Garden Peas and Fleas

Summer Nights....

2011-07-04T15:54:00.000-07:00

Hello Bloggies...
I know, I know..still not getting here as often as I'd like and my only excuse is that I've spent lots of time sat in the sun instead of in front of my PC, infact its only about an hour since I came in tonight. Sitting outside on balmy summer evenings is really one of my greatest pleasures...especially if its quiet and I can hear all those nice 'night time' sounds, I hope some one else knows what I mean instead of thinking like most people do..'listen the mad woman's rambling again'!!!

Anyways what I wanted to show you was this sewing/tapestry frame that Kia got for me for £2 in our local charity shop!!!

I did have some difficulty getting my tapestry on it nice and tight because the little lozenges that are meant to hold it in place kept popping off....but because the frame has holes almost all the way around it I just stitched it into place!!

Anyway I've not done anywhere near enough of my tapestry so hopefully having it in its frame on view will motivate me into picking it up and doing more than a few stitches!
One last thing, does anyone keep or has in the past kept an art journal?
I'm really interested in keeping/making one myself and just wondered if anyone had any tips they could share???

Enjoy the sunshine.
Em xxxx

A Kid With A New Toy....

2011-06-25T10:57:00.000-07:00

I missed the boat when it comes to smart phones...I've only recently got around to getting myself one after dismissing them for the past 18 months or so...

I insisted that as I have 2 decent cameras I really didn't need a phone with one on too,
I had no need of a phone that doubled up as an MP3 player as I've had my trusty iPod for years and why on earth would I want the internet on my phone when I have a perfectly good PC for that (even if it did bugger up on me recently).
So god knows how I ended up with one...but I did because my poor old mobile was on its last very weary legs and WOOOOO HOOOOO I am just like a kid with a new toy!

I listen to endless music, check facebook, Tweet, read the news, check in at every single location I go to (including my bed!!) and best of all I've installed loads of photo apps so that I can take pictures and do all sorts of weird and wonderful things with them.

As you can see...all sorts of cool effects, sparkly, smudgy, dreamy, faded retro and instamatic!
As a friend pointed out recently, We have the technology now to create such amazing images that the 'in' thing to do is make them look old and a bit washed out or faded!

Anyways I'm off to take advantage of the nice weather by eating al fresco,hope everyone else has a lovely weekend.
Em xxxxxxx

Saturday Coffee Morning Craft Stall.

2011-06-19T15:57:00.000-07:00

We have a coffee morning with craft and other types of stalls every third saturday of the month in our village and this weekend it was in aid of PACT ....and everyone helped to raise lots of money for them.
There was an auction, a raffle and pledging money for singers to sing requests for them!!
Me and Evie ran our little craft stall and had a great time chatting to everyone and listening very enviously to the amazing singers!

You'll have to excuse my really,really bad photography but I've just got a new phone and I'm still figuring out the camera....I think in future I'll just take my trusty old snapper along with me!
Hope everyone has had a nice weekend.
Em xxxxx

Busy Month and Broken Computers!!

2011-06-16T14:22:00.000-07:00

Hello,
I know I've not been around for a while but I've had a poorly PC...don't really know what was wrong with it except that it wouldn't connect to the internet. So I got the broken lead on Evies laptop replaced and thought...'YAY back online' only for the same thing to happen again!
Anyways I'm pretty much sure its working again for all of our computers.
So in the past month...I've been really really busy, I've had a stall at various craft fairs around south and west Yorkshire, so I've had to make all sorts of little things to sell.

As well as that I've been comissioned to crochet a huuuuuuge granny square blanket and I've been making little chicks and fried egg keyrings for These Lovely People so its been a very busy past few weeks for me.

Anyway thats all from me for now
Hoping to be back again very soon...barring all PC emergencies!!
Em xxxxx

Center Parcs.

2011-05-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

I'm back and recovered from my monday-friday break at Center Parcs!
I had an absolutely brilliant time, even if I am more than a little saddle sore, after not riding a bike for about 15 years until last week!!
A good bit of my bike riding was done with a kiddy-car attached to the bike and my three year old nephew Elliott shouthing 'Faster faster Aunty Emma'.

I also indulged in lots of swimming which is always a favourite for me on any holiday, just a shame I didn't get the sunbathing in too!!
Poor Evie suffered a little as she's only recently learnt to ride a bike and she took a couple of tumbles from hers, hence the rathe rather fetching bruise on her chin and the huge monster bruise on her thigh!!

There was loads of wildlife about...we had ducks waddle across our patio numerous times, a moorhen visited alot, scores of rabbits front and back and squirrels everywhere!!

The only bit of the week that didn't go to plan was the crafty evenings...I was so tired I managed to crochet one square for a big blanket I'm currently working on and thats it!
Anyway I had a brill time and We're already planning a return visit in the autumn hopefully.

Em xxxx

Happy Birthday Evie.

2011-05-05T15:28:00.000-07:00

I cant believe it's a whole year since I blogged about my youngest daughter Evie turning 8 and her We are again celebrating her 9th birthday...
The day passed in a blur of Wii games, Dr Who, Hello Kitty and Phineas and Ferb.

Evie declared it her best birthday ever, but I'm sure she said that last year and I'm sure she'll say it again next year!
We had a small buffet tea for close family as she's having her party on sunday in our local pet shop!
I think I'm looking forward to that...as long as there's no tarantula handling involved!!!

And then next week we're off to Centre Parcs for a 5 day break, I can't wait 5 whole lovely relaxing days...lots of swimming and cycling during the day I hope and lots of crochet and films in the evenings...sounds like bliss to me!!!

Take care
Em xxxx

A Right Royal Garden Party!

2011-04-30T16:27:00.000-07:00

I swore I wasn't going to waste my day yesterday watching the royal wedding on TV...but like I suspect millions of other people I sat down for a few minutes quick viewing and ended up sat for over 4 hours glued to the TV screen!!

Then We spent the rest of the afternoon at my friends 'Dress as Royalty' garden party , dressed obviously as royalty!!
As soon as Evie found out she would be expected to dress up as a princess she decided to be a zombie princess!
So after worry about wrecking one her nice dresses by 'zombiefying' it I remembered her ruined bridesmaid dress from Ruby's wedding last summer..
Hey presto..a few more holes and rips and a lot of red food colouring and there it was the perfect zombie princess royal wedding party dress!!

Zombie Princess Evie!!

Punky Princess Hermione and Zombie Princess Evie!

Hope you all had a lovely day whatever you did.
Em xxx

Long Time..No See.....

2011-04-26T07:45:00.000-07:00

Hello!!!
I know its been forever since I last blogged..over a month ago!
But I've been soooo busy I've really not had more than a nano-second to think about blogging.
So here's whats been happening in the world of Garden Peas and Fleas since I last saw you all...
Myself, my mum, my sister and my friend Grania decided to start our own little business selling handmade things at craft fairs along with some gift items we bought from a local wholesalers....

And so far its been a hectic but fun time for us all!
Between us we have an abundance of handmade goodness including cards, soap, felt items, crochet and knitting.
We've done three fairs so far and We've made a good profit!

As well as the fairs I've been on a reading frenzy and I've read over 10 books since my last post, plus Kia was home for a fortnight for her easter holiday and was unwell for most of the second week and when she went home she didn't even manage a week back in Aberdeen before coming home again for another week.

On easter Saturday I went on a Chicken Keeping course and found myself a confirmed chicken-hater being converted...I just never realised just how interesting chickens could be and how friendly they are and what interesting personalities they have...in fact I'm thinking about getting some in the near future!

The course was held by this lady Jody Fendick if you're at all interested in keeping chickens or do already but want some advice etc I'd thoroughly recommend it.
The rest of easter was a blur of parties, barbecues and nice hearty meals.
Evie has enough chocolate this year to rival Thorntons!
But sadly today school and college are back and its back to reality for us all.

Em xxxx

Ehrmann Tapestries.

2011-03-23T13:28:00.000-07:00

A few people have commented on the Ehrmann tapestry in one of the photos on my last post so I thought I'd post a picture of what it will look like when its finished!
Its my sister Jody who is doing this one although in the picture you can see my daughter Mica having a go at it.

Then theres this one which I am making painfully s-l-o-o-o-w progress with.

And this little beauty sat here unopened waiting for Kia to come home from university and get stitching!!

Hope everyone is enjoying a little bit of spring time at long last...its been absolutely beautiful here this past few days!
Em xxxxx

Blah and Busy...

2011-03-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

Hello blogiverse its been a while since I last I last posted because I've felt a bit blah...nothing really I could put my finger on just blah!!
And then inbetween the blah-ness I've been busy, busy, busy!!
I've been getting my crafty bits and bobs organised..I tend to take up an entire settee with all my bits so I got this trolley to try and free up some seats, it didn't wotk, I just have more stuff to hand to spread out all around me!!

I've been busy making lots of little things!

And I've been enjoying saturday night craft at my Mums house!!

I better point out Jody made these not me, otherwise she might shout at me!!

Hope everyone has had a great weekend.
Em xxxxx

Cookery Bookery

2011-03-10T15:17:00.000-08:00

In view of my renewed interest in cookery and my constant quest to find new and interesting ways to liven up my vegan diet, I thought it was about time I started to write down all these recipes in a book rather than on the backs of envelopes or letters home from from school!

So I finally put this little beauty that my girls bought me for christmas 2009...how cute is it!

Another thing I've done is pull out all my cook books to have a look through them and see what recipes I like the sound of that can be easily veganised, and although I haven't actually looked at any of them yet I did find this...

This was my Grandma's, and whilst flicking through it there are so many recipes I remember from my childhood.
My Grandma was one of those old ladies who always had a tin full of home baking ready for when you visited...these 'maids of honour' were always a popular choice at her house!

Also hidden away in the BeRo book I found this recipe for parsnip soup, which was a little bit poignant because its my Grandmas handwriting and she died almost 8 years ago and I still miss her.

But never the less She has left me with a delicious sounding and simple to make soup which I will try out very soon and report back!

Em xxxx

Breakfast With A Twist.

2011-03-08T14:07:00.000-08:00

I really didn't fancy my usual yogurt or muesli breakfast this morning and I'm not greatly fond of toast unless I have something spectacular to spread on it, so this morning i made this for myself...

Garlicky Mushrooms and Olives on Toast, (you pile them on rather than spreading them).

Heat some olive oil and a pinch of mixed herbs,
lightly fry a small finely chopped red onion and three finely chopped cloves of garlic.
Add some chopped black olives and a good handful of finely chopped mushrroms.
Fry until the mushrooms are just turning golden.

Pile onto hot buttered toast, add salt and pepper to taste.

mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Em xxxxxxxx

Queen of the Stoneage Bookworm.

2011-03-06T14:16:00.000-08:00

This isn't so much as an update on my recent reading but an update on some re-reading of old favourites.
One of my absolute favourite series' of books ever has to be the 'Earths Children' series by Jean .M. Auel.

There are five books in it so far...
1. The Clan of The Cave Bear.
2. The Valley of Horses.
3. The Mammoth Hunters.
4. The Plains of Passage.
5. The Shelters of Stone.

Each one is an amazing story in its own right and forms part of the whole great series of books.
Set during the last Ice Age about 30,000 years ago in what will one day become Europe.
The general premise of the books for those that haven't read them is.

Book 1. Ayla a young Cro-Magnon girl of about 5 years is orphaned and alone after an earthquake, she is adopted by a group of travelling Neaderthals looking for a new cave to call home.
The main idea of the first story is about the differences between the two very different types (?) of early humans.
After a series of sad events Ayla has to leave the group of neaderthals or 'The Clan' as the call themselves.

Book 2. Continues her story as she survives on her own with no one but a horse and a lion cub for company for years until she saves a man of 'The Others' as her type of people are referred to by the Clan.
Again a big factor in this story is about how the two different cultures view each other as Ayla explains to the man she saved, where she came from and how she as a woman of The Clan is expected to behave.
The man (Jondalar) is amazed to learn that his Neanderthal counterparts are human because most of his type of people consider them little more than animals.

Book 3. Concentrates on Ayla's re-intergration into society after many years living alone and how she has to face down a lot of unpleasantness because of her Clan upbringing.
Ayla is eventually adopted by the Mamutoi people who see past the name-calling and nastiness and recognise her for her many talents.

Book 4. Sees Ayla and Jondal travel across Europe to his home in what will become modern day France. All along their route they have to face up to mis-trust and narrow mindedness but they also meet many new and interesting people.

Book 5. Ayla has yet again to learn how to intergrate with a whole new people as Jondalars people are very different to the Mamutoi. Once again she faces bigotry at the hands of these new people because of her childhood but with the help of her new friends and family overcomes it.
Book 6. Is out on 29th March and I am so EXCITED about it!!!!

I dont want anyone to feel cheated because I've sort of glossed over the content of each book, but they are so amazing I'd recommend everyone rush out and buy them instead of me spoiling them by saying too much about what happens.

Happy reading and happy Monday for tomorrow.
Em xxxx

February Makes.

2011-03-05T09:41:00.000-08:00

I know I'm a few days late but I've been waiting for a few days to post these makes as some were gifts for my Mum and daughter Kia.
So here's what I made last month...not very much really because I seemed to spend a lot of time reading and a lot of time stitching away at my tapestry.

Crochet Bunting for Kia.

Crochet Bunting For Jody.

Little Heart and Egg Cosies For Mum

Red Pepper Soup.

Kindle Case

I'm hoping March will prove to be a more productive month...although I've still got a ton of reading stacked up!
Hope you're all having a lovely weekend.
Em xxx

Hunibun Bakery.

2011-02-28T08:20:00.000-08:00

Hunibun Bakery is the name of a cute new cafe in our village, it sells absolutely gorgeous cupcakes for only £1 each and lovely,lovely coffee and lots of other delicious cakey treats too.
And the best bit....they're allowing us to hold our Monday morning 'Stitch 'n' Bitch' there!!
Yay!!!
Its lovely sat hooking away and gossiping in such lovely surroundings.

The lovely lady who bakes the cakes there has promised to make me some vegan cupcakes so that I'm not sat in a fit of jealous sulking while everyone else tucks into the lovely cakes!!!
If any one wants to join us at our 'Stitch 'n' Bitch' group, its monday mornings 10 am onwards at Hunibun Bakery Church Street, Darton, Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

Em xxxxx

Emma Loves.....

2011-02-26T09:47:00.000-08:00

I think Beki has come up with a winner with her 'loves lists...'
So here are my current obsessions!!

1. Dandelion and Burdock, my drink of choice for our crafty Saturday night get togethers.

2. Neil Oliver, I am loving his 'History of Ancient Britain' series on BBC 2.

3. This gorgeous ring which I'm soooo tempted to buy...its so green and spring-like!
find it and lots more lovelies here .

4. The 'Earths Children' series of books by Jean.M.Auel, I've read them all before and am currently re-reading and thoroughly enjoying them again.

Hope you're all having great weekends.
Em xxxxxx

Red Pepper, rocket and Tomato Soup.

2011-02-25T15:37:00.000-08:00

I'm a bit of a soup fiend...I usually just chop up any old veg We have lying around and chuck it all in the pan and cross my fingers and hope that it tastes nice!!

But yesterday when I spotted a load of those long pointy red peppers reduced in my local co-op along with reduced rocket I knew immediately what I wanted to make.
The shop where Mica works part time sells homemade soup and their red pepper and tomato soup is delicious so I really wanted to make one of my own just as nice.

So...
Fry 2 chopped onions in a little oil,
Add 6 chopped red peppers
When softened add 2x tins of chopped tomatoes
1/2 pint of vegetable stock
pinch of mixed herbs
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp of 'lazy chillies'
Large glug of tomato sauce
Approx 2/3 of a bag of rocket
Lots of black pepper (to taste)

Simmer for 15 mins then liquidise until a lumpy consistency is achieved.

Serve with ciabatta...yummy!!!

I was really, really pleased with this soup and wont be buying anymore from Mica's work now!!!

Have a lovely weekend.
Em xxxxxxx

Its All About Me, Me, Me!!!

2011-02-24T13:01:00.000-08:00

I saw this on Lucy's blog and couldn't resist telling you yet more useless facts about myself!!

1. ARE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
I don't think so, I'm pretty sure my parents just liked the name Emma.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
About half an hour ago after watching the film 'Stardust' ,the ending never fails to make me blub.

3. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
Yes I have three lovely daughters, Kia aged 21, Mica aged 19 and Evangeline aged 8. I'm not a great fan of kids but my girls are the best!

4. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON,WOULD YOU BE A FRIEND OF YOURSELF?
Of course I would, I'd be so impressed by my taste in books, films and music ...I'd have so much in common with myself!

5. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
Yes I'm a sarcastic bugger through and through!

6. WILL YOU EVER TRY BUNGEE JUMPING?
No thank you, I rather enjoy being alive!!

7. WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE CEREAL?
Until I became vegan I didn't eat cereal because I hate milk, but I find soya milk is bearable so I'm really into museli now especially ones with lots of interesting fruit and lots of nuts in them.

8. WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
I'd be a liar and I think most other people would be too if they didn't say 'how someone looks/dresses' is what they notice first about a person. But if its a picture of a face I'm usually drawn to the eyes first, theres nothing more attractive than dark,heavily lashed eyes.

9. WHAT IS YOUR EYE COLOUR?
Blue.

10. SCARY MOVIE OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Gosh I like both..although I'm constantly disappointed by the lack of scariness in films. A good cry-worthy happy ending is always fun too, but I like films with grim, bleak endings where all you feel at the end is emptiness and despair!

11. FAVOURITE SMELLS?
Abroad outside at night! lime, bergamot, roses, patchouli and newly sawn wood mmmmm.

12. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Summer definitely, I love the sunshine. Nothing makes me happier than spending time out in the warm summer sun.

13. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?
Computer wins hands down, I love the internet its an amazing resource where I can research anything I'm interested in, buy things, look how to make things, play games, make friends etc etc

14. WHAT'S THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME?
The Dominican Republic in January 2008. We had a nightmare flight on the way there, as we went in to land there was a storm blowing up around the airport and the pilot pulled out of the landing twice at the last possible second. We circled the airport very bumpily for an hour and a half before finally landing.
There were lots of very very upset and scared people on board the flight, one of them was my partner Scott, he was not at all interested when I had my 'Lost epiphany' where I thought I'd sussed out the ending of Lost (incidentally I was wrong).
Our holiday was great but it sort of put Scott off long haul flights.

15. DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL TALENTS?
I dont know...what is classed as a special talent? I could talk crap for Britain and my amazing armchair organising is legendary in my family!!

16. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Shipley in West Yorkshire.

17. WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?
Crochet, photography, reading, World of Warcraft, sewing, cooking, drawing, travelling.

18. DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS?
Yes a dopey black cat called CoCo, she's a bit dim-witted but she's the most loving friendly cat ever and she's gorgeous and smells lovely too.
We have sea monkeys too...does that count?

19. FAVOURITE MOVIE?
Requiem For A Dream...the last 30 minutes of this film are meant to be amongst the most harrowing cinematic 30 minutes ever!
Its a truly brilliant film and deserves all the recognition it gets.
I also love 'Stand By Me' but that makes me cry more than any other film ever, even just chatting about it brings tears to my eyes.

20. DO YOU HAVE ANY SIBLINGS?
Yes I am the oldest of five, theres Marc, Jody, Ruby and Hermione all under their big sisters rule!!

21. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
An explorer or an archaeologist.

I'm not tagging anyone, if you want to do this quiz I'll come along to your blog and have a nosy afterwards!!

Em xxxx

Nut Roast Anyone?

2011-02-22T15:28:00.000-08:00

Someone recently gave me an idea to make a quick and easy vegan nut roast.
I tried it out and improved it to my own taste and its deeeee-licious...

Dry fry a couple of tbsps of each..pine nuts, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds until toasted.
Fry 2 onions chopped and as much or as little garlic as you like.
Make up one packet of stuffing mix adding a big tsp of marmite and one veg oxo crushed up.
mix all ingredients together with a packet of ready to eat beluga lentils and a good splash of oil to bind
Season with salt and pepper to tast.
Bake in a loaf tin for about 45 mins at 180C
Crisp top under grill for a few minutes before serving.

We ate ours on a bed of beetroot salad and it was lovely!

Em xxxx

Happy Birthday Mim..

2011-02-21T14:38:00.000-08:00

The first proper day of the half term holidays and my daughter Mica's 19th birthday.
For reasons lost in the depths of time Mica is usually referred to as Mim, Mimobot or Meetle in our family.
She celebrated in style on Friday night with her friends (I've seen the evidence on facebook!) and spent Saturday in Manchester, then today her actual birthday she came along to our Monday morning 'Stitch 'n' Bitch'.

As you can see from the pictures there was a whole load of tapestry, crochet and colouring in going on this morning along with lots of coffee and tea drinking and lots of breakfasts and cakes eaten!

Em xxxx

7 Things You Really Shouldn't Know About Me...

2011-02-18T14:46:00.000-08:00

Taz at Ratbag has thrown down the gauntlet and tagged me to tell you 7 things you really shouldn't know about me.

1. I am an incessant doodler...I doodle on everything and anything, I've even been known to doodle on my clothes or hands when I don't have paper to hand!!

2. I always kiss my cat at bedtime and I like to sniff her too as she always smells lovely.

3. As a child I grew up worrying about having a big ball of chewing gum with finger nails sticking out of it sitting in my stomach as I bit my nails and always swallowed chewing gum!

4. I love love love crocs and I don't care who knows it!!!

5. My all time favourite food is those big fat, bright green, marrowfat processed peas, I even like to eat them cold out of the tin.

6. When I was pregnant with my middle child I craved rubbery flavoured water and bought a nice new hot-water bottle just so I could drink water from it!

7. Theres a man on TV who is better than all the vampires who are currently being obsessed about...and I looooove him....its The Doctor!

Have a great weekend.
Em xxxx

Bite Me!

2011-02-15T16:18:00.000-08:00

So after my comments about keeping vampires away by eating lots of garlicky tapanade it seems quite a few of you have taken a shine to the bloodsuckers!!

So I've decided to post a few vampire pictres and take a vote on who you'd like to bite you the most!!!

1. Eric Northman - from 'True Blood'

Very popular choice in my family!

2. Bill Compton - from 'True Blood'

The most well mannered vampire I've ever seen!

3. Edward Cullen - from The 'Twilight' saga.

Teenage girls and Twilight moms choice.

4. John Mitchell - from 'Being Human'

My personal favourite.

5. David - from 'The Lost Boys'

Looking for the retro vote!!

6. Louis and Lestat - from 'Interview With The Vampire'

For that Southern Creole vibe!

7. Count Dracula - from Transylvannia and countless vampire films!

For the more mature ladies!!

So...who is your favourite?
I'm off now to eat some more tapanade!
Em xxx

Vampires???....Don't Bother.

2011-02-13T15:54:00.000-08:00

In my never ending quest to be healthier and of course my new vegan diet I need some yummy snacks that excite me a bit more than chopped up fruit or veg...
So I made my own tapanade....spread it on thin crackers and 'Hey Presto' both delicious and has the added bonus of containing so much garlic that no vampires will come within 10 miles of me!!

If anyone is interested in making some of their own here's what I did.

Chop 1 red onion
Crush about 5 cloves of garlic (more or less depending on taste/ proximity to vampires).
Add to liquidiser containing
1 can of chopped tomatoes with some of the juice drained off.
1 medium sized jar of drained and pitted black olives.

Blitz until only slightly lumpy, add salt to taste and spread on whatever you like!

Em xxxx

Tent Stitch...Half Cross stitch...who Bloody Cares Stitch!!

2011-02-12T08:03:00.000-08:00

Hello Bloggy-verse, I hope everyone is having a good weekend!
I don't know if its just me but the weather seems a little warmer and I saw loads of snowdrops as I was on my way home earlier today...could spring be finally on its way?

Anyways onwards and upwards...
As I mentioned in my last post I was going to talk about tapestry in my next post...so here goes.
When I was about 12 my gran gave me a part done tapestry that she hadn't bothered to finish and I muddled through it myself and think I made an alright job of it.
Anyways I've always fancied doing another tapestry but never got around to it until I ordered a tapestry cushion cover a few weeks ago...
Its loads bigger than I expected and..eeek there are so many colour changes and similar colours, but I'm off to a relatively good start I think.

As I'm having to concentrate a lot more than i would do if I were crocheting I have developed the skill of listening to the television rather than watching it...I can now sit through an entire episode of 'Emmerdale' without glancing at the screen once and still know who said what to who!!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Em xxxxxxx

February Bookworm

2011-02-08T15:08:00.000-08:00

Not a right lot of time to read recently until a bad cold the past few days made me want to do nothing but sit and mope with lots of Lemsip and black coffee (not in the same cup) and a good book!!
So my very short recent reading list is as follows.

1. Michael Faber- Crimson Petal and The White.

I got this monster of a book from Lynda
as part of my advent swap parcel back in december.

Its the incredible story of a prostitute 'Sugar' and her rise in the world with the help of the head of perfume/soap company heir William Rackham.
Not is all as it seems though, the book really delves into the minds of the numerous interesting characters and eeks out all their little neurosis.
The attention to detail is incredible, I could at times almost smell the filthy backstreets of victorian London.
I have read that some people found this book a bit distasteful because of the very graphic descriptions of various things such as the prostitutes contraceptive ritual, but in my opinion whilst the descriptions might have made me go 'eeew' a couple of times it did nothing but add to the overall effect of the book.
The ending was a little abrupt and rather sad and poignant, I'd love to know what happened next!!!

Overall a brilliant read...thanks Lynda!

Alison Weir - The Lady Elizabeth.

The first book I've ever read by this author.
The story of the early life of Queen Elizabeth I.
Apparently most of the content of this book is based either on historical fact or on historical rumour and gossip!
This book tells the story in great detail of Elizabeths life from just after her mother is executed to the moment she becomes queen.
It deals with her troubled relationships with both her father and her sister Mary, who eventually becomes queen and spends most of her reign trying to find ways to find Elizabeth guilty of high treason and execute her!
I really enjoyed this and will definitely read Alison Weir's other novel.

I also read the first in the Manga Battle Royale series.

Its been a very, very long time since I last read a graphic novel and whilst I absolutely loved the film I was not at all impressed by this book.

How cute is this???

I got this in my advent swap parcel too and I've kept a note of every book I've read so far this year in it!!

Thats all for now.
Back soon with a tapestry in progress.
Em xxxx

My Face is My Fortune....

2011-02-01T13:50:00.000-08:00

Or rather...my face costs me a fortune, or at least thats what Avon would have me believe I need to spend to keep my youthful good looks!!
I got the latest catalogue from my Avon rep last night and whilst flicking through it today I saw a double page spread advising women according to their age what skincare products they should be using.
The 6 products recommended to me cost a hefty £111.50

Do these things really work?
Am I crazy for not only refusing to spend such silly amounts of money on lotions and potions but for also not even knowing what to do with them?

I really dont have the time (well ok I do) or the inclination to spend forever slathering creams into my face...I like a quick wash, olive oil soap or facewash and my £10 moisturiser which does me day and night and one tin lasts me about 4 months!!

Look here for the cream I use...it seems to do the trick, I have very few wrinkles for 41 and at approximately £2.50 a month its pretty easy on my purse!

I'll stop ranting now!
Em xxxxx

January Makes.

2011-01-31T13:32:00.000-08:00

Phew!!
Just remembered this at the very last minute....
So here without further ado are my makes for January.

The all stripey cushion was actually a joint effort between myself and Kia, who was home for a flying visit from uni in Aberdeen.

The cotton wash cloths and sparkly fairy soaps were for my giveaway.
Have a nice week.
Em xxx

Giveaway Winners!!

2011-01-24T15:59:00.000-08:00

Thank you all so much for entering my giveaway, I wish I could give everyone a prize!!
Anyways the winner is

Louise @ Ramblings of a Roachling.

and the two runners up are...

Jane and Chris @ The Maple Syrup Mob.

and

Vicki @ Vintage Vicki.

If all the winners can email me their addresses I'll get their goodies in the post in the next few days.
Again, thanks to everyone who entered.
Em xxxxx

A Lucky Find.

2011-01-22T17:20:00.000-08:00

A friend who works in a charity shop brought me this today...

It has every single stitch I could ever think of and a lot more besides!

I've never heard of any of the above but I'll definitely be giving them a go over the coming months!!
Em xxxx

Thank You and Other Stuff...

2011-01-18T13:53:00.000-08:00

Gosh, where do I start tonight???
Firstly I think with the Thank You's....
So here goes...
Thank you so much to everyone who has left me messages of support and helpful hints about my veganism.
So far its going great, I've cooked loads of delicious meals and to be honest I haven't missed anything. My greatest triumph to date was at the weekend when I made not only my first ever rice pudding but a vegan one at that and it was bloody yummy...the tiny bit I managed to get before Mica ate it all!!

Next I need to thank all the lovely bloggers who give me blog awards which I rarely aknowledge...I'm sorry I really don't mean to be rude but I always feel a bit bad only been able to pass tyhem along to a certain amount of people.
Basically if I follow a blog I think its worth my valuable time reading it and therefore deserves a blog award.
So thank you for all the awards I've been given and to all my lovely bloggy friends I award you all.....

Please feel free to add the button to your blog with lots of love from Me!!!!!

I've been busy getting bits and pieces together for my giveaway, remember if you haven't entered it yet you've only got until next Monday.
You can find it here.
And here's a sneaky peek at some of the blue goodies I'm gathering up...

And finally I'm having a bit of trouble getting my hooky mojo back...
I really want to include some hooky surprises in my giveaway so I really need a big kick up the proverbial as far as crochet is concerned.
I haven't bought myself any new yarn since November so I think a trip to the shops might be in order..theres nothing like new yarn to inspire me.

All I've managed so far this year, one side of a cushion made from odd scraps and ball ends.
Em xxxx

Changes...

2011-01-14T17:10:00.000-08:00

Mica and Me have decided for a number of reasons to both become vegan.
We both have strong personal/moral reasons for this and also we believe the health benefits if we do it properly are great too.
I did this on a whim about 5 years ago for 7 months and gave up mostly because it was christmas and it was easier to eat as a regular meat/dairy eating person than having to cater for 1 vegan in a family of 5.

This time I've gone into it a lot more prepared, I've researched recipes and bought ingredients, I've stocked up on herbs and spices to flavour our food and so far so good, although we're only 5 days in I'm finding it easy to live without meat, cheese, eggs etc
Mica is finding it harder when she's at college but she tries to remember to take something from home with her and also she drinks tea with milk and cannot get used to the taste of soya milk, milk is not an issue for me as I loathe the stuff anyway.

Its actually fun as well trying out lots of new recipes and modifying old ones, for instance a great family favourite is vegetable risotto and all I need to do is replace the butter and parmesan with dairy free spread and vegan parmesan and YAY!!!! vegan risotto.

This was a resounding success a few nights ago...marrow stuffed with mushrooms,peppers,onions and garlic then baked in the oven for an hour and served sliced with cous-cous.

So...if anyone has any recipes or ideas that they think I might be interested in I'd be really grateful for them!!

Have a lovely weekend.

Em xxxxx

New Year Bookworm.

2011-01-09T14:51:00.000-08:00

Its been a long time since I've blogged about my reading habits but I've still managed to cram a few books in during all the madness that led up to Christmas and the constant partying and visiting that was done over the festive season.
Its probably why I've spent the past month with huge bags under my eyes as I've struggled to read a few chapters in bed at night.
So anyway...onwards and upwards here we go..
First up is

The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory.

As you will all know I'm a huge Fan of Philippa Gregory and this one didn't disappoint.
Its the story of the final three of Henry VIII's six wives and Anne Boleyn's sister-in-law Jane Boleyn. Its a story/period in history I know very well but to read it from another point of view giving the main characters different voices etc is always interesting.

Next up is more from Philippa Gregory

The Red Queen

Last year I read The White Queen which is the first in her 'cousins war' series set during the very bloody war of the roses.
This book tells a story that runs concurrently with The White Queen but from the point of view of the other side during the war.
The main character Margaret Beaufort was the mother Henry VII and spent her entire adult life fighting for his birthright or at least what she considered to be his birthright.
The lengths she went to and some of the awful awful things she was supposedly involved in just go to show how far a mother really will go to secure a good future for her children.
I'm very excited to read the next installment in the series, its a period in history that until recently I didn't know very much about but have now spent endless hours researching on the internet.
I love books that are fiction but with a lot of fact in them too , so that I can check things out online or in a book afterwards and learn a bit more about that particular event or period in time as well as enjoying a good story too.

Next is

Victoria's Children of The Dark by Alan Gallop.

This is a book by a local author about the tragedy at the Huskar mine in Silkstone in 1838, where a flood in a pit caused the deaths of 26 children.
The book tells a fictionalised account of a young boy going to work down in the mine for the first time days before the disaster strikes, his older brother and father already work there as well as many of his friends.
Also it describes the absolutely appalling conditions that mineworkers, most especially women and children had to work under during this time.
This book left me stunned at the cruelty one human being can inflict upon another, I think because it was all true and also because it happened a few miles from where I live it seemed all the more real. I know there are atrocities happening everyday around the world that make this pale into insignificance but to know something so awful happened in your home town in the not to distant past is pretty horrible.
Anyway if you're from South Yorkshire and at all interested in local history or you're interested in the industrial history of Britain then I'd definitely reccomend this.

Finally for this post.

The Pillars of The Earth by Ken Follett.

This is probably the best book I have ever read or at least on a par with my all time favourite book 'Forever Amber'.
It is centrered around the building of a cathedral in 12th century England against the backdrop of the civil war that ensued after the death of Henry I.
I've never read anything by Ken Follett before but I like his style of writing very much.
I spent every spare minute over the christmas period trying to read another few pages of this book it had me so totally and utterly engrossed, I kept getting told off by various family members because I took my kindle with me when we went out and sneaked off to the loo for a few more sneaky pages!
Anyway after a marathon session last night ending at 6am and another hour this morning when I got up I finally finished it and felt such a sense of loss that it was all over.
So to sum this book up...absolutely brilliant, loved the story, loved the characters loved the ending!!
And I loved the amazing detail about life in 12th century England.

So thats all my reviews for another month or so I think as I've got a few big books to read and I really want to get some hooky going too.

Em xxxxx

Mid-Winter Blues Giveaway.

2011-01-07T16:51:00.000-08:00

I dont know about anyone else but this time of year really gets me down...christmas is all over and done with and theres nothing but bills and diets to look forward to!!
Infact some scientists even say that the third monday in January is officially the most depressing day of the year.
This year our most depressing day is the 24th January!

So in honour of this most miserable of days I'm going to hold a giveaway, which I'll draw on January 24th.
I'm not sure what I'll be giving as my crafting recently has been Lego and Meccano (guess what Evie got for christmas) and I've not really done any shopping either but there will be a winner and two runners up and all gifts will be blue or blue themed.

Usual giveaway rules apply...stick my badge on your sidebar and leave a comment on this post and I'll draw my winners on the 24th.
Good luck.

Em xxxx

How Was Your Festive Season? Mine Was Great!!!

2011-01-01T14:31:00.000-08:00

Hello Blogland, I know I've not been around much recently but in the run up to Christmas and over Christmas week I really haven't had a minute to spare.
Or rather any spare minute I've had has been spent stuffing as much smelly cheese and chocolate as possible into my mouth!

Anyway I really hope everyone had a great christmas and that 2011 is a happy and peaceful year for everyone.
2009 and 2010 have both been hard years for me in various ways although theres been lots of good in amongst the bad so I'm really hoping 2011 is a thoroughly good year.

Did you all get some lovely gifts at christmas?
I didn't get loads this year as cash is short but imagine my surprise on christmas morning when I opened this...

to reveal a beautiful bracelet, and I moaned at the lack of Reeses peanut butter cups that my Mum brought me back from NYC...thanks Mum!

My girls bought me some great sounding new books, some beautiful earrings and the entire 'Hornblower' on DVD which I've wanted for ages so I'm looking forward to some great afternoons snuggled up on the setee watching it with my hooky in hand!

We spent christmas day together with the rest of our family and close friends, We hired a village hall and ate dinner there and spent the evening playing games and letting the kids (and some adults) scooter around the hall.

After all the excitement We headed home to watch 'Doctor Who' and get an earlyish night.

Boxing day and bank holiday monday were spent lazing about during the day and playing 'Just Dance' at night...

We had three university friends of Kias come to stay earlier this week as Kia turned 21 on Wednesday so it was yet another night of partying!!
Me, Scott and Mica killed ourselves preparing a good spread and my sister Ruby made a lovely chocolate birthday cake.
Yet another great time was had by all and I discovered just how deee-licious Crabbies alcoholic ginger beer is!!

By comparison our new year was very quiet after all the partying We'd done already, we had a couple of hours at my sisters party with some very nice nibbles then we came home to see the new year in with Kia and played Trivial Pursuit afterwards.

Anyway thats my festivities for you!!
I've got a great idea for a giveaway later this month which I'll be announcing in a week or so and of course I haven't done any book reviews in a while so I'll be back on that very soon too.

Happy 2011.
Love Em xxxxx

20 Christmas Questions.

2010-12-18T07:49:00.000-08:00

I saw this over at Little Tin Bird and couldnt resist having a go myself.

1.WRAPPING PAPER OR GIFT BAGS?...Its always wrapping paper but if I was super organised it would be gift bags!
I hate wrapping and try to get Scott or the girls to do as much as possible for me.
I buy thise huge 10 metre rolls from Asda and have one design each for my 3 children so that i dont have to write endless gift tags as well!!

2.REAL TREE OR ARTIFICIAL?...Artificial for my house thank you. It just seems so sad that so many trees lose their lives to decorate houses when you can get perfectly replicas. Oh yes I hate the needles falling everywhere too.

3.WHEN DO YOU PUT UP THE TREE?...Usually some time around mid-december, although I was a little later than usual this year because I was unwell last week and couldn't start shift furniture around to fit the big tree in (I was in serious jepordy of becoming the worst mother ever last year after having 2 small trees instead of our usual big one).

4.WHEN DO YOU TAKE THE TREE DOWN?...As soon as it starts to annoy me, if We're having a party for New Year at our house I'll take it down beforehand but leave everything else up, if not usuall sometime during the first week of January.

5.FAVOURITE GIFT RECIEVED AS A CHILD?...That would have to be my bike when I was 9 years old. I got a bike and my brother got a really snazzy go-cart, we went out to play on them as soon as we could after opening our presents and everyday afterwards, but on new years eve we had really heavy snow that lasted until April (We lived in Germany at the time) so We didn't get out to play on them as much until springtime.

6.HARDEST PERSON TO BUY FOR?...No one,if I'm stuck what to buy someone I just get them a gift voucher for an appropriate shop...simples!

7.EASIEST PERSON TO BUY FOR?...As above everyone is easy for me! But I do enjoy buying presents for children mostly, I just love looking around toy shops choosing games,puzzles, books etc

8.MAIL OR EMAIL CHRISTMAS CARDS...I send very few christmas cards as I think its a terrible waste of resources when I can easily say 'Merry Christmas' on Facebook or in an email, but there are some people who We always send cards to, its just a case of me remembering to post them!!

9.FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE...It has to be 'The Snowman' it makes me cry without fail every single year. Also christmas wouldn't be christmas for me if I didn't get to see the 'Father Ted' christmas special...classic comedy!!

10.WHEN DO YOU START SHOPPING FOR CHRISTMAS?...I'm always without fail on the last minute at christmas, this year though more so than ever due to extreme skintness!!
So I still have the majority of my shopping to do, but I'm hoping that will be tomorrows task.

11.HAVE YOU EVER RECYCLED A CHRISTMAS PRESENT?...Myself, Kia and Mica tend to keep hold of unwanted gifts until one of us has a birthday present emergency, so yes I have recycled.

12.FAVOURITE THING TO EAT AT CHRISTMAS?...Ha where do I start?
I love the great selection of cheeses everyone seems to have in their fridge at christmas. I love the middles of 'Terry's Chocolate Oranges', I love bread sauce, blue quality street and those party mix packs of pretzels!

13.LIGHTS ON THE TREE-COLOURED OR CLEAR?...We have a mixture of blue and clear this year...I just love lots and lots of lights, more is most definitely more as far as I'm concerned.

14.FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS SONG?...I love them all but my all time favourites wuold have to be...
1.'Fairy Tale of New York' by The Pogues and Kirsty McColl.
2.'A Spaceman Came Travelling' by Chris De Burgh.
3.'The Power of Love' by Frankie Goes To Hollywood

15.TRAVEL AT CHRISTMAS OR STAY AT HOME?...Scott works right up until the afternoon of Christmas eve so even if We did want to go away it wouldn't really be practical. Luckily most of our family live nearby so We all get together at some point over christmas.
When I'm very rich though I'm going somewhere hot and sunny for christmas!!

16.ANGEL,STAR OR RIBBON ON TOP OF TREE?...We have a lovely jewelled star this year, bought for us by our middle daughter Mica.

17.OPEN THE PRESENTS CHRISTMAS EVE OR MORNING?...What Christmas eve!!! no chance although as a child I'd have jumped at the chance to get my hands on my pressies early!
Stockings opened when everyone gets up then presents after breakfast.

18.MOST ANNOYING THING ABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR?...People who cant resist the urge to buy buy buy!!!
Even as a non religious person it annoys me that christmas has lost a lot of meaning for a lot of people.
To me christmas is all about family and enjoying one anothers company.

19.WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR?...Nothing really, I tend to get things if and when I want them throughout the year.

20.TRADITIONAL COLOURS (RED AND GREEN) OR OTHER COLOURS?...We have lots of new decorations this year and they are mostly in jewel shades of turquoise,purple and bright pink, but theres some silver and blue and green in the mix too.A lot of our old decorations got damaged in the shed this year so We've had to buy new ones.

I know I know I'm a bit of a christmas misery...its become a standing joke in our family!
I do enjoy it, I just hate the whole fuss and frenzy that goes with it.

Have a go and post your 20 answers and please link back to mine.

Em xxx

Advent Swap Catch Up.

2010-12-07T14:13:00.000-08:00

I've been so busy over the weekend that I haven't had a moment to post about my latest advent swap goodies.
And of course now...I'm not 100% sure that I'm going to get them in the right order!

On Saturday I got this teeny CK purse which is possibly the sweetest little purse ever!
I'll have to hide that from all my girls I think.

On Sunday I got a big sparkly bath bomb from Bomb Cosmetics...it smells dee-licious and I'm saving it until I get an evening where I can relax in the bath with a book!
I've already hidden this from Evie as she loves bath bombs and always manages to work her way through any that herself, me or her sisters get!

Then yesterday I got more CK goodies, this time pretty tissues which are stashed in my crochet basket for the inevitable winter sniffles, although will I be able to bring myself to wipe my nose on such prettiness??

Dont they all look pretty together..I'm loving this swap more and more everyday.

I know I'm a day behind but I'll catch up with today and tomorrows gifts tomorrow.

Em xxx

Advent Swap Day 3...and a Houseguest.

2010-12-03T15:10:00.000-08:00

Wow its the 3rd of December already...its going by so quickly!
Today I opened this little beauty.

As soon as I begun to open it I could smell it and as coconut is one of my favourite scents I was very happy with this.
I don't know how I'll ever be able to bring myself to use it though..its just so sweet.

My Mum is a very lucky lady at the moment, She is in New York with my sisters Jody and Hermione, they left from Leeds airport where there was lots of deep, cold snow yesterday morning and arrived in NYC which is apparently unseasonably warm at the mo!!
Anyways in exchange for some Reese's Peanut Butter Cups I agreed to look after my Mums very lively little dog Harry.

Here he is...don't be fooled by those big sad puppy eyes, he is a demon.
I took him to the shop last night (it was an emergency dash for crisps and chocolate) and he sat outside and barked at everyone and everything the whole time I was in the shop.
I could see everyone looking at him and tutting etc and the lady behind the counter commented to me that she had no idea who he belonged to and she sounded oh-so disapproving...I had to admit he was with me...aaaaargh the embarrassment of being in charge of the naughtiest dog in South Yorkshire.
He is quite endearing in his own way and for some reason Coco likes him and she's usually less tolerant than me!!

Em xxxx

Advent Swap Day 2.

2010-12-02T15:09:00.000-08:00

A very quick post tonight as I have loads of episodes of 'The Archers' and 'Emmerdale' to catch up on!
But I had to show you all my lovely lovely present for day 2 of the advent swap.

Cute little Gisella Graham box.

Thank you Lynda its gorgeous, I cant wait to see what I get tomorrow.
Em xxx

Advent Swap Day 1.

2010-12-01T11:47:00.000-08:00

Well here it is the 1st of December!!
Yay!! its nearly christmas!!!
Eeeek I'm nowhere near organised...I have 2 presents bought so far!

Anyway today was the start of Laa Laa's advent swap, which is the most exciting advent thing I've done since..well since I last had an advent calendar of my own.

So without further ado I present gift number 1...modelled unopened by my nephew Elliott and opened by Evie.

Yummy German gingerbread...mmmmmmm sent by my swap partner Laa Laa.
And you'd all be proud of me because I distracted the children long enough to hide it away from them!!
I've since eaten it and yes I did share it...I just wanted to enjoy my share with a hot cup of coffee.

Keep cosy.
Em xxxxx

Cold Then Cosy!

2010-11-30T18:23:00.000-08:00

We finally got our share of snow today and Evie had a day off from school, she spent a good few hours this morning building a snowman with her friends and running about in the snow.
Then later on just before sunset I went for a walk with her. First we went to look at her snowman but some mean spirited misery had knocked it down and put a cigarette out on it.
So we carried on up to the field at the top of the hill where we live and Evie had a good run about in lovely untouched snow!!

Later on Evie and Mica went sledging with some friends and came home looking like two snowmen as the snow was falling thick and fast again, I think We've had about 6 inches of it this evening!!

Whilst they were out sledging I got some good hooky time in and finished this big piece of snuggliness!!

Evie and Coco snuggled up together until bedtime!!

Keep cosy.
Em xxxxx

Bookworm - More Recent Reads.

2010-11-29T10:24:00.000-08:00

I seem to have read loads recently, I think its the weather...theres nothing nicer than sitting snuggled under a blanket with a good book and a hot cup of coffee!!
Soooo I better get on with this latest list.
1.Jackie Collins 'Poor Little Bitch Girl'

I think over the years I've read almost everything Jackie Collins has written and enjoyed most of it, I did feel her last few books were getting a bit formulaic but this most recent one seems to be a return to form.
If you're familiar with JC you'll know what I mean, if not her books are always a mixture of glamour, thrill seeking, murder, mystery and um..other things!!
I love her books because even though they are usually pretty predictable they're a decent easy read that dosen't tax my brain too much!!

2. Emma Donoghue 'Room'

I think this was short-listed for the Man Booker Prize, but what ever it was an amazing read.
Told in the words of a 5 year old boy who believes that the small room he and his mother live in is the whole world and that everything he see's on the television is make believe.
When his mother decides he is old enough to know the truth everything changes for both of them.
It is the story of the mental stresses placed on both the boy and his Mother after a series of traumatic events that change both their lives.
I read this book in a day I just couldn't put it down and after I'd finished it I felt I don't really know how to describe it...pretty emotionally drained though.
The ending of this book I thought was perfect, it just rounded off the story so beautifully.
The author says she took inspiration from a very famous criminal case that is similar to the scenario in the book but I wont say anymore and spoil it for anyone who wants to read it.

3. Karl Pilkington 'An Idiot Abroad'

I read this because I'd been told the TV series was very very funny and I missed it.
One of the great things about having a Kindle is that you can download previews of books you fancy reading and read the first couple of chapters before you decide whether or not to buy it, which is what I did with this.
Anyways...this really was a funny book and since reading it I've watched quite a few clips from the show on youtube.
Its basically the travel journal of a very reluctant traveller (Karl Pilkington) who has to visit various wonders of the world, meet with several interesting characters, and partake in a few strange activities.
He stays in some horrendous sounding hotels and eas all manner of weird and not-so wonderful food and all because Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais think it will be funny!!
It makes for very very funny reading but certainly didn't inspire me to visit any of the places he went to I just felt sorry for the poor guy but couldn't help but laugh at him too!!

4. Caroline Smailes 'In Search Of Adam'

I bought this book for my Kindle for 99p a while back and read it when I wanted something quite short to read.
I stayed awake until I'd finished it as it was another unputtdownable read and it just left me feeling shell shocked afterwards.
It is the story of a young girl whose mother commits suicide at the start of the book and the neglect, abuse and indifference she suffers throughout her childhood and young adulthood.
It is not one of those non fiction real life stories of suffering (sorry to sound cynical about those sort of books but I just can't enjoy them) but a very good work of fiction that explores the feelings of a young girl as she really struggles to cope with the endless amount of crap that life throws at her.
The ending is horrbly inevitable and I sat for ages after I put it down with tears running down my face.
I'd definitely reccomend it but I'd advise a box of tissues too!!

5. Philippa Gregory 'The Other Boleyn Girl'

If you know me at all you'll know I love my historical fiction and this one didn't disappoint!
It was yet another one that I just couldn't put down.
The story of Mary and Anne Bolelyn sisters at the court of Henry VIII, everyone knows the story of Anne Boleyn but her sister Mary is a relative unknown.
She was apparently mistress to the king before his head was turned by Anne.
Once Anne is in pursuit of the king and the chance of becoming queen Mary takes a step back and helps further Annes cause which in turn will further the fortunes of their family.
Anne comes across as a concieted, devious and thoroughly unpleasant woman in this story but I really couldn't help but feel for her as she approached her downfall.
If you are a fan of Philippa Gregory or historical fiction you'll love this one...the only problem I have when I read historical fiction that is based on fact is that I end up spending hours browsing the internet for more information on the real life characters!

Happy reading.
Em xxxx

Birthday Bonanza.

2010-11-28T14:13:00.000-08:00

Another day...another stack of goodies!
This time birthday presents from my lovely family and friends...

A bagful of CK gooness, a beautiful hand knitted scarf,lime and bergamot perfume,notebooks and smellies,Yankee candles, a silk scarf decorating kit and a book about the 'Huskar Mine Tragedy' and children working in Victorian mines.

There were also some Thorntons chocolates but me and Evie scoffed the lot earlier in one go!

Lots of pretty cards including some lovely handmade ones.

And this card which is my most special and the one that I'll put away and keep forever.

And still to come next week I'm getting this from Scott.

Added to all that I had a million phonecalls and a billion messages on Facebook wishing me a happy birthday and a lovely sunday roast cooked for me by my sister Ruby.

Keep warm and cosy.
Em xxxx

A Package All The Way From Canada.

2010-11-27T18:43:00.000-08:00

I won the giveaway at Clara's Crochet Room and have been very excited to see what my prize was as Clara wasn't telling!!
Anyway yesterday afternoon it arrived and Woweeee it was full of all sorts of treasures...crafty bits and pieces, christmas decorations, a cute little book, some pretty wine glass charms, a cosy scarf and a very handy bag!!!!

Thank you so much Clara, theres nothing like a parcel full of goodies to cheer you up!

We got a slight sprinkling of snow last night...but by this morning it had just about gone...we only have icy roads now.
Evie and Me had to go out and leave our footprints in it last night before anyone else did!

Em xxxx

Snail Mail Swap.

2010-11-26T17:36:00.000-08:00

I recently took part in the interesting 'Snail Mail ' swap arranged by Em at Mousy Brown's House. If you've never looked at this blog before I really recommend nipping over there now to check out Em's amazingly inspirational crafting and her beautiful photography.

Anyway back to the swap...Em requested a swap partner for each month of the year and an idea of what We would like to swap, I requested november as I knew I'd be away on holiday in october and I wanted to make the main part of my swap some treasures I'd found in Tunisia.

I tried hard to stay away from what I'd call 'touristy tat' for my swap parcel although as always I managed to bring plenty of it back to clutter up my house even more.
I bought bits and pieces in shops in the non touristy parts of town and the soap was sold 'under the counter' by a young man at our hotel handmade by his mother!

Em sent me one of her amazing papercuts...I think if you look closely you can see the absolutely incredible detail on it!

I'm now trying desperately to find a frame that does it justice!!
After telling Em I liked to travel and hated to be cold she thought the warm welcoming sight of a fire would cheer me up!!!
There was also some beautiful crochet flowers which Evie appropriated to hang in her bedroom!

And a lovely lovely card with hydrangeas on the front which just happen to be one of my most favourite flowers.
What can I say but 'thank you' to Em for organising such a fun and unique swap.
Also I have to say thank you to her for sending me some photos of my parcel that I sent to her...in my hurry to get it sent (chaotic and dis-organised as ever) I forgot to take any pictures and I really can't take credit for such beautiful photography.

Have a nice weekend.
Em xxx

Quiet and Cold.

2010-11-18T14:34:00.000-08:00

Brrrr its chilly this week isn't it and I've just heard that the North and East of the country might be getting some snow next week! YUCK!!!
It looks pretty for about an hour, its fun to play in for about 20 minutes and thats it..I hate the cold wet white stuff after that!
So my week so far has been mostly uneventful, I've crocheted a lot but can't post pictures as its christmas present crochet and I've watched loads of TV...I am a bit of reality show addict and I V+ loads of them at night and catch up on them during the day...although I'm not liking this new ' Celebrity Coach Trip' Taz did warn me it was dire and she was right it is.
Our 'Stitch and Bitch' was more bitch than stitch this week as we all had a lot to gossip about!!

Definitely not alot of stitching going on here!!

Tonight there was a loud knock on our front door and a lovely delivery driver handed me a big box....when I opened it up it was full of beautifully wrapped presents all for MEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
YAY it was my advent swap parcel from Lovely Lynda . I have had to tape the box back up and hide it as Evie was far too interested in the contents and told me that she knows for sure that one of the parcels contains hand sanitizing gel?????

I'm dreaming of a 'germ free' christmas apparently.

Enjoy the rest of the week and wrap up warm!

Em xxx

Nutjob?

2010-11-14T15:05:00.000-08:00

I've been really busy recently with crochet mainly but as its for various swaps and christmas presents I thought I'd keep the pictures secret for now.
So...what else have I been doing?
Not a right lot because the weather has been so so cold I haven't wanted to venture out more than necessary.
But yesterday morning We had to go to Pinderfields Hospital (Scott had an appointment about a painful knee) and Evie and I thought We'd tag along and go walking in the park afterwards.
So whilst we were waiting in the car we spied these guys, there were four of them that we could see and they were absolutely fascinating to watch!!

The walk never materialised it was just far to cold so we went to Sainsburys and bought crusty bread, fancy ham and the nicest homous in the world!
Hope you've all had a nice 'n' toasty warm weekend.
Em xxx

Bookworm 5 - Recent Reads.

2010-11-10T08:52:00.000-08:00

What with feeling bleeeurghh last week I seem to have read a lot more than usual recently...
The first book here then is 'The Help' by Kathryn Stockett.

The Help

An absolutely brilliant story of three women in Jackson, Missippi in 1962 with the civil rights movement as a backdrop. I loved all three of the main characters, Aibilene and Minnie both black maids working for white families and Miss Skeeter a young aspiring writer. The baddie 'Miss Hilly' is pure evil and her come uppance is a truly sweet moment.
I know this is a very very popular book, and deservedly so, but if you haven't already read it I thoroughly recommend it!

Next up is a Long 'short' story that my daughter Kia recommended to me 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins GIlman...

The Yellow Wallper

Based loosley on the authors personal experiences it is the story of a young womans descent into madness brought on by the 'cure' for her possible post-natal depression (the reader is never actually sure what the ailment is) recommended by her doctor husband.
The almost total 'rest' cure was a common cure for those of a 'nervous' disposition at the end of the 19th century and the author who suffered from depression for a number of years was given a 'rest cure' she had to 'live as domestic a life as possible' and have only 2 hours of stimulation per day, she was also forbidden to ever write, paint or draw ever again.
After 3 months of this treatment she decided to go against the diagnosis and wrote 'The Yellow Wallpaper' to prove that she had been mis-diagnosed.
This book is strange in that there are so many different interpretations of what the story is about, I'd love to discuss it with anyone who has read it.

Third on my list today is 'The Little House' by one of my favourite authors Philippa Gregory.

The Little House

Now this is a strange coincidence that occured last week.
'The Little House' has just been shown as a mini-series on ITV last week and this week and it was my Mum who asked me if I was going to watch it..so I checked out the advert for it and it reminded me of a book I'd read well over 10 years ago, so of course I googled it, read the book synopsis and YES it was the same book!!
So I watched the first episode, enjoyed it and wished I could re-read the book but I'd lent my copy out and never got it back.
Then the next evening my good friend who works in a charity shop came round with a book for me..you'll never guess what it was..'The Little House' he'd picked it up because he knows I love Philippa Gregory (although until the day before I didn't even realise this was by her).
Anyway to get to the point I read this book from cover to cover in probably less than 24 hours...it was every bit as great as I remembered and loads better than the TV version, which was very good too.
A quick synopsis, its a tense psychological thriller about a reluctant mother and a very domineering mother-in-law,obviously I cant ruin it for you but the ending in the book is very very good!

And finally this book that I discovered by accident. 'Bonesetter' by Laurence Dahners.

Bonesetter

This is a story set in pre-historic times about a teenage boy who struggles to be of any use to his tribe until he discovers he has a talent for mending dislocated bones,but because of his lowly status within his tribe nobody wants to acknowledge his help and he is cast out as useless.
He has to fend for himself and devises a new way of hunting as well as taking on the traditionally womens tasks of gathering grains and vegetables.
When his mother brings a wounded member of his former tribe for him to help his luck begins to change.
I loved this, it was well written and interesting and obviously well researched. I'm a huge fan of Jean .M. Auel and I think the never ending wait for her next book has made me hungry for some pre-history action!!
'Bonesetter' is I think classed as older childrens fiction,but dont let that put you off its still a great read.

I've just realised that this post is like a novella its so long!!
Does anybody actually bother reading these huge long blog posts?
See you soon.
Em xxxx

Rainy November...

2010-11-08T14:01:00.000-08:00

My first November post and its a dull, dreary day with lots of freezing cold rain and icy wind.
This past week our whole household has taken it in turn to feel bleeeeuuurghh so none of us have felt much like doing anything.
I've spent most of the week reading (I'll post more on that in the next day or so).
Infact yesterday was the first time I picked up a crochet hook in over a week.

I hope everyone had a fun bonfire night, We all felt well enough to go to the bonfire and fireworks display in Penistone, where Mica was working in her capacity as a volunteer for 'Penistone FM' a local community radio station where she is a presenter.

Mica taking a few minutes off from her radio duties!

Who dosen't love fireworks?

Afterwards We nipped into Tesco and bought pie and peas and rocky road cheesecake for tea...mmmm yum!!

One last thing, I'm sorry but I'm having to re-enable the word security thingy again, but I am getting so many anonymous comments and some are rather distasteful so in an attempt to stop them I'm putting the security back on.

Em xxxx

Hello...I'm Dying to meet you!

2010-10-31T11:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween everyone!
I love halloween and I'm glad it seems to be getting more popular here in the UK.
I love all the silly scariness, the weird and wonderful costumes , that you get to eat some disgusting looking things that taste delicious and most of all because its only 4 weeks until my birthday!
This crawled out of its grave earlier and came to visit us!

An Undead Warrior!

Now guess who has the unenviable task of removing all the make-up and getting all the knots out of her hair!
Em xxx

Festering Scabs and Mouldy Pumpkin!

2010-10-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

Sounds lovely eh???
Evie made some buns today, they are green with blood red icing, topped with white sprinkles and chopped up winegums which are all meant to look like horrendous festering scabs....honestly though they taste delicious!

Scabby buns.

Scott carved a pumpkin for Evie on Wednesday and today I noticed its features looked a bit worn out and sunken.On closer inspection it had hairy mould in its nose and eye sockets and definitely had an over-ripe aroma to it...its now residing in our bin and We've resorted to this guy (who I much prefer anyway).

Say Cheese.

Couldn't resist a picture of these two guys either!

Happy Halloween everyone and take care if you're out trick or treating tomorrow night.
Em xxx

Two Parcels.

2010-10-29T14:28:00.000-07:00

I'm so behind with my blog at the moment, I really should have posted about the wonderful parcel I recieved from Michela over at A Garden Just Outside Venice, We were swap partners in the recent Pumpkin Patch Swap.

Wowee what a pile of goodies!!

These delicious chocs didn't last long!!

What an amazing treasure trove of lovlies she sent to me...thank you so much Michela!

And then this morning I got another lovely surprise a parcel from Beki over at The Ramblings Of An Everyday Mummy. We were partners in Bekis recent pincushoin swap.

Had to hide these from the Gruesome Twosome!!

This lavender stuffed cushion is far too nice to stick pins in..I think it will be scenting a basket or drawer in my bedroom soon!

I had Hermione visiting for the day and I'd promised her and Evie a day of sewing so their eyes lit up when I unwrapped this package...but mean old me I put the lovlies well out of their reach!

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.
Em xxx

Bookworm Weekly -Holiday Reads.

2010-10-27T16:32:00.000-07:00

I didn't get as much reading done on my holiday this year as I usually do, I think this was because We went out and about so much more than usual and also because We holidayed with friends.
What I did read though was the latest Jilly Cooper...'Jump!'

I absolutely adore Jilly Cooper and this book lived up to her usual high standards.
A Granny more grief sticken by the recent loss of her beloved dog than her late husband, forced to move house and look after atrocious grandchildren finds a neglected horse, nurses her back to health, helps form an owners syndicate and chaos ensues!!!
I like Jilly Cooper's style very much because whilst she tells a good tale with a bit of drama and a bit of romance thrown in theres always a lot of humour in her books too.
And of course if you're a fan of hers you'll like the fact that she always makes sure the old favourites put in an appearance...Rupert Campbell-Black anyone??

My other holiday read was Sue Townsends latest installment in the Adrian Mole saga 'Adrian Mole, The Prostate Years' I've read all the Adrian Mole books, infact I sort of grew up alongside him as he is only a year or so older than me!

But this one I felt was more serious than any of the previous books it deals with subjects such as prostate cancer and British troops in Afghanistan. There were a couple of times I had tears in my eyes reading this book, most especially during Adrian Moles cancer treatment. I know Sue Townsend has suffered some terrible ill-health herself and I just wonder if this has given her some insight into how Adrian Mole must have felt during his treatment.

I read both of these books on my kindle and I can happily report that it was ideal for lounging on a sunbed and had absolutely no glare at all from the sun on it.
My only concern about taking it on holiday was leaving it lying on my sunbed whilst I was swimming or gettinga meal.
Em xxx

More From Tunisia

2010-10-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

We saw some amazing sights on our recent trip to Tunisia, one of which was the ancient and very holy walled city of Kairouan.
Apparently four trips to Kairouan is the equivalent of one pilgramage to Mecca!!
Because Kairouan isn't as touristy as some other places We visited We got to visit a Medina that wasn't full of shops selling the usual gifts for tourists.


Kairouan Medina.

The Great Mosque.

Evie taking a break.

Then We carried on to the Roman ampitheatre at El Jem, this was just the most amazing place I have ever visited, the atmosphere here was palpable. At first it was a little bit of excitement because We knew some of the film Gladiator had been filmed there then We go to thinking about the real history of the place, most especially when We went down to where the cells were.

Lunch opposite the ampitheatre.

Inside El Jem ampitheatre.

One of the corridors leading to the terraces where the audience sat.

Down below where the prisoners were kept before let out to fight.

El Jem town at sunset.

El Jem at sunset.

After El Jem We went to visit our friends in Ksour Essaf and had a delicious Tunisian meal.Both Evie and myself got henna tattoos from our friend Monia and despite the language barrier (We speak poor French and no Arabic, they speak poor English) We all had a great evening with lots of laughs and didn't get back to our hotel until the early hours!!

Evie,Adel,Asmar,Laila and Saida.

Having our hands bound up for 2 hours whilst the henna coloured our fingers and palms.

Lots of laughs!

Evie's henna tattoos.

I'll be back soon with some holiday book reviews and a delicious parcel I recieved last week.
Em xxx

Home Again...and its So Cold!

2010-10-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

Hello Blogland I'm back after my jaunt abroad with photos galore and tales to tell...
Our week in Tunisia was too short by far, We never have enough time to do all that We want to do when we go there but We packed a good bit in this time with visits to Sousse, Sahline, Monastir, Kairouan, El Jem and Ksour Essaf.
We arrived late morning so there was plenty of time after a quick lunch to lounge in the sun and swim in the pool (which Evie was very excited about)...BUT, I realised I'd forgotten to pack any swimwear for my poor girl!!!
She made do with a T-shirt and her knickers on the sunday and on the monday We went to Sousse in search of swimwear!!

I've noticed on each of my visits to Tunisia that there are always plenty of cats hanging about the hotels and the shady spots of town centres!
These two cuties lounged in the sun outside our hotel on most mornings.

Carpets,throws,rugs,silks and linens are all big business in Tunisia and We got the oppurtunity to see some weavers at work in Sahline and in Kairouan.

After I spotted the weavers I spotted this lovely lot!!

Then a walk through the Medina and I couldn't resist this stall...I bought vast amounts of wool for very little money!

I'll pop back tomorrow and post some more pictures.
Em xxx

Why Am I So Disorganised?

2010-10-08T16:48:00.000-07:00

Ok so in just over 27 hours I have to leave for the airport and so far I haven't packed a single thing, my beach towels are still in the washer and I can only find one of my Birkenstocks.
On the plus side I went to do a bit of last minute holiday shopping and had a Pedi Fish experience.
For anyone who hasn't heard of it...Pedi Fish are tiny little fish that nibble gently at dry/hard skin on your feet.
It cost me £10 for 15 minutes of lovely relaxation, it felt like I was sat with my feet in a big bowl of very fizzy lemonade, and my feet are noticeably softer now.

I've also spent some time in the past few days crocheting this tea cosy for my sister, and I've started a new blanket to add to the other two unfinished blankets I have lying in bags waiting for me to get inspired again!!
Anyway I better go put the towels in the dryer.
Have a lovely weekend everyone.
Em xxx

Bookworm Weekly - Some Grown Up Faves.

2010-10-05T14:09:00.000-07:00

I've decided to blog weekly or as near to weekly as I can about my reading habits, books I love/hate etc etc.
I was going to start a whole new blog for this purpose but decided against it as I know I'll just never ever keep on top of two blogs however good my intentions might be!
So for tonight I thought I'd talk about three of my all time favourite books.

1. My Third placed book of all time is Louis De Berniéres amazing 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin'
My sister recommended this book to me years ago and I struggled to get through the first 100 or so pages...but I'm glad I did, it is one of the most touching and poignant stories I've ever read.
I remember sitting reading it on a bus home one sunday lunchtime and suddenly realising that everyone else on the bus could see the tears streaming down my face.
The ending to this story is so bitter sweet, happy but heart breakingly sad...definitely one to persevere with if the initial 100-120 pages drag on and on.
Just a small note though...whilst the book is amazing the film is one of the biggest wastes of my time ever...if you've seen the film and not read the book please don't judge it by the appalling-ness of the film.

2. My Second favourite book of all time is Maeve Binchy's rather lovely 'Light A Penny Candle'.
The funny/sad/happy/tragic story of Aisling and Elizabeth.
Quiet mousey Elizabeth is sent to live with Aisling and her large loud family in small town Ireland during WW2, this begins the tale of their lifelong friendship.
The tales of Elizabeth and Aislings exploits as children made me laugh, but their lives as they grow up and begin to take on adult responsibilities sometimes brought tears to my eyes.
I loved the character Aisling and her irrepressible spirit so much that I gave one of my daughters the middle name Aisling.

3. My all time numero uno favourite book in the whole wide world ever is Kathleen Winsors bodice rippingly brilliant 'Forever Amber'.
This is a historical romance set during the restoration of Charles II.
Orphaned Amber St Clare sets about working her way up to the very highest place in society...the kings mistress, but all she ever truly wants is the love of the one man she can't have,because he dosen't want her!
This book takes in the restoration, the plague of 1665, the great fire of London and uses them all to great effect.
Published way back in 1944 this book was banned in 14 US states because of its 'extreme pornographic content', believe me you'll see more porn on Emmerdale than in this book!
And of course because its a historical tale there are lots of references to real people who lived at court during this period which made it doubly fascinating for me!

I'd really love to hear if anyone else has read these books and their opinions of them.
Em xxxx

Back Again...

2010-10-04T17:17:00.000-07:00

Hello last time I was here for any length of time was ages ago!!
I've had no proper internet service since 28th Sept just a few minutes here and there.
But after lots of pleading phone calls to Virgin Media I finally got an engineer out this afternoon to tell me the problem wasn't what they'd said but something totally unrelated.
Anyways its all fixed now I hope and I can get a few blog posts in before I head off to sunnier climes for a week on Sunday.
So in the past however long I've done lots...

Two Monday morning Stitch 'n' Bitch sessions....
Evie joined us this morning because she had an inset day at school.

Three lovely notebooks...the CK ones for Kia and Mica because they keep trying to steal mine! and the old Ladybird book style one is mine...

This is written on the label of the Ladybird notebook.
If your formative years meant...
School dinners were liver and onions
rather than Turkey Twizzlers.

A Blackberry was something you picked
in a country lane and not something you
spent your weekend ignoring.

MySpace was a den in your back garden
built with bed sheets and runner bean canes.

Noah,Isaac and Joshua were characters from
the bible rather than kids in your class.

Wheelies were what you did on your bike
in the park and not what you wore on your
feet for the the weekly shop.

And if you wanted to be an astronaut, train
driver,footballer or anything other than a
CELEBRITY when you grew up

CONGRATULATIONS
you are a product of the Ladybird generation.

And what can I say?
I most certainly am and I could not resist this lil' book!!

I've crocheted a fair bit too and found the time to get Kia's cushion completely finished for her to take back to Aberdeen tomorrow.

Em xxxx

Hearts and Squares and A Gift In The Post.

2010-09-25T18:29:00.000-07:00

Due to a few internet connection issues I was unable to post last night when I wanted to.
I recieved my PIF gift from Jenny and isn't it gorgeous, I am dying to go to Stitch 'n' Bitch on monday and show off my goodies!!!

And the bag is magic ...its reversable so now I have the stress of deciding whether I want ease of pockets on the outside or beautiful floral on the outside!!
I'm going to keep the little tape measure hidden in my crochet basket because usually any tape measure I buy goes missing, god knows what my daughters need them for but they borrow them and never return them.
They're probably in the secret hiding place that scissors and tea spoons go to too!

I've spent a good bit of this weekend so far crocheting these delicious little squares for Kias cushion cover and as she's headed back to university very soon I need to get it finished.

I just can't resist arranging them in colour order they look so lovely like that,I was the same as a child with my crayons and pens.
I'm not sure what order I'm going to sew them together in yet though, because I don't think all ordered like I have them will work...so perhaps just random order.
Hope everyone is having a nice weekend.
Em xxx

Bookworm Weekly 2 - A Blast From The Past.

2010-09-22T14:40:00.000-07:00

After Beki tagged me in this post I've spent a long time thinking about what my favourite books of all time are and its not easy to decide, so I've decided to post this week about some of my favourite books as a child and next week I'll post about some of my favourite books as an adult.

I think as I read such a lot I'm going to start a weekly-ish post about my current reading or reading must-haves etc.

So...

Onwards and upwards.

As a child as soon as I could read on my own that was it I read and read and read...

I think 'Gobbolino The Witches Cat' was the first book I read in my head instead of out loud.

I used to save my pocket money and any money my Grandparents gave me to buy Famous Five books in the toy shop in Shipley town centre on a Saturday afternoon.

If I remember rightly back then in the late 70's a new childrens paperback cost about 50p.

Lyrico:The Only Horse of His Kind was a book my Mum bought in a sale at WH Smith (or similar shop) for pennies on the off chance I'd like it...I loved it!!!

Its a delightful story of a little girl who lives in New York and has everything she could ever want except one thing...A Horse!

One day a family friend sends her a minuture horse...which has WINGS!!!

The Earthsea series is a collection I keep meaning to buy and re-read and put away until Evie is old enough to read them...lots of wizards, dragons, magic and lore in these books.

I loved Roald Dahl like lots of children these days do, I read some but not all of the Narnia books and when I grew out of Enid Blyton's school stories I moved onto Anne Digby's 'Trebizon' series.

I once read a book called 'Waiting for The Sky To Fall' a teen romance type book published in 1983, both myself and my sister Jody loved this book and were stunned to discover recently that it was by Jacqueline Wilson!

Another old favourite of mine is 'The Silver Sword' by Ian Serralier a story about a family torn apart in world war 2 europe.

And my all time number 1 favourite book as a child is....'Ballet Shoes' The wonderful story of the three orphans who become the Fossil sisters and vow to get their names in history books on their own merits!

I'd better end it there for tonight though as this is in danger of becoming a mini novel in its own right!!

Big thanks to all who left kind comments yesterday it means so to me.

Em xxxx

Time Flies.

2010-09-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

A year ago today my brilliant Dad died after a very short unexpected illness.
I still find it hard to comprehend why he isn't here anymore.
He worked away from home offshore from Aberdeen on huge ships that laid cable on the north sea bed so I didn't get to see him that often.
But even now I miss the phonecalls on a sunday afternoon asking me to bid on things on Ebay because his internet connection wasn't reliable enough, or the night time calls to send me outside to look for some astronomical oddity that no one elwse but myself and him would be interested in..or even the calls from bars in Norway to complain about the price of lager in Norway when he'd obviously drank a fair bit of it!!

My Dad is still my waking thought almost every morning and one of the last things I think about at night when I'm in bed.
Our shed is one my Dad gave us when he needed a bigger one and the smell of it reminds me of him every time I go in there or every time the stupid cat gets herself locked in there overnight and spends the next day smelling of my Dad.

If you've read this thank you so much for letting me indulge myself in my memories tonight.
Em xxxxx

Monday Morning Fun.

2010-09-20T18:09:00.000-07:00

It was back to Canon Hall Garden Centre this morning for our weekly 'Stitch 'n' Bitch' get together and a couple of faces I hadn't seen in a long time were there so there was loads of catching up to be done.
It was one of our ladies birthday today too so we stayed on for a celebratory lunch too.

My current crochet project, decided by my daughter Kia is going to be a granny square cushion cover for Kia to take back to Aberdeen with her when she goes back to university in a couple of weeks.

After about a minute of crocheting though I suddenly realised that I'd forgotten how to make a granny square!
Luckily Kia remembered and showed me.
I'm going to sew little crochet hearts onto each square I think too.
Anyways thats me for today...short and sweet as its late and I'm trying to watch 'Britains Next Top Model'.
Em xxx