This one is for you, Jo!

A cold and frosty day but the warm sun is streaming through the window making everything look beautiful. I tried to capture it on my roses.



Sorry I haven't been in touch for a while, there have been a few reasons which may become apparent in the next few months.

But it doesn't mean that I haven't been crafting!



Bringing the smell of Christmas to our home.



Preparing for Christmas day.



Thinking of our friends and family and trying to find ways of letting them know that we love them and think of them often.



Decorating our home for the pure pleasure.

Will be in touch : )

Happy birthday bunting

Just in time I finished some 'happy birthday' bunting for a special friend. I had been meaning to get it started a long time ago but due to a bout of tiredness I hadn't the energy to get it started and got very frustrated as it remained on my mind.

It had its challenges as the bunting I have made before didn't have edging (and i'm not sure i would do it again with edging and without a pattern). I even got a few wounds from hand sewing as I was doing it at speed while playing trains with Mj. But now it is finished in time and i'm more pleased with it than I thought I was going to be.

Now I want one for my family!

He is showing signs of being a man!

Today I had a little giggle to myself as I played the shopping game with Mj. The aim (for us) is to find all the items on our shopping list and add them to our shopping trolley. Mj decided that he needed two shopping trolleys but just one shopping list. Then at random if he fancied something he could add it to his (spare) trolley and still have plenty of room for the items on his list. Is it just me or is this exactly what men do when they go shopping?

More growing.

Mung beans soaking



Fenugreek beginning to sprout

I never realised it was so easy to grow bean sprouts til today! Now we are soaking and sprouting all sorts. I'm not sure how long it will last as I know I will grow tired of the daily washing and rinsing but then the thought of some new fresh ingredients to add to my soups and stir frys may be enough to spur me on. As always Mj is in on the action.

What's happening.

Kohl rabi growing in our garden.



Stitches increasing on the needles.




Bread cooking in the oven.

'bish gone?', 'tb gone?'

Translated: 'fish gone?' and 'tv gone?'.

Everything in Mjs little world seems to be changing.

Yesterday we went to the Fitzwilliam museum and while looking at the Egyptian artifacts in the display cabinets Mj suddenly through his hands in the air, palms pointed upwards and exclaimed...'bish gone' or in other words 'Where have the fish gone?'. Bless him he thought the glass display cabinets were fish tanks...easy mistake I guess for a two year old.

M and I have been re-evaluating (a good word) our lifestyle.
What makes us happy and what steals our joy? What makes us tired and what inspires us to live life fully?
It frustates us both that we can without noticing, spend lots of time in front of the television. We don't choose to sit and watch a show that we want to see. We slump on the sofa feeling tired and think that by watching some mind numbing trash we will be recharged and re inspired. It doesn't happen. We don't get recharged so we stay there, slumped on the sofa until it is bed time. Another evening wasted. One of the things which frustrates us the most is wasted time.
So, as our TV liscense and Sky package are due renewal today we thought we would not renew them and instead challenge ourselves to spend our evenings more productively without the TV as a crutch. We have re arranged the lounge without the TV now at which Mj through his hands up in the air, palms pointing upwards and exclaimed 'tb gone'...or in adult english 'Where has the TV gone?

'If there's a rocket tie me to it'

This morning I feel like I am tied to a rocket.

I was going to title this 'all a bit frantic' but then I realised that the speed (fast) of the music in the background was probably not helping my franticness...I checked what it was that was playing and it was this track by Snow Patrol.

I always get like this when I'm trying to get organised to go away for a few days. I have one hundred and one things running through my head which I mustn't forget to pack or complete before we leave. My heart races, I run all over the house, I over heat and well dare anyone get in my way! By the time we leave I'm exhausted!

Thankfully my friend is very kindly taking mj off my hands for a few hours this morning.

Anyway, this post was meant too fill you in on the things I have been up too in the past (almost as frantic) days.



Learning the art of baking bread...which is not as complex a science as I thought!





Making a baby quilt for my mother to give to her collegue.




Being inspired by this book. Easily read, practical and challenging...the perfect book for me!








A surprise gift for a friend (so I can't disclose too many photos).

To do List:

Hang washing out when it stops raining (please stop!!!)
Clean bathroom
Hoover
Clean out car
Pack car
Nip into town
Empty bins
Do recycling and composting
Read paper (then recycle)

*Chill*

Will tell you all about our trip when it happens...I'm really looking forward to it!