Sew much to do....

.....So little time.

Apologies Followers I am busy setting up a new Facebook page for #2 Son's Primary School PTA, a new Website for the PTA and working on the Committee for our big Christmas Fayre in the Square. This involves creating, printing and packing Letters to Santa Kits  x 100, sets of 4 Christmas Tags with crochet snowflakes (photos to follow) x 25 sets, Christmas paper chains to match my handmade Christmas wreath (photos to follow), Christmas gingham lavender bags - felt snowflakes and buttons to be sewn on, mini crochet Christmas puddings to fit a Ferrero Rochet in, and I think there was another make I supposed to be doing aswell. I'd better go and check my notes.

Sorry can't stop. Be back soon.

Lots of Love 

Arwedd xx

PIF Crochet Style

When I was reading the Blogs I follow, I noticed that Tara at Little Things was playing a Pay it Forward style of game she had found via Melissa at Mel's Daisy Patch (following on from Oodles 4Noodles and Create Bella Create). The game involves crocheting surprise gifts for 3 Followers and as I so enjoyed my recent Giveaway and I'm still in love with the crochet at the moment, I agreed to play and P-I-F too!

Here are the rules if you want to join in:-

1. I will send a surprise gift to the first three commenters on this post. The crocheted gift will be handmade by me. It will be sent sometime in the next 365 days, probably after Christmas now, as I still have some UFO's for then that take priority. It will be a surprise. We all love getting surprises in the mail right? and how nice to get a little something extra in the New Year, when all of the festivities have died away?

2. To sign up and receive a gift you must play along too. Pay it Forward on your Blog, by promising to make a surprise gift for the first three people who comment on the post.

3. You must have a Blog, that is updated, as I will Blog stalk you to find the right gift for you. Include your Blog address in your comment.

4. After commenting here, you must repost this, or something similar, to your Blog within 48 hours. If not I will chose the next person who comments, who follows these rules..... It's that simple :-)

I am looking forward to playing this fun game with my fellow bloggers and am already thinking of what I might make. Something special and handmade just for you, so I hope you will want to join in.

Oh and please go and check out the fun going on at Little Things, Mel's Daisy Patch, Oodles4Noodles and CreateBellaCreate.

Lots of Love

Arwedd xx

Two on Tuesday

Two things making me smile today:-

1. My new Mattress - after lying on broken springs for quite some time, I'm looking forward to going to bed tonight and trying out my new mattress. Although the shpae of it seems a bit unconventional!! Don't know how DH is going to get on it aswell as me?

2. Seeing the room I helped my friend decorate, all finished for her new lodger.

Lots of Love

Arwedd xx

The Eleven Blog Tag

There seem to be a few versions of this going around by I got tagged by Frugal Mummy at My Beautiful Life.

Here are the rules, as passed on to me by Frugal Mummy: 

• every tagged person has to tell 11 things about themselves
• answer the 11 questions from the person who tagged you
• list 11 questions for the folk you are going to tag, and they should have fewer than 200 followers if possible
• don't back-tag

It's getting harder to find random things to tell you, that I haven't already mentioned from previous awards, such as the Leibster and One Lovely Blog, but eventually here are 11 things about me:

1. I am the tallest of all the women in my family. I'm not that tall at 5' 6 1/2", but most of the women are in my family are around 5'. My cousin is the tallest at 5' 2". My maternal grandmother was 4' 9". Her husband was 6' 4", I take after him rather than her.

2.  I also have big feet for a "lady" at Size 8. Not attractive.

3. When I go out anywhere for a Christmas meal, (we used to have a team and whole organisation one, where I used to work), I always have Turkey. It's just not a Christmas meal for me otherwise.

4. I really, really want to dip die my hair in shades of purple. I've never been able to while working, as it would not have been acceptable for my job, but now I'm not working, I'm still not sure I'm brave enough.

5. I'm not a morning person. It takes me until my first coffee at 11:00 to really switch on, despite the fact I've been up since 7:00am.

6. I'm not very good with heights. I once had a very bad panic attack on a chair lift during a school trip in Germany and scared my teachers. One of the teaching staff took me back down the mountain on the train rather than put me back on the lift, very wise!!

7. I love Marmite! I also like Twiglets, which taste the same to me and I like Worcester sauce.

8. I hate wearing tights and very rarely do. They are a nightmare to put on, both legs never face the same way so they end up twisted and after the most wierd jig you have to do to put them on, they spend the rest of the night tugging at your skin as they insist on falling down.

9. I've been to Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida twice with DH and family and hope to go again, as M is the only one who hasn't been yet. However, this is very money dependant so I'm not even mentioning it to the boys in case it never happens.

10. Although I love Christmas, I'd rather have it hot and sunny than cold.

11. I have no memory, that's why I love photos.

Now for FM's questions:


1. In which month is your birthday?
  September

2. What is your favourite colour?
 Lilac, but pastels in general are good for me.

3. What one thing do you wish you could change in your life?
 Not to have depression.

4. What is your biggest regret?
I had to look up the definition of regret, just to check this one and it says 1. To feel sorry, disappointed, or distressed about. 2. To remember with a feeling of loss or sorrow; mourn
In which case I mourn the loss of my job/career because of someone else's nastiness.
 
5. What do you feel is your Christmas tradition?
a) Spending Christmas morning in our own house so the kids can open presents from under their own tree b) they have to have a Satsuma in the toe of their stocking, it's the only fruit they eat all year !!

6. Which part of your body do you dislike the most? 
The bit from my hairline down to my toes.

7. Which celebrity would you take out for dinner, and why?
I can't afford to take one out to dinner, so I'd have to entertain at home and it would probably have to be Stephen Fry, because there's so much he could teach me and talk about.

8. Who was your favourite teacher at school, and why?
A European History teacher, I can't remember her name, but I can picture her and she was just so enthusiastic about her subject, you couldn't help but share her passion and learn something.

9. What do you like to do in your spare time?
Craft, whether it's my new-found crocheting, or cross-stitiching, card-making, pottery.

10. I'm coming for dinner: What will you cook for us to eat?
I'd be too scared to cook FM anything to eat, as she is a much better cook than me, besides, if it needs to be Vegan, I'd have to learn to cook something new.

11. What are you planning for your garden next year?
Less garden and a small patio area.

Here are the questions I'd like to ask:

1. What Quite Interesting fact do you know?
2. Do you bother with crackers at Christmas?
3. If you could only have 3 electrical appliances in your house, which would they be and why?
4. What's the #1 most played song on your iPod, CD, record player?
5. What's your favourite day of the week and why?
6. What's your favourite body part and why?
7. If you could know the answer to any question, besides “What is the meaning of life?”, what would it be?
8. What would you name the autobiography of your life?
9. What was the first thing you bought with your own money?
10. What story does your family always tell about you?
11. Do you have any phobias?

The lovely folks I've tagged to answer these questions, (if they feel so inclined, but I understand if this is too much like a chain letter and you don't want to) are:

1.  Amanda at Eight by Six
2. Jan at Jan's Journey
3. Justine at Jazzy's Place
4. Rachel at MaidofDevon
5. Tara at Little Things
6. Sarah at The Little Family of 3
7. Alison at Ali Bee Creations
8. Becky Bee at Bumblebees and Apple Trees
9. Mrs Thifty at New Beginnings
10. Morgan at Growing in the Fens
11. Rachelradiostar at Eternally 28

How very dare you!!

Grrr, I'm in angry Mom mode tonight, so stand well back !!

This is an e-mail I received for No 1 Son today in relation to his Hockey.

"Dear Player

We hope you have enjoyed the recent JDC (Junior Development Centre) coaching.

Unfortunately the coaches do not feel that you are ready to go forward to a JAC (Junior Assessment Centre) assessment at the moment.

Please keep practicing and playing with your club and school and we look forward to seeing you again in the future.

We will be in touch when future coaching opportunities occur.

Thank you. S"

This is the e-mail I want to send in reply:-



 "Dear S,

I must admit I am somewhat surprised by the coaches decision not to put C forward for a JAC assessment at the moment. C's hockey playing has significantly improved over the last 12 months and this has been highlighted by the coaches within his Club and School. Not only has C been chosen to Captain both his Club and School teams at various tournaments in his age group, but he has also been named Man of the Match when playing for the A****r Men's 3rd team, in four consecutive matches at the start of this season, at only 14 yrs.

C will no doubt be extremely disappointed with this decision as he was last year, which almost resulted in his not applying to the JDC this year. However, that did at least allow him to captain the Teignbridge Boys hockey team, at the Devon Games, to a grand-slam victory. I wonder whether it is possible to have some more constructive feedback on the reasons for this decision, in order for him to know where he needs to focus his attention and what part of his game play is lacking. Or perhaps the problem is that his face doesn't fit and he's not in the "In" crowd. I would be grateful if you could tell me if this is the case, so we know not to bother with the JDC in the future."


DH would rather I didn't burn any bridges in case we want to cross the river, but I am angry that all his hard work and effort is not being rewarded because he plays for a Club in direct competition with the one providing the Coaches at the JDC. Sadly there is only one route through to higher levels in Hockey in this Country and it doesn't seem to "spot" the talent I am told by several others he possesses.


Is this my fault? Should I have been a pushier Mom, like a couple of the others are, who seem to get what they want if they shout loud enough? Should I have blown his trumpet louder? 

How dare they not choose my child. Idiots!!
 
Angry Hockey Mom in Devon.


Arwedd xx

Flash, Bang, Wallop

Tonight I have been out helping M's Primary School PTA to marshall their Annual Fireworks Night.

Although, it didn't pour down on us, there was a fairly heavy misty rain so I'm pretty soggy. I had to stand the wrong side of a net fence and was asked by the Head Marshall to make sure no-one was leaning on the netting or pushing/pulling it, as last year it was almost on the ground before the display had started.

I am always truly amazed at the way in which some parents can stand and watch you ask their children, politely, more than half a dozen times, to stop doing something, in this case yank on the net fence, without saying a word to them. I know if my boys, (when they were both younger), were told something by an "official" of any kind, or member of staff in a shop, etc, just once, I would be immediately there re-inforcing what they had been asked to do, or not do. If they did it again, they did not need to be told by anyone else, as I was straight on it, and removed them if necessary.

Definitely time to dry off and sit with a hot drink and then on with my Christmas present WIPs.

Lots of Love Arwedd xx

In the Meantime.....

We have to try not to lose the joy of living.

Today I'm just giving you a song........

Lots of Love Arwedd xx

A Safe Place

Dear Readers, I need your help today. Apparently I have to "install" a safe place, before I can move on and I am struggling to find this place in my mind.

I was hoping you could give me a few ideas, by sharing your safe places, if that's not asking something too private. If you had to think of somewhere calm and safe, where would you go in your mind? What would it sound like? Are there trees and a babbling brook? or Is there sand and shells?

Inspiration needed. I think my ability to "install" anything has been severely hampered by too much Garbage In. I may need completely re-formatting.

Lots of Love Arwedd xx

A Gift Horse

I'm not sure if that's a very complimentary thing to call someone, and Carole looks nothing like a Horse, but she did give me a very nice gift today at Church.

I make a lot of Homemade cards, nothing special, but it does help me to relax, as I can get quite lost in planning the design and choosing just the right colours, or ribbons and gems. I use some of my cards to send on birthdays, etc, but the vast majority I give away for free. I donate them to my community Cafe to sell and the money goes into their coffers. I also donate them to Church and the sale money goes into our Church extension fund. I also have one elderly lady at Church who "orders" all her cards for family occasions from me and I make her special personalised cards, which she has always seemed delighted with. So most people there know about my Hobby.

I guess that's why Carole thought of me when she wanted to get rid of a piece of craft equipment and I'm so delighted she did. I have wanted one of these for ages, but due to cost it is well off my wish list. So imagine my surprise when she just handed me one at the end of Church today.

For those not in the know, it is a die-cutting machine and it costs anything upward of £80 + and I got it for free. I did offer her something in return, but she wouldn't even accept some cake. It is broken as it makes a nasty clicking noise, (it sounds as though a cog has come loose inside), but it still works so what is a noise between friends. I've already got a few Christmas makes in mind for it help with.

Now Lord, I'm still waiting on that sewing machine, a slow cooker, a fixed washing machine and "Oh Lord, won't you buy me that Mercedes-Benz". Only joking !!!

I'm off to check if the washing machine repair man is ready for some tea.

Lots of Love Arwedd xx

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday DH. You mean the World to me.

Glad to see you made another one. Your battery is obviously still charged.

Love W, C & M xxx

Scrub a Dub Dub

Yesterday I spent the day helping a friend redecorate a bedroom for a new lodger she is taking in. Together we painted the whole ceiling and top of the wall down to the picture rail, twice.

Sadly we just painted the ceiling white!!

After a spot of lunch, we started putting up Wallpaper. Now I have never put up wallpaper in all my life so this was a new experience for me. The paper she had chosen will perfectly suit the chap and although I didn't put enough paste on the first strip, I did a lot better with the second. The pattern was quite easy to match and I helped with the cutting and trimming too. I got a nice tea as a thank you for my assistance. I don't really think I did a great deal, but it was nicer for her to have some company as she worked.

Not my real hands!!  Also, somewhat odd brush action?

However, no good deed goes unpunished, and I got home to find out that our washing machine had broken. In the past, we would have been straight on the phone to call someone out, however, those days are gone. The washing machine was secondhand, so we don't have the instructions, but after quite a lot of internet research DH thinks he has found what the error code means. After further research, DH believes he has found the part needed online for £7.00. 

Prayers please that when this part arrives it will solve the problem without any further expense, as my poor hands are already raw from a days hand-washing. They are clearly not used to hard work, well being immersed in water for a long time anyway, what with the washing machines for both the clothes and the dishes. Having said that, there is something slightly therapeutic in doing it the old-fashioned way. It makes my think of my grandma, who still washed all her "smalls" by hand, even when she got a new fangled twin-tub.

What do you prefer to do the old-fashioned way?

Lots of Love Arwedd xx