A little light distraction

Today I am clearing out my kitchen drawers whilst listening to The Killers.

Isn't Brandon Flowers gorgeous

Just sayin...

Please allow me a little distraction whilst completing such a boring job!

Nearly done!

Rachel x

Pocketful of Dreams...

and ideas! Yes I'm marching into the New Year with lots of plans and new ideas!I shall just share a few with you today, I'm so excited I may pop!!

First a little recap on last year

Last year was a strange one, we had health worries(Hubby) he had lots of tests as suddenly he lost a little section of eyesight in one eye. The hospital were concerned he may be about to have a Stroke or heart attack, it was all a VERY worrying few months.Lots of tests were done, his heart brain and blood and luckily he's a perfectly healthy specimen! The eye thing is 'just one of those things' apparently.Later in the year there were worries about Hubbys company closing! After the health worries I refused to get bogged down by this and just carried on and rearranged our budgeting in case!Health is definitely the most important thing, something we take for granted until it goes wrong!

I decided to take pleasure in making little savings, not see it as a problem We switched where we shopped and I took the time to make more 'homemade meals'.I also decided to buy most of our meat from the butchers instead of the supermarket as you get more for your money!

Anyway I'm rambling a bit now!

I've decided to make changes in my life this year.For me, January will be all about organisation.Every year since I've started my little business, I start to panic at this point as I haven't completed my tax return! So I shall be sorting out my paperwork and organising my craft space to become more efficient!I shall also be reorganising my kitchen, bedroom, dining room, in fact I will be organising the whole house!

Later in the week I shall be back to chat about the lovely Dottie Angel 'Challenge of the Utmost Kind' which I joined back in November!

I waste such a lot of time hunting for things I have misplaced!For instance, just found business receipts in the French style tin in my bedroom, I had totally forgotten about these!I also found Christmas gifts that I'd hidden in these boxes on top of my wardrobe!In the top photo I've found my favourite necklace under my wardrobe! How did that get there?Also came across a bottle of Elizabeth Arden Splendour!

I have accumulated too much 'stuff ', so I will be addressing this.

This is my chest of drawers after decluttering!

Usually I would be dreading all this sorting and organising, but this year I am feeling different about it all in my head!

I know I'll feel much happier when I've done it!

I've just finished an early lunch so I'm off to do a bit more now!

Have a wonderful week!

Rachel x

PS. Reading back over this post it all sounds very scatty and all over the place, I'm feeling a bit like that at the mo.Hence the focus on organisation.I hope I make more sense later in the week!

A girl can dream anyway!

Rachel xx

The In Between time

I always find this time a little bit strange, in between Christmas and New Year.I absolutely love Christmas, not so fussed about New Year! We have had a wonderful relaxing time, lots of lounging, eating, playing on Singstar!I watched Hamlet with David Tennant, he was brilliant, I mean I watched David on TV, he wasn't with me on the sofa! That was the fisrt Shakespeare play I have ever watched all the way through and I quite enjoyed it! Cabin fever started to set in yesterday though I hadn't been out since Christmas Eve! My sister and her 4 children had come for an overnight stay, a lovely time was had by all but my sister and her 3 girls and myself went on a brisk walk to blow the cobwebs away! It was very cold and refreshing. All the visitors have gone now and its just us, keeping cozy indoors on this cold soggy day!

Bad news, our dishwasher has died, well actually my son accidentally killed it! Somehow he jammed a plate between the rubber seal on the door and water leaked into the electrics and it blew! This was before my sis arrived so we had to keep washing up for 9 people, God I loved my dishwasher!

My daughter has taken her friend to London for some open air ice skating for her friend's Birthday treat.Not sure which rink she has gone to, but they all look wonderful. she'll be going back to Brighton on New Years Eve for a party at her uni house. Just when I get used to having her at home she's off again!

Hope you are enjoying your In Between Time! I look forward to chatting with you all in The New Year!

Rachel x

Merry Christmas

Just wanted to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas, may your Dreams come true and you and your families be Happy and Healthy!

Everything is done now, family visited in Birmingham, seeing old friends, delivered festive gifts.I have made decorations.

I'm having a Baileys coffee with Hubby and listening to Christmas songs, while my children have tootled off to town for last minute gifts!

I shall do a spot of baking later from this marvellous book!

Enjoy your festivities, wherever you are!

Thank you so much for all your comments during the past year, I have loved reading each and every one of them!I have really enjoyed reading your blogs too! See you in 2010!

Much Christmassy Love

Rachel xxx

And the winner is....

Vanessa from (Do you mind if I knit)

Well Done Vanessa!

Thank you so much ladies, for sharing all your Christmas traditions, I really enjoyed reading them all! I love the thought of outdoor ice skating, how lovely! So many traditions are passed down by families and then we add to them don't we! I hope you and your families have a Really Wonderful time and that all your wishes come true!

We shall be putting up our decorations on Saturday and then I can start on the wrapping, I love it!

Right, I'd better contact Vanessa for her address to send her parcel to!

TTFN!

Rachel x

Christmas Giveaway!

Although we are in December, I still quite can't believe it! It maybe due to the fact that Hubby was away working in Egypt for the WHOLE of November and I was left on my own with my boy! Now recently my boy has gotten himself a good social life so I was alone. A lot.In fact even when he is in, he's a boy of few words!(he's 15)

For example" How did work experience go today? " Good"

What happened then?" "Stuff"

The upside was that I had lots of time on my hands to make 'stuff 'and make 'stuff 'I did! Lots of handmade Christmas presents and working on new design ideas.Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy time on my own, but a whole month is just toooo long especially when it's only meant to be for 2 weeks!So, to get me in the full festive spirit of December thought I'd have a little giveaway!

It will be a little parcel of goodies including, one of my Christmas fairies,

A little bunny made from vintage Witney blanket,

And a gingham heart,there will also be a few surprise gifts! They will be held in one of my heart calico bags!

All you have to do is tell me about one of your Christmas traditions in your home and I'll enter you into the draw!

One of my traditions is wrapping presents next to the lit Christmas tree, with a Baileys coffee and a mince pie, listening to my CD of all the old crooners!Especially Bing Crosby singing Drummer Boy, you know the per u pa pum pum song! Love it, hubby isn't keen on that CD though ,he prefers the Mariah Carey Christmas CD!

Can't wait to hear about yours! I'm off to have a slice of homemade flapjack , still abit warm and crumbly and a cuppa, hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Oh, the draw will close on Wednesday, to give me enough time to post it off! Overseas ladies are very welcome to join in too!

Rachel x

Blimey, it's hard to photograph velvet!

Hello Gals!

Well this week I have still been yo-yo'ing, it's a great little stash buster!

My favourite one so far is the velvet. Now usually I wouldn't use velvet in a sewing project, as it's a bit difficult to work with, but for hand sewing it's been great!It's so difficult to photograph though! I took this one on my knee!

It feels beautiful so soft and it's a beautiful deep red( not my knee ,the brooch) I shall definitely be wearing one on my grey winter coat too!I have made some for Christmas stocking fillers too!

This one is made from a linen mix.

In fact I have been so addicted to making yo-yos I have some brooches going into my little shop later today!

Hope the sun is out for you, it is here, although it's very cold, fresh shall we say!

I shall be having a Christmas giveaway on Friday too!

Rachel x