A new discovery!

I have just discovered if I take a fresh photo for my posting Blogger is happy! Sometimes Blogger that doesn't always suit my needs. Please sort yourself out. Do not make me join the laptop queue. Do not make me join WordPress.

Meet Watson

We have taken the plunge and got ourselves a new old dog. Unlike second hand dog this one is at least third hand. We are not sure and if truth be told are not too bothered either. For our new old dog will not be moved on. He is ours. We collected him on Friday and it feels like he has been ours forever.  It also seems that he is having his very first pig ear. A tasty treat if you are a dog! Don't worry about Penny Pig, her ears are very much intact.

It was nice while it lasted!

I've typed out two blog posts now but it seems when I add a photo blogger hates me! So it's either publish posts without pictures or use the good old English way of queueing and wait my turn for MY laptop. Pictureless posts it is then!

Here's hoping!

I have a new phone. Today I am trying to set it up! We are bonding. I have talked nicely to it so I am sincerely hoping that it will mean I can blog again. I've missed blogging and although my needs have been somewhat met with Instagram it's not quite the same. So fingers and toes crossed!

A carry on!

Continuing my story from yesterday's post...

Anyway husband phoned and I confessed that I had bought one or two tables that would be really useful to him. They were better than bargainous at five pounds each. He sighed but I knew that he was secretly impressed at my excellent bidding skills. To be fair those tables (there were five of them!) have proved very very useful.

Of course the moulds eventually came up for sale and they were going for silly money.  When I originally bought my moulds the majority of them cost in excess of fifty pounds each! It took a long time to get a collection together. These moulds were being sold by the pallet at less than a pound each due to lack of bidders. I could keep my hands in my pockets no longer and before I knew it I had bid on quite a few.  I began to panic because husband would KILL me! I paid for my lots as quickly as I could and packed my little peugeot with as many moulds as was physically possible. I drove home quickly as I was on a deadline! No 4 and I hid those moulds in as many different places as we could, in the shed, in the garage, in the utility room! Then we went back for a second helping! Once all the moulds were safely stashed, I cooked a decent meal (rather than some of the mush I cook) and husband was none the wiser! When he asked me what I'd bought I very innocently told him that I'd bought the tables and a few bits and pieces showing him the accessories and decals that I had bought.

The next morning we set off with the trailer to collect the tables. The family of the lady who owned the business was chatting away to husband and told him that all the moulds hadn't sold and if we were interested we could buy them at two pounds each.  He looked at me and said if I'd like some then it would be ok! I didn't need telling twice.I filled both the trailer and the back of his landrover. Plus I also got away with my purchases the day before! Phew! Trust me it doesn't always work out like that! So the pictures of the moulds in the previous post are the ones that I bought.

I'd like to say how I have learned my lesson, but of course I haven't. Now I just have to hide an ebay purchase that I may have made today...

Don't worry I won't spend any money!

Although I have been to sales before I have never bid. I had happened across an advert for a clearance sale of various bits and pieces and I caught my breath when I read that there were ceramic moulds for sale. I owned quite a few moulds many years ago - pre-children and I had the makings of a small business which was really taking off. But I chose to have my lovely family instead and any thoughts of a ceramic business were put on hold.  All my moulds were sold although I did keep my kilns as I knew that once they had gone I was unlikely to replace them as they are very expensive as they were mainly imported from The States.  Despite my excitement at finding the sale details I toyed with going-not going. I discussed it with my friends and they were amused at how excited I was! Even the night before the sale I still wasn't sure if I was going. The morning of the sale I was awake early and I took it as a sign! I don't really think that I really needed a reason.  Husband was still in bed and his parting words were 'Don't spend any money and don't bring back any moulds! You don't have time!' What harm can looking be? I awoke No 4 and off we went.

I registered and was given a number. It was ok as I wasn't going to use it. Clutching the particulars we walked around the sale like we knew what we were doing (not!)

There were sheds and sheds of moulds. I marked a couple of the lots that looked interesting. The sale started and the lots were not making much money. No I'm not bidding. This lasted for a good while and then I couldn't resist. I bought some ceramic accessories - small light fittings for Christmas trees and some decals. They were very cheap and then I bought some heavy duty tables for five pounds each. My heart was beating very fast at this point as I thought there is no way I could sneak those into my little car. Husband would have to come and collect them with his trailer.

An emotional ramble..

My lovely friend lost her Mum recently, we were childhood friends, in fact our Mum's worked together for a while and had been friends for many, many years.. I wanted to make something special for her, so when she posted a particularly lovely picture of her late parents I knew just what to do. It's quite scary really how you can easily save other people's photos onto your own computer. But please don't dwell on that because my intentions were honourable. I turned the photo into sepia and printed it with a photo copier/printer. I then used Dylon image maker to transfer the photo onto some calico. Once it had dried I cut around the photo and used blanket stitch to attach it to a piece of cotton fabric that I had dyed with some old tea that I had got hanging around. To be honest it was cold and I couldn't drink it. Although saying that I did stick it all into a saucepan and boiled it until I had almost ruined the pan! Well Instagram was calling and I got sidetracked. I then used running stitch to attach to some old fabric that I acquired when I went skip dipping. I did wish that I had been a lot braver with my dipping because there were lots of other hidden gems in there. Oh well. I went out in the dark of night and hoped that the police didn't spot me, as I think the appeal of having my meals cooked for me and peace from my family would have quickly lost its appeal in jail.  I do apologise for rambling and also for my light-heartedness, it was a very emotional journey making this special keepsake and I suppose it's my way of coping.  

I then stitched it to a woollen blanket that I had felted. There are also a couple of lace coasters and buttons that I used to further embellish.  I do so love this and as I wrote to my friend that I had stitched love into every single stitch.  Although I live many miles from my friend and have done for coming up thirty years she often enters my thoughts and I just wanted her to know that.

Beautiful motherhood!

Well Babykins is 4 weeks old and I must say that her lungs are very well exercised! I bought a gift for No 1 to celebrate the birth of Babykins and I must say it is hilarious...

Using the advice and wisdom of Dr Frank a baby is quickly trained! A baby up to four weeks old should sleep for twenty-one hours out of twenty-four. I think Babykins needs to have a read of Dr Frank's book! 

No 4

I have often previously blogged about No 4 and her football (and honestly if I haven't I've definitely thought about it), anyway she is away in Germany at the moment. Playing football. For team GB. Amazing!

We are all very proud of her. Her Grandad would have been too.

Baby!

My beautiful new granddaughter has arrived!

Mum and baby are doing well.

Just do it!

I can procrastinate no longer because in four weeks my grand baby is due! My very first grand baby! I already have some wrinkles and a few grey hairs so feel that I will be quite qualified for my new found status. So now I need to finish this blanket by crocheting like I have never crocheted before. Perhaps I should get off the laptop...

Just thought I'd share..

Sometimes words aren't needed...

Needle felting

Every time I drop by it seems to be with an apology for getting waylaid with life! I'm loving my new job and the students that I teach are amazing. I feel very blessed. I suppose I wouldn't be blogging now except when I was taking my students out last week I bumped into a friend and real-life reader of my blog and I knew that I should get a grip!
I have previously blogged about the craft workshops that I have organised, whilst those have continued on a monthly basis, I thought it was time to treat myself to one. I chose a needle felting workshop and we made a hare. Although I have dabbled in needle felting before I hadn't made much in the way of 3D. It is so addictive! This is my finished piece...

A long over due post!

I mentioned in a previous post about the wonderful gift from my lovely friend. I hadn't spoken to her for a while but she sensed that I wasn't quite myself. She also reads my blog, or she would if I wrote something! She knew that I loved to take part in swaps so she collected lots of things that she knew that I would love and she posted them to me...

 I opened the gorgeous Cath Kidston sewing box and inside were such a selection of 'bits and pieces' that I'm not quite sure how it all fit in there!

 I just love the little touches...

 Inside the pocket were masses of scrumptious buttons bursting to get out!

 And little packages...

 with lots of stitchy goodies...

 And these are too lovely to use...

 And the most beautiful fabrics...

 And look at this beautiful pin!

 And yes it truly did make me smile and continues to do so...

 An action shot of my air freshener!

It was the most thoughtful and amazing gift and really did gladden my heart.  I am so grateful and blessed to have such wonderful friends

Back again 2

It would make much more sense (if that is possible) to read from the beginning...back again You don't have to of course because lots of things in life don't make sense.

That evening I didn't hear from the school, I was disappointed but the other candidates seemed quite strong; one of the ladies had worked there before, one was working with the school currently and one had bucket loads of experience. Such is life. I went off with my little friend to teach a Christmas angel workshop to lots of lovely ladies.  This of course meant that I was up until midnight making resources for my interview the following day.  I went off to my interview.  There was much involved, group tasks, interviews with governors, interview with panel, teaching activity, lunch and meet the teachers.  The morning went really well and at lunch I happened to look at my phone to discover three missed calls. It as the first school and I phoned them because good news or bad I really needed to know.

They were really pleased to tell me that I had the job. I was totally honest with them and told them that things were going very well with my interviews that day too.They were very kind in wishing me luck and asking me to let them know as soon as I had made up my mind.  It had always been a wish of mine to work at the second school, I'm not sure where or when it happened but somewhere in those afternoon interviews it dawned on me that School One was for me.

Once it was all over I went to collect No 4 from school with only a small detour to Sainsbury to buy some new celebration boots. I rarely drink and boots make me happy! I collected No 4 and visited School One to tell them my decision.  I saw the Financial Manager who had broken the good news to my earlier and told her that I was delighted to be joining the school. I was ushered in to see the headteacher and  chair of governors. I couldn't possibly be in trouble so soon...
They wanted to chat to me about the possibility of doing a different role within school.  I was given the background and details, warts and all and was offered a week's trial to see if I liked it, whilst still having the fall back of the original position.

So here I am four weeks into that job having been offered two others (that feeling in my water was right after all) in as many days.  Whilst it didn't lift the darkness immediately it certainly switched the light on which grows brighter with each day.  So maybe things do happen for a reason.  Time will tell.

Back again!

I'm not quite sure where to start as it has been such a while. I could kind of start at the beginning... 2014 was not such a great year for me.  It was not one mammoth thing but a collective.  I lost the job that I had put my absolute heart and soul into and it took a great while to recover from it.  Quite honestly I was bereft.  I wasn't the only person that was upset about my loss, many of my friends and colleagues were upset too.  I'd like to say time has been a great healer but it hasn't so far. Everyone told me that things happen for a reason but I just couldn't see it. If you were to ever ask me how I was in real life, I am always 'fine' but one of my lovely friends saw through my 'fineness' and sent me the wonderful parcel to cheer me.  (I am going to shoe photos honestly) It really did cheer me up more than I can say, but I still felt very down. I started supply teaching and that was 'fine' too with some schools more 'fine' than others. Then I started blocking some of my days in my diary so that I couldn't be called for those days.  I had the grandest of intentions but I stayed at home and wallowed. Even when Christmas24 started on TV it wasn't enough!  Then I spotted a job that I would quite like to do, then I spotted another and then another! I have a rule to only apply for one job at a time because quite honestly I like to swat up completely about a new school and my memory is not quite as retentive as it once was, and I would really hate to quote a brilliant fact about a school to find out that it is a different school I am talking about!

I broke my own rule by applying for two jobs at the same time and lo and behold had an interview for both.  I am none too special at interviews, externally all my faculties are intact apart from a little rash around my neckline but internally I am mush. Sadly this expels itself in the form of sh**e (you get the picture) that I proceed to talk. It's awful but hilarious all rolled into one! And not surprisingly I don't get the job!  I decided to maybe even treat the first interview as a practise for the second one.  I got there, all sweaty handed (I forgot to mention that in my external bit) and rashy and once I'd left home my shoes grew and became too big.  People tell me that Coco is still fashionable although I'm not convinced it's the clown.  I stuffed tissues into the toes and carefully strutted my stuff right into that school. All the candidates had a lovely tour and chat, then down to the formal business of the interview.  It was one of those out of body experiences and I couldn't believe the stuff that I was saying. I was saying proper valid stuff as if I knew what I was talking about and I just couldn't believe where all this stuff had been hiding! I went away with a good feeling that even if I didn't get the job I had without doubt done my best.

I didn't mean to write all this, it wasn't my plan but I'm going with it anyway.  I think it's time for a tea break and then a new post to continue!

Thank you lovely people for remembering my little blog. I fully intend to be here far more often than I was last year. It's not a new year resolution just a good intention. I'm in Wales at the moment but once I'm back I'll blog properly again as goodness knows we have much to catch up on. TTFN

Happy New Year. 

May it be blessed with good health and prosperity.