Country show

When I was younger we used to visit the Town and Country festival every year. I loved it. There was so much to see. Foods to try, crafts for sale, demonstrations, animals, competitions, activities and loads more. In more recent years, I think I've only made it there once or twice. Last year it wasn't on at all and they decided to replace it with a "new version" of the old festival this year.

Rob's company had a stand at the Imagineering part of the fair, so he volunteered to work on Sunday at the fair so we could get free tickets (it's very expensive to get in). I have to say I was really disappointed :( Everything I used to love about the old festival has either gone or there was a great deal less of it. The whole thing had shrunk. There were only a handful of craft stalls (of which I wouldn't describe some as crafts because they weren't hand made items, or individual products).

Don't get me wrong there were some bits that I enjoyed. The few stalls that there were had some lovely things inlcuding one with all teddy bears and softies and another selling old fashioned wooden toys (I bought Alex something from each of these).

The imagineering fair was good fun (although not as interactive as I remember it being). The small person got to make a badge, play on some kids fitness equipment, paint pottery (which will be returned to us through the post after being fired in the kiln), played with mechano, talked to a very friendly robot (an shook hands with) who gave her a pen and some sweets after correctly guessing Alex's age, made a certificate on the computer and had a keyring made with her name cut into it (on Daddy's stand), played with goo on the mad science stand and a few other things aswell.

The small person had her photo taken for a cute baby/toddler competition run by a local paper (for under 5's) and also had her picture taken with Bob the builder and Darth Vader, a storm trooper, Bubba and Jango Fett, who just happened to be walking around (in fact the storm trooper was selecting some fudge from a stall) and we had some lovely Guernsey ice cream (which both the small person and bogert ended up covered in. Like father like daughter).

Alex badge making

Pottery painting

Talking to the robot

A little village made entirely out of knitted pieces. (I saw this in a book at the librairy months ago, but can't remember who it was by)

Later we walked around the classic (and not so classic) cars. I am in love with the teardrop turtle trailer! But again, there was a great deal missing from previous years (like the converted transit vans) and we waited for the aeroplane flyover that never took place :( We watched the monster trucks tear around the arena, which Alex though was great, then we watched them crush a line of cars which upset her and made her cross and call them "Naughty stupid big cars" They are not her bestest friends, apparently.

The "naughty car" moment

We spent the whole day there, and I did like parts of it (it wasn't a wasted day) but had I have had to pay to get in I would have been a bit anoyed and thought I'd been ripped off. It was a very shrunken version of what I used to love. Never mind.

Now I'm crocheting bows like mad. I haven't done much else crafty wise. We got hammered at work and it just knocked me out. All I wanted to do was sleep. So I did. Now, back to my crochet bows!

From my mothers mother......

....to my mother, from her to me and now from me to my daughter. What am I talking about? Learning to sew of course! OK, we're not using fabrics, but using a large eyed needle, a pierced piece of card and a strand of yarn, the small person has been learning the basics of a running stitch.

Considering she's not 4 yet, I think she did very well, and the best bit was how proud she was of herself learning to do what mummy does every day.

Tulip, Princess crown and Heart (that ones for Daddy)

I've been sorting through endless photos for the hen weekend book and have got most of the other bits and pieces off the other girls now. Not sure how much chance I stand getting it ready before the wedding, but fingers crossed, touch wood and all that jazz.

I've got around to making a few more of those crochet bows and playing around with size (although I still love the oversize one!) and I've also made 3 cards.

Top to Bottom ~ Grandad's birthday card (which didn't turn out exactly how I wanted, so I'm not too happy with it), Wedding card for our friends getting married a week on Friday, New home card for friends that move on the 1st of next month (to get it ready for baby number 2 due December).

Other than that I'm trying to get the fairy costume finished that's a gift for christmas. I ended up buying more elastic. The magical disappearing elastic never resurfaced (but I'm sure it will when I've lost something else I desperately need and elastic is not required on any current project). I just have the top to finish and then atach the 2 pieces together.

I'm also feeling very happy because I have actually bought some of my christmas gifts! Yay! Now I feel like I'm getting some where. I have my sister's, my godson's and my nephew's gifts. I bought my sister in law's birthday present today aswell, and my sister's birthday present last week.

As soon as we hit November that's it. I don't stand a chance. It's my mother in law's, sister in law's, mum's, dad's partner's and small person's birthdays all in that month, and it's our official anniversary (we celebrate the date we got togther more than our actual wedding anniversary, and this year it's 10 years!). Then suddenly Christmas is upon us and I'm running around like a headless chicken wondering where it all went wrong. Every year I say I'll be more organised, this year I'm trying hard.

Results of a crafty weekend

My! What big eyes you have!

My! What big teeth you have!

All the better for Mr Crocodile to look after Daddy, apparantly. This is the small person egg carton croc which she loved getting gluey making!

I told you these would become an obsession, but at least they may stop me making bags. For a little while. Maybe. Who am I kidding? We'll have bags and bows coming out of our ears by christmas.


Another WIP started this weekend. This is destined for a little girl's christmas present. (Not our little girl) now if I could just find my magical disappearing elastic, I might be able to get it finished, and I'll feel as though I've accomplished something towards the long christmas list.

I also made a start on Alexandra's party inviatations. When's the party? Oh, not until the start of December, but I like to feel organised. These are only started. I still need to add a ship and some writing.

Pink for the girls

Blue for the boys

Little pirate details. Made using the baby sizzix die.

Another WIP. Destined to be piratey goodies. (These are printed felt by the way).

We also got chance to try experimental hair dressing. This is what would happen if Princess Leia took a trip to Whoville.

And I got a start on the first of Alexandra's 2 halloween costumes. This is a Disney villain. Any guesses?

Here she is demonstrating her evilness.

Oh yes we've got to look out for this one. She looks pure evil....

.....especially in her Oopsie Daisy slippers.

Purple crochet

Craft I promised and craft there is. Yesterday I finally finished the little crochet bag. Purple this time. If I carry on with these, I'll have a whole rainbow.

I then felt the need to make this. I had to. I felt compelled. Now I want to make more! Lots and lots more. This could become a new obsession (like the little bags). So I only made a crochet bow all day? Alright, alright, but I have been to work you know ;)

Just so as you all know, Mr Bogert is gallavanting in Belgium with the boys (Stag weekend) so I'm having a craft, telly and nibble filled girly weekend with the small person. And I get the whole bed to myself. Doesn't get much better.

What did we get up to?

Now I've bored you to tears with my wedding album, I'll fill you in on yesterdays events.

I've been wanting to visit Cannock Chase after seeing this post on Cloudhopping's blog. So that's where family Newman spent a big chunk of the day yesterday. We had something to eat at the cafe for lunch, but if anyone else feels like visiting here, I would recommend a picnic of some kind. It was a bit pricey and really wasn't that good.

We stopped off at the play area, which I think is a really good one. I didn't even know it was there. Alex thought it was great and there were plenty of things she could go on even though she's only 3.

We walked the sculpture trail. Some items displayed I just didn't like or get (but that's personal preference, and I've always been a bit funny about "modern art" even coming from an art and design background). Other things I loved like the 3 bears chairs and the tortoise and the hare. The one thing I really wanted to see were the fairy houses!

We all really enjoyed walking around in the sunshine and spending time together. Alot of the sculptures are interactive. You could touch, feel, sit on or play them. The small person loved having the freedom to run around, and we felt we could give her that bit of extra space because she was safe (no cars, we could see her in the open space, and there weren't too many other people around for Alex to bother!).

On our way round, Alexandra made a new friend. His name is apparently "Kittypar".

We were going to stop at the play area on the way back again, but wanted to check little miss didn't need the toilet first. She was so determined to get into the play area, she just wasn't hearing us. She has a very short attention span, and you can actually see her eyes glazing over as you're talking to her. Rob stopped her, turned her to face him and got her to look him. Gently. (this is how we get her to focus). As he was talking to her very calm but seriously she was concentrating so hard on looking at Rob's face, she started to go cross eyed! I couldn't stop laughing and had to turn away. Then Alex started laughing, and the whole thing was just futile. Bad mummy.

We stopped at Melbicks garden centre on the way back. We ran around the sheds, summer houses and wendy houses, then had a good look at all the gifts and toys. They were selling off some old xmas decoration so we bought Alex a pink marabou covered bauble and some pink tinsel for her bedroom. I wanted the giant gold baubles, but Mr Bogert wasn't so keen :( Alex and Rob went to look at the animals and fish whilst I spent time in the craft section. I was hoping for some piratey or high seas inspiration for Alex's invitations, but no such luck so I just came away with a MIC blue paper pack and some white feathers that made me think of mini writing quills.

Fed the small person, left her to be put to bed by the grandparents and took a lovely evening stroll down to the hotel/bar/resteraunt at the bottom of the village. We both had steak dinner followed by a sharing platter of 3 different types of chocolate dessert. Mmmmm, yummy! Rob ended up with most of his around his face :D Then we took our drinks out to the terrace by the river (where we were the other day) and sat there having "grown up chat." This consisted of what we'd do if we won the lottery, the long list of places we want to visit and what we want to see/do when we get there, Rob's dream of reliving Home Alone 2 for himself, and what we'd do if we got to see Santa at Lapland. All very important topics for discussion.

And look! My lovely husband raided my craft stash and made me a card. He often does this now 'cos he knows I appreciate it more. And look at my gift!

Now that's a man that knows, loves and understands his wife. Not only are there 14 different sized crochet hooks here, but they're in rainbow colours!

I will resume normal crafty programming tomorrow ;)