{quilt} while you're ahead

158/2011 ** advent calendar **

... posting every day in November failed me.  Still for a first attempt 25 out of 30 isn't too bad, right?  Things have calmed down a little around here and although I feel like I'm still swimming against the current at least now my head is above water.  It helps!

Trying to post every day was an interesting experiment.  Yes it added another item to the list of each day, but on the plust side it made me realise that there is always something that can be shared.  Something that happened, something that didn't.  Something I heard or saw or made.  Or that made me angry.  I reckon I might try again next year; we'll see.

In a few hours I'll set off to pick up my mum from the airport.  I still haven't made her bed up yet (!!) but I have time.  (She says with a nervous laugh).

First I'd like to show you this:

It's the same calendar I made a couple of years ago; they boys actually requested it and I just could't say no.  

This time I painted the cans red instead of white (because that is the paint I had in the garage... )

I almost made one for the 25 so that I could have a perfect pyramid!

157/2011

The shopping is done, the house is half clean (the bottom half...)

- we have tea in the house.

- one bed is made

- and the baking for the school fair is in the oven

(I give you proof)

- I guess I should have known that all this was leading me straight into a migraine wall at a 1000mph.  All the signs were there... will I ever learn?

- how about we listen to this and try ignoring it, shall we?

 

156/2011

- I haven't bought one single Christmas presesnt.  They're all in my head.

- I must sort out the house insurance renewal.

- I have to clean the house and make the beds for the visitors coming at the weekend.

- I must make the lasagna for Saturday night and bake cupcakes for the School Christmas' fayre on Saturday afternoon.

- The dryer needs emptying, the washing machine needs re-filling and the ironing basket... well let's ignore that completely.

- I've managed to go to the supermarket three times in the last four days and we're still out of tea bags.

- Yesterday I completely blanked out the commitment I made to No 2's teacher to go and help for a couple of hours.  I was in a book store with a friend instead.

- I told Mr M I was sorry but didn't have anything to make him lunch with when on my last visit to the supermarket I re-stocked of all he likes (a part from tea...) because I had forgotten I did that.

- Which proves that even when I get it right... I get it wrong.

- It feels like I'm going to explode in a million little pieces.

- So I took the dog for a walk up a hill in a mad, cold, strong November wind that filled my head and didn't leave any space for thinking any thoughts. 

- I feel better now.

- I might even remember to pick the boys up from school...

 

 

155/2011

Today I met a friend and had coffee and cake and wondered through antique shops and charity shops (I must show you the treasures I found soon) and lots of time in here

I believe very few things smell more reassuringly than an antique books store

there are so many crazy and wonderful books out there... and so little time to read enough of them

I found a couple of more of these gorgeous things for my collection:

They're Penguin Poetry books from the 60's and they have the most divine covers.

Maybe I should start reading them too?

(who said don't judge a book by it's cover...)

154/2011 ** doily cushion no 2 **

ok, so nobody pointed out that yesterday's post had the totally wrong title???? you let me made a fool of myself!

I've changed it now...

Anyway, I wanted to show you the cushion yesterday but didn't like the photos so in the end I didn't.  I thought today the weather might be a little better so I could re-take them but it isn/t.  At all. So I'm stuck with the original ones.

Just use your imagination a little

This time I surpassed myself and learnt how to sew a cushion with a zipper

I know.  I'm a genius.  

But you shouldn't feel shy in my presence.  We're all equals. (Some more than others, that's all!!)

If I hadn't spilled tea all over my desk soaking my notes I could even tell you where I got the tutorial from... as it is I'm unable to.  

(Now I have to go and de-mushroom No 2's swimming bag/towel/etc. that had been abandoned at school wet for the past 5 days.  Wish me luck.  Boys eh? If it's not mud it's fungi!!)

153/2011

I'm slowly re-gaining control over the house after the siege of the weekend

and listening to this

  

152/2011

Just in case you were wondering... rugby season is in full swing around here

See the mud?

Sooo much mud.

 

The weekend is almost over and I have to say it wasn't as bad as I thought.  I even bumped into an old college friend I hadn't seen in about ten years... it was nice and we swapped numbers and will meet again soon for coffee.

An added bonus.

I finished the body of Annabel and now I'm stuck on the sleeves due to a lack of 5.5mm dpn.  A bit annoying, but I started something else which I'll show you soon. 

Went to see Breaking Dawn, part 1 with my sister in law.  Amazingly we weren't the oldest people there.  Please tell me you've read the Twilight saga too... Team Edward all the way!

151/2011

Have a good weekend

ours is very busy

There's a rugby match to watch and rugby training to do.  Two lots of swimming, dinner for ten, a cinema trip and a sleepover.  Meeting a new friend for the first time and a mountain of laundry to do too.

We might just about make it to Monday.  Just.

Hope yours is more calm than mine.

150/2011 ** felt hearts **

... because a Christmas tree

can never

be

too full

149/2011 ** patchwork Christmas stockings **

For the stall

for girls and for boys

"left and right"

I know it's a cliche... but why does it feel Christmas is coming earlier and earlier each year?