It hasn't been all poo and trouble, I got some lovely new slippers that make me smile;


The utilities company still hasn't been to sort our little problem but I am trying not to think about it too much, instead I am looking forward to a play date with my lovely friend Laura and her beautiful children.

Daisie xxx

Looking On The Brightside

I currently hate, yes tis a strong word but it's what I feel, the local utilities company. On Christmas morning the toilet was flushed and our bath filled with sh*t, oh yes it did, merry christmas all! And to make it even more horrid, being at the end of the terraced block, it's not just our sh*t. We were reassured, after being on hold for almost an hour waiting for someone to answer the phone, that with the frost most call outs were for the fresh water team and the drainage team were relatively unbusy and raw sewage in the house would make us a priority case. I braved the In-Laws alone on boxing day while Simon waited here hopefully, they eventually came out yesterday, jet washed our bit and said they would send a camera team out today (no sign yet). After Simon rodded the drain over 5m and could not reach the blockage we are sure it's a problem in the main sewer and needs sorting pronto. So no solids through the toilet, in a house of six it has not been pleasant but any more information that that is unnecessary to share.

On the brightside, which I must look to or else I will cry, I got to do this with Sebastian;

And for maybe the last time ever I also got to wash Nathaniel in the kitchen sink;

Daisie xxx

Christmas Day started at 1am when Nathaniel was woken by his big sister going for a wee, who in turn woke Francesca and we were all awake until 3am. Elizabeth woke again at 7am, very respectable, but as all her siblings were still asleep and she wanted to wait for them before she opened her stocking she joined me down stairs where we prepped the lunchtime veg and made toast and coffee. When we got back upstairs, the turkey safely roasting in the oven, we all sat on the bed and the children opened their stockings;


Simon bought us a new camera, hurrah! And these were the first two photos we took;

I love this bit of the day best, when it is just us. I love to hear their excited squeeks and see their smiling faces. I sometimes feel I am the luckiest Mummy in the whole world with the most beautiful babies ever known;

I am also amazed by the sheer joy bit of shiny tat can bring;

Later in the day Iron Man came to see us;

There was some serious Mummy Bag Love going on;

We had a wonderful lunch and lazy afternoon, enjoying Dr. Who before bed.

Today has seen a bit of a rerun at the In-Law's.

I hope each and every one of you had a special day too.

Daisie xxx

Bad Pictures Of Good Makes

How on earth is it Christmas Eve Eve already, argh!!!!! Pass me some more wrapping paper and a couple extra days please!?

Well there are several things that I think were just wishful thinking on the 'list', the placemats are not made, but we don't really have space for a big fancy table for lunch on Saturday as the front room is not quite habitable yet, so that matters not. The bears/robins I had planned are nowhere near even cut out but the small people they were destined for have lovely gifts regardless. Elizabeth's skirt remains unmade but there is a reason for that which I'll share later. My cardigan still has only half a back and I only have half a wristwarmer. But the people who are important to me all have a small gift, be it planned or improvised and that's all that matters really.

Simon has had some small workie men 'helping' in the front;


I did manage to knit some deep red wool petals and felted then in the sink to make my friend a flower brooch similar to one she saw at K&S which was £28! It's not just as delicate as I had hoped for but am quite pleased with the outcome and hope she will be too;


Nathaniel's bag has buttons;

I made this from two huge napkins I got in the summer at the scrap store. There is enough for a pencil roll but I just haven't had time, a new years gift maybe.......

This is why I haven't made Elizabeth's skirt yet;

I got this fabby fabric at K&S for a fraction of the price I had seen it at elsewhere, still expensive to me but well worth it. I haven't made the skirt as I think this fabric would make a great swishy skirt with a net lining, kinda rocksbilly? I want to know what she thinks before I cut into the rest but didn't want to show her as it would spoil her bag suprise.

The dinosaur still needs legs and Francesca's lacy scarf needs finishing, there are a few presents left to wrap and some alcohol calling my name so I'll be off for now.

Daisie xxx

*The pictures are awful, am hoping Father Christmas finds time to bring me a new camera and if not some daylight :)

Custom Monkeys

A while ago, well bloody ages if I'm honest, a friend asked me to make two monkeys for her two sons for Christmas. Being a friend and me knowing that they weren't needed until late in December kind of pushed them down the 'to-do' list. I feel bad, very bad. So yesterday while at home with a poorly Francesca (she was too ill to do her play *sob*) I cracked on and got them done;


They are steampunk inspired;

I love the guy on the right and his little felt waistcoat with silver button and vintage key;

The other one I'm not just as keen on. I wanted them to be different as they are going to live side by side and need their own identities but I would have loved them both in waistcoats with funky button watches! I had it in mind to make some flying goggles, I made some in felt but then abandoned that idea as I didn't want to give the poor little boy nightmares! I ended up embroidering around his eyes, they look a little more like specs than goggles but I'm pleased with how it makes his face look.

I so hope they're not a let down after the loooong wait!

Daisie xxx

The Law Of Sod

It was July 2001 the last time I was employed (thrity six weeks pregnant with ELizabeth, huge and hot) so it's been a very long time. Starting work this week was a little scary, I feel alot of guilt at leaving Seb in someone elses care while he is so small but to be honest he's having a great time with his new carer and new friends and has barely missed me at all. I feel bad that Nathaniel is spending two full days at nursery school. I have been trying to convince myself that I'm not a bad mother. I take them at nine and collect them again at half three so not a long day away from Mummy and time enough for cuddles and fun before tea and bed.

I was welcomed warmly on entering the centre yesterday and asked to sign the staff work sheet, all felt very official. I felt like a proper grown up and everything! I am working in the baby stay and play group first thing so I set up the creche with lots of enticing things for very small people. There were some of 'my' mums in the group that I have been working with for sometime, one lady asked me where Seb was, I replied he was with the childminder. She looked shocked and when I explained that it was because I was being paid for these hours (he comes with me for my volunteer hours) as they had given me a job she jumped up and embraced me and said it was 'about time too'. I went on three visits with the family support team and met two expectant Mums who I hope to be seeing again when their little bundles arrive.

All was going great when nursery school phoned at 2 and asked me to come and collect this;


And then school phoned and asked me to come and collect this;


We have all had the sniffles and a bit of a cough/cold for a week or so. Seb has antibiotics for a chest infection, he is somewhat prone after his pneumonia last winter, but is quite happy and smily in himself. The centre manager was very kind and supportive and we all made jokes about what the odds would be!

It was the staff Christmas gathering last night (I had already been invited as a volunteer but it was nice to be 'real' staff and not feel like a fraud) and we all went out for a curry, really nice to be together outside the centre.

I came home to some very poorly children indeed. So after a trip to see our family doctor today my fridge now looks like this;


I think it may be a long weekend!

A big thank you to my MIL for popping over this morning to sit with the poorly people so I could go and do my baby group and get some paper work done and a thank you to for my manager for not minding that I didn't quite complete my first week at work!

Daisie xxx

I Learnt A New Trick!

Thanks for all the lovely supportive comments on my last post, I must apologise for not emailing back but it's all been a little mental really. I've done most of my staff induction, Sebastian has been visiting the childminder with me and his brother and goes for a while by himself on Wednesday. I start work on Thursday, argh! It's like being a proper grown up and I feel slightly out of my depth but in a giggley excited way, am sure I'll get scared at some point soon!

The dinosaur still needs some legs knitting and Nathaniel's lovely bag still needs buttons, I have knitted half the back of a cardigan for myself (will tell more soon) and knitted half a left hand warmer, Elizabeth has been measured and a muslin of her skirt has been made, two fronts of placemats have been quilted (and are the right size)!

Here is some of the Christmas bunting I made (and a dinosaur having a snooze);


This one is spare, I was going to put it in my shop but the pictures are awful and the light is terrible but if any of you are interested email me and it's yours for just £8, would make a lovely seasonal gift for the person who has everything?

I only had a small amount of this blue with festive bears on so I made just two sets of bunting for two special little boys who made an appearnace this year;



And this is the new trick I learnt;


Look closely, are you impressed? I am! A lovely customer (my bestest customer ever, who had me make a bag for her a while ago and then make another and another for many of her friends who also want to stash their essentials in the most amazing bags ever*) asked me to make a very understated bag for her 16 year old little sister. I was assured that this was the upmost in flattery that a girl of such an age would want to own one of my creations. She specified a black bag with a bright pink lining, a loop and button closure. Check. But my lovely customer just thought that was all a little bit boring and not very DaisieDavies at all and asked me to make a funky corsage to go with it, that way the customer could attach it and try to influence her sister's style but her sister could also remove it and wear the bag as she wanted to.

I would usually have knitted a flower or rosette and embellished with beads and buttons but felt this would be wrong for the bag owner so I found a Kanzashi flower tute and some bright pink scraps and the twin of the button on the bag and created this lovely thing;


I hope she likes it!

Daisie xxx

*blowing own trumpet, please forgive me! x

A Working Mum

Ooooh, I have had a busy day! A fornight ago an advertisement for a part time family support team member offering specialist breastfeeding support appeared in a children's centre where I do some volunteer peer support. I applied. I got an interview. After slogging through the snow to nursery and then school and then the centre I just had time to swap my wet wellies for some smart shoes. I had a haircut last weekend especially. I bought new trousers (and managed to escape the house without snot or banana on them). I was grilled (or it seemed like it) by the head at school and the centre manager. I left feeling there were so many things I wanted to say but forgot. I felt like I had completely fluffed it. I got a phone call an hour later. The post was mine, did I still want it? YES!!!!! It's just two school days a week and they have allowed me to work termtime to fit in with my own children. I am over the moon. I start next week. I haven't stopped smiling yet.

Back In Blogland

The good old HP is back at home and the best news is it still has all my pictures and other stuff intact, needed a new fan or something, didn't really understand the guy in PC world, not technically minded, so just nodded, smiled, said thank you and legged it from the store to come home and stroke my 'pute!

So quick update, although I don't have pictures of everything to show you yet.

Some sparkly buns, I really love the specialness that glitter adds to cakes but the day I made these I also managed to make a sparkly curry and potatoes and naan, well, when there's a theme work with it I say;


Please turn head to left shoulder;


This was the view into my mega stash cupboard that once upon a time was half full, really tidy and well organised and is now, well, words fail me. I have managed to get some sorting done and have cleared a high shelf for storing the festive gifts from small hands and eyes.

I also sorted a pile of coordinated fabrics for my fabric buckets (as yet unmade) and placemats;


I mentioned before I made one and it was a little small, I have upscaled the pieces and have them all cut out but just haven't had time, this is the first one for you to admire. Front;

And back;

There are now a whole party of monkeys in my Folksy shop ready to be rehomed in time for Christmas;

I have made several custom order slouchy shoulder bags, here are two;

I went yesterday to the K&S in Harrogate, we got there early as we'd left plenty of time not knowing how far the snow had spread, it wasn't too bad here and the roads had been cleared etc. We had a great day and I have lots of buttons and some lovely things for gift making and a personal knitting project that I will share later in the week. It started snowing, alot, around 3pm so we revisited one or two stalls we wanted to go back and grab bargains from, went for a wee and set off to the car. It was hidden by about five inches of snow, horrid, cold, blowing horizontal snow. It was like being held hostage in a Christmas card!! We set off very slowly, the roads had not been gritted! It was very slow indeed, especially when there was a lorry stuck in Blubberhouses, it was very slidy and very scary, from skipton it was gritted and still slow but moving in a safe manner. It took us three hours to drive what had taken us 45 minutes earlier in the day! I found this vid of skipton to blubberhouses on youtube, it shows you what the road is like, it wasn't sunny, or light, or clear, you couldn't see the edge of the road or the car in front or the sky or the sheep!

Anyway, we made it in one piece with only one hairy moment which I'm not dwelling on today.

Off to find a blanket and some knitting!

Daisie xxx

I Said It So Well Last Year

I said it so well last year that I'm not going to say it again, nothing changes, it's still the same, we're just a year older but no wiser :)

Happy anniversary Simon, xxx

Slow Down Time, Please

Another pictureless update;

The computer is still languishing in it's sick bed, oh come on already will you HP!!

I have completed five sets of festive bunting and posted two off already, I have lots of triangles left so am in need of making some more!

The manbag still has no buttons, I am just too fussy and cannot quite find the right ones.

The dinosaur has a body that is stuffed, a row of knitted plates on his back and is just awaiting some legs.

The hat/scarf combo is finished and ready to wrap.

The place mat pieces are all cut up and pieced ready to sew together when I get some time.

There is a Francesca Mummy made gift on the needles.

Elizabeth's measurements are in need of taking and I must get cracking with her Mummy made gift.

And, I saved the best until last, we have a wall, a proper hallway and everything. We have a shoe rack and coat pegs and am so happy with it I want to keep going out so I can open the front door and walk into it :))

Ceilings next Saturdy and K&S on sunday, a lovely weekend ahead, just have to get throught he week first!

Daisie xxx

Triangles, Trianlges Everywhere!

Only a quick update as the computer has followed the example of the camera and has died a death on me, it's currently at the HP hospital and I am awaiting it's return to me soon! Elizabeth has very kindly allowed me to use her tiny wee acer (good job I don't have fat fingers is all I can say!) so I thought I'd drop in to let you know that the hat/scarf combo that wasn't on the list is nearly complete and Nathaniel's manbag is made (and looking rather brilliant) and just awaiting buttons, I have cut out about forty thousand festive traingles, have sewn some together, have ordered and taken delivery of the tape to make them into the ultimate in eco decorations. I made one placemat but it all came out a little bit smaller than I had planned so off to the greaseproof paper to draw up another pattern. Not bad progrees on the list front and we have taken up all the floorboards in the front room and replaced them with spangely new ones, I really was that excited I nearly weed, can't wait to be able to show you some pictures. Please remember when I say we I actually mean Simon!

Daisie xxx

I Would Really Like.....

..... to make several gifts for Christmas this year as well as things for my beautiful, coming along nicely thank you, will be habitable by the end of December, handmade home.

I have lots of things planned in my head and wanted to just write them down for the record (I may make a list in the sidebar so you can see my progress and shout at me if it gets too slow).

For the house (you will soon realise Kirsty is not a patch on me)!

2 (if not more) quilted fabric buckets to sit beside the sofa for knitting and magazines and such stuff that usually clutters all surfaces in our house.

8 quilted table mats, I have taken inspiration from several posts about mug rugs, up scaled the whole idea and have a plan!

A table runner to match above.

A curtain to hide the bean bags and vaccuum behind in the cave under the stairs (which will be much more visible when the wall is knocked through and needs to be pretty).

For Christmas Gifts

1 knitted dinosaur (started but a long way to go for young master Sebastian).

1 man bag (for Nathaniel).

3 sets of bunting made with festive fabric.

1 funny hem skirt (Elizabeth's request, I'm going to measure her and do the Cal Patch thing and then get her to draw me the hem line she wants and do it in secret for a brilliant christmas suprise).

A mahoosive blanket/quilt affair for our bedroom, a gift to Simon and myself.

A fruit cake.

Several batches of mince pies but will leave til December.

A festive robbin.

3 fleecey bears.

1 green sock monkey.

I'm sure other things will pop into my head but I can't think of anything else I need to make at the moment......

So I just need to cram all of that around four children, school, nursery, seven hours peer support, playgroup, cooking etc.

Thank goodness I have someone to help with the house work;


Daisie xxx

Boo!

I have never gone in for the Haloweenie thing, it just doesn't sit right with me. I feel like the Celtic new year celebration and some roman catholic saints celebration has all been mashed together and hijacked by big companies trying to make money. It has got bigger and bigger in recent years and I feel it's very much an American import. Haloween was never like this when I was a child.

Anyway, thanks to Disney and Club Penguin (social networking for small people) my girls have been a little obsessed this week so I gave in and we had a great afternoon carving pumpkins;


Elizabeth drew on the eyes, Nathaniel was in charge of noses and Francesca designed the mouths, I then got to work with a very sharp knife;

And we had delicious pumpkin and chilli soup for our tea;

We have saved all the seeds from the mush within and I would like to dry them out and make some pumpkin seed bread, any top tips on drying seeds?

We have had a busy half term holiday and progress on the house is amazing, we have a bit of the new floor down and it makes all the difference, we have walls and a newly cupboarded electric metre (phew). We still have a way to go but I have been looking at paint which means the end is in sight!

Today is the last day of the hols, all small people at home today, Simon at work so we are having a major clear out up stairs while he is not here to hear me shout at them help as I find it untrue that many hands make light work (think it must depend on the hands?!

Daisie xxx

Maud's Having An Outing

I've only put this on as I don't like posts without pictures;

Maud is coming with me and all my handmade goodies tomorrow to a massive (yes really huge) gathering of local crfaters at the ACE centre in a nearby town to sell alongside all the musicky charity fund raising that is Oxjam. There are fifty confirmed stalls, it's going to be a great day, I'm really looking forward to it!

So I have spent today packing and getting ready for that and also cutting out a mountain of felt, I am running a workshop at the LET project as a member of the Art Exchange, I got to do a children's workshop (think I got the short straw) so opted for making christmas tree decorations as the ages range from 5 to 12. I fugured with the shapes precut and lots of buttons, sequins and glittery thread we can make it as easy or as complicated at the child wants. We can sew or stick,. whichever is easiest.

A busy start to the half term holidays! I have also been trying this week to sort out the cluttered space that is my den/cupboard/wardrobe. Remember we built an extra room(ish) when we gutted our bedroom and remember how empty and lovely it looked?
Well, needless to say it doesn't look like that anymore, it is bursting at the seams and with recent mad crafting it has become somewhat of a mess! I took 'before' pictures on monday and am not yet ready to reveal how it looks 'after' - another million man-hours needed I think. Progress is slow with so many small people to get in the way help me!

The renovations are finally coming together, Simon and I (well, mostly Simon) put the hallway wall up this morning and with him at home this week the plan is to lay the new floor and put the ceiling up. It's all very exciting but I feel so near and yet so very far.....

Daisie xxx

A Literal Mind

Last night, picture the scene, if you will, we'd gotten cold and wet at school so had bathed and donned PJs when we got home, we were warm and snuggled. We expected Simon in for his tea (doesn't happen often so a bit of an occasion) but by six with no Simon we sat down to eat before the boys fell asleep. The conversation was usual, who we'd sat next to at lunch, what writing/number work we'd done etc.

I said, casually 'I wonder where Daddy is?'

Nathaniel looked at me as if I was a bit stupid and said (in a tone to match the look) 'he's at Burnley College'

Elizabeth expanded the theory and said 'I think he's just got stuck at work'

After another minute or two of noshing and chatting Nathaniel looked at me very concerned and asked 'will someone get him out?'

'Who? What?'

'Daddy, if he's stuck someone must get him unsticked and tell him to go down the stairs and come home'

Wonderful images of Pooh stuck in a hole came to mind.

Needless to say he was 'unsticked' and was home for kisses before bed!

Decisions Decisions!

I am a one woman making machine today, my womanly bike has returned again so I have not got dressed today, love a lazy sunday, especially when I ache all over and feel a bit poo!

I have knitted these little bootees and matching hat for a teacher at school who is expecting a baby girl in around three weeks;


I have finally finished some bunting for my friend's little girl (only been making it forever), this is just a sneaky peep as she's not seen it yet, don't want to spoil the suprise too much;


And I made my funky purple zig-zag bag, ooooh, I love it so much but can't decide which button I want to go in the loop to keep everything inside;

This is a slightly better picture;

If we number them 1 to 5, left to right, I like number one best, Simon says number three, Elizabeth likes number four, what do you think?

Daisie xxx

Oooooooooooooooh!

Lookie what I got;


I went out with a friend from playgroup, she's hunting for bunting fabric for her shabby chic vintage tea party themed wedding next year, I took her to a place I hadn't been before, oooh, lots of lovely fabrics at amazing prices. I found this, it's quite heavy, upholstery type cotton, the colours are much brighter than they are in the pic. I took the roll to the man at the big table as I couldn't find a price on it. He said "It's 5.99 a metre", more than I would spend on fabric for me but if I got 2mtrs I could make a bag, sell it and cover my costs so I asked for 2. He said "there's a bit more but I'm not leaving it on the roll, do you want it?" "erm...." dither dither, thinking does he want more money..... So I bit the bullet and said yes, he folded it as only a man can (badly) and handed it over and asked for £11. Now my maths is not great but..... I asked was that right he said yes and there you have it, I have nearly four metres of this delish stuff for a mere £11. I do hope he doesn't get into trouble when the boss gets back!

And I have had several harsh words with my camera, I really do need a new one, and managed to get it to work long enough to take some half decent pictures of the changing bags I've made this week;

I took Amanda's advice and threw in a little 'free' gift with each bag;

Especially pleased with how the owl turned out;

Both bags are now listed in my Folksy Shop so we'll just have to see what happens. A big thank you to all who commented, your opinion really matters to me.

Daisie xxx