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

Carnival Time

Good afternoon

Just a quickish post to let you know I've not vanished off the face of the earth! Instead I've been rather busy with family life and also crafting.  However yesterday afternoon was it was time to brave the crowds and head for the first time in a few years to the Carnival in Aldeburgh. Rumour is it that's it was going to be the last one and I decided that I really should go along and support this event. The fact the sun was shining also helped that decision. Just Little Son & I - Big Son was doing the car parking with his Explorer troop and MrVV was busy as ever in his office.

 Streets lined with bunting

 One of my nieces & her Grandparents as Alice in Wonderland and the White Rabbit (her Grandma was a Johnny Depp style Mad Hatter) - they did well and got 2nd prize in their class.

It wouldn't be Carnival without the Suffolk School of Samba.

Of course I took loads more photos but many of them might be appearing later in the month as part of the August Photo Scavenger Hunt ;) A lovely afternoon and it was fab to bump into friends and have a natter. There's another great local event this weekend - the Barrel Fair @ Westleton and I'm hoping that the weather is kind as MrVV & I are planning on spending the afternoon there.

Its been a while since I've taken part in any blog swaps (with the exception of the ongoing Birthday Swap - another parcel to post for this weekend ;) ). I spotted this one earlier and it seems simple enough - its over at Blueberry Heart - go have a look and see if its your sort of thing too;

Right off to have a good blog reading session, think about tonight's dinner and also attach some limbs to a Raggy that is supposed to be in her new home this weekend!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Shades of autumn

Good evening

Can't believe its a week since I last blogged - I had such intentions last week of posting but time kept running away. It doesn't help that I'm not 100% at the moment so some days I'm sleeping rather alot - think the record was 15 out of 24 hours!! Hoping that I get some blood test results this week and an answer & solution can be found.

Anyhow where did I leave off last? Oh yes half-term. It passed fairly smoothly - the boys are happy to amuse themselves. Often only appearing for mealtimes!!  I left them at home with MrVV on Thursday and took the train 4 stops north to visit a friend in Beccles. We had a wander around the town stopping at lots of the shops - I managed to buy nothing at all! Was seriously tempted in the wool shop - but I ought to use some of the stash I've built up first.

Saturday morning dawned bright & sunny. When I went into little sons room I was taken aback at how gorgeous our cherry tree was looking;

We really are having the most gorgeous autumn - every time we are out and about I am loving all the gorgeous colours.

Little son & I joined MrVV on a trip into Woodbridge. He was playing with his brass band to launch this years local poppy appeal. Little son & I opted for a wander around the shops - apart from one small christmas pressie we again left empty handed!

Sunday was very much a stay at home day. I spent time sewing - can't show you as it is for one of the swaps I'm taking part in.  We also needed to prepare for 3 small visitors who had promised to pop by and scare us. Oh yes Halloween - very much a marmite event. As with most celebrations we tend to take a more traditional approach rather than the mass panic must buy consumerism approach that the high street stores would love us all to have. This year was ever less than usual - I forgot to buy a pumpkin and MrVV returned from the shops empty handed when he tried to buy one on Sunday :( Instead we filled the porch with lanterns and tealights in jars - trust me it looked very pretty.

Our little visitors came - not scary at all. A rather cute skeleton, a gorgeous witch and my oldest niece was Hermione from Harry Potter. All left happily with the bags of sweeties - have yet to hear from my sisters if my overuse of halloween confetti was appreciated!!

We spent the rest of the evening by candlelight enjoying 2 of the best things on TV at the moment - Downton Abbey and Strictly Come Dancing.

Who do you want to win Strictly?? For laughter it has to be Ann & Anton but of the serious dancers it must be Sccccccccccoooooooooooooooootttttttttttttttttttt ;)

Pictures from BBC Website

See you soon.

xxxx Vicki xxxx



Parcels, bats, owls & things

Good evening

Well what an excellent day in blogging terms - 2 visits from the Postman!!

The first knock was quite early - not long after the boys had gone to school. I thought it might be one of them returning having forgotten something! It wasn't - instead MrPostie stood there with a parcel for me  - a quick look and I could tell by the pumpkin picture on the front that this was going to be my Pumpkin Patch Swap (organised by Crafty Helen) - I was partners with Ness from Hapi-ness. Here is what she sent me;

 

Lots of lovely things - we'd agreed a mix of autumn & Halloween -   candles which we've agreed here smell of caramel (so very scrummy), a pumpkin soap (which the boys are eyeing up), a jar of Halloween sweeties (hidden from the boys), an apple paperweight, a necklace and a gorgeous leaf brooch. Can you see the card? well its hand-drawn and gorgeous. Thank you Ness very much :) I know you've received my parcel and I'll let you blog about that - mainly because I didn't get a very good picture of the contents :(

A couple of hours later, there was another knock on the door - different postie with another parcel for me. This bemuses MrVV - he still struggles with the concept of swaps & giveaways within the blogging community.

This parcel was a giveaway win from LissyLou ;

A beautifully decorated jar which was full to the brim with pretty bits & bobs;

It was a real treasure trove - stickers, ribbons, tags, buttons, threads and much more. I love this idea and think its something I could adapt for pressies for friends & family in the future. Thank you LissyLou very much :)

As its now mid-October I think it is safe to start mentioning the C word event at the end of the year. As a crafter who likes to include handmade in her celebrations, I need to start early so there is not that nasty rush come mid-December. I've been fiddling with felt again and adapting a crochet pattern from Lucy's Attic24 blog (I still can't crochet more than a chain) I made;

A little felt robin - please note the crochet chain legs ;)

At the weekend when I was out with my siblings, we did our not-so-secret-santa draw and I now know which sibling I am buying for this year. Was especially pleased as its a sister I am very close too. I know that at the moment she has a love of owls and all things owlish - so I've started to make her a cushion;

It still needs all the bonded on pieces over stitching and I've found some perfect 'old mans cardi' leather buttons that look great as eyes - hoping to get it finished over the weekend and I'll show you the finished result.

Lastly for tonight - I've seen this mentioned a couple of times on other blogs and I gave in today whilst shopping - there's an excellent freebie in this months Easy Living magazine - an Emma Bridgewater tea towel - there's a choice of 2 colours - I opted for the reddy pink one;

Oh I can hear fireworks outside - guess someone nearby has a birthday - off to look.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx



Splish, splash, splosh & swaps

Good evening from soggy Suffolk

Its been raining here almost constantly for 24 hours now - I am so glad we are at the top of a slope else I might have to consider building an ark. Even a trip out down the drive to collect the recycling bins needed wet weather gear today;

At least its quiet here tonight - big son has gone off to play badminton, little son & MrVV have gone off to band practise. Leaving me with my computer, a bar of chocolate and silence - bliss :)

The wild camp / party didn't happen last night - the weather put paid to that. Instead we had a party at Stitch & Bitch for the friend that runs the group and our youngest member. Both were thoroughly spoilt with lots of gorgeous handmade pressies. Here is what I made - a knitted cushion for one and brooch with a detachable CK badge for the other;

Can you see those gorgeous cards there? Well they were part of a set of six I bought from the lovely HappyLovesRosie - stunning pics and very well received. I'm keeping the remaining 4 for me - am planning on framing them when I can find the right frames;

I've also finished 2 more cushions this week - one for a birthday pressie for October and another for Christmas!!;

It seems that swap season is starting up again - I've signed up for 2 so far;

Floss's Autumn magazine swap - hoping this time for a US mag - maybe even a Country Living (that's one I really want to read).

The other swap is called Pumpkin Patch Swap and the theme is either Autumn or Halloween - this is being organised by Crafty Helen;

Why not pop over to both blogs and sign up?

Right I'm off to enjoy my peace and quiet - I shall probably produce a couple more triangle this evening. More cushions - this time for craft fairs and hopefully the blog shop I want to get opened. Am stuck on a name for it - anyone good at names??

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Scary monsters, fireworks and festive pieces

Well when you miss a few days blogging, it seems there is so much to catch up on. 

Thankyou for all the good wishes and get well comments :) much appreciated.

Whilst I'm not working today, I'm feeling so much better and have even been out & about to catch up on my fresh air quota.  Cycled into town to get some essentials and also visit a couple of my favourite shops (more of that later).

Cast your mind back to last weekend and spooky Saturday.  Now we don't get groups of trick or treaters to our house - something to do with the dark lane we live down which was made more spooky on Saturday night by a veil of mist & fog.  However 2 groups of visitors did arrive - my little nieces & nephews.  The girls were both camera shy, which is a shame as they were the cutest sweetest witches I've ever met.  However my little nephew Ollie is not camera shy & here he is with my youngest Will.  Now the flash failed to go off on the first pic but actually I think it adds to the spooky effect;

We've made a start with our christmas celebrations - one of the first things that happens each year is we fill a box for Operation Christmas Child - the boys always pay for some of the items from their own money and my role is to complete the box.  This year we opted to send our box to a boy and I hope he enjoys the contents.

I've read on so many blogs about all the christmas magazines people have been buying and I've been tempted by a few;

Does seem this year the most popular giveaway is a calendar - I've now collected 3 - no excuses for us to miss anything important in 2010!

Thought you'd like to see some makes that have happened this week - the gingerbread men are mine - one is for a friend & he's scented with gingerbread oil and the other is coming to work with me to be used as a storytime prop.  The tree was made by Will - was surprised at how neat his sewing was and how little adult intervention he required.  He's now keen to make other shapes and give these as pressies to his teacher and grandparents.

Last but no means least, here's the results of my little trip into town this morning - a ladybird book for my collection and some pretty felt to make something for a sister for christmas.

Now today in the UK is Guy Fawkes aka Bonfire/Firworks night so this evening there will be plenty of loud crashes & bangs and the sky will be full of colour.  We're not out tonight but are planning to go to an event at the weekend.

See you soon xxx

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween to all

From my visitors from across the pond, to those from down-under, those that celebrate in big style and those that sit in the dark hoping the doorbell won't ring!

Need to do pumpkin carving here today - we've been promised small visitors later :)