Happy Halloween

 Happy Halloween whatever you are doing - be it staying indoors with the lights off and curtains shut or having a party or taking small people out trick or treating :)

Little Son was tasked with scooping out the pumpkin this year - kept him busy for a while.

He's off trick or treating for the first time today - we live on the outskirts of town and as such the boys have never been keen to walk into town in the dark to go and MrVV & I aren't really fussed on the whole trick or treat thing because we never did it as children. However LittleSon is off to his girlfriends for the day and her family live on a big housing estate where lots of trick or treating happens - I think he'll have fun.

Here are his efforts and the lanterns that will go in the porch later when its dark - we're expecting just 3 small visitors and their parents.

Me? I'm off to Stitch & Bitch, its a friends birthday and its pressie time.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Channelling your inner Granny Chic Soul - Granny Chic is cool

Good afternoon

Everything stopped yesterday afternoon - the postie came bearing a parcel with my name on it. At last the copy of Granny Chic I pre-ordered months ago :)

Why dust when you can read? and such a great read too.

Two fab bloggers on different sides of the Atlantic sharing a common love of Granny Chic.

The book has lots of projects to create and plenty of gorgeous photos too. I won't spoil it for those that are waiting till December 25th for their copy but I will show you a couple of my most favourite photos;

 Just loving Marvellous Maude the vintage caravan and her exterior patchwork - not sure my menfolk would approve if I wanted to do that to Bertie :(

2 friends together crocheting - oh how this reminds me of our Wednesday night Stitch & Bitch sessions.

One article made me chuckle;

 

 I looked at the list and then down at myself;

 Pinny - yes, always and clogs, yes around the house in the winter and out & about in summer.

Rose tinted glasses - ok so not actually rose-tinted but geek-chic specs are the next best thing.

 

Thank you Tif & Rachelle for writing this book - at last I have an identity - well I've always had it - just nice now to give it a name :)

 

BTW - this is NOT a sponsored post - just something I've bought and wanted to share with my bloggy readers. I shall be taking this book to S&B tomorrow night too - I think lots of those friends will love this book too :)

 

See you soon

 

xxx Vicki xxx

Thank goodness for Daniel Craig!

Good afternoon from chilly and damp Suffolk.

Thank you Daniel Craig - all 3 menfolk are big Bond fans and they've gone out together to a late afternoon showing of your new film 'Skyfall' - it means I get the house to myself and time to blog :)

The weekend started wintry;

Hailstones - least it wasn't snow AND they didn't last long.

In the afternoon MrVV & I went to Southwold for a walk and wander along the seafront. We stopped at the pier cafe (outside)  for a pot of tea for two - all rather civilised. Just as we'd finished drinking the heavens opened and we dashed into the arcades whilst the shower passed over. We had a quick play on the penny falls - amazing how long you can make 50p of tuppences last!

We wandered through the town on our way back to the car and I might have popped into a CS or two - just one thing - another Ladybird book for my collection - one of my childhood favourites;

I woke up at my normal time this morning and try as I might I couldn't get back to sleep - I thought I'd take advantage of the extra hour and get some crocheting done.

So far I've finished off 3 new dishcloths - I prefer these to the shop bought ones - easy to make and after I'd done a Granny Square one I thought I'd make a couple using other stitches - whilst I can Granny Square almost in my sleep I find other stitches require concentration. Since then I've started on a cowl scarf for me using a gorgeous Rowan Aran yarn I bought several years ago. I just need to sew the ends in and then I can take a picture - that will have to be tomorrow as already its getting dark - the downside to the hour change.

First thing this morning - the sky was blue and the rooftops were covered in frost - perfect for taking this weeks Autumn Views Challenge photos;

The trees and plants all have less leaves than last weekend - most of them are on the lawn waiting for a willing volunteer to rake them up - might see if a teenager wants to earn some money tomorrow!

Right time for more crochet I think - as well as my scarf there's at least 2 blankets on the go that I can add to for an hour or so till the menfolk come home.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Chain me up and cover me in Dream Topping!!!!

Good afternoon

No I've not been reading that book! Its just the easiest way to describe 2 of my CS finds this week!

Firstly kinky, bondage dachshunds to match my reindeers! As the Mother is no longer chained on I got these for just 50p - I wonder if the shop will have anymore animals in soon?

The boys mentioned the other weekend the lack of trifle in their diet in recent months! This could be easily sorted if only I could find my glass trifle dish - I've no idea where its gone - perhaps we took it somewhere with food in for a party and forgot it - anyhow I decided to track something down hoping the CS's in town would come up trumps - they did - just £2 later and a bit of mixing, those boys of mine got their wish - trifle for pudding one night this week;

Now long term readers of this blog will know all about my little accident last year and the long slow return to normal walking. One thing I didn't think I'd ever manage again was heels but a pair were in our shop today and something made me try them on and have a walk about - 2 miracles - they fitted and I could walk in them - they've hardly been worn (no marks on the soles or heels) and the colour was cheerful too. I just need to remember when I do wear them out - no socks or leggings but perhaps some grown up tights instead! I've been prancing around the house in them since I got home from work - sadly even if I click my heels together nothing happens - least I've not fallen over yet!!!!

One last CS piece to show you - this little 'vase'. I've got a small but growing collection of this stuff - the first bits were some spoons from a Russian friend - I've no idea what the proper name for it is?

I've just realised that Week 5 of the Autumn Views Challenge is almost over and I've forgotten to share the pictures - these were taken on a rainy Sunday so all were taken from the house so the angles might be a tad different;

I think when I take Week 6's pictures this weekend things will have changed again - the weather here has turned windy and chilly - the forecast mentions snow but I don't think it will quite reach us. However the drop in temperature means I must hunt out my gloves and hats later.

One last thing for today - I've found another interesting (and inexpensive) Christmas swap - over here at Tracey's blog - a really original idea;

Right I'd best be off - I ought to spend my last quiet hour before half term begins doing domestic stuff. We're really quite ready for the holidays here - these past few morning have been a struggle to get out of bed. 

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

One misty, moisty morning....

Good afternoon

Oh what a grey day (again). Seems ages since the sun has peaked through the clouds here in Suffolk. I am so envious of bloggy photos from this weekend of sunshine and beach trips - its been grey and damp here this weekend with rather too much rain :(

This morning I had to go into town - there were parcels to post and banking to do. As I was cycling down the lane, I spotted these gorgeous toadstool houses in a neighbours garden;

 So pretty and so autumnal.

It seems during the damp but warm night, lots of fungi have appeared;

A fairy high rise block of flats perhaps??

These are the views that greeted me when I opened the curtains looked out of the upstairs windows this morning;

  The fog was so thick that even the trees in the next gardens started to disappear.

 This view out of the front of the house should contain fields and a glimpse of the next village!

At least all the damp in the air is good for one thing - it makes the spiders webs glisten;

Right off for a wander around blogland whilst I eat my lunch. Then I'll tackle the small matter of more laundry to dry then I've got space for!

See you soon - I must show you my latest CS finds.

xxx Vicki xxx

Autumn Views - Week 4

Good morning

What a typically Autumn morning it is outside today - very blustery with leaves blowing all over the place! It was pouring with rain when we woke up but luckily that has cleared before the boys needed to leave for school - nothing worse than spending the day in soggy clothing - especially as LittleSon has part 2 of a GCSE English assessment today.

I thought I'd better get my Week 4 Autumn View pictures posted before Week 5 arrives!!

 The berries on the climber are almost gone - now bird attention seems to be turning to the Ivy berries.

 The golden colour is spreading further up the silver birch tree now - and more leaves are on the lawn - its a never ending task.

 As you can see the middle tree is now almost entirely a gorgeous autumnal orange - must find out what sort this is.

 Less leaves here too and those that remain have almost all changed colour. Even the cherry tree is now starting to turn too.

As its week 4, I thought I'd put the pictures into a mosaic so I see the changes more closely;

My favourite view is the last one - I've managed to take all the pictures at exactly the same angle so the changes can be more clearly seen.

Right off to start my Wednesday properly - teenagers despatched to school and MrVV to work. Off to tackle the pile of washing up - Day 5 without a dishwasher :( -  a very first world problem I know!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

When is a craft fair not a craft fair??? (and the 2012 Pop-up shop is launched)

Good afternoon

So the big questions - when is a craft fair not a craft fair? and what is a craft fair?

To me a craft fair is somewhere where you can buy handmade items direct from the maker - it is not a place where plastic wrapped goods are sold from cartons of maybe 30 of the same item. Craft fair goods in my view do not have barcodes on them.

Sunday should have been great - a biggish venue, lots of advertising and plenty of footfall. My sister and I had worked hard on our makes and we thought we'd do well;

Oh dear - we were wrong. Too many stalls with barcoded new goods - made in china and being stored in their shopping cartons behind the tables. 

Don't get me wrong  - there were some lovely handmade items available direct from the makers. Sadly the buyers only seemed interested in the first stuff. Comments we heard included 'oh homemade - how quaint' - grrr. None of the makers did very well - some didn't cover their costs - luckily I was sharing a stall with my sister so our loses weren't as great as others. The organisers were told by several people that the day had not been good for them and most of the makers would not be bothering to have stalls at that venue again.

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Anyhow - rather than just put stuff away till our wounds have healed, I thought I'd try selling direct via this blog and my Facebook page.

 Large raggies - one girl & one boy - £7.50 each

 Small raggies - Pink or Blue - £6.00 each

 Gingerbread men - light bake - £3.50 each

 Gingerbread men - dark bake - £3.50 each

 Felt hanging stockings with knitted tops - £3.00 each

 Wise Owls - £3.50 each - state colour

 Gingerbread Cottages - £3.75 each

 Christmas Trees - £3.00 each

 Gingerbread hearts - £3.00 each - state red or green

 Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - £3.50 each

Felt Poppy Brooches - all proceeds from these will go to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal - £3.50 

Postage and packaging regardless of quantity will be £3.00

At the moment these are all the items I have - if I sell out or you'd like a specific colourway then I can make to order (payment require with order).

Payment for items can be made via Paypal, direct transfer or cheque - email me and I can give you the right details.

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Oh to top yesterdays poor sales - when I got home I was told that our dishwasher was dead - it decided Saturday night that it would rather be a floor washer :( MrVV had taken it apart yesterday and tried to repair it - it washed the floor again :(

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx