Daffy Dillies And Other Flowers

My friend's baby boy arrived late on thursday night :-) but in my haste and excitement I forgot to photograph goodies before wrapping. Hopefully will be able to get a pic of him modelling them when I go and see him in the morning. Don't like him not having a name yet, feels odd refering to him as 'him' when that's what we have been doing for ages!!

Spring seems to have sprung in the corner of my garden, the girls spotted this when they were out on their bicycles this afternnon;



And while they were out I managed to have a go at this tutoral using some off cuts from my old jeans;



I scanned the tute very quickly when I spotted it and I really should have paid more attention to measurements. I kind of made it up as I went along (as usual) and have made the tiniest cuff in the world! Francesca had to wear it for the photo. I did make two more flowers though so can have a go at a bigger cuff when I get chance. I also thought the flowers would look nice a little bigger with a ribbon loop and stuffed with lavender? I am now on the hunt for some dainty floral fabric and will try out the scented flowers for my mother-in-law's birthday.

Daisie xxx

Cow Slippers And Football Pants!

A quick catch up on what's been going on here at Daisie Towers over the last week. It being half term and having loads of people in my house *stupid grin* for a whole week my poor old blog has been somewhat neglected.

Firstly I have to show you these lovely cow slippers that my mother-in-law brought along for me. The do look much better without the bad socks and hairy legs!


The children and I had a trip out to IKEA (we couldn't take Simon as we were in a micra as our car had gone for it's MOT) and we had a great time. The children love to open all the cupboards (especially now both girls can read the "look inside" stickers) and sit in all the seats and stroke the rugs and bed linen. They are lovely though and not noisy or rude like so many other children we saw while there!! We only got a few things but had a hot dog on the way home, well, you have to, it's the law! Isn't it?!

After car had been for said MOT test and all seemed well Simon looked closely at the certificate as he went to file it away and noticed that the odometre reading was almost four times the number of miles our car has actually done! A (slightly) stroppy phone call from me and Francesa, Nathaniel and I went back to the test centre to get a new one! Tsk!!! We left an under the weather Elizabeth to go back to bed while we went and thought it'd be a good idea to visit the charity shops and market while we were there. Francesca had a 50p in her handbag and insisted we put Nathaniel in the pram (and not in the sling) so she could help to push him as she is "such a good big sister". And what does a sparkly five year old girl buy in a charity shop with fifty pence? A sparkly fairy thing, that's what!! We also found an amazing knitting kit with a big ball of multi coloured chunky yarn and a pair of the fattest needles I have ever seen, all for 99p! Bargain!

I also found an amazing knitting supplies stall on the market (will make it a regular spot now me thinks) and she had an enormous box of buttons that were really cheap (2p each) so I spent ages searching through them while Francesca held out her hands for the ones I wanted. We also chose some lovely ribbon bundles. They seem to be between three and five metres long and were only 20p each!!! Then round the corner there was a craft stall that was closing down :-( but everything was half price :-) so we got some goodies there too!

We also have visited friends, watched movies and snuggled, read books and been very lazy this week and I think we all feel mightily refreshed for it. Except for poor Simon, having been let down by yet another plasterer (saying very bad words in my head!!!!!) he has decided just to sand the joints in the plasterboard so we can get decorating and moved in. We are thoroughly fed up of sleeping on the futon with Nathaniel between us and the girls don't have room to swing a cat in their room because of all the extra stuff stored in there. So hopefully with all his hard work this week we should be able to fit the coving and start painting in a couple of weeks, then get some bunks on order for Francesca's room and Bob's your sister's brother!

And now for the football pants. I would have posted some pics but fear social services may already be on to me? Nathaniel has been very aware of the goings on in his nappy for ages now and loves to tell you what's going on, his bladder control is great (and there was me worried he'd be hard work because he's a boy, one of the first things I thought when Val layed him on my tummy at birth!) and so the girls and I took him shopping for knickers. No, sorry pants! That is going to be the hardest thing!!! He chose ones with footballs on. They are so tiny and make his bum look so biteable (see told you the social are going to get me). He wears them when we come home in the afternoon and walks round showing off his "buutballs" and telling us all that he's a big boy. We haven't managed a wee on the pot but there haven't been any on the floor either. He likes to sit the dollies on the pot and tells them to wee-wee. So fingers crossed, we'll make a proper go of it during the summer hols (if he doesn't do it by himself first) and we will be a nappy free house by August!

There are lots of crafty goings on at the mo but can't show you any yet, I am making an amazing array of baby goodies for my friend who is due on thursday! Squeek! A very long awaited baby and loved to a million bits already. Very exciting indeed!

Daisie xxx

Julie

Today we have been raising funds to help us find a bone marrow match for Julie. Venues need paying, advertising needs to be done and The Anthony Nolan Trust needs more money. So lots of Julie's friends got together under the supervision of the lovely Helen and sold toys, gave away stuff via a tombola and raffle, sold hot dogs and made tea/coffe and generally had a great afternoon!

'Welephant' made an appearance (Julie being married to a fireman we'd expect no less!);



Nathaniel got to go in a BIG fire engine;



The girls got to play with a big hose;

They queued for ages to get their faces painted;

And here is Jemima (Julie's older daughter) to remind us what all the fun is for;

Not sure how much money we managed to raise in total but will let you know.

I have had a blog post ready and waiting in my head for a few days but events have over taken me somewhat this week. Normal service will resume (hopefully) next week and the "Cow Slippers And Football Pants" post will be published!!

Daisie xxx

Francesca's Fairy Plaque

One of Francesca's party presents was a plaster plaque with the moulding of a fairy on it. The kit came complete with pearly paints and glittery stuff and holes to hang it up with pink ribbon. She spent ages painting the fairy and making her very beautiful. She is slightly wonky and splodgey in places but I think you'll all agree that she'll look beautiful hanging on the wall of Francesca's fairy bedroom (when we get round to doing it)!

Daisie xxx

How We Laughed!!

Oh my!! My belly hurts, my cheeks ache and I nearly peed myself!

Simon has been being a man and has purchased several speakers and is trying to convince us all that surround sound is the way forward. Not sure any of us are convinced but with this aim in his mind he has taken up floor boards to run speaker cable all over our house! He did find some things that belonged to the girls and a few knitting needles under the floor that I suspect my baby boy had posted earlier, so it wasn't completely wasted time!

To get the cable to go in the right spots he uses an old electrician's cheat of running a retractable metal tape measure through the space first; it is more rigid and easier to direct (and you can reel it all in when it goes in the wrong direction)! When the tape measure has reached the other end you sellotape the cable to the end and let go, it ravels itself back up and hey-presto you have cable where you want it!

When all the cable was where is was supposed to be Simon asked Francesca to find some scissors and (and I quote) "cut the sellotape off the end" She found her lovely pink (left handed) scissors and went into the kitchen. A few seconds later we heard great shouts of anguish. "The tape measure's gone funny and now we can never get it out again!" She had just trimmed the first couple of inches off the tape measure itself! It was Simon's sacred Stanley and I feared the worst but after the news had sunk in neither Simon or I could speak for laughing. I nearly wet myself in the kitchen. Bless! The money to replace the Stanley is worth every penny for the mirth it gave Simon and I. Am sure it will become family legend (like the time when my brother and I were small and went to Guernsey for a holiday, he had forgotten to pack any underwear and spent the holiday wearing mine!) and will make an appearance at many a family gathering and may even get aired at her wedding. Sorry Francesca!

Then I saw this and thought I ought to have a go;

Your Real Name: (I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you) OK, then, Alexandra.
Witness Protection Name: (mother and fathers middle names) Ellen Alice Alexander.
Secret Spy Name: (your first name spelled backwards) Ardnaxela.
Nascar Name: (first name of your mother's dad, father's dad) Frederick John
Detective Name:(favorite color, favorite animal) Purple Cat.
Soap Opera Name:(middle name, county where you were born) Lynn Essex.
Super Hero Name: (2nd fav color, fav drink, add "THE" to the beginning) The Black Peppermint Tea.
Fly Name:(first 2 letters of 1st name, last 2 letters of your last name) Ales.
Street Name:(fav ice cream flavor, fav cookie) Mint Choc Chip Crunchie Oat (that is really bad)!
Rock Star: (current pet, current street) Josephine (or Vincent) Moore.
Porn Name: (1st pet, street you grew up on) Sophie Station.
Your Gangsta Name:(first 3 letters of real name plus izzle) Aleizzle (what?!).
Your Goth Name:(black, and the name of one of your pets) Black Josephine (or Vincent).
Stripper Name: (name of your fav perfume/cologne, fav. candy) Clean Hotel Chocolate (get me being all non-fragranced and posh)!

This was fun, especially as Simon's 'Super Hero Name' would be The Green Vimto!!

Although I had always thought that your porn star name was your first pet and your mother's maiden name, which in the case would be much better as I'd be Sophie Palmer. Much sexier than Ms. Station!!

And because it is a terrible crime to publish a post with no pics here are my babies being all posey some time last week (please excuse the snot)!!




Daisie xxx

Party Day!

And you could tell it is Francesca's party by the hair!!!


We played some games;




I ended up looking like Marge Simpson!!

My team also cheated and emptied the bucket of balls straight into my huge knickers instead of aiming and throwing;



My birthday princess;

And all her lovely birthday princess friends;

The hosts were named Queen Rose and Captain Blue and they completely made the day, thanks!

I know it has been a week since Francesca's birthday but her very bestest friend, Olivia, was born the day before and we never have our parties on the same weekend, that's alot to ask of parents, although it does happen sometimes that we all end up at two parties in two days!

Daisie xxx

Snot!

Sorry I have been away for so long but I have been feeling a bit poorly of late. If I was a man I would call it flu! I've had the shivers, the aches and lots of snot :-( feeling a bit better now though.

Not much making going on here this week.

I did make this lovely poppy bag for my Mum's birthday and filled it full of nice girly things;



I have also started making some cards for my new stockist at Botany Bay;



That's it for tonight and hopefully I will make something of interest in the next few days!

Daisie xxx

Happy Birthday Francesca, 5 Today!!

I don't have nearly as many pictures of the girls on the computer as I do of Nathaniel.

Here are the ones I managed to find of my smallest girl:

Francesca aged only a few weeks asleep on two year old Elizabeth;


Francesca aged about six or seven months dressed in her football gear (how fat was her face?);



Francesca and me summer 2005;

Francesca in a supermarket trolley sometime 2006;

Francesca last week ready and waiting to have her hair cut;

This is the very pink cake we had to eat tonight;

Happy birthday my baby girl!

Daisie xxx

Chick Chick Chick Chick Chicken!

Just a quickie to show you the sewing project of the other day;




I have delivered the bag (a bit late) full of birthday goodies to Swirly so can now reveal all. It's a very simple bucket shaped shopping bag but I embellished the sides with squares of aged denim (from an old pair of jeans) and added some felt scraps in the shape of, well, what else, chickens!

I also made this die cut flower from handmade paper and finished it with an antique mother-of-pearl button for her card;

My house smells yummy, just made some lovely leek and potato soup and fresh handmade bread rolls for tea.

Daisie xxx

My Crafty Daughter

I'm sure I've asked this before but do we pass on our craftiness in the genes?

Elizabeth 'had an idea' and spent ages over the weekend making this pencil, bracelet and ring for her friend Myah;



She made rather alot of pencils;



She had a box of assorted beads, some embroidery thread and a roll of double sided sticky tape. I think they look rather professional to say she is only seven;

Today I have been walking in the snow, sewing like a mad woman (not bags for the shop but a belated birthday gift), visiting SAMS, completing my first aid course (feel free to drop dead, have a heart attack, stroke, choke on something or drop into a diabetic coma now I know what to do), got a certificate and everything, making chilli beans for tea and munching on yogurty raisins (mmmmmmmmmmm)!!

Will, hopefully, be able to show you today's sewing project tomorrow when said item has been delivered (depending on snow, of course).

Daisie xxx