YooHoo……

Hello folks, by ‘eck it’s been a bit fresh here the weekend, but it’s now chucking it down like stair rods….let’s hope it stops by the morning, I  hate having soggy trouser bottoms when I get to work.

Well a few happenings here…first one is that I made the decision to defer my studies for a few years, i was a mad crazy lady to think I could manage working 18 hours, study 28 hours alongside caring for 2 kiddiewinks, managing my diabetes and keeping house….I have 16 years to complete my degree and my credits from my completed modules stand until then, which is fantastic…..I feel really relieved now, my stress levels have already dropped I’m going to enjoy my family time.

I treated myself to this lovely cheery bunch of mixed flowers….in my lovely flower jug which was my birthday gift from my grandparents…

I have felt the need for a little extra warmth these past few evenings, so i dug out one of the old hot water bottles….it was looking very sad and naked….but now look…..it’s all snuggly now…

I remembered I hadn’t showed you my stitched Christmas gifts I sent out….

For Michelle….

For Kath…

For Melanie…

Now I have a little more free time I hope to blog a little more often….until next time

Hugs & Stitches

Poetry and Plans…

The holidays are over, back to school tomorrow for the kiddiewinks, it’s flown by, probably because I’ve had to work over the Christmas break and we’ve been busy fitting in appointments to the dentist and the doctors etc around this.

I’ve also been fitting in my studies every evening, a few evenings of reading for my religion module, Islam is the religion I’m currently studying, plus I’ve had an assignment to write for my other module, creative writing; a short story, play extract or poem, I opted for the poem, which was on the subject of Borstal (a young offenders institution for my non UK readers). it’s been a challenge, I’m not naturally a creative writer, but I’ve battled through and have my final draft ready to tweak tomorrow, I’ve also drafted my reflective commentary to go alongside it. It’ll be submitted Tuesday, then back to Islam and I’ve also Dickens' Hard Times to read….

I’ve managed a little stitching….I’ve got my first finish for 2014…LHN Sheep Virtues ‘Simplicity’

I’ve got a few stitching plans for this year, I want to finish up the Sheep Virtues series, I’m half way through the 12, I’ve a few larger projects I want to work on, but apart from that I’m not pressurising myself. I have made a start on a crochet blanket for my bed, its king size so it’s a big project, I’m hooking granny circles to go into square…lovely bright pops of colour.

Anything else that takes my fancy will just fit in around my larger projects…

Well m’dears, it’s time for sleep….an early start tomorrow…

Thanks for popping by…

Hugs and Stitches

Blogaversary Winner

I have drawn my Blogaversary giveaway this evening....thank you to all who have commented on my posts during 2013...I look forward to welcoming you in the New Year....
The winner of the giveaway is Andrea from The Craft Room....congratulations!
Hugs and Stitches

Almost There……

Wow what a quick year 2013 has been, it’s been a whirlwind….I hope 2014 slows down slightly….I’m getting no younger!

I hope everyone has enjoyed their festive season, it’s been quiet here, a nice relaxing couple of days, but now it’s back to the grindstone with study and work….the kiddiewinks had a great Christmas and were spoilt rotten as usual….

I also received some lovely gifts….in no particular order…

Thank you Mum :)

Thank you Mum and Dad :)

Thank you Michelle :)

Thank you Karen (My OU Craft Group Christmas Exchange)

Thanks you Kath :)

and last but my no means least….a cupcake timer from the little Miss and a travelling sewing kit from the little man, both chosen by themselves :) :)

…I was spoilt too :)

I cooked this year, the traditional turkey with all the trimmings, followed by Christmas pudding….it was yummy if I do say so myself.

I had a childfree wander around the shops yesterday and treated myself to some new make up, a new hair colour (Frosted Chestnut), some new sparkly glittery nail paints and a new lunchbox and tea mugs from Cath Kidston :)

In my last post I offered two charts that had been gifted to me….Lynda I have emailed you for your details…well done :)

I also noticed that it was my blogaversary on Christmas Eve….6 years I’ve been blogging…460 posts, 1 pregnancy and birth, 3 relationship break ups…lol, 3 house moves, 2 jobs, a degree enrolment, a diabetes diagnosis, hundreds of craft finishes….a 40th birthday..*gulp*….anyway in the time I have made many lovely blogging friends and special friends and have loyal followers and commenter's, therefore my blogaversary giveaway this year will be chosen at random from one of my loyal commenter's from the past year…so if you are one of those…maybe an email will be with you very soon…I will make the drawing on New Years Eve.

Well I must now get out my study books…..Islam is the book of choice at the moment…..

I will be back with New Year plans…very soon

Hugs & Stitches

UFO’s and a little moan..….

I’m back again for a fleeting visit…..I’m now back in the workforce 17 hours each week, also fitting in 25 hours of study each week, as well as all the other stuff that us lone parents have to do….some days I do struggle as I don’t have anyone else to help me with all the tasks around the house and garden…I will be honest I have been thinking of stopping blogging as I don’t really have much to show, but I will continue just to pop in every so often to say hello….I’ve also stopped reading a lot of blogs, for several reasons…firstly time…or lack of it….secondly these sickly sweet blogs that everyone seems to arse lick…oh sorry swoons over….being honest they make me more fed up and somewhat envious…some of these bloggers live in a bubble of easiness….anyway that’s it…

The little Miss turned 5 last week and celebrated with a Princess party….she has a fabulous time with her friends…

I made cupcakes and a daisy cake…

I’ve made a conscious effort to complete my numerous UFOs over the next year…I had two which were almost complete….well now they are…

Milady’s Needle ‘A Gift From A Friend’, this was gifted to me 2 Christmases ago by Michelle, I started it straight away and stopped as you do….anyway it’s now complete…..

 

Shepherds Bush ‘Sophie’s Roses’ was gifted to me by Barb ages ago I started it and almost completed it…but it’s now done too.

Both these charts I would like to pass along…if you would be interested in either of these charts please post a comment, I’ll leave it open until end of December and then draw 2 names out of a ‘hat’ ….

Finally…my young man and his classmates proudly sang in York Minster last week alongside two other schools and the Minster Choristers …

not a great picture, we weren’t given much opportunity….but the cathedral is HUGE…

Catch you soon…

Hugs and Stitches

Naughty November

It is you know….naughty…it snuck on me from nowhere and here we are day 5 of it already…well what a busy month October was…my studies began on the 5th, 2 modules at once approximately 26 hours a week….arghhhh…why? I did wonder, but I have to tell you all, I am loving it, thank goodness I changed degree path to follow religious studies, it’s totally right ‘up my street’.

Anyway onwards to the 10th…my 42nd (more arghhhs!) birthday, I had a lovely day, was totally spoilt with lots of messages, cards and gifts…

Cath Kidston Mug and spoons from my Grandparents…

 

Beautiful stitched pillow, card and CK goodies from Michelle…thank you again Michelle xx

Treats from my gorgeous kiddiewinks…plus the flowers jug in the background…

Lovely chart and card from Kath

A better picture of everything…..not pictured is the gift from my parents, gorgeous YSL Elle perfume, wooden heart ornament and a lovely snuggly scarf..

Onwards a little more…..I have been very busy crafting but it’s all for Christmas so I can’t really share apart from 2 little treasures…

My first attempt at fabric origami…not too bad…a little more practice required…

secondly…this is for my parent’s Ruby Wedding Anniversary in November, it’s a CCN design…I framed it myself…

Almost there……are you still awake??

Halloween…..my big ghoul and little witch trick or treated the neighbourhood to within an inch of it’s life…

My young chap became a fully invested cub…

last bit now…..

Diabetes news, my blood sugars have dropped by 13 points to an almost acceptable level, so no medication required at the moment….and finally…yes….finally MY BIG NEWS….no I’m not having another baby…lol, after 5 years of being a stay at home mum….I am finally returning to the workforce….partly because I wanted to and partly because in the UK if you are a single parent as soon as your youngest child hits 5 (Martha does in November) the government ‘force’ you back to work….anyway…I will be working 3 days a week around school runs as a marketing executive for an IT distribution company…it’s local and they are keen to work with and around me for my kids…which is very lucky…I start next week….so with 26 hours study, 18 hours of work and the rest of my daily stuff…I may not be around for a while….

All good stuff though eh….worth the waffle…..

Hugs & Stitches

Back on the Hamster Wheel

Wow here I am almost 2 months since I last blogged and ashamed to say read any blogs too…the time has just flown by…we had a hectic summer but enjoyable, we were very lucky with the weather this year we actually had a summer in the UK…and even today it is bright and sunny and pleasantly warm in the sunshine…the line has been full of drying laundry….don’t you just love the aroma of freshly dried laundry…mmmm.

Summer was spent at the beach and park we actually got our first ever family holiday since Martha was born…and she is almost 5…the weather was glorious which is always a bonus when you holiday in the UK….rainy holidays are costly…

       

as you can see the kiddiewinks certainly had fun…it was a nice break for me too…

Decorating also took place over the summer….not my greatest idea in the heat but it had to be done…we had a few BBQs..trips to the parks and walks by the river to break up the chores…

I wanted to make this summer about the kids as this happened at beginning of September…

yes that little bump and bundle I blogged about 5 years ago….started school…I have empty nest during the days…she has settled in so well and loves school…

Young man started his penultimate year at primary school, next year the decision of secondary schools will begin…

and on the subject of school….I made a big decision before the summer….

 

back to school again for me….as well as looking for a new job…well I need to fill my days don’t I….

and long with study comes tutorials and with that comes lots of books…so one of these is needed…

 

and along with copious amounts of study is copious amounts of tea…therefore this was required…

and because I get a 10% student discount at Cath’s…I thought why not…

something pretty for my porridge and lunch!!

Catch you soon…