52 weeks of Vicki - week 6 - more birthdays

Good morning

Well least I am sticking to writing these posts so far!! The other posts don't quite happen yet but they will eventually - when time allows. Seems weekends have been rather busy.

Today is a very special day here in the VV household - Big Son is 18 years old today. Yep my biggest baby is now an adult!! 

We had a get together yesterday afternoon for him - lots of Grandparents, Aunties, Uncles and Little Cousins - the most people this little house has ever held I think!!

One cake - designed by me and made by a very clever lady who has made so many cakes for us over the years. Of course all 18 year olds need a Toy Story balloon!!

Slightly embarrassed whilst we all sung Happy Birthday to him

Of course all birthday blog posts have to include a few baby photos -

Here's his birthday card - I chose some of my favourite pics and with some technical help they were scanned and turned into a big A4 card via one of those card companies that advertise all over the place.

Whilst all 6 cousins were together, we tried again to get a photo - still impossible to get them all looking at the camera at once!!

Last weekend it was baby nephews christening - as well as getting up early on a Sunday morning for church, my boys made lots of effort and smartened themselves up;

One normal pic - followed by a much more typical one of them;

Right - I'd best be off - have shopping for a steak dinner to do and an appointment at the Opticians for me - I know I need stronger specs and probably need to wear them all the while now.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

52 weeks of Vicki - week 3 - with added cake ;)

Good morning

Another week has gone by - its been busy - my to-do list seems to be endless. Things to sort, trips to plan and in this family, more birthdays to celebrate.

This week it was Little Son's turn - though to be honest these days he is little in title only. He towers above me and his feet are catching up with those of his clown like older brother!!

Yesterday, my baby turned 16!!! I must have blinked too long - am sure he was just a little boy when I first started writing this blog!!

Every birthday boy needs lots of cards, a birthday balloon and of course a cake.

You know I prefer cakes which are a bit over decorated!! Hence the edible icing topper and little lego style Doctor Who figures!! 

Here's my boy on his first birthday;

and then 15 years later on his 16th;

He was a lucky boys - lots of cards from friends and family. We're off on a special birthday treat in a few weeks time - not sure who is most excited him or me!! I promise there will be plenty of photos from that day out!!

Right I'd best be off - going out with Big Son and his Dad to choose something special for Big Son's 18th birthday in a few weeks time!!

See you soon - I've got some fab vintage and CS finds to share with you!

xxx Vicki xxx

11 of 52 weeks of Happy

Good morning

Can't wander too far this morning as I am awaiting a bulky shopping delivery and don't want to miss the knock on the door!

Well lots of last week was testing to say the least - life is certainly a roller coaster ride and many times last week I just wanted to get off as I wasn't enjoying it. 

However I am a lucky girl and have a fab family and some truly wonderful friends who are being very supportive at the moment and are there with hugs and tissues when I turn into a snotty blubbing mess (again).

Hardly the right start for a happy post!! However despite everything there have been happy moments that I have managed to capture on camera and here they are;

1) It was my birthday on Friday and I was thoroughly spoilt - as I was planning a party on Saturday we just had French Fancies as a cake for Friday. I thought we'd just eat them but Big Son insisted they were arranged on a pretty plate and that I had a candle to blow out!

2) This was my cake for Saturdays party - I made it and Little Son iced it with a thick layer of chocolate ganache and then decorated it with a mini-egg flower - serious chocolate overload but very tasty.

3) This is my baby sisters dog - Lula. I went to visit last week and Lula was so pleased to see me - she loves visitors. As you can see whilst she stayed still for a photo, her tail did not!! Still no baby news - hopefully sometime this week I get to be an Auntie - I will know roughly when as I am dog sitting!!

4) New boots for Morris Dancing and my first stick - they sit in the hallway behind my desk and every time I look at them I smile. Thinking of dancing out days this summer and several weekends at festivals with new friends and old.

I am struggling with blogging at the moment and I owe so many people replies and I am behind with my reading too. Bear with me, I will get back into it properly - in the words of Chumbawamba - "I get knocked down but I get up again, You're never gonna keep me down."

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Wasn't he cute ;)

Good evening

Actually he still is - just that the jeans and converse are much, much bigger these days!!

Oh yes today - big son turned 17 - the photo above was taken when he was a few months old - we've decided he was probably plotting something - probably knowing him his next meal!!

After a birthday breakfast and a pressie and card opening session, we headed out as a family for a roast dinner and then onto Southwold. The wind was rather strong so the walk was much shorter than hoped but we made it to the Pier and spent time having fun.

 Air hockey - we played in various combinations - the boys gaming skills showed through and they were far better than us adults.

 Of course if you play on the Pier then you have to play the Penny Falls - he made his money last for ages.

Home then for cake;

The usual chocolate cake - a family favourite - decorated with a Brains from Thunderbirds in honour of Big Sons dressing up day in December and some special candles. These look like normal ones but are impossible to blow out!! 

My daft boy in his new sunglasses - obviously what you need indoors on a dull February day!! Oh how much smoke those candles produced - am glad I just bought one pack of 10 rather than the 17 we really needed!!

Of course he's hungry again - so the grill has just gone on with cheese on toast to cook!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Keep calm and get cooking

Good afternoon

Well the world is about to end! School is closed, the supermarket shelves were striped bare and my Instagram feed is full of snow pictures :)

Oh yes - a few more inches of the white stuff arrived overnight -making everything look pretty.

We woke to the news that school was cancelled - happy boys.

MrVV however has gone to work - he's hoping that this remains so he can pelt the boys with snowballs tomorrow!!

Little Son & I headed into town - there were a few bits we needed - we thought we might need another pair of wellies for him but fortunately due to my wellie hoarding a pair has been found that fits him!

Once home and after hot chocolate had been drunk, it was time do some cooking.

Homemade bread and carrot & coriander soup for lunch;

Enough leftover for the same again tomorrow.

In a while we're off into the garden to build a snowman and probably throw a snowball or two. Got to make the most of these boys of mine - perhaps in another year or so they'll think they are too old for all of this.

Thanks for all the lovely comments on my last post - I was very pleased with those pics.

Here's just a couple more - I mentioned cake making and another birthday - here's Little Son's cake;

It seems you're never to old for Toy Story! The big candle was supposed to be musical - lets just say I've heard a more tuneful sound from a cat!

The official birthday photo;

Right time to hunt out something for the snowman to wear!

Have a good weekend.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

1 of 52 weeks of happy

Good afternoon

I've seen this on many blogs and thought it was a good idea. I struggle big time during the winter months with the dark, damp and miserable days so looking for the good things when you initial impressions are 'its all bad' seems a good idea. Plus it gives me a chance to use some of the random photos I take and struggle to link together into a non-rambling blog post!

Here's the first one of what I hope will be 52 weeks of pictures that make me happy and lift my spirits;

A cake fountain indoor firework on MrVV's birthday cake

The first of the mini daffs I treated myself to have flowered.

Also the hyacinths surprised my one morning too - I smelt them before I saw the flowers.

Lastly, new boots for me - they arrived just in time before the icy weather returns - nice, thick treads so hopefully I'll remain upright!!

We've avoided the snow here on my part of the coast - lots of flurries yesterday and overnight but it didn't stick - can't say I'm sorry about that either - though the teenagers have a different opinion!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

One weekend in the VV household

Good evening

No Downton Abbey this weekend and I'm lost!

Time for a quick blog about our weekend.

Of course it included this;

Thank you to everyone who bought poppies - I was able to add £28 to the Poppy Collection :)

 Christmas Cake prep - just love the smell

 The fruit soon soaked up all the fruit juice & brandy.

 Watching rugby whilst crocheting and drinking cranberry juice - I've not been well this weekend - I think a trip to the Docs is in order tomorrow :(

 The devastation in the kitchen once the cake had been mixed - whilst there was a mess I thought I'd strain the Hedgerow Gin too - almost a litre of the stuff - I've hidden it till Christmas Eve.

Part of the band on the march back from Church this morning. The veterans were pleased that the youngest cornet players played the last post. They are always pleased to see the young members of our band on parade.

As it was sunny today, it was perfect for the 8th week of Autumn Views photos;

 The blackbird enjoyed a quick splash just after I'd taken this picture.

 The leaves on the birch that remain are all a lovely golden colour.

 These 3 trees have almost lost all their leaves now.

 The cherry leaves have all changed colour now too and are falling off rather too quickly.

I hope whatever you did this weekend you had a good one? I've had a quick scan of blogland and seen many pictures from parades today.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Ideal Home Show at Christmas - Christmas Cake Decorator Competition

Good afternoon

Just a short post today. I received an email earlier in the week from PR company inviting me for a day out at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas next week at Earls Court in London (14th - 18th November). Sadly I'm unable to go but I thought other might be interested in knowing about this event - especially part of it.

Basically take along your decorated Christmas Cake on Thursday 15th November by 2pm and you and a friend will get free entry to the show that day! All the details are here and there's other information about the show too. This a sister show to the long running Spring Ideal Home Show and this is its 2nd year. 

I wish I was able to go - I get rather excited about Christmas and as hard as I try that excitement starts before the beginning of December - its done well this year only to start early November!!

I've found my Christmas Cake recipe and have added all the bits I need to this weeks shopping list - tradition dictates that the VV household cake gets made on Remembrance Sunday as normally I have a quiet house with 2 of the menfolk out all day. This gives me time to get the cake made and baked. Here's last years effort;

Once this weekends parade is out of the way those brass playing men of mine know the carol book will be out - though most of the band know the notes by heart! I've been given a list of festive engagements and note the first one is actually the end of this month!!

Just scary how quickly 2012 is going past!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Blossom, books & birthdays

Good evening

How has your week been? We're on week 2 of the Easter hols here and tbh its been far busier than I'd planned - actually I'd not planned anything but the days have filled up rather well. Probably a good idea as the weather hasn't been the sort for just lounging around in the garden which is what the boys did for these hols last year. Instead they've been to work with MrVV, cinema with friends, visited family and big son even went to school today for a GCSE Drama revision (final practise) day.

Easter weekend went rather quickly - there was lots of rain dodging, a few walks and for the boys plenty of eating chocolate. I managed to visit the Vintage Fair in Woodbridge with Dawn and also got to my first boot sale of the year (more on that later).

There's been a daily check on the progress of the blossom and this morning I managed to get some photos - of course it would look amazing with a blue sky background but they've been a bit scarce when I've the camera handy;

I think by the end of the month the whole tree will be out - just need a blue sky at the right time for the perfect photo.

Right back to the weekend - car boot sale on Sunday - lots of proper booters not just the traders. My radar was tuned to tatty enamel for planting in the garden - got a couple of pieces of that and I was as ever on the hunt for Ladybird books for my collection - I found 3 on 2 different stalls - grand spend 80p!!

Tuesday night was WI - I don't think I told you but I've joined up - a new group which is aimed at slightly younger, less traditional WI members. This was our 2nd proper meeting and it was amazing. We had a speaker - a wonderful lady from our local florists. She'd just started talking and demonstrating when it became apparent that the main hall was being used for opera practise - a huge chorus of 80 voices - all practising Verdi's Requiem. Well any other speaker might have struggled but ours was amazing and to be honest the two complemented each other well. 

I was lucky enough at the end of the evening to win one of the arrangements - those on Facebook might have seen this - my new addiction is Instagram - I discovered that it was now available for those of us with Android phones and have been muddling through with it rather too much this week - sorry Facebook and Twitter friends - the novelty will wear off soon!!

As part of getting the WI group together we've been all making letters to be turned into a banner - I handed my first one in the other night - quite pleased with myself for mastering some simple embroidery - its made me want to learn more stitches and improve my neatness;

Handing my homework in on time meant I was given another letter to create - this time I'm attempting it in crochet - results soon!!

Today has been a hectic on in the VV household, MrVV left early this am for a day in his warehouse, Big Son headed to school and that left Little Son & I. We were joined to lunch by 3 of my sisters, 2 nieces and one nephew. As it is one nieces birthday this weekend, I decided the cake should be more girly than I normally get away with - she loved it;

Right, I think that's me up-to-date - I suppose I ought to go and see what I can find for dinner tonight - we're at the Old Mother Hubbard stage again - so perhaps I can claim its a Heston style meal tonight and come up with something 'different'!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Oh yeh its my birthday :)

Good morning

Happy birthday to me ;)

The sun is shining :)

I've had lots of lovely pressies from friends and family :)

A girls night later with my Mum & sisters :)

A weekend in Cambridge with promised sunshine and a catch up with my little brother to look forward too :)

and then there's cake - not just any old cake but one made by a S&B friend and given to me last night (got thoroughly spoilt there by all the clever ladies - pics another day);

But first, the weekly battle around the supermarket - can't leave the boys & MIL with an empty fridge and cupboards can I?

Oh and they are playing Bohemian Rhapsody of the radio at the moment - its very loud!!

Happy days

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Happy Birthday 'Sweet' 16!!

Good afternoon

Yep another birthday! This time its big sons and he's reached the milestone of 16 - sweet in his own very special way!!

One cake has been made and is awaiting his return much later today;

A continuation of this years chocolate cake and icing theme!!

The day started early, very early - this early (note the light on the AM bit);

Why?? A school trip - a GCSE History revision day at a University in London - they were leaving school at 6.30am prompt - so we were awake early for big son to get showered, fed, down a couple of cups of coffee and open some cards & pressies too.

We've even got to wait till early evening till we can sample the cake!!

Not heading out tonight instead we are off for a meal tomorrow - someone is looking forward to being allowed a pint of cider with his curry!!

Have a good weekend all - I shall be avoiding the ice and staying in with the rugby and a basket of body parts to turn into mini-raggies!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

A ta-dah moment :)

Good evening

 

Another cold day here in Suffolk - I had to brave a quick cycle to visit my parents earlier and the journey there was in the very cold head wind - the sort that completely takes your breath away. If the weather forecast is to be believed we should get a good covering of snow this weekend - tomorrow I'm off to buy some thermals!!

 

Now I've a finished project I want to share with you - normally I'd head out into the conservatory to take pictures as the light is best there but not today - its just too cold out there. Instead I opted for the warmer front room where the light isn't as good.

 

I started this Giant Granny Blanket when we were camping in Dorset in the summer - finally the last round was finished yesterday!!

Its been a usable size for a while now - it got lots of use when I was stuck on the sofa in plaster. I knew it needed finishing before the yarn got used for other projects! So here we are - 43 rounds of trebles and a final 2 rounds of doubles. One snuggly and cozy blanket - just perfect for keeping warm on the sofa these cold nights and for taking camping when the days start to warm up.

I'm glad I had enough yarn to finish the edges of with the doubles - it makes it look really neat.

 

 

A pile of squishy crochet loveliness.

Now in my last post, I promised to share the tale of a little mix-up with you. Quite simple - 2 families living an hour apart - one date arranged for lunch. 2 families both sitting at home wondering where the other family were. One phone call - disaster both think the other family is coming to them!! We jumped into the car and amazingly made it there in under an hour! It turns out, I was right - they should have been at ours! Oh well - nothing got wasted. Sundays buffet lunch became dinner Monday night and my boys are happily working their way through this victoria sandwich I made!!

Right back to the crochet I head - time to try and finish a few more squares towards my 100 square blanket (currently at 70 squares).

See you soon - keep warm

 

xxx Vicki xxx

Another day - another cake

Happy Birthday Little Son - 14 today :)

Another chocolatey cake was asked for - and for a change I thought I'd add 14 candles rather than the number shaped ones - never again - it took me ages to light those!

All quiet here now - he's gone to the cinema with Big Son to watch the latest Sherlock movie.

We now have a 3 week gap before the cake making starts again!!

xxx Vicki xxx

Cake & thrifting

Good afternoon

Brrrrr - after almost springlike weather for a few days its started to turn chilly here in Suffolk. I cycled into town this morning and rather wished I'd worn my hat - apart from a cold head, my sightly damp hair got blown about and I came home looking rather too yeti like! I'm also sporting a rather eclectic selection of clothes - skirt, tights, 2 t-shirts, woolly waistcoat and I've just added a cardi too - back to warm & woolly again.However I am so loving being able to get out and about its going to have to get pretty cold before I stop my now daily cycles. So far my ankle is holding up well - in fact it seems more mobile and less swollen :)

The birthday cake I was baking in the last post turned out rather well;

The topping is a chocolate ganache made with 2 bars of MrVV's favourite Dairy Milk chocolate. As its rather rich it should last quite a few days - probably till its time for another cake next Tuesday when Little Son turns 14 - he's not so little now - he's as tall as me and those bones are still rumbling so am sure it won't be long till our different in height is very noticeable.

I also mentioned in my last post a lovely CS find - here it is - a 50's frosted hyacinth bulb vase;

Its cleaned up rather well and I'm in two minds whether to keep it or too sell it on.

One of my plans for 2012 is to be more thrifty and I've been spring cleaning cupboards to make sure that things in there are either being used or if they aren't then they need to sold on. I found at the back of one cupboard the base and coffee grinder from a long departed blender. I nearly put them in the car boot box when I had a brainwave. I like to keep a stock of breadcrumbs in the freezer and normally have to grate the crusts which is fiddly - I wondered if the grinder might work and be able to produce crumbs? Hurrah it did so its now allowed to stay and it means that all crusts can be crumbed much quicker;

Last night was finally our S&B group Secret Santa swap - its been hard getting the group together as real life often gets in the way. Well finally last night all those that wanted to take part were there. Parcels were secretly put into a bag and then when they were all in - the pile of pressies was put out into the middle of the table. Everyone took turns to choose a parcel - I wish I'd taken photos there were some wonderful makes.

Here's the contents of the parcel I received;

This embroidered heart hanging (I've shown you both sides) was made by one of the ladies who runs the group - I'd only been admiring earlier in the evening something similar she was making so I was thrilled with this. The fabric are all iridescent and I think this needs to hang somewhere where it can catch the light and the breeze - I have a place in mind - just need a hook putting in place.

Lastly the postie has just been - thank you Annie - The Felt Fairy. I won some bag handles in a recent giveaway - its part of the encouragement for the Monthly Makers. Am also loving the Boy George postcard that was in there - I so loved him when I was younger. I've got some fabric that will make the perfect bag - just need to find a template for what I have in mind.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx