A Pause in Advent 2012 - No4 (Fun)

Hello again

Just how quickly has this month gone by? Here we are at the last Sunday in Advent and time for one final pause before the main event on Tuesday.

I think we're just about ready here - a bit of veggie prep to do and another batch of mince pies to bake - one more session of carol playing for my brass players and then its time to hang stockings, leave a drink and mince pie out for the bearded fella.

My last pause is all about fun. The boys have had some fun things at school this week. Big Son's 6th form centre hold a charity dress-up day each year. Batches of 16/17/18 year olds forget their usual 'coolness' and dress up in silly costumes and visit 3 local towns to collect money for charity.

Big son along with 2 of his mates were the Thunderbirds - here he is as Brains;

The 6th form raised over £1,000 in about 3 hours which is pretty amazing.

Next it was Little Sons turn - his school were doing the Save the Children Christmas Jumper event - a week later than everyone else but a rather fun thing to do on the last day of term. Quite simple - wear a Christmas jumper - either bought, knitted or made - and pay 50p for the privilege;

Little Son hoped I'd be up for the challenge and between us ( he cut out - I did the sewing);

He jingled rather nicely!

I spent one morning this week in the kitchen - Christmas songs playing and a cloud of flour/icing sugar in the air - time to decorate my Christmas cake and make a batch of mince pies;

Vintage plaster carol singers were just 50p from my favourite little charity shop!

Now this is going to be my last post for a few days so I shall wish all my blog followers, commenter's and friends a very Merry Christmas;

See you soon

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Bubbles, Ladybirds & Cath

Good evening

Hurrah its the weekend again :) Finally caught up with the post holiday washing from both ours and Big Sons trips. He arrived home Sunday night with a huge bag of washing, having had the most brilliant time away on camp. He's rather an old hand at these sort of things now so there's no worries about whether stuff is missing - nor is dirty washing and clean stuff mixed up. That boy of mine is getting old.

Talking of such - yesterday was GCSE results day. He went off to school and I paced around waiting for THE call - his voice was full of emotion when he told me his results - he'd done very well even in his worse subject of English - I really must thank his teacher she really did get the best out of him.  He's happy to be heading back to school to do A Levels next month.

Last night a small celebration was in order;

Today he's been hard at work with MrVV but a shopping trip and reward is planned for Sunday :)

Whilst tidying away holiday stuff I found something I'd treated myself to in York. I'd arranged to meet a friend out the CK shop and of course we had to go in. Just a couple of things for me - a diary for next year and a set of stacking tubs I'd wanted for ages;

The charity shops came up trumps this week - I happened to be in the right place at the right time - a pile of Ladybird books;

Now I've managed to double up on the 'What to look for in Summer' and 'Night Sky' books so if any other Ladybird collectors have doubles and want to do a swap, let me know.

Have a good bank holiday weekend - we're off to a new folk festival nearby tomorrow. I've been told to wear lead lined boots as there is to be no repeat of last August bank holidays dancing disasters!!

See you soon.

xxx Vicki xxx

More crochet & some pretty finds

Good afternoon from Sunny Suffolk :)

Oh what a gorgeous afternoon - warm enough to have windows open and dry enough for washing to be on the line :)

Its been a lovely busy week here - the usual house stuff plus spending a morning with my Grandma. Two CS shifts done as well - am loving that so much at the moment. The best bit though this week has been playing 'houses' with our new toy. One afternoon was spent emptying cupboards and cleaning. Yesterday was fun time though - cupboard filling :) I found all our camping gear and found homes for everything we need - there is however more space and that needed filling - a quick hunt around the house found plenty of things;

New tea towels, a cook book, travel scrabble, some postcards to brighten the cupboard doors, card games and a pretty UJ Bridgewater beaker that has been holding things in my sewing room. Oh and off cut of red spotty oilcloth - just enough to line a draw & shelf and also to make a mat to cover the top of unit which is slightly sun bleached.

I had great fun arranging things into the cupboards;

I pinched a vintage milk jug from the kitchen to use for utensils and the thrifted tins were part of our camping kit already.

Essentials such as wine glasses have their own hanging space too ;)

The postman might have been a little busy this week bringing a few bits - yesterday new shiny red camping saucepans and today another vintage board game! The boys requested a tv - the parents have over ridden that and said board games!! (insert devil smilie here);

Lastly - thank you for the lovely comments on my Ta-dah Tuesday blanket. I am so glad that its finished and it will be coming away with us this summer as it fits nicely on our bed :) For those that are interested the yarn is mainly Stylecraft - I can't remember how much of each colour I used but think 1 ball of the small round colours and maybe 2 of the larger and possibly 3 of the red - to be honest I can't remember AND I've pinched some of the yarn at times for other projects!!

I've started a stash busting blanket for the caravan - 2 rounds of every colour I have in my stash - mainly Stylecraft but a few rounds are cottons I've used in other projects;

I think I need to make it at least 44 rounds and then add a border - so a little way to go but I hope to have it finished before we go away this summer! 

Right I'd best be off - the bread maker has just finished making some pizza dough so I ought to get that turned into dinner for tonight!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Wear It Pink for Breast Cancer Campaign

Good afternoon

Just a temporary change of colour to promote an event taking place at the end of the month - Friday 28th October to be precise.

It is Breast Cancer Campaign's Wear It Pink Day.

What is Wear It Pink Day? Its an annual event organised Breast Cancer Campaign. It is their biggest fundraising event. Put on something pink and donate £2 to Breast Cancer Campaign - it couldn’t be easier to help save lives! I am sure that far too many of us have had some experience of this disease. I lost a school friend at the beginning of the year and another is undergoing treatment at the moment.

In 2010, hundreds of thousands of you wore pink, raising over £2 million. Events can be big or small. Perhaps persuading work colleagues to take part or just wear pink yourself and donate your £2. I know every year that a walk is organised by a group of local ladies. They always walk down our lane - they mark their route with pink ribbons tied to trees etc (removing them next day). I shall try and watch out for them again this year and try and get some photos.

There is a website which has loads of information on it - including fundraising ideas and of course a link so you can make your donation - www.wearitpink.co.uk 

If you want to organise an event there is a shop section on there where you can buy items as well as a section of free items which you can use to publicise your event. 

Thank you for reading. 

xxx Vicki xxx