Sugarplum Kawaii

1970's Mustard colour fabric...

2012-01-27T13:22:00.013Z

No time for a 'Folksy Friday' unfortunately. Instead...I'm showing off my vintage Mustard fabric. These and other delightful finds are on my eBay page. Please click the link and take a look...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/melliemel122/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=25&_trksid=p3686

Note to self...Re.Irish dancing class 24/01/12

2012-01-25T12:26:00.021Z

Busy class...good fun though. Learnt 4 hand reel...rather fast and need to practice 'Square'. Legs not so stiff today!

Listed on ebay... My lovely vintage find...

2012-01-21T16:45:00.007Z

A delightful find... embroidered stitched tablecloth...my guess it's 1950's. Do come see!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150741354653?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Happy 14th Birthday Jessica Kathleen Moody!

2012-01-20T14:08:00.013Z

Love from yer Mum innit!

Candy star necklace!

2012-01-19T10:24:00.004Z

Listed today on Folksy...Please come and see....

http://www.folksy.com/items/2879422-Candy-star-necklace

Note to self...Re.Irish dancing class 17/01/12

2012-01-18T21:45:00.013Z

Siege of Ennis/Jig

Siege of Carrick/Jig

Legs a bit sore today. Great class...excellent teaching from Roisin. Lots of new faces (-;

I've been making tasty doughnuts!

2012-01-17T14:53:00.018Z

Yummy but unfortunately not edible!

http://www.folksy.com/items/2872598-Handcrafted-yummy-doughnut-necklace-

Folksy Friday!...and a nod to Bowie...

2012-01-13T08:28:00.035Z

Bowie celebrated his 65th Birthday earlier this week, and out of all of the personas he's created, 'Thin White Duke' is my favourite...along with the dreamy,slick laid-back dance track 'Golden Years'. My Folksy picks today then are tenuously related to Bowie tracks! Just click the links to take you to the hard working independent traders. Oh!...and a little tit-bit fact. Did you know the mighty Luther Vandross began his professional singing career as Bowie's backing singer...on Young Americans to be precise!

http://www.folksy.com/items/2493481-Recycled-Aladdin-sketchbook

http://www.folksy.com/items/2194669-Dreams-Of-Genie-Fused-Glass-Pendant-with-a-Silver-Chain

http://www.folksy.com/items/2530229-Ashes-to-Ashes-Owl-print

http://www.folksy.com/items/2272145-HB-Button-China-Girl-burgundy

http://www.folksy.com/items/2593861-Gnome-Pinafore-Dress

Starting Irish dancing lessons...In my 40's!

2012-01-12T09:25:00.017Z

My calves are killing me!Defiantly need to stretch more. Had a practice with a few steps etc. on Tuesday (much to Marnie's horror) which gave me a taster of what's ahead. We are going to start off next week with 'Siege of Ennis' but my personal goal is to dance the Hornpipe in hard-shoes...by the end of the year I'm hoping, but Gawd knows what my rendition will look like! I shall keep an honest note on how I get on through the weeks. LOL!

Folksy Friday...Roosters!

2012-01-05T19:11:00.074Z

I have a lively collection of ole' Roosters for you from the wonderful 'Folksy' store! However, I saw Mark Rylance's performance as Johnny "Rooster" Byron in Jez Butterworth's play 'Jerusalem' and he's truly outstanding and as lively as you can get. Rough, defiant, funny, bad, proud...with a salty West country accent. He grapples with national identity and pride and puffs out his chest. A superb eccentric character...living on the edge. More tea Vicar?

If you like the Folksy choices...go click on the links to read up a little more. Show some love for those independent traders!

http://www.folksy.com/items/2571301-Gold-Pheasant-and-rooster-Feather-Hair-clip

http://www.folksy.com/items/2268929-Parrot-and-Grizzly-Rooster-feather-earrings

http://www.folksy.com/items/2020569-Good-morning-girls

http://www.folksy.com/items/2568069-fused-glass-Rooster-Great-Christmas-gift-idea

http://www.folksy.com/items/2490137-Feeding-the-Rooster-Screenprint

Let's end the year with something to smile about (-;

2011-12-29T20:26:00.035Z

Well done Asda worker Greg Lewis of Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, for being bonkers enough to officially change your hum-drum name in January this year to the wonderful...

Doctor Pasty-Smasher Omelette!

He explained to the press exactly how the name change bet came about.
'Nigel and I are the jokers at work and I could not believe it when he actually threw a pasty at me across the canteen. Everyone found it hilarious and started comparing me to Omelette out of Lee Nelson’s Well Good Show.
'Some of the lads at work had remembered seeing the Big Brother episode where some of the housemates had changed their names by deed poll and suggested that I do the same.
'I have to be honest, I thought because I was changing it on some website it wouldn’t be real, but then I got a letter confirming it.'

Our Dr. Omelette has even updated his work name badge to include the new title. Titter ye not!

Happy Omelette picture borrowed from http://josiahng.wordpress.com >

A Christmas message from our friends 'Health and Safety'!

2011-12-21T10:43:00.018Z

I picked this up from the wonderful 'Folksy' forum. Take note!

All employees planning to dash through the snow in a one horse open sleigh, going over the fields and laughing all the way are advised that a Risk Assessment will be required addressing the safety of an open sleigh for members of the public. This assessment must also consider whether it is appropriate to use only one horse for such a venture, particularly where there are multiple passengers. Please note that permission must also be obtained in writing from landowners before their fields may be entered. To avoid offending those not participating in celebrations, we would request that laughter is moderate only and not loud enough to be considered a noise nuisance.

Benches, stools and orthopaedic chairs are now available for collection by any shepherds planning or required to watch their flocks at night. While provision has also been made for remote monitoring of flocks by CCTV cameras from a centrally heated shepherd observation hut, all users of this facility are reminded that an emergency response plan must be submitted to account for known risks to the flocks.

The angel of the Lord is additionally reminded that, prior to shining his/her glory all around, s/he must confirm that all shepherds are wearing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment to account for the harmful effects of UVA, UVB and the overwhelming effects of Glory.Following last years well-publicised case, everyone is advised that Equal Opportunities legislation prohibits any comment with regard to the redness of any part of Mr R Reindeer. Further to this, exclusion of Mr R Reindeer from reindeer games will be considered discriminatory and disciplinary action will be taken against those found guilty of this offence.

While it is acknowledged that gift bearing is a common practice in various parts of the world, particularly the Orient, everyone is reminded that the bearing of gifts is subject to Hospitality Guidelines and all gifts must be registered. This applies regardless of the individual, even royal personages. It is particularly noted that direct gifts of currency or gold are specifically precluded, while caution is advised regarding other common gifts such as aromatic resins that may evoke allergic reactions. Finally, in the recent instance of the infant found tucked up in a manger without any crib for a bed, Social Services have been advised and will be arriving shortly.

Merry Christmas.

Auntie's Christmas dinner email! 2011

2011-12-19T20:21:00.012Z

Thought I would share one of my darling Auntie's yearly 'Christmas dinner' emails... This year catering for 15 with 3 joining us later for tea. Previous years have seen numbers up rise to 22/25, but this year 4 are in Dublin and 4 are entertaining their relatives coming from Spain, and 2 others we are not sure what they are up to. Also, not sure if our ancient hostess trolley is still up to scratch.... going since 1985 and it's now on it's last legs. I must post pictures of Christmas past...1970's with all of us wearing lurid coloured paper-hats!

2011 Christmas Menu
Lunch Main
Mel & Paul: Turkey (& turkey meat juices to add to gravy)
Prunes in bacon
Brussels sprouts
(hostess trolley)

Lara & Jeremy: Gluten free sausages
Roast Parsnips, Roast potatoes, Mashed potatoes,
Peas, Green beans, Sweet Corn

Michael & Heather: Mashed Swede
Fruit salad (for lunch and evening)
Crackers (to pull)

Lynda & Nigel Bread sauce Cranberry Sauce Gravy

Judy and Brian Chipolata Sausages, Mini Sausages Chestnut stuffing,
Yorkshire puddings (if large freezer in working order)

Lunch Pudding
Lara & Jeremy Cream, Custard, Brandy butter

Judy & Brian Christmas puddings (traditional plus chocolate and gluten free option)
Jelly, Ice Cream, Cornets
Drinks

Lara and Jeremy Wine, Soft drinks, Fizzy Water

Lynda and Nigel Beer
Judy and Brian Tea, Coffee, Milk, Elderflower cordial, Cranberry Juice, Iced water

Afternoon Tea/Supper and Snacks
Mel & Paul Roast ham,

Lara & Jeremy Small amount Smoked salmon/lemons & very very few bagels
gluten free loaf Crisps (incl gluten free option)
Olives; Dips; Crudites
Cheese; Crackers Green salad

Lynda & Nigel Potato Salad

Lara & Jeremy Satsumas, Option Christmas cake

Michael & Heather (left over) Fruit Salad

Judy and Brian Traditional Christmas cake (inc gluten free option)
Mince pies (inc gluten free option)

Lynda & Nigel Trifle

NB It would be much appreciated if contributions were brought in ready to serve/heat containers with serving cutlery but, where appropriate, already as hot as possible.
Please could we all, including myself and Brian – but Lynda are you paying attention? -
at long last realise we always over cater quantities. This year especially as you will see from above we are fewer in number. 15 at lunchtime with Lucy, Marc and Pearl joining us later.
It would be even more appreciated if – while done as an act of kindness and with good
Intent – nobody attempted to wash up. Lara and Jeremy kindly supply all tableware for lunch and our arrangement is that it goes from table to crate and returned to Lisburne
Road’s washing up machine. Otherwise, without wishing to be churlish and ungrateful, it just
gets muddled with that belonging here.

Another run-away bride...and a catch up on the last 8/9 weeks!

2011-12-08T12:47:00.033Z

Oh dear. No blogging posts for 8 weeks. Lots going on, ( not on the monumental scale that is the Euro-crisis...we're all doomed 'Captain Mannering'!) just very busy with jewellery/family life etc. Here's the round-up then...List please!

Sat.22nd October-Sat.29th October
Half term, and family went to Norfolk with nanny Kath and Dave. Amazed how beautiful it was, stunning beaches...we saw huge lolloping seals at Brancaster Staithe, and ate superb wood-oven Pizzas at The Jolly Sailor pub also based at Brancaster. the weather was stunning, even the kids were well behaved and managed a walk or Two.

Sat.29th October
Husband's Birthday. Went to lovely Lynne and David for combo. party for him and Halloween. Wore a giant spider hat type adornment.

Fri.11th-Sunday 13th November
Wonderful Brighton and weekend away with my sisters. Whilst at Moroccan restaurant and watching the cheeky belly-dancer, Lucy was talking about her planned but hectic to organise wedding next year, when Emma blurted out she was going to get married but in a secret location and refused to give us the date! We had to swear we wouldn't mention it to anyone including Mum. Thought it was a bit harsh, but then she pointed out Mum and Nigel's secret wedding in Barnet last year. We then downed a few 'Spanked Pink' cocktails in a hotel bar, and somehow bought a kitch glass bear with a crown for the 'tacky corner' raffle. Should'ave gone onto a cabaret night, but ended up-stairs with a bottle of Tattinger and watching X-Factor. we sort of crashed!( If you fancy reading about my Mum and Nigel's wedding, please scroll down and click the link.)

Sat.26th November
At Queens legendary quiz night when I get photo above sent via phone with message 'Haven't told Mum yet. Will speak to her tomorrow, so please don't mention or put on Facebook.' As Jess would say...LOL!!

Sun.11th December
Went to Christine Moham's surprise 50th lunch party with Joseph at Police Met. club. Excellent fun. A few years and it will be mine!

http://sugarplumkawaii.blogspot.com/2010/08/secret-wedding.html

My outfit for the 1970's disco!

2011-10-16T13:01:00.011+01:00

Singing, dancing, or having a row in a shop with whoever is in charge, leaves any of my 3 in an embarrassed mortified state. Add to this then... dressing up for a 1970's PTA disco at THEIR school ( Queen's innit) and their list must be complete! You know me...don't do things by halves...so my outfit consisted of...

1 Vintage fake fur bomber jacket with wide collar
2 Vintage Static inducing nylon Orange and Brown bell sleeved dress with wide collar
3 Antonia's mum's original stacked Brown leather shoes with brass studs
4 Vintage Gold-tone large double-hoop earrings
5 Flicked hair-style!

Nearly everyone dressed up and made an effort. The hall looked fantastic...lots of posters of 1970's bands/ record sleeves/ glitter balls and lights...dry ice! Great atmosphere...all signing and dancing. Raised a decent amount for the school too. Even the head was doing the 'Oops upside your head' rowing number. As one might say... LOL!!

Vintage 1970's fabric!

2011-10-14T16:24:00.008+01:00

Hello! Here's one of my vintage finds that I'm selling on ebay. Liking? Please click on the link ...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150676431026?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Sirius Prospect!

2011-10-10T22:19:00.020+01:00

Hello lovely readers! it's been a good few weeks since I've blogged eh? It's just been manic. Very busy with jewellery, and my new love that is ebay and my other guilty pleasure which is very occasionally visiting my mate 'William Hill'! Not placed a bet on for a long time, but did so on Sunday as my niece's beautiful horse 'Sirius Prospect' ran in York... and smashed through from last to first to win the valuable Coral Sprint Trophy. Magnificent! I'm hoping to get back to blog-land on a regular basis ASAP and also to catch-up on all your lovely blogs too. (-;

My 1st ebay item is for sale...A genuine vintage 1950's skirt!

2011-09-22T12:37:00.019+01:00

A genuine vintage, rockin' 1950's crazy printed skirt...bought in Camden market back in 1980!
I'm too old/plump/shy now to wear it...so it's up for sale. Please come and visit if you are interested...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-vintage-1950s-crazy-printed-skirt-/150666287100?pt=UK_Women_s_Vintage_Clothing&hash=item23146917fc

Folksy Friday picks...Keep on running!

2011-09-16T08:00:00.028+01:00

This motley crew are the original founding members of my beloved old running club (mid 1980's)...The Mornington Chasers! There's one of us girls somewhere but I'm not sure who has it. Back in the day, I was a fairly decent runner, but now I can just make it to an hour with the plod of the club's mascot...The Tortoise. It was a brilliant social road-running club, and is still based in Camden. We ran....and then we drank a few in the pubs. I went to a re-union in Regents Park this Summer, and most of the old faces were there. Most of us are now classed as veteran runners. Scary! Do take a look at my running related picks then...all available from the wonderful sellers at Folksy. Click on the links to take you to the store. Have a super weekend...and get those trainers on! It's never too late to start (-;

http://www.folksy.com/items/1641933-running-around-in-circles

http://www.folksy.com/items/2243249-hand-printed-and-stitched-running-urban-fox-cushion

http://www.folksy.com/items/1568689-RUN-WITH-THE-HARE-TEA-COSY

http://www.folksy.com/items/1899505-Running-Fox

http://www.folksy.com/items/1644417-shabby-chic-distressed-black-cat-race-plaque-halloween

Folksy Friday...Back to school and packed lunches!

2011-09-08T21:50:00.067+01:00

Sandwich spread on flaccid white sliced

Marmite as above

Monster Munch/ Pickled Onion flavour

Caramac chocolate bar or Mint Viscount biscuit

Granny Smith or Banana

Cresta drink...preferably cream soda flavour

This was my 1970's packed lunch for school...until my Mum turned Mother Earth and started baking wholemeal Pizza with Olives and replaced Cresta with 'real' Orange-juice...much to my dismay. Yesterday, one of my 3 requested 'that nice chewy ham and salty cheese'. Took me a while to work out he ment Parma and Parmesan! Needless to say he got wafer sliced ham and strong cheddar. How tastes have changed eh? Here are my Folksy picks then...Knitted sandwiches included! Please click on the links to take you to the talented independent traders and show some love and support!(-;

http://www.folksy.com/items/1962773-4-Cheese-Salad-Sandwiches

http://www.folksy.com/items/1785418-ONE-FRUITY-BANANA-MOUSTACHE-POCKET-MIRROR

http://www.folksy.com/items/2106861-Wooden-Biscuit-Ring

http://www.folksy.com/items/1936449-Sandwich-Brooch

http://www.folksy.com/items/1927729-Washable-Lunch-Bag-Butterflies

Last night's antics with Skehill academy dancers!

2011-08-28T11:15:00.053+01:00

Fooling around in the booth.

Last night I took Marnie to Latimer House in Buckinghamshire to dance with her colleagues and friends of her dance school - Skehill academy. They were on fire!( Or should I say they had 'feet of flames'?)...a mixture of traditional jigs and reels with their own up-lifting version of 'Whisky in the jar'...not belted out by The Pogues but magnificent never the less. The atmosphere was really buzzing...everyone cheering, clapping and stomping. The bride was a darling...invited us to stay and have a drink and enjoy the festivities...including watching a brilliant performance by Elvis and fooling around in a photo-booth with an assortment of hats! It was like we gate-crashed the party. Rolled in in the early hours this morning with a big grin on my face! One of the best weddings I've been to!

Elvis and me!

A few of the dancers... Marnie in White on right hand side.

Folksy Friday...It's all Greek to me!

2011-08-26T10:26:00.051+01:00

A heroic Greek victory. Stuck on a restaurant door! This picture was borrowed from http://www.sanitaryum.com
Following on from the Greek holiday, my Folksy picks are thus inspired. All these wonderful items are hand-crafted and for sale from the super-highway store. Go click on the links, browse at your leisure and show some love to those independent traders!

http://www.folksy.com/items/1467417-SALE-Silver-ceramic-pendant

http://www.folksy.com/items/1888705-Greek-art-vase-Grecian-style-handmade-pottery-in-black-for-your-home

http://www.folksy.com/items/1714925-Ambrosia-Soap-Goats-Milk-Honey-Oats

http://www.folksy.com/items/2047545-Greek-vase-pendant

http://www.folksy.com/items/1977333-Open-Yet-Closed

I'm back from the Minoan cradle of civilisation!

2011-08-24T08:16:00.167+01:00

Hello lovely readers! I'm back from Crete...the wonderful Minoan cradle of civilisation. Spent a cracking 2 weeks with my lot and my cousin Lara's family at the El Greco/Grecotel displayed in the photo. I thought it was superb, but you can read the genuine mixed reviews at Trip Adviser...I still need to add mine. Oh! I feel a small list coming on. The noticeable incidents, tit-bits of information and all the carry-ons. Here gos...

1 They have big Sea-Turtles in Crete. Caretta-Caretta sea turtles to be exact.They like to lumber up and make a nest on the beach. We all gawped at an excavation of hatched eggs and babies,and Joseph was close to tears he was so moved. A child who adores all wild-life and pets. Unlike his parents poor kid. He gets terrible pet envy, and has to walk the neighbour's sausage dog once in a while.

2 I read books! My mini reviews thus...

Karen Maitland - Company of Liars
The plague is sweeping its way through England in 14th century Britain, and a band of travelling misfits are doing their best to avoid it. Dark, gothic, and in the vein of Canterbury Tales. A thoroughly enjoyable and squeamish read.

Philip K Dick - Time out of joint
An interesting and rather amusing yarn about paranoia, schizophrenia and hallucination surrounding a man who is a successful competition winner. Written in the late 1950's.

Iain Banks - Transition
Blummin' complicated but once I cracked on with it, an intriguing read. Weird,scary and mean characters all thrown around the universe with their time travel personal'to-do' lists!

3 Altercation 1...Well...wouldn't be a holiday without a couple awould it?
Lets start with sunbed rage. That 'ole holiday chestnut. Our European friends of a particular nation, scuttling down to the pool area before breakfast and slapping a few damp towels on the beds. Wouldn't be so bad if they at least bothered to use them soon after, but some folk didn't show 'till after the afternoons excursion to Malia or wherever...properly aided by the foxy rep. You can imagine my reaction can't you? Yes... I did utter profanities out loud and risked getting a good kicking. Paul left all the commotion to me. I'm good at this sort of thing. I got it sorted in the end by complaining to the hotel customer services department.

4 Altercation 2.( Not involving myself for a change)
An impressive crepe making machine was wheeled out around 3.30 every afternoon. I wasn't keen myself, but my kids went for them in a big way. Even at this amiable scoffing centre, it became a hot-bed of disrepute. Apparently, the lady chef wasn't chopping bananas quick enough or spreading the Nutella correctly according to a lofty customer, who insisted she quickened her pace. All hell broke loose. Nuts and Chocolate chips flying by the handful...resulting in chef storming off and a gooey mess abandoned. The grumpy woman was booed! Excellent!

5 I managed to embarrass my cool young 'uns with some like totally uncool dancing...on stage. With my cousin. Without the Dads. Rizzle Kicks innit?! get down with those Trumpets!

Folksy Friday...Thrifty gifts...£4 and under...

2011-08-05T09:04:00.044+01:00

Tighten your belts even further...Our economy is going into meltdown...again! On that happy thought... you might like to see a few cheerful £4 and under delightful gift ideas... available from those super independent traders on Folksy. Click on the links to take you there, and throw a little ray of sunshine on those sellers!

http://www.folksy.com/items/1972229-BLUE-CUPCAKE-WEDDING-GREETINGS-CARD-with-2-pinback-button-badges

http://www.folksy.com/items/2098421-Zebra-elephant-zoo-fabric-girls-hair-accessory-ponytail-holder

http://www.folksy.com/items/2077677-Vintage-Fabric-covered-hair-slides

http://www.folksy.com/items/2091529-Rain-drop-Kawaii-style-felt-fridge-magnet

http://www.folksy.com/items/1373469-Purse-70-s-Vintage-Fabric

Joseph's birthday list...

2011-08-02T13:18:00.028+01:00

My Son turns 9 next week, so I asked him to jot down a few ideas for gifts. After a few 'Ums' and 'Ahs' he produced this scrumpled list. Thought it was rather endearing that he listed a Bacon pitta and cake as a treat. As for a swimming pool...there's one down the road...and I'm afraid he can dream on for an X-box. Cash? He might receive a little something from the 'Nannies', but as Nanny Kath has 19 Grandchildren I think it's cheeky to assume. We bought him a guitar, and he will go to see Transformers with a friend (leave that one to Dad I think) and we are lucky enough to get a sunny holiday abroad this year so he's hardly going to be deprived. I also have Marnie's 12th birthday later this month. She's requested a cake too. A Croquembouche...I ask you! That will take me a day to make!

'Grit's' 10 top tips to survive the school holidays!

2011-08-01T07:52:00.015+01:00

This passage is taken from the very talented 'Grit's day' blog. Please click on the link after you have digested her musings!

It's July, and I see the kids are off school.

The word from Grit is, ignore the crappy kid-on-holiday advice you read in Femail.

Most of it is written by some London journalist who looked after her own kid for two hours and thinks Judgement Day has come. She will suggest weedy stuff like Get out a bead box! It is great for sorting activities! Pathetic.

If she wrote the truth, she would say When the childminder got chickenpox, which made me miss the first night gallery opening, I threw the fucking bead box at the wall. Anyway I made Tinkertop pick up all the beads. And I realised it is great for sorting activities!

You see? She thinks ten minutes with her own child is a form of torture. But she will create motherhood-martyrdom out of it, scribble down her pathetic idea, earn herself a monthly wage, then shove the kid in childcare and go buy shoes.

Listen to an expert. I have my kids 24/7.

When it comes to child exposure, I know what torture is. Home education means holiday solutions must be much more radical than getting out the bloody bead box.

Follow Grit's ten top tips for surviving the school break. If you make it to September with a smile on your face, you might even considering chucking school altogether.

Ready? This is what to do with your children.

1. Give them away.
We do this more than once a year. There are some excellent organisations* who will take them, submerge them in rivers, throw them down mountainsides, and suspend them on wires over the nettle bed.

The advantage is your offspring are out the house for an entire week. Now you can have sex on the stairs again like you used to.

The disadvantage will be that Tinkertop comes home moaning and groaning with a face like a slapped arse because your miserable parenting does not involve activities like zip wire and raft building.

You can threaten to hold her over the nettle bed, or go immediately to top tip 2.

2. Ignore them.
In the trade, we call this fostering independence. It means slapping down a cereal packet, a pot of yogurt and a jigsaw puzzle with a missing piece all on the kitchen table at 7am, then retiring to a safe distance, possibly behind a locked door. Tinkertop will very quickly starve, or sort herself out. Soon she will be utterly bored and wander off somewhere to make her own amusement.

Caution: do not adopt this technique and then complain the cereal packet is floating in the bath stuffed with tampons, the yogurt pot stuck on the dog's head, and fifteen jigsaw pieces stuffed in the DVD player. You must accept this as the price for independence.

If you do not want to pay the price for independence, go to top tip 3.

3. Throw them out of doors and ignore them.
Then tell yourself that little kids should play with hoses, soil, gravel, twigs, sticks, stones, plants, and the cat, if they can catch it.

When kids are older they should play with the washing machine you have dumped in the garden for the council to collect.

Older still? Play with someone's old sofa found down the back lane.

Let them play freely with kids of the neighbour's, even though you don't approve of the neighbour. Remember, kids teach each other. Best done not in your company but in a pack-like formation led by someone else's older brother. Of course you may just want to slyly check the pack leader is not mad, one-eyed, or carries a lighter and a knife.

But what can possibly go wrong with this one? If you are bringing kids up to be safety conscious and street wise, they will stay clear of Mr Spooky and should not set themselves on fire. They may set up a primitive society but in ten year's time my bet is, it will look like yours.

If, however, you are one of those risk averse parents who worry about wobbly pavements and dog shit, try number 4.

4. Stay at home and argue.
This is good. We do slamming doors, flouncing out of rooms, pointing fingers, throwing puffins, shouting, more shouting and saying things like That is it! I have had enough! This is your final final warning! You will be grounded if you say that once more! Just try saying that again missy!

But relax. Remember you have to do a lot of really bad stuff before you reach the point where you kill them, psychologically damage them or throw them out of a top floor window. And one poxy argument about how plaster of paris got down the sink does not bring on the end of the world.

As we say around here, the argument takes a second, the making up takes the rest of the day. And quite frankly we don't have the rest of the day, so can we avoid the argument in the first place.

However, if you find yourself arguing, be that home educating parent you really aspire to be and try top tip number 5.

5. Visit somewhere educational. Make sure it has a coffee shop.
If you creep along here 11am Monday term time, you may find a cosy group of home educators chatting about how they can source lessons in Latin and where do you find Ancient Greek tutors these days? This is just a cover, entirely for your benefit. When you are out of earshot they will go back to discussing what is the best way to access child porn when you don't have broadband.

Anyway, visiting educational sites like museums and art galleries is fantastic. You can set the kids a mission like go and find twenty things that are shades of green, and meet back here at 4pm. Then you can relax and scoff chocolate cake.

But if your child hangs on to your ankles and starts bawling when you try and abandon them in the British Museum, then you might like to try warden baiting.

Many museums and galleries employ wardens to stop you doing things you really want to do, like pick up that silver teapot and run off with it. But baiting them is excellent fun, child friendly, and gives everyone something to talk about at home.

You must first pick your warden. They will wear a blue nylon uniform, a hat slightly too large for them and a plastic badge which makes them feel important like Supervisory assistant visitor attendant. They may have a sticky label which reads here to help or something like that. We all know that is not true. They are there to keep an eye on you and look down their noses at your child like she is bodily fluid.

Next, judge your context. If you are in an art gallery, find a priceless oil and squat Tinkertop directly in front of it with a pile of paper, crayons and a pair of scissors. If you are in a museum, produce from your bag an assortment of old packaging and encourage Tinkertop to model the thing she's looking at, e.g. Stevenson's rocket, with two old baked bean cans and six empty tampon boxes.

In all cases, the nylon warden will be horrified. He will hover. Talk edubabble for his benefit. He will not know what to do. You might be a teacher. He is scared of those. But you are not breaking any rules. You are not following any either. If you edubabble in a foreign language his confused face will be a wonder to behold. Tinkertop might like to try and draw it.

But of course you are busy during the day and cannot possibly take Tinkertop to the museum. Try top tip 6.

6. Make the food your child chooses and eat it.
This is very educational, and you could find yourself winning the school gate uber parent competition if, when you arrive back there in September, you can poke Tinkertop into showing off her knowledge about the 27 varieties of wholesome apples she has eaten in various forms.

If your child makes all the wrong choices, you won't win any awards, but go with it. You may have to make and eat pies, pastry elephants, cake, more cake, several varieties of cake, biscuits, sweets, and lollipops.

The downside of top tip number 6 is that both you and Tinkertop will weigh two stone heavier.

If you can't stomach the thought of this one, try top tip 7 and you can still be uber parent.

7. Involve your child in household tasks.
Number 7 has never worked in this household, possibly because I don't do these household tasks, but I include it here because all children are different. Some, like you, may be born to be house proud.

Of course you can encourage your child to straighten cushions and vacuum the carpets for a few hours, but inevitably she will conclude this is not the exciting work she wants to do daily until she dies.

Eventually she will want to do something more exciting and make a big untidy mess. This is where you have to use your imagination.

Imagine we live in a world where we do not have appliances. Equip Tinkertop (outside) with a bucket, an old dress, a bar of carbolic and a stone. Tell her this is how your granny washed clothes at the riverside. So long as you don't want your dress back, this is a good one.

Alternatively, equip Tinkertop with a nailbrush strapped to a stick, feed her an anti-allergy tablet and ask her to sweep the entire house, collect all the fur mice from under the bed, and make a big dust ball to show daddy when he arrives home. If you have petite, charming, compliant, agreeable and biddable children they will love this one.

As I said, top tip 7 has never worked in our household. But number 8 works.

8. Switch on the TV.
Do not bother agonising. Just do it. Teach her how to plug it in without electrocuting herself, switch it on and use the remote controls. Two weeks of wall-to-wall Cbeebies won't kill her.

When she is totally bored or you have a developed a complex fantasy about stabbing and dismembering Tinky Winky, extend the repertoire to all other electronic equipment including dvd, cds, cd-roms.

Then you could try ripping The Cure onto your ipod, giving her that, and seeing if you can induce early onset teenage misery, where she locks herself in her room for the next month and you can forget about her.

Number 8 might make her dull though. You could try top tip 9.

9. Travel around on public transport.
This is a great one to do. We once travelled all the way to Bletchley by train, then transferred onto the train travelling in the opposite direction going home. We never even left the station! We did it just to say Today we travelled on a train!

I totally defend this. It is not mad, it is just a good way of being out there in society, watching the world slip by and dreaming this is not the delayed 12.44 to Watford smelling of vomit, this is the Trans-Siberian express stopping at Vladivostok.

Do it, and discover the world.

Or until the police arrive because, to the non-converted, travelling aimlessly everyday on public transport is distinctly suspicious behaviour.

If you don't want to have to justify anything at all to anyone, you could always choose top tip 10. My favourite.

10. Behave like a child.
Drop trying that control thing. Forget about authority. Let everything go. Break rules. Drop being a parent. Blow raspberries at the required reading the school wants you to do while the teachers are on holiday, in therapy, in rest homes, or in prison. There is a reason why they are there and that is the crap they do everyday. Of course they will get you to do it if they can.

But screw that. Relive your teenage rebellion. Stick up two fingers to the system.

Take your child and run around together in the park, roll on the grass, show your knickers, eat ice cream, sing badly, chase butterflies, pick your nose, scratch your bum, fart in public, lick your own noses, lose your shoes, wear a torn tee-shirt with raspberry jam down the front, scream and laugh and cry when you need to, eat chips, read the Beano, put icing sugar in the bath just to see how it feels, go somewhere together because you want to, and do something because it feels good, and makes everyone laugh and be happy, because really, what else are kids and school holidays for?

All of this applies unless you are a home educator. Then you will know that home educators never take holidays. No. We only ever have learning experiences of life.

Come and read more entertaining ramblings and adventures on...

http://gritsday.blogspot.com

Folksy Friday...A nod to Amy...

2011-07-29T15:53:00.056+01:00

My little collection of goodies today have a naughty vintage feel. Kitch, bright, fun, frivolous,and marvelous to behold. Rather like that nice Jewish girl from Southgate in her hey-day. I like to remember her like that.

http://www.folksy.com/items/1944005-Emerald-green-satin-and-Crystal-Strawberry-Hair-Bow

http://www.folksy.com/items/1875905-Amor-Tattoo-Necklace-6

http://www.folksy.com/items/1435609-Plastic-snow-leopard-print-ring

http://www.folksy.com/items/1384929-SASKIA-CHIFFON-TIE-SIDE-KNICKER

http://www.folksy.com/items/1839469-Leopard-Shoe-Greetings-Card

I'm for sale!

2011-07-27T21:52:00.017+01:00

Woof woof! I'm for sale...and I can be sent abroad! Please come and take a peep at me if you can on Folksy....just click my link below. Walkies anyone?!

http://www.folksy.com/items/2075185-Sweet-vintage-style-doggie-charm-necklace-?shop=yes

Folksy Friday...Stick it to 'em!

2011-07-22T09:22:00.036+01:00

Here's my 'Folksy Friday' picks...a sticky affair! Click on the links to take you to the super independent traders hosted by the U.K. Folksy site. Go on...have a browse at your leisure with a nice slice of cake and a steaming cuppa. Enjoy! (-;

http://www.folksy.com/items/1721633-Apple-Stickers

http://www.folksy.com/items/2028857-20-Peel-off-Die-Cut-Metallic-Foil-Butterfly-Stickers

http://www.folksy.com/items/1429721-Boston-Terrier-Sticker-Set-Japanese-Theme

http://www.folksy.com/items/2005317-Set-of-20-recycled-stickers-London-Underground

http://www.folksy.com/items/1864145-Japanese-Cute-Kawaii-Sushi-Boy-Sushi-Girl-Stickers

1970's scrapbook...Fruit wrappers!

2011-07-18T17:24:00.023+01:00

Oh-er... look what I found here! My scrap-book collection of erm...fruit paper wrappings and stickers I collected between 1975-1976. Oh yes...I knew how to have fun as a child! I had such a fixation with them...probably the bright colours, and the feel of the wafer thin paper. I'm showing you just a few, as they're a bit gaudy. Enjoy?!

Folksy Friday....Charmed I'm sure!

2011-07-15T08:37:00.031+01:00

Re. my previous post regarding my Dad's 'charmed' teeth...I bring you a mini collection from some of the wonderful sellers at Folksy. It was difficult to pick out 5 favourites from the vast range available...so I urge you to click on the links to take you to the shops...you can browse in your own sweet time at the other delights... Go show some love for those hard-working independent traders!

http://www.folksy.com/items/1666961-Brass-locket-23-x-20-mm-1pc

http://www.folksy.com/items/1693265-Antique-Bronze-Clock-Pendant-Charm
http://www.folksy.com/items/1674229-Antique-Silver-Tree-of-Life-Charms-From-CardsAndCraft

http://www.folksy.com/items/1929765-Antique-Bronze-Flower-Charm-Pendants-5-pcs

http://www.folksy.com/items/1357009-Hilltribe-silver-woven-box-charm

Baby teeth...as charms?!

2011-07-10T09:46:00.020+01:00

Last night I went to MeJulie's Summer get-together and was sporting a vintage 1930's charm bracelet...left to me by my Grandma Ellie. I was showing it off to a few lovely ladies, ( reading Penny?!...you can leave a comment and even 'follow' my blog darlin'!) but there were squeals of horror and a rapid decline when they stumbled upon my Dad's 1st Two baby teeth...strung merrily as jangly charms. I've always looked at them as a rather endearing feature...but that was not it seems the general consensus in MeJulie's kitchen. This lead into a lively conversation about body piercing and tattoos...but that dear reader is for another post. (-;

Folksy Friday...Bonnie baby picks!

2011-07-08T14:09:00.018+01:00

With the arrival of darling Jack and Oscar (please see previous post)...my Friday picks are a selection of bonnie baby inspired delights. Just click on the relevant links that will guide you to the talented people of Folksy. Go on...have a peep and show some love for those independent traders! (-;
http://www.folksy.com/items/1304917-For-Those-About-to-Rock-Pale-Blue-Flying-V-Baby-Body-Suit-3-6-mths

http://www.folksy.com/items/1935237-Two-Tone-Baby-Hat-Made-to-Order

http://www.folksy.com/items/1909997-New-Baby-Card

http://www.folksy.com/items/1968357-baby-sweater

http://www.folksy.com/items/1755117-Shades-of-Pink-Baby-Blanket

Mini post re. Baby Oscar/Note to self

2011-07-06T14:37:00.012+01:00

Just a mini post (note to self) about the wonderful news of my Nephew Ian and his darling girlfriend Jade with their new arrival....baby Oscar! he was born yesterday, and is the 19th Grandchild/Great-Grandchild to Nanny Kath. I hear through the 'Moody' grape-vine he's utterly gorgeous... Congratulations!

Yummy Strawberries...

2011-07-05T12:53:00.015+01:00

I can only apologise for my lack of blogging! I'm extremely frantic with the jewellery, (custom orders, teacher's end of year gifts, home-sale parties etc.) and although it's great to be busy, I've had to neglect the important 'to-dos' like the blummin'endless housework and my love of eclectic tit-bits on here. Just a little picture then of my glorious Strawberries...with what looks like a leaf ramming up Jessica's nose while she's posing in the background! The garden is looking mighty fine for a change, with an abundance of soft fruit, lettuce, herbs and beans. The Tomatoes were forgotten this year...shame really as I'm sure we would've had a magnificent crop. Last year they refused to turn Red, so there were endless pots of Green Tomato chutney...given out at every opportunity! Enjoy the sunshine while it lasts eh?

Folksy Friday! Stick and paste...

2011-06-24T09:04:00.032+01:00

With reference to my last post about the cut and paste of a Mackerel...My Folksy picks are scrapbook related. Just click on the relevant links to take you to this on-line store...stuffed full of wonderful hand-made goodies to browse at your leisure. Go on...come on in and show your support for those independent traders!

http://www.folksy.com/items/1666861-paper-bag-keepsake-album

http://www.folksy.com/items/1894561-Rainbow-Owls-A5-tabbed-sketchbook-journal

http://www.folksy.com/items/1879469-Mini-keyring-scrapbook

http://www.folksy.com/items/1529273-Personalised-Lily-Memory-Book

http://www.folksy.com/items/1854509-Japanese-Star-Books

Scrap-books and Mackerel!

2011-06-22T12:50:00.023+01:00

I have welcomed into my life my Mum's penchant for hacking at magazine supplements and sticking recipes in a scrap-book... with added tatty snips of paper on hints and 'how to improve' notes ( as if I'm the Head-chef!) in Black marker pen. My Mum has been assembling hers over the last 40 years, and whenever I'm at her place I have a good flick through and marvel at such delights as the ultimate Sherry trifle, Chicken liver pate or Meatloaf. Very 1970's...and I love the gaudy photographic foodie pictures that compliment. I would like to share my latest cut-out recipe on the humble but delicious tasting and cheap to buy Mackerel...courtesy of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. It really is delicious...easy to make too. We scoffed the lot yesterday. Yum!

Mackerel with New potatoes and Bay leaves. Serves 3-6

1kg new potatoes, scrubbed, the bigger ones halved
2 red onions, halved and sliced
12 bay leaves
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled but bashed to break the skins
2 lemons, halved and thickly sliced
3-4 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
30g butter
6 mackerel fillets
Lemon wedges, to serve

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Scatter the potatoes in a roasting tin with the onions, bay leaves, garlic, lemon slices and olive oil. Season well, toss everything to combine, then dot the top with the butter. Roast in the oven until the potatoes are browning and tender, rattling the tin once or twice – about 30-40 minutes.

Carefully take the tin out of the oven. Season the mackerel fillets and lay them skin-side up on top of the potatoes. Return to the oven and roast for a further six to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets, until the mackerel is just opaque. Serve with some lemon wedges and a green salad.

Blogger's delight! 9

2011-06-20T14:08:00.030+01:00

Afternoon! My blogosphere recommendation today is one that recently caught my eye....a slightly kitch affair that contains a delightful combination of foodstuffs that aren't edible, but are lovingly made and delightful to look at. This lady is an aspiring miniature food artist, and loves to cater to her dollhouse and Blythe dolls! She is more that happy to share her ideas and mini-making tips so come and see her sweet blog! http://minniekitchen.blogspot.com

Barry from Watford!

2011-06-17T14:14:00.030+01:00

Tonight i have a hot date with my husband! We're off to see our friend Alex Lowe performing at Watford Palace Theatre as
82 year old 'Barry from Watford'. (Radio 2's ‘Steve Wright in the Afternoon’ and ‘Iain Lee's Absolute Radio Show’) From what I've heard, Barry wheezes his way through his hilarious new game show in a Gold sparkly jacket,and 'gives back' to his beloved town by premiering some of the up and coming teenage comedians from local Watford schools. It's going to be compered by TV and radio's funny man Iain Lee. Please click the link for this evenings performance and more information.Come along and big up our local OAP superstar!
http://www.watfordtheatre.co.uk/page/144/Barry-From-Watfords-Summer-Sizzler/98">
Oh...and take a look at him here! He's cheeky!
http://youtu.be/C0pEc1dca6A">

Welcome to the world...baby Jack Moody!

2011-06-14T16:11:00.017+01:00

Antique Water Babies Mabel Lucie Attwell Print c1925

Congratulations to lovely John and Vicki with the arrival ( at last!) of baby Jack Moody ( Nephew) born today weighing in at 9lbs, and part of nanny Kath's dynasty! He's her 11th Grandchild and she has 7 Great-grandchildren so all in all that's 18. Listed alphabetically as follows...

Bianca
Chloe
Eden
Ella
Ian
baby Jack
Jenna
Jessica
Joseph
Kay
Marnie
Mia
Myles
Paul
Samantha
Sean
Tommy

And...in 2 weeks we are expecting another addition! Ian and Jade's baby, so that will be a total of 19. Nanny Kath did wink at me and asked if I would oblige to even the number up to 20. I think not. Leave it to the energetic young 'uns!

Thankyou magnificent Magasin!

2011-06-13T10:08:00.041+01:00

Look what the lovely postman bought to me this morning...My magnificent Magasin winning competition haul!

This adorable assortment of hand stitched goodies consisted of...

Sweetheart earrings
Cross stitch LOVE badge
Blue-Tit Birdie and Flowers ring ( my absolute favourite)
Juicy Apple Bobby pins
Dolly earrings

I will be sharing these beauties with my 2 daughters, but the ring is mine! Check out the talented Sarah Fordham's shop via Etsy for wonderful and quirky hand-stitched delights, and support those independent traders!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/MaMagasin

Another year older!

2011-06-08T14:57:00.019+01:00

Yesterday I turned 46, and I was expecting the news from my brother-in-law about a new addition to the family, but the baby doesn't want to arrive yet!
Most of my friend's know I don't 'do' Birthdays unless it's a milestone...so 4 years to go for that massive all-week party. MeJulie was having none of it though, and insisted on a delicious assortment of pastries for breakfast at hers, and very nice it was too. Liz rang me at like 6.30a.m. as she does every year to remind me not to be grumpy...I'm apparently in good health, and that I've not had a heart attack...yet. I ask you! I received lovely gifts and amusing cards...and as Marnie scuttled off to school, she called out to look at her bedroom door for an extra surprise. The result was this input to the general ambiance of the house. A scrappy papered request...She's got a right nerve...there was even a pot outside to leave the coins. I had a lovely late meal cooked by Paul and glass of good wine, and the kids were kind enough not to bicker/fight, so all in all, a decent Tuesday evening for a change (-:

Blogger's delight! 8

2011-06-06T13:13:00.030+01:00

It's my pleasure to introduce you to my blog pick of the week, designed and created by Hara, which talks about her favourite things... Illustration, magazines and Japanese street-fashion. Her snapshots and quirky drawings are delightful, and she certainly knows her stuff! There is a continuing post which is a glossary of Japanese fashion terms, interesting words and phrases.
Do come and see! http://yumepony.blogspot.com

Folksy Friday! Hands up for puppets...

2011-06-03T09:16:00.035+01:00

Oh dear. Some do say that Nick Clegg must go... he is irretrievably damaged goods, regarded by the electorate as Cameron's puppet. Hands up then for those that agree! I shall move swiftly on to my Folksy picks...interesting creative puppets that you can easily purchase via. the links. You can also stroll down my blog if you fancy taking a look at my friend's marvelous creations influenced by 'Alice In Wonderland.' Enjoy the sun-shiny day...and don't let anyone pull yer strings!

http://www.folksy.com/items/1658157-Mr-Dreamseller-Orignal-handmade-art-doll

http://www.folksy.com/items/1790133-Lion-Hand-Puppet

http://www.folksy.com/items/1260917-Morrissey-Style-Finger-puppet

http://www.folksy.com/items/1771413-Tin-of-Sardines-Glove-Puppet

http://www.folksy.com/items/1584457-Gingerbread-Man-Finger-Puppet

Blogger's delight! 7

2011-05-30T11:37:00.016+01:00

My recommendation today for my ' blog of the week ' spot is that of the talented Sami Teasdale. A wonderful designer and maker of treats... hand stitched with a needle and thread. There are love token jewellery treasures to intricate textile artworks. She finds stitching birds particularly enjoyable, and her blog explains the detail and commitment in her intricate designs, lots of beautiful photos, and tutorials for those who like to thread away! Come and take a look...espcially if you like our feathered friends. Tweet tweet my lovely! (-;
http://teasemade.blogspot.com

Fantastic puppets!

2011-05-27T11:32:00.017+01:00

Aren't these marvelous?! I wish I could say they were created by my own fair hands but sadly not. A very close friend followed a college brief ( re-training as a teacher)...got stuck in, and the result was thus. She won 1st prize...deservedly so, and a digital camera too. I'm chuffed for her...we go back a long time, 1980's Art college so we're no Spring Chickens, but she can still produce fabulous things like these colourful detailed puppets. (-;

Blogger's delight! 6

2011-05-23T08:57:00.030+01:00

Today my blog recommendation gos to the delightful ramblings of a laid-back Turtle! Anelka Shaw's creation of this engaging Green wanderer really is suitable for all the family. I love the imaginative interactive posts...just check out my Biscuit badge of honour to your right! You can stroll in too by clicking it. Come and see...and hold on to your tea and biscuits (-;

Who are all these animals that Turtle keeps chatting on about?
Well, prepare for more chatting...

Name: Turtle

Species: Tortoise

Age: (Turtle is sensitive about his age)

Height: Somewhere between 1 centimetre and 1 metre

Birthday: 31st July

Occupation: Turtle is in between jobs, but he has worked as a tailor in Hong Kong, a sea captain, a shop assistant, a goat herder and a clerical assistant in a law firm

Awards: Fashion Newcomer of the Year and The Everlasting Teapot

Address: 64 Tea Leaf Green, Owl Forest, TE4 8AG

Likes: Tea, piccallili, snacking, snoozing, pontificating, looking, pondering, meandering, talking, calculators dressed up like animals, fish puns, reading

Dislikes: Fish, honey in tea, flying, Mustafa, peas

Favourite drink: Tea

Favourite food: Vegetables (especially beetroot)

Languages: English, Whale, Honey-Bee

Folksy Friday...A Dad's 70th Birthday wish-list!

2011-05-20T17:58:00.019+01:00

At last! An excuse to write a list! This time in regards to my previous post and my Dad's 70th birthday. He still takes a keen interest in....

Books ( old style...none of this Kindle lark)
Chess
Politics
Altercations on the Bus/Tube/Bank/Park etc.
Liquorice Wheels
The accordion instrument ( plays it)
Jazz
Cooking...especially Zuppa Inglese and other rare desserts!
Gardening
Calvados
Sudoku
His girlfriend!
Carpentry
Reading The Guardian
Book binding...He's signed up for a course starting this September.

My Folksy picks are connected to some of the above. Just click the links to take you to some of the fantastic stores. As for Dad, we are having a big party at my sister Emma's beautiful house with the ever-expanding family. Raise a glass to 'Rude Health'!

http://www.folksy.com/items/1377205-Ceramic-chess-pieces

http://www.folksy.com/items/1667873-Leather-Sketchbook-Blue-Tan-Medieval-binding

http://www.folksy.com/items/1353929-The-Accordionist

http://www.folksy.com/items/1691869-Liquorice-whirls

http://www.folksy.com/items/1496901-The-Jazz-Crocodile-Limited-Edition-Print

Happy 70th Birthday Dad!

2011-05-19T10:53:00.020+01:00

Here's my Dad....Bill...cira. 1965 and therefore in his mid '20's. A radical politics student at York university...and me a new born! It appears he has left the house early on a chilly day...with the 1st morning roll-up, clutching his papers and books. Slim paisley tie, Del-boy style sheepskin, and a grown-out Beatle-mop with his thumb balancing match-papers which he is about to flick. I'm very attached to this time-capsuled photo. Happy Birthday Dad...much love from all of us, and see you at the party!

Blogger's delight! 5

2011-05-16T08:51:00.027+01:00

A blogger and maker of artistic delectations that shares my surname is going to get my attention! Elli Moody delights in that category...and so my 'blogger of the week spot' is pointing her way. She is a talented illustrator who lives in Gloucestershire, along with her family and Molly the dog....the inspiration for many weekly postings. I have bought her wonderful cards via Folksy and they never fail to please. Take a visit to brighten your day...you can also purchase her lovely wares through the links on her blog. She even puts a smile on my poker face! ( Had to get that in...The Gaga was magnificent on telly last night...live with radio1 ) http://ellimoody.blogspot.com

Play in the park? That's £2.50 then please...

2011-05-15T08:36:00.011+01:00

Parents will now have to strump up £2.50 per child for the use of a playground in Wandsworth/London. Not much you may argue...but what about the hidden agenda? According to the council, they have to make a staggering £55 million of cuts, and this mean-spirited scheme will apparently help them achieve that target. In my humble opinion, it will roll on the wretched privatisation of our parks and children's play areas. We already pay taxes for the up-keep of all of this! Once they coin it in...other boroughs will follow. The start of the slippery slope...or the playground slide )-:

A Late Folksy Friday...Having a Whale of a time!

2011-05-12T14:00:00.006+01:00

Following on from the 'Wendy the Whale' book launch last Friday...my picks today are the amazing giant mammals from the sea. Just click on the links to take you to the super Folksy store...Have a super weekend!

http://www.folksy.com/items/1228365-Barnacle-the-Whale-Felt-Brooch

http://www.folksy.com/items/1684365-Happy-Whale-Felt-Pin-Badge

http://www.folksy.com/items/1668925-Felt-Splashy-Whale-Hair-Clip

http://www.folksy.com/items/1155041-Maiden-of-the-sea-Limited-Edition-Print-Mounted

http://www.folksy.com/items/1508557-Handmade-Cute-Felt-Whale-Brooch-Pink-Baby-Blue-Dark-Blue-and-Purple

Blogger's delight! 4

2011-05-09T10:42:00.035+01:00

I'm thoroughly enjoying my regular Monday posting with 'bigging-up' a favourite blog choice of mine, so today it goes to the sweet and entertaining articles of a young lady called Amy. Her blog 'Blighty Boutique' is full of lovely vintage finds, nostalgia, British quirkiness, super competitions, and mighty fine photographs. Just click on the link to take you there...It's a delight!
http://blightyboutique.blogspot.com

Book launch of 'Wendy the Whale'

2011-05-08T07:37:00.014+01:00

On Friday evening, Marnie and I attended Watford Grammar School for girls and the book launch of 'Wendy The Whale.' The heart-warming story was a collaboration between Watford resident David Abrahams,( who was bought up in Hemarnus/South Africa where the story is set) Alexander Williams ( a writer, actor and former pupil of Watford Boys) and the beautiful drawings and illustrations by Lucy Newton. At the end of the book there are some other illustrations by children...drawn around 5/6 years ago at an 'Art day' provided by Watford Central Library. Marnie has been lucky enough to have her picture printed and been given a generous book token prize. However, all the children's drawings are gorgeous! We all had a super day all those years ago!
The wonderful book costs £5.99 and is available from Waterstones and Amazon next week. A proportion of royalty income will go to 3 charities -
Overstrand Hospice, Hermanus
Nelson Mandela Children's Fund (UK)
The Old Harbour Museum, Hermanus
Please tweet this post and show some book love!...especially if you are a resident of Watford! Many thanks to those that do (-;

Marnie's picture - age6

Folksy Friday....Art Deco influences

2011-05-06T08:45:00.019+01:00

Following on from my Clarice Cliff style wedding cake...my Folksy picks today have a strong Art Deco influence. Just click on the links to take you to the relevant store... take a peep at these delicious looking goodies and show your support! (-;

http://www.folksy.com/items/1362105-Round-Satchel-Bag-Art-Deco-Styling

http://www.folksy.com/items/1559717-Art-deco-inspired-earrings-verdigris-setting-freshwater-pearls

http://www.folksy.com/items/1533245-Art-Deco-Pearl-Ring

http://www.folksy.com/items/983401-Grey-Handblocked-Peachbloom-Felt-Beret-Hat-with-Art-Deco-Beading

http://www.folksy.com/items/1302057-Art-Deco-Cushion-Patchwork

Sweet doggie charm necklace...

2011-05-04T10:32:00.021+01:00

Woof woof! I've been making a collection of assorted vintage style charm and sparkly Swarovski crystal necklaces...this one being a favourite.
A sweet golden doggie charm, delicate filigree flower and large golden Pearl hang with genuine Swarovski crystals in shades of Red, Brown and Gold. All sit merrily on an antique Gold coloured bobble-chain. Would make a lovely gift (£10) for those who adore Canines! Please email me at melmoody122@hotmail.com if you would like to purchase or have a chat about other designs.

I bought my some of the delightful charms and jewellery findings from this Folksy shop -
http://www.folksy.com/shops/OddsAndEnds

Blogger's delight! 3

2011-05-02T11:18:00.042+01:00

Morning all! My weekly blog choice is the gorgeous 'Gracie's Garden Bazaar'...the delightful musings of Cassandra Riley. There is a dreamy romantic wistfulness to her blog, and her beautifully detailed creations are displayed with superb photographs. She also has a love of books and tales of old...You can really see and feel this in her work. Her blog is a marvelous treat. Go take a peep...http://graciesgardenbazaar.blogspot.com

http://www.folksy.com/shops/graciesgardenbazaar

Our Clarice Cliff inspired Wedding cake!

2011-04-30T14:22:00.013+01:00

As 'The wedding' has been the talk of the town, I thought you might like to see our wedding cake from 1997. My husband made it with one of his brothers...a vast mixture for 3 tiers in a huge plastic bucket...a ton of dried fruit and a bottle of Brandy! A talented pastry chef decorated it...we showed him a collection of Clarice Cliff photo's taken from our own collection, and told him bright and bold if you please! He happily complied, and really enjoyed painting it...the cake tasted delicious and was enjoyably scoffed.

Folksy Friday...Yes chef!

2011-04-28T10:17:00.039+01:00

Following on from Tim Anderson's magnificent win on Masterchef... my Folksy picks are culinary related. Just click on the links to take you to the talented store-holders. ( I shall be watching 'The Wedding' on telly....although the traveller's one last night was magnificent!)

http://www.folksy.com/items/1562113-Eat-placemats-set-of-4-vintage-fabric

http://www.folksy.com/items/1145473-Eat-hand-carved-stamps

http://www.folksy.com/items/1686357-Retro-Fabric-cover-Recipe-Book

http://www.folksy.com/items/1465841-Heart-shaped-chopping-board

http://www.folksy.com/items/1182861-Cake-Cake-Recipe-Greetings-Card

Tim....You deserved to win Masterchef!

2011-04-27T22:59:00.027+01:00

Photograph: Des Willie/BBC/Shine Ltd

Had to post this before bed-time!
Here is American Tim Anderson....now living in London...crowned the youngest (26) ever winner of BBC1’s Masterchef.
His amazing menu started with a trio... made up of a Los Angeles style Slider of Wagyu Tartare, Smoky Lime and Jalapeño Marmalade, Avocado and Butter Bean Mousse, A Tokyo Slider of Monkfish Liver, Umeboshi Ketchup, Jellied Ponzu, Matcha Mayonnaise and a London curried Lamb Cheeseburger, Apple and Ale Chutney and Raita Mayonnaise.
He then cooked a tantalising main dish of Kyushu-Style Pork Ramen with a beautiful truffled Lobster, Gyoza and Aromatic Oils...and to finish a sublime assortment of desserts... Sticky Toffee Crème Brulee with Blackcurrant Stout Sauce, Rhubarb Crumble with Custard, and a Cheddar Cheesecake with Whiskey Jelly!
Brilliant! (-;

Doughnuts!

2011-04-27T15:33:00.024+01:00

Oh! take a look at me wears dearie! Gaudy but fun doughnuts...strung on bright coloured bobble chains. Some even have sprinkles or a dollop of whipped cream! I strung 'em down in Cornwall, along with a collection of delightful earrings using beautiful candy-cane glass and Swarovski crystals...showing off here on a later date. I haven't put these in my 'Folksy' shop yet...however, if you fancy one for yourself or a hip youngster they cost £6 each. Yum!

Yellow Lines ( are Barking mad! )

2011-04-18T22:50:00.040+01:00

I'm still up and packing for the schlep to Cornwall ( the car works!) and shouldn't be posting but I have to stuff one in. Laughed out loud when I heard about the Yellow line fiasco in the London borough of Barking this morning (Radio/BBCLondon 94.9) It defies belief... How can they squander their crippled funds on this twaddle?
Most of this is taken from the Barking and Dagenham Post...

Passers-by in Barking watched in disbelief as offenders carrying out community service painted yellow lines straight along the pavement. ( SO YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHERE TO WALK!!) A council spokesman said
“The lines were painted to provide a marked walkthrough for pedestrians outside the shops.” The spokesman added: “We’re going to gauge the reaction of local residents and shopkeepers over the next two to three months.
Postmaster Sailesh Patel, 45, said: “It just looks very silly. I don’t really know what it’s about.”
A 29-year-old man from Dagenham, who did not want to be named, added: “I thought it was ridiculous. I have no idea what they’re for. It seems very odd.”
Ali Korkurt, 36, of the Chubby Friar fish and chip shop, however, said: “They look pretty. I like it!
Oh...and the council motto...
Dei gratia sumus quod sumus
(By the grace of God we are what we are)

Yep. Dim and futile.
Get me to Cornwall before I write to them by-proxy!

Folksy Friday...Motor modes.

2011-04-15T06:44:00.040+01:00

My blummin' car decided to conk-out yesterday...perfect timing of course as were are supposed to be off to Cornwall next week. I was on a hill, ( Ashfield to be precise...and some of you know that is seriously steep ) when my poor stressed out motor flashed up everything it had, telling me it wasn't happy. Have to say the AA man was brilliant, however...the car had passed the M.O.T. last week and now it's back in the garage.
So lovely readers...my Folksy picks are motor related. Just click the links to take you to the talented sellers. Gis a lift anyone?!

http://www.folksy.com/items/1097637-Mini-Cooper-car-Ink-and-collage-illustration

http://www.folksy.com/items/1407773-Felt-Fabric-handmade-pink-car-brooch

http://www.folksy.com/items/1604573-Baby-On-Board-Car-Sign

http://www.folksy.com/items/1470541-Bugatti-Type-35-Framed-Print

http://www.folksy.com/items/1540329-Mini-Cars-mp3-iPod-Mobile-Phone-Pouch

Blogger's delight! 2

2011-04-11T13:20:00.041+01:00

Today's recommendation is a terrific fruity little blog
from the perspective of a kawaii Pineapple... sweetly written by a young American home economist. It even puts a smile on my grumpy face! The posts are frivolous and entertaining...Mr. Pineapple likes to go waddling off to interesting places...I particularly like the splendid culinary delights he bumps into...huge Ice-cream sundaes, sticky pies and bizzare candy... and his interest in funky toys and gizmos.
If you want to brighten your day with a dose of whimsical fun...click on this link and follow the fruit (-;
http://mrpineappleman.blogspot.com

Grit yer teeth!... Folksy Friday picks

2011-04-08T08:49:00.027+01:00

Following on from recommending the marvelous 'Grit's Day' blog...my Folksy picks are tenuously related. Grit...gritting your teeth...tooth related! It's a beautiful day out there...get out and give us a smile with your gleaming 'Edward's'! Just click the links to take you to the seller's Folksy store.

http://www.folksy.com/items/1158677-Hey-Toothy-Cute-Kawaii-Tooth-Charm-Necklace

http://www.folksy.com/items/923721-Soft-Fluffy-Tooth-Pillow

http://www.folksy.com/items/1054457-Cheshire-Puss

http://www.folksy.com/items/1418321-TOOTH-Sweet-Tooth-Navy-Cross-Stitch-Frame

http://www.folksy.com/items/1392977-Teeth-Soaps-vanilla-scent-vegan-suitable-for-sensitive-skin

Blogger's delight! 1

2011-04-04T11:54:00.037+01:00

I think it's about time I started to 'big-up' some of the superb blogs out there, hopefully with a weekly rambling on a particular favourite. I have eclectic tastes and follow a comprehensive range. Today...I shall start with the talented caustic...

grit's day
lookonthebrightside
( She can be a little salty at times! )

I stumbled across this blog through 'British Mummy Bloggers',( access by scrolling down and clicking link...right hand side to you ) and was instantly attracted to her entertaining prose and her personal views on home-educating 3 children and their larks around the globe. I on the other hand could never home-teach...I don't have the patience or knowledge...my 3 are in good state schools...I like the fact they have a mix of children from all sorts of backgrounds and dare I say it? Classes. Having said that...her take on the education system makes a mighty fine read. Here's a highly entertaining recent extract...

Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Drop a dress size with these simple phrases!
Consider this change! Grit arrived in Hong Kong last year, firmly middle-rolled and plump bummed. But those comfort handles are gone! How was this done?

Try grit's no-effort diet!

All you have to do is repeat these obsessions, phobias, fears, general anxieties and depressive statements each day, and a shrunk arse can be yours within the month!

1. We are not going to the supermarket. They are trying to steal my handbag.

But this is true. Present any checkout in Hong Kong with one baguette and a pot of kid's jam and you feel as if your life savings have been mugged by Bernard Madoff. The up-market Waitrose-lookalike, for example, City Super. Charging $278 for six strawberries?! And how much are they asking for a pot of jam? HOW MUCH? Right. That does it. Take my advice, hold onto your handbag and refuse to buy any food ever again. (Lose 7lb immediately!)

2. Where are all the cows?

Grit is not a farm girl. But even she has to wonder where those eggs and dairies come from. Not Hong Kong, that's for sure. Chickens are banned and you can't stick a cow on a mountain. There is only one answer. Mainland China. I'm betting animals living there are skipping joyfully in pampered, free-range luxury. Shudder and go vegan. (Lose another half stone, although moral righteousness weighs quite a bit, so put back on 5lb.)

3. I cannot eat that. It is pewk.

Say this every morning while staring at yellow mush called bread! Over here in land of noodle, you can take one mouthful of this vile crap, spit it out over the unfortunate Shark and declare all bread in Hong Kong disgustingvilepewk ughughugh noteatingthat everagain EVER EVER EVER. (Fussy eating loses 4lb instantly!)

4. China is trying to poison me.

Yes, they bloody well are. E-numbers, pesticides, chemicals, everything. Any nation that sprinkles melamine onto its baby food and dumps corn syrup and antibiotics in its honey needs watching, let's face it. The Grit response is to prowl the foodstuffs twitching and staring, scrutinising every label and every potato nobble and then refusing to eat any of it. (See? 5lb straight off!)

5. I'm sorry. Only hand-made, artisan sorbets can touch my lips now.

Hong Kong, the land of Cartier and Choo, has its benefits. Join the cult of artisan sorbet worship! Refuse to eat anything else all day long, then gorge your superior, upmarket taste buds with sensation perfection. While hanging out for the strawberry and basil decoction from I Scream you are sure to stop cramming your face with processed sugar-laden lardy junk! (But add 4lb thanks to three visits a week.)

6. Shut up. We are bloody well walking.

The perfect weight loss statement! Too poor from the ice cream and too mean to pay the taxi fares, you must walk everywhere including all Hong Kong serious hills, for hours. Has an educational benefit as you can justify petty meanness by claiming the kids need the exercise! (No weight loss but very firm thighs.)

7. Er, is there anywhere to buy food?

Live on an outlying island with two veg shops, an assortment of dried fish skin outlets, a butchery and an old man who sits by the concrete path selling beetroot. By the end of an hour you've exhausted the main street and emerged with something that you hope is a handful of dried noodles and not a nouveau pan scrubber. (Lose the will to live.)

8. Oh no, we have to pass the Hong Kong seafood restaurants.

Yes, one glance to those tanks is almost guaranteed to have you vowing that you'll never eat again. You can pick your live food item - the crayfish clawing its way out the tank in despair, the sad crab sitting there in a death sentence with a bamboo ribbon tied round its claws, or the half-dead fish with no space to twitch a tail - and your hunger can shrivel to nothing. Say, things have got better though! Under the British I couldn't tell the difference between the pet shop and the steakhouse! (Lose 4lb but head back to the sorbet counter to comfort eat.)

9. I don't want anything to eat. I am depressed.

This is a great line! Gets you out of all cooking, shopping, food preparation, every meal, daily! Keep it up for several weeks! Shark, who can run the family without anyone, can take your purse and scavenge lunch at Mrs Chang the Cake Lady. Apparently she makes excellent coconut buns, not that you can eat them because they might have been near a condemned cow. Anyway, you're far too busy lying foetal in bed and crying, self piteously, at all ordinary life traumas, so have no appetite at all till next Wednesday! (Weight loss? Who cares when everything is pointless anyway?!)

10. Now, all you ladies (and gentlemen) looking to drop a dress size, you too can follow grit's fantastic diet by chanting this simple phrase!

Be mean, be sad, be phobic!

Liking? Then click for more!
http://gritsday.blogspot.com

Folksy Friday...Just foolin' around!

2011-04-01T09:16:00.020+01:00

Just can't help myself! I love April Fool pranks. There have been many over the years...from pretending I work at Barnet council and winding up my Mum over bin re-cycling, to involving an actor to ring up my brother-in-law and persuade him to dance in very tight trousers for a Spanish themed fete, and my poor suffering husband yanked out of a meeting as I pretended to be from HR!
This morning was just a low key affair...I sent this text out to lots of Mums of year 8 kids...'Hope you all remembered the £2 Queens requested for the form teacher's Friday coffee fund. What a cheek eh?' Needless to say, I had to hastily tell someone it was a wind-up because she was about to phone the school and complain!
My Folksy picks are an amusing bunch. I should be careful what I say...I wonder if some are for real?! Enjoy, laugh and even buy! (-;

http://www.folksy.com/items/1445049-boozer-greeting-card-A5

http://www.folksy.com/items/1558653-Decomposing-Dave

http://www.folksy.com/items/990749-Eddie-the-Elephant-willy-warmer

http://www.folksy.com/items/1100013-King-Arthur-sock-monkey

http://www.folksy.com/items/913157-Gin-Poodle-White-with-a-pink-starry-ribbon

Just call me Mother!

2011-03-31T14:13:00.022+01:00

( Please note...this is not a sponsored post!)
Mother's day is approaching this Sunday...and I thought I would share this super vintage picture inspired 'Mother' card. You might need a pair of reading glasses to see the text...rather amusing and I can certainly tick a few of those boxes!

http://cathtatecards.com/index.html

Giving it the 'Elbow'!

2011-03-29T09:48:00.028+01:00

Conversation went thus this early morning....
Marnie...munching toast, glances over to Jess and Joseph.'Dad was out last night at the 02 centre ya know?'
'Yeah? What was that band you went to see last night then?'
'Elbow. Heard them on my I-Pod Jess?'
'Er...I think unfortunately yes! So...like...were they any good?'
'Superb! Really really good...even Wheato liked them'
( Marnie sniggers) 'Yeah? And er...how old is Wheato?
'Same as me and Mum...in his '40's'
'That's old then! God Dad...you and Wheato must've been like the oldest people there.'
'Most the crowd were in our age group...that band have been going for years'
(Jess gets up from table and marches upstairs) 'Yeah? Well...that's coz you all like old weirdo music. I mean...they sing about bones and sad people who like cranes. Larrys! Oh dear. Ohh deeear! I'm not telling anyone at school. Embarrassing!

My 1st blog give-away winner!

2011-03-26T15:09:00.025Z

So much for the 'Randomatron'for my Butterfly earrings give-away. I reverted to good 'ole fashioned hand-written names into the bowl method of selection....The winner being picked out by my Son Joseph...and it's the radiant 'MillieD'! Many thanks to those who entered...and the fact that most of you have stuck with my blog for the year...much appreciated. You can check out MillieD's super blog by clicking the link...Cheers all (-;
http://milliebead.blogspot.com

Folksy Friday....keep it sweet baby!

2011-03-25T09:02:00.023Z

Here are my sweet Folksy Friday picks...yummy lovelies made by the talented Folksters. Just click on the links to take you to the store. Oh!...and please see my easy to enter blog give-away (posted further down) for even more sweetness (-;

http://www.folksy.com/items/982453-handmade-pink-candy-sprinkles-resin-cabochon-128

http://www.folksy.com/items/1474465-Dolly-mixture-5-x-5-inch-photographic-print

http://www.folksy.com/items/1474725-Dollybead-Heart-Brooch

http://www.folksy.com/items/1130921-Liquorice-Cufflinks

http://www.folksy.com/items/1458265-Foam-Shrimp-and-Banana-Toggle-Bracelet-silver

Disgruntled...with Allsorts!

2011-03-22T12:58:00.043Z

I've managed to entice my Dad (by promising a loaded pantry of nibbles and beer) to look after the kids one evening next week, while Paul and I whoop it up at our lovely neighbours with a few beverages and a rather delicious cooked tea. I've stacked up on his favourites...including Basset's Liquorice Allsorts ( although he now might not eat them.) I bought an extra bag for myself, and whilst watching the 'eye-candy' / remarkably clever Brian Cox on telly last night...I shoved a handful of Allsorts into my gob...and gagged. They tasted vile. What have Basset's done to the recipe? It's defiantly changed. The once delicious liquorice that was encased in a coconutesque fondant is now an over-sweetened, pappy, squidgy, sickly nasty confectionery. Gawd...revolting. I will not be purchasing ever again. It shall go on the 'disgruntled with changes in confectionery' list...along with -

Sherbet Lemons - These were once large Yellow pointed shaped beauties with a mighty fizz of sour sherbet. They are now a smooth Gooseberry shape, ( The Health and Safety police have demanded the pointy bit to be smoothed out? ) stuffed with what can only be described as chalk. No taste of Lemon whatsoever. Disappointment guaranteed.

Cola Cubes - Perlease. Just rubbish now. Small, measly, tasteless lumps. Sad, sad, sad ending.

Midget Gems - Pappy and chemical tasting. Nasty.

Fruit Salad - Not jaw-breaking hard and chewy like they used to be. So small too. M and S do a version of them. They've lost their charm.

Bounty - What's happened to the chocolate? It used to be a luscious melange smothered over a delightful coconut slab. Now it's a waxy nothing...plonked on and the whole fetid creation tastes quite frankly of wax.

Kit Kat - Forget the 4 finger. Look at the chocolate covering again! So thin underneath you can see the wafer coming through!

Any more grumpy's out there? Please feel free to write your sweet and chocolate disses here!

My 1st blog Birthday...and my 1st give-away!

2011-03-20T13:18:00.012Z

It's been a hectic week...I couldn't even manage a 'Folksy Friday' and I apologise for that! As I mentioned in my previous post...my blog turned 1 on the 16th March, so I thought I would do my 1st give-away as thankyou to all you lovely readers and followers. It's a pair of sweet Pink butterfly earrings....made with Swarovski crystals and beautiful glass beads made by David Christensen. I've created a lot of jewellery over the weeks, but haven't had the time to nail it onto Folksy...I must organise myself to do it soon...the Spring collection.
Just leave a little comment, and I will select a winning number from the 'randomatron' or whatever it's called on Friday 25th...any new followers will be included too. I will blog the winner and also link your shop or whatever you like!

Folksy Friday...St.Patrick's day...parade!

2011-03-10T13:58:00.092Z

Here we go again! Almost a whole year of blogging ( my blog 'Birthday' next week) and that means it all started around Skehill Academy's highlighted week of the year...that which is centered around St.Patrick's day...March 17th. Gone are the days that Marnie can go to school with rollers in her hair and a hair-net though. Apart from them being yanked out, being labeled a 'Larry', and the general embarrassment of looking like Ena Sharpels...it is now a problem according to our friends at 'health and safety.' Her hair-net might be set alight! A lowering bough from a tree might tangle itself upon her head... Or it might attract a swarm of Bees!
I'm going to have to curl her hair with tongs then.
So... to celebrate the Emerald Isle's special day...my Folksy picks are Kelly Green and Celtic related....hand-made by talented Folksters. Just click on the links to take you to the relevant store.

http://www.folksy.com/items/1457621-St-Patrick-s-Day-Brooch-Badge

http://www.folksy.com/items/1476521-Rabbit-shamrock-brooch

http://www.folksy.com/items/1405477-Felt-Purse-Green-Dog-Motif

http://www.folksy.com/items/1070273-Sami-Bracelet-Celtic-knotwork

http://www.folksy.com/items/1448325-Leprechaun-Boots-Padded-Door-Wall-Hanger-St-Patrick-s-Day

Pancakes!

2011-03-08T13:44:00.020Z

Old fashioned tossing!
Oh how we love it in the Moody household. I've made a vat of batter...just milk/eggs and flour...whisked to a single cream consistency. The 1st is always a no-hoper...something to do with the pan's molecular heat distribution?! After that...savoury varieties of smoked ham/cheddar/tomato or sauteed leeks and cheese or my favourite...smoked bacon and full fat brie! Sharp lemon and golden caster make the traditional sweet ones...and my 3 love giant chocolate buttons and vanilla ice-cream. A little tip...use a well seasoned heavy iron pan if you have one...make it smokin' hot and use just a dab of oil. The non-stick type will almost steam the batter into a horrible rubbery anemic mess if you're not careful. Trust me...It took me a few years to realise it's all about the pan! Go...make...enjoy! (-;

Teen Horse Whisperers...

2011-02-25T14:14:00.042Z

All the family are very proud of my younger sister Lucy. She has her 1st major documentary 'Teen Horse Whisperers' showing on Channel4 tonight at 7.30pm, and it's had super reviews...here's a couple of them...

The Guardian/David Stubbs
Lucy Kaye's rather lovely First Cut documentary looks at the work of Impact, an alternative school in Liverpool, and the Shy Lowen Horse and Pony Sanctuary. It shows how pupils with behavioural issues are encouraged to work with unwanted, wild horses, who need taming before they can be reintegrated with their herds. The parallels between the animal and human adolescents are obvious but this makes the task ahead of the teenagers no less of a challenge, as they must first confront their own difficulties before addressing those of the horses.

Radio Times/David Butcher
A mellow, wise little film tells a tale of disruptive teenagers on Merseyside and their unlikely therapy programme. A brilliant woman called Bernie runs a charity in Bootle that brings the teenagers together with rescued horses. The students must win the trust of the horses (which have behavioural problems of their own) and learn how to assert themselves, without being threatening or giving up. A lot of it comes down to body language and confidence - so there's one big life lesson right there. It's therapeutic just watching the sessions as horses and teens tame each other, though it's no surprise when we learn that this enlightened programme faces closure as a result of cuts.

I'm sure she would appreciate the viewing figures like those achieved by 'Big Fat Gypsy Wedding'! Please tune in if you are having a night in. Many thanks to those that do!

My 1st handsome blog award! Many thanks....

2011-02-19T18:23:00.135Z

http://www.milliebead.blogspot.com

Thankyou so much Milliebead for my handsome blog award! Much appreciated. It is sent with requests as follows...

1 Thank the person who sent it.
2 Dare to share 7 facts about yours truly.
3 Nominate 15 blogs and forward the award.
Here gos then...

1 My broad mind and narrow waist are rapidly changing places.
2 I love Irish dancing but I can't do it myself!
3 Patience is a virtue that has unfortunately by-passed my genetic make-up.
4 I write endless lists....From favourite liquorice shapes to non-swear-words.
5 My alter-ego is Joy from 'My name is Earl'.
6 I once had a bald left eye for a month as i yanked out my eye-lashes with an eye-lash curler.
7 I like a sneaky bet once in a while...and I've never lost!

Now for the super 15...Go click and have a little peep (-;

http://blightyboutique.blogspot.com

http://heartzeena.blogspot.com

http://kimanhnguyenart.blogspot.com

http://milkoverdose.blogspot.com

http://mrpineappleman.blogspot.com

http://sketchstitch.blogspot.com

http://theglassmountain.blogspot.com

http://yumepony.blogspot.com

http://teasemade.blogspot.com

http://wheremylifeis.blogspot.com

http://hookinwithlaalaa.blogspot.com

http://iloveheartsandcutestuff.blogspot.com

http://graciesgardenbazaar.blogspot.com

http://fondantkiss.blogspot.com

http://deerlittlefawn.blogspot.com

Folksy Friday...Gis a hand!

2011-02-17T21:05:00.089Z

My son dislocated a finger about 4 weeks ago while playing rugby, (Fullerians under 9's) and it's still giving him jip. There's another 4 week embargo in field sports or strumming his guitar along to Kasabian, and to add insult he also has to go out running with his Mum (little 'ole me) as that's his safest option for exercise. So my lovely readers...this weeks Folksy Friday selection are finger and hand related. All the chosen goodies are terrific...but i particularly like 'The Dame'...David Bowie finger puppet. However, unlike 'Ziggy' who 'played guitar' my son is stuck plodding the streets with his truly! Please click on the links to take you to the Folksy sellers. Have a super weekend y'all (-;

http://www.folksy.com/items/1076305-Ziggy-Stardust-David-Bowie-Style-Finger-Puppet

http://www.folksy.com/items/1157457-HAND-KNITTED-FINGERLESS-GLOVES

http://www.folksy.com/items/1343345-Anniversary-Gift-Card-Holding-Hands

http://www.folksy.com/items/965761-Pink-and-Black-Kilt-Pin-Brooch-with-Gothic-Charms

http://www.folksy.com/items/1062633-Happy-Hands-necklace-Devil-Horns-hand-sign

Thankyou Nelli.D!

2011-02-12T10:40:00.042Z

I ordered this contemporary bracelet from Nelli.D. in pretty Spring colours and it's perfect! Super kitsch and ultra cute...little and and large diamonds have been set in pastel coloured resin, and delicately hung on a chunky chain. Arriving yesterday morning, it came with a candy Pink striped bag and a rather delightful business card. I highly recommend this wonderful quirky Folksy shop, and if you click on the link below you will find many other gorgeous items...and there's a super sale going on right now! Go grab yourself a little treat!

http://www.folksy.com/shops/nelliD2

My 'Lil Sonny' Valentine!

2011-02-07T15:25:00.042Z

I I bought this wonderful plump Pear Valentine card from the happily quirky 'Lil Sonny Sky', and it will be saved for my husband of nearly 14 years. Our marriage hasn't gone Pear-shaped, but unfortunately our figures have...so i thought this would be most appropriate! It was sent lovingly wrapped in tissue paper and secured with a sweet kawaii sticker...along with a a super illustrated postcard. It was a pleasure just to open.
I'm hoping for a de-luxe box of Leonidas chocolates to continue my plumpness, but it depends if my husband is passing a rather grand department store on said day. I will be dropping many un-suttle hints over the next week!
Please click on link below to take you to the wonderful Folksy shop of Lisa Stubbs/ Lil Sonny Sky for a lovely assortment of goodies...

http://www.folksy.com/shops/LilSonnySky

1970's!

2011-02-06T11:12:00.024Z

I was rummaging through some old photos last night, when i found a picture taken by myself of my young Mum (Cher?!) in 1976. I adore this photo and want to show it to you.
She had come downstairs early to set the table with gifts and cards for my 11th Birthday, before I trundled off to school in the blissful Mediterranean sunshine.(1976 was the hottest British Summer heatwave on record...all sorts of exotic fruits and vegetables were grown in the garden!) This is such an evocative photo of this decade in my house. For a start...the Brown, Cream, Butterscotch and Orange colour theme is abundant, from the cup on the table to the glorious dressing gown my Mum is wearing...and the faded wallpaper and gloss Brown bookcase. There are dried reed flowers on the table...a multitude of books...an assortment of posters on Mushrooms and Dinosaurs...some kind of geometric artwork on the wall?! I forgot how much time and effort my Mum put into everything. She is still a wonderful, bright...if a little eccentric woman today and i love her very much indeed.

...and THAT'S a cake!

2011-02-02T15:29:00.016Z

Following on from last weeks superb 'My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding' documentary...I wanted to show you the amazing cake that starred in yesterday's programme...A stunning 6ft wide and 12ft long Pink fairytale castle ( it took 2 people to haul it out of the transit) .. containing over 60kgs of icing alone! Ken and an assortment of Barbie dolls were also on display...in edible cake costumes, and all were surrounded with abundant netting and flashing lights! It must have taken hours to make with a great deal of patience and skill. Over-the-top...but stunning i think!

Now THAT'S a wedding dress!

2011-01-26T14:31:00.025Z

I was glued to the TV last night...aghast and amazed at the superb 2nd documentary of 'My big fat gypsy wedding'. Now Miss Kate Middleton...take note...never mind sophisticated and demure...give the chattering classes something to talk about. Go for a stonking over-the-top all bells a'ringing dress like Sam Norton's... A giant 20 stone meringue Pink taffeta number with fluttering mechanical butterflies, sparkling crystals, and a cluster of fibre-optic lights. Magnificent!
For the few that didn't catch the programme - Please click the link for further viewing...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHRCPmjc7tU">

Folksy Friday...(Happy Birthday to my baby girl!)

2011-01-20T14:28:00.077Z

My eldest baby Jessica is 13! She had a super time yesterday...showered with cards and gifts...and i managed to bake a Birthday cake with over-ripe Bananas and fresh Pineapple, and smothered it in White Chocolate buttons and Pink edible glitter sprinkles...Utterly camp and frivolous and demolished in 10 minutes! So lovely readers...these cracking Folksy finds are girly teenage related...please click on the links to take you to the shop (-:

http://www.folksy.com/items/1007345-J-taime-Paris-Notebook

http://www.folksy.com/items/985361-Cute-Manga-Cushion-Kimonos-and-Butterflies

http://www.folksy.com/items/940177-Pink-Horse-Decoration

http://www.folksy.com/items/1088169-he-owl-and-the-butterfly-kawaii-pin-brooch

http://www.folksy.com/items/781589-Best-Friends-Pouch

Points mean...prizes (not)

2011-01-14T14:48:00.010Z

Went on the weekly food shop trip to the hell-hole supermarket. Yet again I'm bewildered with the scrappy array of limp vegetables and the rip-off agenda in the soft fruit department. Blueberries....call them 'super-foods' and charge £3 for the pleasure. Trundled around the isles with utter disdain. It's soul destroying. I beret myself in not schlepping to Watford market and endure the salty banter from the stall holders, and have a sneaky squeeze of an exotic fruit or delectable vegetable. What made the morning particularly fetid was my conversation with the till assistant, moments after I paid the hefty bill.
'Could you please put these 'club' points on this lady's card for me?' ( I point to the woman behind...I don't process a points card )
'Erm...no sorry...I can't'
'Why not? You did last week'
'I'm not allowed to. My union told me not to do it...It's now a sackable offence!'
'A sackable offence for putting on legitimate points from my spent cash onto someone elses card?!'
' Yep...however...if you had just taken her card without telling me, and then handed it over to me without asking me if it were OK...i could've done it love.'
Unbelievable. Tesco...you tight f*****s. Note to self...Don't be lazy...take food cash and spend it elsewhere!

Folksy delights!

2011-01-10T12:05:00.021Z

Hello!...These 2 delightful cards popped through my front door this morning...and they are made by Scottish designer and visual artist Jay Anderson. Please come and see her super wee 'Folksy' store by clicking on the link below (-;

http://www.folksy.com/shops/RedRoadDesign

(an early) Folksy Friday....Keep your pecker up!

2011-01-06T15:11:00.107Z

Well...you need to don't-cha! V.A.T...up...inflation...up...fare rises...up...food prices...up...not to mention job cuts, 3 types of flu doing the rounds and vile weather to grimace in. Whoopee-do. Welcome to fun filled Britain. Livin' it large people? Thought not! So...put a little smile on your face and some happy thoughts under your thermal hat with these delightful up-beat items from the super 'Folksy' store. Click on the links for more details. Go on...support the independent traders out there (-;

http://www.folksy.com/items/712761-Happy-Post-Day

http://www.folksy.com/items/1078749-Felt-light-bulb-brooch

http://www.folksy.com/items/1125145-Tooth-Fairy-Plush

http://www.folksy.com/items/1143529-hetty-the-hoover

http://www.folksy.com/items/1192997-Gingerbread-Man-Necklace

Re-listed today!

2011-01-04T19:53:00.027Z

I re-listed these Chandelier earrings in my Folksy shop as they have been a very popular order. Made with sterling Silver hooks these Pewter lovebirds can be made with any colour combination of Swarovski crystals. Liking? For more information please click on the link below. Tweet tweet my lovelies!

www.folksy.com/items/1199505-Chandelier-Lovebird-Earrings

Happy New Year...with my 'dos' and 'don'ts'...

2011-01-02T19:44:00.020Z

I'm a bit crest-fallen. Weighed myself this morning and i have put on 4 lardy pounds. Not surprising really...seen the Christmas day luncheon list? Wasn't helped that i managed to down a bottle of Baileys in a week. How much cream and sugar and toxins in that? So yummy though. So damn good. A yearly treat from my Mother-in-law...gone in 7 days...and earlier this evening we polished off another Christmas pudding with cream! Still...Paul will be on his low carb/ no booze/ holier than thou 8 weeks of strict dietary matters...me on tow in a truly disgruntled manner. He has a will of steel...I on the other hand will suffer from a supreme lack of sugar and alcohol and be thoroughly miserable. Happy days ahead then.

And what of new year resolutions/things to do/things not to do for 2011? Let me try...

No shouting. Or wise-cracks.
Love thy neighbour. (No...not directed at you lovely Lynne!...)
No pushy mother syndrome. ( You seen that Morecambe and Wise docu-drama?)
Cut the alcohol units. Don't watch the clock for 6pm...
Don't wind Moira up.
Don't go out my way to find the councillor who took the decision to close Wiggenhall Road dump...and smash the mouldy dishwasher on to his door step.
Don't let my nearly 13 year old stress me to the point i down a Valium.
Go run...even if Antonia or Denise can't.
Special note to self...learn to be patient.

Happy New Year!

A Moody Christmas!

2010-12-22T20:33:00.009Z

Hello lovely readers!
I've been away some time eh? That's because ( I'm pleased to report ) I have been VERY busy indeed... work wise...and also with the run up to Christmas. Not to disappoint, there have been a few Victor Meldrew moments including a major huffy episode in that blummin' St. Albans branch of Jack Wills. I was outraged! Outraged of Bushey i tell you. How very dare they!
Deep breath....and moving on...to my lovely but oh so nuts family. Take a look at this list people...sent from a wonderful Auntie. Nope...it's not made up...I copied and pasted it for your eyes only! It's the yearly Christmas lunch into evening doo. 25-28 in 1 sitting...including a 'talent' show from all the kids 16 and under...you know..joke telling/ dancing/ singing etc. Boxing day Paul's family come to ours. We do a deluxe buffet of sorts and sit around the telly like ' The Royles '. Super fun all 'round (-;

2010 Christmas Menu
Lunch Main
Mel & Paul: Turkey (& turkey meat juices to add to gravy)
Prunes in bacon
Brussels sprouts
(hostess trolley)

Lara & Jeremy: Gluten free sausages
Roast Parsnips, Roast potatoes, Mashed potatoes,
Peas, Green beans, Sweet Corn

Emma & Russ Onion Gravy, Nut Roast

Michael & Heather: Mashed Swede
Fruit salad (for lunch and evening)
Crackers (to pull)

Lynda & Nigel Bread sauce Cranberry Sauce

Judy and Brian Chipolata Sausages, Mini Sausages Chestnut stuffing,
Yorkshire puddings (if large freezer in working order)

Lunch Pudding
Lara & Jeremy Cream, Custard, Brandy butter

Judy & Brian Christmas puddings (traditional plus chocolate and gluten free option)
Jelly, Ice Cream, Cornets
Drinks

Lara and Jeremy Wine, Soft drinks, Fizzy Water

Lynda and Nigel Beer
Judy and Brian Tea, Coffee, Milk, Elderflower cordial, Cranberry Juice, Iced water
Afternoon Tea/Supper and Snacks
Mel & Paul Roast ham,

Emma and Russ Couscous salad

Lara & Jeremy Small amount Smoked salmon/lemons & very very few bagels
gluten free loaf Crisps (incl gluten free option)
Olives; Dips; Crudites
Cheese; Crackers Green salad

Lynda & Nigel Potato Salad

Lara & Jeremy Satsumas, Option Christmas cake

Michael & Heather (left over) Fruit Salad

Judy and Brian Traditional Christmas cake (inc gluten free option)
Mince pies (inc gluten free option)

Lynda & Nigel Trifle

NB It would be much appreciated if contributions were brought in ready to serve/heat containers with serving cutlery but, where appropriate, already as hot as possible.
Please could we all, including myself and Brian – but Lynda are you paying attention? -
at long last realise we always over cater quantities.
It would be even more appreciated if – while done as an act of kindness and with good
Intent – nobody attempted to wash up after lunch. Lara and Jeremy kindly supply all tableware for lunch and our arrangement is that it goes from table to crate and returned to Lisburne
Road’s washing up machine. Otherwise, without wishing to be churlish and ungrateful, it just
gets muddled with that belonging here.

List It Tuesday! 10 tunes i secretly listen to...

2010-11-16T13:30:00.018Z

The best part to the beginning of the week starts here for me...with the excellent listings club hosted by American blogger Amy@ Artsyville. Here's mine then...a list consisting of tunes i secretly listen to from Paul's i-pod. I often tell him i have no interest with his erratic taste in music, but it's a big fat lie. He'll download and then i will have a sneaky listen. Some of it's damn good. Much of it i just don't get! Here goes then with a few choices...

1 Ian Dury and the Blockheads - Sex And Drugs And Rock And Roll
If only i could comply. Really only people under the age of 21 should this be relevant. Actually....i do know a few who have seen it / done it and lived to tell some very interesting tales that i for one can only gawp at in disbelief and envy. I play this to my kids by the way....and then give 'em a lecture...Drugs / Drink / Sex...blah blah blah...

2 Elbow - The Bones Of You
I suppose this band are cutting edge. I must admit they are rather intriguing. I like the fact there are many instruments played and you can detect the lead singer has a Northern accent.

3 David Bowie - Ashes to Ashes
Ah...The Dame! I love ' Golden Years '...but I'm happy to be seen listening to that in public! This, on the other hand is Bowie's self indulgent nonsense, but it bounces along very nicely, and is very catchy indeed.... reminds me fondly of the early 1980's.

4 Morrissey - Come Back To Camden
Sigh....I have to tell you, i couldn't stand ' The Smiths ' in their prime. Blummin' Morrissey flinging about with flowers over his head. Spouting off about this and that. Thinking he was the dogs you-knows. However....move it on 20 years or so, and i think his lyrics and songs were spot on. He's still very intense and precious...but his deepened voice is stunning! The track listed above...well, i lived in Camden many years. Just a wonderful visual song.

5 Kaiser Chiefs - Every Day I Love You Less And Less
Don't go to ' Scream Therapy '... just shove this on and rant along side it. Marvelous. You can direct it in your mind at anyone who deserves a negative rant. Shove and point yer fingers!

6 Van Morrison - Orangefield
So here we have a fantastic singer who is unbelievably grouchy and mumbles and has a massive ego...but hey, he 'aint half talented. When i hear this i visualise Marnie dancing a beautiful slip-jig. The reality is me...prancing around the kitchen.

7 Steely Dan - Haitian Divorce
Still not sure what this is about. Profound those Steely people. Great to sing along too. Liking the wha wha guitar and sort of Reggie feel.

8 Neil Young - Unknown Legend
A rather wistful song...makes me think of old rockers and their motor-bikes on old dusty roads...twangy guitar country music. Ambles along nicely.

9 The Stranglers - Golden Brown
It only recently dawned on me what this was surely about! I love the odd rhythm of this..3/4 4/4 and a sort of waltzing effect. Eerie...quite delectable. Mind you...in an interview with their drummer, he quipped the song was about Marmite!

10 Dr. Feelgood - Milk And Alcohol
A corker! Fast and furious. Relevent to no.1 on the list. A band i wished i'd seen in their hey-day.

So there's a short selection. Maybe go seek and find? Do tell your seceret song likes...and for more listing pleasures go to
http://artsyville.blogspot.com/search/label/list%20it%20tuesday

List It Tuesday! Queen's talk...

2010-11-09T14:17:00.027Z

Erm...not the Queen you're probably thinking of. More like year 8 at Queen's school/Hertfordshire. Following on from list-it Tuesday last week, I'm presenting this weeks word-a-tron with a few of my 'besties' gathered from my eldest. Word up!

1 SPANNER- Meaning idiot. Cretinous fool. Class clown.

2 FACE IT - Originally i thought this was a Face Book mannerism.. Not so. It is the equivalent sister of ' Talk to the hand'.

3 PENG - What this derives from is beyond me. Means fine looking/utterly cool. An example...That boy is peng / that new top is peng / yer mate is peng innit!

4 EPIC FAIL - My favourite. Shortened to 'eppie'. As in...'Dad...your singing to that new Black Eyed Peas number is an epic fail.'

5 SHMEXY - Meaning hot. You can guess!

6 LARRY - Larryowna = Onyerowna = On your own... E.g... 'He was on his Larry walking to school this morning'

7 NUMPTY- As in ...Don't be a numpty / don't be daft.

8 RANDOM - Meaning unexpected, different, surprising...in a good way! 'That i-tune you downloaded is well random.'

9 SPECIAL - The opposite infact...as in 'Leave Mum right alone...she's having a special day.'

10 OH DEAR! - An explanation to just about anything. 'You like that? Oh dear! OH DEAR!'

Any others you know of? Please do tell! Oh...and have a peep at this great blog with all the Tuesday lists...http://artsyville.blogspot.com/search/label/list%20it%20tuesday

List It Tuesday! Alternative blasphemies...

2010-11-02T13:42:00.026Z

Oh I do love a list... One of lifes pleasures and very satisfying. So my 'List It Tuesday' are my top 10 'non-swear-words'. Very handy when One is caught up in duplicate road rage incidents and altercations around the Prime-marche (sounds better that plain ole Primark) or those who are flash with cash the emporium that is Marco et Spensari (Erm...Marks and Spencer) It's that time of year ya know? The season of barging trolleys and grabbing cut-price alcoholic beverages and salted nuts. Oh my days! Here we are then....

1 SHAVE OFF - This is very satisfactory to pronounce in a coarse and common fashion. I for one use it rather alot with full gusto when incandescent with rage. My favourite 'non-swear'.

2 RUDDY NORA - Who is Nora? Why is she ruddy? Not sure...but good to mumble in grumpy fashion.

3 FOR PETE'S SAKE - When my Dad is actually not swearing in the proper sense he uses this one quite regularly. Not sure who Pete is but hey.

4 NAFF OFF - Literal meaning is 'go away'... uttered by the wonderful Ronnie Barker as Stanley Fletcher doing time at her Majesty's Pleasure, in one of the best TV series of all time...Porridge.

5 FLIPPIN' 'ECK - My Son likes this.

6 BLIMOUS - You can thank Sid James and the Carry-On team for that one!

7 COR LUMMY - So 1940's. A lovely old school genteel number. It's used to express surprise or shock. You could get away with this in the supermarket. 'Cor lummy....watch where you are going with that shopping trolley Mrs!'

8 OI YOU PLONKER - Another fine example given to us by that lovable rogue 'Dell-boy' from the super 'Only Fools and Horses' series. Yes...i love the institutional repeats that are given to us every Yuletide on TV since the 1970's.

9 FLAMMIN' AIDA - I think this is also taken from 'Only Fools And Horses'...Grandad uses to say it? Nice one for all you older folk.

10 SHIATSU - This...i believe...is a kind of massage. Sounds like a good 'non-swear' and i like using it thus.

Hope you enjoyed my list. Please feel free to add your own...but please be courteous too (-;
Here is the official link for all you Listers!

http://artsyville.blogspot.com/search/label/list%20it%20tuesday">

Freight Night...

2010-10-28T20:59:00.013+01:00

Oh how we love Halloween at Moody Villas! I thoroughly enjoy decorating the porch with Paul and the brood...soon they will be back to 'Spooksville Road' from their camping larks. A little taster then from a previous year...

List It Tuesday! Liquorice

2010-10-26T18:30:00.020+01:00

It's a strange but common addiction. I have to scribble lists.
I write a 'to-do' list every morning and have an on-going 'write-down-food-items-we-are-running-out-of' list on the fridge plus 2 other sorts in my diary. You can imagine my excitement then...fellow blogger 'Pointy Pix' kindly shared a link to 'Artsville' and her antics! I joined straight away of course...so here is my 1st blogged list...a top 10 in no particular order.

Liquorice. ( I don't eat Bassetts liquorice allsorts anymore...the recipe has changed...too soft and very sweet fondant for my liking)

Wheels
Torpedoes
Spanners
Laces
Salted
Pontefract cakes
Toffee
Sticks
Dip-dab
Twists

Please click on the link below for more list information and to join the club!
( Be warned! This is a serious form of entertainment when you reach 40.)

http://artsyville.blogspot.com/2010/10/list-it-tuesday

October camping....NOT!

2010-10-25T20:41:00.049+01:00

So off they go then. Moodys en-masse without Mama. Some of you know by now that my family find camping larks an exhilarating pleasure. Except me. I'm not enticed by the great out-doors of beautiful Somerset/Devon in October, even if the tent is of a deluxe nature, or that the daily breakfast is chocolate Hob-Nob biscuits and Bacon butties. There is also a Von-Trapp campfire singing experience. Marnie haughtily informed me that this time she and Joseph were going to sing a rendition of Kasabian's 'Fire'. Well... i do hope they enjoy playing instruments, otherwise their fingers will be twirling tissues...all electronic Nintendo type appliances are banned! Along with Jessica's ludicrous make-up bag. I must admit...Paul organised a super half-term holiday for them. There's a spooky Halloween castle tour booked in Dunster, Horse riding, and the Brampton charter olde fair my lovelies! I think i will settle down with a glass of Southwest cider and toast them on this chilly evening. That's as near to Devon I'm going!

http://sugarplumkawaii.blogspot.com/2010/05/joys-of-campingpart-2

Folksy Friday....Winter Blues

2010-10-22T14:08:00.028+01:00

Here is a selection of frosty beauties with a Blue wintry feel. You can purchase these hand-made goodies from the super Folksy store. Come see! Just click on the links.

Soft gauntlets by Helen Dey http://www.folksy.com/items/781781

Winter sun brooch by Lynwoodcrafts http://www.folksy.com/items/891849>

Winter garden brooch by Silk purse/ Sow's Ear http://www.folksy.com/items/854157

Mulled wine badge by Tea and Ceremony www.folksy.com/items/892553

Russian doll hot water bottle cover by Nickynackynoo http://www.folksy.com/items/927253

My personal note on austerity meaures...

2010-10-21T13:43:00.014+01:00

Deep joy. 81 Billion has be found to wipe that massive hole...and we ain't talking about the one you stuff cake into. Who to blame? The previous government? The bankers? The benefit scroungers? Our own personal greed? A nation split and on it's raw knees. Reckless ideology reminiscent of a Conservative 1980's...or policies that by the skin of all our teeth pull us back from the brink of that abyss...just look at Ireland. Look at Greece. A serious Winter of discontent. And then some.

Tomorrow i will be frivolous as it's Folksy Friday.

Christmas stocking necklace!

2010-10-20T15:14:00.010+01:00

Oh-so-cute Christmas stocking necklace!

A delightful enamel charm adorned with 5 Swarovski crystals... happily sitting on a festive Green bobblechain.
This would make a lovely gift....sent in a funky coloured organza gift bag.
Please click for more details....

http://www.folksy.com/items/923809

Kawaii Gingerbread man....

2010-10-13T09:36:00.004+01:00

I listed this cute Gingerbread man with a snowball necklace this morning on the fabulous 'Folksy.' Please take a peep for more details...

http://www.folksy.com/items/898437