Spring Makes Me Sing - the results

Hello again

Told you I'd be back soon! I promise this is my last post for the week/month ;)

In Jackie's Spring Makes Me Sing swap, I was paired with Justine from EmmaBearForever. We both were finally organised and both sent our parcels 1st Class Recorded Mail last Friday. Justine got her parcel on Saturday - for whatever reason the Post Office didn't deliver mine till Tuesday! However it was so well worth the wait;

 Parcels all wrapped up in spotty and flowery paper

Inside - a gorgeous tea cozy (so tempted to wear it as a hat) and a crocheted bag - both made by Justine

A CK mug with chickens on it and 2 lots of chocolate eggs (time to hide these from the boys)



All these sewing supplies - pins, buttons, floss, cottons,buttons & ribbon

Seeds and CK tissues. I am going to have such a lot of new flowers in my garden this summer - shall think of blogland when they all come through.

Thank you Justine very much - for such a lovely parcel and for being a great swap partner.

Here's what I sent to her;

Spring embroidered vintage cloth, chocolate chicks, apple scented melts, ribbon, a china posy basket, a spring themed brooch, spring flower earrings and some decorated eggs (not real ones).

I think now apart from the ongoing Birthday Swap, I am all up to date with my swaps.

Don't forget my giveaway - like the National Lottery say - you've got to be in it, too win it ;)

Have a good weekend and for us Mummies have a good day on Sunday :)

xxx Vicki xxx

A special day....

Hello again

I know 3 posts in 3 days - you'll be getting tired of me soon ;)

Just seems like No7 buses blog posts come along all at once. Some times I can't think what to write and other times like this week, I've a list of things that I want to blog about - lets just say today isn't the last you'll hear from me this week!!

Well the reason today is special? I've reached another bloggy milestone - 250 posts and now over 250 lovely people who follow & comment on my wafflings.

This of course means it must be giveaway time. I've been collecting bits & bobs for a little while and when I laid them all out I noticed there was a theme or two amongst them;

Red, white & blue - a brooch, threads and ribbons

It wouldn't be a giveaway without a hint of Cath.

A pretty box with a spotty lining and some gorgeous embroidery scissors

A button for you to add to your blog if you so wish.

As usual there are no rules - just leave a comment below if you'd like your name to go into the hat. I'll leave this open until Monday April 11th @ 6pm (then I can post the winners name that evening)- oh and I will add chocolate to the final parcel but won't buy that yet in case my teenager chocolate eating mice find it (so far they've not found my birthday stash ;) ). There may also be a few other bits added - again I've just not found them yet!!

See you again very soon - I've got the contents of a fabulous swap parcel to share with you.

xxx Vicki xxx

Photo Scavenger Hunt - March

Another month is almost over and finally the list in my purse has ticks beside every item. Thanks Kathy - you kept my eyes open this month.

Here's my offerings;

March roars in like a Lion - I was hoping Cambridge would produce a lion -it did - on one of the colleges.

An empty chair - this tatty lloyd loom one lives in our hall. I bought it for our first house with the intention of giving it a lick of paint - its never happened and 20 years later its looking more tatty than ever - perhaps this summer it will get some TLC.

A collection - just a small part of my russian doll collection - sitting happily on some fabric I bought at the weekend.

A gate - this is the original gate that is the entrance to my Grandma's house - a really heavy iron one.

Something green - the ivy growing on the garden wall.

As old as me - my little bear 'Orange' - he was given to me when I was a few weeks old. I was travelling on a train across Germany with my Mum and a salesman was sharing our carriage. He gave me this bear as I reminded him of his now grown up daughter. He's a tiny teddy just 4" tall.

Peeling paint - outside our post office.

A rainbow - no real rainbows this month but these rainbow raggies provide a burst of colour.

A ring - a birthday pressie from my littlest sister

Something sentimental - a jumper my Grandma knitted for big son - the yarn is so soft. Little son worn this too and its one of the few items of toddler clothing that I've kept.

A shadow - my bike - taken on the first sunny spring day we had.

March goes out like a lamb - a chocolate Aero one that was one of my birthday swap pressies - he tasted great :)

I wonder what treats Kathy has in store for us Scavengers for April??

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

A weekend away :)

Good morning

Ummmm funny how the sunshine is back today - it seemed to spend lots of time this weekend hiding behind a cloud. However that didn't stop MrVV & I having a great weekend away in Cambridge. We walked miles each day - Cambridge is just that sort of place. Saturday was a mix of tourist stuff and shopping. Mainly kitting out the boys & MrVV who seem to get through stuff so quickly. Yes I did treat myself to a something in CK with my birthday money - shall show you that later ;)

Whats comes into your mind when Cambridge is mentioned??

Bicycles everywhere - these were outside Kings College - can you spot the porter in the distance?

 Punting on the Cam - perhaps one day I'll get over my fear of water and have a go.

 More punters

 Rowing - perhaps these beginners will have more luck than this years Light Blues?

 Willow trees with new leaves and banks of daffodils

More punts and the trees in blossom by one of the colleges (can't remember which one)

I love the houseboats - some are amazing with their on board gardens and collections of random things.

After a full english breakfast on Sunday, we headed back into the city. We walked along the banks of the river, sat people watching, watched some mad people abseiling down the side of the Guild Hall and then walked some more. Once our feet were worn out and our wallets empty, we headed home. I spotted my favourite bicycle parked just near where we'd left the car;

Just loved the leopard print :)

We arrived home mid afternoon and we met with bemusement by MIL & big son - they asked why we were home so early and we replied it wasn't that early it was about 4pm - then the penny dropped - they'd forgotten about the clocks changing!!

I suppose you'd like to see my CK purchase?? Well I saw a postcard at the weekend that said a girl can never have enough shoes, chocolate and handbags!! So true!

I fell in love with this bag at the beginning of the year and finally on Saturday as I had enough money, I gave in.  I might have bought a few other bits over the weekend too but I can't show you today - as they are for swaps and my giveaway (more new on that later this week).

Right the sun is shining and the washing bin overflowing so I'd best go and do something domestic!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

What a beautiful day :)

Good evening

Wow I think that's 4 sunny & warm days in a row. Isn't it great to feel the sun on your skin and not to have to wear socks :) Even the most mundane of tasks seems nicer when the sun is shining. I mean I even managed to give my collection of russian dolls a thorough clean the other day - I went to take a photo of them for something and realised they were wearing little grey fur coats!! They got cleaned and then the rest of the sitting room got a good dust too. That reminds me - I never did take that photo!!

However I have managed to take some photos of the wonderful pressies and cards I received as part of the Birthday Swap. So many lovely things;

This dragonfly is gorgeous - he is now happily living on my kitchen window.

 Cards - lot of all very pretty :)

You'd be amazed to know that the chocolate you can see hasn't been eaten yet - I've been trying to be good over Lent!! However a couple of smaller items might have been pinched and eaten by the boys!!

A bit of Cath, crafting & sewing supplies, hearts, magnets, a gorgeous chicken (the only sort I'm likely to get for a while) and seeds which promise summer colour :)

Thank you ladies all very much - I am slowly starting to send thank you emails/comments - bear with me please.

If that lot wasn't enough, then last night we had a party at S&B - there were 3 birthdays to celebrate Mine, Dawn's and another girls. The table near us was covered in parcels - all wrapped in pretty colours and accompanied by some fab cards too (which I've forgotten to photograph).



Patchwork bunting, a yoyo brooch, crocheted hairband and bag, a pretty heart, mini russian doll bunting and can you see the yellow/green crochet in the middle? Well that is a pretty jar cover and it was protecting a jar of jelly beans :) I saw was as the teenagers are yet to be defeated in their search for food and the jar is now 3/4 full!

Of course I took pressies too;

A felt needle case for one friend and some blue rose earrings & ring for Dawn. The hairclips are for another friend who's birthday is in a couple of weeks.

I feel guilty referring to the group as S&B - we don't bitch and tbh some nights the stitching is pretty slow to - I think perhaps it ought to be Natter, drink tea, eat cakes and knit 2 rows!!

I feel thoroughly spoilt this week and feel the need to give something back to everyone. So I've started to collect some things together for a giveaway. Hopefully by next week I'll have a suitable pile of pressies and can then make a button and invite you all to take part.

Right I'd best go and wrap a swap parcel - I promised EmmabearForever that I'd get hers off to her this week and there's only tomorrow left!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Happy Birthday to Me :)

Good afternoon from sunny with blue skies, not a hint of cloud and oh so warm early spring day Suffolk :)

What the perfect weather for a birthday :)

It just me & Little Son here today - he's off as his school have a couple of teacher training days - rather nice as MrVV is working not at home today.  We've had a lovely time so far - we've been out to visit my Grandma, Little Son has iced the cake I made yesterday;

We also prepared a roast dinner for later and spent time messing around in the garden - wonderful to feel the sun on our skins and be able to wander around in bare feet :)

He unearthed his diabolo from the muddle of his room.

We cleaned a winters grime from the swing - I thought he might be too old for this now and I might be able to use the space for chickens - perhaps next year!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you

To all the lovely ladies taking part in the Birthday Swap - my family looked on in amazement as I opened a pile of lovely pressies this morning at breakfast. I opened more when we came home at lunchtime AND I've got a note from the postie to go and collect some more from the sorting office tomorrow!! So many wonderful things, crafting supplies, gorgeous jewellery (all made by other swappers), things that dangly, things that smell divine and some really gorgeous cards too. I shall be taking photos tomorrow and starting to write my long list of thank yous to you all.

I've also had lots of lovely pressies from my family and other friends - again so many handmade pretties and it would take me forever to photograph every one of them - perhaps I'll do a random selection of some of the more unusual ones.

As we didn't get to Cambridge this weekend and my birthday always comes as such a surprise to MrVV, I am owed a couple of things (tbh I may put these on raincheck till later in the year). However we did get to the cycle shop on Saturday and my beloved bike is now sporting a huge new basket and an extremely comfortable, almost sofa sized (with no rips) saddle - MrVV even cleaned my bike for me!!;

Right - there's a little while till big son gets home so I think I might take one of my many new books into the garden for a read.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Slight change of plan

Good evening

I know - I'm not supposed to be here - I should be in Cambridge relaxing in the hotel having spent the day sightseeing and shopping HOWEVER I'm not. The reason? A 7.30am phone call from MIL to say she wasn't well - seems there's a bug going round her sheltered housing complex - she said she'd still come to be with the boys if we wanted but it wasn't a chance I wanted to take - colds yes but bugs if they can be avoided should be.

We managed to change our booking till next weekend (tbh in the grand scheme of things its only a minor blip) and instead have had an unexpected day together as a family. The sun was shining this morning so we decided to head up to Southwold.  A lovely long walk along the prom was had - stopping to have our first ice-creams of 2011. We arrived quite early so there weren't too many people about - the beach had a few families with tinies building sandcastles and the Prom was fairly clear;

A quite trip around the town was necessary to - the boys disappeared off at one point leaving me alone in the shop which sells lots of CK bits - I left empty handed!!

MrVV & I have spent most of the afternoon watching the rugby - trust the Irish to scupper our plans of a Grand Slam - I'm sort of watching the Wales/France match and hoping that the French win ;)

I wish I'd taken a picture this morning when the postie arrived - I'm taking part in the birthday swap and quite a few parcels have arrived today (all hidden away till Tuesday) - his face was quite a picture as he handed the pile over to me - 'Been spending on ebay?' he asked - I didn't even attempt to explain the truth to him!

Right back to the match - the French are doing the right thing at the moment ;)

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Dolly Daydreams & lovely parcels

Good evening

I sat down to write this post at 7pm - just after the boys departed to their clubs - no I'm not a slow typist - my Mum phoned. Just a quick call! to confirm some arrangements and put the world to rights. Here I am 2 hours later with a slightly pink ear and bowl of cold pudding (Dutch Apple Cake & custard made by Little Son). The funniest thing was said by Mum - she mentioned a lady she'd met at work who'd talked non-stop for the 2 hour session Mum was supervising (she works in a creche) - the phrase pots & kettles ;) It might explain where I get my ability to ramble on about nothing much from ;)

Anyhow back to business - dollies - lots of - well actually 5;

My favourite new photo

The Rainbow Raggy 'Spice Girls'

The 2 newest ones

All 5 of them were delivered to their new home this afternoon - the girls in the shop were having fun with them when I left - dolls were being placed around the till and the shop - here's hoping they sell well and I get to restock very soon.  I also left with a request to supply some of my teacup pincushions - I shall be delivering those on Monday.

Spurred on by this I've set myself up with a Folksy shop - when it gets stocked I shall shamelessly self-publisise on here and Facebook ;)

I finally managed to send my swap parcel off to Pene today - hopefully it will be with you tomorrow / Monday :).  A knock at the door mid-morning brought my parcel from her all the way from Scotland. Without giving too much away - lets just say there are some similarities ;)

All wrapped up - very springlike - with an extra something special for an event next week

The contents - a lavendar heart, seeds, chicks in tutus, new gardening gloves, choccies, a gorgeous book, a crocheted daffodil (now on my coat) and a lovely tissue holder (wanted one of these for a while). Thank you Pene very much for being yet again a wonderful swap partner:) and Emma I now need to turn my attention to the other Spring swap and get my pressies for EmmaBearForever sorted.

I must go now - we're off to Cambridge (just the 2 of us) this weekend and my MIL is coming to be with the boys. My house is a mess and as tempting as it is to leave it for her/them to sort I really ought to make some effort and find the spare room - moving some of my piles of fabric and half finished makes to one side. I've loads of those I want to show you but will do it another time - mainly as some are for birthday pressies for my S&B friends and of course one of those is Dawn and she might just peak in ;)

See you next week - keep your fingers crossed the weekend is sunny and the CK shop is fully stocked ;)

xxx Vicki xxx