Happiness is......

...time to sew, fabric, something fun to make, coffee, chocolate biscuits and a plate of profiteroles.... There's a shot of my guilty quilty fabric too which I now don't feel so bad about.

Beach balls

This afternoon I had a lovely quiet house and inspired by the latest issue of Sew Hip decided I wanted to do some crafting. I’ve been meaning to make these balls http://www.purlbee.com/fabric-beach-balls/ for ages after seeing them on an online friend’s blog and finally got round to it. I hadn’t been able to decide what fabric to use but thought maybe cord would be nice. However, while under the stairs getting out the iron and ironing board I spotted a box that makes me feel guilty every time I see it.

Several years ago I decided I was going to get into quilting and patchwork. Now, I have a tendancy to decide on a hobby and spend a fortune buying stuff for it only to never actually get round to doing it or discovering I don’t actually like it. Quilting was one of these. I bought my sewing machine on the basis it was so good for quilters (not that I regret that, it’s a fab machine which I still love using 6 years on). I also spent loads on the fabric for several specific projects and on fabric that I liked and would do something with one day.

All I ever made was a wall hanging and found the piecing very boring, hated the cutting out and hated the quilting bit (in fact, I never did finish quilting it properly). So that’s another hobby out of the window. I subscribed to two patchwork magazines for a few years and ended up giving them all away on Freecycle about three years ago.

So, here’s this box with it’s contents that make me feel bad every time I see it. I’ve considered putting it all on eBay but there’s so many diferent things in it that it would take me forever to list and I can’t be bothered. I’ve considering just giving it away but I can’t.

Ok, I’m not going to make it into quilts or wall hangings, but how about this ball? Is there anything in it I could use? Well, of course there was. And I found lots of pieces that I could use for other things. Taking away the “this was for quilting” mentality from it and changing it to “this is great for all the little crafty projects I want to do” has changed the way I feel about it. Instead of feeling negative and it dragging me down I now feel positive, even inspired to go through it and sort it out (hopefully tomorrow).

So, I made the fabric ball in the photo. It’s stuffed with fleece which I carded this afternoon too. That was the bit that took the longest. Typically just as I finished Millie and Ellie wandered through and wanted a go at carding so I let them. They are currently filling bags of carded wool for me for future projects… If I’d asked them to do it for me they’d have got bored within 10 minutes but they’ve been there for hours.

The instructions made me think it was going to be really complicated but it was soooo easy and I will definitely make more. I had intended it for the new baby but I think Alfie has decided he’s going to keep it instead.

Yesterday I got the crochet blanket from the car finished so that’s now in use - Jack grabbed it and announced it was his blanket and it is currently covering him up as he sleeps on the sofa (he’s been asleep there since 4pm - it’s now 8pm - anything to do with the fact he was playing in his bedroom between 4am and 7.30am this morning????)

I am now adding onto the blanket I made for Millie with a few odd balls of wool I don’t think I will ever use for anything else. They don’t quite go but she’s happy with it which is the main thing. Of course, Sophie wants me to do the same with hers so I’m going to have to decide what I’ve got that I can use for that. I have a couple of balls of Noro I will probably use.

We have freezing weather and snow forecast this week so I have to admit I am hoping we get snowed in and I have an excuse to sit and craft with the children if they can’t get to school. I bet we get snowed in and I go into labour so the midwife can’t get here (wouldn’t that be awful???!!!!)http://www.purlbee.com/fabric-beach-balls/

Very exciting!

Very exciting! No not baby news, but I have been tagged on someone’s blog for the first time. No idea if I’m going to do this correctly but here goes. I was tagged in this blog: http://bohemianmumma.wordpress.com/ and I have to list six things that make me happy… Oh heck,

1. My family
2. Sitting indoors near the fire while it’s cold outside, even better if it’s raining or snowing
3. Crafting
4. My new bathroom
5. Sleeping
6. Coffee and cakes

I know, it’s a bit of a rubbish list but that’s all I can think of at the moment. No doubt I will think of lots of better things and kick myself, but that will do for now. Actually I can think of more - reading my favourite magazines in bed, snuggling a newborn, decluttering…

Anyway, these are the rules:
Now then. In order to pass on the award this is what you need to do.
Firstly, link to the person who gave you the award.
Post the rules on your blog.
List six things that make you happy.
Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
Let the person who awarded you know when your entry is up.

So to choose six people, how difficult, as I enjoy so many blogs. Apologies to those not picked, ohh, this is hard, I don’t want anyone to feel snubbed.

Vanessa at http://bonzablue.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default
Denise at http://abigsmile4.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default
Becks at http://different-choices.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default
Cea at http://homeinrookcountry.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default
Sarah at http://sarahs-sewing.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss
and Cybele at http://stitchoneknittoo.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Little update

I thought I’d post a little update - no news baby wise yet I’m afraid. I’m 39 weeks today so still plenty of time, but it would be nice if the baby could arrive tomorrow as it’s Craig’s 40th birthday. Sorry, I mean 21st birthday….

I have been doing a little bit of crafting - I made a blanket for the baby from some Silk garden I had. I did have to order another ball of it to finish it off and that arrived on Monday so I knitted away furiously and had it finished on Monday night.

While I was making the last pair of socks Jack kept asking me to make him some so I have cast those on but just can’t seem to get up the enthusiasm to get on with them. I’ve done a little bit, and he’s very excited but I haven’t done any of them today.

Last year I made a resolution with myself to do at least a bit of crafting every day and I think I have stuck to that (I can’t recall any days where I’ve done nothing but there probably are one or two). Even if all I do is 10 minutes of the crochet I keep in the car I can at least say I’ve done something. I’ve got a blanket as my on the move project and will do a bit while waiting for the children to come out of school. I’m hoping it will be finished fairly soon as I know I’m not going to have quite so many opportunities to get on with it very soon. It’s one of those projects I know I would get bored with if I sat in front of the TV at home with it so the fact it’s taking me forever doesn’t bother me too much as I just think of it in 10 minute slots.

I always tell myself I can’t use my sewing machine in the evenings as it will disturb the boys because it’s under their bedrooms but tonight I sewed the badges onto Sophie’s new Rainbow’s jacket and realised it’s not that noisy after all so used it to make the hearts in the photo. I have made one for each member of the family and each one contains a little heart shaped note telling them how much I love them. I plan to hang them on bedroom door handles on Valentine’s Day. I’m feeling very pleased that I have now got them finished and it’s another thing to tick off my mental to-do list. I just hope none of them read this before 14th Feb!!! The hearts are just made from felt and ribbon. The stitching isn’t great but hey, so what, that’s not the important thing. The important thing is they are made with love.

I do have a confession to make. You know my “don’t buy things that I want just because I want them, I must actually need them” thing? I’ve broken it and I do feel a bit bad. I keep reading that TKMaxx have Tots Bots nappies and I did stop myself from going to see a few weeks ago. But then someone told me that my local store actually did have them in stock and we went to see. And bought some. Not the small pack of five either but the big bag of 20 nappies plus wraps and liners. No we don’t need them but they seemed like such a fantastic bargain we couldn’t leave them behind. I know, I know, I’ve no willpower. But they are soooo lovely and soft and white. I don’t want to use them, lol They’re too lovely to be pooed in!

But I do feel bad enough about it that I will think harder before I buy anything else. And I won’t go back for one of the packs of five fluffles or whatever they’re called. I promise. Honest.

This week I met up with some of the girls from one of my online groups which was lovely. It’s now the third time we’ve met up and we’ll hopefully meet again in two weeks (depending on whether any of our babies have arrived).

So, that’s it for now. Hope you’re having a good week and that you have a good weekend.

Quick update

Just a quick update tonight and no photo I’m afraid, sorry.

Not a lot happening here, hence the lack of posts recently. I had an appointment with the midwife this morning and all is well. My BP is up a bit but no other symptoms so nothing to worry about I don’t think. Although someone on one of the forums I go on said your BP can go up slightly just before you go into labour….. So, yes, there’s me hoping it’s all going to happen very soon.

I finished the socks the other night. I was going to undo the one that was too big for me and make it smaller but then decided I couldn’t be bothered and am just going to wear them as slouchy socks for when I’m just at home and need to keep my feet warm. Currently on the needles is a blanket for the baby using some Noro silk garden I bought a couple of years ago for something else. Hopefully there will be enough to make a pram sized blanket and it will be finished before the baby arrives (actually, I really don’t mind if it’s not!!)

The girls are still loving their new school and funnily enough, since they started there we have had no problem with headlice!!! So, I feel very smug knowing that it wasn’t my children that were causing the problem at the old school and very releived that I am not going to be spending quite so much on Hedrin! I will of course continue to check their hair twice a week mind you.

Anyway, as I said this is just a very quick one. Hopefully the next update will be with some exciting news very soon!!!
Have a good weekend.

A small arrival

Ok, so the photo probably just looks like a blue binliner that I've dumped on top of my wardrobe. But it's not just any old binliner - it's my homebirth kit!!

It arrived yesterday which was a bit of a surprise as I wasn't expecting it until next week but a nice surprise of course. Normally the arrival of it makes me feel a bit scared that it's all very imminent, but this time round it hasn't. It's just made me more impatient.

I really really really want the baby to come now. I'm only 37 weeks (well, 37+2) so I know that realistically it's more likely to happen in a few weeks time than it is anytime now but I've reached the point now where I am ready.

The house is ready - we had a mad cleaning frenzy earlier (ok, I had the mad frenzy, everyone else just joined in reluctantly) but I know it's probably going to be a nightly occurrence until the baby finally does come.

I'm even finding myself tempted by self induction methods but I am going to be strong. The baby will arrive when s/he is ready and it's not fair to mess about with nature. If it needs to be another 3 or 4 weeks then there will be a reason for that.

I will no doubt be completely mad by that point, lol

Another photo for you

As if two posts werent enough for one day, here's another one!! This time with my 37 week bump in it. I can't believe I'm at this stage already. I feel like the time has just flown past, and still think I'm only in mid pregnancy then remember I'm not anymore and it's iminent. Well, I say iminent. It could quite easily be another 5 or 6 weeks I guess. But I'm feeling well, am all ready mentally and practically. It's just a case of waiting.

I was also really surprised to see I have 4 followers - I'm very flattered so thank you for adding yourselves. :-) I read your blogs as well (must get round to updating my list at the side!!!)

Right, that's enough from me for one night. Have a good rest of the week!

New Bathroom

And here is the new bathroom. It still needs painting and the new blind up but I love it. I keep going in just to look at it. And occasionally I go in having forgotten that it's all changed and am surprised to see it looking lovely. I am soooo pleased with it. No idea when we'll get round to painting it mind you! The photos were taken just before it was finished, so the trim round the worktop has been done properly - it was just left like that while it was stuck on.

Old bathroom

First of all here are my “before” photos from the new bathroom. When I say before, they were actually taken not long after we moved in so are quite old. You don’t really get the full picture of how awful the bathroom was - there were cracked tiles, the bath panel was horrible etc etc. We did paint the walls that bright pink though and I loved it. I was almost sorry to see it go!

Nesting nesting 123

First of all an apology. I didn’t spell check my last entry so sorry if there were any mistakes in it. And apologies for no photos again this time round.

Well, it’s the start of the second week at the new school for the girls. They love it! Millie is so much happier than she was at the old school and Sophie says she likes it better too. I’m so pleased, it was a really scary decision to make, even up to that first morning I was thinking maybe we should just leave them where they were, but like so many scary decisions I’ve made in the past it’s turned out to be the right one.

On Friday I went to a Steiner group which was lovely. I used to go but stopped as it is so far away but have missed it so much I started back again. As if that wasn’t nice enough one of the most lovely people on the planet was there!!! I was so pleased to see her, she’s an online friend that I’ve met a few times now. So that was my day made for me!!

I spent the weekend cleaning and tidying - I think I can safely say nesting has started!! The bathroom wasn’t finished last week - it almost was but then someone walked on the newly laid floor tiles and made them go crooked so they had to be taken up and re-laid - but I was desperate to get the bedroom sorted out that I decided we’d just move all the bathroom stuff into the dining room. Of course, this meant I had to tidy the dining room first. But could I just do a tidy and clean? Nope! I started with my sewing desk and cleared a lot of stuff from there (when I say cleared I mean cleared out) then I moved on to the under stairs cupboard which was full of piles of fabric which then led on to me clearing out and sorting my fabric boxes at the top of the stairs. So, all my fabric is now in clearly labelled boxes (which actually makes me feel better about owning it), loads got cleared out and listed for sale (if you’re interested in any let me know), the under stairs cupboard is now tidy and has a lot less in it too.

I’ve got rid of loads and loads of stuff which makes me feel good as well - books, magazines, a dehydrator which has sat under my sewing desk for nearly 2 years. The room looks so much better. And I cleared out under my sewing desk which is a new one as it’s had stuff under there since we moved in, but it’s gone and looks so much nicer. And I sorted all my yarn so I know exactly what I have which is also nice, and it’s to hand not in lots of bags and boxes.

So, once all that was done (which took nearly two days) I could clear out our bedroom. Not so much to get rid of but we pulled the bed out and cleared out under and behind it then moved it over to create some room for the baby’s cradle (which will almost certainly be used to store my magazines/snacks/laptop/clothes within easy reach while I am having my couple of weeks in bed after the birth). It feels so much nicer in there now and I’m sleeping so much better than I had been.

We got all the baby clothes etc out as well and they have been sorted and put away. So I am now all ready for when the time comes - and feel more relaxed about it happening now. And impatient! Until the weekend I wasn’t ready for the birth and wanted to be pregnant for longer but now I just want it to happen. Sod all the stuff I want to do before the birth!!!

Bathroom news - well, it’s virtually finished!!! Tiles were grouted today and I can use the shower and toilet again but not the bath for another day or so but that’s no loss. We still need to paint it and put up the new blind but it is soooo nice in there. It’s all echoey and new and I just want to sit in there and look at it. It’s my dream bathroom I think. I will post before and after photos next time (I wish I had done before and after photos of the dining room too but didn’t think).
So that it my news I think. There was probably other stuff but I can’t remember now. Hope you’re well and that the next week is a good one for you.

Changes

Ok, so yesterday I mentioned big changes and now I can say a bit more about them. The first one was Jack’s playschool moved to a new site, which isn’t really big news I know, but for a 4 year old it was big. He was very unsure when we got there and asked me to stay with him - however, once he got inside the new building and saw all the familiar ladies and children he was quite happy and went into his new room without a backwards glance. I was a little worried in case he suddenly panicked because I wasn’t still there but he came out as happy as Larry telling me about the new road (which I assume is a new road layout for them to play with the toy cars on) and that the “old schoolhouse is broken” which is why they have moved.

The bigger change was that we have moved Millie and Sophie to another primary school. We have been considering it for some time, since before the summer holidays, but decided that we were definitely going to do it last term for various reasons to do with the new head at the school. I was on the panel that appointed her and I was the only person who said we shouldn’t employ her but obviously the majority vote had to win. There was a point where I thought, no, I was wrong, but various events have made me realise I was right in my instincts.

So we have moved them to a school that we feel will serve their needs far better than where they were. It’s a smaller school (a third of the size) and only three classes. We were a little concerned about Millie and her problem with change but she had a fantastic time, loved it and best of all has apparently made lots of new friends - she had no friends at the one they were at. So, despite my worries about were we making the right decision I am really pleased we did.

Ellie is staying where she is as she couldn’t decide what to do, she has a group of friends she will miss and she only has a few months left there anyway. If she changes her mind later in the school year we will move her as well.

Week two of work on the bathroom started today which is great. I think it will be finished by Friday, or if not then it’s only going to be a matter of grouting, but from the look of what S did today I think it will be completed. It looks fantastic already, I really really love the tiles although I have discovered a slight downside of tiled floors - it is blooming cold on the feet!!!!!

Did I mention my new bedding is here? I always have new bedding when I have a new baby, it’s my treat (not that finally getting to hold m gorgeous newborn in my arms isn’t treat enough of course) so I am pleased about that, although the bottom sheet is going to take 2-4 weeks…. With a bit of luck it will be sooner than that and more importantly sooner than the baby!!!!

I’m starting to get that urge to get everything ready now, I keep thinking that we should maybe get the baby clothes out of the loft at least, even if they just have to sit in their box for another week or so, at least they would be to hand if we needed them. But at the same time I don’t feel that anything is likely to happen for weeks anyway. Oh why oh why can someone not invent a way of knowing exactly when a baby will arrive (other than planned c-sections of course).

While lying awake last night I started thinking about my New Years Resolution to not buy stuff just because I want it, and the difference between wants and needs. I was thinking I should start a list of what I havent bought just to see how much I havent spent this year. For example I read on the internet that TKMaxx have got tots bots nappies at £25 a pack and I was so tempted to go and get them, so much so I was all ready to go down there the other day when I realised that actually, I don’t NEED any more nappies. Yes, they are a bargain, and yes, they would be lovely to have but they are just a want, and a prime example of my attitude towards spending. I think that already this year (and yes, it’s only the 6th) I could have spent £100 on wants.
In the past I have found myself deciding to buy things that I really want telling myself that I’ll just buy these things and that will be it. But it never is, is it? A few weeks or months later there is more stuff that I convince myself is the last thing I will buy and so it continues.

I want(!!) - ok, need - to sit and make a list of all the things I want to achieve. Ok, these wants are allowed as they don’t cost anything! How do I want my life to be? Do I want to spend my life aquiring things that are going to make my life complete (yet never do) or do I want to do more important things like spending time with my children (spending time with them that instead I have to spend tidying up and cleaning my over abundance of stuff). Going to the country park for a walk is a lovely thing to want to do, and is probably a need as well - a need to spend time with the family, a need to get out in the fresh air, a need to take time out and just be.

I’m going to have a list of wants, that I will add to as they come up, and I will review it from time to time. I can almost guarantee that most of them will be deleted during the reviews because it was just a spur of the moment thing. And if they are still there after a few list reviews, well, it means that for once I will have a list of things I’d actually like for Christmas! We didn’t buy presents this Christmas for each other. Why? Because every year we struggle to make a list because when we want something we just go out and buy it anyway.

So, I will get round to this list of what I want to achieve one day and then maybe post it here.

Hope you’re feeling as positive this New Year as I am - and I hope it lasts for us too!!

New Year, New Starts

I noticed the photo of Jack’s blanket makes it look different to how it does in real life! It’s actually more blue and green and darker than in the photo. I think I prefer the photo version!

Well, we‘re getting into the New Year. A fresh start and all that. We took the tree down on New Years Day which left us with a big space. We had to rearrange the lounge to create space for the tree with the intention of it going back once the tree had gone but we actually like the new layout so we’re going to keep it. In place of the tree we have moved my nursing chair into the room. I’m finding sitting on the sofa a bit uncomfortable - or getting up out of it anyway, so having a more upright chair is nice. I have visions of me sitting by the fire and knitting and connecting in some way to my online circle of friends.

I have been doing some sewing - I made a beanbag (see photo) and some hats for the new baby. One was way too small so has been gifted to Baby Annabel (yes, that is how small it was) and another may still be too small but we shall see. I love the fabric I’ve used, it’s so soft, that I want to make something else with it but I’m not sure what. Probably a little jacket or sleep suit.

Otherwise not a lot else has happened here. I’ve been trying (and failing!!) to sleep. I’m sure late pregnancy insomnia is your body’s way of preparing you for the sleepless nights but hey come on, I’ve had enough practise in the past, let me get as much sleep as I possibly can while I can!!! Craig has bought me a Paul McKenna book “I can make you sleep” which I will have to read if I have another night like last night (didn’t get to sleep until 6am!) I have a feeling that at the end of the CD that comes with it he probably says something along the lines of “if you’re not asleep now then there’s no hope for you”!

The children go back to school tomorrow and I know I sound like a stuck record but “I can’t believe the holidays have gone so fast!” We didn’t do very much but the children were quite happy to stay home and just amuse themselves so I don’t feel too bad about it. The only thing I am annoyed about is I didn’t get round to buying Sophie a new Rainbow uniform as she really needs one.

Tomorrow there are some big changes afoot which I will go into more detail about in my next installment. They are both scary and exciting at the same time though.

And that’s it really for now. Hope your New Year is starting off well and that the whole year is a good one.