Crafty Lil things is organising an ATC swap for the little(ish) ones.
I missed the swap organised last year by Wise Craft, so I've signed Chloe up for this year's swap and she's really looking forward to it.
If you're not familiar with ATC's, they're Artist Trading Cards, the only rules about the cards are that they must measures 3.5 x 2.5 inches and they must be swapped and not sold.
Kids are invited from anywhere in the world to take part and the three age groups are:-
12 months to 3 years
3 to 6
7 to 10
You can send as many or as few cards as you like and they're pretty inexpensive to post as they fit in a regular envelope. The only thing you are expected to send is the card itself and aren't obliged to include any extras whatsoever.
It's a great way to introduce the very little ones to the idea of pen pals, as I know there is a pen friend programme in Chloe's school for kids age 6 and over and it'll give the kids something fun and a bit different to talk about on the show and tell days once they're back to school.
You can make the cards from absolutely anything and in any medium so you won't need special materials or anything like that, kids can paint, draw, colour, cut and stick or whatever takes their fancy and you can even let the very little ones go nuts with a big sheet of card and then cut it to the right size yourself.
You can pop over to Crafty Lil Things to sign up for the Kids ATC swap, and you'll receive an email with your recipient(s) and the date for posting shortly. Ideally this will take place over the remainder of the Summer hols so sign up quickly. You might even receive a mini Chloe masterpiece:)
Showing posts with label Fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fun. Show all posts
Some assembly required
Well there's no getting away from it now. This morning I provisionally booked and paid the deposit for our holiday in the Summer.
Yup, we're going camping! We finally decided on Ross's Point near Sligo last night. Not that it was too difficult a decision, I mean look at the place.
I haven't been camping in a long time. Put it this way, the last time I went camping the ordeal involved actual tent poles of the variety required to, you know, hold a tent up. There was no such thing as these new fangled poppy up jobbies you can get now. Not in our budget anyway.
The strange thing is that we do have camping equipment. New camping equipment! But Bob and I have never been camping together. The whole caboodle's up in the roof space. tent, sleeping bags, camp stove, camping mattresses, you name it and we have it.
And my mum does too and she's never been camping either. Does camping equipment come free with houses or something or is it just one of those things that people accumulate over the years without ever realising it? Or is this some weird phenomenon specific to my family?
Well whatever the reason, it will all find itself put to good use this Summer.
Hmm, three people huddled in a tent and one of them will be a five year old. This could be fantastic or it could all go horribly, horribly wrong.
Yup, we're going camping! We finally decided on Ross's Point near Sligo last night. Not that it was too difficult a decision, I mean look at the place.
I haven't been camping in a long time. Put it this way, the last time I went camping the ordeal involved actual tent poles of the variety required to, you know, hold a tent up. There was no such thing as these new fangled poppy up jobbies you can get now. Not in our budget anyway.
The strange thing is that we do have camping equipment. New camping equipment! But Bob and I have never been camping together. The whole caboodle's up in the roof space. tent, sleeping bags, camp stove, camping mattresses, you name it and we have it.
And my mum does too and she's never been camping either. Does camping equipment come free with houses or something or is it just one of those things that people accumulate over the years without ever realising it? Or is this some weird phenomenon specific to my family?
Well whatever the reason, it will all find itself put to good use this Summer.
Hmm, three people huddled in a tent and one of them will be a five year old. This could be fantastic or it could all go horribly, horribly wrong.
World Domination in 7 Easy Steps
I have discovered Sweden's plan for world domination.
It's so simple and yet incredibly cunning that it simply can't fail.
Step 1. The world buys our delectable Swedish chocolate.
Step 2: The world will buy our impeccably designed and yet incredibly comfortable modular furniture.
Step 3: The world will settled themselves into our impeccably designed and yet incredibly comfortable modular furniture with a cup of coffee.
Step 4: The world can't have coffee with out vast quantities of our delectable Swedish chocolate.
Step 5: The world will eat vast quantities of our delectable chocolate whilst sitting in our impeccably designed and yet incredibly comfortable modular furniture.
Step 6: The world will realise that they have eaten too much of our delectable Swedish chocolate and now their roly poly, lardy pudding bums are stuck fast in our impeccably designed and yet incredibly comfortable modular furniture.
Step 7: Take over the world. Mwhahahahahahaha.
You have been warned!!!
It's so simple and yet incredibly cunning that it simply can't fail.
Step 1. The world buys our delectable Swedish chocolate.
Step 2: The world will buy our impeccably designed and yet incredibly comfortable modular furniture.
Step 3: The world will settled themselves into our impeccably designed and yet incredibly comfortable modular furniture with a cup of coffee.Step 4: The world can't have coffee with out vast quantities of our delectable Swedish chocolate.
Step 5: The world will eat vast quantities of our delectable chocolate whilst sitting in our impeccably designed and yet incredibly comfortable modular furniture.
Step 6: The world will realise that they have eaten too much of our delectable Swedish chocolate and now their roly poly, lardy pudding bums are stuck fast in our impeccably designed and yet incredibly comfortable modular furniture.
Step 7: Take over the world. Mwhahahahahahaha.
You have been warned!!!
First Day at School. Piece of Cake!
I'm so pleased because Chloe had a brilliant first day at school.
We even managed to start off in the morning on a high note. Normally, she isn't a big fan of breakfast. She'll pick at her food or just have something tiny like half a slice of toast and some juice, but this morning she sat happily and munched through a bowl of weetabix, some strawberries and a glass of apple juice in about 15 minutes.
We managed to get the uniform on without any problems. She didn't grow six inches over night so everything still fit.
And she looked so cute wearing it. She knows it too.
We walked to the school and I was a little concerned because she was really happy the entire way, but as soon as we reached the top of the steps and the P1 courtyard was in front of us she hesitated, just for a split second but it was there. Usually Chloe is the type of kid to run into any situation with both guns blazing and its a very rare sight to see her unsure of herself. On the few occasions its happened before she has went one of two ways. Either she shrugs it off and runs on anyway, or she falls to pieces, wants a hug and refuses to carry on. Thankfully today was a good day.
After a few minutes one of the women from her old daycare arrived with three kids she recognised as friends and they played together for five minutes or so before her new teacher opened the door to their cloakroom and invited them in.
After that I didn't get a look in.
I managed to squeeze past some of the other mums into the cloakroom to give Chloe her little envelope for the snack scheme just in time to hear her teacher ask her name and for Chloe to reply "I'm the butterfly". I took both of us a second to realise that she'd spotted her hanger with her name and a picture of a blue and purple butterfly above it.
She was only in school today for a bit less that 3 hours and she'll start her full days of 3.5 hours tomorrow. We collected her shortly after noon and she talked a mile a minute the whole way home, even making us stop in the street every now and again while she explained something in spite of the heavy rain.
Best of all she's really excited to be going again tomorrow and that she will be able to go every day. I've heard stories of some kids arriving home from school saying about how brilliant it was, but what do you mean I have to go again tomorrow I thought that was it. So its really good that she understands that it isn't a one off thing.
Oh and I'm to tell you that her teacher gave her a spider sticker which says "Very Good Work" because she was able to write her own name on a painting of the three of us. I'm blue, Dad's yellow and Chloe's green but because those things tend to come home in bundles at the end of term, that's all I know about the painting for the minute.
I hope everyone else planning for the first day of school this year have just as good a day.
We even managed to start off in the morning on a high note. Normally, she isn't a big fan of breakfast. She'll pick at her food or just have something tiny like half a slice of toast and some juice, but this morning she sat happily and munched through a bowl of weetabix, some strawberries and a glass of apple juice in about 15 minutes.
We managed to get the uniform on without any problems. She didn't grow six inches over night so everything still fit.
And she looked so cute wearing it. She knows it too.
We walked to the school and I was a little concerned because she was really happy the entire way, but as soon as we reached the top of the steps and the P1 courtyard was in front of us she hesitated, just for a split second but it was there. Usually Chloe is the type of kid to run into any situation with both guns blazing and its a very rare sight to see her unsure of herself. On the few occasions its happened before she has went one of two ways. Either she shrugs it off and runs on anyway, or she falls to pieces, wants a hug and refuses to carry on. Thankfully today was a good day.
After a few minutes one of the women from her old daycare arrived with three kids she recognised as friends and they played together for five minutes or so before her new teacher opened the door to their cloakroom and invited them in.
After that I didn't get a look in.
I managed to squeeze past some of the other mums into the cloakroom to give Chloe her little envelope for the snack scheme just in time to hear her teacher ask her name and for Chloe to reply "I'm the butterfly". I took both of us a second to realise that she'd spotted her hanger with her name and a picture of a blue and purple butterfly above it.
She was only in school today for a bit less that 3 hours and she'll start her full days of 3.5 hours tomorrow. We collected her shortly after noon and she talked a mile a minute the whole way home, even making us stop in the street every now and again while she explained something in spite of the heavy rain.
Best of all she's really excited to be going again tomorrow and that she will be able to go every day. I've heard stories of some kids arriving home from school saying about how brilliant it was, but what do you mean I have to go again tomorrow I thought that was it. So its really good that she understands that it isn't a one off thing.
Oh and I'm to tell you that her teacher gave her a spider sticker which says "Very Good Work" because she was able to write her own name on a painting of the three of us. I'm blue, Dad's yellow and Chloe's green but because those things tend to come home in bundles at the end of term, that's all I know about the painting for the minute.
I hope everyone else planning for the first day of school this year have just as good a day.
I'm officially out of ways to entrertain Toots
I could also have called this post "Roll on School Term" but I'll save that for when it gets a lot worse.
But, I hear you ask,
How much worse can it possibly get in you house when you've already let the the child run around (yes out in the garden too) with a pair of purple flowery knickers on her head pretending to be spiderman?
I guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't we!
But, I hear you ask,
How much worse can it possibly get in you house when you've already let the the child run around (yes out in the garden too) with a pair of purple flowery knickers on her head pretending to be spiderman?
I guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't we!
Typical
And we were really looking forward to the Creative Peninsula event in Conway Square tomorrow too.
Its absolutely glorious outside today, the sun is shining, the grass is drying out and the temperature is perfect. However, I've just checked the forecast for tomorrow and it's to rain. All. Day. Long.
Toots is going stir crazy at the minute being couped up around the house. Don't get me wrong, even if the weather's a bit miserable we still play in the garden or go for a walk reasonably close to home, because there's little more fun to be had than having to carry a drenched four year old more than a mile home in the pouring rain. I try to keep her as busy and occupied as I can while we're at home but the poor child just needs to stretch her legs, to get outside and run like the clappers.
I was kind of banking on tomorrow to pick her up a bit. Admittedly, it isn't going to be a hopping, skipping, jumping kind of day but she'll be able to take part in loads of arts and crafts like painting and pottery to name a couple of things. I'm not hugely concerned about rain to be honestly as I can always put her wellies and raincoat on and just bring an empty bag to lug around the wets while we're in the tents, but if the wind picks up then I'm worries they may have to cancel the event.
Roll on school term is all I can say. At least then Toots will have something everyday to enjoy and she'll be back in the company of other kids on a daily basis which I know for a fact she has missed terribly since leaving daycare. I just hope the teachers can keep up with her.
In the meantime, I'll organise a bag tonight with a spare empty one tucked in and our raincoats and just hope for the best tomorrow because come hell or high water, I need to get this child away from the house for more than an hour.
Its absolutely glorious outside today, the sun is shining, the grass is drying out and the temperature is perfect. However, I've just checked the forecast for tomorrow and it's to rain. All. Day. Long.
Toots is going stir crazy at the minute being couped up around the house. Don't get me wrong, even if the weather's a bit miserable we still play in the garden or go for a walk reasonably close to home, because there's little more fun to be had than having to carry a drenched four year old more than a mile home in the pouring rain. I try to keep her as busy and occupied as I can while we're at home but the poor child just needs to stretch her legs, to get outside and run like the clappers.
I was kind of banking on tomorrow to pick her up a bit. Admittedly, it isn't going to be a hopping, skipping, jumping kind of day but she'll be able to take part in loads of arts and crafts like painting and pottery to name a couple of things. I'm not hugely concerned about rain to be honestly as I can always put her wellies and raincoat on and just bring an empty bag to lug around the wets while we're in the tents, but if the wind picks up then I'm worries they may have to cancel the event.
Roll on school term is all I can say. At least then Toots will have something everyday to enjoy and she'll be back in the company of other kids on a daily basis which I know for a fact she has missed terribly since leaving daycare. I just hope the teachers can keep up with her.
In the meantime, I'll organise a bag tonight with a spare empty one tucked in and our raincoats and just hope for the best tomorrow because come hell or high water, I need to get this child away from the house for more than an hour.
Because.....
I'm properly busy and therefore unable (too lazy) to properly write a proper post, I went ahead and mad men-ed myself.
And also because I wish I could be standing in a bar, cocktail in hand, chilling out.
Her bra and knickers even match and generally I'm much too busy (again, lazy) to bother with such unnecessary frivolities.
Sure a girl can wish!
Anyone have a spare eight hours lying around I can borrow?
And also because I wish I could be standing in a bar, cocktail in hand, chilling out.
Her bra and knickers even match and generally I'm much too busy (again, lazy) to bother with such unnecessary frivolities.
Sure a girl can wish!
Anyone have a spare eight hours lying around I can borrow?
Wonderhubs, Woodturning and Witchy Wonderfuls
I mentioned earlier in the week that the husband had been out in the garage whittling away on something with the wood lathe.
I let Toots watch Harry Potter a couple of weeks ago when the weather was particularly nasty one days and she's been addicted ever since. Talking about it, trying to learn the spells, pretending she's a witch. She just loves it.
So anyway, this is what Wonderhubs was up to in the garage...
Yep, he made a wand of her very own.
It's not bad at all for a first attempt, obviously the wands in the movie are a fair bit more tapered than this one but he figured that a sharp, pointed stick in the hands of a four year old might end in tears.
He used some wood that he had handy in the garage, but plans to buy something specific for his next attempt at woodturning. The wood he used was as old as dirt to be honest and he knows himself that he should have used something much greener for his first few attempts but still it turned out to be good practice and now he understands the experts suggest using green wood as a beginner.
He's itching to have another go and Toots is very happy with her new magic wand.
Now will someone kindly explain to her that her that waving her wand and yelling hocus pocus does not guarantee that mummy will magically produce chocolate.
I let Toots watch Harry Potter a couple of weeks ago when the weather was particularly nasty one days and she's been addicted ever since. Talking about it, trying to learn the spells, pretending she's a witch. She just loves it.
So anyway, this is what Wonderhubs was up to in the garage...
Yep, he made a wand of her very own.
It's not bad at all for a first attempt, obviously the wands in the movie are a fair bit more tapered than this one but he figured that a sharp, pointed stick in the hands of a four year old might end in tears.
He used some wood that he had handy in the garage, but plans to buy something specific for his next attempt at woodturning. The wood he used was as old as dirt to be honest and he knows himself that he should have used something much greener for his first few attempts but still it turned out to be good practice and now he understands the experts suggest using green wood as a beginner.
He's itching to have another go and Toots is very happy with her new magic wand.
Now will someone kindly explain to her that her that waving her wand and yelling hocus pocus does not guarantee that mummy will magically produce chocolate.
Its funny the things you just realise
My mum had Toots on Wednesday afternoon and when she dropped her back home again, Toots went straight upstairs for her bath and my mum and I sat chatting for a while as we often do.
Ten minutes later while desperately trying to catch my breath from laughing so hard I realised that most of my memories of my mum are like this.
She's one of those people. I think everybody knows at least one and the world would be a much more dismal, dreary place without them, but she is just one of those people that can have you in a complete wrinkle, creasing yourself laughing just by telling you about her trip to get a carton of milk.
My mum seriously missed her calling, she should have been a stand up comedienne. Nobody I know spins a yarn or tells a tale quite like my mum.
She's such a bright, cheerful woman and manages to inject humour into even the most humdrum days.
She's always full of life and laughter and I'm so grateful for that. I can't understand why I didn't really notice it before. I guess we just get used to the friends and family who surround us and sometimes take their best attributes and the finest elements of their personality for granted.
I've been crafting away tonight since she went home again, but I've been remembering some of the things she got up to when we were kids.
I remember her bobbing for apples and practically emptying the entire contents of the basin of water all over the kitchen floor, because dammit she was getting that apple if it was the last thing she did.
Or smiling unashamedly to anyone she met for he full week it took to get a dentist appointment after she broke one of her front teeth eating a candy bracelet. She didn't care that she looked like something out of Dumb and Dumber.
I remember a guy calling door to door selling indoor fireworks before Halloween. Maybe these were only a UK thing but if you remember them let me know. Anyway, she lit one of them on the drop down oven door and then proceeded to beat the dung out of the thing with a wet dishcloth because the smoke alarm was going off and she thought the house was going to burn down. Just the thought of her screaming at that firework to "go out, why won't you go out" as though it might reply "oh alright then" has me in stitches.
She could be very creative with the punishments too. I remember the first time I ever had a drink. Not the worst thing I ever did, but it was bad enough (it gets worse, wait for it). I was 14 at the time and went a tad overboard shall we say. I was convinced I'd made it. I managed to let myself into the house and into the downstairs loo to freshen up. I called goodnight to her and thought I was free and clear as she called goodnight back and I headed up the stairs.
I was almost there too when I tripped and fell over a pair of my dumb ass brother's trainers that were lying on the second to last stair. I tried to keep as quiet as possible and shrug it off and as I was picking myself back up again I heard this snort from behind. I turned around and there was my mum standing at the bottom of the stairs trying to look angry and trying to stop from killing herself laughing at the same time.
Well apparently I was thoroughly smished because I immediately burst into tears, told her I was drunk and tried my best to apologise.
She bundled me off to bed, telling me I was in for it in the morning. I woke the next morning, feeling like someone had stolen my head and left a bag of hammers in its place and I could hear my mum on the phone downstairs telling the school secretary that I wouldn't be in that day (told you) because I had a bug.
Well, I lay in bed like Little Miss Smuggy McSmuggerson thinking my mum was the coolest mum in the whole wide world and I drifted back off to sleep....
Until a soaking wet, freezing cold wash cloth landed squarely on my face and I scrambled out of bed to face the sight of a bucket of cleaning supplies and a smiling face and pointing finger aimed directly at the bathroom.
Ever scrubbed a bathroom at 8am after a night on the sauce? No, well I don't recommend it and let me tell you it was a very very long time before I dared touch another drop of drink.
Honestly, every beer smelt just like bleach and that awful floral disinfectant until I was in my early 20s. She never used that disinfectant before and she's never used it since. I think she may have went out at the scrake of dawn to get a bottle on purpose.
So thank you mum, for always smiling and giving everyone around you no other option but to do likewise.
Ten minutes later while desperately trying to catch my breath from laughing so hard I realised that most of my memories of my mum are like this.
She's one of those people. I think everybody knows at least one and the world would be a much more dismal, dreary place without them, but she is just one of those people that can have you in a complete wrinkle, creasing yourself laughing just by telling you about her trip to get a carton of milk.
My mum seriously missed her calling, she should have been a stand up comedienne. Nobody I know spins a yarn or tells a tale quite like my mum.
She's such a bright, cheerful woman and manages to inject humour into even the most humdrum days.
She's always full of life and laughter and I'm so grateful for that. I can't understand why I didn't really notice it before. I guess we just get used to the friends and family who surround us and sometimes take their best attributes and the finest elements of their personality for granted.
I've been crafting away tonight since she went home again, but I've been remembering some of the things she got up to when we were kids.
I remember her bobbing for apples and practically emptying the entire contents of the basin of water all over the kitchen floor, because dammit she was getting that apple if it was the last thing she did.
Or smiling unashamedly to anyone she met for he full week it took to get a dentist appointment after she broke one of her front teeth eating a candy bracelet. She didn't care that she looked like something out of Dumb and Dumber.
I remember a guy calling door to door selling indoor fireworks before Halloween. Maybe these were only a UK thing but if you remember them let me know. Anyway, she lit one of them on the drop down oven door and then proceeded to beat the dung out of the thing with a wet dishcloth because the smoke alarm was going off and she thought the house was going to burn down. Just the thought of her screaming at that firework to "go out, why won't you go out" as though it might reply "oh alright then" has me in stitches.
She could be very creative with the punishments too. I remember the first time I ever had a drink. Not the worst thing I ever did, but it was bad enough (it gets worse, wait for it). I was 14 at the time and went a tad overboard shall we say. I was convinced I'd made it. I managed to let myself into the house and into the downstairs loo to freshen up. I called goodnight to her and thought I was free and clear as she called goodnight back and I headed up the stairs.
I was almost there too when I tripped and fell over a pair of my dumb ass brother's trainers that were lying on the second to last stair. I tried to keep as quiet as possible and shrug it off and as I was picking myself back up again I heard this snort from behind. I turned around and there was my mum standing at the bottom of the stairs trying to look angry and trying to stop from killing herself laughing at the same time.
Well apparently I was thoroughly smished because I immediately burst into tears, told her I was drunk and tried my best to apologise.
She bundled me off to bed, telling me I was in for it in the morning. I woke the next morning, feeling like someone had stolen my head and left a bag of hammers in its place and I could hear my mum on the phone downstairs telling the school secretary that I wouldn't be in that day (told you) because I had a bug.
Well, I lay in bed like Little Miss Smuggy McSmuggerson thinking my mum was the coolest mum in the whole wide world and I drifted back off to sleep....
Until a soaking wet, freezing cold wash cloth landed squarely on my face and I scrambled out of bed to face the sight of a bucket of cleaning supplies and a smiling face and pointing finger aimed directly at the bathroom.
Ever scrubbed a bathroom at 8am after a night on the sauce? No, well I don't recommend it and let me tell you it was a very very long time before I dared touch another drop of drink.
Honestly, every beer smelt just like bleach and that awful floral disinfectant until I was in my early 20s. She never used that disinfectant before and she's never used it since. I think she may have went out at the scrake of dawn to get a bottle on purpose.
So thank you mum, for always smiling and giving everyone around you no other option but to do likewise.
Paddling Pools and Panic Shopping
I can't believe its almost July already.
And just because a) I was always THAT girl in the office and, b) its a little bit funny, I provide you with the following information;
It is exactly 26 weeks to Christmas!
We'll just let that one sit there for a second while I hide behind this scatter cushion.
Anyway, that means I have now been at home, looking after Toots full time for half a year. Its been a hell of a half year. Mostly good, occasionally a handful, sometimes a hair pulling situation.
My own hair obviously, don't even go there.
I know I haven't been around a lot lately but I have been busy elsewhere. I needed to finish a custom order which is finally complete, absolutely gorgeous (if I do say so myself) and sent off in the post. I also had a couple of other surprise projects to finish up and I'll hopefully have them done and ready to go by the end of the weekend.
And I've been spending a lot of time with the family outdoors. The weather here has been fabulous and its set to reach 30C next week so I'll have to prepare myself and everyone else for that. We don't do that kind of heat here, there's something very unnatural about 30C and there not being a plane ride involved.
The Irish melt in that kind of heat.
We've been to Stormont Park, the beach, where Toots fell face first into a huge wave and didn't freak out, and we enjoyed a nice day in Bangor for the husband's birthday.
Well nice until it turned frantic as I had to run off from the Pickie Fun Park into the centre of town to try and find a new outfit for Toots after she assumed I was my usual organised self and had packed her a change of clothes and she belly flopped, shoes and all, into the paddling pool.
Such a pity I wasn't organised that day. And that's why you should always pack a change of clothes for your kid, cause you never know.
And you might want to chuck a clean t shirt in the boot of the car for your husband while you're at it because while you're running like a headless chicken through a packed town with your mobile phone tucked safely out of earshot in your bum pocket, your daughter will climb (saturated) from the paddling pool and give your husband his big drippy birthday hug.
And just because a) I was always THAT girl in the office and, b) its a little bit funny, I provide you with the following information;
It is exactly 26 weeks to Christmas!
We'll just let that one sit there for a second while I hide behind this scatter cushion.
Anyway, that means I have now been at home, looking after Toots full time for half a year. Its been a hell of a half year. Mostly good, occasionally a handful, sometimes a hair pulling situation.
My own hair obviously, don't even go there.
I know I haven't been around a lot lately but I have been busy elsewhere. I needed to finish a custom order which is finally complete, absolutely gorgeous (if I do say so myself) and sent off in the post. I also had a couple of other surprise projects to finish up and I'll hopefully have them done and ready to go by the end of the weekend.
And I've been spending a lot of time with the family outdoors. The weather here has been fabulous and its set to reach 30C next week so I'll have to prepare myself and everyone else for that. We don't do that kind of heat here, there's something very unnatural about 30C and there not being a plane ride involved.
The Irish melt in that kind of heat.
We've been to Stormont Park, the beach, where Toots fell face first into a huge wave and didn't freak out, and we enjoyed a nice day in Bangor for the husband's birthday.
Well nice until it turned frantic as I had to run off from the Pickie Fun Park into the centre of town to try and find a new outfit for Toots after she assumed I was my usual organised self and had packed her a change of clothes and she belly flopped, shoes and all, into the paddling pool.
Such a pity I wasn't organised that day. And that's why you should always pack a change of clothes for your kid, cause you never know.
And you might want to chuck a clean t shirt in the boot of the car for your husband while you're at it because while you're running like a headless chicken through a packed town with your mobile phone tucked safely out of earshot in your bum pocket, your daughter will climb (saturated) from the paddling pool and give your husband his big drippy birthday hug.
Oh er missus
I've been tagged. By Fabric Nation. And its a doozy.
This one has questions and everything.
The rules are as follows:
1. respond and rework; answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your invention, add more one question of your own (don't feel obliged as it's quite long already!)
2. tag eight other people
Right, here goes nothing!
What is your current obsession?
Pass.
No I'm kidding. No really come back again, sit down, put your feet, have a cuppa.
At the minute it's jewellery, well accessories really. There are much, much better people out there toiling away making proper jewellery for you without me chucking something the child could have made into the mix:) I like fabric necklaces and bracelets and I'm itching to get started on a couple of brooches that won't be brooches at the minute.
What is your weirdest obsession?
All of my obsessions are completely and utterly normal. Well unless you class getting my hands on a lathe, tools, extenders and a huge bench when I have absolutely no clue about wood turning or where to even begin weird. I just put it down to a complete lack of self control, besides all of the stuff was completely free. Freecycle Rules!!!
Coffee or tea?
Tea. I almost said coffee considering I drink roughly 20 cups a day, but then its crap coffee and I drink it out of habit more than anything. It certainly isn't for the taste. Nope, it has to be tea. Proper shipyard tea in a big bottomless mug that's so strong you can stand a teaspoon up in it.
High tea's lovely too, but only if its done properly. The Four Seasons in Vegas, where they plonk you on a balcony in the baking desert heat while those spitty mister thingies "baste" you, do not do it properly. I'm just saying.
What’s for dinner?
I've just finished a big plate of lasagna and I'm sorely tempted to go back for another one. Twas nummy!
What have you just made?
Pages 16 and 17 of GO handmade, some new jewellery and I'm currently working on a huge stuffed daisy for a custom order. And when I say huge I mean three feet across, at least.
What are you listening to right now?
My next door neighbour's jack russell and my husband snoring loudly upstairs. It was his turn to "do bedtime" tonight and he's obviously fallen asleep. Bless him.
What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Mullins Turkish Delight. Its made with real Jersey cream and the stuff just doesn't melt, its so thick and creamy and delish. Its flavoured with rose water and has really dark bitter pieces of shaves chocolate through it that are as black as night. Proper grown up ice cream. I will occasionally order it in a teddy bear cone and pretend it's for the child.
What do you think of the person(s) who tagged you?
I love Fabric Nation's work, especially her pieces using vintage fabric. I have her shop squirrelled away in my favourites and if it wasn't for the fact that I am currently stony broke I would already have this Vintage Fabric Puppy. Plus she collects photographs of the locks on loo doors, seriously you can't get much better than that!
If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
To bed. No wait, can I be a fly on the wall when I go there? Or no, hang on probably better not get into that. I'll just go to bed.
Which language do you want to learn?
Oh, there are too many. I speak a bit of school French and Spanish and a bit less Dutch, but I'd love to be fluent. Is it strange that I want to be able to read another language more than I want to be able to speak it?
What’s your favorite quote (for now)?
“If I had a large amount of money I should found a hospital for those whose grip upon the world is so tenuous that they can be severely offended by words and phrases yet remain completely unoffended by the injustice, violence and oppression that howls daily”. Stephen Fry
What is your favorite colour?
Green. I used to say blue, but its really green.
What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?
Its a scarf and its ancient and I've no idea where I found it. Its really long and I can wrap it around my neck a bunch of times and it still reaches my knees. I am a short arse, but still.
What is your dream job?
I love what I do at the minute to be honest. I don't think I've ever had a paid job before that I really enjoyed, just varying degrees of pissing me off. I love the things I make and I'd really like to write for a living, although I'm probably hindered by the fact that, well, take a look around you!
What is your worst habit?
Zoning out. I'm extremely good at it and a bomb could go off before I'd notice.
If you had £100 now, what would you spend it on?
Some of Sweetpea4Kids summer dresses for Toots. They're just gorgeous. Actually, I'd probably rob a bank (not my bank, obviously) and buy them all.
Do you admire any one’s style?
No one in particular, but I will occasionally admire someone's clothes if they look vintage or customised in some way i.e. not from Top Shop. Utter the words "I bought one of those little tops everyone's wearing at the minute" and you've lost me. Sorry.
Describe your personal style?
Comfy McComfortable, but I do have an awesome collection of vintage sky high heels.
What are you going to do after this?
A few more pages of GO handmade and hopefully a few more petals for that big ass daisy.
What is your favorite fruit?
Peaches, the really soft, tender late season ones.
What inspires you?
The things I see, the things I find, the people I meet and the conversations I have. Basically I find inspiration in just about everything.
Your favorite book?
Ooh, good one. I don't really have an all time favourite book. At least I don't think I do off the top of my head, although some will float in and out. I keep them all and they're their when I need them. The one I seem to be going back and forward to lately is "The New StMichael Book of Handicrafts". It was published in 1980, so its older than I am.
Do you collect something?
Memories, stories, bits and bobs....
What is your favorite smell?
Home. I could also say baked goods, like cakes and bread since more often than not my home smells of those things.
What are you most proud of?
Toots.
Easy.
How many times do you press the snooze button before you get up?
I usually wake up in my own time, sometimes I lie in bed and work out what needs to be done during the day until Toots wakes up and sometimes I head downstairs to make a start.
Cats or dogs?
I can't say dogs, the cat's lying here beside me and she'd know. Cats.
What’s your biggest fashion mistake?
A perm. Let's leave it at that.
Complete the following:
Love is… often confused with other things.
What would you like to make next?
Nope, you're not getting me that way. I said I was going to work on93 one thing at a time and you're not starting me thinking about new projects.
So there.
And now I get to tag everyone....
Mwha ha ha ha ha ha .....
Ahem!
Janmary
Annie
Sew Scrumptious
Hip Chick
Forever Foxed
The 6 o'clock stitch
Cap'n Skullduggery
Mollimoo
This one has questions and everything.
The rules are as follows:
1. respond and rework; answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your invention, add more one question of your own (don't feel obliged as it's quite long already!)
2. tag eight other people
Right, here goes nothing!
What is your current obsession?
Pass.
No I'm kidding. No really come back again, sit down, put your feet, have a cuppa.
At the minute it's jewellery, well accessories really. There are much, much better people out there toiling away making proper jewellery for you without me chucking something the child could have made into the mix:) I like fabric necklaces and bracelets and I'm itching to get started on a couple of brooches that won't be brooches at the minute.
What is your weirdest obsession?
All of my obsessions are completely and utterly normal. Well unless you class getting my hands on a lathe, tools, extenders and a huge bench when I have absolutely no clue about wood turning or where to even begin weird. I just put it down to a complete lack of self control, besides all of the stuff was completely free. Freecycle Rules!!!
Coffee or tea?
Tea. I almost said coffee considering I drink roughly 20 cups a day, but then its crap coffee and I drink it out of habit more than anything. It certainly isn't for the taste. Nope, it has to be tea. Proper shipyard tea in a big bottomless mug that's so strong you can stand a teaspoon up in it.
High tea's lovely too, but only if its done properly. The Four Seasons in Vegas, where they plonk you on a balcony in the baking desert heat while those spitty mister thingies "baste" you, do not do it properly. I'm just saying.
What’s for dinner?
I've just finished a big plate of lasagna and I'm sorely tempted to go back for another one. Twas nummy!
What have you just made?
Pages 16 and 17 of GO handmade, some new jewellery and I'm currently working on a huge stuffed daisy for a custom order. And when I say huge I mean three feet across, at least.
What are you listening to right now?
My next door neighbour's jack russell and my husband snoring loudly upstairs. It was his turn to "do bedtime" tonight and he's obviously fallen asleep. Bless him.
What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Mullins Turkish Delight. Its made with real Jersey cream and the stuff just doesn't melt, its so thick and creamy and delish. Its flavoured with rose water and has really dark bitter pieces of shaves chocolate through it that are as black as night. Proper grown up ice cream. I will occasionally order it in a teddy bear cone and pretend it's for the child.
What do you think of the person(s) who tagged you?
I love Fabric Nation's work, especially her pieces using vintage fabric. I have her shop squirrelled away in my favourites and if it wasn't for the fact that I am currently stony broke I would already have this Vintage Fabric Puppy. Plus she collects photographs of the locks on loo doors, seriously you can't get much better than that!
If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
To bed. No wait, can I be a fly on the wall when I go there? Or no, hang on probably better not get into that. I'll just go to bed.
Which language do you want to learn?
Oh, there are too many. I speak a bit of school French and Spanish and a bit less Dutch, but I'd love to be fluent. Is it strange that I want to be able to read another language more than I want to be able to speak it?
What’s your favorite quote (for now)?
“If I had a large amount of money I should found a hospital for those whose grip upon the world is so tenuous that they can be severely offended by words and phrases yet remain completely unoffended by the injustice, violence and oppression that howls daily”. Stephen Fry
What is your favorite colour?
Green. I used to say blue, but its really green.
What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?
Its a scarf and its ancient and I've no idea where I found it. Its really long and I can wrap it around my neck a bunch of times and it still reaches my knees. I am a short arse, but still.
What is your dream job?
I love what I do at the minute to be honest. I don't think I've ever had a paid job before that I really enjoyed, just varying degrees of pissing me off. I love the things I make and I'd really like to write for a living, although I'm probably hindered by the fact that, well, take a look around you!
What is your worst habit?
Zoning out. I'm extremely good at it and a bomb could go off before I'd notice.
If you had £100 now, what would you spend it on?
Some of Sweetpea4Kids summer dresses for Toots. They're just gorgeous. Actually, I'd probably rob a bank (not my bank, obviously) and buy them all.
Do you admire any one’s style?
No one in particular, but I will occasionally admire someone's clothes if they look vintage or customised in some way i.e. not from Top Shop. Utter the words "I bought one of those little tops everyone's wearing at the minute" and you've lost me. Sorry.
Describe your personal style?
Comfy McComfortable, but I do have an awesome collection of vintage sky high heels.
What are you going to do after this?
A few more pages of GO handmade and hopefully a few more petals for that big ass daisy.
What is your favorite fruit?
Peaches, the really soft, tender late season ones.
What inspires you?
The things I see, the things I find, the people I meet and the conversations I have. Basically I find inspiration in just about everything.
Your favorite book?
Ooh, good one. I don't really have an all time favourite book. At least I don't think I do off the top of my head, although some will float in and out. I keep them all and they're their when I need them. The one I seem to be going back and forward to lately is "The New StMichael Book of Handicrafts". It was published in 1980, so its older than I am.
Do you collect something?
Memories, stories, bits and bobs....
What is your favorite smell?
Home. I could also say baked goods, like cakes and bread since more often than not my home smells of those things.
What are you most proud of?
Toots.
Easy.
How many times do you press the snooze button before you get up?
I usually wake up in my own time, sometimes I lie in bed and work out what needs to be done during the day until Toots wakes up and sometimes I head downstairs to make a start.
Cats or dogs?
I can't say dogs, the cat's lying here beside me and she'd know. Cats.
What’s your biggest fashion mistake?
A perm. Let's leave it at that.
Complete the following:
Love is… often confused with other things.
What would you like to make next?
Nope, you're not getting me that way. I said I was going to work on
So there.
And now I get to tag everyone....
Mwha ha ha ha ha ha .....
Ahem!
Janmary
Annie
Sew Scrumptious
Hip Chick
Forever Foxed
The 6 o'clock stitch
Cap'n Skullduggery
Mollimoo
Fun in the Sun
We're just not cut out for this kind of weather in Northern Ireland. Don't get me wrong we appreciate it and are very grateful (if anyone in particular is listening) we're just not used to it. Especially when it sneaks up on us. The rain just stopped one day last week and the temperature rocketed and hasn't dropped since.
The poor child is suffering from a bit of heat exhaustion. She spent Saturday playing in the above ground swimming pool my mum mistook for a paddling pool. She woke at my mum's house on Sunday, stripped off her jammies and ran nekid out to the pool again. My mum just about managed to wiggle her into a swimming costume and force feed her some breakfast.
for some dinner. I know, we actually ate out for a change, but I just couldn't face the thought of cooking. I've cooked outside all week because its enough of a headache to cool the house at the minute without adding any more heat to it. So fish on the We then had a gorgeous afternoon at Knockinelder and Quintin Bay, before heading to Kircubbinbarby, salad and bread has been the order of the day, every single day.
Monday we played in the garden and took a few short walks and on Tuesday we spent over four hours at the duck pond and then on the way home Toots bought herself a petite stitch junior sewing machine in a charity shop so that she "could be like mummy". Sometimes she's almost too cute.
I did have photos planned for this post but my micro drive has gone walkabout. I will deliver as soon as it turns up though.
Wednesday was another day for running around. We had to go food shopping in the morning and with a very active four year and the obvious lack of a driving license it turned to be a nightmare, but we managed.
Yesterday we vegged in front of the TV in the morning and replanted all of the seeds destroyed by frost earlier in the year in the afternoon. Toots even planted up a little kit garden my mum bought her a couple of months ago. Its the type with a few packets of seeds, a little seeds tray and cover and a rock hard block of "magic" compost which needs to be reconstituted with water. She had a lot of fun with it to. The whole kit only cost £2.99 and had a pirate theme so inside the box, along with the necessary bits and pieces were a pirates eye patch, three flags to mark the position of her seeds and a treasure map so that she could mark an X at the spot she planted each seed. Even the seeds are themed. She planted monster sea gourd, some money plants and sea holly. I really hope something grows because she checked on it countless times yesterday and she's been outside twice this morning already to see if anything has grown yet.
She's also learnt how to open the side gate which is amazing because even I have trouble opening that gate at times. It weighs a ton and the lock is really stiff. It does mean that there has been no shortage of chase scenes around here lately because the side gate leads to the driveway which leads to a pretty busy street.
Guess what I'm doing today?
Yep, adding another lock to the bloody gate. I'm all for independence, but I'll be damned if she's going to play in the street like some little four year old urchin. When she's older fair enough, but not yet.
My house, my rules kid!
So we're a bit tired and worn out round here. I can already feel the sun burning the back of my neck through the window and it's not even 9.00am yet.
Its going to be another long, hot day.
The poor child is suffering from a bit of heat exhaustion. She spent Saturday playing in the above ground swimming pool my mum mistook for a paddling pool. She woke at my mum's house on Sunday, stripped off her jammies and ran nekid out to the pool again. My mum just about managed to wiggle her into a swimming costume and force feed her some breakfast.
for some dinner. I know, we actually ate out for a change, but I just couldn't face the thought of cooking. I've cooked outside all week because its enough of a headache to cool the house at the minute without adding any more heat to it. So fish on the We then had a gorgeous afternoon at Knockinelder and Quintin Bay, before heading to Kircubbinbarby, salad and bread has been the order of the day, every single day.
Monday we played in the garden and took a few short walks and on Tuesday we spent over four hours at the duck pond and then on the way home Toots bought herself a petite stitch junior sewing machine in a charity shop so that she "could be like mummy". Sometimes she's almost too cute.
I did have photos planned for this post but my micro drive has gone walkabout. I will deliver as soon as it turns up though.
Wednesday was another day for running around. We had to go food shopping in the morning and with a very active four year and the obvious lack of a driving license it turned to be a nightmare, but we managed.
Yesterday we vegged in front of the TV in the morning and replanted all of the seeds destroyed by frost earlier in the year in the afternoon. Toots even planted up a little kit garden my mum bought her a couple of months ago. Its the type with a few packets of seeds, a little seeds tray and cover and a rock hard block of "magic" compost which needs to be reconstituted with water. She had a lot of fun with it to. The whole kit only cost £2.99 and had a pirate theme so inside the box, along with the necessary bits and pieces were a pirates eye patch, three flags to mark the position of her seeds and a treasure map so that she could mark an X at the spot she planted each seed. Even the seeds are themed. She planted monster sea gourd, some money plants and sea holly. I really hope something grows because she checked on it countless times yesterday and she's been outside twice this morning already to see if anything has grown yet.
She's also learnt how to open the side gate which is amazing because even I have trouble opening that gate at times. It weighs a ton and the lock is really stiff. It does mean that there has been no shortage of chase scenes around here lately because the side gate leads to the driveway which leads to a pretty busy street.
Guess what I'm doing today?
Yep, adding another lock to the bloody gate. I'm all for independence, but I'll be damned if she's going to play in the street like some little four year old urchin. When she's older fair enough, but not yet.
My house, my rules kid!
So we're a bit tired and worn out round here. I can already feel the sun burning the back of my neck through the window and it's not even 9.00am yet.
Its going to be another long, hot day.
Have I bitten off more than I can chew?
It all started after the "incident" in my dentist's office when he may or may not have caught me stuffing business cards inside the magazines in his waiting room.
Shameful I know. What kind of person would actually do that kind of thing? In a dentist's office of all places!
Well after the incident which may or may not have happened and which may or may not have involved me, the dentist said that I was free to leave a stack of business cards or leaflets in his waiting rooms (not just my little room mind you, but all of them).
Score!
Still, never one to be satisfied with what I'm offered and possibly due to the fact that I might have been hopped up on anaesthetic (which does funny things to me by the way) I heard a voice not unlike my own enquire "What about a magazine?"
"Sure" he said "as long as it doesn't look like you've got busy with the child's crayons you can leave a few copies of a magazine in the waiting rooms". And the Arts Centre, and the library and the coffee shops and tourist information shop said they would all like to have copies too.
But, and here's the snagging point, there isn't a magazine promoting Folksy. I don't have one. You don't have one. The girl down the street doesn't have one.
There isn't one.
Well, not just yet anyway.
But by hook or by crook there will be. In a couple of weeks the first edition of GO handmade will be available for download.
Can you just feel the excitement?
And it won't be just a catalogue either. It will be packed with features on crafters and makers currently being slaved over by some very wonderful and creative people on Folksy. You'll find out what they do and where they do it. What makes them tick and what inspires them. There'll be crafts for kids and tips and ideas on what to do outside this summer.
You'll just have to stay tuned to find out whether it all comes together in the end.
Can you wait?
Shameful I know. What kind of person would actually do that kind of thing? In a dentist's office of all places!
Well after the incident which may or may not have happened and which may or may not have involved me, the dentist said that I was free to leave a stack of business cards or leaflets in his waiting rooms (not just my little room mind you, but all of them).
Score!
Still, never one to be satisfied with what I'm offered and possibly due to the fact that I might have been hopped up on anaesthetic (which does funny things to me by the way) I heard a voice not unlike my own enquire "What about a magazine?"
"Sure" he said "as long as it doesn't look like you've got busy with the child's crayons you can leave a few copies of a magazine in the waiting rooms". And the Arts Centre, and the library and the coffee shops and tourist information shop said they would all like to have copies too.
But, and here's the snagging point, there isn't a magazine promoting Folksy. I don't have one. You don't have one. The girl down the street doesn't have one.
There isn't one.
Well, not just yet anyway.
But by hook or by crook there will be. In a couple of weeks the first edition of GO handmade will be available for download.
Can you just feel the excitement?
And it won't be just a catalogue either. It will be packed with features on crafters and makers currently being slaved over by some very wonderful and creative people on Folksy. You'll find out what they do and where they do it. What makes them tick and what inspires them. There'll be crafts for kids and tips and ideas on what to do outside this summer.
You'll just have to stay tuned to find out whether it all comes together in the end.
Can you wait?
The one where she rambles on and on and ...
Houston we have confirmation.
The cat is a girl.
The husband took a deep breath and went outside to check.
I asked if he was sure.
He looked insulted.
The weather here the last couple of days has been out of this world. It shortly after 9am at the minute and absolutely cooking outside. Which is exactly where I am by the way. Sitting on the deck with a good cup of coffee, I actually put the percolator on this morning. So I'm sitting on my deck with my lovely laptop, my coffee and kitty purring away happily beside me.
Cat sounded far too manly for a girl and I'm pretty sure we have a pet cat now. The husband's even in the garage as we speak building her a little outside house thingy. Is it still a kennel if its for a cat. I should really buy a book shouldn't I?
My mum's complete inability to read the size of something clearly printed on the side of the box continues. Yesterday she arrived home with a "paddling pool" for Toots which turned out to be an above ground swimming pool. Seriously this thing is huge, it covers her entire deck and we can all fit in it. Not that we all tried mind you.
Also, she didn't buy a pump to inflate the thing. Have you ever got high huffing on kid's inflatables. Anyway, one last minute, blue in the face, completely knackered run to Argos later and we had a fully inflated pool and no serious cases of oxygen deprivation.
My dad also dug out the old swing ball. People outside the UK might know it as tether ball, I'm not sure.
Now swing ball might look like a nice innocuous child's game but that's where you're wrong. At least if you were raised by my dad, you are. You see to my dad, swing ball is a vicious blood soaked battle and his early teachings wore off on both my brother and I.
Toots looked a little concerned to begin with when confronted with this side of her mother. Teeth bared and angry glare on her face as she smashed the ball back at her own dad, who in turn hammered the ball right back at me.
My dad was never a big fan of the whole "kids should always win" idea. As far as he was concerned you had to WANT to win and be willing to fight for it. It's a fair point really. Imagine your kid grows up and wants to become a surgeon. Is it ok for them to step up to the table every day and have patients die left, right and centre as long as they at least tried. Not really.
Anyway, most games of swing ball between my dad, brother and I usually ended with either the ball flying off the end of the tether or one of us breaking a hole in the centre of the plastic bat.
Good times.
I spent yesterday afternoon making some new jewellery for the shop
I wanted something nice and light and summery for myself, so I decided to make a few extra at the same time. I seem to get stuck in the rut of always wearing the same jewellery, but yesterday in the heat I just couldn't do it.
I'm planning on putting the finishing touches to a few things for a giveaway today. It won't be here, but don't worry I'll tell you where it is once its up and you can run over and get your entries in.
First things first though. I'm off out the garage to make a new scratch post for kitty.
See you all later.
The cat is a girl.
The husband took a deep breath and went outside to check.
I asked if he was sure.
He looked insulted.
The weather here the last couple of days has been out of this world. It shortly after 9am at the minute and absolutely cooking outside. Which is exactly where I am by the way. Sitting on the deck with a good cup of coffee, I actually put the percolator on this morning. So I'm sitting on my deck with my lovely laptop, my coffee and kitty purring away happily beside me.
Cat sounded far too manly for a girl and I'm pretty sure we have a pet cat now. The husband's even in the garage as we speak building her a little outside house thingy. Is it still a kennel if its for a cat. I should really buy a book shouldn't I?
My mum's complete inability to read the size of something clearly printed on the side of the box continues. Yesterday she arrived home with a "paddling pool" for Toots which turned out to be an above ground swimming pool. Seriously this thing is huge, it covers her entire deck and we can all fit in it. Not that we all tried mind you.
Also, she didn't buy a pump to inflate the thing. Have you ever got high huffing on kid's inflatables. Anyway, one last minute, blue in the face, completely knackered run to Argos later and we had a fully inflated pool and no serious cases of oxygen deprivation.
My dad also dug out the old swing ball. People outside the UK might know it as tether ball, I'm not sure.
Now swing ball might look like a nice innocuous child's game but that's where you're wrong. At least if you were raised by my dad, you are. You see to my dad, swing ball is a vicious blood soaked battle and his early teachings wore off on both my brother and I.
Toots looked a little concerned to begin with when confronted with this side of her mother. Teeth bared and angry glare on her face as she smashed the ball back at her own dad, who in turn hammered the ball right back at me.
My dad was never a big fan of the whole "kids should always win" idea. As far as he was concerned you had to WANT to win and be willing to fight for it. It's a fair point really. Imagine your kid grows up and wants to become a surgeon. Is it ok for them to step up to the table every day and have patients die left, right and centre as long as they at least tried. Not really.
Anyway, most games of swing ball between my dad, brother and I usually ended with either the ball flying off the end of the tether or one of us breaking a hole in the centre of the plastic bat.
Good times.
I spent yesterday afternoon making some new jewellery for the shop
I wanted something nice and light and summery for myself, so I decided to make a few extra at the same time. I seem to get stuck in the rut of always wearing the same jewellery, but yesterday in the heat I just couldn't do it.
I'm planning on putting the finishing touches to a few things for a giveaway today. It won't be here, but don't worry I'll tell you where it is once its up and you can run over and get your entries in.
First things first though. I'm off out the garage to make a new scratch post for kitty.
See you all later.
Tutorial - Homemade Poi for Kids
At the very real risk of being labelled internet wide as a terrible mummy, I'm going to give you a tutorial on how to make your kids homemade poi.
Poi are used often in performance arts and a friend of mine got me hooked on them years ago but, as with most things in life, where it can be very difficult for an adult to learn to use them kids master them in a matter of days.
I still try as often as the weather permits to get into the garden with a set because using poi is a fantastic form of exercise and is also great for developing coordination, balance and grace, three things which I sometimes lack. I also found that when I worked as a secretary, spending hours chained to a pc typing left me with very stiff, sore wrists and poi swinging helped to ease and soften the muscles and get rid of the cramps.
So, to make a set of poi for you kids (or for yourself) you'll need the following;
A pair of old socks (kids knee length or regular adult size ankle length will do)*
Two sandwich bags or small cheapy plastic bags.
60g of rice
Some bubble wrap (old towelling or fleece will work too)
Elastic bands or regular kitchen string.
The first thing you need to do is take a measurement. If these are for a child take a measurement from their underarm to their wrist, for an adult measure from the fingertips to the shoulder. If, like mine, your child doesn't fancy standing still while you take the measurement just use a well fitting coat or jumper to get the right length.
Keep a note of the measurement (mine happened to be 10 inches). Then measure out exactly 30 grams of rice into each of the two plastic bags. You do need to be precise about the weight because even a gram or two can throw off the balance.**
Then tie a knot in each bag a couple of inches away from the rice. Don't compact the rice into a ball and tie the knot close to it, the point is to allow the rice to move around as freely as possible inside the bag.
Next take a square of bubble wrap or soft cloth and pinch the four corners together around the bag of rice, again not compacting the rice in any way. My square of bubble wrap was 6in X 6in.
And then place the bag in the toe of the sock.
Hold the sock in your hand and give it a good shake to make sure the bag of rice is well seated in the bottom of the sock.
Then taking an elastic band or a piece of string wrap or tie it around the sock about an inch above the rice bag.
You can see that there is still plenty of give in the ball end of the sock.
Next take the poi along with your measurement. Its easier to set a ruler or tape measure down, rather than trying to eyeball it.
And stretch the sock out to its fullest and make a note of the measurement on the sock (easy with mine because of the stripes). You really need to stretch the sock as far as it will go because it will stretch when spun and you don't want it getting a couple of inches longer all of a sudden mid flight (trust me, learnt that lesson the hard way).
Then just tie a knot at the measurement mark when stretched and you're done. Once the sock has relaxed back to its original length it will look very short, but it will stretch to the full length at some point during spinning so it really is better to be safe with this one.
Repeat the steps again for the second poi and you're ready to go.
Start by learning to spin the poi forwards, once you're completely comfortable with that then begin to spin them backwards.
You can then move on to split time swinging, chasing the sun, the windmill (which I totally rock btw) and loads and loads more.
The trick to teaching kids to swing poi is to teach them to keep their arms straight. That's it, it really is that simple. If you follow the instructions above and your child keeps their arms straight regardless of where their arms are positioned, its quite difficult for them to hit themselves with the poi. You also want the child to hold the knot while spinning the poi. You can also make sure the knot is pulled tight and then cut away any excess fabric.
*I didn't use a pair of socks because I happened to have a pair of Toots old skater sleeves lying around. It meant that I had to sew one end of the sleeves closed, but if you use socks you don't have to bother with this step and don't worry that the heel makes them look a funny shape, they still work the same way and swing straight.
**There are some instructions around which suggest using crumpled up plastic bags or cotton wool to stuff the ball end. Please feel free to do this if the thought of rice or lentils concerns you. I've tried a few different methods and have just found that the rice works best. The poi seem to work better and are less likely to go off track or get caught by the wind when there is a bit of weight at the end of the poi.
What I do it add the weight, but I make sure that it is "soft weight". Made this way, even if the poi does happen to hit you the weight isn't solid so it gives and flattens. Toots and I have hit ourselves with these a few times but never hurt or even bruised ourselves with them.
Poi are used often in performance arts and a friend of mine got me hooked on them years ago but, as with most things in life, where it can be very difficult for an adult to learn to use them kids master them in a matter of days.
I still try as often as the weather permits to get into the garden with a set because using poi is a fantastic form of exercise and is also great for developing coordination, balance and grace, three things which I sometimes lack. I also found that when I worked as a secretary, spending hours chained to a pc typing left me with very stiff, sore wrists and poi swinging helped to ease and soften the muscles and get rid of the cramps.
So, to make a set of poi for you kids (or for yourself) you'll need the following;
A pair of old socks (kids knee length or regular adult size ankle length will do)*
Two sandwich bags or small cheapy plastic bags.
60g of rice
Some bubble wrap (old towelling or fleece will work too)
Elastic bands or regular kitchen string.
The first thing you need to do is take a measurement. If these are for a child take a measurement from their underarm to their wrist, for an adult measure from the fingertips to the shoulder. If, like mine, your child doesn't fancy standing still while you take the measurement just use a well fitting coat or jumper to get the right length.
Keep a note of the measurement (mine happened to be 10 inches). Then measure out exactly 30 grams of rice into each of the two plastic bags. You do need to be precise about the weight because even a gram or two can throw off the balance.**
Then tie a knot in each bag a couple of inches away from the rice. Don't compact the rice into a ball and tie the knot close to it, the point is to allow the rice to move around as freely as possible inside the bag.
Next take a square of bubble wrap or soft cloth and pinch the four corners together around the bag of rice, again not compacting the rice in any way. My square of bubble wrap was 6in X 6in.
And then place the bag in the toe of the sock.
Hold the sock in your hand and give it a good shake to make sure the bag of rice is well seated in the bottom of the sock.
Then taking an elastic band or a piece of string wrap or tie it around the sock about an inch above the rice bag.
You can see that there is still plenty of give in the ball end of the sock.
Next take the poi along with your measurement. Its easier to set a ruler or tape measure down, rather than trying to eyeball it.
And stretch the sock out to its fullest and make a note of the measurement on the sock (easy with mine because of the stripes). You really need to stretch the sock as far as it will go because it will stretch when spun and you don't want it getting a couple of inches longer all of a sudden mid flight (trust me, learnt that lesson the hard way).
Then just tie a knot at the measurement mark when stretched and you're done. Once the sock has relaxed back to its original length it will look very short, but it will stretch to the full length at some point during spinning so it really is better to be safe with this one.
Repeat the steps again for the second poi and you're ready to go.
Start by learning to spin the poi forwards, once you're completely comfortable with that then begin to spin them backwards.
You can then move on to split time swinging, chasing the sun, the windmill (which I totally rock btw) and loads and loads more.
The trick to teaching kids to swing poi is to teach them to keep their arms straight. That's it, it really is that simple. If you follow the instructions above and your child keeps their arms straight regardless of where their arms are positioned, its quite difficult for them to hit themselves with the poi. You also want the child to hold the knot while spinning the poi. You can also make sure the knot is pulled tight and then cut away any excess fabric.
*I didn't use a pair of socks because I happened to have a pair of Toots old skater sleeves lying around. It meant that I had to sew one end of the sleeves closed, but if you use socks you don't have to bother with this step and don't worry that the heel makes them look a funny shape, they still work the same way and swing straight.
**There are some instructions around which suggest using crumpled up plastic bags or cotton wool to stuff the ball end. Please feel free to do this if the thought of rice or lentils concerns you. I've tried a few different methods and have just found that the rice works best. The poi seem to work better and are less likely to go off track or get caught by the wind when there is a bit of weight at the end of the poi.
What I do it add the weight, but I make sure that it is "soft weight". Made this way, even if the poi does happen to hit you the weight isn't solid so it gives and flattens. Toots and I have hit ourselves with these a few times but never hurt or even bruised ourselves with them.
Friday Fun
Updated to include answers....
I'm a bit of a movie nut. Actually I'm a movie bore, not that you would realise that spending any time here.
Seeing as its Friday and everyone can use a bit of fun on a Friday I thought I'd have a little quiz.
What do you mean "Quizzes aren't fun"?
I've listed a handful of movie quotes. A few well known and a few not so much. Anyway, have a go. See how many you can correctly identify without googling the answers.
Cheating sucks the fun right out of it and because I'm such a generous soul, the first one's a freebie.
"I've had people walk out on me before, but not when I was being so charming"
Blade Runner
"I just want to make people silky smooth"
You don't mess with the Zohan (Hilarious btw)
"Stand me up today and tomorrow I'll drive you to school in my robe and pajamas and walk you to your first class. 4:00pm okay?"
Uncle Buck (Seriously, who hasn't seen that movie)
"Pathetic. All the green and the blue sky. They told me this planet was ugly, but this has got to be one of the ugliest crap holes in the entire universe."
Battlefield Earth (ok, that was a trick one, nobody's seen that movie)
"There goes the meanest man that ever took a breath of life"
To kill a mockingbird
I'm a bit of a movie nut. Actually I'm a movie bore, not that you would realise that spending any time here.
Seeing as its Friday and everyone can use a bit of fun on a Friday I thought I'd have a little quiz.
What do you mean "Quizzes aren't fun"?
I've listed a handful of movie quotes. A few well known and a few not so much. Anyway, have a go. See how many you can correctly identify without googling the answers.
Cheating sucks the fun right out of it and because I'm such a generous soul, the first one's a freebie.
"I've had people walk out on me before, but not when I was being so charming"
Blade Runner
"I just want to make people silky smooth"
You don't mess with the Zohan (Hilarious btw)
"Stand me up today and tomorrow I'll drive you to school in my robe and pajamas and walk you to your first class. 4:00pm okay?"
Uncle Buck (Seriously, who hasn't seen that movie)
"Pathetic. All the green and the blue sky. They told me this planet was ugly, but this has got to be one of the ugliest crap holes in the entire universe."
Battlefield Earth (ok, that was a trick one, nobody's seen that movie)
"There goes the meanest man that ever took a breath of life"
To kill a mockingbird
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