SOCKS & A WEDDING BREAKFAST

What a busy weekend we have had again, so much so that I have been told that next weekend we are definitely going walking..... up the Wrekin apparently as Mr Pic n Blos (to be) has had enough of 9-5 and organising Weddings!! HMMM the latter being a wee bit debatable. But he did do well helping to finalise the Wedding Breakfast choices and details of the Reception today!!

We were doing our best to weave through the crowds of shoppers on Saturday whilst buying things for the wedding, we were tired and moody due to the lack of customer service in some stores!! and hunger (I will not go on). Anyway it's amazing how 30 min's in Waterstones can get you back on the straight and narrow. I chanced upon this book and just had to get it. Its full of quirky sock monster ideas and a few bizarre sketches which freak me out a little but hey....

I never really knew about Sock Monsters until I visited the Flair Fair last Christmas and purchased one. Pic of George to follow soon (when I'm less tired). So I was amazed at the weird and wonderful selection of said creatures I found on the net when I looked yesterday.

I had a eureka moments and now I'm planning a project for School making SOCK CREATURES as it will link nicely to the Sustainability module we do.

Watch this space for Sock Monster creations......coming soon!

2for1 and STRIVING FOR PERFECTION????

Why oh why? Do I constantly seek a level of perfection! I always push myself way too much, for what I do not know.....as nobody is ever there with a stopwatch and clipboard telling me to get a move on and work....be creative.....be a good daughter, girlfriend, sister, godmother, auntie, friend!! But still I whiz around like a loony and try as I might fit 101 things into my day. AHHHHHHHHHH I love it!!

Anyway, I was hoping to post earlier this week but as I was busy with the above it never quite happened. SOOO... I am going to do a 2 4 1 offer and blog as if it were, Wednesday and then continue as if it were Sunday. (Its working in my head!)

Wednesday Eve 7.30 ish...... somewhere in the Midlands

After a long day teaching and then staying behind school to assist a troop of Year 11 pupils with their coursework I had a jolly to IKEA Wednesbury. Well more of a mission. I restocked my supply of jars for tidying away those ribbons that I keep purchasing OOOPS (NOTE: If Your'e the FUTURE Mr Pic and Blos overt your eyes from this post!)

I came home and couldn't get in the porch.....Clever Mr Posty had hidden this parcel!! HURRAH The Wedding shoes!

Also on the mat was this little treasure my order from Michala of KAYLACOO. Even the envelope was beautifully adorned with this sketch.

I carefully unwrapped my gorgeous little broach all lovingly sent with ribbon and snippets of lace!! How very thoughtful!!

The FAB GORGEOUS Lil broach. Sorry pic does not do it justice!

AHH The Wedding shoe well an extreme close up! I tried them on carefully as instructed but unfortunately the right one played a creak/squeak tune as I walked. Now I know that I am very particular but if you are spending lots of the hard earned dollars on Wedding shoes you do not want a tune as you gaily trot down the aisle!! So they are going back and I have reordered some different ones. Keep you posted!

So by the end of my squeaky shoe trauma and sorting out tea and general day to day stuff blogging was not high on the list of things to do! Hence the post today.

SCOOBY DOO WIGGLY LINE (back to the present time)

Sunday (A day of rest.....HMMMM not sure about that!)

In fact if you are my boss and close mate Beth.....yep I had such a restful weekend !! Didn't do anything!! (I was told to calm down and chill out this weekend!!)

So after seeing this delight in a glossy mag I thought right........ Lets do a Nigella and get cracking...eggs...cracking see what I did there! Anyway enough... I decided to create a Victoria Sandwich. Surely the reason jam was invented I say!

I'm sort of impressed...well sort of. I guess the proof is in the eating just wasn't quite the picture I wanted its a bit wonky and slightly over cooked.

Whilst I was getting creative in the kitchen I noticed my Madeline tin my nan got me for Christmas! (Thanks nan X). So I thought Id give them a whirl.

I would like to say the ones below are mine!!

But sods law mine got a wee bit stuck!!

So if there is anyone with a penchant for these French little delights and your able to get them out the tin without smashing their delicate little sides just let me know how you do it PLEASE!!

They do taste nice though, I will have to retire now as I have eaten 5 and feel quite tired!! That and the fact I still need to dash to HOBBY CRAFT to obtain the shopping list my GCSE candidates have given me!

Oh and if anyone has a minute maybe you can check out my Art teachers FLICKR site. She was so ace when I was at School it was my all time favourite subject.

JUDE

Bless! Have a good week everyone ! X

That friday Feeling!!! (2 weeks in pictures)

Hello again faithful viewers (Blog Voyeaurs),

I just wanted to show you what I have been up to over the last two weeks, as ever I have wanted to get this all down previously but time slips through my fingers like melted chocolate.

So here is s little snippet into the busy/crazy life of one individual.

1. Snow.

You may remember the chaos that ensued a couple of weeks ago. You may have chosen to forget this life stopping stuff. But for one moment on my singular snow day (mean school was open), I sat and watched the snow fall and caught a shot of it delicately landing on dried seed pods from the previous summer.

The magical pods......

2. My first .....Embroidery! I found this amongst some bric a brac (Tat) that I was tidying up. Ahh bless not sure how old I was probably 8-9??

3. My birthday!! Hurrah 29. (AKA Not 30 yet) 10th Feb
I was so happy to see I shared a Birthday with the very talented Miss Monda of MONDA LOVES.

Had some lurvely pressies.... even a bit of Cath Kidston !!!


4. Although wedding plans have taken over all creative thoughts and ideas, I have tried to keep making. Knitting has been a way of chilling out and also helping me remember things. As the needles click away my mind wanders and a new list of things to do also grows alongside my knitting.

5. The valentine...... Beautiful TULIPS! X

6. Half term day out.

What a beautiful day Monday, we were lucky enough to venture out to a little place called Bath. Just gorgeous!! We took a credit crunch picnic and enjoyed wandering round this amazing city.

My new LOVE.... love bar from Pret a Manger. the most delicious smackeral ever! In fact so good I have had three this week. One last Saturday whilst shopping in Birmingham for wedding rings (Job done), one in Bath (pictured before it disappeared) and one this Wednesday when I popped to Biscester (again, Beth and I think it should become our half termly pilgrimage).

(sean's half eaten choc croissant)

Oh GLORY BE !"!"! I happened to chance upon a delightful Cath Kidston store DIVINE.

BUT >>>>> On waiting patiently to enter said establishment, whilst some little shopppers trailed out, this cheeky woman barged in front of me. HOW RUDE i hear you say! I coughed murmered something..........She turned and said Oh I am sorry but this dress>>>>>!! Well I can understand wanting to get in there sharpish BUT!! barging a fellow Cath Kidston worshipper is not on. If I told you that the lady in question (Barger extroidinaire) was the one and only Julia Sawalha of Press Gang fame and some Sunday night period drama malarkey you may giggle or think bloomin celebs. I just laughed we could'nt quite believe it. She did buy that dress too!!

Amazing found a wee shop devoted to tea!!

Sneaky shot through the window..... Lovely caddies.

Walked round to what is known as The Circus.....not a clown in sight thank the lord (not too keen you see).

Oh and then yesterday I threw this together (nicely of course) one of the bridesmaid dresses for the upcoming event! The one you will get sick of hearing about!!

Still need to sort the hem....hate those things!! But hey ho. Just off shortly to deliver a Birthday gift to my god daughter, get food shopping finish the dress errrrr..... and the list goes on. As my mum says 'I should be as thin as Twiggy!!'

Enjoy see you soon for another epic tale. X

White Rabbits??

Nope.... I am not going all Alice in Wonderland. But as today is the 1st February I thought I really ought to make the effort and say hello, hence 'White Rabbits' or is it only March you say that?? In fact does anyone even know what I am wittering on about? Even if nobody actually reads this I will feel proactive once again and out of my erm.... hibernation mode. So what have I been doing?? I have just dowloaded 224 photos which have been on my camera since Christmas. SAD I know but time has run through my fingers like grains of sand!! I have attempted numerous times to catch up with my blog. I have checked out a few of my all time favourite blogs but after that I felt so tired and drained of all energy that I would log off.
I will at least try and keep up to date. Even if it is to show my appreciation of others work.
It's amazing what you do cram into your life, just quickly flicking through the photos I had taken it was bizarre to see moments of my life captured and replayed like a silent movie.

So I wish you all A HAPPY FEBRUARY>>> I love this month. It feels closer to spring yet it still has a wintry edge but the days are getting longer (slowly) its also mine and Sean's birthday (in fact it is his today HAPPY BIRTHDAY SEAN !) he is currently engaged with his computer game bless.
Well just a quick catch up, to see what I have been doing. No textiles creations of late just wedding preparations but I thought it would be nice for you to see our plans.


Wightwick Manor Wolverhampton (National Trust Property
This is where we are getting married 3rd August this year.

I have been reading lots of Wedding glossies, lucky me my friend Beth is even into reading these and has passed on many a copy of Wedding Flowers.

My clever and creative friend Laura, has designed the surface pattern etc for our invites, I have then cut and pasted them into these fold out pocket cards.

She is so clever!

I have wiled away many a wintry evening cutting and pasting to create a visual diary of inspiration.

Gorgeous Bouquet....Love the country/vintage charm about these florals.

I have been busy ordering bits and bobs from eBay. These wee labels are to hang on the teacups to mark places at the Wedding Breakfast tables.

I am yet to make Laura and Emma their bridesmaid dresses. The fabric is aubergine/plum sateen the dress is the halter neck tea dress. Very cute, it will be completed with a moss green sash.

Supporting the handmade crafts person. The cutest shabby chic sign!!

So there we have it a brief whistle stop tour of things to come. So although I have been beating myself up over my lack or creativity of late. I have enjoyed posting this as I can see I have been creative but in a different way. I always feel bad not being able to find the time to do my own work. Teaching in a Secondary school although rewarding has its flaws. It absorbs so much energy and time up. Oh and on a less cheery note I discovered that the life expectancy of a retired teacher is somewhat reduced. OH JOY!! Anyhow you have to live for today and I am really excited about the wedding and mine and Sean's future together. Who knows whats round the corner.

The posts Grand Finale.

My Christmas Present from HENSTEETHART. I cannot start my blogging year without mentioning Viv. What she has accomplished of late is amazing, well done on your magazine article and new job role. Your work as ever is truly inspirational and I am privileged to have acquired an original piece of your artwork/notebook. If you have not seen her work yet take a look on the link. You will be hooked!!

I think this little lady is standing holding her head amidst the flowers trying to look composed, in the background their is a ledger/notes about finances. I think she is obviously taking on board the Credit Crunch as of late. Te he !

Enjoy your week X

Thursday is the new Tuesday.

Have you had a hair disaster?.

Oh so many where do you start? In fact my hair disasters started at a young age. Namely when my mom (a trained hairdresser) left her hair dressing scissors on the side whilst making a drink. Little Miss 'Just like mom' was playing with her plastic hair curlers putting them in her blonde little locks. DISASTER though when my mom returned to find me sitting with scissors in one hand and a roller with blonde hair still attached in the other. OOOOPS oh did I mention that my school photo was the next day???

Other major disasters include dying blonde hair BRIGHT RED and being left with slightly pink hair for ages. (During my teens)

The worst is probably when I was on a tight budget at Uni and thought I would get my mom to apply highlights using a plastic cap. OUCH The worst part was that I had bought the wrong dye it was too runny and bled through the holes that were left. It didn't look too bad till I dryed my hair and found I had a sort of Leapord effect going accross my hair. AGHHHHH

I do try not to mess with it too much now. I just have a habit of choosing the wrong styles at times.

SECRET SANTA UPDATE

I hope everyone was contacted by their swapee. Sorry I haven't been around much of late, I thought Id apply for a job as Santa's elf.......HAHAHA not sure a 6ft elf would be ideal. Really I have just been a bit under the weather having picked up another cold. But tis the season and all.

So I hope your all well fellow bloggers and your enjoying the preparations for the coming season.

Have fun X