Thursday 24 December 2015

Happy Christmas!

Happy Christmas from the tinned Santas, 
 the heads and various creatures, 
 the Christmas puddings,
 Christmas Amineko, 

 and the Brussels brothers.

 The Nativity set is from the boot fair. When I bought it the woman had a tale to tell-she was getting it out and couldn't see the baby Jesus. Christ, where's the little baby?! I said to my daughter, Christ. the little baby's gone!'' Made me laugh. The box it is in is an old radio case I found on the street. It makes a perfect Nativity setting.

Friday 4 December 2015

Fair Tomorrow

These are the things I have made over the last few weeks,  for the fair I am doing tomorrow,  in Staplehurst, Kent. I have more stuff including hand printed wrapping paper,  but this is the recent output. I have been crocheting at any opportunity to get everything finished. I put the last hanging loop on a Santa about ten minutes ago. The car is packed and I am ready to go! 
 The week has been so busy at school and today I was just waiting for home time. My colleague was off sick and I had one supply EYP and our regular one that we have on Fridays. They were both very helpful but it is not the same when you don't have your normal staff. I had to make gingerbread men with the children which I found to be a bit stressful, especially the morning group. Lots of the children were behaving uncharacteristically today, for various reasons, but added together it was hard work. On top of that Tiger was ill last night and I got a vets appointment this evening and was worrying about her all day. The vet checked all the basics and said she is fine but to monitor her and consult with him next week. She has been sick and had a bad tummy and just could not settle last night. She seems better today anyway and has been eating and sleeping normally again so hopefully she is fine. I am just looking forward to next week where I won't have to crochet for a reason and can try out a few ideas I have had that I have had no time for. (The one I am most excited about is cute Brussels sprouts with faces, inspired by a BBC advert on at the moment where a little sprout goes about his day being constantly rejected,  until he finds some people who love him.)


All my Santas look surprised due to the goggly eyes I used. Perhaps they forgot what time of year it is and have just realised.


Hope whatever you are up to that you have a good weekend!

Tuesday 1 December 2015

Sunday 22 November 2015

Seasonal Stuff

Santa head number one. He now has four friends and is hoping to have a few more. I am making them for another craft fair on the 5th December in Staplehurst Church. Also with Dad.
 His beard is merino tops, needle felted on at the top. It should stay unless tugged!
I have come over all House and Garden today, planting daffodils and tulips, and baking an apple, honey, cinnamon and vanilla cake (delicious! and my own invention). I found some ice around the place. I think it was frosty this morning though I didn't see it as I actually had a lie in (something I find hard to do these days which is annoying)


 The garden centre where I went for bulbs is stacked full of Christmas trees. I liked the trowel/fork decorations on this tree at the entrance.
New arrivals-a doll who came in the post for my birthday this week. She is from my sister in law and was found in Corbridge in Northumberland. Isn't she sweet? I love the little French knots for hair. The little bear came from a charity shop. He looked too lonely where he was and I like his sad face and little bow. They go well together. They are sitting on top of a Modern Family DVD so perhaps they are one.
 A clip on crochet mushroom. This is another fair idea but it took a surprisingly long time for something so small so has been rejected!
 The weather finally became cold this week. This double rainbow was spotted by one of the children in my class on Friday afternoon. It had just sleeted and the sun had then come out.
This is Mia the cat, one of the residents of the Cats Protection League shop in Eltham. She was very friendly and followed me around the shop on Saturday for fusses.
 Finally some flowers. I am lucky to be given flowers by four of the girls in the afternoon nursery class every day. One of the girls painted an old bean can silver, so I could use it as a vase. Friday's selection was particularly good!

Thursday 12 November 2015

Craft Fair

Last weekend was the craft fair with my Dad. It was in this little hall in the hamlet of Stubb's Cross (apparently the name means that there was a gallows there). I went down early on Saturday to set up, and left my stuff there for the Sunday. I took my Mum there on Sunday for the last bit of the afternoon. The last one I did here was very quiet and I didn't sell much. It was quiet this weekend too but I did sell quite a few things and didn't do too badly. I wasn't really doing it for the money, more to spend a day with Dad. I enjoyed the weekend but was really tired as I spent quite a lot of it driving! I went to get Andy late on Saturday night as he had been out in Kent with my brother. We drove back at about midnight and it was fantastic! Hardly anything on the roads and street lit motorway nearly all the way home, plus the radio (which I have only recently got back in my car) was playing really good music. Perfect driving!

My Dad escaping from the camera!
 My stall. I sold some cards, all but one of my hedgehogs, a doll, some trees and a Christmouse. 
 My Dad's stall. 


 There are sheep in the field next to the hall. I am not sure what breed they are but they are beautifully rounded looking. They are sheltering from the rain here.

 I am doing another fair with Dad in December. It is in a place called Staplehurst. My aunt and uncle live there and it is in the church next door to where they live. I am looking forward to it, and am, yet again, busy making stuff. School is really busy at the moment (when isn't it?) but I am trying my best to fit it all in.

Saturday 31 October 2015

Friday 30 October 2015

October

Home alone and watching a scary East Enders (which I don't usually watch) so I thought I would quickly say hello to the blog. I do not seem to have the inclination to write posts at the minute, not sure why. I have had a good October, and am now fifty, which I find a little hard to believe. Andy took me to Devon for my birthday which was lovely. We stayed in an inn right on the sea with a balcony on the flat roof outside. It was beautiful and relaxing. In other news I have been continuing to work full time at the school up the road and have agreed to stay there for the year with some part time work next term. Not sure what made me change my mind apart from the kids being great and a feeling of 'this is mine' after all the hard work I have done. I have been trying to get lots of crochet done as I am doing a craft fair with my Dad really soon-not sure but I think it may be next weekend. Anyway, below are a few pictures of the last few weeks.
 This is Alexandra Palace where I went three weeks ago for the Knit and Stitch show. I went with Joan, my Dad's wife, as her friend couldn't go because her husband had had a fall. I really enjoyed the day, and unfortunately was tempted by quite a lot of crafty things.
 Giant crocheted flamingo on the Toft stall.
 Pretty face.
 Amazing exhibit of a knitted and crocheted fish stall.
 A crocheted black sheep I made because my friend couldn't buy one anywhere for her nephew's birthday.
 The beautiful part of Devon where we were staying. It is a place called Babbacombe, just outside Torquay. This is the view along the beach from where we stayed.
 The pub we were staying at is the white building on the left of the picture with the red roof. 
Andy on the path. It looks a bit dangerous in the picture. It is fine for adults but I would not take young children along there unless they were tied to me!
This made me think the fairies would appear at any minute. 


 You can walk along the path to the next little cove where there are beach huts, a good cafe (which has only just been rebuilt after being washed away by the sea) and a funicular railway which saves the legs.
 We went for a walk through the little village of St Marychurch which is quaint in the extreme. I loved this shop front.
 And this proud looking dragon on a gate post.
 Back along the path I saw this crow. He posed for a few pictures. 
 This is on the side of the toilet in the car park near the pub. The place is at the bottom of an extremely steep hill which we walked up and down about three times. Cars go into the car park to get a bit of a run up at the first part of the hill.
 Free to take away.  
 A lovely iron S on the sea wall. Not sure what for. 
 This was on Wednesday. The one day I have devoted to craft this week. (I spent three days working and still didn't finish everything. It can wait till next week now) I was making Christmas cards. Cassie wanted my chair as it was very sunny.
 Yesterday in Greenwich market with my friend. This dragon head is huge. I love this man's stall. He always has very interesting and tempting things.
Right, back to the crochet. Hope all your weeks/months have been fun!