My Lucky Day

Hello, my head is feeling as if it may explode at any moment so imagine how much better I feel for winning Terri's super giveaway, am over the moon, I never win anything!! Can't wait for it to arrive, thank you!!

And then I get this lovely award from Ruth;

Here are the rules for this award:

1. The winner can put the logo on their blog.

2. Link to the person you received your award from.

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4. Put links of those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message on the blogs you've nominated.

6. Wear a posh frock if you like, lots of bling and make a speech, but - sorry - no red carpet

I would hereby like to give this award to Jenny, Twiggy, Julie, Iggyjingles, Sharon, and Terri.
I know that's only six but I don't have a huge collection of bloggy pals and Ruth has already awarded some of the blogs I would have awarded. Does that even make any sense?!

Am off to bed again with some paracetamol and a huge glass of water. Fingers crossed for a pain free head tomorrow!!

Night, Daisie xxx

Teaching My Baby To Knit

Well, after not getting dressed yesterday we thought we'd do the same again today (I can hear social services banging on the door now). We have all been bathed and stuff. Not very lazy!? Elizabeth and I both have temperatures and sore throats, I have the startings of a migraine (again) am hoping that some paracetamol and an early night will see the end of it. Simon is marking like a madman as they all have to be done by Tuesday!! Francesca likes being a home bird and is wearing her pyjamas with a denim jacket and high heeled dressing up shoes!

I have been doing some more baby knitting, we have done lots and lots of pictures and made swirly snakes to hang up (when we get round to it).

I have started a cardigan from Jenny's book in really soft lemon yarn. The girls have both shown an interest in learning to knit so today I thought I would try and teach them. Francesca found it really hard and has given up. I'm not sure if it was hard to show her as she is left handed or just because she is only four. I have ordered a knitting dolly (Nancy) for her online so by the end of the week she'll be knitting strings for me to make into coasters and badges and bracelets and stuff. She is not overly disappointed.

Elizabeth on the other hand took to it like a duck to water (as they say) and has knitted a book mark! It is a little loopy in places but for a first attempt is marvellous! Well done Lizzie-Loo!




I think it may be while before she's making these though;

I vow to get dressed tomorrow and have also said that we will be walking to and from school/nursery everyday this week (unless the rain is so bad we are in danger of drowning). I am in need of losing some more of my baby weight (Nathaniel is a year old after all) and am saving the petrol that is left in our car for a trip to IKEA on Friday for our tea! Am so excited, the thought will keep me going all week!! Haven't been since it was my birthday.

Daisie xxx

A Real Find!

After complaining to Jenny last weekend that I never get lucky in charity shops or car boot sales look what I found last week;

A beautifully old "Mackintosh's Quality Street" tin, not sure how old the tin is but Simon's Mum seemed to think it was older than Simon (ancient then!).




It was filled with all sorts of lovely sewing goodies. There were a dozen zips in assorted lengths and weights;

A bundle of clippings from bras and knickers; lengths of greying elastic and fabric bits with hooks and eyes that had been cut from out grown or too tired to repair underwear before it got turned into dusters (just love the 'make-do-and-mend' vibe). Needless to say these promptly went in the bin! There was some prehistoric sellotape. Little cards with sew-on press studs. Assorted keys. A small collection of bobby pins and hair clips. And the best was waiting at the bottom;

Lots of amazing buttons. There are lots of 1970s plastic ones in lots of lovely colours but there were also some wonderful 1950s buttons that had obviously been taken off a coat or jacket. Little ones, big ones, plastic ones, glass ones, metal ones and all for only £2!! What a find!

We are having a lazy day as Simon is marking (still, poor man). The children and I are not yet dressed and to be honest I don't think we will be until tomorrow. We have watched some dire children's telly, had a picnic lunch and I have knitted some little bootees. A good day so far.

Hope you are having fun too?!

Daisie xxx

Daisie Davies' Cushions Is Comfy!!

Look what I have found here!

And about cushions;



Need I say more?!

Daisie xxx

A Little Cottage.

Here are the walls;


Here are the windows;

Here is a little house;

Looks like Swirly was right! I have knitted a tiny wee cottage tea cosy for my mother-in-law. Am really pleased with it. I had to buy a teapot for her as I measured her everyday pot when we visited at the weekend and the walls I had already knitted were too small! Note to self; measure pot before starting project next time.
I have put the pot in it's cosy and put it in a straw basket, the tag simply says; "A little cottage for your little cottage" Hope she likes it.

Here it is with her other present and a cake that Francesca and I have made for later. Francesca complained that there was only one candle but I fear it may be a fire hazard if she had one for every year (she is 21 after all!).

I made her card with a peel off stained glass window circle that I have coloured over acetate and then mounted on torn handmade paper square. I would show you but it's in the oven drying, ran out of time as usual!!

Spaghetti bolognaise is awaiting her arrival. Good food, cake, hand crafted presents, am I the best daughter-in-law in the world or what?!

Daisie xxx

My Beautiful Daughter!

I know this picture doesn't really tally with the title of the post, just let me explain. This is my beautiful daughter Elizabeth. She is losing teeth to make room for her 'big' teeth to come. One fell out at school today so it was brought home wrapped in a tissue ready to go under her pillow. As soon as we were through the door she announced that she needed to write a note to the tooth fairy;

For those of you not accostomed to the scrawlings of a six year old it says; "Dear Tooth Fairy, my top left tooth fell out a few months ago. Can you try and find it? Francesca has also lost her first tooth, it will probably be in my bed. Love from Elizabeth and Francesca xx xx"

When teeth are lost the tooth fairy tends not to come as she only really wants the teeth. Elizabeth thinks that because she'll come for the one under her pillow she may leave money for the last tooth that came out and was misplaced and leave money for her little sister too. What a lovely ssiter she is (sometimes)!

Just to show you that my daughter Elizabeth is beautiful both on the outside and the in!!

Daisie xxx

* Francesca survived the dentist this afternoon. She had a small cavity (told you I was the worst mother in the world) that has been filled and anything with sugar in it is now banned until further notice (until I give in as my guilt subsides).

Another Clue.......

These are the other materials I will be using to create my mother-in-law's present;


It's coming along quite nicely but I will be knitting like mad tonight as she is joining us for tea tomorrow (argh, thought I had until Thursday)!!

A thrilling (NOT) day here as Francesca and I are off to the dentist, she woke this morning with tooth ache :-( poor baby! I am filled with guilt. I feel like the worst mother in the world, I allow her sweets and drinks other than water (am a very bad mother indeed)!! I brush them everyday and we all go to the dentist twice a year and still they (the people in whte jackets and splash proof goggles) make me feel it is all my fault. It is of course, sorry Francesca!!

On the plus side, the sun is shining!!

Daisie xxx

Buttons!

My friend Lynsey is the jammiest person I know when it comes to finding bargains and amazingly good stuff. Today she came home with enough buttons to open a shop! The lovely woman let me fill an empty button tube with buttons of my choice (how nice is she?!) squeal!!!

It wasn't a totally altruistic act as I do make cake for her!!

This is what I chose;

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, off to stroke my buttons!!

Daisie xxx

Can You Guess What It Is Yet?!

Here are some of the materials I am using for my next knitting project;

I will post a picture of the other things I will be using tomorrow.

If anyone* can guess what it is I'm making; I'll make another one just for you!!

The only clue I am willing to give is that it's a gift for my mother-in-law's birthday.

She will have the completed gift by Thursday so check back then and see if you were right!!

Daisie xxx

*kaekaesmum is banned from entering as she already knows what it is!!

My Purple Knitting

Here is Tara's purple cushion with a 'T' on it. Quite pleased; it looks and feels lovely!


And here is the pink chicken I made for her card;

Far too tired and fed up to write anymore tonight, am going to bed instead!!

Daisie xxx

Is The Tooth Fairy Coming?

What a day! Must first tell you some slightly frightening and equally exciting news, Francesca has lost a tooth! I panicked at first and thought there was something wrong when she announced her gap. The hole is fine and clean and pink and she doesn't remember the tooth coming out and it's not sore, I know it's a bit early for her second teeth to be coming but I am convinced that is what's happening (will ring dentist on Monday to check anyway). She was only eight weeks old (stupidly young) when the first two teeth came through! The tooth was definitely there when we had lunch but had gone soon after when the girls were making a 'den' on Elizabeth's bunk bed. We thought it would be very funny if Elizabeth got bitten on the bum during the night, ha ha! But we can't find it and wonder if the tooth fairy will make an appearance tonight or not...?

Breakfast was brilliant. I opened the can and found this;

Chopped it up, rolled it and turned the dough into this;

Baked for fifteen minutes and then served with hot coffee;

They went down very well, everyone enjoyed them. Will be doing this again some other weekend. Or because it was so easy Simon may be doing this anther weekend?

I have been card making and general crafting this morning and have made the chicken in a different colourway. I cut all the pieces from brown card and layered them up with foam pads to give the wing and the tail a fuller look. Am rather pleased with the finished card, hope our niece, Kirsty, is too as she turns 21 this weekend!

I also finished my purple knitting project (the one that hurt my finger) today and it is sewn together and stuffed and looks brilliant (even if I do say so myself)! I will post a picture of it tomorrow when it has been delivered to the birthday girl.

Simon is still marking, poor baby, but the end is in sight! The house smells good as I am baking a lemon and orange cake for Tara's party tomorrow, pics to follow as I always like to show a bit of cake!!

Daisie xxx

This Is Bad, Very Bad.....

We did Simon, oh my god, we are the perfect couple, although he's never going to let me forget that he is more superior than me!!

87 As a 1930s husband, I am Very Superior Take the test!

Daisie (the inferior wifey) xxx

I Am Superior!

Hello, just a quick one, lots of blogs I read have taken this little test and come out rather badly. Thought I would give it a go and was very surprised (and secretly pleased) with the result.

I admitted to cooking in my pyjamas, using profane language and being a gossip and still came out quite well. I think the fact that I have three children may have helped as it asks you how many at home and you must get points for each child, I think.

Am going to make Simon do it later and find out if he's as good a husband as I am a wife!

Have a go, it's lots of fun.

68 As a 1930s wife, I am Superior Take the test!

Daisie xxx

A Good Day!

It's not even twelve yet and it's been a wonderful day. We went out earlier than usual to drop Simon at a "different work" as Francesca calls it, he's not in the usual place today. Traffic was horrible coming back across town and we only just made it to school on time, minor crisis! Elizabeth has never had a late mark and it would cause her such pain if she did. We made it though, panic over. Dropped Francesca at nursery and she wondered off quite happily for a change. She has been unhappy about being left for the last two weeks since she started visits to big school, I have discovered after many heart to hearts that she is frightened that they will forget to look after her at school. Poor baby!

Nathaniel and I then went into town to the huge post office to post some exam scripts back to the board (Simon marks A-level exam papers for the extra pennies, what a good husband) and then did the charity shops, no joy there, as usual! I think I must be the unluckiest bargain hunter :-( but then on the way up to do the supermarket shop, completely on impulse I went into the pound shop and got these;




Probably not the best glitter glue ever produced but for only a pound who's going to fuss? The colours are fab and they have a really precise nozzle on the top. At that price, the girls can use them too!

And after a huge shop, my fridge is full;

Since becoming a mother I worry that we'll run out of food or that the children won't get enough fruit or veg each day and nothing gives me greater comfort than knowing that my fridge and cupboards are full enough to sustain us should there be a disaster (not that there will be). There are yogurts, strawberries, lots of lovely fruits and veg and also some treats. There is coleslaw (I only make my own on special occasions) for tonight, the girls and I are making pizza after school. There are also some samosas to go with the curry I'll make tomorrow. There is an amazing treat for Sunday breakfast. It's a bit of a cheat. I have never used it before and am very excited at the prospect. It's six croissants in a can. The dough is all done and you simple open it, cut it into triangles, roll it up and bung in the oven and then fifteen minutes later you have fresh croissants! And to make it even better I bought it on Tuesday when I visited a super cut price supermarket type place and it only cost me 69p! Am sure there will be pictures tomorrow!!

Nathaniel asleep after eating a banana and a rice cracker while shopping, it takes it's toll on such a small boy and I have had a wonderful lunch (yes, I know it's early but Nat was awake at 5am so I gave up and got up just before six so it has been a long time since breakfast) of reduced price steak ( a lovely mature piece that was reduced on Sunday afternoon from nearly £4 to only 40p) gently cooked and sliced and placed between two slices of wholemeal bread with lots of lettuce and lashings of mayonnaise, mmmmmmmm!

And I wanted to finish today (sorry, I have been waffling) with a picture of Elizabeth that I took the other night as she read to us from her school reading book; "What's living in your house?" All about the things that live in your house (not children, husbands or even cats), ugh! We were all itchy and scratching by the time she'd finished!!

Daisie xxx

Busy Busy Bee!

Have been busy knitting, my finger is better now (I have formed a nice callous) but the thumb on my left hand is a little achy. The joys of knitting! My purple project is nearly finished and will be ready for delivery on Sunday. I get impatient with slow projects though and have started the next one (for my mother-in-law's birthday on the 26th) already!

I have spent the week recovering from my poorly, poorly, head, cleaning, play grouping, boobie-clubbing, knitting and making cushions.

And just because I don't like posts without pictures, here is an arty shot (courtesy of Simon) of the girls in side the panopticon at Wycoller Country Park a few weeks ago when it was sunny. Where has the summer gone by the way? Is it with you?!

Daisie xxx

Daisie Cloud

I've been having some fun on wordle, give it a go!



Daisie xxx

Muck For Luck

Hello, had a day off from blogging yesterday as have had the migraine from hell. It started on Sunday night and just got worse and worse. I have managed to eat today (sandwich at lunchtime, which is the first thing since Sunday afternoon). Spent most of yesterday either asleep or with my head in the toilet. All the children and Simon were wonderful, made their own toast and everything!!

In my vomit ridden dehydrated madness last night I remembered that it was my friend Caroline's birthday on the 12th, I had forgotten (bad, bad friend!!)! Caroline is great though and will understand fully and not hold it against me! I was very organised too as I had bought her present during the January sales!! I even found a really good idea for a chicken card. She keeps chickens in her garden. Here it is;




And just for my friend Claire (AKA: KaeKaesMum, see comments) here is a picture of the bird poo we found INSIDE my car last Friday! We had been shopping and had picnicked in the car so we could feed the boys, how we didn't notice a seagull with it's arse through the slightly open window - I don't know!! We nearly laughed ourselves to death when we noticed it. Lucky I didn't put my arm in it whilst driving!!



Daisie xxx

PS: Go on over to Ruth's blog and check out my giveaway goodies, they finally arrived!!

Happy Birthday Nathaniel!!

Hello, I have just spent ages looking at pictures of my baby boy over the last year and deciding which to share with you. If you were here with a cup of tea and a piece of cake I'd show you them all but to put them all on blogger would take a year in itself! So here is a year in pictures.

June: Nathaniel aged just two days in this one, please note Francesca's terrible chicken pox, it was a hard week for her!!






July saw the purchase of our car and digital camera, lots of lovely adventures over the summer holidays;

August was warm and his little arms looked so scrawny in short sleeves;

In September he turned into a smiley little man;

October, brought more of the same;

November was the start of the cold and we snuggled after school with our pyjamas on before tea;

Nathaniel's first Christmas brought lots of fun (and some new socks);

In January his Daddy taught him to fly, I'm not sure how I managed to take this photo as usually when Simon makes the children fly I have to leave the room or at least close my eyes! To his credit he's never dropped one of them;

Nathaniel had wonderful fun with Francesca's birthday balloons in February;

In March he helped me cook;

In April we took this embarrassing pic when Elizabeth made him wear a pink headband (there are lots like this and I hope he can forgive us);

In May he got windswept on Fleetwood sands;

In June he loved his Mummy;

And turned into a big boy;

Happy first birthday Nathaniel, we love you lots!!

And a very happy father's day to all the Daddies out there!!

Daisie xxx

Today Is A Special Day

Find out here what I mean. Wish I'd known sooner and I could have arranged my own event, one for the diary next year.

Just had to show you this cute picture of Nathaniel and Li-Bau. We went on a shopping day yesterday, the car park ticket had run out but the boys needed boobie and Claire and I were hungry too. Didn't fancy putting any more money in the machine, so we opted for take out food and went and sat in the car. We figured we could heave our bosom and flutter our eye lashes if a traffic warden came our way!! I popped up the middle seat in the front of the car and the boys sat there and shared some chips, cute or what?!

This was the highlight of the day, shopping a bit bad. Got Elizabeth some school socks, some hair things to go in the birthday box, some white knickers for me (yawn) and not much else. I was looking for some jeans but was unsuccessful!

Am taking the girls shopping this morning and have found in my purse a Dorothy Perkins voucher that I was given for my birthday, may have a look in there for some jeans!

A day of making with the girls as it's Father's Day tomorrow and it's Nathaniel's first birthday too!!

Busy, busy, Daisie xxx

Groovy Footwear!

Elizabeth was given some shoes that her friend Kae-Lei had out grown, she is rather smitten. This is what I found when I went up to make sure she had actually put on her pyjamas as asked;



I think the too short pyjama trousers and the grubby school socks set them off a treat, no?

I have finally finished Ruth's gift, here's a sneaky peek;



All packed up now and ready for the post in the morning, hopefully she'll get it tomorrow and then I can show you picks of what's i inside. Quite exciting because I have
Made My First ATC!!!
Can't wait to show you and make some more...

Night, Daisie xxx

Will I never tire of scrolling text, me thinks not, sorry!!