Open Gardens - part 2

Well, that's it all over and done with. We did manage to get around everything and the weather was far better on Sunday. We've taken lots of photos which I've yet to sort through them all.

The scarecrow competition was judged and the winner was the operating table (photograph in last post), we looked at all of the flower arrangements in the church, we stopped and had a ploughmans lunch at The Old Rectory (where I left my cardigan - mush for brains again!) and we looked at all of the craft things by the old smithy.

Our Pirate scarecrow

Sheriff Oaks

The man (David Salt) who does all of the metal work (from Wyvern Forge) had some beautiful pictures of creations either he or his colleague has made. Now if only I had some spare cash, I'd certainly comission a pretty new garden gate.

I bought a bowl from the wood turner to keep for my Grandad's birthday. It's made from local ash. Every time I see the wooden items at different village events (he usually has a stall at Christmas) I just love the smooth finish and the lovely rich colours and patterns of the wood. I made Mr Bogert buy me a lovely bowl made from walnut the last time we saw him :)

Unfortunately, the bee keeper couldn't make it on Sunday, so we missed them. I really wanted to see if they were selling honey. We did however spot a bees nest hanging in a tree in the churchyard :)

Also, I am very cross with myself >:( We walked past the wool spinning lady, but as she was taking a break and having a chat, I thought, well I'll just come back later. I forgot! So cross. She spins using fleece from the local farms, and I really wanted to see what she had for sale. Fingers crossed, she'll come to another village event soonish.

The photograph exhibition seems to have been quite well received. We're hoping we may have generated enough interest to get a new member or two, but if not, at least most people know we're here now. It didn't take long to break everything down either. Much quicker than putting it up! We'll keep all of the prints safe now until another time.

Here's a quick snap of how my personal display was arranged.

I also managed to get very slight sunburn. I put sun cream on, I just obviously didn't put enough on my ever expanding cleavage. Ooops. Mr Bogert found this amusing as I'd spent a good few minutes nagging him about his sun cream. It's not really bad though, not sore, just slightly pink and itchy. Thank goodness for aftersun lotion.

The whole weekend was finished off with a lovely BBQ. All those involved in some aspect of planning or running the weekend were invited round to one of the gardens for a get together. The evening weather was just right, and it was so nice to see so many familiar faces. We all brought our own meat, but our hosts provided salad, bread, drinks and dessert. We took extra meat and shared it with some neighbours from down our road and the man from the smithy who does the metal work I mentioned. It was a perfect end to a lovely weekend.

Obviously somewhere in the midst of all this we celebrated fathers day. Mr Bogert was treated to breakfast in bed made by the small person (so it was toast, a yoghurt and a banana), he had a huge box of chocolates which even he didn't manage to finish in one sitting (but blamed that fact on the 3 desserts he ate at the BBQ!) he got his Dad head which he was very impressed by, and his lovely hand made card. Alexandra ran him a lovely relaxing bubble bath and put his towels in the bathroom. So he actually ended up having a bath with Eeyore the Donkey and 2 rubber duckies. (He REALLY didn't want me to show any of these half awake pictures of him in public, so I'll just give you a really quick sneak peak.....)

(See. All gone.)

We also called round to Grandads to deliver his Father's day gift, and then met my Dad briefly at one of the local pubs to have a drink and give him his card and gift. Yep, we just about managed to cram everything in!

Today is my day of rest (after I've cleared up that is!)

Christmas countdown

It's getting closer and closer to my absolute favourite time of year, and jobs are slowly getting finished and things are coming to an end for the year, yet I still seem to have so much to do. Being a grown up and having "things" to do sucks a huge amount of fun out of the christmas anticipation.

Mr Bogert has finished work until Januray 6th (Yay!) so it's nice having him at home. He's even cooking dinner tomorrow! (This normaly only happens on Saturdays whne he makes curry, but tomorrow he's volunteered and aparantly roast pork is the menu :D).

We had our last camera club session last night where we discussed white balance. As usual we left it until the last minute to do our assignment from last time (which is pretty bad considering Mr Bogert runs the sessions and I'm suposed to be his tea lady/helper/general dogsbody). So darkness fell and we found oursleves 2 hours before the session is due to run taking photos of light trails over the A46 (or was A45? I'm terrible with roads and places!).

We had mulled wine (made by Mr Bogert) and mince pies and chocolate log, and we took pictures of christmas trees and lights. Very festive. So, anyway, that's another thing completed until the new year.

Today was the last day of term for toddler group, and as Mr Bogert made the msitake of being on holiday from work, he became one of my volunteers. We always have a little tea party for the kids on the last day of term before christmas, with christmas music and mince pies and chocolate log for the mums and other carers. I managed to get the final presents for the kids on Sunday, so they were all wrapped an labelled. I had loads of fun giving them out because the kids looked so happy (and it was a releif not to have to store them any longer!) although several were far more interested in the mini selection box than the actual gift! Another thing done until new year. It feels good to finish things :)

I got to play Santa!

You may remember that I mentioned the small person had been feeling unwell? Well she went to the doctors with her Daddy, and it turns out it was a chest infection made worse by the fact that she has asthma. Poor thing, so now she has to have an inhaler which she really hates witha a passion. But she is getting used to it. As soon as I get chance I'm going to make a nice little bag for her to keep it in (as she'll have to take it with her to nursery and other places). Bright side is, she's now much better and back to her monkey-like self.

Another things checked off our list is our trip to see Santa. We always take the small person to the same garden centre every year to see Santa because they do it so nicely. You follow the brightly coloured triangles on the floor through the garden centre to get to Santa's grotto. Then you walk through a winter wonderland (which is in a heated marquee outside) into Santa's living room where he has a fireplace, a christmas tree, bean bags for the kids to sit on and he sits in an armchair himself. They see the kids through at about 3 at a time, but they don't rush you. Santa chats away for quite a while to each child and will pose for photos as you want, then he sends you through another door into his toy workshop whre you can exchange your voucher for any toy on the shelves. Part of the tradition is we always take Grandma with us. (my nan)

After we browsed all the gift shelves and craft section (obviously!) and also the christmas decoration section. Oh if I were rich I would blow a bundle of cash on the decorations alone! Then we sit in the cafe for a drink and cake before the samll person drags us to the pet section to show us "Nemo" and "Dory".

Now crafty wise I have much to do. I need to finish the mini bunting so that it can go on Alexandra's tree (she has a mini white tree in her bedroom. I did say we were Christmas mad in the Wishes house, didn't I?) I need to finish her scarf, or it will be summer by the time it's ready to wear, I still have the other snuggies to make (another 3, but they are quick) and then I have a couple of other little things I'd like to make that I wont mention just yet, just in case of nosey parkers :D

Mini Christmas bunting in progress

I did also make this.

What is it? It's a jumper for my phone. Well, actually, it was a practice bit of kintting I did to try and remind myself how to cable (remember, I'm a crochet girl. I can knit, but it's very slow going and not incredibly polished), then I was so pleased I hadn't messed it up, I wanted to use it, and it was too small for most things. So here it is. A cabled jumper for my phone, and he's toasty warm.

Ooo! And I've joined UK Handmade. I have been a busy girl, haven't I?

That thing that was getting to me a while back still isn't resolved, but I've grown used to the thought of it being there in the back of my mind, so I'll just carry on regardless. Completely unrelated to that, I may have some news which made me far more smiley than usual, but You'll just have to wait and see.......... :D

Pom poms! Hurrah!

After I finished chatting away on here yesterday I acually got around to a quick craft project that was actually a neccessity. Pom poms. What do you mean pom poms aren't a neccessity? Of course they are. Christmas is just around the corner and they seem to be very popular for the festive season this year. I've seen people making pom poms for gift decorations, to hang from trees, for winter warmer knitted items and even some fabulous pom pom door wreathes.

My pom poms are a neccesity because I need something extra to brighten up and fill out our toddler group tree for the church Christmas tree festival at the start of next month. I was going to just buy some itty bitty baubles, but seeing pom poms on tons of other blogs I thought that was much more fun and definately in keeping with the children theme. And pom poms, come on, what's not to love!? Only trouble is, the ones I've made look so lovely and bright and fluffy, like a pom pom rainbow, I wish we had a bigger tree so I could justify making more :)

One extra crafty foot note before I go. I made a snuggie yesterday. (That would be after the blogging and before the pom poms, and somewhere in and around the knitting of the scarf). Now for those of you that don't know, a snuggie or a slanket (apparently slanket came first and snuggie was a copy, but slanket doesn't sound nearly as nice as snuggie) is a big blanket with oversized sleeves so you can have your arms free or wear it. Mr Bogert has demanded he own one.

The one I made yesterday though is for the small person for Christmas and was super quick to make. I used an existing fleecey blanket from Primark so I didn't need to hem (and it actually worked out cheaper than buying the same amount of a similar fabric. Go figure!). I used a zig zag/over edge stitch so it finished the edges of the sleeve seams at the same time as stitching them together. It was super quick to make which I'm very pleased about because I have another 3 to make in time for Christmas day.

Wow. That's a long foot note.

Show and tell time

As promised here's the piccies, although I don't know why I bothered waiting, the light still wasn't good :(

These are the fabrics (well minus one blue fabric) all cut and ready for the recovering of the chairs. A plain orange and a turquoise/greeny colour with sea prints on (like red crabs, blue and pink shells, green seaweed and orangey other bits). I wanted something bright a fun looking. I've used the original covers taken apart (and carefully labelled as I went) as pattern pieces. These will replace the very worn red and white stripe covers that are totally ingrained with dirt and have been used since I went to the group as a toddler! I'll post before and afters once I'm done.

These are the small person birthday party invitations. Some of you who visit my blog regularly will have seen part finished versions of these anyway. Blue for the boys, pink for the girls. The little pirate was cut using a baby sizzix die. The bandanas were cut freehand using printed paper. The ships were found on the internet and resized then cut using tiny nail scissors. the "ahoy shipmates! Party sighted! banner was created in photoshop and again cut with tiny nail scissors. The sea was cut from various blue papers in my stash with scallop edged scissors. I tea stained some A4 printer paper and printed out the inside wording on this using "arr matey" font. I got rather carried away with the wording and just hope the parents get what I'm on about and don't keep their kids away from the party because they think I'm a loon!

"Ahoy Shipmates!

Ye be invited t' Captain Alexandra's 4th birthday bash! We be in need of shipmates t' swab the deck, so come dressed in your best pirate finery. (fancy dress)

We set sail on

blaa blaa blaa

so chart yer'course fer

blaa blaa blaa

and join us fer some fun, games and grub.

Wave yer flag if ye be attendin', if not ye'll have t' walk the plank!"

This is the latest knitting project I mentioned. It's not going too badly, but I remember why I favour crochet. I find it a great deal harder to keep track of what I'm doing and where I am in the pattern (yes, even on something as simple as a scarf). Crochet also grows much quicker, so you have finished results much quicker. I must admit, I do feel as though I've acomplished more doing a knitted item. This is the easy part anyway. There's still matching wrist warmers, leg warmers and hat to go with this. The pattern is from the Autumn special of Women's Weekly Knitting and Crochet. If I don't completely mess this up, I want to try knitting something for Mr Bogert, but we'll see. It may take me until next Christmas to get this finished!

And finally, of course yesterday was Tuesday which means toddler group. We just had a free painting session. Partly because this was one session I didn't have anything planned in advance for and didn't have much time, and partly because we don't do nearly enough painting at toddlers. It's always sticking because it usually turns out less messy. I don't mind the mess (well, not at toddlers anyway) so I say paint away! I did use pudsey bear colours though. After mentioning this to the small person she decided she wanted to paint pudsey. Can you just about make him out? Over there on the right? With arms legs and ears and very red face? And he's surrounded by his spots :)

I still have heaps to get through before christmas. I hope me and my crafty makes get there :)

What! No pictures!

I thought about taking piccies of the things I've been doing and want to tell you about (and lets face it, I'm the Queen of too many pictures!), but by the time I got back from my Nana and Grandads it was far too dark to get any decent photos. So in a rare moment of photographic restraint, I promise to show you tomorrow.

I finished Alexandra's birthday invitations and they've all been sent. The goody bags are filled (minus cake, obviously) now that the eye patches are all done, and they're all lined up looking rather pretty (even if I do say so myself) as we've used pale blue and pale pink paper bags.

I've started a little knitting project as a chritsmas gift for the small person. It's so weird trying to get back into knitting. I've never been a strong knitter and all I've done for the last 18 months or so is crochet. I was fine until I came to purl and my mind went blank! Several tries later and it all came flooding back! Let's hope the project turns out usable :)

I've also been sorting out the christmas gifts for the toddler group kids. Every christmas if they're going to be there last day of term, they get a little gift (which comes out of the money we've collected from weekly payments) and we also have a tea party. Shopping lists coming out of my ears! Lists for gifts, lists for tea party food, lists for the small person's birthday, lists for xmas day....... Now I just need a list to keep track of the lists!

Over the weekend Mr Bogert and I went to our village art club exhibition. There were some lovely paintings and drawings. I'm too short on cash and wall space to invest in a piece of art though :( Mr Bogert says I'll have to paint our own. We also spoke to the people running it because we (photo club) are sharing exhibition space at the christmas fayre in a couple of weeks time. So we have photographs, mounts and labels to prepare.

Mr Bogert has finally given in to my gentle prods and signed photo club up for the christmas tree festival at the church too. I managed to get some battery operated lights from Wilkinsons (but then found some cheaper ones at Ikea!). So now we need to prepare for that! More photos 6x4 this time to peg onto the tree, and toddler group is making pine cone angels next Tuesday for the toddler group tree (I'll probably be making some brightly coloured pom poms too to fill out the decor) Phew! We don't like to make things easy for ourselves.

Sunday was our 10 year anniversary (not wedding, just togetherness). Can you believe that! I can't, it's gone so fast. The first year together we counted every month and it too a long time to reach that magic 12 month milestone. Now all of a sudden (or it feels like it) we're 3 houses, 1 child, several jobs, a wedding and 10 years down the line! I hope the rest of it doesn't pass this quickly, I'm quite enjoying it! :D

Mr Bogert bought me a lovely long length knitted jumper with a hood. Funnily enough, I bought him a cable knit zip up wool jacket. It must be a thing that once you get so far into your time together you feel the need to buy knitwear to keep them warm and snuggly instead of raunchy underwear or romantic things! I supposed at least it's a step up from a set of saucepans (although I think I'd be really quite happy with them too!)

We promised each other no computers etc, hence the no posting. In the eveing we left the small person with a babysitter (in the shape of Nanny) and went for a curry at The Five Rivers in Leamington. So very yummy. We had big plans for pudding, but were far too stuffed by the time we'd finished our mains.

Mr Bogert also had the day off yesterday so we could have a proper "weekend" together (with me working Saturdays). We had to have more Starbucks eggnog latte. No really, we're addicted now and it's impossible to resist it's call. We just had a nice chilled family day together. Ikea, dobbies garden centre, a christmas movie and an action movie (whilst knitting, with many comments of "you just missed that!" "are you even watching this?") for after the small person was deposited in bed.

Ikea made me want to spend lots of money again. I didn't, but I did spend some toddler group money on fabric to recover the falling apart mini chairs for the reading corner. I have been cutting out lovliness in 3 fabrics all afternoon. Well, I like it anyway :)

Of course, all this has left me thinking that today is actually Monday and I'm living a very confused day.

Pictures, I know, tomorrow. I promise.