The Many Adventures of Potato Salad Heather

Happy New Year & the resolutions to match!

2012-01-21T23:12:00.001Z

Happy New Year my little blogging friends! Now excitingly I'm currently updating my blog from my iPhone...Didn't even know this was possible until a couple of seconds ago!

Now, for those resolutions of mine. The first is getting fit; I turn the dreaded 3 0 this year and am determined to have a new healthy, fitter way of life before then starting with the Manchester 10k run in May. (Currently I struggle to run 800 metres, never mind 10k!) I have also applied to do the Great North Run in Newcastle in September; a half-marathon! There are so many people who want to do that one that you get put into a ballot and names get drawn out; I'll find out next month whether I'll be 'lucky' enough to be chosen!

My next resolution is to craft more. This means I'm going to have to really start adding some structure to my week as I still do Guides at least once a week, very often twice. I'm still working on a really precious project that I'm desperate to get finished so I'm thinking potentially of this:
Monday: Gym & reading
Tuesday: Guides
Wednesday: Gym & crafting
Thursday: Crafting & reading
Friday: Guides & collapse!
I'm leaving my weekends less structured, especially as the new race season will be starting soon so I'll be marshalling again.

My final resolution? You may already have guessed...More blogging! The wireless is finally working (all be it intermittently) at work and since I've now discovered the wonders of blogging on my phone I have no excuse not to! (Though any pictures will have to be done from home I think.)

So, all be it a little late...do you have any resolutions or just 'things you'd like to achieve' this year? I'd love to know...

What a long time...

2011-12-20T00:20:00.000Z

Oh my, what a long time it's been since I updated you all! I have soooo much to tell you, but as Christmas is drawing ever closer and I'm still not anywhere near ready I shall have to wait a little longer to provide you with my much needed update. Needless to say I've been incredibly busy with my new job this year, I've become a Godmother, made my first two full costumes from scratch as well as a couple of other major craft projects that I still can't reveal yet and have culminated the year with cracking my head open at work!

I promise (first new years resolution?) that I will blog more in 2012...Starting with an update on 2011. Until then, if I don't get a chance to say it again before next weekend, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year.

New way to blog!

2011-05-30T15:52:00.000+01:00

I know I've deserted you recently...I'm sorry! I will explain all soon, but in the meantime I've discovered a new way to keep you posted with my crafting...What do you think?

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-30T22:03:00.000Z

Ho folks!

I know I'm a few days late with my Christmas Wishes to you all, but hey, better late than never I say! I hope you've all had a levly Christmas...I have. We spent it in Otley (Yorkshire) with Andy's folks, before travelling down to Kenilworth (Warwickshire) for a few days to spend some time with my folks. As per usual it felt slightly rushed, but it was very enjoyable nevertheless.

I got quite a few crafty related things for Christmas including a sock monkey and a x-stich set of a picture I already have of one of my favourite areas of Snowdonia. So that's more crafty projects for the New Year. Unfortunately I ran out of time to do the other decoupage cards for Christmas...I just about got the birth sampler x-stitch done in time for Christmas though and I'm pleased to say the lady I did it for was very happy with it. I'll explain more about it though when I get a photo from her of it framed, so you'll have to wait a little longer to see it!

In the meantime, I'm now full of some flu like thing, so I'm off to fill myself up with Manuka Honey, Lemsip, Ibuprofen and Lucozade...anything to get me better for the New Year celebrations tomorrow night!

Merry Christmas from Potato Salad Heather!

New craft!

2010-12-10T23:23:00.000Z

Every so often (normally Christmas, Easter, that kind of thing) we get our old Guide Captain back to Guides to do some crafty things with our Guides. (None of us are that great at coming up with new crafts or teaching them; I have tried x-stitch a couple of times, but it's easier to do it in small groups not 40+!) Anyway, she came to Guide this week to do some Christmas cards with them, but not just any old Christmas cards, 3D decoupage Chrstmas cards.

I've never really done decoupage before, but have always admired how it looks and fancied having a go myself, so tonight was my chance. Pam was very good and bought with a basic kit of a card, backing paper and a piece of white card to do some stamps on for everyone. We then had some scenery backings to choose from which included the extra pieces to cut out which make it 3D.

Here's the one I did tonight:

A front view of the card

A side on view to show the levels

I've bought another couple of the packs home which as I do them I'll take photos to show you the process. In the meantime, it's back to that x-stitch project I'm doing...only another 8 alphabet squares, plus the name square and the border. And only a week to finish it!!

Busy Crafting

2010-12-07T22:53:00.000Z

I know, I've done it again and deserted you for aaaages...Sorry! In fairness, I have tried to update my blog a few times, but every time as I've gone to upload my browser's told me its an unsafe site and wiped everything I've written! VERY annyoying! So, I'm trying again...This time I have a back up plan just in case!

Anyway, I'm going to have to keep this brief...I'm drugged up to the eyeballs on morphine to try and shift a horrible migraine that's been going on for over a week (so if what I'm typing doesn't make sense, that's my excuse)! I've been busy on a piece of work I've been commissioned to do by a colleague of mine who's become a Grandmother. Her Granddaugher is being Baptised on 19th Dec and I'm busy stitching a birth sampler for the occaision on her behalf. It's a really lovely piece that she's chosen; she's bought the kit, I'm "just" stitching it! I've not got a very up to date photo, but this is what it looked like once I'd done most of the outline of the piece:

I'm just busy filling in the squares now! Only 10 more days and I really need to have it finished!!

Oh and just before I head off to bed with another dose of medicine, I'd like to show you the card that I stitched for my cousin who got married in the summer. (I forgot to take a photo before I gave it to the happy couple, but Mark emailed me a picture of it the other day...so here it is!)

It's mainly half-stitches and beading, so something slightly different to what I normally do, but I did enjoy doing it. And I got to use metallic thread (again something I'm not used to).

Right off to catch some much needed Zzzzzzzz's. I'll keep you posted on my mammoth task!

Summer shenanigans

2010-09-13T13:02:00.000+01:00

My my what a busy summer it's been...So busy I've not had more than a few seconds to update so this is going to be a big one! (You have been warned!)

Guide Camp

This year is Girl Guiding's 100th birthday which means there have been and still are a lot of Centenary celebrations going on. Over the summer I went on the Lancashire NW Centipede Camp at a place called Guys Farm; a Guiding activity centre near the Forton Services just off the M6 motorway. I could only stay for 3 days due to other commitments (which you'll find out about in a mo!) but those 3 days really were worth it. It was a little wet but hey, what would camping be without a little rain?! My sub camp were the Busy Bees.

The entrance to our sub-camp; we even had solar powered fairy lights!

The Wednesday meant a trip to Fusion, a huge day of fun and celebrations at the national centenary camp at Harewood House just outside of Leeds. All of us from our Centipede Camp wore pink...Pink t-shirts, hoodies, cowboy hats and feather boas! We didn't half stand out and even got our photos taken for a local paper.

My guides and I at Fusion; can you tell it was raining there too?!

Now then, I bet you've been thinking there hasn't been much crafting going on with all this camping haven't you? Well you'd be wrong! One of the activities at Fusion was to make a 'Tree Blanket'. Yes, you did read right, a Tree Blanket...a blanket for a tree! This was made by as many people as possible, including myself and some of the girls and leaders on our camp.


Ruth & Kathryn learning to knit

The Tree Blanket!

My contribution to the blanket...My first ever completed pieces of knitting!

So what do you think of my knitted squares? And what will you think when I tell you I didn't knit them with traditional needles, but skewers! We had lots of wool to choose from but only skewers to knit with which I modified so I didn't keep stabbing myself with the sharp points. All it took was a pair of scissors to snip off the ends then a bit of sandpaper to make them smooth again; they actually worked really well and made for some pretty neat and tight knitting I think you'll agree...

Ramshackle Rally
Now the reason I had to cut my Centenary Camping short was because I'd already arranged to do something called the Ramshackle Rally with some friends. It's a banger rally and this one was from Calais to Krakow which we did in a nineteen year old Volvo 940GL which we decorated accordingly. We went in two teams, girls and boys. The boys were the Purple Headed Warriors, we were the Menstrual Cycle Display Team dressed as The Spice Girls with an appropriately decorated car...Amazing don't you think?

Above & Below: The car undergoing its transformation

The Spice mobile...Do you like it?!

We spent 4 days travelling across Europe: from Calais to Strasbourg to Innsbruck to Bratislava to Krakow. We had various challenges to do along the way one of which killed our car sadly. We had to have a photo taken of us with our car at a particular point up the Grossglockner mountain, but in coming down the mountain we boiled our brake fluid rendering our brakes absolutely useless. The net result was our car being taken off the mountain by Mountain Rescue and consequently scrapped (which cost us a small fortune) and us hitching lifts with some of the other teams (the boys car was also not in a fit enough state to take an extra person due to their dodgy suspension!) It was an experience, but a great one. It was a proper adventure and if you want to see more of my photos, they're all on my Facebook, but I'll warn you, there are a lot of mountains!

The Menstrual Cycle Display team aka The Spice Girls (L-R: Posh, Ginger, Baby, Blow-up Scary, Sporty (me!)

We even had proper rally name labels on our car which I got done online, they were ace!


Our rally names on our car

And I suppose I should show you what the boys car looked like too:

The Purple Headed Warriors and their car

It really was bags of fun and I'd love to do it again, I'd just do a couple of things differently, but isn't that what life's about? We learn by our mistakes!

Well I think that's this update just about complete, though there is more to come, but I think I'll let you digest that lot first! And I promise I'll try to update again very soon and not leave it over a month next time!

The Plan!

2010-07-16T11:28:00.001+01:00

Righty ho then folkies...Today I am going to be far more active! I absolutely lathered myself with Deep Heat last night to try and stop my muscles from hurting (a friend suggested an ice cold bath, but I simply couldn't face that) and it does seemed to have worked a little so I figure if I keep moving, that'll help ease the pain. Whoever said rounders is a gentle game needs a serious talking to!!

So far I've got up, stripped the bed, sorted all the washing out, put my first load of washing on, had my breakfast and done a bit more knitting to my scarf that I've been knitting since I was 12! I don't really have the patience to knit, but I've decided I really need to get it finished so I keep going back to it now and then.

I've also heard from the other friend I sent a little something to this morning and I'm pleased to say he loved what I sent him! You may remember way back in November I went to St James Palace to get my Queens Guide Award presented by HRH Sophie the Countess of Wessex. I was met from the Palace by one of my oldest friends Nick who's a footman at Buckingham Palace; I hadn't seen him for about 10 years, so to meet up with him afterwards just made my day. As such I stitched him a little card and sent him a copy of the official photo which I framed for him. I got it this morning and has apparently put it in the centre of his sideboard for all to see...Bless him! Here's what I sent:

The card I sent to Nick

HRH the Countess of Wessex and myself (She really was lovely)

Right, I'm off to clean my bathroom, do the washing up, tidy/clean the kitchen, do another 3/4 loads of washing (thank heavens for my tumble dryer since it's barely stopped raining for a week!), tidy/clean the living room and you never know, I might even get some crafting done...I'm currently sewing another of those little butterfly coasters having been commissioned to do! Actually, I'm going to have a nice mug of decaf coffee first...Then the work can start!

Summer's here!

2010-07-15T12:46:00.003+01:00

Yesterday was my last day at work for 5 whole weeks (and 2 days)! There is something to be said for working term-time only it has to be said. So maybe now I might have a little more time for blogging, crafting, housework, gardening, not to mention a certain Centenary Guide Camp and the Ramshackle Rally! I have been so busy of late, I've barely even had time to sleep, much less update my poor neglected blog. So, my aim over the next few weeks is to update you as much as possible, and show you some of my past projects that I've been promising to show you for so long!

I was planning on doing lots of things today like tidying up, cleaning, doing some gardening. However, as I said earlier it was my last day at work for the summer and we had a 'fun' game of rounders for us staff who felt energetic enough. Problem was, I didn't cool down properly so today I can barely move; my legs feel like lead weights that have done loads of marathons! So instead I've been having a very rare lazy day lounging on my sofa catching up with Midsomer Murders (can't beat a good bit murder solving by Inspector Barnaby) and looking at my new cross-stitch magazine.

Now, here's a bit of a taster of some of the things I've made recently (can't show them all yet though).

This is a coaster in the design I used to teach some of my colleagues x-stitch at our staff retreat;

this one I did for our head of chaplaincy, Anne.

A very belated birthday card I stiched for my friend Lucy...Hope she's forgiven me for the appalling lateness!

The other coaster I made for our chaplain Fr. Jim (Only ever known as just 'Jim'!)

Right, I think I might finish off a project I started ages ago now and if the weather holds and my legs will work I might even mow my lawn (that is fast looking like a meadow...I might end up borrowing a cow from the local farm!)

X-stitch, general business and nighttime gardening!

2010-06-16T23:35:00.004+01:00

I've been so busy of late I've simply not had a chance to update you all! Again I'm afraid I have no photos to show you, so I think I'll have to make a post just updating you all on piccies very soon!

We had our staff retreat last Wednesday with work, and I offered to run an afternoon 'workshop'. What else would I offer but a spot of x-stitching?! So, having eventually raided Hobbycraft (I forgot my purse the first time I went, but that's another story!) I put together some little packs which included a leaflet on how to x-stitch, some aida fabric, gold needle, thread, a coaster and of course the chart. Our theme this year at work has been "To live is to change" (Cardinal John Henry Newman) with a butterfly as the emblem, so that's what I designed to stitch. I took the design from a previous piece of work, but simplified it to just two colours instead of four. I only had 4 people in my little workshop, but it seemed to go down well, although we only had an hour so not even I got mine finished! I have however finished it since, personalised it and made it into a coaster...Pictures to follow (I've left the coaster at work...Oops!)

Andy and I are also still marshaling most weekends; we've now done 10 meetings and just need to get some flag experience in and be assessed on both that and incident marshaling then we can (hopefully) upgrade to full incident marshals rather than just trainees! I really hope we can get this done by the end of this season, though we're having a bit of a break from it over July/August due to other commitments (I'll tell you about those another time as they deserve posts to themselves!) We're marshaling again this weekend at Oulton Park in Cheshire; it's loadsa fun, though I think we'll be a little warm this weekend in our proban overalls in the sun!

Actually this weekend is going to be a hectic one; Mum's coming up Friday afternoon, we're marshaling all day Saturday, I'm doing a wide game at the Campfire Capers for my Division's guides Saturday night, Mum and I are doing the Race for Life on Sunday morning in memory of my Dad who died from cancer 3 years ago, then we're off to watch the Lancashire Vs Warwickshire 20/20 cricket at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon! (I think I'll be sitting there in a collapsed state having a rest by Sunday afternoon, don't you?!)

I've been ridiculously busy so far this week too; having marshaled at the weekend, it was back to work Monday where I'm currently run off my feet doing all sorts of things! Last night was my Guide night, tonight I had another guiding related meeting then having got home, Andy and I ended up doing a spot of late night gardening...We only got in at 10:30pm!! It is starting to look good now though. Andy bought some fantastic plants a couple od weeks ago from Dobbies, which we're now slowly planting...I think I might actually leave work on time tomorrow (a rarity), have a walk home in training for Sunday, then get on with somemore gardening...I'm desperate to get our front garden looking pretty again since all the spring flowers have gone over now.

For now though, I think I should go to bed...Keep an eye out for my picture post (I have many to share!)

Fencing!

2010-06-04T22:56:00.005+01:00

Well I've been neglecting my blogging again haven't I...naughty me! But I promise I do have good reason; I'm a very busy bunny! I've been on half-term this week. "Excellent" thought I, "I'll get lots of jobs done I couldn't do at Easter due to me being poorly". Mmm, you know what thought did! I have been productive, just very tired too from all my productivity, so I've not quite got everything I wanted to do done.

However, all my washing is completly up to date (rare in my house) and I'm gently ignoring the pile of ironing it has therefore produced. I've tidied, cleaned, caught up on some Sky+ stuff that Andy won't watch, started to tackle the mountain of paperwork I have to file, sorted out all my dressing-up stuff and handbags and then today I spent 9 hours treating my new fence! Yes, I did say 9 solid hours...Did I even tell you about my new fence?

It may not sound like a very exciting topic, but it is to me and my back garden is now nearly totally secure (previously any old Tom, Dick or Harry could just wander into my back garden if they felt like, which sometimes they did!) My brother made a really good fence for my Mum's back garden (similar scenario) and having admired it he kindly offered to build us one! So, you can now scroll back up to the top of the page to see the part built and untreated version (that is my brother btw!). (For some silly reason Blogger won't let me move it to where I want it to be!)

I will upload a photo of the completed fence when I've had a chance to take on! I ran out of time today since as soon as I'd finished I had to quickly throw all our stuff together for marshaling and zoom off to Cheshire in preparation for a full weekend of marshaling the BTCC at Oulton Park. It should be a really good event, but another long day...So maybe I should get off to my bed! The rest of my crafting will have to wait for another time........

Please don't feel neglected!

2010-05-28T22:59:00.003+01:00

Oh dear, I can't believe I've not blogged for an entire month +!! Well I thought I'd quickly let you all know I am still alive and crafting (a bit), but at the moment I'm doing a lot more Marshaling at Oulton Park race track in Cheshire. We're there again tomorrow at 7:30am for a long and apparantly wet day day, but at least it should make for some very interesting racing!

I'll post again very soon...I've got some exciting crafty things coming up. But for now, I need to go and get my beauty sleep before my alarm goes off at the crack of sparrows!!

Lost...and found!

2010-04-10T18:59:00.005+01:00

I've found my needle case! I had a fit of tidying up the other weekend, and managed to put it in one of those 'safe places'...you the kind that mean you're not going to find what you've put there for ages?! Well not long after I'd posted last night, I had a flash of inspiration, went to the 'safe place' and there was my needle case :-) So I promtly carried on with my crafting.

I'm free-style x-stitching the very last bit of my latest project, so I'm hoping it goes ok and the intended recipient likes it when they get it...Here's hoping!

Ooo, while I remember it would appear I've passed on the x-stitching bug to other members of my family too! I first started to show my Mum and brother how to x-stitch when we were living in Myton Hospice with my Dad during his last few days. He spent most of his time either asleep, or at least with his eyes shut and couldn't converse, and us talking frustrated him too much. So we all sat around quietly, but there's only so many books you can read in that situation and I was working on a rather large project at the time to keep me going. It was while I was happily stitching away that my brother (Stuart) remarked he wished he could do that..."Anyone can" I said. So off we popped and grabbed a couple of very small kits for Stuart and Mum to try. Stuart's really taken to it and x-stitches whenever he gets more than 5 minutes to string together (which in all fairness isn't very often), but Mum didn't really carry on. Until that is, I opened our Easter pressie bag and found this...

I thought that Stuart had done it, until I had a chat with Mum yesterday and discovered that this is the first piece of x-stitch she's ever completed on her own! Isn't she clever?!

I love passing on the crafting bug, don't you?

Disaster!

2010-04-09T22:22:00.003+01:00

"I don't believe it!" (I know i sound like Victor Meldrew, but I have good reason.) Somehow today in the time it took me to have a phone conversation with my mother, I managed to lose my needle. "No problem" I thought, we'll have to be careful when we sit on the sofa just in case it's lurking round there somewhere, but in the meantime I'll grab another out of my very nice needle case Alexandra's Wishes sent me. Double disaster...I seem to have mislaid it! I know it's got to be here somewhere, but I'm still in not fit state to start turning the room upside down looking for it.

Why do these kind of things always happen just as you're so close to finishing a project?! I've only a little more to do on the project I mentioned in my previous post...so I'd best get on with finding another needle from somewhere so I can get it finished, sent off and then I can show you all what I've been up to whilst lazing on my sofa for the last couple of weeks. That's in between still trying to do house work (fail), reading (done), marshaling (semi-fail...I was there but couldn't actually do much pushing of cars out of gravel traps).

Right, I'm off to hunt down that needle case... I'm sure if I find the needle on the sofa you'll all here me scream!!

New Project

2010-03-29T14:46:00.005+01:00

Just a brief post this one, I want to keep you updated with my current crafting. I can't tell you too much at the moment because my new project is for a little someone who I'm quite sure will be reading this! But here's the preparations...
I've been promising for ages to show you some of my past work, and I'm gradually taking photos of it all. So for now, here's a couple to whet your appetite!

I taught my guides how to x-stitch this little wizard on my Harry Potter holiday when I did my holiday license.

One of my book marks.

Right, that's it for now...I'm on a multi-tasking mission of crafting, recording some stuff onto DVD for work, lunching and I might even catch up on some of my old videos I was sorting through yesterday too! Oh, and then there's the washing, ironing, cleaning...I thought I was supposed to be resting!!

Crafting, Kenilworth Castle & Catch-up

2010-03-25T15:45:00.007Z

I know it's been a while since I last posted...been busy as I'm sure you can imagine! But now I'm off sick from work with asthma problems and since I can't do much apart from sitting on my sofa watching rubbish TV, catching up on DVDs and crafting, I thought it was about time I told you all what I've been up to recently.

I last posted a picture of me and two of my colleagues dressed up for World Book Day. In case you've not guessed who we all were yet, here you are...

L-R: Mrs. Lovett (Sweeny Todd), Snow White & Cruella de Ville

And before you all shout that Sweeny Todd's a film, it was originally written for a newspaper called The Demon Barber of Fleet Street...There you go, you learn something new everyday don't you?!

A couple of weekends ago I took my Guides to York for the day, to the dungeons (which they found very scary), the Minster and we did a touch of shopping too. It was a very long day, catching the train at just gone 7:30am and not returning until 6:30pm, but it was a very enjoyable day. If you've never been to the York Dungeons I'd thoroughly recommend them, although they're perhaps not for the weak or faint of heart! (We did have 3 rather upset girls along the way, but they all survived...just!)Above: The Minster

Below: Some of the girls doing a treasure hunt thing round the Minster

The weekend just gone was Andy's birthday and we spent the weekend back in my hometown of Kenilworth. We went to the pub on the Saturday to watch the rugby then on the Sunday (his birthday) we went to Kenilworth Castle with the family Alexandra's Wishes. We had a really lovely day exploring the castle ruins and watching the small person running around like a mad thing at times before heading off to The Stag at Redhill; a lovely little pub which did a really nice carvery.
Kenilworth Castle

The Elizabethan Garden at Kenilworth Castle

Monkey's feeding time?!
The birthday card I made for Andy; I know the Happy Birthday isn't central, I was trying to do it with him in the house!!

So I've done the cath-up and castle bits, and a little bit of crafting, but I wanted to show you what else I've been up to as I've been sitting on my sofa. Do you remember a while ago I showed you the start of some cross-stitching, then I showed you it again when it was a little further on? Well this morning I finally finished it. I've not framed it yet, but I'm planning on a green mount probably with a dark wood frame of some kind.

The Welsh Dragon

So what do you think then? It initially looked pretty complicated to stitch because of all the different shades of red, but in fact once I got going on it, it was pretty easy to do. I might even put it in my family's caravan in North Wales!

Right, I think that's me pretty much caught up for now. I'm planning on taking some photos of some of my past creations, so with any luck I'll get them on here soon. For the time being though I'm going to continue lounging on my sofa and I think I might make a start on my square for Mrs. Woo's blanket.

World Book Day

2010-03-06T22:23:00.003Z

Thursday 4th March 2010 was World Book Day, and we really celebrated at the sixth form library I work in. We did two displays; one on the top 20 reads of all time and the other on books that are now films. But we also had a couple of competitions. One was like a pairs game where students/staff had to match the front to the back of the new Quick Reads; anyone who got them all right got a scrummy lollipop. The other competition we ran was much more fun; me and the other two members of staff dressed up as book characters (though one is better known for the film). Can you guess who we all are?
I'll give you a couple of days to work it out before I post the answers (if you've not got them!)

Apart from that I've been very busy; I'm no longer Library Manager as my boss has returned from maternity leave, so I've been busy handing everything back to her and getting on with my 'normal' job. Guides is still as busy as ever, and I even finally got round to some housework today! Not much crafting though sadly...maybe I'll have chance tomorrow, especially after my visit to Hobbycraft. Oh, I tell a lie...I've been making invitations today, but I can't show you yet just in case someone sees them!! (I'll show you when I can, I promise!)

Half-term fun

2010-02-20T17:11:00.007Z

Well folks, it's been a wee while since I got round to posting anything; sorry! As I'm sure you're aware it's been half-term this week. I've not had the whole week off (I was in work Monday), but I sure have been busy!

Let's start from last weekend; Valentines day. Andy and I aren't really big on Valentines (none of this buying huge mushy cards and chocolates), but we do tend to do something together. This year I made Andy a yummy breakfast and he gave me some Love Tea! (It's german fruit tea really, but it's got 'love' on the packet; appropriate since I love the stuff!) After I'd been to church parade and delivered my first ever sermon (Guides were running the service), we went on a lovely walk in the Peak Disrict....just take a look at the snow!

Above: Me in the snow!
Below: My miniature snowman...doesn't he look happy

What else have I been up to? Ah yes, decorating my house...it's only taken about 12 months, but our bedroom is now finally (pretty much) finished! Other than that, lots of house work that I don't normally have time to do, went out to dinner with my fellow guiders, and went to see a play at Houghton Tower that was written by a colleague of mine; it was very good (though somewhat chilly; these old places don't have central heating!)

I have also managed to do a touch more crafting, though not everything that I was hoping to do. But do you remember I posted a picture a while ago of my latest x-stitching project? I'm guessing no one could work out what it was! Well, it's still not finished, but can you work out what it is now?

Now it's time for me to go and get ready for tomorrow. Andy and I have some Marshal Training at Oulton Park, so we'll be learning how to put our burning cars etc...and all looking like this!

I love post!

2010-02-12T23:16:00.004Z

Isn't post so exciting...especially when you've forgotten you're due to be getting some?! Well, today was that day for me. Pretty rubbish day at work due to me being so utterly knackered, rush home to get ready for guides and find a package...didn't have time to open it then (I wanted to give it the due care and attention it deserved), but I have just opened it....

For those who aren't aware Alexandra's Wishes had a give away a little while ago providing you posted a comment about some crafting. Well I posted (it was doing that that gave me the inspiration to start this blog in the first place), and I was lucky enough to get a surprise gift. That gift arrived in the post today, but it wasn't just one thing, but three...and take a look at the envelope!!My exciting post!

My beautiful pressies: a needlecase made out of some of the material I gave Alexandra's Wishes, a gorgeous little heart brooch and a lovely hair clip that reminds me of our sleepover!

So thank you Vicky and Alexandra's Wishes...I love them and it's just made my day! :-)

Ooops!

2010-02-11T22:44:00.006Z

Well folks, it's been a while and I'm afraid the thing I last posted about (my new x-stitching project) is not going well. Many reasons for this: work, guides, catching up with old friends, more work work work...Oh, and yeah, I had to unstitch part of it and re-do it (I really shouldn't concentrate on the likes of Silent Witness quite so much when I'm crafting!

So let me elaborte. Work: I've been the Library Manager at my college for the last 9 months covering maternity leave which brings all the joys of management with it including doing Open Evenings. I did one last night so didn't get home until about 9pm which meant a 13 hour day...Knackered doesn't even come close! We've also been doing lots of stuff to raise money for the Haiti Earthquake fund and I've been starting work on something called 'Our World Week' later in the year. Oh, and I've finally launched our Ebrary (an online library with over 3000 ebooks in).

Part of my Haiti Display at work; the totalizer in the middle details

Guides: well it's our Centenary this year which means lots of different activities, not to mention some ridiculous new computer thing called Go! that I've had to input my entire company's details on...to say it's been a headache would be a huge understatement, which reminds me, I've still got to contact someone about a problem with that. Grrrrrr!

Catching up with old friends: I've been trying to catch up with one of my old uni flatmates for just over 3 years now, but with all my Queens Guide stuff, work etc and her training to be a solicitor (which she qualified and now does for a living) we just haven't had a chance. Finally last weekend Andy and I went down to stay with Pam and her man Nathan in a gorgeous little village called Alrewas in the Midlands. We had a great time catching up, visiting Lichfield, going for a couple of wanderings and a really nice (if sobering) visit to the National Memorial Arboretum. It's a truly gorgeous place to visit.

Lichfield at dusk

A couple of the photos I took at the Arboretum

And finally crafting: I mentioned earlier that my new crafting project had gone slighty wrong. Well, I've unstiched the offending part, so now I can re-stich it. And no, I'm still not telling you what it is...You'll just have to wait and see!

End of the week crafting

2010-01-30T00:27:00.001Z

Well folks, another long week has passed (why does work drag yet fun things like the weekend and holidays zoom by?!) I've had a very hectic week writing unexpected plans etc for work, I've been to boot camp twice (did I tell you about that?), Guides twice and of course that doesn't include the housework I'm failing miserably to keep up with! Maybe I should explain about boot camp a little more; it's a series of fitness training sessions that I'm taking part in, and next week is the last week. Mmmm, maybe I shouldn't have just had that rather large glass of red wine...ooops!

Now since the title of this post is crafting, maybe I should actually mention some! Having been at work until 5:40pm tonight, I dashed home, got changed then zoomed off to Guides for 6pm in the next village! I was there for 2 hours, came home via the takeaway (though I may add I had a chicken portion, minus the skin and I made myself a salad to go with it), then finally I got to relax. I've just spent the last 2 hours catching up on Silent Witness on i-player (I am a bit of a fan) and I thought to myself, why not spend the time doing something else at the same time, but not moving anywhere...Ahaaaa...Craft! So here you go; I've started my next x-stitch project.

Can you guess what it is yet?!

(Please bear in mind although that 's taken me 2 hours to do, I did spend a lot of time staring open mouthed at my laptop whilst watching Silent Witness...any of you who've seen the latest one will understand I'm sure!)

Well, for now my friends, I shall keep you guessing...I think my bed is calling me!

Ciao for now!!

First Crafty Thing on here!

2010-01-26T21:51:00.000Z

Well, here's my first bit of craftyness then folks...I did it for my very good friend Mrs Woo for her birthday.

It took me about 11/12 hours to complete (that includes into card form).

I surprised her with it on Sunday...I think she liked it...What do you think?

Didn't get to do too much more crafting or photo taking of my other crafts though I'm afraid; we were off just outside of Wrexham visiting some friends who've spent the last month in Oz (lucky people). Having not seen them for a while, it's fair to say it was quite a heavy sesh...if you get my meaning! Had a cracking weekend though. I'm hoping I'll get to do somemore cross-stitching over the week and weekend (any maybe even work out how to personalize this thing)...so keep popping back to check on the next installment of 'adventures'! Ooo, before I go, talking of adventures, you've got to check out the Alexandra's Wishes blog...it's got one very adventerous & brave teddy on there!

Welcome to my new blog!

2010-01-20T23:22:00.002Z

Well, I'm here on the interweb finally starting my blog. I'll be honest with you from the start, the chances of be blogging everyday or even very regularly are quite slim...I'm too busy having those adventures! But I promise when I get 5 minutes to myself I'll jump on here and let you know what I've been up to. It could be something as mundane as work, or maybe some of the Guiding I do (I'm a Guide leader & a Queen's Guide, but I'm sure I'll tell you more about that in the future), I'm a race Marshall and when I get a chance a crafter!

Maybe I should tell you a little more about my crafting...I started cross-stitching when I was at university and haven't stopped since, though I've still got lots in my 'to-do' pile! More recently I've taken up scrapbooking thanks to some inspiration from my friend Vicky of Alexandra's Wishes. I've had a go at knitting in the past, but I have to admit I've still not finished the scarf I started when I was 12! I have recently discovered a passion for card making though, so hopefully I'll keep you updated on my progress there.

Anyway, this was only supposed to be a short introduction and here I am still rabbiting on! So for now I shall bid you farewell...Thanks for stopping by and next time I'll try and add some piccies too!