HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUMMY FROM YOUR LITTLE GIRL (WHO'S NOT SO LITTLE NOW!)

Lucky Escape

We had a lucky escape on Friday of last week when heavy rain and flood waters caused chaos and damage throughout our village. My neighbour Linda wasn't as fortunate as she had water start to creep under her floor and along the grout lines of her limestone flooring. Many in the village had oil, raw sewage and dirty flood water in their homes which must be horrendous for them. At either end of the village the water was waist high in places completely covering bench seats and walls.

Flora, Linda's dog is seen here in her front garden which thankfully didn't get any deeper. With heavy rains still forecast I think everyone is on tenterhooks. John and my Dad took 7 hour to get home which would usually take them 2! but I am thankful they arrived safe and sound. Dad stayed the night here and we had to laugh in the morning because Euan complained of Grandad's snoring and Grandad complained of Euan talking in his sleep! The girls thought it was wonderful to wake up and find Grandad eating breakfast with them.

The rest of Saturday was pretty much a right off. I have been so tired this week that I took the opportunity with John being home and went back to bed for a massive three hours!! I felt so much better for it and could actually start to function.

Sunday was spent cleaning the house and getting the last of the pictures up on the wall. John is happy as his plane pictures are finally located at the top of the stairs. We finally have new neighbours who are absolutely adorable. Guy and Rachel welcome to Crudwell and we hope you settle in and have a happy home here. I had to laugh as Rachel has two horses (huge smiles from Mummy and the girls at this comment :) !!!!) so she has been trying to persuade John about how wonderful it would be for them to have their own! Meanwhile I am trying to persuade Guy that Rachel really does need to have two colour co-ordinated Christmas trees in the house this year with all the swags and trimmings that go with it. I think we could make a good team.

Sunday night was spent creating my July layout for my Big Picture class. Lots of mess was made but I am happy with the results.

June Layout completed some time ago but just not posted.

Well I had better go and sort the ever growing laundry pile out so that my kitchen doesn't look like a Chinese laundry when my sister in law Sharon and her children arrive this afternoon.

A few work in progress pictures for you to see so that you don't think I have been slacking off. Mum and I are starting a new venture together with felt. We have been making felt necklaces and creatures to see and some kits for children and adults to play with. We are a few weeks off putting the items up in our shop at etsy but I will notify you when we do. Above is a wet felted necklace my Mum made with a Kumihimi (need to check the spelling) braid made in 100% silk.

My necklace is also wet felted with a silk braid and adorned with little flowers and beads.
Euan made this spider all by himself after Mum and I finished the felt workshop with his school during art week.
Shock Horror I have started my christmas stock and this little fellow is a prototype for a new range of tree decorations. I am planning on adding little wings at each side as I decided that some legs I had planned on didn't really suit. He is wet felted using alpaca and then dry felted details using merino wool. He is just over an inch tall.
Hello Mr Snail sorry your colour is not great in this photo, in real life he has a lime green body and rather vivid pink shell. Another creature in our felt range.
Meet Sid the Snake who comes in many different colours and designs.These were a real hit with the boys at the school.
Then there is Mr Bumble who will come in kit form and finished form. He has clear winds and lovely bead eyes.
Last but not least are next in my range of tree decorations, little felt christmas trees. These are all needle felted using merino wool and then adorned with more felt or beads.

So there you have it, I haven't been totally idle and there are lots of ideas in the works just don't have the time at the moment to bring them to fruition. We have John's parents staying with us this week and today was their wedding anniversary - Happy Anniversary John and Margaret! In the morning we took advantage of the break in the weather and got outside to do a little bit of weeding since the garden was becoming more weeds than flowers. Thank you John and Margaret for all your help with that. We then went to Bibury for lunch which is just the most picturesque village of all time. We had a nice lunch in the Swam Hotel, lovely food not so sure about the atmosphere there though. We spotted huge trout in the river and millions of ducks, I will definitely be taking the kids there for a wander around in the summer. We returned home just in time for Euan and Ellie's sports day and luckily Daddy was off work for a change. We returned home to cook american pancakes for tea for the kids (their request) and tikka chicken salad for the adults. I have watered the garden, walked the dog and finished all my thank you cards for Maddie's presents. So all in all a productive day. Plus this is my third post in two days can you believe it!!

Right off to bed now and up bright and early for my babies first induction day at school tomorrow. I still cannot believe she is going. :( Let me know what you think I should do with my robin, I am thinking little tear drop wings but if anyone has any ideas they would be greatfully received.

House Pictures especially for Hilary, Sarah and Margaret!

After much time wasting I have finally got around to taking pictures of some of the rooms in my house. You will have to excuse the order of the photos, blogger didn't seem to want to play when it came to uploading them in my chosen order! Above is a shelf I have built for Maddie's room, I still want to make lots of nice bits and pieces to put on it but I am sure they will come in time. The shelf itself is quite big, it is probably about a metre plus wide.

My living room fireplace and stove. The wall colour is sea urchin from Dulux and I am still not sure whether I should have stuck with a cream or minky colour on the walls but I am not changing it now!

The view as you come into the living room, my first set of interlined curtains and boy were there swear words making these. The actual curtain fabric is a really floppy cotton weave that moves about quite a bit so trying to get three layers together to look neat when sewn together was a challenge. What you can't spot is the big mark on the laminate in the middle of the floor that I made while trying to make said curtains when I dropped my large sewing scissors from a height! More swear words might have been said!!

My freshly painted downstairs loo. It is actually Tarragon Glory by Dulux but I had to take these pictures without a flash as it changed the colour so much. More pictures and details below for the loo.

My number one son's room. He had a plane theme in his room and we decided to paint a huge target on his wall. The curtains are actually a duvet which I cut up because I couldn't find material to match his duvet.
The paint on the walls is from the Little Greene Company which I can thoroughly recommend it was a dream to work with. I think this is the neatest that the book shelf has looked.
This is two magnetic boards and the one in the middle I am going to put corkboard onto once I can find a piece large enough without having to patch it.
Miss Maddie's bedroom and a wardrobe that just about killed me trying to get up the stairs. We still need to wax the cupboard as well but it is somewhere down the bottom of said list!
Pottery Barn quilt which I bought for Ellie's first bedroom but still love. Maddie is still in her cot bed at the moment which is great because this is the smallest of the four bedrooms.

Ah the downstairs loo again and that colour. It has definitely grown on me and John doesn't mind it now. When I first painted up a sample J said it looked like puke and no I couldn't use that colour. Me I did the usual and just waited till he was away a few days and got on with it as I knew once it was done he would come round! I still need to sew a curtain to fit across the space under the stairs which you cannot see in this picture. We have a very ugly boiler and pipe system there, plus hoovers and mops et cetera which I would like to cover up. I cannot decide whether to sew any buttons on the scallop joins, at the moment the buttons are just pinned on.
The wall behind the door holds my angel and towel rail. I want to get a few other bits and pieces here to liven up the red and white colour mix.
My kitchen from the door looking towards the front. Sorry the picture was taken at night as it is the only time I get peace! I am still waiting for the builder to come back and put the kick boards on to finish this area. The walls are painted in Dulux's Mystic Mauve which has given the kitchen a really calm, warm feeling. I was worried that it would cool the kitchen down and draw it in but it has done the opposite.
The bottom end of the kitchen looking towards the patio doors, with my £60 welsh dresser (thank you Eileen I love you) and my £10 cupboards (in the corner) which has become the kiddies art cupboard after a lick of paint.

a close up of my kitchen window. I used some Cath Kidston fabric which although is mostly pink it also has a bit of blue which matches the wall colour perfectly. We are not overlooked from the front so I decided to go for a half curtain for a change rather than a roman blind or a full curtain and I am please with the result.

So there you have it. I still need to take pictures of Ellie's room, my workroom and our bedroom but I have yet to finish these rooms off. Ellie's room is almost done but I do have lots of ideas for bits and pieces to make it original. Well I had better hit the sack the kiddies are back to school tomorrow. We have John's parents staying with us this week so I will need to be up for breakfast duty extra early. Goodnight to all.

Party Time at the Shields House

Time to celebrate Maddie's 4th Birthday

Boy when did my baby get to be four years old? I cannot believe that Maddie will be starting school this year she still seems so little to me. We had a fairy Toadstool party theme this year and the invites were handmade by moi using some of my forgotten scrapbook supplies that have been catching dust since I never get time to scrap these days. I hand cut all the bits and inked them and then glued them together. The dots are just office supply dots which came in handy. We only had 9 little girls coming to the party this year which was a nice managable number especially in this house. I was hoping for nice weather and thankfully although the grass was slightly wet we did manage to get outside.

Party bags were going to be lovely little sewn bags in calico with toadstools on but as usual time didn't allow and I resorted back to the old faithful boxes with a simple toadstool tag bearing the child's name on the reverse. I did manage to pick up some gorgeous tooth boxes in a ladybird, sheep, frog and chicken design to keep with the fairy theme. They also got a little red notebook, fluffy pencil, fairy chocolate, toadstool post its and a cupcake!

How can you deny this little beauty anything on her birthday?! She is sporting her new hat and dress from Granny England which she wore to Nursery on Friday, she took cupcakes in to all her friends which I think was a big hit and then her party was on Saturday as Daddy would be around to help!

Blowing candles on her toadstool cake (picture below) please excuse the bad picture it was rather dark

Birthday table before the onslaught!

and one fairy toadstool cake which took Mummy four hours to make and a bit of structural engineering to work out how to get the top to stay on without flopping. I reckon this is probably the best cake yet for effect but boy if anyone knows how to get red icing without having to add so much food colouring I would love to know the secret please. We had some fun games of musical statues, duck duck goose, pass the parcel and what's the time Mr Wolf? but the last scaring a few darlings when Mr Wolf called dinnertime.

Well now I just need to design the thank yous and that will be another birthday gone for this year, only Ellie to go now in November and she cannot decided between a bunny birthday and a butterfly birthday. I am definitely thinking about repeating the cupcake decorating of last year and it was a real hit and so much easier for me than party games.

As usual forgot to take any photos of the actual party which is annoying as I have a little mini book planned for Maddie to record her 4th Birthday. I think I will have to get creative now to complete it! Right I had better go and clear up the kitchen and try to steer clear of the caramel shortbread that is calling my name before I am sick.

Farting about the Edges!!

I always wish I had more hours in the day to get the things done that I want to but somehow I never get there. I swore I would have the bulk of my christmas stock done by now but not a bit of it in sight! HMMMMMM I am crap at trying to organise my time. I find when I have time I am so knackered that I can't move a muscle towards the workroom and then when I don't have the time I am brimming with ideas and visions in my head just itching to get going. This week has been spent playing catch up with washing, gardening and general niff naff after being away for a week. I started on two name plaque commissions and two new baby gifts of my own today. I hope to get them finished tomorrow morning but with Maddie home I don't know how much I will get done. Hilary's fabric arrived today which looks gorgeous but is now crowding me shouting to be made into curtains and cushions. I sometimes wish I could just disappear off the planet for a week or so and not have to worry about school runs, dinners, dog walks and just concentrate on what I need to do. Hey ho I wouldn't be without the little ones and I know this is just a demanding stage. In years to come I am sure I will be chasing them for a chat! Here are a few things I have been doing lately. Maybe one day I will stop farting around the edges and sit down to get on with some proper work and creating!

Little mice for new babies. I made one mouse to go with the pink booties (see picture below). I had only planned to make one but when I came to press the ears I managed to melt the fleece ******* well something like that came out of my mouth! So back to the sewing machine and this time I thought I would make one for Tara's new baby Carsen and for a commission that needed to get finished before I headed up to Scotland.
Another commission for a friend which had to be completed before I headed up the road.
Yet another commission for a friend at Preschool.
Sorry about the bad photo. This was a present that I made for my Nieces birthday. Emma has started a textile course at school so Mum and I decided that for her birthday present we would make her a felt sewing book. It has pages for needles, pins, safety pins and little pockets to store scissors, chalk et cetera.

A little something I rustled up for Corey's first birthday. A handmade bib, shoes and a little stuffed fish to fit the colour theme in his room. I love these little booties, I got the pattern from a fabulous Japanese craft book and will definitely be making some more. I am not sure how practical they are but god they look cute on a shelf in the nursery.

Little pink polka dot girlie booties.

Right well I had better pop off and feed and bath the children before I head out to book club tonight. Hope to post some more tomorrow of the felt workshop I did at school with Mum and some details of my latest adventure with her

A Very Happy 40th Birthday to a very special friendHilary darling we wish you all the best on this special day. Sorry we can't be there to share it with you but I think I would freak you out if I popped up anywhere else to surprise you!!

On Saturday night Euan, Hilary's husband surprised her by organising a birthday dinner at a local hotel. He hadn't told her that he was intending to invite 13 of her friends along as well. John and I had to fight the traffic on the Forth Road Bridge to make our way up to Cupar but it was well worth it. The Birthday girl was suitably surprised and very happy with her hubby! The meal was divine, I haven't tasted steak as good as that in a very long time. I also got to catch up with Laura, Biz and Aisling as well which was lovely.

So Hilary have a fantastic birthday you are a very special lady. We miss and love you loads from the Shields Madhouse.xxx

Fine Weather for a walk on the Beach

My Miss Ellie looking pretty in her new dress looking for white shells to put in our jar.
My Mad Euan doing star jumps after he has scored his name in the sand.
and finally my Miss Maddie enjoying the feeling of sand between her toes and somewhere else!

We had a lovely time just wondering up St Andrews beach looking for shells and making patterns in the sand. It always amazes me how something that is free can entertain the children and bring peace to the adults so easily.

While I remember, Sarah Stringer I hope that the trip out to the States wasn't to painful and that you are now enjoying yourself in all that sun. We are not green or bitter it is just the colour of the rain clouds we have here! We miss you and shall be in touch soon. Love to all.

Chris and Helen Ash a big thank you for putting up with our family during our time at Leuchars and looking after us so well. We hope that you are not to traumatised by the whole affair. Chris we hope that you are feeling better now and on the road to recovery. We will see you at the 90th Reunion at the end of the month.

Wendy Fraser congratulations on your graduation earlier in the month what a clever lassie.It was lovely to catch up over a cup of coffee last week. We hope that you enjoyed your time down in London and Legoland. Anyone who has not been and has little children I recommend you go. We went last month for Euan's birthday and it was fab.

Leslie, I have a few new books I shall try and send your way very soon, I have been reading like a maniac with all these car journeys we have been making.

Half Term Break in Scotland

Boy where did May go? I know I said I would be a better blogger but hey life happens!!

We have just got back from a visit to Scotland during half term week. We had loads of fun and got to catch up with some very special friends that we all miss terribly. J had to work but the kids and I made the most of the time, playing on the beach, shopping, eating out and gallons of tea at everybodies we visited! It was lovely to catch up with John and Margaret our old and very special neighbours at Eastfield Steading. We miss you and so do the kids.

Then up to the kids old school to catch up with their former class mates and to catch up with news. Ellie had her learning leopard from her new school and she took pictures to tell the story of her week to her class when she got home.
Then in the evening a girls night out at the DCA in Dundee with some very special friends. Thank you Eileen for organising the night it was lovely. I wish I hadn't have been driving though as it was half price cocktails and Shona the girl on the left of the picture tortured me by drinking my favourtie Pimms and Lemonade AHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I really miss these ladies they are very special people who are so genuine. Ladies I will be back and this time I shall not be driving!

I will share some more pictures in my next post but I shall leave it here as Blogger doesn't seem to like to many photos!