If you are Scottish you will know what this means ;-) .... safe to say that is is autumnal here today and as i type this from a warm and cosy spot on my living room sofa I can see all the leaves on the trees... green, yellow, orange, some even red... beautiful! But dreich!!
I have been sewing up a storm all day, working on the Christmas bunting. I like to do it in stages ... first cut out all the pennant fronts, then the backs, then pin, then sew then all, then make the bias binding, then sew up the bunting ... I prefer to do it all this way as it means less stopping and starting.. although some of the stages are a tad zzzzzz .. yesterday I cut out over 200 triangles!! But it is all starting to come together and look beautiful. Orders keep flooding in and I am so glad that I started now.
Daddy picked Ethan up from school, so I didn't even have to leave the house, popping in for monkey and a change out of uniform. He is coming back post Dr Who tomorrow as Daddy has another run.. so we will get to spend another Sunday together. I can't wait. Think we will head along to St Andrews with friends, explore the beach, make use of our very neglected Historic Scotland passes and have tea in Pizza Express!
Tonight I am going to chill, eat lovely food, catch up on my Sky+ and have a wee glass of wine. Got a customer coming round in the morning to look at fabric samples for an order, then it will be back to the sewing...hohoho!
Right, I have the school uniform to iron (yes it is washed and dried already!!)
Em xx
Friday, 16 September 2011
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
Very lucky
yes, as the title says I am a very lucky girl .. no I didn't win the euromillions jackpot (over £120 mill!!)... lots of small things. But the sweetest in the early mornings when I have been up with the sun and creating into the wee hours the night before, is that I don't have to do the school run in the morning!
Recently (pretty much anytime I need it) Ethan has been getting picked up by Lucy (well, not literally Lucy as she is only 7, lol!) on their way to school. This is fantastic, a huge help on the mornings when i am teaching or when we have Joshua... this morning I have a very special meeting at 11, so I am still chilling in bed with the laptop. I have been up since 6.00 and saw to Ethan getting ready, prepared a nutritious packed lunch and delicious breakfast. Have done 2 loads of laundry and cleaned the bathroom .. but it is just nice to do it and not rushing around like a banshee!
It is great to have a small support network of mums at the school. It is reciprocal too, for 3 days this week we have had Lucy after school. Today we are going into town as I need to take Ethan to Clarks for new wellies and some yummy M&S foodhall goodness. So I said I would take them to the bad place (McDonalds!).... I have lots of issues with children eating here. I swore when E was born that I would never take him, and i managed to stick to that until he was nearly 4... but it is hard...they lure children in. BUT it isn't a regular occurrence, and day to day he has a very healthy diet...so a little bit of badness isn't going to kill him! (he made me laugh yesterday. I get his packed lunch organised the night before, except fruit/yogurt and sandwich , which i do in the morning. and i was asking him what fruit bar he wanted as we had just been to the health food shop to stock up. I also got some lovely sugar free fruit lollies as a treat and he said one of them. I said NO, that you couldn't take sweets for break...my argument is that at 10.30 it is too close to breakfast for sweets! he then told me that everyone else has crips, chocolate, sweets like wine gums etc, some even have mini bottles of fizzy!!!!! ... and there was him with his 100% dried fruit snack, lol... I suddenly got flashbacks to my childhood... everything brown. Brown rice, brown bread, brown pita bread...nothing refined or processed! So today as a treat I let him take some crips - baked crips, so at least they are not THAT bad...! So i am still the hippy farm girl at heart. I guess I have my parents to thank for that!).
This week also saw the anniversary of 9/11... we all remember where we were ...! It is still so raw. So shocking. I still gasp, sobbing big fat tears of sorrow. So painful. All those people.. those mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, friends ... people who just never came home! It has been really hard trying to explain it to Ethan. As it really doesn't make any sense.. still. But we need to remember, it has changed the world we live in... a scary, sad world... hard to explain that to a child without frightening them .. . But it is a day we should never, ever forget!
I have been really busy making Christmas stock this past week. I don't want a repeat of last year, when my every waking moment was spent sewing and getting stressed (although thankful for the orders). So I have started early. I want to get the samples done so I can take pictures and start promoting... but once again facebook is an excellent tool... I already have orders for 4 personalised tees, 2 sets of Christmas bunting, 6 personalised decorations, 2 Christmas cushions and 2 Santa sacks... and i literally only put a few sneak photos..ho ho ho ...My very own Santa's grotto!
I am also taking part in this craft event this weekend ... it is all online - so pop along and have a look. Lots of beautiful things to tempt you! (blogger not letting my upload the photo - will try again in a mo!)
Right, I had better shift it..have a great day everyone. The sun is out here, so I am happy!
Em x
Recently (pretty much anytime I need it) Ethan has been getting picked up by Lucy (well, not literally Lucy as she is only 7, lol!) on their way to school. This is fantastic, a huge help on the mornings when i am teaching or when we have Joshua... this morning I have a very special meeting at 11, so I am still chilling in bed with the laptop. I have been up since 6.00 and saw to Ethan getting ready, prepared a nutritious packed lunch and delicious breakfast. Have done 2 loads of laundry and cleaned the bathroom .. but it is just nice to do it and not rushing around like a banshee!
It is great to have a small support network of mums at the school. It is reciprocal too, for 3 days this week we have had Lucy after school. Today we are going into town as I need to take Ethan to Clarks for new wellies and some yummy M&S foodhall goodness. So I said I would take them to the bad place (McDonalds!).... I have lots of issues with children eating here. I swore when E was born that I would never take him, and i managed to stick to that until he was nearly 4... but it is hard...they lure children in. BUT it isn't a regular occurrence, and day to day he has a very healthy diet...so a little bit of badness isn't going to kill him! (he made me laugh yesterday. I get his packed lunch organised the night before, except fruit/yogurt and sandwich , which i do in the morning. and i was asking him what fruit bar he wanted as we had just been to the health food shop to stock up. I also got some lovely sugar free fruit lollies as a treat and he said one of them. I said NO, that you couldn't take sweets for break...my argument is that at 10.30 it is too close to breakfast for sweets! he then told me that everyone else has crips, chocolate, sweets like wine gums etc, some even have mini bottles of fizzy!!!!! ... and there was him with his 100% dried fruit snack, lol... I suddenly got flashbacks to my childhood... everything brown. Brown rice, brown bread, brown pita bread...nothing refined or processed! So today as a treat I let him take some crips - baked crips, so at least they are not THAT bad...! So i am still the hippy farm girl at heart. I guess I have my parents to thank for that!).
This week also saw the anniversary of 9/11... we all remember where we were ...! It is still so raw. So shocking. I still gasp, sobbing big fat tears of sorrow. So painful. All those people.. those mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, friends ... people who just never came home! It has been really hard trying to explain it to Ethan. As it really doesn't make any sense.. still. But we need to remember, it has changed the world we live in... a scary, sad world... hard to explain that to a child without frightening them .. . But it is a day we should never, ever forget!
I have been really busy making Christmas stock this past week. I don't want a repeat of last year, when my every waking moment was spent sewing and getting stressed (although thankful for the orders). So I have started early. I want to get the samples done so I can take pictures and start promoting... but once again facebook is an excellent tool... I already have orders for 4 personalised tees, 2 sets of Christmas bunting, 6 personalised decorations, 2 Christmas cushions and 2 Santa sacks... and i literally only put a few sneak photos..ho ho ho ...My very own Santa's grotto!
I am also taking part in this craft event this weekend ... it is all online - so pop along and have a look. Lots of beautiful things to tempt you! (blogger not letting my upload the photo - will try again in a mo!)
Right, I had better shift it..have a great day everyone. The sun is out here, so I am happy!
Em x
Wednesday, 7 September 2011
Windy Wednesday
... I really shouldn't of bothered doing my hair this morn, as I looked like a banshee by the time we had been blown up the road to class ... ach well.. I shall just call it my 'autumnal look'! Despite yesterday being v wintery, today is actually nice and sunny, albeit V windy.
Joshua has just fallen asleep on the sofa, I will let him nap for 20 mins or so.. while I do some blogging and sort through my recent photobox delivery. As well as more photos, I also got a beautiful photo-book, that i made using some (i have over 700!!) photos from Florida! It is lovely, a real coffee table book and i am definitely going to be making more of these as it is a great way to preserve and present the memories!!
That is me finished teaching for the week, although I still have some design work and some sewing bits to do. I have also been commissioned to make 200 invites, so need to get cracking on that... but just now i am enjoying sitting here and enjoying the sunshine...It is bound to turn colder soon, so tomorrow I am off to our new and improved M&S to stock up my autumnal wardrobe as they have some gorgeous dresses and knitwear in .. and I do so love Markies :-)
I am also looking forward to Friday, my first day of all-to-myself peace for over a week! Much needed, and then on Friday evening Ethan and I will have one of our 'family-date-nights'... we try and do these every Friday that he isn't going to his dads... Basically at suppertime, so when he has had tea, is bathed and in pjs.. we prepare a wee feast and some cocktails (me, wine. Him a made up concoction of freshly squeezed juice and ice) and snuggle under a quilt and watch something like Miranda or Outnumbered, which are our 'family' favourite comedy sitcoms!
Love these daft wee traditions!
Right .. need to wake my little monkey
Yiasu
xx
Joshua has just fallen asleep on the sofa, I will let him nap for 20 mins or so.. while I do some blogging and sort through my recent photobox delivery. As well as more photos, I also got a beautiful photo-book, that i made using some (i have over 700!!) photos from Florida! It is lovely, a real coffee table book and i am definitely going to be making more of these as it is a great way to preserve and present the memories!!
That is me finished teaching for the week, although I still have some design work and some sewing bits to do. I have also been commissioned to make 200 invites, so need to get cracking on that... but just now i am enjoying sitting here and enjoying the sunshine...It is bound to turn colder soon, so tomorrow I am off to our new and improved M&S to stock up my autumnal wardrobe as they have some gorgeous dresses and knitwear in .. and I do so love Markies :-)
I am also looking forward to Friday, my first day of all-to-myself peace for over a week! Much needed, and then on Friday evening Ethan and I will have one of our 'family-date-nights'... we try and do these every Friday that he isn't going to his dads... Basically at suppertime, so when he has had tea, is bathed and in pjs.. we prepare a wee feast and some cocktails (me, wine. Him a made up concoction of freshly squeezed juice and ice) and snuggle under a quilt and watch something like Miranda or Outnumbered, which are our 'family' favourite comedy sitcoms!
Love these daft wee traditions!
Right .. need to wake my little monkey
Yiasu
xx
Sunday, 4 September 2011
Sunday snuggles
Afternoon everyone
So sometimes it is just lovely to have some one on one time with my boy. Daddy was running the great Scottish run today, so E came home post-Dr who (how scary was that!!?) last night and we have very much made the most of today!
We had snuggles this morn and then went down to the park to blow the cobwebs away, obviously since it is nearly autumn, the sun is out in full force today and it is lovely and sunny with clear blue skies! Then we came home and got creative. Part of his homework (and he has LOTS .. writing exercises, word wall, reading, maths, spelling test) was for their medicine project, to create a magical medicine. Design something and create a 3d model and write up some information on it. Obviously Daddy and I both do homework with Ethan (although Daddy to be honest does more than me as homework is from Friday to Tuesday, so it falls on his days!) but whenever there is a creative element this is strictly my job! So today we created 2 magical medicines .. Mr Muscle (which makes you strong) and Army (a medicine which helps you to grow extra arms!)... this kind of exercise is great fun, Ethan has an incredible imagination and he is extremely creative (wonder where he gets that from?!) so it was lovely to work with him....we are currently waiting on some glitter drying and then we are going to adorn some buttons with hot glue!
Then we did the regular Sunday packed lunch bake off (he actually prefers to take in my baking to things like kitkats, bless!), made some chicken soup, pear and apple crumble and some scones... i did all the boring bits like ironing. Tended to our tomato, chili and herb garden (blooming and fruitful are two words that come to mind!!). We read some of our Roald Dahl books and now we are having a much needed chill.
We get Joshua again tomorrow, until Thursday so another busy week. But I finished off and delivered an order yesterday.
So that takes some of the pressure off.. which means hopefully it wont be so frantic and I can (fingers crossed) get some scrapping done. I need to catch up on Document 2011 and LSNED ... am also waiting on my Studio Calico kit, this months looks lovely so can't wait to get to grips with it...
Right, I need to get off here and get back to some boy cuddles.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
em x
I write this from my sofa, snuggling next to Ethan while we (well mostly he) watch Alvin and the Chipmunk's (the squeekquel)... it has been really nice to have this sneaky little extra day with him, as we have been really busy and had Joshua all last week.
So sometimes it is just lovely to have some one on one time with my boy. Daddy was running the great Scottish run today, so E came home post-Dr who (how scary was that!!?) last night and we have very much made the most of today!
We had snuggles this morn and then went down to the park to blow the cobwebs away, obviously since it is nearly autumn, the sun is out in full force today and it is lovely and sunny with clear blue skies! Then we came home and got creative. Part of his homework (and he has LOTS .. writing exercises, word wall, reading, maths, spelling test) was for their medicine project, to create a magical medicine. Design something and create a 3d model and write up some information on it. Obviously Daddy and I both do homework with Ethan (although Daddy to be honest does more than me as homework is from Friday to Tuesday, so it falls on his days!) but whenever there is a creative element this is strictly my job! So today we created 2 magical medicines .. Mr Muscle (which makes you strong) and Army (a medicine which helps you to grow extra arms!)... this kind of exercise is great fun, Ethan has an incredible imagination and he is extremely creative (wonder where he gets that from?!) so it was lovely to work with him....we are currently waiting on some glitter drying and then we are going to adorn some buttons with hot glue!
Then we did the regular Sunday packed lunch bake off (he actually prefers to take in my baking to things like kitkats, bless!), made some chicken soup, pear and apple crumble and some scones... i did all the boring bits like ironing. Tended to our tomato, chili and herb garden (blooming and fruitful are two words that come to mind!!). We read some of our Roald Dahl books and now we are having a much needed chill.
We get Joshua again tomorrow, until Thursday so another busy week. But I finished off and delivered an order yesterday.
So that takes some of the pressure off.. which means hopefully it wont be so frantic and I can (fingers crossed) get some scrapping done. I need to catch up on Document 2011 and LSNED ... am also waiting on my Studio Calico kit, this months looks lovely so can't wait to get to grips with it...
Right, I need to get off here and get back to some boy cuddles.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
em x
Wednesday, 31 August 2011
Connections ....
I live in a fairly large town .. but sometimes it seems so small (partly probably due to living in both Edinburgh and Aberdeen in the past). Small in the sense that it is always amazing how connected everyone is to each other - in a 6 degrees of Kevin bacon-kind of way...everyone knows each other. This is also highlighted because of my job, you would be surprising how pretty much everybody I have taught has some connection to someone else I have taught ....
Part of me loves that feeling of connection I have to people .. friends and obviously family, places, memories. I am still friends with a lot of my school friends, (my sister-in-law being one of them), and this week I have been fortunate enough to meet up with two of my longest and best, one lives in Madrid and one in Yorkshire.
There is just something about being with someone that has known you, and i mean every side of you, since you were 12/13 ... good and bad, warts and all...pre-dating children, relationships. It is funny to reminisce .. see yourself through their eyes (I was apparently viewed as an arty, confident free spirit , when in my head i was an angst ridden - ugly duckling) , get their recollections, their interpretations on the past .... their memories of my mum (the coolest mum, hip, pretty, young...but to me she was Adena to my Saffy....a nightmare!) .. they all remember Nanny, they all remember my parties ( I had legendary parties...!!) ..
Maybe it is because I am a sap, maybe because of my childhood ... but memories and connections to people are so important to me...bonds, loyalty...love. All these things which shape us....
But then there is also the part of me that likes to isolate myself from those all-knowing connections ... I am a firecly independent and self reliant person, so sometimes i like to duck out and keep my head low ... something which can be hard to do in a town where everyone knows your name ... lol!!
Friends old and new are important .... friends keep us sane... and I love all of mine. Thank you xx
Part of me loves that feeling of connection I have to people .. friends and obviously family, places, memories. I am still friends with a lot of my school friends, (my sister-in-law being one of them), and this week I have been fortunate enough to meet up with two of my longest and best, one lives in Madrid and one in Yorkshire.
There is just something about being with someone that has known you, and i mean every side of you, since you were 12/13 ... good and bad, warts and all...pre-dating children, relationships. It is funny to reminisce .. see yourself through their eyes (I was apparently viewed as an arty, confident free spirit , when in my head i was an angst ridden - ugly duckling) , get their recollections, their interpretations on the past .... their memories of my mum (the coolest mum, hip, pretty, young...but to me she was Adena to my Saffy....a nightmare!) .. they all remember Nanny, they all remember my parties ( I had legendary parties...!!) ..
Maybe it is because I am a sap, maybe because of my childhood ... but memories and connections to people are so important to me...bonds, loyalty...love. All these things which shape us....
But then there is also the part of me that likes to isolate myself from those all-knowing connections ... I am a firecly independent and self reliant person, so sometimes i like to duck out and keep my head low ... something which can be hard to do in a town where everyone knows your name ... lol!!
Friends old and new are important .... friends keep us sane... and I love all of mine. Thank you xx
Friday, 26 August 2011
Footsteps ...
Nothing really major to post .. it is Friday morning and i have my first day off this week. Although I have just had a couple of new sewing commissions in, one for a load of items for a soon to be born baby boys nursery.... super cute and bound to make me broody!
I had a new baby start at class this week, although he was 10 weeks old, he was so small and precious and i got to snuggle him for ages at coffee time! I really do love children, I have been like this since i was a little girl. I am the oldest of many grandchildren in our family and i have always had the mothering role. I know I wanted to be a mummy from about the age of 6. Since i was a child, anywhere and everywhere i go, if there are ever any children, they all seem to gravitate towards me. I just love interacting with them, making them laugh, getting down on their level and communicating with them.. a combo of Mary Poppins and (kind version of) the Pied Piper... which is why i love my job. It is like i have all these extra 'babies' ... some of my very first babies are all starting school nursery. I feel so proud and grateful for the time i have had with them, but sad to see them grow up and move on. Luckily I have made a great many friend through teaching and still see lots of my little ones regularly on a social basis... so fear not!! I know that I am very fortunate, I have a job which means I can work it around the needs of my family, i can devote myself to Ethan and Joshua, but when I am working it is fun! I love all the laughter, their imagination, their innocence. Yesterday I had Ethan, Joshua and Lucy (every 3 weeks I have her for 3 days after school) ... they made 'dens', jumped off the sofa onto piles of cushions, we baked, planted seeds, they told me funny made up stories! Granted I am exhausted by the end of the day, but all that doesn't matter. It was FUN! (I am not saying I am perfect, far from it!! I get cross, I get grumpy, I am tired, I do let ethan watch TV sometimes, I do bribe with chocolate, lol! But I know that they are only 'mine' for a short time and I want to savour every moment with them, before they go off to make footsteps of their own!).
There is a crispness to the air today (although that may be partly due to the fact that on our way home from the school run a mummy friend and I stood chatting until 10 ... so i was a bit cold when i came in!!) .. and it is making me thing of making pies, hot chocolate and new winter clothes.... I love the change in seasons, all the associated traditions, the new phase. The only thing I don't like is the dark nights and mornings ... makes the whole day seem shorter. But it also means lots more time for snuggling under a handmade quilt, cosy time together.
I do feel all 'fuzzy and happy' at the moment .. every now and then I stop and feel the happiness wash over me, nothing major, nothing outstanding .. just life. As I have said so many times before it is the small things.... But there are also lots of big things coming up. Lots of friends are having babies, which i am SO looking forward to. Then Halloween, holidays (going back up to Nanny's in October!!), Christmas. But it is also just stopping to take a moment to enjoy! Enjoy your family, enjoy your life, enjoy making your footsteps, whether they be big or small!
Shimelle's Learn Something New Every Day class starts in September, I really enjoyed doing this in the past. (and i really did learn lots about myself!)... so need to do some prep work on that today!
So, I hope today is god to you!
em xx
I had a new baby start at class this week, although he was 10 weeks old, he was so small and precious and i got to snuggle him for ages at coffee time! I really do love children, I have been like this since i was a little girl. I am the oldest of many grandchildren in our family and i have always had the mothering role. I know I wanted to be a mummy from about the age of 6. Since i was a child, anywhere and everywhere i go, if there are ever any children, they all seem to gravitate towards me. I just love interacting with them, making them laugh, getting down on their level and communicating with them.. a combo of Mary Poppins and (kind version of) the Pied Piper... which is why i love my job. It is like i have all these extra 'babies' ... some of my very first babies are all starting school nursery. I feel so proud and grateful for the time i have had with them, but sad to see them grow up and move on. Luckily I have made a great many friend through teaching and still see lots of my little ones regularly on a social basis... so fear not!! I know that I am very fortunate, I have a job which means I can work it around the needs of my family, i can devote myself to Ethan and Joshua, but when I am working it is fun! I love all the laughter, their imagination, their innocence. Yesterday I had Ethan, Joshua and Lucy (every 3 weeks I have her for 3 days after school) ... they made 'dens', jumped off the sofa onto piles of cushions, we baked, planted seeds, they told me funny made up stories! Granted I am exhausted by the end of the day, but all that doesn't matter. It was FUN! (I am not saying I am perfect, far from it!! I get cross, I get grumpy, I am tired, I do let ethan watch TV sometimes, I do bribe with chocolate, lol! But I know that they are only 'mine' for a short time and I want to savour every moment with them, before they go off to make footsteps of their own!).
There is a crispness to the air today (although that may be partly due to the fact that on our way home from the school run a mummy friend and I stood chatting until 10 ... so i was a bit cold when i came in!!) .. and it is making me thing of making pies, hot chocolate and new winter clothes.... I love the change in seasons, all the associated traditions, the new phase. The only thing I don't like is the dark nights and mornings ... makes the whole day seem shorter. But it also means lots more time for snuggling under a handmade quilt, cosy time together.
I do feel all 'fuzzy and happy' at the moment .. every now and then I stop and feel the happiness wash over me, nothing major, nothing outstanding .. just life. As I have said so many times before it is the small things.... But there are also lots of big things coming up. Lots of friends are having babies, which i am SO looking forward to. Then Halloween, holidays (going back up to Nanny's in October!!), Christmas. But it is also just stopping to take a moment to enjoy! Enjoy your family, enjoy your life, enjoy making your footsteps, whether they be big or small!
Shimelle's Learn Something New Every Day class starts in September, I really enjoyed doing this in the past. (and i really did learn lots about myself!)... so need to do some prep work on that today!
So, I hope today is god to you!
em xx
Thursday, 18 August 2011
Older
I have had a birthday .. i am now on the wrong side of thirty as my lovely friend Katy put it, cheers doll! LOL .. Ethan is also now in P3.... I feel older, i feel time passing.... but I guess older and wiser and with lots more adventure along the way!!
Apparently Sam (from iCarly) had cut her own hair and this inspired Ethan to do the same!!!! Thankfully with some hair wax, I was able to transform him into this, more presentable and appropriate for the first day of new school term!
So this is the sight that greeted me on the morning of the first day back at school
Apparently Sam (from iCarly) had cut her own hair and this inspired Ethan to do the same!!!! Thankfully with some hair wax, I was able to transform him into this, more presentable and appropriate for the first day of new school term!
So schools (well in Scotland) are back, I have had my birthday ... that can mean only one thing..... planning for Halloween and CHRISTMAS!!! I am dying to put up all the lovely decorations I got when in American and at Disney. It is sad to see a year fly bay so quickly, but it I think back, lots of great things have happened and I am sure the next 4 months will bring just as much!
I have a much needed day to chill and craft today, am waiting on a host of deliveries and have some much needed scrapping to do! I FINALLY got my Florida photos developed...
So I am off to sit at my desk, and probably get side-tracked by Disney planing, only 416 days until we go, lol! Here is a photo of the boys to warm the cockles ... (for some reason it is not letting me add this photo .. will try later!)
Love
em xx
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