The Spiders Have Left The Building.......!!!

.......along with all the ghoulies and ghosties and other Halloweeny type things.
Ruby won't be here again now until Friday when it's all over and done with so I thought they might as well go back in their box.

Thank you for all your kind wishes for Ruby. We saw her yesterday and she seems fine. I think DDIL was keeping her off school today as she had swimming which didn't seem the best activity with her poorly throat.

So today has been a bit of a clean up day along with laundry and sorting out the Christmas gifts into bags ready for wrapping which we hope to get done this week.
We only have a few more bits to get now and so DD and I are off to Hobbycraft tonight to see if we can get those.

Tomorrow one of the Advent calendars that I didn't want to sew may come out of the bag and get done as DDIL says her Sister would love the Scandi design of it so I might bite the bullet and get it done to send down to her.

Well DD will be home shortly so I had best go and get changed ready to go out.

Hope you have all been warm today.
We started the day with a frost and it hasn't been very warm all day.
The heating has just gone on.
Sheila-x-

Me Poor Ruby!!!

Our weekend sleepover was cut short as Ruby has gone down with a really nasty cough which is making her throat sore and she got so distressed with it last night that she wanted to go home to Mummy.
Such a shame as we had had a lovely day out, taken Ruby to her dance class then watched their little performance of Thriller and picked up fish and chips to take home for tea as it was quite late.
I've just phoned to see how she is and she has slept and eaten breakfast.
DD and I will go down later to drop off her things and take a meal down for them all so that Mummy can just concentrate on giving cuddles.

I am just cooking Sunday lunch while Andy and DD are out and about doing their own thing....they had best be back by the time I serve up...lol.

The rest of the day will be taken up with visiting and getting a start on the laundry.....how exciting.

Hope you are all having a good weekend.
Sheila-x-

Nightmare!!!

Just a very quick post today as we are sooooo late getting back from Ikea (appalling traffic and roadworks) and a Doodle family visit is imminent to drop off Ruby for the weekend.

So I'll just show you our Halloween decs..........

This will drive me mad before the weekend is over......lol.

DD's cute little pumpkin with vampire fangs and plastic headed pins for eyes.

Just wondering how this is all going to stand up to a visit from Miss Marlowe.
This will be fun.

Anyhoo....I had best go and get ready to welcome them all.
Not sure if I will get back on to blog over the weekend but if not I will catch up with you all on either Sunday evening or Monday morning.

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend.
Sheila-x-

Nearly Done!!!

The six shoe bags I managed to get sewn together yesterday before domestic duties called are nearly finished.
I just have to sew the top channels down on the last four and thread them up with ribbon.
.......and that will be the last of my sewing bliss for the week as there are a busy few days coming up but I will take a pic tomorrow to show them to you.
I'm late switching the machine on this morning as I have been waiting for a parcel delivery for Andy and noise has to be kept to a minimum so that I can hear when someone knocks on the door. 
My hearing is not what it used to be.

I have a couple of hours or so to do my sewing today as we are having a very simple 'breakfast for tea' ........bacon and eggs with either tomatoes or beans......so I can't really prep or cook anything until DD arrives at the door.
Once tea is over we are going to do a bit of Halloween decorating ready for Ruby arriving as tomorrow is going to be too busy to get it done with Andy and I taking a trip to Ikea.
All those conkers around the house to try and keep the spiders away and guess what is going to be draped up my fireplace.......a huge cobweb with rather scary looking spider lights....lol.

The headache I woke up with hasn't shifted so I think I will have to resort to painkillers and see if they will get rid of it.

Hope you are all enjoying your day.
Sheila-x-

Have Fabric Cut....Will Sew!!!

Feeling very virtuous today having cut out the beginnings of eleven shoe bags yesterday which got rid of a bit of fabric stash that wasn't suitable for quilting.
Today I will sew them all together using a white top thread and whatever I have on bobbins for the bottom....it isn't going to show so it won't matter much.
Once sewn the drawstrings will be made using ribbon from my stash left from my cardmaking days.
I am liking this stash busting very much 😀

A fairly easy day on the cooking front as I put a lamb stew on to cook yesterday. It has rested in the fridge overnight so should taste very nice. I'll serve it with some new potatoes and steamed cabbage which means we will only use half of it and the other half can go in the freezer for next week.

I'm sure Ruby won't be missing her old Ganma today. She is having a day out with Daddy at Thorpe Park.
If the weather there is anything like here (bright and sunny) she will hopefully have a lovely day.

Okey dokey.....one load of laundry to fold and another ready to go in the dryer and then I can get on with me sewing.

Hope you all have a wonderful day.
Sheila-x-

Have Fabric.....Will Cut!!!

I have one little job left to do on the computer and then I am shutting it down for the day.
There is a bag full of fabric on the dining table and I intend to cut it all into shoe bag sized pieces. I don't know if any actual sewing will get done but at least it will all be ready to go.

After some discussions with Andy yesterday I am quite confident that this weekend will see the Christmas gift buying finished.
Friday we will go to Ikea to pick up one of their miniature kitchens for Marlowe and some bits and pieces to go with it.
Saturday DD, Ruby and I are off to Bridgemere Garden Centre which has a Lakeland shop and there we will shop for part of DDIL's gift.
After that it will just be bits and pieces and a wrapping and boxing up session.
I don't think I have ever been this early getting it all finished.

So now....a quick coffee while I finish what I have to do on here and then this computer is taking a break and won't go on again until either tonight or tomorrow morning.

Have a lovely day.
Sheila-x-

Late Again!!!

I do have a good excuse for being late today though as I have been sorting out fabric to make some shoe bags after being inspired by Mama's Mercantile.
Our shoes are currently stored quite haphazardly on a small unit by the side of the dresser in the kitchen and as they are not all in use I thought it would be nice to tidy it up a bit.

Other than that I have been baking potatoes in their jackets to be turned into cheese souffle jackets to have with some salad. They were very yummy indeed.

Tomorrow I will cut out a load of bags and then sit and sew them all and hopefully I will have enough fabric to sort out all of the shoes.

Andy is at work tonight. He will leave at 8:30pm and DD and I will be diving onto the sofas to watch some more Vikings. We are on season four and I need to check if there are any more. Although I have quite enjoyed it I am hoping that there are no more after this one. It's getting quite heavy going.

Right I had best go as I have some online shopping to do for Andy.

Have a fabulous week everybody.
Sheila-x-

Saturday And Sunday!!!

Saturday.....quite a busy day.
Cooker fitted and working beautifully and it is so quiet compared to the old one which sounded like a helicopter when I used the fan oven.

A trip into town to do some top up shopping, buy a large bag of potatoes and pick up a few Halloween treats for Ruby's sleepover.
The living room will be decorated in time for Friday when she arrives.

Home then to get a pan of minced beef cooking ready for making pies and a quick tea of hot dogs before we settled down to watch some more Vikings.

Today I will be teaching DD how to make shortcrust pastry and putting the pies together. We are going to have one for our Sunday lunch as a change from a roast, the rest will go into the freezer and one will have a label on for The Doodles.
DDIL gave me a bag of apples on Friday so I will also make some spiced apple cakes today and freeze one for them to have when they get back from London.
I also have laundry on the go so it looks like today will be just as busy as yesterday.

Andy has just come back from picking up the papers and has bought me a huge treat of a Nigel Slater cookery book.
There was a voucher in our paper yesterday with a selection of books available from WH Smith for £5. RRP was £30 and it was on special offer for £7 and he paid £5 so not a bad saving at all. I would never ever pay £30 for a book.

Right.....I need to go and dig DD out of her pit and get on with this pastry.

Hope you are all having a lovely Sunday.
Sheila-x-

Thursday And Friday!!!

Sorry there was no post yesterday but I was determined to get all this stuff sorted and shifted in the dining room.
I didn't finish completely but at least the overlocker has a resting place while I am using the table for other things.
There were one or two scary moments when I couldn't find anywhere to store some fabric but I squished and squashed and managed to fit it in to my already bursting drawers.
I think there may have to be some serious sewing soon to reduce what I have before I can buy any more.....I have just over a month before I go to Birmingham....arrrrrrgh.

Today I am cleaning through ready for me Ruby who is visiting tonight after school. She didn't come on Wednesday as there were transport problems.
As usual tea will be something I am sure Ruby will eat so it's chicken and spinach wraps with corn on the cob.....nice and easy = less time in the kitchen and more time for cuddles.
We're hoping to spend half an hour or so with Marlowe when we drop Ruby off tonight as we won't see either of them for a week. They are away until next Friday but then Ruby will come to us for a couple of nights. 
I need to plan a sleepover theme.....probably Halloween with films to match.....more than likely Hocus Pocus and the Transylvania films for 1,000th time....lol.

Tomorrow the cooker will be fitted and I will be trying that out baking some pies to use some of the minced beef I have in the freezer. All but one pie will have to go back in the freezer but at least they will be there for when I can't be bothered to cook from scratch.

So.....here comes the weekend.
Have you got anything exciting planned.
Sheila-x-

Delivery Central!!!

Judging by the amount of parcels our poor postie had to drag to our door this morning I think I know what DD is up to when she goes up to bed at night....Christmas shopping online.

Five parcels for her and one for me.

The biggest delivery of the day has just arrived in the shape of my new cooker and that will be decorating the corner of the living room until the weekend when it gets installed.

Now that the fabric and pattern have arrived for my nightdress I need to have a shufty round and find somewhere for the overlocker to sit while I use the table to cut out my pattern and then cut out the fabric.

There is never enough room in here to do something without shifting something first.

I can't do anything at the moment as I am currently dealing with two massive cauliflowers that Andy picked up from the veg shop this morning. They are being turned into tubs of cauli in white sauce for the freezer. I know I am trying to empty them but you can't pass up massive caulis at 59p each and they won't be too long getting used up as it is one of our favourite side dishes.

So I will go and crack on with the making of the white sauce and then I am ready for a cuppa.

Hope you are all having a good day.

Sheila-x-

Just What I Need!!!

I don't know where it has come from but I have woken up this morning with a bad case of the sniffles and a head that feels like it's full of cotton wool and aches like the devil.
Well it can just bu**er off. I don't want it.
Now Andy has gone to work I think I will go and run myself a hot bath and have a soak to see if that will make me feel better.

We were very lucky here in our part of the Midlands to escape the attentions of Ophelia. Just some very odd looking skies yesterday and a bit of wind towards the later part of the evening and nothing damaged as far as we can see.
Today we have blue skies, sunshine and a good stiff wind....ideal for drying but no laundry to do.

No cooking as such today. DD and I are immersed in a new box set called Vikings. It's brilliant so tonight we will be watching it while we have toasted three cheese bloomer with beans and a cup of tea.

Last week I bought myself a couple of new nightdresses and I am not very pleased that what started out as nice below the knee and comfortable after washing they are now twisted and only just inches south of indecent. I have decided to make my own and have found a lovely simple pattern and some gorgeous fabric which should be here tomorrow. I have also ordered a pattern for Marlowe to make her some new dresses. Not a baby any more....I had to order toddler size 😕
I will pick up some suitable fabrics for her when I go to The Rag Markets at the end of next month.....DD is taking me as my Christmas present with spending money and I know I'll be able to find lots of lovely fabrics for very little money.

.......and now I am off to wash Andy's lunch pots and then go and run myself that bath.

Hope you are all having a lovely day.
Sheila-x-

Hoping For A Crafty Week!!!

Well....that was a 'blink and you miss it' kind of weekend wasn't it?
It seemed like no sooner had we had our Sunday lunch than it was time for bed and here we are back at Monday.
Up early this morning and I am already on laundry load number three. Unfortunately no line drying today as it's very mizzly outside and it looks like the clouds might be chucking something a bit heavier down on us sometime during the day.

Andy is on an afternoon shift this week so I am feeding him an early lunch. My kitchen currently smells disgusting as I am cooking some spare ribs he bought from the butchers ready marinaded and they stink of Chinese five spice powder which I just cannot abide.
Once I have washed up and seen him off I shall have some time to crack on with some crafting until it's time to make the Cheats Chicken Parmegianna that DD and I are having for our evening meal. Cheats because I am using some battered chicken breast steaks instead of fresh chicken to get them used up out of the freezer.
Talking of cooking......the cooker has finally blown a gasket and we are now limited to the main oven and two rings. DD soldiered on very bravely yesterday and produced a beautiful Sunday lunch but it has got to go.
We are not really at the stage where we can start any kitchen renovations so the range cooker has been put on the back boiler and this will be arriving at The Mansion sometime on Wednesday...........

........and moving swiftly on.....lol.

Remember this from Poundland........

Loved the decoration but just not that Merry X-mas so I took these..........

........and turned it into this.........

I like it much better now.

If you want to alter your own I would advise filling in the lettering with wood filler before you add any paper......and any questions.....just let me know.

There is stuff cut out to make the gifts for the girls so I am going to sit and do some hand sewing this afternoon with something on catch up on the computer. I have not done that for so long so if the dog behaves himself it should be a blissful afternoon.

Hope you have a gorgeous day doing what you want to do.
Sheila-x-

Crafty Minx!!!

I am spending some time this weekend crafting but not neccessarily working on the calendars. I have to admit that I have seriously gone off them and am considering bagging them up as kits and sending them to the charity shop although I am not sure I really want to foist them on somebody else...lol.
So far I have completed the altering of the Poundland wall decoration and will shortly be starting on a gift each for the girls involving felt and metal buckets.
I was very excited to see that Poundland had the beer crates back in HERE but on close inspection every single one of the ones in stock at our Poundland was either broken or very badly made. Not a good base for an altering project so I am moving on to another idea which I will show and tell when it's done.

So just a pottering weekend here.
Andy has cleaned out the gigglies and I have given them a brush and tidy up. 
DD poddled off to Derby for a wander round and a haircut and also popped to Hobbycraft to pick up the last coupl of bits for Ruby's Christmas gifts.
She is now giving Smudge a haircut as he is badly overdue.
All in all a happy at home weekend.....no rushing and no big jobs......bliss!!!

Hope you are having just as good a weekend.
Sheila-x-

Advent Is On The Go!!!

......and she's off.
The Advent calendars got some attention yesterday and are now all trimmed and pockets folded and pressed ready for sewing.
All I need to do now is scrabble about under the table to find the batting and I can do the layering and quilting.
I'm not in the mood to do that today but it will get done at the weekend as I have no plans to go anywhere.....unless Andy or DD have plans for me that I don't know about.

The freezer emptying is still ongoing....and going pretty well.
Tonight I am using up the last of the sausages which we will have grilled with some tomatoes and I will add some mushrooms for Andy.

Not sure what I am going to be doing today but there is some tidying needing doing in the dining room so I will probably do that even though I just want to snuggle up on the sofa and watch tv....it's quite cold here today....but if I want to sew at the weekend I need a tidy room to do it in.
I think I'll have a nice hot cup of coffee first though....and maybe some toast for my lunch.

Hope you all have a lovely day whatever you are doing.
Sheila-x-

An Absolute Disarster Dahling!!!

I think I am going to pretend that Monday never happened.
It was definitely my day for disarsters in the kitchen.
Soup was on and simmering merrily away and the bread was whirring merrily away in the breadmaker.......or so I thought.....but it wasn't. The flaming thing was whirring but the paddle wasn't doing anything at all.
I had used a packet mix that I had in the cupboard and it looked way too dry and thick so that came out and I redid it with my own mix. No joy so that came out and had to be done by hand.
Meanwhile....totally distracted and brain fogged by the doings of the breadmaker I went and double salted the soup which turned it into the domestic version of the Dead Sea in a pan. I tried everything to rescue it but it wasn't having any of it so out it went.
Very unfrugal and wasteful but there you go.
I redeemed myself by making a gorgeous chicken and veg bake topped with sweet potato yesterday so I am now back in my pairs good books.
.......and to add insult to injury I never got chance to play with my overlocker either Monday or yesterday.

Fast forward to today.......all jobs done, simple tea planned as Ruby will be here and joy of joys I have threaded and used the overlocker.
I have to say that it was so much easier than I expected. I did try Pam's recommendation of tying the new threads to the threads that came in the machine but one went and snapped so I had to take all of them out and start from the beginning.
Threaded up I cautiously tested it, it worked first time and I just need to have a fiddle with the tension when I go to sew a garment.
I can see this machine will get used a lot. Love it.

Very grey and windy here today but it's not cold so the back door is open to let in some fresh air.
Nothing much to do until Ruby comes so I really am going to get those Advent calendars finished....or at least get as much done as I can before she arrives.

Thanks for dropping by today.
Sheila-x-

Brain Overload!!!

So many things I want to do today and my brain is feeling pretty scrambled.
I need to prioritise which is something I am not awfully good at but I think if I start with food so that my pair are fed today and work from there things should be OK.
So first thing will be a pan of leek and potato soup and a loaf of homemade bread to go with it.
After that there is tidying and hoovering, three loads of laundry still to do and a kitchen floor to sweep and mop.
Once that is all done and Andy has gone for his nap I should....if nothing comes along and spoils my plans.....have time to sit and have a really good look at my new machine and make an attempt to thread it up.
If you never hear from me again you will know that I have strangled myself on all those threads....lol.

Right....apron on and on with the housey stuff then.
Hope you all have a great day today.
Sheila-x-

Yesterday & Today!!!

Yesterday I was out all day.......Christmas shopping and I am chuffed to say that........apart from a pair of side bent tweezers and two bottles of glitter glue.......Ruby's is finished and just needs wrapping, bagging or boxing.....whichever I decide to do.
I know what Marlowe is having and I have seen other things to go with it to compliment it so as soon as I have replenished the coffers that will be bought and stashed away.
That will be the bulk of spending out of the way and then I just have five more people to buy for.
I have to say that I don't quite have the stamina for it that I used to....it completely shattered me and I am still tired today.........and so.......Andy has cooked the dinner. He and DD had lamb and I had mine meat free as I just wasn't in the mood to be gnawing on a great thick chop which Andy always brings when he goes to the butchers.
I have washed up and am trying to fight off a nanna nap by unboxing my very brand spanking new overlocker and trying to get to grips with the instructions.

Hope you have all had a happy weekend.
Sheila-x-

Thursday/Friday!!!

I'll try and get this typed up before the internet goes off yet again. Been having a bit of trouble with it dipping in and out over the last couple of days and it's driving me crazy.

So....yesterday winter coats and big jumpers fetched out and sorted then washed and dried. Throws and quilts laundered and dried. Food shopping done along with a little more Christmas shopping......just a few bits to add to Ruby's gifts but every little helps.
Extremely cream crackered by 9:30pm so just sat and did nothing until bed time.

Today a few bits of laundry done....winter cushion covers mostly, a chilli made and bubbling away on the stove.
Just the hoovering to do and then I am done.com for today apart from cooking rice.
Have also emptied the tin where Andy and I put our spare 20p pieces as it was full. I nearly dropped dead when I counted it up....£184.20. I couldn't believe it.
That will pay for the girls' big presents for Christmas and plenty left over for some of their bits and pieces too.
Very happy about that so as soon as I get another tin we'll start again.

OK....desperately need a cold drink before I tackle that hoovering.

Hope you are all having a good day.
Sheila-x-

Ooooh It's Chilly!!!

There is a very spiteful wind this morning making me feel very chilly indeed.
The heating has gone on to warm the house through for when DD gets in as she will be out in it and chilled to the bone.
Normally when I'm sitting I will wear a huge jumper to delay putting the heating on but today I am pottering with my hands in and out of water and the sleeves won't stay up....even with elastic bands round them.

No cooking going on as I do believe that I am being taken out for tea tonight.

Thank you all so much for helping to identify the cutlery that Andy bought. I can't wait to get it all cleaned up so that I can use it although I absolutely loved Catriona's idea of putting them into a box frame for display. I will probably look for some more to do just that.

Today I have done a stock take on my large thread cops ready for Sunday when I get my overlocker which I am thrilled to say is a Singer. I just hope they will have the colours I need to make my collection up to fours of each. 
This will be my early Christmas present from Andy....bless him.

Ruby was delighted with the candy floss. I just felt sick watching her eat it and I dread to think what the colours were doing to her insides.....her tongue was nearly navy blue....lol.

Well I think I am going to have a nice cup of tea before I go back to my faffing about.

Hope you are all having a lovely day.
Sheila-x-

What Are They?!!!

Andy likes to go a-wandering and at the weekend he wandered off to the nearest village that has an actual bank and also an antique shop.
We both have a bit of a 'thing' about old cutlery and kitchen paraphenalia and he picked these up.......

I think the fork on the right might be a pickle fork but I am not sure what the wider fork would have been used for and also not sure if the spoon is a jam spoon or a sugar spoon.
Whatever they are I love them and they were only 50p each.
I've told him to look out for some more as I think they will look gorgeous when we have the family get togethers....well once they have been cleaned up anyway.

This morning would have been lovely and peaceful if it hadn't been for the tree surgeons working on a very tall tree on the green in front of our house. I think the machine they had going was for chopping up branches as they lopped them off.
It all looks nice and neat now though. They have done a good job.

I have been pottering today and it's been lovely after a couple of days of extreme busyness.
Miss Doodle will be here in about an hour or so and I am looking forward to cuddles and kisses from my gorgeous girl. Then when we take her a home we'll have a quick visit with my other gorgeous girl before we nip to the supermarket.

There is a slight change to the menu tonight as I forgot to ask Andy to pick up some eggs this morning and I am completely out so I can't make the corn fritters.....corn on the cob it is then but Ruby won't mind.
Her tea probably won't even touch the sides tonight....it will be eaten very quickly so that she she can try the multicoloured candy floss that DD bought home for her from the Statutes Fair last night.
Gawd it makes my teeth ache just looking at it.

......and that is me for today.
I hope you are all having a lovely day.
Sheila-x-

Late Again!!!

Another day gone by in a flash although I have managed to get quite a bit done in the house today.
I did want to go out and wash the windows but didn't fancy it much with it being so windy and cold.

Tea had to be quick tonight with DD coming in and almost going straight out again...........so good old baked beans and scrambled egg on toast with a cup of tea. It was very, very nice.

Tomorrow Doddle is here so I need to find something that we will all have and I am thinking crispy chicken in a roll with salad and maybe some corn fritters as a change from corn on the cob. I hope she likes them.

Now I am aching in places I didn't know I had so I think a nice soak in the bath and then bed for me.

Sleep tight everyone.
Sheila-x-

Look At The Time!!!

Nine pm and I am only just thinking about blogging.
I don't know where the day has gone.
DD has cooked a roast beef lunch....delicious, I have started the laundry to give me a bit of free time for other things tomorrow and I have also pickled the onions Andy peeled yesterday after leaving them in brine overnight.
Now I am going to prepare the red cabbage ready to pickle that tomorrow and that is all I am doing picklingwise this year. The pickled eggs I did last year were just too disgusting for words so I'll not be repeating those.

I really wish I could fill the house with the smell of winter pickles and chutneys, mincemeats and other goodies but the truth is they would never get eaten and there is not really anyone to appreciate them as gifts. I still dream of a dresser stuffed to the gills with homemade goodies though...lol.

It has been very warm here today.
There is no heating on and at 9pm the heating thermometer is reading 21.5 C. How crazy is that when yesterday we were shivering and I went to bed with a hot water bottle.
No sign of any high winds or torrential rain just a stiff breeze and a quick drizzle earlier on.

An early night tonight as I have a book nearly finished.....if I have a marathon reading sesh...lol.... and a new one waiting in the wings.

Hope you've all had a fab weekend.
Sheila-x-