Forced Imprisonment

The down side to having three children is that it seems when one gets better another one becomes ill. Poor Francesca spent all Sunday night being sick, her bed got changed many times but the little trooper did manage to make it to the toilet on two occasions! Yesterday she spent either asleep or crying, she is very hot and very sorry for herself (and I am quite sorry for her too). She decided that she would try and have a bath yesterday (as has sick in hair) if I would 'wash her like a baby' so off I went to get a deep bubble bath ready. By the time I came back to get her she was asleep, so Nathaniel and Elizabeth went in before tea. Francesca slept fitfully from four, only waking for more paracetamol.

But being trapped in the house tending Francesca, nursing my cold and entertaining Nathaniel has been quite a good thing. I did loads of sewing for the May Fayre at school, three hats and matching handbags. Francesca did let me put a hat on her as they look terrible when photographed unworn;



We had a very long cuddle afterwards as I am such a mean Mummy and felt awful for making her sit up!

Here are the bags that match the hats. All vintage floral cottons from my Mum's stash so probably not much younger then me;



I had a bit of the Cath Kidsonesque blue with pink flowers left so ironed on some interfacing and cut into flowers. I sewed some to denim squares and then sewed them onto white card blanks. They look really good but the photo was very crap, the flash kept insisting on going off and the white card was blinding. Will take some more pics when the sun comes out again.

Today I dug out this yummy piece of linen (John Lewis, no less) from my stash and using this tute as inspiration (didn't copy pattern just cut randomly as usual) made this lovely little shoulder bag;



I spotted a link for this tute in a post by the lovely Julie, thanks!! It's a really simple idea and looks fabulous, have already chopped one out in the fabric I used for my Mum's birthday bag. And am going to try and make a more child styled one for the girls for the summer.

Need to be off now giving lots of cuddles and I will try again to keep Francesca awake long enough for me to wash the sick from her hair!

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

Hospital Squatters!

Well, off Nathaniel and I went to the doctor's yesterday afternoon. His temp was really high, he had got very poorly very quickly. Luckily the girls had gone home from school with Claire (thanks pal) and I had picked Simon up early from work. Off the three of us went to the hospital. He was unresponsive by the time we got there, his poor little body was just too hot! Lots of paracetamol and ibuprofen, an inhaler and a chest x-ray. They sent us home late last night. He is a little better but am having to watch him when he's asleep as he is struggling to breathe and I am making sure that the paracetamol doesn't wear off so his temperature stays manageable.

He has snoozed after his inhaler this morning so I managed to put the ribbons in the tags on these little fellows that I made on Monday night;

I was requested to make eight for a customer but she couldn't decide what sort of paper she'd like them in so I made a batch out of all the suitable papers I had. There are some more cut out ready to stick together (when I get time), I figure she can choose the ones she wants and I'll take the others to the fair with me; "Would you like a gift box for your clips/brooch/little bottle of.../tree decoration madam?!" What do you think?

Going to make a cup of tea and see if I can knit a few more pink flowers for hair thingies before he wakes up and I am attached to my poor limpet boy for the rest of the day!

Daisie xxx

Poorly Boy And Knitted Flowers

This afternoon Simon took lots and lots of photos (as only a man could) while Nathaniel had a calpol-wearing-off-growing-canines-snotty-nose-temperature-tired induced strop. This is one towards the end of the screaming when he was beginning to calm down. He looks so poorly, poor bunny!


I spent last evening knitting flowers. These were a suggestion from Jenny (cast on 10, knit arow, purl a row, knit each stitch twice, purl, knit each stitch twice, purl, cast off);

I have made spirals like this by not purling, just knitting, they look flatter but I couldn't find any to photograph (and couldn't be bothered to knit another).

I made some of these;

And some of these;

The red one and the small white one were made following the pattern. The larger one on the left I made by casting on in pink then changing to white and knitting a row and purling a row before casting off as the pattern. The other I made by following the pattern but casting on in pink and casting off in white.

I also made a petal following this pattern but it was very big (even on a smaller needle). Not really what I wanted although if I can find some bright red yarn and some yellow beads I may make a ponsettia type flower brooch for my Mum's Christmas present, shhhhhhhhh!

Right, leek and potato soup and early nights all round me thinks!!

Daisie xxx

We're Home!

Nathaniel was admitted to hospital on Thursday morning, hence the lengthy absence!

We were sent home today (not because he is fully recovered but because they were busy and needed the bed). He is better than he was but is still a poorly boy with another seven days of toxic antibiotics to take.

It was hot and smelly and noisy, some laughs were had though;



We found a great way to always have the vomit bowl with us (didn't manage to ever catch it though);


I took along my knitting bag and my book but only managed the tiniest pair of bootees and two pages. I averaged about two hours sleep a night; if it wasn't Nathaniel it was someone else's baby!

Am off to climb into my nice clean bed in my nice clean pyjamas and sleep until morning!

Night, night Daisie xxx

Vomit and Cake

A big thanks for the lovely comments, Francesca is fully recovered now and eating like a horse to make up for the two days of poorliness. Nathaniel on the other hand is very ill indeed! He is hot, being sick around ten times a day (soon after he eats anything). He is a miserable boy and it's very sad to be his Mummy and not be able to make him better. His neck is swollen today so off we went to the docs today to be told it was ...................... wait for it ...................... a ...............virus! Getting to the doctors was a mission in itself. I phoned at 8 when the surgery opened. Yes, they would see him today if I could go now. Cue quick get dressed, gather lunch boxes, book bags etc, throw children in car and call KaeKae's Mummy for help!! The wonderful woman sorted my girls and took them to school/nursery for me, what a star!

This is the cake Francesca and I made as a thank you;

Crafting has taken a bit of a back seat this week as am mostly rocking a small boy, cleaning up sick and washing (millions of) clothes! There are some more baby knits going on and the birthday project is nearly complete. I have an idea for a pair of tired jeans that were on their way to the charity shop but.............

Daisie xxx

The Lost Weekend

Blimey, what a weekend!

It started at 4pm on Friday when Simon bunked off work early so we could go to Ikea! We were in search of a chair for Francesca (pics will follow) but bought lots of lovely other things too (don't you always)! We thoroughly enjoyed our sweedish meatballs for tea.

We arrived home long after the children's bedtime so flung them into bed super quick and were not far behind them. We need sleep for our big adventure on Saturday.

We got up and ate a hearty breakfast and set off to see Dr. Who at Sapceport in Liverpool. Simon and the girls have been to this one before but I haven't so very exciting indeed! We met up with our friend Paul and his daughter, Taryn, who is a bit older than Elizabeth and is a Dr. Who maniac just like us. The plan was to see the exhibition and then head back to Paul's to watch last weeks episode closely followed by this weeks finale. Paul's other half had made Lasagne for everyone too, how good an evening was this going to be!!

Just to make Twiggy jealous, here is a snap I took of the outfit that Dr. Two (see what I did there) wore in the final episode. I'm sure I detected a distinct niff of Tennant;


And here we are with a Hath;

The evening was splendid and Dr. Who was marvelous (we're now counting the days until the Christmas Special) but another late night for the children, bad parents that we are!

Sunday morning we were woken just after five by Francesca, I told her to go back to bed and was told that she 'felt sick' I sent her to the bathroom and snuggled back down but soon dashed through at the speed of light when I could hear her retching, poor baby. I spent most of the day rubbing her back and holding her hair out of the way. Nathaniel also spent the day chucking up. It was vomit city here! I went through so many pairs of pyjamas that by the end of the day I was wearing some terrible grey bottoms that are easily a decade old and haven't washed well and a Beavis and Butthead (remember them?) T-shirt of Simon's. I was the most attractive woman in the country, I can tell you!

Everyone much better this morning, just a little limp and tired!

AOB:

Lynsey is back at home and seems fine after her mystery illness, good to have you back!

Appologies to Jenny, when I said "I didn't think you were that old" I didn't mean you were old I just meant that you look so wonderful and youthful in your photo! X

More sewing being done (as well as lots and lots of washing) so will be back soon with completed projects, one hopes at least!!

Daisie xxx

A Bit Of Excitement On A Wednesday Night!

Blimey, there I was cooking pie for tea, Nathaniel at my feet not being helpful, Francesca soaking in a tub filled with raspberry flavoured bubbles, Elizabeth practicing her spellings when the phone rang. OMG who the bloody hell is ringing a mother of three at this time in the evening!? T'was Swirly! Oh my, she is poorly, poor pumpkin. Could I take her to the hospital? Of course I could!!

An hour later after shovelling tea down three small people and clearing away the dishes and after much yelling of "brush your teeth!" "have you had a wee?" "Get in here NOW if you want a story!" all the babies were tucked up in bed. Simon came through the door, I pointed him in the direction of his tea and went to the car (the car that I am trying not to use this week, that's friendship for you!). Off to get the patient. Then off to Blackburn to find the hospital, it's all got terribly complicated since they closed most of Burnley's Hospital. We were so used to having it all on the doorstep :-(

I collected her and her bag and off we drove into the sunset (well sort of) with no children in the car!! That never happens! Out at night time with no off spring! Not quite the jolly jaunt one would hope for but probably the best either of us are going to get for the foreseeable future! Ha ha!

Didn't get lost, hurrah! We found her room and were greeted not too warmly by a grumpy staff nurse who was about to go off shift. Maybe she'd had a hard day? I felt very sad leaving her, she can't have anything to eat or drink until they have decided what it is she's got and what they're going to do about it. I gave her a big hug before I left and am sure you all are sending big cyber hugs too. I will keep you all posted!

The crafting I had planned (and walked a long way to get fabric for) for tonight will have to wait until tomorrow now but nevermind!

Daisie xxx

Phew!

What a week it has been.

I spent Wednesday morning at Boundry Mill with my mother-in-law, not overly exciting (she bought lots and lots of things) but I did manage to buy myself a new black (surprise, surprise) top that has rather nice puff sleeves.

Thursday was our usual boobie group and I remembered to collect a 'MILK' t-shirt for tomorrow's Race For Life. Simon and I had been to a meeting at nursery school at 9am to discuss Francesca's progress and the transition to school. She's very bright and popular, but we knew that already. The staff at nursery can see no problems with the move to school at the beginning of September. We both left smiling. We know all these things about our children but there is something amazingly satisfying when others see the same and tell you so. I could become a parent/teacher's meeting junkie!! Later that evening we went to school to do all the paper work there and meet the teachers and see the classroom (we are old hands though). It was strange sitting there with Nathaniel on my lap thinking of when Francesca was just a tiny bit bigger sitting with me while we filled in all the forms for Elizabeth. I am much less scared this time. I know the teacher Francesca will have next year is marvellous and that she will flourish in her care (as Elizabeth did in Y1). And school's not so scary when you know what's coming. I think that makes it easier for Francesca too, everything is familiar to her.

Friday saw a trip into Manchester in search of a bra, I won't embarrass us all by telling you how big it was but when I emerged from the changing room with a huge white contraption all Claire could do was giggle. We both thought that if the traffic was heavy going back home we could tie it to the car as it would make such a good sail, we may even take off!! We also did lots of lovely shops but sadly bought nothing for ourselves but many many things for our beautiful daughters! There may be a trip to Blackpool next Friday just for us, yeah, like we could ever go shopping and not buy things for our babies!!

All this with an awful migraine since Tuesday afternoon which has seen me sucking bottles of water at all times, chewing paracetamol at every opportunity and with my head in the toilet more often than not!! Feeling slightly better today, I seem to have stopped chucking up (for now at least) but am feeling 'delicate' and am still in my pyjamas!!

Hope that I am fully recovered tomorrow and that me and Mum don't get rained on!!

And finally, because I don't like pictureless posts, here is my son the great engineer. He built his first 'tower' and was so very pleased with himself, especially when we all clapped and cheered!!

Daisie xxx

A Day At The Seaside

A fabulous (windy) bank holiday Monday was had at Fleetwood yesterday.
Here are the crashing waves;






We wrote our names in the sand, well, Elizabeth did and Francesca managed her 'F' and then was distracted by a crab's claw;



We had a big shop at Freeport and bought lots of lovely goodies and drooled over many things in an amazing cook shop. Then we walked on the beach at Fleetwood and drove on down to Cleveys and had a fish and chip supper (well four of us did and Nathaniel stuck to boobie and threw it up all over everyone). Elizabeth and Nathaniel fell asleep before we got home (Francesca was still awake but she did sleep on the way there).

Now for my goodies. I found this book in The Works for £1.99, it's really rather good and very easy to follow, watch this space for my creations.

I also got an amazing scrap booking kit, it has lots of different papers, eyelets, toppers, sentiments, beads, stick on gems, ribbons, metal and wooden buttons, and just amazing things and all for £3.99, can you believe it!?

Here's a close up of my buttons and can you see (on the left) three wonderful green resin daisies;

Today has not been so marvelous, I was awake most of the night with a small starving boy demanding boobie because he was so hungry and then being covered in my own milk when he threw it all back up twenty minutes later. Fun and laughter (not). By this morning he was very miserable indeed so we set off to the doctors. After an hour of hanging around and crying (mostly him but me also) we saw the doc who examined him thoroughly and told me...wait for it.....he has a virus (!), winter vomiting virus (in May) apparently and there's not alot we can do. He is quite dry so we have been trying to give him rehydration salts (he likes it not one bit) and his tummy is sore and empty, poor baby. He is having lots of loves and hopefully will feel better soon because we are off to Derby tomorrow to see The Singing Kettle we go every year and have a wonderful time, am hoping to get a few more years out of Elizabeth before she grows out of it and will get many years from Nathaniel and maybe we'll just have another baby........

If ever they are near you, take some small people along, they'll love it!

Daisie xxx

What A Weekend!

Well after our super productive day on Friday the weekend took a bit of a nose dive. On Saturday morning Francesca woke with a huge blister in the palm of her right hand, her fingers swollen and purple and cold. Off we went to hospital, all four of us as Simon was away! Many hours later we are none the wiser as to what it is or where it came from. There is nothing she could have burnt it on in the house and it doesn't seem to be a bite or sting. They did frighten me when they asked if she had any more on her body, after frantically stripping her off we didn't find any, phew!! After lots of umm-ing and ah-ing they drained the blister and dressed her hand. Her fingers are back to normal but her hand is sore. So sore that 'Bo' has been allowed out of bed. 'Bo' is the ted you can see in her hand, 'Bo' has a pink dress and knitted handbag, she even has a wedding veil!! 'Bo' used to go everywhere with us until Francesca turned 4 and then she was banished to the bedroom. You are too big at four to take your ted everywhere you go!!

Here she is, the invalid;



Nothing got made on Saturday and Sunday wasn't much better! I did manage to make some layered paper flowers;

Today was a little better, the sun was shining so the children and I washed the car, it's quite shiny now! Elizabeth has had an eye test, you'll be pleased to hear she has two!! And we made a mini fish tank from some blue bubble wrap and an old shoe box;

Tomorrow we are off to meet some friends at a play centre, will we have blue or red tongues this week?!

Daisie xxx