commission

I asked Paula over at Lajoni's Place if she would make me something special and personal for my baby boy.....I am yet to find anything with his name on in the shops!!

I had no idea what she was going to paint for me...I trusted that it would be fabulous after seeing her other work and I only chose the shape of the heart and told her that Reuben liked trains!!!

Isn't it gorgeous???

A proper train not a cartoony Thomas style one!!! The colours are perfect for his room - green and blue, not sure if I told Paula his bedroom colours....if I didn't she really is a genius!!!

On the back.........

wise words......

The heart is currently on the dining table being looked at and ooh'd and ah'd over by anyone who comes in, but will be hung in the boys room at the weekend.

For your own...you can pop here and sweet talk Paula :)

Today is going to be a bit of a catch up day....I have my house back today..more importantly my spare room so I can sew....I am hoping that lovely husband will take pity on the fact I haven't sewed for more than a week and allow me to sew all weekend.......

Only 5 more sleeps until NYC...I have been getting excited with the help of lovely people giving me advice on what to see and do whilst there...thank you all!! (especially you Ellie xxxxx)

I know I am going to miss the boys like mad but shan't let that stop my enjoyment of watching the in flight movies without interruption by a small child...or of sleeping until I wake up - ah bliss!!!

So I am pausing the Christmas preparations til I am back...well mostly after failing to source bakers twine locally, I have purchased some off ebay....its really lovely quality very thick and will tie up brown paper parcels a treat....the seller can be found here.

I have also found an excellent ebay seller of ribbon, I had a late night clicky session (as you do) and now have some lovely ribbon, pale blue tartan, red gingham and pale gold for tying up christmas parcels...haven't taken pics yet but the seller is here in case anyone is interested xxxx

Hopefully I'll post at the weekend...I have a new item for my blogshop...a Christmas Stocking being sold for charity.........back soon xxxx

christmas at ikea purchases

Life is chaotic at the minute, family stuff. We have houseguests, our largish house is feeling tiny and never clean, and my big boys are needing a bit extra support with stuff going on in their lives....so blogging keeps having to go to the bottom of the to do list!!!
But I have 5 mins or so to show you my Ikea purchases from the MK trip. (I have no idea if these are any different to previous years designs as I don't think I have ever been to Ikea near Christmas before....)I have no need for these tins but I liked them.....the heart design on the top tin is on a lot of christmassy things at ikea, I don't like it too much, I think it looks broken, but if you do like they have it on glasses and china too.....
They had a few different wreaths, but the red heart one was my fave...can't decide if I should put on my front door or not.
I only bought 1 candle as I am unsure of my christmas candle situation until the decs come out of the loft!!!i love a red and white christmas dec....although I'm too disorganised to have a complete theme, its a bit anything goes (but not black and white, thats not christmassy in my eyes!!) The birds are for the tree and the cones will be strung on the dining room fireplace..I think!!!

And then some foody bits.....gingerbread houses and gingerbread flavoured toffee (this is for a couple of hampers I am putting together), I liked the packaging....
And biscuitty tree decs...I could, and in fact still will, make these myself but these are perfect to ice on as an extra thank you for the kindergarten teachers I thought.

Couldn't resist these paper gift bags, rubbish blurry pic, but cute yet freaky gnome character!!!

They also had really cheap rolls of brown wrapping paper, I didn't like the string or ribbon they had though so have ordered some bakers twine from ebay for my parcels.

Hopefully I can post again soon, I'm feeling christmassy and want to blog about gifts and crafts and decs that I want to buy (don't tell, I did say I wouldn't buy any more this year!!).

We are off to New York on our belated honeymoon/lovely husbands big 40 birthday trip....in only 11 sleeps....I have so much to do for that...sorting out the kids for starters...aswell as having a rough idea of what we want to do whilst there...(silkie sue I will email you x)...if anyone has been in the past few years and knows of a fabric shop/source not to far off the beaten track (no way will I get away with dragging him across town looking for fabric!!!) then please could you let me know....

weekend

Ours was spent here

The weather was cold but dry, the park didn't disappoint , especially not these two....
Its getting near the end of the season so was quiet enough that they could go in the soft play without getting leapt on and quiet enough to let the baby out of his pushchair to enjoy the freedom (aka wear himself out so he hopefully slept in the hotel room that night....worked too well as he was asleep during our second tour of the road safari!!!)

We stayed in a faultless Premier Inn in Milton Keynes...we usually use this chain as we know that we will be getting a comfy, well equipped room thats not so posh that we have to worry about kids crushing bread sticks on the floor.....it had a lovely restaurant attached which served up the biggest kids meals I have ever seen!!

Thanks to the world of online deals we got the room at half price too, and we also have Mr Tesco to thank for paying for our safari park tickets and a lovely meal on Saturday in Bella Italia (if you still use your vouchers in the shop go here and see what you can treat yourself with, sorry if thats teaching my grandmother to suck eggs!!!)

So that meant a few extra pennies for a bit of retail therapy here....

(even this was an enjoyable experience, we went on Friday night, the boys were very well behaved, the good people of MK had decided to stay at home and not invade Ikea meaning we got round quickly...also we didn't actually need anything so no bickering about drawer sizes etc!!)

I strongly deny that our holidays are organised around Ikea stores ;)

I was very excited that the Christmas department was open, as I have mentioned once or twice, we live on the edge of the earth with no Ikea for miles around...and I mean miles, and last years Ikea Christmas pilgrimage was cancelled due to the worst case of mastitis ever thanks to a feeding babies dirty scratchy fingers!!! (I could post you a pic - yep thats how sad I really am - lovely husband had to get his camera out to record it - but I won't its gross!!). So I now have some lovely red and white scandanavian style decs...my fave..which I can't show you as lovely husband packed them in the loft as soon as we got home on Sunday!!

So I will dig them out to photograph another day.

Our weekend ended with a visit to some friends who have recently moved to MK and a stress free journey home...very stress free for me as I was sewing not driving!!

Just what we needed. I think it was so stress free because we just took the small boys. Although I can do the maths, our 4 boys are actually 2 and 2!!! The big boys have such different needs and wants than the tots and family outings get fraught. Its the first time we have taken a trip with just half the children, but after our French holiday, though lovely, we realised it is too much to expect teens and tots to want to do the same thing. And it causes hissy fits - including mine - when you try and please everyone!! The big boys get lots of age appropriate trips with their dad so I have no reason to feel any guilt, but us mothers are programmed to feel guilty from conception!!

Ok back to the sewing...I have 3 swaps on the go aswell as the gifts and decorations I want to make so I better get moving!!!

how long will it last

Fabric cupboard finally sorted...so far I have taken a piece out and put it back lovely!! When I was sorting and folding and stacking onto the floor it looked like I had tons but now its been put away it doesn't look so bad :D
Had a rearrange of the shelves too...christmas fabric on the top...definately need more ;)
I started my christmas crafting, I made a stocking..the shape was great but the opening at the top wasn't wide enough to get pressies in and out...it annoyed me that it was a squeeze..so have cut out another pattern for one with a wider top!!
Also I can't remember how I found this fab tutorial..., I posted it over at SCC a while ago but have only just got round to making. Owl garland.
I tried it out a couple of weeks ago with a wool fabric as stated in the tutorial..I think it was my skill rather than the pattern but it looked terrible!! So I have made some today but with quilting weight fabrics...This one I interfaced as the fabric was thin but it was a problem turning. They are time consuming but fun to make. Next time I will maybe just cut once by ironing on the bondaweb to a piece of fabric rather than individual owl bellies.The green owls are not interfaced, when I string them I'll see if the interfacing was necessary. Bit late now mind, but I could spray some startch on..maybe?? please excuse crappy photographs - by the time I took them there was no light at all

The letters are stamped with normal paper ink on unbleached cotton...means I won't be able to wash them - which is a shame as I always wash my Christmas decs lol!!!

They will be finished at the weekend, need to embroider the beaks on and sew buttons for eyes, trouble is I need to buy some small buttons, I don't have enough that are small and matching. I tried beads but they didn't look right..

I could do with some more christmas fabric...and some more ideas for (easy) decorations!!! But at least I made a start.

My post today means I need to put my thinking cap on, I received a package from Rachel for the paper bag swap....love how she has decorated the paper bag, and love the fabrics she has chosen to send to me...

Its quite scary knowing its not your fabric to mess up!!

Rachel has taken a far better pic here and also of the fabric I sent.

No idea what to make as yet but its definately easy on the eye whilst I think!!!

plodding on....

...with the list

1) paint a bit more of the dresser......I want it done for Christmas so can't put it off forever!!

2) put the fleecey blanket backing on the applique quilt top....so it can be used in the playroom this winter (the heating is NOT going on til it really has too!!) - nearly done, backing on, just a couple of stitchy repairs before I let it loose into the playroom!!!

3) sew the already cut out cushion cover for a 'v' shaped pillow.....fishy fabric, again for the playroom for those VERY early mornings I sometimes have to have with the boys!! - completed and being used, not my finest sewing hour (was done late at night, whilst very tired - not ideal!!)

4) make some hot water bottle covers (need to buy more HW bottles too.....), using animal fleecey fabric and also repurpose a wool tank top I have....inspired by this....

5)send fabric etc out for the paper bag swap (after choosing!!), then panic about cutting into my partners fabric lol!! - will be posted tomorrow....

6)start thinking about christmas crafting......look for some more christmas fabric...some for home, gifts and swaps.I love the scandanavian red and white christmas look..but am in love with the new Ikea fabric as seen on Emma's blog!! Micheal Miller christmas fabric purchased and received, Ikea to be visited at the weekend...christmas crafting thought about, stocking pattern made in anticipation...

7) plant the pretty violets and pansies before they die in their little pots (my usual trick).

8) finish sewing the advent calendar and decide whether or not it needs a backing fabric..I think it might but 13 more pockets to machine stitch first...perhaps a teensy bit more embellishment too.... - 1 more pocket to sew, then it will definately need backing its floppy when you hold it up..think I will interface too. Still not sure about the extra embellishing...think I'll use it this year and see...

9) bring the ideas for SCC swap makes to life.....the theme is destash, so anything goes as long as its from what we already have - destash nearly there, couple of makes to complete then I can post :)

10) do a tutorial for the bird mobile/dream catcher that I have made a few times for various people (as promised over at SCC)

11) make the blind for the little boys room (material bought in May...don't actually need the blackout now, its dark when they go to bed... but if I put it off any longer they'll have left home!!)
12) finish the dolls quilt I started on a whim...... - just need to cut out fabric for binding and iron, and sew obviously!!

13) turn another of my Grandma's embroideries into a cushion or something.

14) cut out favourite housey inspiration pics from the ever growing piles of mags...ignore husbands comments that he would just like the house to be finished :)

hmmmm...lots of nearly dones and not started's!!

I have also been doing this........

green tomato chutney - I got fed up looking at the tomato plants in the garden and waiting for them to turn...so chutney they became!!!

and this....

*sings* 'its beginning to look a lot like christmas'!!! One of the 2 christmas cakes made this weekend......

went walking here, to pick the last of the blackberries to make blackberry vodka.

This is the cycle path on the old railway line close to my house, fantastic for little boys, who were previously reluctant, to practice on their bike!!!

I have done lots of christmas shopping - hoping to be done by the end of the month, give or take a few bits... online shopping doesn't support your local community I know but my town has no decent shops anyway and I can't always be bothered to travel to Norwich in the few hours between school hours, with 2 pre schoolers in tow!! Sometimes I need the city so I make the extra effort!!!

(great service shout out to Early Learning Centre - ordered 11pm Friday, dispatch email sent Sunday pm, delivery expected tomorrow (tuesday) - all with free p&p and 20% off!!)

Breaking my self imposed magazine ban to buy Easy Living - for the free teatowel...

There are 2 to choose from, I'm going to get the other I think as I plan to get 2 white frames from Ikea at the weekend and put them up in the kitchen...we have a blank wall where the new extension was built (over 3 years ago!!) and we decided that bingo! the right pictures have found us...believe me we have been looking!!!

cupcakes from beki

I was recently lucky enough to win Beki's cupcake giveaway and on Thursday I got a fab parcel of cupcake lovelies :)

Opening up...my favourite flavour yankee candle - vanilla cupccake, some pretty cloths - anything to make the housework less painful!!), lovely cupcake cases, pink silicone ones and fabulous dinosaur ones (never seen any like this before, the boys love them xxx)lovely hummingbird bakery card - they have a recipe on the back - very lovely....
Cupcake socks

Cupcake mug and coaster (the coaster is next to my bed now)

cupcake tea towel (another for the too precious to use pile lol)

Scary sweets for my boys (Beki was very firm about these not being for me!!) I haven't let them eat the chocs yet as how cute are those skellies?!?!!

Thank You so much Beki, for a fabulous generous giveaway. I love it xxxx

october's to do list

I've been making a mental list this weekend of all that is outstanding on my to do list......

I've come to the conclusion that what I want to do and what I need to do needs to be made clearer in my mind....with the boys demanding so much time and the house taking more cleaning these days ..(the baby has a dust mite allergy as well as foody ones so I can't live in my usual squalor!!!) - there is precious little time left for everything.

So if I list the things I want and need to do perhaps I can tick a few off ....

I had a look through my WIP/ cba to carry on with this project basket.... and this month I shall........

1) paint a bit more of the dresser......I want it done for Christmas so can't put it off forever!!

2) put the fleecey blanket backing on the applique quilt top....so it can be used in the playroom this winter (the heating is NOT going on til it really has too!!)

3) sew the already cut out cushion cover for a 'v' shaped pillow.....fishy fabric, again for the playroom for those VERY early mornings I sometimes have to have with the boys!!

4) make some hot water bottle covers (need to buy more HW bottles too.....), using animal fleecey fabric and also repurpose a wool tank top I have....inspired by this....

5)send fabric etc out for the paper bag swap (after choosing!!), then panic about cutting into my partners fabric lol!!

6)start thinking about christmas crafting......look for some more christmas fabric...some for home, gifts and swaps.

I love the scandanavian red and white christmas look..but am in love with the new Ikea fabric as seen on Emma's blog!! And this Michael Miller one too...

7) plant the pretty violets and pansies before they die in their little pots (my usual trick).

8) finish sewing the advent calendar and decide whether or not it needs a backing fabric..I think it might but 13 more pockets to machine stitch first...perhaps a teensy bit more embellishment too....
9) bring the ideas for SCC swap makes to life.....the theme is destash, so anything goes as long as its from what we already have.

10) do a tutorial for the bird mobile/dream catcher that I have made a few times for various people (as promised over at SCC)

11) make the blind for the little boys room (material bought in May...don't actually need the blackout now, its dark when they go to bed... but if I put it off any longer they'll have left home!!)

12) finish the dolls quilt I started on a whim...... 13) turn another of my Grandma's embroideries into a cushion or something. 14) cut out favourite housey inspiration pics from the ever growing piles of mags...ignore husbands comments that he would just like the house to be finished :)
Something tells me that I will be carrying some of these over lol!!! We have a couple of weekends with guests and a weekend away with the boys so its possible that some things get missed......

Aswell as these, I have some necessary house 'to do's'!!

Including making my Christmas Cake....

So watch this space....I'll be happy to tick off half!!!

(Thank you for all your lovely words about the baby's allergies...I was feeling very sorry for myself and I know that other parents have a lot worse to deal with...we are waiting for another hospital appointment and I'm making lists of what causes reactions.... xx)