the down side of son learning to drive.....

Number two son learnt to drive....I was over the moon for him.....
Passed his test one day, looked at a car the next day,drove the car home on the third day and drove to leeds airport on the fourth day to fly to work.......
A month later I am bored of said son being able to drive...the novelty for me is wearing off....It's his new "thing" I know he is sensibly getting driving practise in....but...I'll forget how to catch a bus soon.....I'll take you....pick you up......do you want to come home?.....do you want to go anywhere ?....do you want to go to shops.......Just popping out...(means he's going for a drive) his friends have seen more of him than ever.....now wants to fit this that and the other to the car......and.....If as he keeps talking about..... that he does leave home....lifts will stop or at least be timetabled ....
He needs the garage emptying to get car in....garage built in 1958 for a little Standard 8 car... his is not a little car.....he might get it in but have to crawl out the hatchback...if he has enough headroom to get out...lol
Spent another day sorting out the full garage.....his stuff is filling the large hallway awaiting some "day" when he will sort it out......he says most of it will be thrown away.......so I have to navigate through the mess until the arrival of the "day." I have given away stuff to someone who does car boots and to someone else who paints furniture.....stuff I was saving to enjoy doing up when said son leaves home and I have his bedroom to redo. ( leaves home ? he's 27)
I have repositioned stuff that I knew where it was.....now in a new position.....will I remember where it now is...? No o o o. Guess I'll have fun opening stuff up to find what is in them.
I am messy....I like to spread....BUT it's my mess.....lol. It's creative........
The more my health improves the more I get diverted away from sorting my mess....gerrrr. Still, if he does move out...I'll gain a bedroom......In theory I'll have some indoor space and all the time in the world to sort my stuff...or will I ? It might be like when my daughter left me with her accumulations from her uni years....and the contents of her little house when she moved away....the remainder is still stacked up in my wardrobe.....there was more....we are down to one wardrobe full now.....He'll leave stuff for me to look after? Will collect later.........we'll see.......heard it all before...lol
The intensity and exuberance of relative youth......when I have the energy to plod plod plod. It tires me out....
Although I have to say it was great that said number two son drove me to see number one son and his wife and children at the Kinderland place. They were over from Italy. Younger grandchild 2yr old Luca encouraged me through the labyrinth crawling on hands and knees to the top of an enormous slide and gleefully gave me a push to start me sliding d...o..w...n stomach left me in several places and I'm sure I got friction burns to my bum...it was red hot....and with my weight I thought I would shoot straight through the cargo netting at the bottom.....great fun!

gadgets

Whilst looking for novelty stocking fillers for my three grown ups "children" I came across CSI cookie cutters  "gingerdead men" and a CSI towel......for daughter who is an avid fan of the series. Gingerbread men that have been partially nibbled, skeleton and zombie ones.....Gingernija men....cookie cutter nail polish shapes, hairdryer...lipstick...as well as kiddies TV and film favourites....transport, fish, tools....even cookie cutters for moustaches which seem to be the "in" thing. Flexible moulds for fondant, chocolate and ice.....robots, hotlips, sewing notions, pirate coins, scottiedogs .angels.....alsorts.....even....bullets and guns ! Surprisingly I think CSI deadmen cartoon-like shapes are OK but guns and bullets...no.
But, I got completely sidetracked by pizza cutters.......in all shapes and sizes......chainsaw....circular saw....trick cyclist monkey.....an acrobat....vespa style scooter and an Italian syle moped.....Marg and Bart slicer and grater....even a starship Enterprise ! and many more...... a plastic tenon saw cake slice, a Karate hand chopper for lettace......An alarm clock that you strap on your wrist and it vibrates you awake !! A lot were amusing to see but I wouldn't buy......
I did buy some alphabet cookie cutters that are double sided....one side cuts shape and the other impresses the letter.  .....I may not actually use them for culinary purposes..........I AM thinking of buying the Moustache cutters and impressers......again not for culinary purposes........can anyone guess what I might use them for I wonder.....Lyn already knows, I've told her....she said I don't need them.. !
Wishing you all peace and contentment for the New Year

books books books

These are ebay finds......as I have never heard of the titles or authors I never know what I am getting.......until they arrive...... I only think I know what I am getting....... All these are 15yrs old or more.
the crochet book has a really interesting cover....all freeform-y....the blurb listed all different types of crochet.....sounded quite exciting....an early freeform book ? yummy ! oops no ! it is very clear instruction book on how to do different types of crochet.....after initial disappointment....pleased with it.
Applique book....well it was the mother of pearl buttons on the front that seduced me ! Contents again not quite what I thought I might find.....but very interesting, origins, makers profiles, things to make.... so yet again very pleased with my cheap purchase. (with apologies to seller)
The Pat Olson books....well never heard of her either......but wanted something with painting techniques in like the American primitive style ornaments........step by step how to paint each one....... wish you could have seen my face when I opened these........my jaw dropped.......I couldn't believe it...........
..I......HAD.......BOUGHT......GLORIFIED........COLOURING BOOKS..............! Line drawings to colour in....like a child's colouring book, not a cheapo one, true....but not what I was expecting at all.......then the penny dropped.....like it said on the front of the book....they were PATTERN BOOKS...not what I expected....but in a way.....better than I expected....dozens and dozens of patterns to copy and use, some in several sizes.....really pleased with these.....even though the book is not what I thought it would be!!! As I looked through the drawings I was inspired, I had colours in my head, 3D shapes, wall hangings, applique style etc.....etc.
The moral of this story ? don't buy on ebay without actually having some idea of what you are buying, READ what it says on the book and especially.......don't buy on ebay with a glass of VINO in your hand......because next time....I may not be so lucky !lol

This one was published in 1977....its chock full of ideas. Yes some are dated.....but you just revamp them. It smells a little fusty so its being left open and pages turned occasionally in another room.

two ruffle trees and  a coat hanger tree, a maypole tree.

bottom right trees are made from egg cartons !
At the moment wool embroidered felt ornaments are "in" .......in 1977 they were "in" too! The shapely christmas stockings were in vogue then too.
When I get rid of some of the fusty smell I shall be going through the book seeking inspiration, sketching out my ideas for next years craft fairs.....lol

owls in the bargain book

I bought this old book for £1 from a charity shop...... it fell open at .....the wonderful owls..... so I had to have it. Typically of the 1970s early 1980s it dosn't have the detailed instructions we have got used to today.   ...a pattern to graph up...a small amount of text and the picture of three embroidered owls to be inspired by and copy in your own way. Wonder.....is that why I rarely follow a pattern ? Some really dated things in the book but plenty to revamp. Great find....

Unfinishable Project at The Knitting and Stitching Show at Harrogate

This project investigated the reasons why we had tucked away unfinished projects. Although many of us could finish what we or someone else had started......we didn't for some reason.....often not understood by ourselves......but through this project have confronted the shadowy spectre and survived.

In the second picture is a tapestry piece to celebrate the birth of my youngest son. I knew he'd be my last child, so, when I saw this Glorafilia kit in an ex-catalogue shop, at a hugely reduced price I bought it and set to work on it..........with a baby, time was one issue.......but also I didn't want to do it.......My friend, Judy, loved doing this kind of thing..... but after six months she gave me it back ....unfinished..... I had thought I'd make a similar one but in the 70s colours for my other two children so they all had one.......My son is now 27yrs old......I couldn't throw it away, thought vaguely about chopping it up and completing the remaining section......but somehow that wasn't an option.
Seeing it at Harrogate, half hiding behind another piece.....the penny dropped.....and now I know why I bought it and why I couldn't finish it. It feels good to know......

upcycling a blind

Neighbours and friends know to ask if I want something before they dump it......often the timing is just right ! it will just what I needed to make something....or it will "speak" to me ....and I know I will be needing it and it will be perfect....just wait and see.....sometimes I think...as all de-clutters tell you....I've had it X amount of time and haven't used it....take it to Scrap Store or dump it..... only to find a day or week later IT WAS PERFECT for what I am about to make...............gerr !

So this wooden Venetian blind ....given to me in an unopened state in (embarrassed...cough..cough)....2009......shouted at me NOW IS THE TIME.........
I love dismantling things.....and I soon had a pile of slats.....  Over the years I have made these stars with drinking straws, lolly sticks, cardboard strips, withies, twigs, bamboo canes, pipecleaners/wire threaded with beads and coffee stirrers and now wooden Venetian blind slats ! I lined up the holes so I could thread the cord through and thread buttons on..... didn't like it.....and couldn't work out how to decorate it. Normally I line up the ends of the sticks.....but the holes were there...and it might have worked. So I chopped off the ends with secateurs and made the smaller star. I wasn't too sure of the wood colour and tried and preferred the wood wash. I am quite pleased with the results. Then I tried making the ends meet and ignoring the cord hole because it could be covered or otherwise disguised, produced the larger star allbeit having wonky points which couldn't be "pointed"  I dismantled an old wreath to get the greenery and the baubles. Only the glue is new and the lime green bows....Lyn and I got a box of 600 for £2...need more ideas for lime green bows......Can't even give them to Scrap Store....they already have been given a couple of boxes!

I could see them being the frame for a "star shaped" Santa or Angel etc.....made some tartan circular wreaths and some raggy ones..... It's the fair tomorrow and I haven't got a lot done....so best try and finish what I've started.......
PS............  the fair was last night................the large star was snapped up as we opened....literally... the lady asked the price and then said to her husband...put your hand in your pocket and snap her hand off.........but not one of the little snowmen stars sold.....nor did any of the other wreaths I made.....strange.....may have been the new venue.....

halloween ideas

take the basic folded book spray black add broomstick, hat and cloak..... see July 25th post