A bit of this, that and the other

As if to prove all I said in my previous post about the friendliness of blogland, I am now the very proud owner of a sparkly new award from the very lovely, new to me, blogger - Woody at bake and sew!!

Thank you so much for my award Woody! I love how they depicted me on the picture - so very true to life ;-)



The award comes with a little tag attached, whereby I need to list five addictions. Addictions, moi? Surely not!

Mmm - I suppose I could try. I'm going to play a little game with you though. I need you to spot the one that really isn't me. Those of you who guess the correct one will go into a hat (don't worry, it will be a big hat - either that or I'll just put your names in) and the lucky winner will win some bits and pieces from my stash.

Here goes - my five addictions:

1. Being creative. Whether this is sewing, knitting, crochet, papercrafts, painting, cooking - I have a constant need to make. I get twitchy if I have to go more than a day or so without making or doing - and I'm not nice to live with when I'm starved of craftiness!

2. Nature. I have to get my fix. Whether it's simply listening to woodpeckers as we walk to school or spending time watching the sea, I need to be in touch with the beautiful things that nature provides - I need it as much as air.

3. Our chickens' eggs - they're bloomin' gorgeous! Why did I not know how fantastic homemade eggs are before now?

4. Housework. I love nothing more than to spend time cleaning and tidying my house. Show me a big basket of ironing and I am one very happy woman.

5. My little family. Love 'em - even when they're all driving me to utter distraction.


So there you have it. Now, I'm going to be a big bad rule breaker and not do the award passing on thing - because you know I love all of you and cannot possibly choose for fear of offending! It's yours for the taking :-)

What else?

Small bits of craftiness have happened. I've only managed to make two stars from the gorgeous fabrics Angela sent to me, so far. I have another seven cut out but have not had a minute to do them. They're at the top of my list and need to be done, so that I can send them out to Australia.




Other than that, there has been a little bit of sock knitting - oh, and I ran away to my best friend's on Saturday for a girls' night. We went for a delicious Thai meal here - which I can highly recommend - and then settled down with a nice glass (or two) of red and Mamma Mia.

Of course, we talked through the whole film! I wasn't too worried, as I've seen it eight times. We also discussed a very exciting plan. In two years' time, we will have been best friends for forty - that's 40 - yup, you heard me FORTY years!! We've decided that's something that should be celebrated and to mark the occasion we are going to run away together. Or to be more accurate - fly away together. We'd like to have a weekend in a European city - possibly somewhere Scandinavian - not sure. Any tips would be gratefully received!



I'm now going to excuse myself from blogging for a wee while. I have rather a lot going on and need to focus my attentions on family stuff and some stressy report stuff for work.... and, hopefully, more patchworky star stuff

I'll leave you with some floral loveliness - happening right now inside and outside Moog's house.


....and the news, that the man who did this to my home and I are going to be celebrating our first decade of total married bliss (snort!) later this week.....


Bedroom destruction update: old ceiling down. new plasterboard up. plasterer cannot come for another three weeks. mess down to almost bearable level. children still sharing a bed. Minx has decided she wants to share a bed with Monster for ever. anticipated date of bedroom rebuild completion - at least a month from now. ugh.

Take care. Have fun. Back soon.

xxxx

On a bit of a roll

I've been feeling as if my sewing mojo has been somewhat lacking lately. Maybe it's the time of year or something to do with the moon. I wasn't lacking in ideas, just the wherewithall to actually sit down at the sewing machine.

I seem to have cracked it now - rather!

Last night, once the noisy beasties were in bed I had a very sudden urge to make a doll quilt, using some offcut strips of Rowan's Kaffe Fassett fabrics that I picked up at the Cotton Patch.

I even tried my hand at my first proper attempt at free motion quilting - don't look too close!!

Here it is in it's 'blog-finished' state - just got to handsew the binding. This is to be hidden with a few other things, ready for Minx's birthday in April :-)

This morning - after four hours sleep (finished The Time Traveller's Wife last night - in floods of tears at 1am!!) - I once again felt that urge to sew.

Good job it was my day off really!

First off was this little guy, who is now on his way to The Toy Society, with Rosie girl. I got the inspiration for him from Plush-o-rama.

Then I whipped up a couple of little bags - these are now on their way to the Rainbow Comfort Bag appeal. I do hope you don't mind Natasha - I just had to use some of your gorgeous printed fabric for the 'boy' one.

So that was the morning taken care of! I then whizzed out to the post office and did a quick dash round the local charity shops....more of that later...ahem.

I came home to be faced with this revolting sight in the hallway again...

....and decided enough was enough.

Two quick fabric baskets were thrown together - almost cost nothing too as all the fabric and wadding were Scrapstore finds from weeks ago.

Aaah...much better :-)

Now.....I have a bit of a confession.

Y'know I said I went to the charity shop today?

Weeeelllll.....this isn't buying fabric, right? Strictly speaking, this is 'doing my bit for charity'....no...not buying fabric at all....the diet is still safe...ish

Seriously though, how could I walk away...how could I resist? The candlewick bedspread is in near perfect condition and just what I need to back my next quilt. The floral fabric is 2 metres of the softest brushed cotton. Again, this would be good to back a quilt....or something....

...and now for some Thank You's...

First, a big thank you to Julia who very kindly sent me a huge wodge (technical term in biblical circles) of Victorian Bible pages. These are huge! Nearly A3!!

I'm going to really enjoy using them. I may make some envelopes but I also want to find some really special projects to make with them. Aren't they fab?

I'm also the proud recipient of a lovely award from Lisa. Lisa emailed this to me a few days ago, when I was feeling distinctly unKreativ, and it really cheered me up :-)

Thank you so much Lisa :-)

The rules of the award are: 1. Copy the award to your site - 2. Link to the person from whom you received the award - 3. Nominate 7 other bloggers - 4. Link to those on your blog - 5. Leave a message on the blogs you nominated.

Predictably enough, I'm going to say I can't possibly choose just seven of you!! Please please consider yourself an awardee if you read my blog. I wouldn't be a Kreativ Blogger without the wonderful comments and inspiration that I get from all of you.

Don't be shy - take it....you know you want to!!

In other news - the latest from sis-in-law in Victoria is that things seem to be calming down with the bush fires near them. Friends of theirs have survived some very near misses with terrifying stories to tell but, hopefully, the worst is over.

Now, I'm going to make a lovely cup of tea and plan my next assault on the sewing machine :-)

Take care xxx

p.s. just noticed something very worrying - I do appear to be becoming a regular blogger....four days in a row!!! I need a lie down!!

A lie in? I'd rather blog...

Silly me.

I imagined I would do this post two days ago.

Someone stole those two days from under my nose - which is why I am here at Silly O'clock on a Sunday morning instead!

First off I have to say a big Thank You to Kitty for this lovely award. Just in case you haven't got your reading glasses on, it's a 'Gift of the Gab' award .....who me? I'm sure I don't know what you mean Kitty ;-)....but thank you anyway!

I also have another big Thank You for a lovely blogger who I am just getting to 'know' - Thank You Joanne :-)

I do love the bloggy 'tradition' of awards...but I'm not very good at passing them on. Not because I don't want to - just because I really don't want to leave any of you out!!

So this is how I tend to do it. If you read my blog, either as a commenter or a lurker, or if I leave comments on yours, then please have an award on me :-)

For all of you who did such a good job of soothing my battered ego, two posts back, THANK YOU so much!! My heart was truly warmed by your lovely comments and my ego is feeling much less bruised.

Now, I'm sure you're all simply dying to know what I've been doing this week.....and who am I to disappoint?

We decorated our Christmas tree on Monday. We have a real tree this year, for the first time in three years.

My friend runs a wonderful horticultural project for Mind and she told me they were getting some trees in. We chose a gorgeous little tree in a pot so that we can put it in the garden after Christmas....note to self: don't forget to water it!

This year dressing the tree was a most enjoyable experience.

The reason why is obvious.

Gorgeous new decorations from my gorgeous bloggy friends :-)

L to R : Ali's wreath, Gina's angel and Twiggy's star

I'm also the lucky owner of two of Monda's gorgeous trees - I was sooo excited when I found she still had a couple in her shop, just waiting for me.

My Christmas tree makes me smile every time I look at it, thanks to my very special decorations that will be loved and treasured for many years to come.

Thanks to your support, I decided not to let certain people put me off making handmade gifts.

Minxie had (another!) party to go to yesterday (in fact she's still there for a 'Stayawake-over'). The birthday girl has already had one of my bag and purse combos so I had to come up with something new.

My favourite fairy story when I was small was 'The Princess and the Pea'.

What every Princess needs to help her have sweet dreams is a lavender pillow right?

I'm delighted to say that this little Princess's Mum told me she loves the cushion and she was so pleased to have such a special gift :-) Can you tell I was mentally sticking my tongue out at a certain person when I heard that?!

I wanted to leave you with a really special treat.

Moog doing what she does best.

Making the sofa hairy!

xxxxx

I love bloggers!

Things like this lovely award that the even lovelier blogger Jane kindly passed to me, and all the lovely comments on my last post, have reminded me once again just why I love blogging!!


I'm going to do my usual shirking of any responsibility and say I'm going to pass this award on to anyone who reads my blog - in either a commenting or lurking capacity - and to all those lovely blogs I read too :-)

I'm also feeling somewhat guilty as another lovely blogger sent me an award a week or two back and I can't find it anywhere...or remember who sent it to me! How ungrateful can you get? In my defence yer'onour I have trawled through my comments and emails twice and now dots are dancing before my eyes...so I gave up! What I will say is THANK YOU.....whoever you are!

Now then, down to business.

There's another reason why I love you all.

Because you appreciate the handmade in all it's forms.

Because you understand the simple joy to be found in making something for those you love.

Because you appreciate the love and thought that goes into handmade gifts.

For valueing those handmade 'things' above anything that you can buy just because it's got the right label.

I don't know if any of Moogsdad's family ever read this blog. I'd rather like to think not as it's my space to be me and not to be their idea of who I should be.

I had yet another full-on experience of S-I-L's snootiness about my crafting this weekend, during a family trip to the theatre.

Minx was wearing her new jacket and skirt combo on Saturday and looked, might I say, extremely gorgeous. When S-I-L arrived she looked over at my baby and said (imagine sneary voice here) 'Oh, Mummy's been sewing again has she?'

Not 'Oh lovely - did you make her outfit?'

Or ' Where did you get her jacket from?'

Or ' Oh my God woman how can you send your child out looking like that?' - which, I imagine is what she was actually thinking!

I responded by bristling and saying ' Why, does it look homemade?'

To which she replied 'Yes' - I then went on to thank her for her kind remark and she then tried to bluster her way out of it by spluttering about 'designer boutiques' and 'a fabric combination that was very you'!

Do you know I have felt quite sick about it since?!

This is why I will not be making her children's presents this year. Things I have put hours of thought and love into in the past have met with a very frosty response. This is the woman who returns most of hers and her children's Christmas presents to the shops on Boxing Day people!!
She's scuppered when I make things 'cos she can't return them!!

If it doesn't have the right label she isn't interested. She seems to regard people that don't do this as somehow beneath her. Sad, huh?

I'm not going to let this put me off making things for my beautiful girl. She appreciates everything I make for her. In fact, I've got three very funky patterns at the ready for the next assault on the sewing machine :-)

xxxx

p.s. if she does read this......consider yourself told!

Homegrown goodness

Usually, when we get home from a holiday, the cupboards are pretty bare Chez Moog.

This time it's different.

Deliciously different.

Thanks to my little veg plot and our lovely feathered friends we have come home to this little lot:

The chickens and Moog were superbly well taken care of while we were away, by our lovely neighbours - even though Moogsdad left it until three days before we went to ask them! (This was the one job I asked him to do...or rather nagged him to do for a month!!)

We came home to a very happy Moog and four chirpy chickens who had laid a magnificent 28 eggs while we were away. A dozen were given to our chicken-sitters, leaving us with a lovely lunch today and more besides :)

I can't get over how wonderful it is to have home-grown veg and home-laid eggs. In fact, plans are afoot to grow even more next year. I anticipate a winter of cosy evenings with my gardening books.

As if that home-grown goodness wasn't enough to come home to, I also got a lovely blog award - twice!!

A huge thank you to Louise and Jane for my lovely award :)

There are rules to this award and the main one is to pass the award onto seven of my favourite bloggers. Having perused Jane and Louise's blogs it seems they've nominated just about everyone I would have...and if I miss anyone out they'll no doubt be covered by the other awardees!!

So - as per usual - I will say 'here have an award' to anyone who reads my blog and thank you for making blogland such a great place to be :)

xxxx

Yippeeeeeee!

The holidays have started in Moogsville!!!

It feels like it's been a long time coming but at last the kids have finished school for the summer and I have finished work.

What better way could there be to start a holiday than with the receiving of a blog award from the very lovely Jennie :)


Thank you so much Jennie, this really made my day!

There are, of course, some rules to the receiving of this award:

1)Put the logo on your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on yours
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs

I'm fine at following rules 1 and 2. It's 3, 4 and 5 where I come unstuck! I never seem able to choose blogs to nominate in case I leave anyone out!

As usual, I'll duck out of this bit and instead will say...if you read my blog, whether as commenter or lurker, or if I read yours then consider yourself well and truly awarded!!

The Summer Survival Plan is now under way:

Manky kitchen cupboards now decorated with Mr Strong, Mr Happy and Mr Grumpy and The Warning Triangle.

This idea is pilched from Minx's school.

Everyone starts the day on Mr Strong.

Anyone found to be behaving in a manner unbecoming to harmonious summer loveliness is placed on The Warning Triangle.



Persistent offenders will find themselves on Mr Grumpy!


I'm pleased to say that both naughty bubs ended today on Mr Happy :)

This was no doubt helped by the fact that Monster went to his friend's after school until 8pm and thus was not there to argue with his sister!!

Summer Survival Plan stage 2:

Paddling/not quite swimming pool pumped up and filled.


and stage 3 - something lovely just waiting for me to come out and play.


and stage 4 - the start of some sewing action:

My totally gorgeous and very very clever cello and electric guitar playing little tiny niece will be 17 this Saturday!!!!!

Happy Birthday L - I love you xxxxxxxxx



I bought this guitar fabric ages ago with my niece very much in mind.
#
You can never have enough purses and key rings, right?


This is a one week (and a bit!) late birthday present for my sister-in-law (scroll down a bit) - I do hope she likes it!

Had to smile though as she 'HATES' carnations (WTF???) and it wasn't until this was made and photographed that I realised the lining fabric has carnations on. Do I care? Why, no I don't!!!! ( Don't think family members read this as they all think I'm weird - if I'm proven wrong then 'hey, shoot me'!!!)

Ahem.

Seems I'm chillin' already ;)

If you want something really funny to make your day you need to pay a visit to my lovely bloggy friend VC - oh and follow her links cos there's nothing like a bit of context for making something even funnier :)

The chicken news:
No news yet about Jazzy chicken - should find out tomorrow.

Re: the whole 'Optimus Prime' shenanigans - I chose my words most unwisely in my previous post and feel I should clear my name of any wrongdoings.

I didn't actually ever tell Monster he could not call his chicken Optimus Prime...or Megatron....or Indiana Jones...or Luke Skywalker.

He decided for himself that he'd choose Jazz and Bumble Bee as more 'chickeny' names.

Bumble Bee Update: bless her little scaly socks she's settled in like a dream. Not quite confident enough to share the roosting perch with the others yet but quite snuggly in the nest box, thank you very much. Also started laying straight away:)

We are still on two eggs a day. Flossie and Beryl (we think) are not yet laying regularly.

I'm now going to peruse your lovely blogs and hey, who cares if I have a late night? NO WORK TOMORROW!!!!!

:)

XXXXXXX

Funny ha ha or funny peculiar?

I've had an award!!!

I've hardly been here lately......but I've had an award!!

The very lovely Louise has given me this fabulous award dahling....because I make her laugh!

Thank you so much Louise - getting the award from you really made my day :)



I haven't felt like a bundle of laughs lately but, lucky for me, Ruby Monkee helped to cheer things up last week!

In the true nature of the Blog Awards thing I would like to pass this award on to a few barmy bloggers who make me laugh on a very regular basis:

Lucy Locket - no surprises there then ;) - however, this woman not only causes me to chuckle 'en blog' but also in real life, on the phone nearly every day! I'm not going to harp on about what a crubbish year I had since Mum died but I really feel it would have been much tougher had the lovely Mrs Locket not been there to make me chortle - cheers Lucy :)

Trashy - for her hilltop antipodean rantings and for her sterling work in promoting the work of her A.R.S.E.....and for being a rather lovely and very funny hooman bean :)

Monkee Maker - this woman has done so much for the world in bringing very funny primates made of knit to our attention and for cheering up the dullest of days. Although officially on a blogrest right now, I still felt an award was wholly justified :)

Vicious Chicken - nobody that young should be that funny but she is and as such deserves an award. And she makes great Brussels Sprout Christmas cards :)

Blimey, it reads like the 'Usual Suspects' doesn't it?!!

'Blog incest' alive and well in Moogsville :)

Talking of incest......one of the places I cover for work is, apparently/allegedly, one of the UK 'hotspots' for incest......nice :)

I won't go on.....don't want to do anything in bad taste! I was going to but then erred on the side of caution!!!!

To make sure I end on a funny note (feeling the pressure to amuse now!!!) here's something that Monkee Maker, in particular, might like :)

Very very real imaginary friends :) OR Country Living Spring Fair 2008

I thought yesterday would never come. In case you'd missed it (!) I had arranged to meet up with Lucy, Gina, Val, Jane and Lucy's (and my newly adopted!) big sis Ally at the Country Living Spring Fair in London.

The day started well with my train running on time and as it was just after rush hour I even got a comfy seat all to myself.

It was a very entertaining journey to the capital thanks to almost continual texting between Locket and myself!

Mostly about deer, power stations and sewage works!

I got snapping as the train drew into London


Being a saddo who always gets everywhere ridiculously early I was the first to arrive! A little while later I spotted a very familiar face. It was Ally and I recognised her thanks to some recently emailed photos and the fact that she was wearing one of Gina's beautiful pink carnations!

Before too long everyone else arrived. Lucy literally bounded out of the taxi when she spotted us.

She knows how to make an entrance!!! ;)

It was hugs all round and some lovely gifts were exchanged.


Top row left to right: gorgeous teeny tiny bunny made by Lucy; gorgeous teeny tiny bunny now christened 'Lucy' meeting her new friend 'Esther'; a fab craft book from Lucy :)

Middle row left to right: a very pretty mug cozy from Val - tried and tested today and it works a treat; the fab pink carnations that Gina made for all of us - these were such a talking point with all the stall holders we met - maybe they thought we were part of some bizarre stitchy cult!; gorgeous Lindt choccies from Ally.

Bottom row left to right: Jane bought us these gorgeous organic chocolate bunnies - four of mine jumped out of the packet before I could photograph them; close up of the last bunny just waiting for me to eat him ;) ; what should have been a photo of the lovely dotty cookies made for us by Val - gone almost as soon as I got home!!


After chatting outside the show for some time we eventually agreed that as we were there and we had all bought tickets it might be worth actually venturing inside!!

A few of the photos of the show hall are above. It was decorated beautifully - very girlie and springlike :)

We spent a lovely time together chatting, browsing the gorgeous stalls, chatting, admiring some beautiful craft work, chatting and waiting while Lucy gave out almost a whole pack of Moo-cards - dang that girl can network!!! Val wondered why she'd left her cards at home whilst I wondered why I hadn't even got any in the first place!!

There was some great retail therapy to be had and whilst I could have gone mad and spent a fortune I was actually very well behaved.


Gina and Val had to head homewards just after 2.30 and at some time after 3 o'clock the rest of us were flagging and decided to get something to eat.

We all chose exactly the same.

A very tasty red onion and goat's cheese tart with green salad and roasted butternut squash:



Well, I was hungry ok!!! I was so hungry I didn't get chance to take a photo!!

Something else I didn't take any photos of was the gorgeous ladies I spent the day with! Not ...a...single....picture !! I was so busy talking, shopping or taking pictures of roof structures and empty plates that I forgot! Lucy has a lovely picture of Jane, Val, Gina and I over on her blog.

It was a wonderful day and I feel like I've known all of my now very real imaginary friends for years.

Thank you so much for this lovely get together ladies and we really must do it again very very soon!

Before I go I really must say Thank You to my lovely bloggy friend Leigh who gave me one of these lovely awards a few days ago:

First of all I have to say 'Right back at you Leigh' ... and your lovely Mum too!!

Now normally, at this point, I'd either do a big list or pass this to everyone who reads the blog.

This time, if you don't mind, I'd really like to give this one to all the girls I met up with yesterday to say a simply huge thank you for such a great day!

Now I'm feeling guilty! Ok. I'm going to widen the net.

To all of you who have made my 156 (so far) posts such a pleasurable, warm and friendly experience by reading and/or commenting please please please take this award with all my love xxxx

Loads of love xxxxxx

don't forget to leave a comment on Post 155 for my Stacking Bunny Giveaway :)

152 - All change!!

Just as I'd decided this job thing wasn't going to be happening - eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek the phone rang!!!

I've been offered and have accepted the job and should be starting on or around 21st April. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!!


Things may change slightly round here.

Not the blogging or the crafting if I can help it.

Moogsdad will once more have to do his share of the household chores ;-)

Judging by the huge grin on his face when I told him the news there is some hope!!

To clear up any questions about Moogsdad that arose from yesterday's post, he's not an inventor - yet! He is a research scientist - so innovation and problem solving are his bag, baby.


However, he dreams of one day having a big mad inventor's shed in which he can innovate to his hearts content - preferably whilst being paid innordinately vast sums of money for doing so.

What can I say - the man's a Virgo and he loves to dream :)



Sooooo - you want to know what all that mess I made yesterday was about then?

I've been shelf filling in my little shop :)



I went to the Scrapstore today and joined up as planned. They didn't have a great deal of fabric today but I got a few nice bits.



I also noticed these:



I asked how much.

Go on guess!!



£1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They are for me :)

Stop laughing - I can roller skate....ish....or at least I could when I was twelve.....

On top of all that fabulousness I am also the proud and very delighted recipient of a brace of awards from the delectable Miss Kitty.

A very apt award from the Kitty - a Cool Cat Award. Moog's not so sure about this one as she has a lifelong aversion to all things feline. I, however, am delighted - thank you Kitty!

This one I would like to pass on to everyone who comments on my ramblings and indeed to those of you who read but find yourselves at a loss for words!! Go on help yourself!!





The second award is this lovely The One In A Million Friend Award:




It originated with Ann at A Nice Place in the Sun, and is a recognition of the fact that our blogging friends have a huge impact on our lives. This is certainly true for me.

Blogging has done so much for me since losing my job and my Mum last year. I have never felt lonely at home and a big part of that is knowing that there are lovely people out there, near and far, who get what I'm about, who encourage, inspire and support me and make me laugh every single day.

This list is by no means complete as I do like a good lurk and neither is it in any particular order!! I raise a glass to all of you (no surprises there then!!), my lovely real imaginary friends :)

Lucy Locket Pocket Rocket Sprocket and my big sister Ally and dad, Gina, Monkee Maker, Kitty, Trashalou, Julie at Mixed Media, Vicious Chicken, Kaz, Jo at French Knots, Patty, Marit, Bethany, Leigh and my new Mum :), Leanne, Lina, Jodie and her naughty boys, Est my lovely swap partner, Val the Dotty one, Ali the domesticated one, Susan the Blissful Artist, Jane at Crafty Conundrum, Lucykate, Monda, Angie, Thimbleanna, Suzie....

Thank you all for being there!

love Lesley xxxxx

Where's Tuesday gone???

Did someone press the 'delete Tuesday' button? C'mon - own up!



Being the blog addict that I am I was fully intending to post yesterday. Somehow the day went and all of a sudden it's Wednesday.



Making a whole heap of these may have accounted for a bit of Tuesday.


With plenty of this - yum yum!




I just had to post the next picture to prove to myself that these are all finished at last!



Talk about a mental block! It took a huge amount of willpower to get these done. The people who they are for were very specific about what they wanted. Obviously this is good on the one hand but I also felt that it took away any 'creative freedom' - if you know what I mean - does that sound really pretentious?



It does?



Good :)




This morning's trip to the bank necessitated a bit of accidental shopping. Nothing extravagant of course :)



A quick rummage in Peacocks found four smocks for £2 each. All in cotton. All about a metre or so of fabric. All to be cut up and repurposed at some point. Maybe into bags/toys/clothes for Minx.



Here's a close-up of each.



Now for some sneaky peaks concerning this and this.

In case you are wondering about the bottle, it's fabric painting medium that can turn your humble acrylic paints into fabric paints. As I have a rather large stash of acrylic paint left over from a previous obsession it seemed a good way of using some up!!

The medium is made by Golden and for those of you in the UK I bought it from here. It lasts ages so the initial outlay is worth it.

Here's a lovely thing.

A few days ago the lovely Miss Kitty held an awards ceremony and I was one of the very lucky recipients of not one but two fabulous shiny new awards!!

To explain I have borrowed this from Miss Kitty:

This ... award originated with Rachel at Lessons Learned.She says, "To be judged worthy of these awards by these bloggers is enormously gratifying, and makes the lack of monetary compensation for this silly little hobby worthwhile."


The next award originated with Project Mommy who says: "... I love being a part of the blogging community and part of all the friendships that I've formed so I wanted to give a blog award for all of you out there that have Excellent Blogs. By accepting this Excellent Blog Award, you have to award it to 10 more people whose blogs you find Excellent Award worthy. You can give it to as many people as you want but please award at least 10. Thank you out there for having such great blogs and being such great friends! You deserve this! Feel free to award people who have already been awarded. "


Whilst not wishing to appear lazy in the passing it on of the awards I would like to pass it on to all of you who read and comment on my blog and even to you regular lurkers - YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE :)

Please feel free to copy and paste the awards into your own blogs - don't be shy - have both!!! You deserve them after all as your kindness, creativity and fun make the world a nicer place to be :)

xxxxx