YES YES YES

He got it - DS got the job as a veterinary nurse and college have agreed he can finish his course as a correspondant.

He will do two more Monday and Tuesdays at the kennels for his work experience, and the remaining of those weeks at college beofre starting at the vets full time. He will just need to go back to college for a couple of tutorials and we have to agree to keep him on track to finish his course.

He is off to the vets on Saturday to sort everything out and discuss the in's and out's of times, etc. He is so pleased and we are so proud as it is very hard to get into vets, especially when still in training.

Last night he performed his first gig with his band Under 63. They were so nervous but played really well. The mics caused a bit of trouble at the beginning but were soon sorted. I wouldn't say the music was my preferred taste but he did really well to stand up there, play bass and be lead singer. They had also written all their own songs. We were very proud watching him, it takes a lot of confidence to do that infront of an unknown crowd.

Thanks for all the kind wishes and positive thoughts.

One final bit of news is DD has her Religious Studies GCSE tomorrow - she is only in Year 10 and is taking it early so fingers crossed she does ok.

UFO Night and some good news

Tonight is JA UFO Night and I have done another flower on my Perennial Garden by The Drawn Thread. This week it's Day Lily and I think they look perfect, I love lillies.

I have had a night of cooking tonight. On our trip to Leicester on Thursday I bought loads of fruit and veg; they have a great market. I had loads of tomatoes that needed eating so I've made a huge amount of tomato and carrot soup - it smells yummy. We are also cakeless for lunches so I've made a batch of chocolate crispie cakes - just need some willpower now to resist popping one into my lunch box.

The good news is DS has been offered a job at a local vets - we're so pleased. He has been trying for ages to get a job in a practice - he is currently studying Animal Management at Moreton Morrell College. He has to do two days work experience at present but this is at a local kennels, although last year he did have a vet placement for one day a week. He wants to go on to do Veterinary Nursing and for this needs a permenant paid job at a vets and be able to do one day a week at college. Over the last two years he has sent off over 30 letters and at last he may have a place. The vets want him but they want him now so he needs to see if he can finish this course (only 8 weeks of actual college) as a correspondant. We don't want him to give up the course or it's two years work wasted but the job is perfect.

Fingers crossed and positive thoughts it will all work out - he's at college tomorrow so will be able to ask then.

AND his band have their first gig tomorrow night and another on Friday - things are beginning to look better for him. His provisional licence arrived the other day too, another good sign.

Thanks for listening to my rambling again, happy stitching everyone.

HD more cards

Yesterday I went to Telford with mum and DD to the Craft 4 Crafters exhibition. Mum had two free tickets and DD got in free which was a bonus. DH took us but decided to go round Telford whilst we went in.

It was a lot lot smaller than the NEC but much quieter and easier to see the exhibits and displays. Most stands had people happy to demonstrate and it was easy to get in to watch (not like the NEC push and shove).

I bought some fasteners and beads for my bead work, a box for my card making, some decoupage scissors and a pricking tool... then I spotted a new cutout stamp...ooohhh

The demonstration was superb and I needed a coffee to think about it as it was quite expensive for one cutout. Decision made we went back just before leaving to buy the stamp... but there was a package price too that included all the equipment needed to make some fantastic things.

Needless to say I bought the package plus a couple of other small bits to go with it - well it was my half term treat ;)

I played quite happily last night practicing with all the bits. I finally managed to make three cards and I can't wait until next weekend to make some more.

It has spurned me on to sort out my card making boxes and today I have had a very satisfying time going through all my stash. I now have quite a few re-cycled items that I am planning on making into new cards maybe tonight or tomorrow.

Thank you for looking at my craft work.

An Award

Elisa has given me an award - thanks Elisa you are very kind, it's nice to know people appreciate my waffling and enjoy sharing my news.

The award details are: "These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these kind writers. When you pass the award along please include these guidelines. I am to choose eight friends to share this with."

It's been difficult to choose - my eight bloggers are:

Jan

Susimac

Julie

Karan

Elisa (by return)

Maria

Chris

Niki (the cake maker)

Enjoy this award and don't forget to pass it on - happy blogging.

Philippa's Birthday

Yesterday was our DD's 15th birthday. She didn't want a particular gift this year - just wanted to go shopping LOL, so we took her to Meadowhall at Sheffield and boy did she shop. DH and I were exhausted, but it was great to see Philippa enjoying herself. I treated myself to a purchase from Paperchase, a new pencil tin. I don't like cases and have searched everywhere for a new one, it's dark purple background with lots of 70's style flowers over it.


This year Philippa made her own cake - she did it all, baking and icing. It looked great and tasted delicious.

There must be something magical about turning 15 because DS gave DD a book - she doesn't read but liked the film Twilight so he bought her the book. Well she hasn't put it down, she was even reading in the car yesterday - I'm really pleased as DH, DS and I are all avid readers. I've just finished "Winter Rose" by Patricia McKillip, it's one I borrowed from the school library. I have never heard of the author but fancied the title and it turned out to be quite a good read, lots of intrigue, mystery, two different worlds and of course love. I've now started reading "The Beckoning Hills" by Ruth Elwin Harris - it's one of the Sisters of the Quantock Hills series.

I have been stitching but the things I've made are gifts so I can't share just yet. I did not do any of my Perennial Garden for JA UFO Night yesterday because I was so tired after all the shopping so I don't even have that stitching to show...BUT... tonight I have made a few cards. They look better in the photo than in real life LOL. They are from a DMC card kit, I did a Christmas one the other year so decided to have a go at the pink birthday one but I'm not so pleased with these. I am going to add some "Happy Birthday" or "Best Wishes" stickers on.

Half term is half way over and I have stacks to do still, but it is nice to be at home for a while. I hope everyone else is having a good week whether it's half term or not for you :)

2 for Miss-tree and Perennial update

Angi very kindly sent me some girlie charts from some magazines. I have stitched two for the Miss-tree - they have turned out well and I have already chosen next two to do :)











I have been working hard on the Perennial Garden - I'm doing this with JA UFO Night and this week I managed to do the violets.

It's half term now, hurrah, the last two weeks have been very mixed up with all the snow, hope everyone is ok and no-one has had any real trouble.

I have had a really tight chest the last few days which is making me out of breathe going up stairs, one of the reasons why I haven't been online much. It is getting better but is very annoying.

A huge thank you to Allie Brown for the beautiful layout I'm now using for my blog.

Enjoy half term if it's this week for you, happy stitching :)

Thanks Elisa - and we've got snow!

Elisa, my wonderfully kind stitching friend and fellow blogger, has given me this award.

Thanks Elisa I was very touched, it was a great surprise.

As part of this award, I have to list 5 of my addictions and to award 5 bloggers who I think are fabulous.

These are my 5 addictions:

1. Stitching - the only No. 1 addiction

2. Wine - especially drinking french red in the Languedoc

3. Chocolate - Galaxy every time

4. Our caravan in Wales - it's just perfect

5. I agree with Elisa's fifth choice...

but have to say "coffee" although it's a close call LOL

My fabulous blog awards go to:

1. Karan
2. Chris
3. Jan

4. Susimac

5. Christine

We have snow again today - so another day off school for me and Philippa, and Michael has been unable to get to the kennels for his work placement as it is out in the country. This was our back garden at 8.30 this morning.

This is my twisted hazelnut in the front garden - I think it looks fabulous covered in snow,

and look who came calling for breakfast. I have run out of bird seed so I put out some broken cornflakes - it must be hard for them - be like us eating ice cream all the time.

I hope everyone is keeping warm and cosy, have fun if you are playing in the snow, thanks for popping by.

UFO day

School was closed at lunchtime yesterday and is also closed today so I have been able to get on with some of my stitching/craft jobs. I have also done some h....work and some reading for school so quite a busy day really.


I have only recently joined JA UFO Night and am using it to stitch the Perennial Garden by The Drawn Thread. It's a lovely way to see it grow as I can just about manage to stitch a plant a week. Anyway today I decided to get ahead of the game and have already stitched today's plant "achillea". I am really glad I did it in the day light as there is no cross stitch at all but Lazy Daisy stitching for the leaves and larfe French Knots which have 4 wraps. I love the finish but it took some concentrating to follow the chart/fabric holes and to get the knots to lie right.



Last night I cut out and put together three more decoupage flower designs so this morning I also made them up into cards. I find making these quite therapeutic and just love the finished effect.





















I have finally finished reading "Sepulchre" by Kate Mosse and didn't want the book to end. I read her other novel "Labyrinth" last year and kept forgetting to pick up this one. Like my favourite novel "Chocolate" - and "The Lollipop Shoes"which I finished early January - this one is also set in France, namely the Languedoc which is my favourite area. The town and village settings are all places we have been to and as we have great interest in Rennes-le-Chateau, which has links to "The Da Vinci Code", it was easy to feel as if I was actually there and not reading from afar.


I'm now trying "Will" by Christopher Rush, it is written as if it is William Shakespeare's biography. It is not quite my taste, I feel some of the language and graphic detail is just to add sensationalism, but I'll keep going and see how it goes.


I have four small surprise projects I want to do so maybe tonight I can start one of those being as I have done my UFO. This afternoon I am hoping to do some more of the charting for my bookmarks. The charts are looking good so far and I am getting more and more confident with the program (it's Jane Greenoff's) so hopefully they will turn out ok.


I didn't think I had much to share today but I seem to have waffled on a bit, thank you for popping by for a read.