A Cold day In The Woods

We had a lovely time but are soooo glad to be back in the warm with some hot chocolate!!

Daisie xxx

I Am Not A Photographer!

I've been cuteabled (is that the term?)!!!!! Very exciting, thanks Lynsey!!

I love being on cuteable, makes me feel like a proper person, if you know what I mean!? But it always amazes me how good other people's photos are, or more accurately how bad mine are.

And just to prove the point (as if I needed to) here's a brooch I made for my sister as a thank you;



Charlotte bought me a huge bundle of fancy yarns. Pink and gold fluffy, some multi coloured velvet yarn (already half a pair of bootees), some wonderfully soft heather coloured bamboo and a funky black and pink twist. As a Thank you present I made her a little brooch with the pink and gold fluff. I knitted a big chunky rosette and added some left over felt pieces in black and pink and then finished with some black glass beads and a brooch pin on the back. She rather liked it and it looked fab on her black winter coat!

Today we have Elizabeth's friend Myah with us so I need to go and paint some toenails in a bit and get everyone dressed and then we're off on a woodland adventure.

Tomorrow sees a day of shopping to spend the lovely Hobbycraft vouchers I got from my Mum and Dad and to spend Simon and Elizabeth's book tokens. We will probably find something for Francesca and Nathaniel too, would be mean not too!

Have a lovely day!!

Daisie xxxx

Boxing Day

Hello, hope you all had a wonderful day yesterday?!

We had lots of fun, opened some wonderful presents and ate lots of lovely food.

I need to state now that we will NOT be having a goose again next year. Don't get me wrong, it was very delicious and it helped me make the most amazing roast potatoes but it only just fed the six of us at lunch. None for sarnies or soup as we usually get from the trukey. Maybe I will pop into a supermarket when they reopen and buy a half price turkey so we can have 'leftovers'


We opened stockings bright and early and the looks on the children's faces make all the hard work and worry so worth it. Had eggs for breakfast and opened a few more prezzies.

We (well, Simon and the children) had half an hour in the garden while I set the table and dismembered the goose.

Bubbles, what a great idea, thanks Ant!!

We always have our friend Ant at Christmas (he is our spare, not really related relative) and this year he brought with him an uninvited guest;

And some funny hats;

We're off to the in-laws to do it all again later!!

Daisie xxxx

Christmas Eve

When else do you get new pyjamas and slippers and get to stay up late and eat take away curry and have sweetiees before bed?!!

Happy Christmas To You All!

The King

I just had to show you this pic of Nathaniel in his 'throne' I took yesterday;

Did you spot the new shoes?! He did cry and was very difficult and it took ages for me to make him walk in them but not nearly as bad as last time. He loves his new shoes now and likes to show you at every opportunity!

Off to deliver the last of the presnets later today. Then home to prep the veg etc for tomorrow (I will be too busy drowning in a sea of wrapping paper to peel potatoes and parsnips tomorrow), pyjamas on and as is the Davies Family tradition (of me and Simon's making) the nice chap at the indian cooks our tea on Christmas eve!

I love the full of curry, slightly drunk feeling when arranging presents and setting the table late at night ready for the big day.

Happy Christmas (or whatever else you will be celebrating)!!!

Daisie xxx

A Family Snuggle Day

I ventured out early this morning to tackle the food shop and the terrible crowds that go with it at this time of year. My friend Claire came with me, we left all the children with Simon. I did a super shop, got lots of bargains and lots of lovely food to eat! And maybe something lovely to drink too!! I didn't have the task of choosing a bird though as Simon bought a goose yesterday. Very excited!

Then once the shopping had been put away, the sandwiches had been made and eaten, nappies changed (well only one) and the toilet had been visited by us all we snuggled down to watch Stardust. It was brilliant. Elizabeth was glued to the screen except when there was kissing;



Francesca being the romantic that she is loved all the kissing;



The plot was a little much for Nathaniel and he fell asleep on the floor;




It was brilliant and I can highly recommend it!

Last few presents to deliver tomorrow and Wednesday and new shoes to buy for Nathaniel, please keep your fingers cfrossed that it isn't as bad as last time!!

Hope evryone elses preparations are going well!?

Daisie xxx

Finished!!!

Hurrah!!

I managed to finish hand sewing the letters and sequins onto these hotties and sew the main bodies together on the machine and deliver them;



Am really loving the one I made for Thomas, the brief was for a blue hottie with his name on that wasn't too 'babified' Think I managed to make it quite manly (or manly enough for an eight year old) with the deep grey fleece, mid blue band and denim letters, they should fray a little with time and give it a 'rugged' look! The brief for Hannah's was pink and sparkly and with Francecsa's guidance how could I fail!? The picture is not good because of the flash but there are lots of little seqjuin flower clusters all over the front. It has a blanket stitch finish to the fold on the back in yet another shade of pink!!

And I managed to knit this little yellow fellow for small friend in time for Christmas;




Making a shopping list and menu plan for next week, only plan on doing one food shop on Monday and then whatever we don't have we'll do without!

We have cake, what else is there?!!

Daisie xxx

Christmas Baking

Well, I was very pleased to see that my give away prize has arrived with Kelcey and that Lili looks so beautiful in my knitted clips! Happy Christmas Kelcey and Co!

The Christmas cake came out really well, slightly sunken in the middle but that suits me and Simon as we scoff the bits when I trim it flat!!




I put the marzipan on and I'm not sure if it was the lack of sleep, the coughing girl at my hip or the grumpy boy on the worktop but it looks a little slap dash to me but you can't see this layer when it's iced :-)



Iced it last night and made the Davies Family in fondant icing;

Me and Simon at the back and the children huddled together at the front. I have done this before but there were only four of us then! A variation on a theme but one that comes in handy when lacking in time and inclination!!

I also made four dozen mince pies for Simon to take to work, twelve Christmas buns to try and entice Francesca to eat something!

We are still ill. Me and Elizabeth less so now, just snotty and coughing with a sore throat, no more than a cold really. Francesca's chest is still very bad after a week of killer antibiotics and a regular inhaler. I took her back to see the doctor this morning and she now has a course of steroids to take but may need further treatment if not improved by Monday. Hope she is ok again for Christmas, it's awful when your four year old can't walk up the stairs without having to lay down and turning blue!

She is snuggling and sleeping lots which can only help;

But the 'Snotty Nose Of The Week Award' goes to Master Nathaniel Davies;

It hasn't stopped him smiling though!!

Still haven't managed to finish the hand sewing or the little bit of knitting I have been trying to do all week. Must get cracking as am delivering them this afternoon, argh!!!!

Hope everyone is well?

Daisie xxx

Lurgy, Lurgy, Lurgy

Blimey, we are so poorly!!

I packed Nathaniel and Francesca into the car to go and collect Elizabeth and bring her home for a quick feed before the evening performance of the school Christmas play. I was greeted by a very hot girl in tears complaining of "aching in my fingers"

Off home we went, I shoved some calpol down her neck and the children had a quick 'tea' of left over pizza and quality street! Always health conscious when in a rush!!

We collected Simon from work (he was skiving especially to come watch the play, shh) and went to school. Elizabeth went off to get changed etc while the rest of us went to find a seat. Francesca had fallen asleep in the car and was not in the best of moods but soon perked up when the rest of her class came on and she was able to join in all the songs. Elizabeth was up next and she was brilliant but she looked flushed and droopy:-(

We awoke this morning to the sound of coughing. I gave everyone some calpol and Francesca had her inhaler and her antibiotics and promptly went back to sleep. Nathaniel also went back to bed. Elizabeth seemed a bit brighter once the paracetamol had kicked in and had had some breakfast so we made our Christmas cake;



The fruit has been soaking for a week in some brandy, I didn't have enough so I topped it up with some sherry, they looked so fat and juicy and smelled delicious;



Elizabeth managed to put the eggs in without any shell! Here's an action shot;




I lost the family recipe (well, the one my mother-in-law uses and gave me on the back of an envelope years ago) so I just kind of remembered a bit and made up the rest. It looked ok when it went in the oven;

We'll see what it looks like when it comes out in four hours or so, fingers crossed!

I have a pile of hand sewing to do for some Christmas orders that needs to be done today so am going to dose everyone up again in a bit and put the fire on and bring down blankets and we'll snuggle up and watch some crap telly!

Daisie xxx

Busy Bee

Thanks for all your lovely comments and emails regarding my lack of 'going out' clothes. I ended up doing a mega shop with good ol' Swirly and got lots of stuff for Christmas presents and a knee length denim skirt (bit of a variation on a theme but there you go) and my long sleeved, not too old black t-shirt got ironed, don't think it knew what had hit it!! But when hunting in my knicker drawer (like you do) I found some beautiful Liberty tights that I bought when very pregnant with Nathaniel for only a pound (they were originally £25)! I was going to do a picture but they don't look as impressive laying on the floor/bed but had trouble taking a pic of them on my legs. Will get someone to snap me next time I wear them as they really are rather special.

The evening went very well and it was one of the few social situations I have been in for a long time where I have been the youngest! I'm usually the old bag element! We ate good curry, drank wine and chatted the night away.

Last weekend the girls and I made pizza;







Sunday saw a last minute dash to Blackpool to try and finish the Christmas shopping. There were originally lots of us going but due to childcare issues and prior arrangements there ended up just the three of us (my sister Naomi and friend Claire) and because I drive a Multipla, we all sat in the front! It was a proper girly road trip!!

A brilliant shop, all the things on my list ticked off! But when we returned to the car it was to find a penalty notice for not displaying a valid ticket in the car park. F***ing blind traffic guy! It had fallen from the windscreen (the sticky bit was still attached) but could quite clearly be seen on the dash. Needless to say a snotty email has gone to Blackpool Council and I AM NOT PAYING!!!!!

Francesca has been unwell with her chest (surprise surprise) and has been poorly all weekend. We were all invited to my Mum and Dad's for a Christmas celebration on Sunday as they will be in their little house in the Vendee for Christmas. Everyone was there; my sisters, my brother and his family, some cousins and a spare auntie and uncle. We all got a little present too!! She was so poorly that she couldn't even eat sweets (must have been bad) by six so it was home to bed! Off to the doctors yesterday for some lovely penicillin! Hasn't made a difference yet and we're playing the yo-yo game with paracetamol and 'brufen! She's ok, she can play and talk and read books, she worse, she's crying and shaking, she's really bad, sweating, crying, coughing and struggling to breathe, how long til the next dose!? Anyone who has children knows the routine and my sympathies to anyone in the same boat this week, it stinks!

She has missed being an angel in the school play (I could cry) and in a bid to cheer her up yesterday I dragged the tree from the attic. We sorted out all the lovely dangles and said we'd wait for Elizabeth to come home from school before we put the decorations on. Sadly by the time that happened Francesca was very hot and shivery again and didn't want to hang any :-(

Elizabeth, being such a lovely sister, put some of the pinkest and sparkliest dangles to one side and said we should save them for Francesca to put on when she feels better. She also put the 'Francesca' angel on the top;

Hopefully I won't be gone so long this time just listing all the fair stock (or some of it at least) on folksy and will be back soon with some pics of the current WIPs, mostly presents but not for people who come and look here!!

Daisie xxx

Wednesday Night Blues

Just been listing some hotties that didn't get nicked!

And the lovely Louise has been in touch to tell me she has started work on her website, go take a look here.

And that's it for now as I am feeling slightly fed up. I am going out with some Mums from school tomorrow night for a curry (proper, grown up event!) but most of my wardrobe is still in boxes in the attic while we wait for a plasterer and after nearly an hour trying on clothes earlier today with no success I have given up! So it'll be clean (ish) jeans and a snot free t-shirt (provided I can find one) girls :-S

Daisie xxx

Party Time

So here is a pic of my baby boy enjoying his first 'proper' Christmas party. He met Father Christmas and wasn't overly impressed but had the present anyway! He ate party food in the party hat he made last week and played games with his little friends.

I had to wrestle him out of his hat for his afternoon nap, he really rather likes it and I think it will be making a few more appearances over the next few weeks!

Daisie xxx

Me Thinks Christmas Must Be On The Way...?

Tonight I have been mostly writing the Christmas cards (while wondering why did we give our children such long names?!), drinking wine and making two dozen mince pies for the Christmas party at playgroup tomorrow!

Not long now, how many days left? Not enough, that's for sure!

Daisie xxx

Aren't People Horrid?!

Just a quick one, it's been a long, long day at the fair, I arrived just after nine (took an age to get there after defrosting the car and driving slowly on slippy roads in a strange car but that's another story) and didn't leave until nearly six.

I managed to break the glass lining in my thermos (we've had it longer than we've had children and it's been on many a jolly jaunt on the motorbike so I was gutted) so no coffee for me but luckily I was on the stall next door to the wonderful Sarah of Elegance Jewellery and she very kindly shared her flask of hot chocolate with me :-)

Then later in the afternoon Mr and Mrs Swirly came to say hello and brought along two small swirls, I was very pleased to see them!!

It was very cold and I didn't take my coat off all day and my feet are only just beginning to thaw!

But just before the end of the day I realised that some of my hotties had gone to new homes but had not been paid for! I feel awful, I wanted to cry and then wanted to shout at people and find who could do such a terrible thing!! There were a couple of girls who kept coming back and instinctively I didn't trust them (that's the cynic in me) and kept my beady eye on them as they handled all my clips and little things but missed them (or someone else) nicking the hotties!

And just to end on a nice note. A couple came by and spent ages chatting and asking questions and generally being very nice but left without buying anything (typical, three P's I thought) but she came back later and bought a 'little bottle of love' for his Christmas stocking and then a bit later he came back and bought a heart shaped brooch for her, ah! Romance, as they say, is not dead!

Daisie xxx

The Big Draw

It's a very serious business and Elizabeth used her ruler to make sure that each piece of paper was the same size in the way that only a neurotic seven year old can;



Elizabeth then photographed me writing the names onto the little squares;



Folding each piece carefully;

And in this one I seem to have fallen asleep (?);

She had lots of fun mixing the names all together and laughed so much I thought she was going to wet herself when some spilled on the floor (we did pick them up again);

We couldn't decide who was going to pick the winner so they all piled in and the first one out was Sweet Mess!! So, Kelcey, if you'll email me your postal address I can pop the little skate (and maybe something for Lili) in the post.

Blimey, that was very stressful, I may try doing it on my own next time but the pictures won't be as good me thinks!

Daisie xxx

Sqishy Squares

Well, Julie has been taken back into hospital until the new year so I didn't get to see her today. Big blow, made me very sad! I am delivering all your lovely cards and gifts to her husband on Monday and he will take them to her when he can.

I spent last night sewing these squishy squares;




I have made some with sequins sewn on but these have brads through the felt squares, I have sewn them into a cube (I use the term loosely), stuffed them and threaded ribbon through the corners. Think they'll look rather cool on a Christmas tree!

I am at a farmers market and craft fair this sunday at: Guy's Thatched Hamlet, Canmalside, Bilsborrow, Nr. Garstang PR3 0RS if anyone fancies popping along and saying hi?!

Daisie xxx

How Can You.....

....stay cross at a boy who is so tired he falls asleep standing up!?

Nathaniel walked up to me yesterday and sank his teeth into my thigh (ouch!) I told him 'no' in a very stern voice and sat him in the middle of the floor. He screamed and wailed and threw himself around and I stood my ground and ignored him, thought 'I'll give him a love when he calms down' but then he stood still, rested his head on the sofa and fell asleep. I could hear him softly snoring and could be cross no more. I carried him up to bed and snuggled him tight all the way.

It's been a long, draining day. The clinic went well (although not as well as expected due to the weather) and we added another 22 people to the Anthony Nolan Register.

And I can't count! It appears I came in in second place, not third as I had been thinking all day!! Der!!

Daisie xxx

Giveaway!!!

Well, I am currently in third place :-( but ahead of me is Niftyknits in first place and Lupin in second so I am at least pleased to be up there with the big players in online craftiness!

Thank you to everyone who has cast a vote in my favour and if you've not been to the big folksy blog vote yet you can see it here.

I have listed ice skate boot tree decoration in red, white and green here in my folksy shop as there has been lots of requests as to whether the entries can be bought (if I don't win then my entry will be available later too).

I found a beautiful piece of bright blue felt last night but sadly there was only enough for one ice skate. I have decided to have a little giveaway and if you would like to be the owner of this little blue skate;

Simply leave me a comment and I will pick a name from the hat (or mixing bowl as it was last time) on friday this week and then this little skate will be on it's way to you to hang on your tree in time for Christmas!!

Daisie xxx

Voting Now Open!!

It's here not there!

It would appear that the arse doesn't know what the elbow is doing, something like that anyway!!

Go say you love me (or my ice skates at least)!!!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!

Well, the post is not up yet but I know the running order and I am number 4 so scoot on over here and cast your vote, now (or when they eventually get the voting post up)!

Thanks, Daisie xxx