Sunday 31 March 2013

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (13/52) ♥

Happy Easter to you.

The kids had their last day at school on Thursday so they are now off for the next two weeks.  No hols for me and MrG though.  He's very, very busy and has only had three days off since the beginning of January (!?!) and I have to get busy too - loads of decorating to do as the house is going on the market next week.

My four little 'happy' moments this week include - 

1.  Tea and inspiration.




2.  Easter decoration.  I found a use for the little crochet flowers that I made when trying to teach myself to crochet.  Pretty blossom.


3.  Each evening I have been enjoying doing a couple of rows of crochet - what looks like a scarf now is actually my very first attempt to make a blanket!  Each row has about 250 stitches and it takes me about half an hour to do just one row.  I am getting better though I can now watch TV at the same time and don't have to watch every single stitch I make!

4.  and finally... Easter woudn't be Easter without these little beauties would it?  There's no point trying to diet until the kids go back to school is there?




Wednesday 27 March 2013

woodland walk

I usually have to drag my family out for a walk.  They enjoy it when they're out and feel better for it when we get home but boy-oh-boy do they drag their feet at the suggestion of joining me for a walk! 

So, it was with some surprise that MissG suggested going for a walk on Sunday.  She had an ulterior motive of course but I didn't mind as it got us both outside for a bit of fresh air and exercise.  Alfie, our pooch, was more than happy to join us and did his 'happy feet' dance while we were getting our jackets and scarfs on.











As part of her GCSE art project she had to take some photo's of flowers and greenery so the following photo's are courtesy of MissG...

Pretty pink cherry blossom - in March!











Isn't this snowdrop amazing?



Isn't this the strangest looking fungi?


Isn't it fascinating what you see on a little stroll in the countryside?


Sunday 24 March 2013

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (12/52) ♥

It's week 12 and I'm doing quite well keeping up with my ♥ 52 Weeks of Happy ♥ posts.

This week my four 'happy' moments are a bit random.

1.  Working from home.  I've set up a desk on the kitchen table, cosy and warm and only two steps away from the kettle - a constant supply of 'builders brew' keeps me going throughout the day.



2.  My Sis and I had fun burning rubbish - there's something exciting about fire isn't there?  The kids had a good clear-out and there were so many magazines and old school books that we thought we'd have a little fire.  It took ages and we were reeking of smoke when we'd finished.  It would have been so much easier loading the car and taking them to the skip but obviously not as much fun!



3.  My first completed cushion.  It's a bit basic but I'm chuffed to bits with it.  I didn't think I'd ever be able to crochet so completing this has been quite an achievement.  It's amazing what you can pick up on You Tube.


4.  House hunting.  I know it's a bit premature as we haven't put our house on the market yet but after looking at loads on the internet I felt the urge to look at a couple of houses this week.  It was a really good start as I loved both of them (for different reasons) and it has spurred me on to get the last few DIY jobs done so that we can get our FOR SALE sign up.

Sunday 17 March 2013

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (11/52) ♥

Four little happy moments of this week...


1.  Birthday celebrations.  Of course, it was Guy's 18th birthday this week so I must mention that (again) as one of my happy moments.  I was a tad disappointed that he chose to spend the evening with his girlfriend but hey-ho he is growing up and I am happy that he is happy!  We are all going out for a meal to celebrate his birthday when his big brother returns from Uni next week.

2.   had a 'long overdue' phone call from Ben this week.  It was lovely to hear from him.  He will be coming home for a couple of weeks holiday - I don't think he's pining for home I think it's more to do with his funds getting low!  I'm looking forward to having him home nevertheless.


3.  In preparation for putting our house on the market I have been doing some decorating.  I have 'neautrally' painted walls in most rooms so it's easy to give them a lick of paint to refresh them but this weekend I have put myself to the test and hung some Cath Kidston wallpaper in an alcove in MissG's room.  I don't know how but the room somehow seems so much bigger now.  I need to get the white paint out to make-over her pine dressing table (an ebay find) and mirror (a car boot sale find).  Her wardrobe and chest of drawers are already painted white thank goodness so that has saved me a job.  I bought an Ikea day bed (from ebay) a couple of years ago and it's been up in our loft because when I got it home it wouldn't fit in her room (doh - it pays to measure up before bidding!) but we have been able to bring it back down and use it as she has moved into the bigger bedroom now that Ben's at Uni.  The room is not quite finished but it's already looking lovely.


4.  I received a surprise gift in the mail again this week - this felt Easter chic.  (Thank you to my friend Ginny - a little something will be winging it's way to you shortly).  I plan to collect some twigs from the garden to make a decoration for the fireplace.  I will hang my little chic together with an array of little 'practice' crochet flowers that have no purpose other than to look pretty!  I will take photo's when ticked off my 'to-do' list.

I'm off to change into my painting gear (I'm a messy painter) and get another couple of hours painting done in the daylight.  These 'energy' bulbs are not the brightest and no matter how thorough you think you are it can look quite patchy when the curtains are drawn the next morning!




Thursday 14 March 2013

birthday cake

ahh I'm feeling old - Son2 celebrated his 18th birthday on Tuesday.

I rarely bake but felt the urge to make him a birthday cake.

chocolate sponge...


black cherries in kirsch...


lashings of butter icing (as requested)...
 

stars and candles galore...


* Happy 18th Birthday Guy *

Sunday 10 March 2013

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (10/52) ♥

a colourful collection of photographs this week to accompany four little 'happy moments'...

A colourful meal - and quick and tasty.  A baked potato with beans and cheese, lettuce, tomato, orange pepper, coleslaw and beetroot.  Mmm looks good enough to eat!

A colourful card arrived in the post.  A 'thank-you' card from my friend Ginny.  I love getting emails but I ♥ love ♥ receiving letters and cards in the post.  What a lovely idea too - not only is it a pretty card but it contains poppy seeds ready to sprinkle in my garden.  I haven't seen them in the shops but I'm going to track some down to buy to send to my friends and family. 

A colourful tent.  A new Cath Kidston brochure also arrived in the post this week and this amazing tent caught my eye - isn't it funky?  I remember when the children were younger and we would have a tent up in our back garden for most of the summer holiday.  Sometimes they would just play in it during the day and sometimes they would camp out overnight.  Our tent was a boring plain blue (which I'm sure the boys were happy with) but oh how I wish MissG was still a little girl and I could buy this for her (and me!).


and finally a colourful bunch of tulips.  I love the mixed bunches.  Quite garish but so zingy and cheerful.

Mother's Day

My daughter made me a card...

and a cake...



♥ ♥ ♥   Thank you little MissG  ♥ ♥ ♥

Sunday 3 March 2013

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (9/52) ♥

We've had some lovely sunny days this week - it was so nice to feel a little warmth in the air.

Hey-hey, I think Spring is on it's way.  This week I spotted the first daffodils and the first spring lamb.  

On the school run on Thursday afternoon I noticed that the temperature gauge in the car had risen to 13˚.  I drove past a guy fixing a dry stone wall with his top off - I'm not sure if it was that warm!  The chap in the petrol station said how much cheerier customers have been this week.  A little sunshine goes a long way to brightening everyones mood.

We've had a busy, busy week.  Son2 had his very first driving lesson on Thursday - he was quite anxious about it but thoroughly enjoyed it and is now looking forward to his next one (1 a week at £33 a pop - ahh!).  We took MissG up to Penrith on Tuesday and Thursday to attend two 6th form Open Evenings - she now needs to decide which subjects to study at A'level.    Plus all the usual stuff, work-work, house-work, home-work, grocery shopping, school-runs etc.  Oh yes, and I sneaked in a couple of hours in the garden centre cafe with my friend Helen - tea and cake and a good chat - just what I needed.

My 'happy moments' this week include -

1.  Teaching myself to crochet!  At long last.




2.  Receiving my utility bills and 'whooping' with relief to find that both my gas and electricity bills are in credit!  I have had the central heating on much more than usual because I've been working from home.  I know it's not exactly news worthy but it did put a smile on my face!

3.  Buying a pair of burgundy Converse All Stars.


4.  A little trip to Penrith Crafts shop for a few little goodies. 



  

Friday 1 March 2013

I've got the crochet bug!

I have amazed myself this week.  I have practiced and persevered and have finished my very first crochet project.  I've never been a knitter or a crocheter so I'm rather chuffed with myself!

There are some great tutorials on YouTube and I bought a little crochet book.  I progressed from the 'flat' daisy-like flower to this little pink rose-bud, complete with cute little leaves.  

I then decided to try to 'make' something so I watched (yet another) YouTube video to see how to join in new colours.  Once I mastered that I was off. . .  and made myself this little strip of stripy stripes!

and this morning, after a bit of stitching and tidying the ends, I have my first crochet tah-dah moment.

A colourful crochet coat-hanger complete with rose-bud embellishment - tah-dah!

What will I make next?