Happenings

A lovely long summer holiday (the benefit of moving counties - 2 extra weeks!) is drawing to an end. Much of the time has been spent on a complete overhaul of my new classroom - 12 days so far and with at least two more planned during this last week. All worth it though as it's so much more organised and ready for all of the lovely new little ones to come in and enjoy it in a week's time. It's not all been work work work though...

Much fun with the nieces and nephew and my lovely mama...

A lovely weekend chasing logs (and a little crafting thrown in of course) with my old friend Carrie and her husband Giles...

And as for house goings on, well we are now truly ready for winter with two lovely log burners fitted and working (and in action today on this rather miserable bank holiday in, uhhum, August). With some gorgeous bespoke book shelves and a TV cabinet in the making its almost time to get those tester pots in and start really thinking about wall colour for the sitting room. I am so excited (and a little nervous) to finally be able to paint walls - out with the magnolia and in with the colour I say!

Hope you're making the most of the "summer" bank holiday everyone. (We are in full sofa, fire and film mode, perhaps not making the most of it but certainly enjoying it.)

S. x

Goodbyes

After four and a bit years I've left my job in Leicester. Four and a bit years is not a long time in the grand scheme of things but I learned so much and laughed so hard while working with a wonderful group of people and such delightful (most of the time) children. I will miss it very much and it was very hard to leave it behind. But...

It did lead to a little bit of crafting for my closest friends - a card for each and definition of sorts.

Oosh, Fwit, Right and Floppy Whopper - The words were chosen because they remind me of each member of our little Foundation Stage team (you probably had to be there!)

Thank you so much for everyone's help, love and support over the last few years, you truly are amazing! (And thank you for beautiful flowers too.)

As for the other goodbye, at the end of June we said farewell to our dear dog Finn - a good life of 13 and a half years and a quick and quiet end. He was ready and so were we, though going up to Northumberland and not having a dog getting in the way all the time will be a very strange
experience. Goodbye lovely boy. xxx

With the summer holidays now in full swing, I'm hoping to blog more often - one a month is not really good enough is it!

S. x

Two bags and plenty of cards

Last weekend the Christmas crafting began with a bulk load of cards. This year I've been testing out my printing skills. They leave something to be desired (more practice needed for sure!) as looking at the completed product the scale and the composition is entirely wrong. Still, I think they look pretty and it was good fun using the lino cutting tool - like carving with a chisel but oh so much easier and quicker!

 As well getting started with the Yuletide stuff I also made two new IPad mini bags for work (We finally got another two, hooray, one each! What luxury!) I made mine last weekend, adding a pocket to the old design to make it easier to carry pens and post-its around too. This weekend I made the last of them, a further improvement/addition for mark three - a little camera pocket on he inside. This one, in brightest pink, is for Kelly - I always try to make a neater job of things when i know it's for someone else.

(The bright pink fabric by the way is actually a DIY cut and sew dress pattern for a little girl I bought ages ago from the wonderful Clothkits as is was heavily reduced - knew it would come in useful one day.)

Next weekend, or indeed some free evening or other this week (wishful thinking with assessments due and twilight courses to attend!) I will really get cracking with the gift making! So looking forward to some major craftiness over the next few weeks. :)

Enjoy your week everyone.
S. x

Bits and Bobs (And a Little Bit of Bunting)

Well since my last post there has been a little bit of crafting, a fair bit of home (including really beginning to dream of our own home - dreaming still but not for too much longer!) and an awful lot of work! Now two weeks into the school year it feels an age since the freedom of the long summer holiday and all the business of child minding, birthday parties and, oh yes, preparation for the new school year. But, I do have a few small bits of crafting to share with you that took place during those few full weeks in late August.

A card for a five year old who had been four for far too long (his own words!)

A sign for Chris' garden shed - a treasure trove of crafting goodness. (I appear to have neglected to take a photo of the finished product but will try to get one of it in situ next time I'm over there - See the little bit of bunting in the design? Who doesn't love bunting on a birthday gift?)

(I just love candid photos of little ones! This as the dog she wanted to make before total changing her mind - I've kept the picture though, I love the detail!)

And the usual Lexi crafting session - she designs, I make. So far I've not been able to persuade her to use the machine herself but she's such a delight to make things for I don't really mind. If you can cuddle it, she's happy with it. This time she asked for a cushion, with a rabbit on.
She has a great knack of picking good fabric out of my stash and a lovely way of drawing characterful creatures which I try hard to keep as true to her drawings as possible. The furry nose made of velvet was a must.

Somewhere along the way I have missed taking photos of the crochet flowers I made for Chris' surprise birthday gift but they were such good fun to make I'm sure I'll be doing more very soon.

Enjoy the warm weather all. I'll try not to wait so long between posts next time!
S. x

Labels for Baking

A very brief post to share a little gifting, completed up in Norham at my parent's house and gifted yesterday to my dear friend Chris on her 60th birthday.

Long awaited for labels for baking jars. So easy to do on such soft wood, a real pleasure.
Happy birthday Chris and happy Sunday everyone.
S. x

Holidays and Hearts

The summer holidays are here! As a little 'thank you' to all the lovely ladies at work I crafted a little heart for each one, with a bit of a thank you note too. It's been a very busy but successful year, and we really have worked our socks off!

So, thank you lovely ladies! Here's to a jolly good rest and a fabulous summer. And of course another great year to come.
S. x

Catch-up Crafting

On Tuesday evening this week Chris, Beth and I finally did something we've talked about for a while now. We got together, ate fish and chips, chatted on into the wee small hours and, oh yes, crafted.

 

An introduction to collage cards, an almost finished bear (with a very important first birthday deadline this weekend!) and far too much talking which meant that we didn't actually get an awful lot done but we certainly enjoyed ourselves and already have a plan for our next session.

Enjoy your weekend everyone.
S. x

House Warming

A few weeks ago now (has it really been that long!) we warmed the home of our dear friend and colleague Chris. A few games of hide and seek (perhaps more like "hide and scare" really!), a fish and chip supper by an open fire and a very late night followed. But after a fraught move and many other difficult happenings along the way I am so glad she is now settled into her lovely new house and is happy there.

I'd already made and given a card (see previous post below) but had an urge to craft something a little more permanent as a house warming gift. With very little time, a stack of paper and a box frame I bought ages ago with no real plan for it, I came up with this...

...A garden full of flowers for a wonderful friend who loves her gardening.

Oh, moving house is always so hard, especially when buying, but the rewards are surely worth all that hassle - a home to call your own. We hope to be doing that very thing quite soon ourselves.
Happy Easter weekend all.
S. x

Twenty-nine

My sister Emily holding baby me.

Today I turn 29, a slightly daunting age as I'll very soon no longer be a 'twenty-something'. And yet, as with every birthday nothing really changes, life goes on as normal and that's perfectly fine by me.

So here, in this space, I'll take a few moments to pay gratitude for all the good things in my life at the moment...
::: Sam. While away with work a fair bit of the time he is still a constant source of comfort and joy and I love him so.
::: Family. Spread far and wide as we are I feel we are as close as we ever have been, especially my wonderful Mama over these last few years.
::: Friends. Both those I see regularly and those I see only once or twice a year (or even less!), we are always able to pick up a conversation as if only minutes had passed since we last spoke. To me, this is a sure sign of a good relationship and I am very grateful for this.
::: Work. Hard as it is at times (Ok, most of the time) I love the school I work in, the people I work with and the children who fill our classrooms, even after rowdy days like today.
::: Home. This house, our home for three (or is it four?) years now fits us perfectly in many ways; its location in the beautiful Charnwood Forest, it's layout and space - enough room for a large studio for me, outdoor workshop for Sam and plenty of comfortable spaces for everyday living, and the lovely feeling a warm cat on my leg (she always favours the left), candles and wood stove lit and crochet in hand after a long wintry week at work.We love it.

It is with great joy and peace on my birthday that I think of these things that make life so wonderful right now. Thank you all for being a part of it.
Happy days and many thanks to you all.
S. x