Crash

Let me take you back to Christmas Eve.

Us four, plus my sis and her family and Mom and Dad, all went to visit my Aunt. We were sat having a coffee and chatting, when CRASH, and the sound of breaking glass. My Sis and I both stand up to look out of the window, and see a car crashed into the side of our car.

Now, our car was very nicely parked at the side of the road, which by the way is plenty wide enough for traffic to go past without slowing down - ie, quite wide. The man who had crashed into our car had reversed off his drive, across this fairly wide road, and into the side of our car, leaving a loose bumper and no glass left in the headlights. He took his car back onto his drive, well sort of, it was actually half on his drive, and half on next doors.

I went to speak to him, he then trundled off to get his insurance details and Mark and Simon started to clear up the glass. Insurance details were exchanged, we were disgruntled, but hey, these things happen, and nobody was hurt.

Anyway, to cut a long story short. The man decided to move his car back onto his own drive. So, he reversed off his drive, and CRASH - went into our car, again! This time, pushing the front wheels against the kerb, and leaving the driver door permanently shut! Said his foot slipped off the clutch - twice?

Moving on, our car now appears to be written off - we don't know yet, as there are just so many bank holidays just at the moment, this also meant we didn't get a courtesy car till Monday - gotta love those KA's.

Now, if I hadn't been there to witness it, I may not have believed it. But it happened - honest injun... My Sis has suggested we set up a family blog, just to remind us of the stories of our family. I'm sure all families have them, those stories that when you're telling other people start along the lines of "I know this sounds far-fetched, but...."

So, it now looks as though we've got to get another car, right when we really have no money to get one. But, hey ho, nobody was hurt, and the old one was starting to hurt Mark's knee - so, there's the silver lining. And these things happen for a reason, I'm a great believer in that, so I'll keep you posted...

Sarah
x

Aprons, Hearts and Buttons

There's been a bit of making going on around here lately.

On Saturday Dad invited us around for lunch. We ended up stopping all afternoon, and Mom and I whipped up some aprons. It all started with Phoebe's wish list for her birthday, and then for Christmas. One of the things wished for was a Cath Kidston apron. Although, being 10 years old meant that the childrens' are too small, and the adults' too large. Never mind, I had some CK style fabric in the cupboard, so a quick trip to the Rag Market brought some tape for the ties. The plan was set for a Christmas present apron, needless to say, time ran away with me and the apron remained unmade. So, back to Saturday, using another apron as a pattern, an apron was made.


On a roll, four more adult sized aprons swiftly followed. This time using fabric from the Rag Market that is SO like CK it's scary, seconds perhaps? Yet only costing £1.00 a metre.


I don't have pictures, at the moment, but they're not bad. I think more could follow, with perhaps a bit of tweaking on the length of the neckband.

Sunday afternoon, Phoebe decided to make a heart, using some of her leftover apron fabric. She used a heart-shaped lid as a template, and the hand-stitched it. I helped by stuffing and stitching up the opening, then a ribbon and button were added for hanging.



The ribbon came from around some Christmas socks, and the button was found in the button box - which brings me to the last of my list of makes.

Sunday morning found me sorting out the front room, where I "found" a magazine from Christmas 1997! It is an American Magazine, so I'm sure that's the reason it's hung around for so long! As inspiration, I'm sure. Anyway, in it were the instructions for making this button man.


The one on the left I made way back then, and he has since hung from a cupboard door handle. The one on the right, Phoebe made last night, with just a little help cutting the wire and so on. She is going to re-do his arms, though, as she says he looks like he's carrying bombs! I see what she means.

On a different note. My three year old niece ended up spending the night in the Children's Hospital on Saturday, following an asthma attack brought on by one of these horrid viruses doing the rounds. She's home and fine now, but has been given an inhaler to help her along this week. Hopefully, this is a one off, and not something that's here to stay...


Sarah x

He's Been

There's the evidence, as if I needed any. He enjoyed his glass of milk, and his mince pie. And there was no sign of the carrot, apparently the reindeer eat them whole. Although I think sometimes, on Christmas Eve, they are nibbled .


We've started the cake. Thanks, Mom. Yumm.

I've been a very lucky girl present-wise. Benefit, of course...

Some Radley...
Pjs and socks...

Some books...


And, of course, some chocolate. Yumm.



Some fabby shopping bags.


A Recipe Folder to keep all of my recipes in (instead of shoved in the front of an old cookery book).

And some fabby nail varnish and nailcare.

All in all, a VERY lucky girl. Thank you to all of my family and friends for your kind thoughts and wishes, you mean so very much to me.

Things are a bit tight money-wise in this house at the moment (due to this s*d*ing recession - but more about that in a different post) So we had to be careful about how much we could spend on presents - this caused me much heartache before Christmas. But, as ever, on the day itself, everybody seemed happy with their gifts. And, after all, it is a time to be together with family, and friends, to celebrate.

And celebrate we did.

A get together at my parent's house, with all of the family together to open our presents to each other. Then my brother and his family went to their home for the rest of the day, and the rest of us went to my sister's house for the best meal of the year, followed by the kids spending hours on the Wii - exhausting for the rest of us to watch!

A new purchase for my sis had been an old school hostess trolley - so kitsch, so useful. Especially when there are ten around the table! But, while she was dishing up, she commented on a white feather, drifting past the window. I've heard before that white feathers in unexpected places represent those that are no longer with us just checking in. Auntie Pam, it would have been your birthday - thanks for popping by, love you.

Another wonderful Christmas Day, full of our family traditions, old and new. Already looking forward to the next one.

Sarah
x

She's making a list...

Well, where's the last week gone?

Thursday - Christmas shopping with my sis and new shoes for the girls.
Friday - Secret Santa at work (Build Your Own VW Bus for me) and the big Work's Christmas Do, followed by drinks on Broad Street.
Saturday - a quiet morning (see Friday, lol) and then visit from MIL in afternoon.
Sunday - finished Christmas Decs.
Monday - Christmas shopping with Ann and Jayne, and a trip to the German Market.
Tuesday - More Christmas shopping with Mark, and much checking of The List.
Wednesday - Work, and the Choir's Christmas Concert at school, with Felice's debut and Amber as Narrator.
Thursday - More work...
Friday - Work, again, but the last day, woo hoo!

Still got lots to do, but hopefully the Present shopping is finished, and we can get on with some makes, some film watching and that all important preparing the house for the festivities.

Sarah x

Welcome to my blog. This is my pigeonhole, where I can post about what I'm up to. Not too sure yet what I'm going to include, could be art and craft, could be knitting, could be what I'm reading or watching, or just musings on life.

This is a little box that I've just made for my friend at work, who's leaving on Friday. So I give her Wishes & Dreams.

Sarah x