Reddy Made

Old friends and New additions

We had a wedding yesterday. The setting was beautiful. The weather was typically rubbish. The champagne was cold and very bubbly. And I got to spend time with old friends and their children, some I had never met before. I got to spend time with Monica who is always such fun and an inspiration (I did love the nail varnish - very cheeky!) And all the children got on really well. Ah bless!

I love weddings. I love getting dressed up. I love listening to the speeches.

I always get really emotional and I always say " next time I get married....!) - only joking, although fantasy weddings is a game me, myself and I have always played. Don't worry, its always about the dress! Thank goodness I have a daughter!

Its been a long time since I blogged here. My life has slid right back into the corporate mire and I end up composing entries in my mind that I never get round to writing. Sad really. I have gone back 4 days every other week, and 3 days the other. Its amazing how quickly life just sets back into the old routines. I really miss spending time with Edith, sewing away during her sleeps and listening to Jeremy Vine. However, not working is not an option. So there we have it. Work I must go.

But I still try and make the odd thing here and there. I am experimenting with little bags (its the credit crunch setting in)

And I am trying to be good, read my book for Book Group and learn all about chickens before they arrive (more on that later) and try not to spend my precious 1 hour a day doing bloomin Sudoku - guess what wins?

But best of all....my little boy has learnt to ride his bike! How proud am I. Istill remember the day I learnt to ride my bike. Don't we all? It's wrapped up now and planted in his brain. But for the time being he's too busy dashing about the place on a bike that's too small. Good luck Dylan. Next thing he'll be wanting a car.....

1 year ago today...

...my beautiful daughter came into world - and still haven't stopped counting my blessings. From the moment I saw her I fell in love. I love both my children equally, I really do, but there's something about knowing that I won't have any more babies that makes me want her to stay the way she is. I felt sad today. I felt really proud too. But I felt sad that the year has gone, and its just been too quick. I want to go back a bit, wake her up more and have those precious moments again. But I can't. So I keep photos and keepsakes and try to bottle that feeling.

Happy Birthday Edith

1 part pink, 1 part tomboy

xx

Some new friends...

I know its totally over the top but I wanted a tea cosy and I wanted a cute one - one the kids would love too. This is version 2 and the first gingerbread were a bit anorexic and slightly scary looking. Some of you may recognise the idea - this tea cosy is a homage to one of my favourite paintings by Sarah Jane Szikora called the Foolish Little Buscuit. For those of you who haven't heard of her, her paintings are truly delightful - I saw the print years ago for £150 which I am now kicking myself as today I googled and they were selling it for £1500! I wouldn't have sold it but I sure can't afford it now!

I celebrated the new cosy and first day back at school with a tea party, and a home-made Victoria Sponge! I've never made one before as you can probably tell by the wonky jam. I certainly wouldn't win a rosette for presentation!

This is my other new best friend. I finally gave in to my crappy sewing machine and splashed some cash on a new one. I can't tell you how many ways I love this machine, but if I had to name one, its the window bobbin. How many times I swore as I struggled to pull the drawer off my old one. And I mean swear. Proper swearing. Well, I was once a Transport Manager!

The second best thing is the thingymabobby that keeps your lines straight whilst quilting. Hoorah. No more rulers and pencil marks that never wash off. Now I'm not suggesting that my lines are any starighter but I did love the military way that arm stayed in line.  I experimented on a piece of fabric I had originally started some freehand embroidery on (and then got bored). Half an hour later I have a play mat for Edith. I had only had my machine 20 minutes before I started on this - and 15 of that was driving up the M4. Excited . Very Excited.

Oh and I have a new obsession. I'd like to call them corsages but they are almost the size of dinner plates! They nearly went on the tea cosy but the Naughty boys won the day. Any suggestions welcome.

But this one is staying as its not so huge and it makes my denim jacket feel all girly. I have to curb this flower fixation or I'm going to end up looking like a mad old lady!

However, at least I'm not wearing a purple beret. (Anyone who watches The Apprentice will know what I mean!)

Back from hibernation

It's taken a while. I really lost the will to blog. Big time.

Let's rewind a bit. Everything in my blog life was going great up until Xmas and New Year and then:

I stopped sewing

I went back to work

Our internet crashed for ages!!!

I'll deal with the second one first. It wasn't so much as a shock to the system. I was really ready to go back, and I'm only there for 2 1/2 days a week. But I forgot how much it takes over my brain. I become the Bionic Work Woman, and my mind can wander for hours about work and then I come around and realise I've not paid any attention to my husband and kids. Bad mum. I also stay away 1 night a week so I really have to overcompensate when I get back. Hence number 1. I couldn't bear to do any sewing. Which made me sad.

Funny thing happened though. I went to Hobbycraft and went a bit craft crazy! And I think the Spring air has done something to me as well. Won't write anymore. I'll let the pictures describe my craft overdrive - See you in July!!

Cupcakes everywhere

New cushions

Things called Brads which I had never heard of before..

which are now adorning my new travel bag (They are going to fall off but I couldn't resist)

I wanted to make the Jotta Lansdotter Everyday Tote but the pattern scared me.

Oh and wasn't the weather lovely for a minute there

New Year here we come...

We are on that slippery slope to the new year - all those review supplements, holiday adverts and detox diets. Oh and my favourite. Filling in the front of my new crisp diary. I love that feeling. I always do this too:

1. Put my birthday in as if I'm ever going to forget.

2. Ditto family birthdays.

3. All my paydays.

I also start a plain page journal at the beginning of every year and I can guarantee that in no particular order will appear thus:

1. Lose weight

2. Take more exercise

3. Drink more water.

4. Be nicer person

5. Save money

6. Spend less time in work.

The only difference over the years has been a slight downshift in my expectations ie Write a novel, solve world peace, editor of the guardian etc.

But one thing I can always guarantee. That same damn stone has got to be lost. How many times I've lost it is mindboggling.

At least noone can say I'm not consistent.

Well here's my other new list - books I will read (oh and my lovely new diary!)

Right, seeing as I'm in the mood, I'm reaching out to all you bloggers to see if like me you like making new year lists. Please send me a comment and put your lists if possible on your blog and I will send a special gift randomly generated from the comments. Go on you know you want to!

xx

Boys will be girls?

Well if you listen to a load of old nonsense. So what if my son loves his dolls house?

Its to share with his sister (and me!) anyway!

There have been a few raised eyebrows, but so what, he has years ahead of him to fight and play video games. I love the fact that he innocently plays with the toys he's given and doesn't question whether they are "girly". I am also blessed with a very chilled out husband who also doesn't freak out that our son doesn't wear football shirts and have a No1. Good on you Simon.

Anyway, to wind them all up (you know who you are even if I know you don't read this) I have insisted on making him a new school bag. I was told he would be picked on for being "different". Oh for heavens sake. Tell me, what boy can't celebrate some blue gingham and a camper

van? (modelled by Simon and his famous catalogue poses - honestly this is the only one where he wasn't pointing at something in the distance!)

Oh and I gave it a really cool lining. I've had this fat quarter for so long and didn't know what to do with it. Hey presto, some boyness.

 

5 years ago tonight...

I was eating a curry and having contractions in the local curry house!

Yes, my baby boy turns 5 tomorrow. I actually can't believe it. No I really can't. One minute he's toddling across the living room making his first steps and the next thing he's a 5 year old with all his own thoughts and feelings which he shares out loud -all the time!! If I think about too hard I get a wierd feeling, like when you scrunch your eyes up too tight for too long.

The thing I can't believe the most is that I have been a parent for that time too. Me? No way. You see parenthood has been a shock to the old system. Not a lack of sleep and no free time to go to the pub type of thing but the actual looking after a person who has their own thoughts that don't always gel with your own. Dylan and I are too alike. It's like the girl with the curl. When we are good we are very very good but when we are bad we are horrid. But just for today and tomorrow my big little boy can do what he darn well pleases. Cos he's the best. And he's mine.

Winter Wonderland

It nearly got missed out this year. I have moved the box from one surface to another I don't know how many times. I can't tell you how many "this weekend" I promised, which came and went undone.

But at last it is here - The annual gingerbread house!!! Hoorah. As soon as it was done I felt an enormous sense of relief and excitement. Even the husband commented that Xmas can finally begin. Phew. Dylan was over the moon if not a bit high off the icing and haribo.

It's mingled in with the Playmobil Xmas set which I thought was an inspired addition!

Xmas Thrifting

I decided that this year I was going to cut back on the madness. Some years I have have had at least 3 turkey dinners before the 25th. So with over-indulgence in mind I thought that I would try to:

1. Reclaim the true message of Xmas

2. Contain the Indulgence

3. Thrift where possible.

Number 1 has proved quite easy. Nativity Scene advent calender, Carol Service, Religious Xmas cards, check.

Number 2 has also proved easier this year. I have been seeing a Dietician for 5 weeks and recently dropped a stone quite easily. With this in mind I realised that Xmas is only 3 days, not 4 weeks as the retailers would have us believe. I had my first mince pie today and it tasted great. I did all my Xmas shopping today and bought what I wanted. However, on the 27th its back to basics again. This may seem a bit scroogish, but honestly, some years I feel so bloated I hardly enjoy my food. However, this is what happened tonight to my one and only box of chocolates:

Its actually now empty, but makes a great pencil box so not all bad!

Note to self though. Middle class shoppers in Waitrose freak out if you push a buggy around the aisles. For goodness sake how dare I take my children out at this time of year.

Number 3 has been the most fun. I've picked up a few tips off the blogs (too tired to reference with links but thanks to all especially Domesticalli for reminding me about Vanilla Sugar!). I've been scouring the charity shops and picked up some good books for the family:

My first New Years Resolution is to stop buying brand new books.

A couple of sherry glasses, glass jar for my silver and a lovely salt/sugar shaker for my neice. £6 for the glassware. Chuffed.

Oh and lastly, what to do when your house is just too small for all the Xmas cards (27+ from school alone)? Get the crimping scissors out and get your 5 year old to make some gift tags. Nothing original I know but lots of fun.

I've still blown the budget though. Oh well there is always next year.

Merry Xmas everyone. x

The Sewing Madness is finally over...

and at last Xmas can begin.

I have been so unbelievably stressed over the last few weeks and its all because I had left my Xmas orders until the last minute which is so me. Everything culminated this Friday when I finally finished and I have locked my sewing machine away until Xmas is over. On Thursday I actually sewed for 7 hours straight through finishing at 12am. I had a bit of a funny turn and couldn't sleep at all. I think I was so wired on cups of tea that I started to halucinate! Anyway, moan over (noone asked me to start this did they?) as for the last 2 days I finally got around to making presents for my family, and with my creative juices flowing I finally got to make what I wanted! This is the fruit of my labour:

Toilet Bags and Accessories for Mum and Big Sis

A tarted-up £3 apron for my mum off the kids

Pink indulgences for all the lovely little girls in my life,

Patchwork skirt and matching bag for my neice

and more bags because when I started I couldn't stop. If you met my neice Beatrice you would understand why. She is so beautiful and innocent and just loves girly things. Oh to be 9 again.

I am thoroughly exhausted.

Some things I learnt on the way:

1. I should say no more often

2. I should be charging more

3. I really enjoy seeing my stuff around the place

4. I should stop procrastinating and just get on with it!