my to do list and of course as I cleared that yet more arrived!

Only one problem....Wednesday morning I woke up with a streaming head cold!....and I've not managed to shift it yet  :-(

It's really not easy to sew with streaming eyes but needs must eh?  I'm winning slowly.  Pretty well all on the list has been done now so it's just all the extra jobs to do now.....

• 2 gents jackets with vented cuffs to shorten the sleeves on
• 3 pair suit trousers with kick tape to shorten
• A pair of padded walking trousers to shorten
• A pair of gents trousers to repair from where he has been pushing his hands in the pockets!

So.....  If I haven't managed to do a return visit on all my WOYWW friends please forgive me.

Sorry friends

WOYWW...

Hello blogging friends.  It's been another busy week with more celebrations.  Sunday was my youngest granddaughter's Christening.  We had a really wonderful day and being 10/10/10 it will certainly be one to remember easily.  It was our Church's Harvest service too so the church was full of wonderful flowers and produce and looked really lovely.

I have looked after my two gorgeous little granddaughters all day Monday and Tuesday so as you can imagine not a lot of sewing has been done....apart from the couple of hours of mad catch up between 7 and 9ish each morning.  You will all guess what I will be doing today so please forgive me if I don't manage to get round all the blogs this week.  

So when it comes to what's on my work desk this week its a case of .....

.....a full rail plus curtains and a bed cover to make and a Bridesmaid's dress to shorten.

.....because this is what has been going on in the other room.  Fun fun and more fun.

Can you blame me?  Where would you choose to spend your time? Sewing or fun?

So you will understand why I'm all behind with my sewing and why this is just a quick blog today.  Who cares?  They will be all grown up before I know it and the sewing will still be there  :-)

I've had a very special couple of days fun.  Hope your week has been as memorable as mine.  

If you fancy joining in the WOYWW fun then pop over to Julia's blog and link your crafty exposure on Mr Linky.  Be warned though cos it's very addictive  :-)

One lovely blog award....

I would like to say thank you to Michelle from Thistles happy place for this lovely blog award.  It's always lovely when another blogger passes on a blogging award.  I follow lots of lovely blogs and have passed this one on before so if you are one of my followers and haven't received this award before please pick it up and consider it yours.  I really only write my blog as a personal record of what is going on in my life [well,the bits I can share  :-) ] and it means a lot to me to think others are interested enough to read it and leave such lovely comments......so would like to say a big 

Thank you to you all.

WOYWW.....

Hello to all my fellow WOYWWers.  Yes, it's Wednesday again....don't they come around quickly?  This is the best day of the week when lots of crafty folk expose their spaces to the rest of the world....and there are more each week so please pop over to Julia the Queen of Snoop's blog and join in the fun.

As you will all know by now my days are always full of something.  I try to keep half an hour around midnight free for sleep  :-)

This week has been one of celebrations and there are lots more to come this month.

1. We managed to get our dear friend B into a really lovely care home close by so we are able to keep in touch with her.
2. Saturday my daughter got engaged...wahooooo
3. Twiglet celebrated her birthday yesterday.
4. I've already reached 1030 on my customer count!   Where do they all come from?

 And what photos have I got to share with you today?

We have now got a door in the new doorway and it's all ready for plastering on Thursday. Then of course it will all need painting and decorating and possibly a new carpet or two  :-)

This is the knitting I'm busy with in my 20 minutes of crafting every day.  I am making a lap blanket for my friend B....I am a bit like a comfort blanket to her so thought she might like this one for the times when I'm not around.  Don't you just love those colours?

This is a broken necklace my 'Tuesday coffee mate' brought for me yesterday.  I'm sure you can see these gorgeous beads will find a new home in something crafty here can't you?






Well folks, thats all from me today.  Hope you have enjoyed your visit.  Hope to see you back here soon......and don't forget..... 

There are still lots of rubber stamps for sale over in the shop if you are interested.

Happy Birthday Twiglet...

Ode to the Birthday girl

You’re my best friend in life on whom I can rely,

You’re kind and very caring and wouldn’t hurt a fly.

Your patience and your thoughtfulness is second place to none.

In the past we've shared our traumas and an awful lot of fun.

For many years the distance, for weeks, kept us apart.

But, now closer, we share hours at fun filled craft and art.

We dumf, we knit, we crochet, we make pictures and we sew,

We dress make and make curtains [not our favourite as you know].

Our time together’s special and I want the world to know.

We share fun with friends and family and the coffee ‘s sure to flow.

I hope this will continue for many years to come.

Age is just a number...[of course a bigger one for some].

Hoping you have a really special day.  Lots of love and hugs from your little sis. xxxxx

p.s and the number is................7 more than mine.......for now at least  :-)

Time to celebrate....

We have a lot to celebrate here.

After many weeks of worry and anxiety over our dear neighbour on Friday we managed to get her transferred to a really lovely care home near by.  She broke her leg back on 9th July and was taken into hospital to recover.  The shock and all the changing circumstances caused a lot of confusion and because of this when her leg had recovered sufficiently she was still unable to look after herself home alone and was admitted to a local care home for convalescence.  During her recovery it became more and more obvious that she was suffering from dementia and although she was brought home for several trial visits it was very obvious to those who knew and loved her that she would not be able to managed at home even with the maximum care team available as it would still mean long periods of her being home alone.  I was called to her last Wednesday night as she had become very confused and agitated.  Thankfully I was able to calm her down [I'm a bit like a comfort blanket  :-)  ] and reassure her she was safe and helped to settle her down in bed before leaving her.  It became very obvious to me that if the social services didn't act very quickly to move her to a more suitable home then the situation could get quickly out of hand so I spent Thursday and Friday working hard on her behalf to get her moved.The hard work all paid off and on Friday afternoon she was transferred to a really lovely care home close by.

It was her 82nd Birthday yesterday so we paid her a visit and although I'm sure it will take time for her to get used to the routine  I'm certain she will be well looked after in her new home.  Happy Birthday B for yesterday.

Yesterday afternoon was our Knit and Natter afternoon at Shrewsbury Theatre and soon after we arrived I had a really exciting text and then visit from our eldest daughter to show us an engagement ring.  We are all really thrilled with their news and would like to wish them huge congratulations...... We of course now have a Wedding to plan now but think 2012 is the most likely time  :-)

Good news often comes in 3s and our next celebrations will be on Tuesday cos it's Twiglet's Birthday.  It's just a number sis  :-)

October is a great month for us as we have lots of Birthdays and celebrations.  Our youngest Granddaughter is being Christened on 10th October too  :-)