Half Way To 70

 My husband was very kind to point out exactly how old I turned on my birthday last weeek (I'll be kind and not tell what he's half way to), it seems not so old some days and very old on others, I don't get hung up on numbers (cos that's all they are really) but what really annoys me and seems greatly unfair is spots and wrinkles?! What is that all about?? Surely if I am old enough for one I should not still be sprouting the other?

I got some lovely gifts and cards from those special people in my life.

My new favourite mug;

A brilliant book bought on the recommendation of the lovely Jenny and a new work mug from my colleagues;

30 minute knits is fab (and it was bought for a bargain price via ebay) and the children have lined up projects for me already. I managed to knit this little angry bird inspired chap for Nathaniel while we snuggled on Saturday afternoon;

My littlest sister brought me a huge chocolate cake she had baked for tea. I got to go to work in my PJs as we were 'doing something funny for money'. My very dear friend bought me some tea towels, I have been asking for new tea towels for over a year and of all the ears I have nagged she came through, I now have six beautiful, bright tea towels not be ashamed off! My friend Gil (my Knit&Stitch companion) gave me a huge bag of beautiful yarns (which will get their own post soon), she said as they were destash we couldn't really call them a present but they made me squeal with delight!

So all in all I don't mind much being half way to seventy!!

Daisie xxx

PS: Thank you to everyone who wished me well after my last post. I am still full of snot and sore throaty but can manage to get showered without wanting to cry. I am coming out the other side (so to speak) now, it is the worst lurgy I have had in  a very very long time!!

Mother's Day

A day to celebrate the people we have become and the people we have created.

I spent the day in and out of bed struggling to control a temp of 39/40, feeling very sorry for myself.

Four small beautiful people brought me their offerings and lemsip throuout the day.

A small oil on canvas painting from Elizabeth;

A fantastic card from Nathaniel;

School does not make Mother's Day or Father's Day cards with the children anymore which is very sad. On a Friday afternoon there is an hour of 'golden time', a reward to the children that have worked hard all week, they can choose an activity (craft, outdoor play, dress-up, TV time) and Nathaniel chose to make me a card, all on his own which makes it even more special!!

Sebastian made some foot prints with his nursery teachers, he cut out the flower and wrote his name all by himself;

Francesca made me a beautiful card filled with lots and lots of love;

Beautiful things to treasure.

It would have been a perfect day had I not had the flu from hell!!

Hope all my fellow Mummies the world over were spoilt rotten yesterday!

Daisie xxx

One Huge Knitted Puff

I hate to think of the amount of spam comments I'm going to get with a post title like that but it is what it is - exactly as it says on the tin (so to speak);

One huge knitted puff;

Or pouffe, if you'd rather.

Our bean bags had seen better days and when we are all together movie watching on a Sunday afternoon there are too many bums for seats and it's always me that ends up on the floor with a numb bum and pins and needles in my feet.

So I had a good old look round the web and found a wonderful knitted puff, only £92, well, that was a bit beyond my budget.

So a little more time with good old goggle (it really can be your best friend) and I found some good tutorials but the yarn suggested was (at cheapest) going to cost me around £70 and then I'd have to stuff the thing. I was resigned to a life on the floor when inspiration struck.

Around 500g of chunky sirdar click in peppercorn left over from my blanket knitting a while ago (can't find the post, sorry) knitted with a double strand on 10mm needles and stuffed with a smartprice duvet.

A good place to sit and eat your danish pastry;

Or have a snooze;

And show everyone your spiderman trainers because that will enrich their lives immeasurable;

No more numb bum for me thank you very much!

Daisie xxx

Four-In-One Bag

I am really rather impressed with my efforts this week in bringing together the spring/summer collection (can you hear the tongue in my cheek) of Daisie Davies bags.

There are some good old staples; the slouch cross body bag and a mini messenger with new fabrics for a fresh feel (not pictured) .

I am most pleased with this variation;

Tied long to wear cross body

Tied short to wear on your shoulder

Why have I never seen this before?!

I have been making this style and pulling the straps through the right way before joining them together for years, why has it never occurred to me to not join them?

And with some careful seam finishing the bag has no inside or outside so can be used either way.

All are machine washable cotton so can be used and washed and used and washed (I have a slouch that is four years old and has been through the wash countless times).

A close up of the funky two fabric tie

Is it sad that this development excites me?

There are four new bags and some small felt owl cushions waiting to be delivered to the shop this week.

You can see regular updates on things I am making by going and 'liking' my facebook page here.

And you can see other local makers that help stock the shop at their facebook page here.

Daisie xxx

Long Time No See

oooh, hello there! Is there anyone still about??? I seem to have been gone for a huge chunk of time. I have missed you all. Here's a few pictures of what we've been up to;

A cowl/collar I dreamed and had to knit, not entirely happy with it although it does suit Maud.

Nathaniel and the snowman we built when school was shut last month.

Two blankets for my brothers special baby twins; Noah and Eden.

Francesca and her strawberry birthday cake.

Blowing out one candle and commenting on the fact that I obviously can't count to nine!!

Elizabeth and some felt owls that I made for the shop.

One of the summer bags I have been designing and stitching.

Brotherly love.

Another baby blanket for a babe that has yet to arrive.

And there have been lots of things inbetween; working, MOTing, cleaning, duck-feeding, relative visiting, cooking, baking and the usual family stuffage.

I have managed to cast on and half knit two (def) or three (poss) gifts to put away for the festivities coming in December, how organised am I???!!!

Hope all is well with you?

Daisie xx

O Christmas Tree

We have had our fair share of trees, little cheap (read crap) ones, a real one that lived in the garden and came in for the festivities until it became too big for it's pot (it now lives in the ground at my in-law's cottage and looks very happy indeed!), a not so cheap one and a huge one we inherited when my parents emigrated last year.

It's enormous and I love it!

I don't do classy, I don't do colour themes, I don't do organised and regimented, I do chuck it all on and laugh and cry at the memories stored there.

Elizabeth's first Christmas bauble that my mother-in-law bought for her on holiday in France before she was even born;

A felt stocking that Francecsa made when in year 2 and an 'ice cube' that Elizabeth made in year 4;

A painted pasta gaarland that Elizabeth brought home from nursery school (2004), a salt dough yellow Christmas tree from the same year and a beaded pipe cleaner that Nathaniel made at nursery school;

A pudding pom pom that I made last year;

A left over button wreath I made for a fair a couple of years ago and a wooden moon that my Mum gave to me when I left home (I have a few from their tree from when I was a little girl);

Sebastian added the tin foil star he made with his childminder last Christmas, he wouldn't hear of anything else on the top;

There are all kinds of decorations that the children have made over the years and decorations we have been gifted or gathered on our travels. It does look a bit like a Christmas shop has vomitted on my tree but I do love it;

This is our 18th Christmas together, I do wonder if there will be room for all the delights we'll collect in the next twenty years and if not will we need two trees....?

Daisie xxx

Still Alive

It's a funny thing, life.

It gets in the way but in a very enjoyable (on the whole) kind of way.

I have been keeping the shop stocked (and collecting my earnings), working hard, mothering intensely, fulfilling wifely duties and preparing for Christmas.

The presents are wrapped, the tree is up (just) and decorated, only some knitting to finish and a couple of friends to catch up with before the madness begins.

I managed to ice the cake too;

I hope the preparations are managable for you all and if they're not I hope there is drink to hand?!

Daisie xxx