Autumn woodland and Monster Plans

We had a lovely walk at the weekend, in lovely Autumn sunshine. The light at this time of year seems to try harder than usual to illuminate the beauty of nature, with long shadows falling across paths and adding contrast to all those jewel-like leaves all a-glow.

Milly will be three in December and whilst I know that's a little way off yet, I'm trying to get myself organised in advance because I know that I will be doing all kinds of Christmas stuff when it does swing round. So, I'm planning a Monster party for her and her nursery friends. Here is a prototype invitation from an idea I found by Sarson on Pinterest. I think I'll be using LOTS of googly eyes!!!

I've also started sewing up some simple little fabric party bags for the children to take home. Already this year Jess has been to two birthday parties and each time come home with a plastic bag full of crappy plastic toys, so I'm keen to do something different. After all, I don't use plastic bags when I shop and if I buy the girls plastic toys they're always second hand; why should it be any different for a party? Plastic is probably one of the biggest environmental disasters in the making, as I've written about before so even if one parent sees my efforts and decides to follow my example, it'll be worth it.

happy crappy scrappy

Chopped my hair off this morning. Ha! Looks a bit silly, but feels so much better. First thing Jude said was 'So you going to the hairdressers now to sort it out?' Pregnant women shouldn't really be allowed near sharp scissors in a hair crisis.

Last of the sun-bleached tresses

Jessie was four on Wednesday and has been having great fun with her presents. My parents bought her a keyboard with hundreds of noises on it, so she loves that. We splashed out on a little camera for here which she is thrilled by, though she can't quite figure out that the pictures she takes is what shows on the screen....

She spends a lot of time just randomly pointing at things and clicking the button whilst looking elsewhere!

We've all been horribly ill lately - me especially, like I need anything else to make me grumpier - with a particularly vicious cold which has literally had me by the throat for the last few weeks. I sound quite like a less smiley Mariella Frostrup. I spent the whole of yesterday in bed (thanks Jude) so I feel slightly more human today.

Bought a new (old) car at the weekend. Jude is continuing his happy bachelor tradition of buying crappy old cars and scrapping them a few months later. He can't even remember how many he's been through, whereas I had my trusty Golf for years, though it was decidedly worse for wear by the end with more than a few dents and a mouse living in it - I kid you not.

The quilt is coming along - three squares pieced now:

I spent some time today scratching through my scraps as I was starting to worry about not having enough material.... I think I might have enough after all.

Though now I need to spend a few hours checking through it and ironing so I can see what's actually there. The squares inbetween the ladders will be plain white, but I had originally thought it'd be nice to applique old embroidery scraps onto these:

BUT after frisking the house I can't find the damn stash of old linens I had in mind.

Granny and Grandad are coming down tomorrow to celebrate Jess and Jude's birthdays so we'll all go out for a nice meal somewhere.

Hope you're having a lovely weekend :)

Birthdays and celebrations on the way

We've been busy this week, starting our Christmas decorations:

And the present-making continues apace... in the end I decided to make both projects - at once!

Gap-tastic cowl above, lacy headband below

Milly squeezing the cat & me in my lovely handmade headband - thank you Lisa! :)

Milly's birthday is fast approaching - as is mine, which I feel very ambivalent about - so I have been secretly building up a stash of gifts for her. It's very hard trying to explain how to keep secrets to a 3 year old though - she's dying to tell Milly what she's got! Luckily she's not seen the main things - a cute monkey costume, which I think she will LOVE and facepaints - YAY!! I bought some for Jess too so she doesn't feel left out. I also ordered some helium balloons something I've never done before, which is really exciting. As usual I've spent my birthday money on gifts for other people, but I did treat myself to some overpriced but very yummy Cath Kidston hand cream.

So this week I have lots to get done - well for me anyway - birthday cake and card to make, finishing off knitting projects before their owners-to-be arrive for Mil's birthday this weekend, so I can stash them away and try to resist the temptation to get them out and show them off! Granny and Grandad AND Aunty Boo AND my sis are coming to visit which is fantastic - my sis lives up Lancaster way so it's a treat to see her, and we don't often see Aunty Boo either. Then Granny is taking Jess back with her for a couple of nights, which will be the first time she's stayed away from home.... she'll have such a good time! I had hoped to get out to the new River Cottage restaurant which has opened in Plymouth for a birthday meal this weekend but sadly it was not to be, fully booked. Bangers n'mash in the local pub instead methinks!

Have a lovely week!