Picture of the day

A beautiful rainbow in the sky on the way home from work. Unfortunately, I didn't catch it at its best. It was a double rainbow, and the violet on the lower one was very intense and radiated outwards in separate little stripes, as if it was pulsating. Amazing. I took the picture where it was safest for me to stop and get out of the car, which meant it had faded quite a bit when I captured it. Still beautiful though, even then.

I think rainbows are one of life's most beautiful, uplifting things. I often see them when I'm not feeling quite up to par mentally and emotionally, and they remind me that life does hold promise, and that there is joy to be found in nature and the world around us - if we remember to look for it.

I've lived for lots of years without a freezer, but earlier in the year (just before the national lockdown actually), my brother was getting a new freezer and gave me his old one. There is nothing wrong with it...it just needs to be defrosted more often than a newer one would. Now I've had it for a few months, I can't believe I managed so long without one!

I bought this 'trio of olive bloomer' from Tesco in the summer when it was reduced, and popped it in the freezer. It's just the right sort of bread to accompany a veggie stew, so I put a couple of slices in the oven this evening, and spread it with the new Flora Plant Butter. Well, to say 'spread' is a bit of a fib, since the 'butter' actually acted like real butter after being in the fridge, in that it wouldn't spread! Haha.

The veggie stew is a tried and tested old favourite, which always consists of whatever veggies I happen to have in the house, and a stock which I put together from things in my store cupboard.

This evening I used onions, potatoes and carrots (all fresh), sprouts and swede (frozen), and a can each of sweetcorn and broad beans. The stock was vegetable Oxo, some yeast extract, mixed herbs, black pepper, a splash of Worcester sauce, and a good dollop of tomato purée to make it thicken a little. With the olive bread, it was yummy, comforting and filling. Proper Hygge food!

I have lots left to freeze some, and to take for lunch tomorrow.

My evening was nicely rounded off by a lovely soak in a hot, bubbly, candlelit bath, enjoying a cuppa in a favourite mug. Off to bed now, for some tea and chapters.

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Picture of the day

By far, the hardest thing for me is to remain motivated when getting home in the evening after a day at work. I am totally exhausted when I get through the door - physically and mentally, and my instinct is always to head upstairs to bed and sleep! It's especially hard at the moment, because I'm not seeing my Lovely Man, due to being on local lockdown. This means that, apart from the cats, my needs are the only needs to cater for, and it's so easy to just give in to the fatigue. It also doesn't help at the moment that I'm feeling a bit low.

I'm also acutely aware, that even though I should listen to my body when it says it's tired, I also need to eat properly, and tend to my need for creativity and productivity....especially at a time when the Black Dog threatens. So, in spite of feeling that way this evening, I did not give in to it. I have so much I want to do, and evenings & weekends are the only times I have to do them, so I forced myself to get the washing in off the line, make a cuppa, keep on the move whilst enjoying it, instead of sitting down, change into some comfortable clothes, and get cracking!

Unfortunately, this time last week I was unwell with a tummy upset, so I watched the first episode of this series cakeless and with a rumbling tummy! I was determined that this week would involve sitting down to watch Bake Off with some yummy, home-made cake, so one of the first jobs I gave myself this evening was to whip up a lemon drizzle cake....a particular favourite and one which I find easy to make and which never fails.

By the time I had finished my meal, the cake was just about ready to come out of the oven and for me to put the lemon syrup over the top.

The recipe I use is from a Jane Asher book. It's actually called "soaked lemon cake", which I suppose is more fitting than 'lemon drizzle', because there is rather a lot of syrup to soak in.

I needed to leave the cake for a little while to give it a chance to cool, so I washed up the dinner and cake-making things whilst I waited.

Then I was able to put my feet up and enjoy The Great British Bake Off, accompanied by yummy home made cake, and tea brewed in a beautiful teapot, which once belonged to my Auntie Dol, and enjoyed from one of my favourite mugs, bought for me by Lydia a few Christmases ago. Bliss! It definitely is the little things in life which make a difference.

As I write this, I definitely feel more cheered than I did when I got home this evening, so I am so glad I made the effort to avoid an early sleep, and get things done instead. Now though, I definitely do need my bed!

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Picture of the day

Today's been a bit of a rubbish day, with one thing and another.

After work, I went to do my weekly food shop. I had intended to do it over the weekend, but that didn't happen, so I bit the bullet and off I went.

Prior to Covid 19, I used to love food shopping - taking my time, browsing, choosing yummy things to eat, etc. Nowadays I can't get in and out of the shops fast enough, although it's a little better since everyone started wearing masks. That's a bit more reassuring.

One good thing about today's shopping was finding this new Flora plant-based butter. On offer in Tesco too. I love it when they bring out new plant-based/vegan products, and I love it even more when they are yummy! The verdict on the butter.........butter - it is not! Yummy - it is! Ha, I sound like Yoda now.

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I've had a bit of a creative/organising day today. This is a picture of some braids, ribbons, bias binding, etc., that - a little while ago - I started winding on to lollipop sticks!

There is method in my madness. I have lots of craft stuff which until recently has been put into various bags, boxes, drawers, cupboards etc. I want to organise everything in my craft room, in such a way that it is easy to access, and to show off the lovely colours, patterns and textures of some of the things.

So in the meantime, I have lots of ribbons and braids, and a whole bunch of lolly sticks left over from my teaching days, which I'm very happy to put to good use.

I love all the different colours and patterns, and it will be nice to use them on things which I make. Lots of them will be used to trim things like cushions and bunting, and any other small projects I fancy stitching.

Being passionate about sewing, I also have plenty of pins with pretty coloured heads, to secure the braid and ribbons on to the sticks when they are wound on.

These are a few that I did today. This is one of the things which I dip in and out of, whilst I'm watching T.V.

Other things I dip in and out of are crochet, knitting, and cross stitch. I haven't actually done any cross stitch for a while, but today went through all my patterns and things which I have on the go. I found a lovely cushion panel which my Gowjus Girl started stitching a few years ago, so I think I'm going to do some of that soon.

I also attached a couple of squares to my current crochet throw, and sorted out some fabric to replace the organza curtains in the lounge.

I painted a bit more of my little kitchen cupboard too. I should have some pics of all these things later in the week.

Whoever is reading this, I wish you a very happy week ahead.

I'd love to see your feedback!

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Picture of the day

My Lovely Man and me decided today that we needed to spend some quality time together, just simply enjoying our relationship and each other, and so we decided to partly revisit our first date, with a spot of food and drink at Caffi Lolfa, in Burry Port.

At Caffi Lolfa, they have a 'Welsh word of the day', which they display on the wall, and today the word was "Gwydn", meaning 'resilient', which we thought very appropriate for the current times.

I've been aware for some time that this needs addressing, and that I need to have proper meal plans for the week, and maybe spend one evening cooking ahead for the week, so that I always have something home cooked and healthy when I get home from work, that I can just heat up.

So I grabbed a lovely note book which has been sitting in the drawer for a couple of years, and am using it as my meal planner and shopping list book.

The plan is, that each week, on the night before I do my shopping, I will go through the fridge and freezer to see what is left over that I can make meals from, then plan the rest of the meals - including breakfasts and lunches, and make a shopping list specifically for only the things I need.

Picture of the day.....Fairy Friday!

This is a fairy picture which my very talented sister painted for Lydia, for her sixth birthday (21 years ago). Ann (my sister) made it to coincide with Lydia's fairy-themed birthday, which I have mentioned here before (just a few times, haha).

At the moment I'm looking after it, until Lydia has her own home to hang it in, and it's destined to temporarily go on the wall in the fairy corner of my craft room.

A few weeks ago, I bought a packet of frozen Tesco meat-free chicken pieces. Then, somebody in a vegan group on Facebook gave them a bad review. Anyway, I took a chance on them this evening and popped them into the curry, and I was pleasantly surprised. I can't say I liked them as much as the Quorn equivalent, but they were cheaper and vegan, and I liked that they are fairly large in size, whereas the Quorn ones are a bit tiddly.

I chopped up an onion and fried it in a small amount of British rapeseed oil, until it was soft and golden, at which point I added it to a can of chopped tomatoes which I had gently simmering in a saucepan. I repeated the chopping, frying and adding process with two sticks of celery, and a yellow pepper.

I was basically using up left-over veggies before I do a big shop at the weekend, so any combination of veggies would work really.

Then I gently fried the pack of 'chicken' pieces until they were browned, and added them to the tomato and veg mixture, along with a large can of mixed beans. Next, I made a stock, consisting of two vegetable Oxo cubes in about 100ml of boiling water, and added it to the mix, along with a selection of herbs and spices shown in the picture - I didn't measure any of these, just sprinkled in what I thought would work, a splash of Worcester sauce, and a teaspoon of yeast extract.

I also used a teaspoon of Thai green curry paste. Bob doesn't like really spicy food, hence only a teaspoon of this. Had I been making it just for myself I would have added more, and if I'd been making it for my Gowjus Girl, I would have added a whole heap more! Haha.

If you do try my recipe...or even if you just like the look of it, I'd love to know what you think.....

Picture of the day.....Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for lots of things today.....well, actually I'm thankful for lots of things every day, but since today is Thursday I thought I would do a "Thankful Thursday".

The first thing I'm thankful for is this colourful chap.

He is a telescopic duster thingammyjig, and he's blinkin' fab!

I've managed to reach all the ceilings in my house to swipe away any unwanted dust/cobwebs, etc.....without standing on anything and risking life & limb.

Even the high ceiling on the landing has had the Robin treatment.

Other things I'm thankful for today...

...Being well enough to go back to work, even if I still needed to pop the paracetamol and the whole day was rather a struggle. At least I made it through!

...My home to come home to, with central heating (yes, I have put it on)...

...The warm welcome of three beautiful kitties...

...Cosy socks...

Basil, Joe and Nala have asked me to tell you that they are thankful for...

...fishies, a cwtchy sofa, and a warm human lap to snooze on.

What are you thankful for today? I'd love you to tell me.....

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Déjà vu! Different day, same view. Lots of body aches this morning, to go with the still-present massive headache. My tummy has been better than yesterday, but still quite niggly, so I'm thinking that I have indeed caught some sort of bug, and definitely didn't want to take that into work.

I got up just after 1:00 p.m., feeling absolutely starving, after only having a piece of toast since the night before last.

I decided to try some scrambled egg, and it did make me feel better, if only for the energy it provided.

I do feel quite a lot better this evening. My tummy seems to have settled and I'm not nearly as achy....although I think the paracetamol (I must look like one by now) is probably masking most of the aches!

I'm hoping that a quiet evening spent in the company of my Lovely Man, and a good night's sleep, will see me right for going back to work tomorrow. I hate being off ill....mainly because I like to think I'm made of sterner stuff - and to be fair, I usually am!

I'd love your feedback!

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Picture of the day

This has been my view for most of the day. I called in sick this morning, because I had rather an upset tummy.....I don't know if it's a bug or something I ate, but I always err on the side of caution with this kind of thing, as I'm sure my colleagues would not want to catch a tummy bug!

I also had a Headache From Hell, and generally felt pretty yucky.

I've slept most of the day, and when awake have consumed tea and water! I did ask Joe, my furry companion to make my tea, but he refused on the grounds he has no thumbs!

I'm blinkin' hungry now, but afraid to eat, in case it's a bug. I may have a slice of toast in a bit.

Then I moved on to this book (yes, I am a bit of a bookworm) - another which has been recommended to me.

I've read the first couple of chapters, and am enjoying so far. The first chapter made me cry - always the sign of a good book! Haha.

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I love tablecloths - the prettier the better. I love them when they're embroidered, made of lace, have pretty edgings, and for all sorts of other reasons.

I already have quite a few which I've gathered over the years, and this is a picture of some tablecloths that my lovely friend and colleague Julie gave me. She's been having a sort out, and her ears pricked up when I mentioned tablecloths the other day, and she thought I might like these. She wasn't wrong!

I didn't get as much done over the weekend as I'd intended, so I'm hoping to make up for that a bit during this week, although I do find that when I get home from work most days I'm pretty exhausted. This evening though, I've put the first undercoat onto my little cupboard for the kitchen, so that's a good start!

Wishing a very happy week ahead to anybody who's reading this. Also...

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This is Julia, one of Bob's lovely friends....and also one of my friends now!

Julia is proudly showing a granny square!

Today we met for some socially-distanced crochet (and a cuppa) at Craig-y-Nos. Julia is keen to learn how to crochet and asked if I would lend a hand the next time I was up at the park with Bob.

I always think that a granny square is a good place to start learning crochet, because there are quite a lot of skills involved - a basic chain, trebles, turning corners, crocheting into spaces, and also into the top of a stitch when joining.

Julia is a fab learner - she picked things up really quickly, and before we knew it, there was a granny square! As you can see from the first picture, I think she's quite pleased, and I am too that I was able to share some knowledge and skill - a lovely feeling to finish off the weekend.

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May I introduce you to my Little Man? Definitely NOT to be confused with my Lovely Man!

My Little Man was carved, many years ago, by my lovely Dad. We had quite a few apple trees in our garden when I was growing up. My Dad had incredibly green fingers. One of the trees had stopped yielding fruit, and so Dad chopped it down, and took up wood carving, using the wood from the apple tree. The result was that Dad produced several lovely carved pieces, including this little chap, which he carved after seeing an image in a book. I think it was a book of Aztec art/carvings, but I may be mistaken. Anyway, I took a proper fancy to him, so Dad gave him to me, and he now sits proudly in my lounge.

During the course of our ponderments of him, we decided that he really should be holding something. We tried a pen, but it was lost......his elegant arms are capable of holding so much more.....so I had the idea of scissors, and wow! He holds them beautifully. He spent the day on my desk, very dutifully holding my dressmaking scissors, and I have decided that now he is back at home, he can move location from the lounge to the craft room, and forever after be my lovely scissor holder!

Judging by his face, he seems quite happy about it anyway!

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This is the birthday cake and a couple of party bags, which I made for Lydia's seventh birthday, when she had a rainbow-themed party.

For the same birthday, I wrote another fairy story for Lydia - a sequel to "Lydia and the Tooth Fairy" (which you can read and listen to, by clicking here).

The second story is called "Fairy Fleur's New Dress" and I am in the process of typing it up, ready to put here on my website - on my writing page Paperback Writer in a week or two. The photograph is one of quite a few which I have - originally taken by my sister Ann - which Bob has put onto CD for me to share.

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I love this gowjus little cupboard! I picked it up from a charity shop a couple of years ago, for about three pounds I think. It's going to go on one of my kitchen walls, to use as a tea cupboard. There are two shelves inside the main cupboard and then the panel at the bottom opens down, to give another shelf space.

I'm going to be painting it the same as I'm doing the shelf and spice rack - in yellow, with white on top and then distressed along the edges to reveal just a peep of the yellow. I've given it just a light sanding, because I'll be using Wilkinson's cupboard paint as a base, which will paint over all sorts of surfaces, including melamine.

I did make some changes - the recipe said two cans of black eyed beans, and a red pepper. I used a can each of black eyed beans and green lentils, and didn't have a red pepper, so used a yellow one! I also added a dash of Worcester sauce, and a teaspoon of Marmite for a bit of an extra kick. There is plenty left over for lunches, and I've added some extra cumin, because Bob and I both felt it needed a little extra. It was very yummy though. We ate it with Basmati rice and some lovely crunchy broccoli. Oh, and the coriander was from my herb garden!

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My cwtchy bed....complete with book, cup of tea in a favourite mug, and a bit of norty chocolate. I also happen to know that a cwtchy kitty is wending his way towards the cwtchy bed too! Do I need to say any more?

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These two books!

The one on the left - "The Butterfly Picnic", by Joan Aiken - I finished during my afternoon break today. It was a very odd book, and I'm not entirely sure that I enjoyed it or not to be honest. I found it a bit chaotic, and sometimes as if stuff was just thrown in for the sake of it. It was also very child-like in parts. However, maybe it was intended for a younger audience. I read "The Wolves of Willoughby Chase" by the same author as a child, and loved it, and although this book is supposed to fit in to an adult readership, maybe the author was still a bit stuck in her children's literature ways? It also reminded me of the Lemony Snicket "Series of Unfortunate Events" books, but not as well written. That's my humble opinion anyway.

I started the book on the right - "The First Phone Call From Heaven" by Mitch Albom also during my last break. I only read the first chapter, and I am already hooked. I enjoyed "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" by the same author, so I'm expecting fairly good things from this book.

Today was less of a struggle than yesterday. Still a fair bit of fatigue, but nothing I couldn't cope with! However, I do feel quite tired this evening, so I'll be abandoning any plans of shelf-painting, in favour of something nice to eat, some T.V., a bubbly bath, and a fairly early night.

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Today has been weird and a bit of a struggle. I had to go to Prince Philip Hospital this morning for blood tests. Because of Lupus, I have regular blood tests and always dread them - my veins can be a pretty mean bunch, and this morning was no exception.

First of all the nurse couldn't even locate a vein in either arm. Then, after finding one in the left, it point blank refused to yield any blood. Same thing in my right arm. I needed to go for an X-Ray too, so we decided that I would go and do that, then come back to try again for the blood. The nurse also suggested I drink something. Not being sure of her sense of humour, I refrained from suggesting a large vodka.

Off I went for the X-Ray, which went quite smoothly, if you don't count having to strip, then parade through a room full of other waiting patients, dressed in one of those very flattering gowns, which do up (or not, if you're not able to reach behind properly to do it yourself!) at the back, and you feel as if you might as well just skip through starkers (apart from the Covid mask of course) and have done with it! Sigh.

X-Ray done and back for the blood test.....left arm was still being as stubborn as a mule. Nope, that vein was not going to give anything, and that was that. On to the right again - by now I resembled a pin cushion. After a rather tight tourniquet from the nurse, and an incredibly clenched fist on my part, and a breath-held minute, the vein finally surrendered - veerrrry slowwwly! It literally was like getting blood out of a stone. Next lot of blood tests on the 25th September - I'm so looking forward to them! Not!

The rest of the day was a bit of a fatigue-filled slog, and when I got home from work, I zonked out and slept for about four hours. This did not go down well with three kitties, who were late getting their fishies, and were giving me proper dirty looks by the time I emerged with a fuzz of brain fog and a high-pitched tinnitus noise in my left ear.

I think I'll just write Monday off as a small, foggy ink blob on the page of this week, and go off to bed with some tea & chapters!

Picture of the day......and autumn reached for her golden crown...

This beautiful tree at Craig-y-Nos Country Park today. I love autumn - it is undoubtedly my favourite season. I love the colours, the autumn weather, and just the whole feeling in the air of such a beautiful season. It fills me with joy.

I did quite a lot of work on a crochet blanket which has been a WIP (Work In Progress) for probably about two years now. It's my own design, and to be honest, I'm kind of making it up as I go along. The main focus is off-centred granny squares, and I love the pastel, mellow colours.

Today I was able to crochet together the main body of the blanket.

I have eight of the off-centred grannies left in the original colours, so I was thinking that they would be nice attached to the corners, the way that I've placed them in this photograph.

......however, I'm now thinking that they would be better off placed at the centres of each edge of the main blanket, like this. I'll have a little ponder on that.

Picture of the day......They call me mellow yellow...

...Quite rightly! I've now put the yellow coat on the shelf and spice rack for my kitchen. They won't be staying quite as yellow as this....I'll be top-coating with chalk paint, and then distressing the edges, etc., so that the yellow just peeps through. I'm doing the same with all my kitchen cupboards. Next I need to sand the little cupboard ready for painting, and emulsion the wall they're going on.

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This is a little doll which I put on top of Lydia's sixth birthday cake - 21 years ago.

Her party had a fairy theme, and I made Lydia a fairy costume - the Sweet Pea Fairy, from Cicely Mary Barker's Flower Fairies book, and I dressed this little doll in a replica costume, so that she would be a mini Fairy Lydia! Such good fun.

If you want to read, and listen to, "Lydia and the Tooth Fairy" - a fairy story I wrote for her at the time, then please click here

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The top view of a completed wedding gown customisation strap.

As you may have read before on this site, I work for Enzoani in Swansea. Much of my job involves customising wedding gowns. That is, when a bride chooses an Enzoani gown, through one of our many stockists, she may (depending on the style of the gown) be able to choose to customise her gown, for example by adding sleeves, straps, a belt, a lace edging, etc., from a range which we have on offer.

The first job is to carefully cut around the motif, trimming it into a more workable shape, and to dispense with any excess tulle.

This is a set of four samples I was making this afternoon.

The versatility of each single item, means that it can be draped over a bride-to-be's shoulder, when she is trying on one of our gowns, to give an idea of what the finished customised gown would look like, should she choose that style.

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And off I go with the paintbrush!

At last I am painting the shelf and spice rack I have for my kitchen. I'd previously painted a couple of undercoats, but then they got put to one side and have gathered some dust. I've cleaned them, but they each need another undercoat to bring them back to life, before I put some colour on them.

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I decided to make something really yummy for dinner on this drizzly evening. I had some filo pastry to use, so looked for a recipe online and found one for salmon and leek filo parcels. It was indeed very yummy. If you want to make it, the recipe is on the BBC Good Food website, and you can access the recipe if you click here

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These are the items I have ready to paint for my kitchen. I did make a start on them a while ago, but then other things got in the way and they were put to one side. The cupboard was a charity shop find - I think I paid about three pounds for it - the shelf was a "Homesense" bargain a couple of years ago in Nottingham, and the little spice rack was made by my brother in law lots of years ago. I need to freshen up the coats of paint I had already done, and then add to that. The cupboard I'm starting from scratch. I really hope to start these tomorrow.

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Being woken up at four in the morning, by the sound of stuff being knocked off windowsills is not my idea of fun.....Basil thought it was great fun, chasing a poor butterfly around the kitchen! I managed to get it off him - it was a Red Admiral, and so beautiful - and when I took it outside to release it, one of its wings was quite damaged, but it did fly off, so I just hope it's ok. Basil these days is a skinny old man (he's sixteen), but boy can he move when there's food on offer or something to chase! Bloody cats!

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I totally love looking up through trees at the sky, and I thought this was particularly nice today, with the lovely piece of blue sky contrasted against the clouds and trees.

I love this old gate, and I like the contrast between it and the more modern one to the left of the picture. The first time I visited the park in April 2019 I thought how beautiful the gate is.

More looking up to the sky through the trees. This picture looks black and white, which it isn't. I like the contrast between it and the one in my picture of the day.

......and he was very proud of it, and happy to have his picture taken with it! I'm not sure there's much left of it now though. Haha.

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This is a little fairy dress and head dress, which I made for Lydia for her sixth birthday party, which had a fairy theme. Her costume was based on the Sweetpea Fairy, from the Cicely Mary Barker Flower Fairies book. She did indeed look very sweet.

For Lydia's sixth birthday, I also wrote her a fairy story - Lydia and the Tooth Fairy. You can read it, and listen to it (narrated by me 21 years ago) by clicking here,and yes, it is five year old Lydia singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" on the soundtrack!

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This beautiful fabric, which I've been working with today. Please note, that the fabric is not blue - it is a sheer tulle, which is lace embellished. It just looks blue, because I have it spread out on the blue cutting table.

I've been using it to customise a wedding gown. The bride wants straps added to the gown, made up from this lace fabric. This is the kind of job I love, because I can cut up the lace and rearrange it to fit the area it needs to cover, which means I can be fairly creative. I hope the bride is pleased with what I have done.

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A screenshot of the home page of this website! In honour of putting the website address on to my Facebook page this evening. I have to admit to being more than a little anxious/nervous at the prospect of lots of people looking at my site and reading my blog. I just hope it's not too boring!

If you are reading this, and do like what you're reading, and what you've seen on the website so far, then please leave me a friendly message in my guestbook, which you can access here or from the main menu . Thank you.

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A bag of crochet!

The bag contains a large blanket/throw, which I have been crocheting since about the year dot! It's my own design, which I'm kind of making up as I go along. It hasn't been out of its bag for several weeks. Lots of times (including yesterday, when I chose to read instead) the intention has been for it to come out, but in the bag it's stayed. That will change sometime soon, for sure.