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

10 of 52 weeks of happy

Good afternoon

Another week has gone past and there have been plenty of happy moments - sadly many don't get caught on film but trust me they happen. There was me wrestling with big son just trying to get something off him - he tries to hold stuff high about my head and out of reach but he's ticklish so I can usually win! Other happy moments just spending time with various members of my family - the beauty of there being so many is there's always one around when you need them.

Here's this week selection - the last one wasn't taken this week but represents something very happy that happened this week!

1& 2 - Red Nose Day silliness with those boys of mine :)

3 - Watching yesterdays rugby matches with one of my sisters and little son - accompanied by plenty of cider and nibbles. Such a shame we didn't win but a good time was had by all and I might have been a bit merry!!

4 - Morris Dancing - this picture was taken at a festive last summer. Well on Tuesday night I braved it and went along with some friends to actually take part - and I loved it. Such a fab bunch of people - I don't think I've enjoyed myself so much in ages. I think I sort of mastered it and most importantly they want me back another week AND I didn't bash anything I shouldn't have with my stick!! Oh and my slightly duff leg didn't complain at all :)

Right - domestic stuff calls!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Making stuff whilst the snow falls!

Good morning

Oh joy another morning when the world looks likes its been covered in icing sugar - last weeks spring warmth seems a distant memory. The thought of wearing sandals soon has been pushed to the back of my mind and I am firmly staying in my long stripey socks and boots for a while longer.

This is the view that greeted me yesterday morning when I peaked out the front door;

My spring flowers were hiding under a blanket of snow - by the time I got home from work last night they were uncovered but this morning they are hiding again. Hoping they are tough enough to survive all this.

I ought to show you a couple of makes from the past week - when its cold outside nothing is better than being indoors making things.

Firstly a little extra something for my Mum for Mothers Day;

Now I've found the stash of hoops I picked up in the CS, I feel another make or two coming on soon.

Secondly, sometime last year I was given a t-shirt by a sister and asked if I could turn it into a cushion. The t-shirt had shrunk in the wash but she loved the print and wanted to save it some how.

Oh the fab four - such a big part of my early childhood music listening experience.

 Take one shrunken t-shirt - cut off the sleeves and neck.

 Put wrong sides together and sew round three sides.

Turn right way, insert cushion pad and sew up hem - easy peasy lemon squeezy.

One t-shirt re-purposed and one happy sister.

Right I suppose I ought to get some jobs done around the house before I have to head off to work again.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

9 of 52 weeks of happy

Good evening

Just a quick post whilst I wait for the dinner to finish cooking - oh the joys of a slow cooker - bung it in and wait a few hours! This will be happening lots this week as I've ended up with several days paid work :)

I was late joining in with the happy posts hence I am on week 9 and everyone else is posting week 10 pics!!

Here's this weeks mosaic;

1 & 4- As everyone knows it was Mothers Day here in the UK this weekend. Those boys of mine were brilliant - they prompted each other and cards and pressies were bought and wrapped! Even more amazingly Big Son got himself up yesterday morning and after checking if I was awake, disappeared downstairs and made me breakfast in bed!! Such sweeties the pair of them :)

2 - My copy of Pretty Nostalgic arrived in the post last week - real happy post. Full of lovely things as usual.

3 - I love rugby and I was more than happy to see England win against Italy yesterday - setting things up for an exciting finale next weekend against Wales. 

Right apparently its dishing up time - two faces have appeared with hungry looks on them - odd considering they raided MY mothers day chocolates after school AND the cake tin!!

See you soon, I've a couple of little makes to share.

xxx Vicki xxx

The answer to the question is?

Good evening

Well it depends on the question but according to little son its not 42 but bacon!!

Anyhow - I've been asked several questions in the past few posts and rather than try and email people individually its easier for the less techie of us to do a blog post with some answers!!

Firstly my frocks - I make most of them myself and I use a really simple pattern - here's the last frock I made modelled by myself;

 Looks maybe more clever than it is - here is my pattern;

 2 pieces - one front and one back - the skirt measurements are 2 metres of fabric wide by 55(ish)cm long!!

My notes in my best scrawl - please note the title of the dress - the pattern is loosely based on a CK dress I bought several years ago in the sales - except the top part of mine is longer. I can do another variation with a tiered skirt - again the measurements are on there. The ties of the back are never the same each time - it depends on the fabric I have!!

The next question - the Photo Scavenger Hunt - its being run by Greenthumb @ Made With Love - all you need to do it find the current months list - take you pics and then post them at the end of each month. There is a linky on her page for you to add to if you wish. Anyone is welcome to join - the more the merrier :)

Well its been a good week - we had 2 1/2 days of spring! Tuesday was utterly gorgeous here - the sun shone - it was warm and everyone seemed to be smiling. I spent the day visiting various members of my family - starting with my Grandma, then lunch with 2 sisters, a cuppa with another and then I went and collected my eldest niece from school (won't get many more chances as she's off to High School this year). I ended the day with a couple of phone calls to friends and family! I love having so many sisters (and my little brother)- there's always one to chat to and catch up with :)

Two last things - I've found via Twitter a couple of new blogs that people might like;

One couple are attempting to buy British for a year here.

Another are shunning supermarkets here.

Both worth a read I think.

I think that's all for now - see you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

A bit of spring in my step.

Good evening

Well spring finally seems to have sprung a bit here today - its been lovely. Mostly sunny and warmer than I can remember for quite some time :) Washing has been hung out to dry and windows have been flung open. I spent most of today spring cleaning the conservatory - I'd given it a quick tidy before the estate agent took pictures but it needed its spring clean to cope with closer scrutiny.

Once I'd finished this afternoon it was time for a well earned cuppa in the garden;

Just five minutes of sunshine and a mug of peppermint tea (my new favourite).

Once the tea was drunk it was time for a few photos to be taken - even managed one towards this months Scavenger hunt as well!

 Just look at that sky - and the cherry blossom buds - can wait for these to flower - it looks so gorgeous.

Hunting for other signs of spring I spotted a few catkins high on the branches - thank goodness for a good zoom on my camera!

Lastly something I bought last week which I've been meaning to snap. I needed a new picture for my bedroom to replace one that I've taken down - I spotted this in our shop the other week and luckily it was still there when I had some spare money;

Its a proper oil painting not a print - the note of the back says it was painted as a present in 1977. I love it and its not something I plan to part with - yellow roses grow in the front garden here and they are something I will miss when I move.

Right thats enough for tonight - I've a few more pictures but I'll save them for a post another night. Trying hard to get back into proper blogging and not just the Scavenger Hunt and Happy posts - if this sunshine continues I can't see it being a problem!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

8 of 52 weeks of happy

Good evening

I really haven't had time to take many photos this week - its been rather busy with working and RL stuff happening - the camera just hasn't had a look in!

Trying hard to get the house ready to go onto the market - the boys & I don't need this big space for the 3 of us. We need something smaller and cheaper to run and it seems a good time of year to try and find buyers. I've spent vast amounts of the week cleaning, tidying and sorting - plenty of help too - P was here all of yesterday doing outside chores whilst the boys & I got inside ready for the estate agent to take photos. Goodness knows how long we can keep it like this - we are not a naturally tidy family!

Anyhow today was a happy day - off out for a big family lunch to celebrate MIL's birthday. All four of us plus P's sibling and his family plus some cousins of MIL's too - a party of 12 and a lovely private room in a hotel in Aldeburgh. Mix into that good food and few glasses of wine then you'll get the idea.

It was a good excuse for those boys of mine to make a bit of an effort clothes wise and for me to hunt down my poshest frock and some heels. 

Here's just 4 pics which sum up today rather nicely;

1 - My boys & I - yep even in heels I am the shortest by a long way now!

2-4 - My lunch - chicken terrine, roast beef and then Eton Mess :) I now won't need to eat till Tuesday at least - totally stuffed :)

See you soon 

xxx Vicki xxx