{quilt} while you're ahead

56//2012

And so we're back.

The boys are in school, my ironing mountain is on the verge of toppling over and I'm slowly wading through the huge swamp of 'things' that have accumulated whilst I was away.

A few boxes have been ticked but there are still floors to hoover and windows to clean, flowers to plant, food to buy, weight to lose, forms to fill and ufo to finish.  Too many of those once again.

The weather is horrible, cold and wet wet wet.

Amongst the mess and the chaos ... a ray of sunshine:

 

A wonderfully thoughtful parcel from Megan.  Thank you, my friend.  Everything is perfect. The little nest is exquisit and I have just the right chain for it!

Now if you'll excuse me I'm off sorting out tiles for Mr M's new office kitchen and to get some dishwasher detergent so we can have clean plates tonight before heading to school for a meeting about the French trip I'd done nothing to prepare for... such a glamorour life.

19/2011

Busy week.  Busy busy week. 

Good busy, but still...

it's kind of crazy.

I'm not convinced that taking pictures of pretty ribbons arrived in the mail...

is making the best use of my time,

but you'll agree with me it is more entertaining and pleasant that the alternative involving a full sink and an empty dishwasher...

They all come from my aunt 'Golden-hands' (self appointed title, but completely justified), who in a different life could have/should have had craft blog herself.  I'm sure this treasure is just the tip of the iceberg... she had a 'stash' before 'stash' was invented...

Hoarding is definitively a family trait.

* 56 *

I'm going to start by apologising for the 'randomness' I'm going to dump on you, but I need to 'clear' my head otherwise things will get ugly 'round here.

Our friends have gone back home and I seem to struggle to find my drumbeat again.  There seem to be too many things to do, to clean, to sort out, to tidy... to make.

So you, my friends, will help me and if my posts in the next couple of days won't make much sense... this is the reason why.

To start off: I received flowers in a box!  From S. as a thank you.  

 

The boys were really impressed with the packaging arrangements and speculated for ages about what kind of things you could potentially send in a box (I tried to explain that the flowers didn't actually come all the way from San Diego... but no... they know best.  As always)

 

I also discovered today that I was the runner up on Silverpebble's 100th post give-away... 

 

... I'm so 'out of it' at the moment I didn't even know I'd won!!

So it was a double surprise when this goodness popped through the letter box this morning

 

the sweetest earrings! gorgeous buttons! and the most wonderful lace doily!!

Thank you soooo sooo much Emma! 

One day I'll get it together enough to catch up with you all, in the meantime, amongst trips to the recycling centre, doctors, supermarket, in between sorting out summer clothes and summer uniforms, 3980344 loads of washing and walking the dog I managed a little bit of this 

 

(to keep me sane, you understand, don't you?)
 
 
 
 

 

* 18 *

My 'seven days of specialness' parcel arrived this morning and I realised you can never be too old for presents.  The excitement!

Now I'm not a morning person.  At all.  Ask Mr M... I think the main reason he likes to go to work early is so he doesn't have to deal with me.  But today I was positively happy and even the prospect of going for a jog in the cold (my friend is a bully and has already decided that we ARE doing another 'Race for Life' this year, and the training starts 'NOW') didn't dampen my mood... because I had a parcel to open on my return!!!

Ta dah...

How beautiful are all those parcels?  They all have different themes... and spotty fabric! and grosgrain ribbons!

I opened the first one ... 'cleanse'... (after the gruelling run I needed it...)

 

cute eh?  Inside, a beautiful soap... perfect.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Aoife!  It's perfect!

booh!

I know, I know, it's been a while... but I'm amazed I've found five small minutes to do even do this..

My parents arrived from Italy and my mum promptly got flu. Then No 3 had a bad reaction to a vaccine boost and immediately after got this projectile vomit-diarrhea bug whick kept me up for three nights. Then he gave it to No 1 - one more sleepless night - and we almost had to cancel our mother and son trip to London (more about it later).  Then Mr M got sick.  Then my sister got sick.

Luckily for me the postman has been very very kind:

 

 Tiel thank you so so much.  The book is beautiful, I love it and can't wait to do something from it... talk about eye candy!!

I've also received some gorgeous fabric from Carolyn which I haven't photographed yet but let's just say the boys are very excited by it.

Ohhh gotta go rinse my sister's hair... we're experimenting with some 'espresso' hair colour....

it's here!

the first issue of 'SewHip' has arrived...

 

and it's fab!

Now if you'll excuse me I have some reading to do.

life as I know it

an Easter garland in the making

a cute picture left on the blackboard in my room by a sweet boy

gorgeous post by a thoughtful friend

How was your weekend?

the good, the bad, and the lovely

THE GOOD:

Please don't ask me the name of this yarn...

I bought it years ago in Italy. 

THE BAD

This is my kitchen today:

This little hole:

is now this big:

Still not big enough.  Sigh.

AND THE LOVELY

My photo swap has arrived!!

Crystine sent me a gorgeous photo of shadows and branches and bird silhouette... and the most delicious turtle fabric.

And some fabulous flowers and vegetables seeds... do you think it's illegal to plant seeds from a different continent?

Thank you Christine, it was thoughtful and totally lovely!!

the postman always rings THREE times...

1) Wooden bobbins. 

A bargain from ebay I couldn't resist.

They remind me of my grandmother, an amazing seamstress who died when I was in my teens.  And who I will always miss.  She was one cool grandma. 

2) Parcel from Australia.

Catherine had a little bit of a give away on Australia Day.   Her patterns are the sweetest thing - check them out - and by the way, those TimTams? Gone.  In two minutes.  I can't believe I lived in Australia for almost a year... and never tasted them. Doh!

3) Last but by NO MEANS least my 'Coaster Swap' has arrived from Amy.  (She organised the swap too.)

Amy, I love them.

They're so nice that there is no way I'm putting dripping cups of tea on them...

I'm thinking of framing them.

And hang them in my studio.

What a lovely way to begin the week.  (For five minutes I'd even forgotten they boys are at home for half term!!)

randomness

an amazing morning sun

red sky in the morning shepherd's warning?  Oh dear.

post in (from Willow Valley Store)

post out...

Hope you're taking it easy out there.