stay in sunday

Stay in... bed for as long as the guilt holds off!

We had a lovely leisurely morning and didn't get out of bed until the list of the days chores were forefront in our minds and we could relax no longer!  MrG's gone to the office for a few hours to plan the work schedule for next week and I am supposed to be ironing the school uniforms but as you can see I find other more interesting things to do first!

Stay in... doors as the weather is grim!

I don't know what it is like with you but we have woken to wet and windy weather and it looks as if it's here to stay for the day.  It looks very grim and grey.  We have plenty to keep us occupied indoors - Little MissG has a Spanish speaking test tomorrow so she has her head in her Spanish book.  The boys have exams this week too - Ben has A'level General Studies and Guy has GCSE World History - so they should be revising too, shouldn't they?  I have the usual house work to do and of course the ironing too!  I am going to clear my living room of all the pictures and ornaments and take down the curtains etc. ready for decorating - to encourage me to start this week.  I also have my rug to complete this weekend - I bought my final batch of wool yesterday so I now have no excuse not to get it finished!  Here's a couple of photos of said rug....

Isn't it lovely?  I think the colours are scrumptious!  I can't wait to get it finished and into my summerhouse.

Well, I better close now as the ironing pile is calling me!  I hope the weather is better with you and that you enjoy your Sunday whatever you are doing!

Stay in... touch!

Please drop me a line to let me know you've visited me here at Rubylu.  Please leave a comment.  Thanks x

stay in sunday

Stay in... bed for as long as the guilt holds off!

We had a lovely leisurely morning and didn't get out of bed until the list of the days chores were forefront in our minds and we could relax no longer!  MrG's gone to the office for a few hours to plan the work schedule for next week and I am supposed to be ironing the school uniforms but as you can see I find other more interesting things to do first!

Stay in... doors as the weather is grim!

I don't know what it is like with you but we have woken to wet and windy weather and it looks as if it's here to stay for the day.  It looks very grim and grey.  We have plenty to keep us occupied indoors - Little MissG has a Spanish speaking test tomorrow so she has her head in her Spanish book.  The boys have exams this week too - Ben has A'level General Studies and Guy has GCSE World History - so they should be revising too, shouldn't they?  I have the usual house work to do and of course the ironing too!  I am going to clear my living room of all the pictures and ornaments and take down the curtains etc. ready for decorating - to encourage me to start this week.  I also have my rug to complete this weekend - I bought my final batch of wool yesterday so I now have no excuse not to get it finished!  Here's a couple of photos of said rug....

Isn't it lovely?  I think the colours are scrumptious!  I can't wait to get it finished and into my summerhouse.

Well, I better close now as the ironing pile is calling me!  I hope the weather is better with you and that you enjoy your Sunday whatever you are doing!

Stay in... touch!

Please drop me a line to let me know you've visited me here at Rubylu.  Please leave a comment.  Thanks x

happy birthday sis

I would like to wish my little sister a * Very Happy Birthday *  I hope the sun is shining with you and you have a wonderful day.  I wish we were with you to share the buffet and birthday cake!

thoroughly enjoyable thursday

I had a really, really lovely day yesterday.  It was my day off so I arranged to spend the day with my mum and sister.  We met in Penrith, a lovely little market town just south of Carlisle.  The weather forecast wasn't good for the day so we went armed with our brollies but in fact we enjoyed a lovely sunny afternoon. 

It will be my sisters birthday on Sunday but as I won't see her on the day it gave me the chance to present her with her present!  Mum, very kindly treated us to a delicious lunch in the Bewick Coffee House. 

I was also on the hunt for a birthday present for MrG's mum and Fathers Day presents for both of our Dads.  I try to buy presents when I see something that I know the recipient will be pleased with and then put them away in my present box until needed.  That way I know they will be happy with their present and I avoid buying something on impulse thinking 'that will do'.

I returned home with some beautiful local produce from a traditional greengrocer - plums, cherries and local new potatoes.

I also bought some new things to start a new craft project.  We called into the Penrith Craft Shop to look for decopatch or patterned tissue paper to top up our craft supplies and although they didn't have any they did have lots of other things that inspired us to try.  My Mum bought some wool to make a spiderweb scarf and we bought some card making bits and pieces.  I'm not really into hand made cards (apart from the ones that my children make for me) and it's not something I've fancied doing myself but they had some die-cut samples that weren't the usual naff pieces that you often see.  Anyway we all bought some so we're all going to have a go.  I think I was a bit more (maybe over) ambitious as I also bought the cellophane sleeves to put the finished cards in!  Maybe I should have made a few cards first to see if they will be good enough to sell first!  What am I like!

I have just asked to book a stall at the next Craft Market in a local village hall after seeing an advert in the village newsletter.  The next one isn't until the beginning of October so I have plenty of time to get myself organised. I haven't done one for many years but I decided that if I put my name down for a stall now then it will focus me and I will complete my craft projects more readily. I do have a habit of starting projects with gusto then moving onto the next project before finishing them.

One project I'm so looking forward to finishing is my latch-hook rug that I am making for my summerhouse.  I'm sure I could get it finished this weekend if I put my mind to it.  I do have some photos to show you - I'll drop them in later.

Another reason why I had a Thoroughly enjoyable Thursday is because it was Book Club night!  It was such a good laugh - so much fun.  The Elegance of the Hedgehog received mixed reviews - which was as expected as I think it would be hard to find a book that all 12 of us love.  Although, the group had read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larrson before I joined and I think they all agree that it has been the best book so far.  I borrowed it about three months ago and I still haven't read it! 

Our next book is going to be....

molly makes magazine

Hoorah!  My new Mollie Makes magazine was delivered yesterday.  Did you get yours?  Even after just a quick flick though I was buzzing with inspiration!  I love the whole look and feel of the magazine too - it has been styled really well.  I love the feature on maps and I plan to make something for my Dad for Fathers Day - I have an old book of road maps that has seen better days so I've already pulled some pages out ready to do some decoupage.

My first project though is the freeby felt flower kit - I think I'll sit and make it tonight.

I'm still dipping into Issue 1 too and checking out some of the blogs and websites. Great for checking out new suppliers.

Don't you just love getting a freebie?  I do!  Although I don't think the felt mobile phone kit is really me!  I'm going to be creative and use the pattern and pieces of felt to make something else - maybe a little love heart with the bird on.  Have you made yours into a phone/ipod cover or have you been creative too?

jenny eclair

Another trip out with my friends from the book club.  This time to see Jenny Eclair at the Grand Theatre in Lancaster.  She is doing her 'Old Dog, New Tricks' tour this year so if she's going to be at a theatre near you then do go and see her if you can.

She was fantastique!  I have not laughed so much in years - my cheeks were aching when we got out of the theatre and I realised that I hadn't straightened my face in more than two hours.  She was very rude but very, very funny.  A really great girls night out!

We have no other jaunts planned as yet but we are meeting up this week so we'll probably discuss any gigs/shows that are coming in the next few months.

We are meeting up to discuss our most recent book which was chosen by Jan.  The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.  I can't say it was the most enjoyable read but I like to stick with a book and give it a chance and I'm glad I did because the last few chapters got interesting!  I can't say it's one I would recommend to a friend though.  I'll have to wait until Thursday night to find out what the others thought of it - maybe they loved it.

I think it's quite difficult to chose a book that appeals to everyone - that's certainly been the case so far.  A book one person loves another really dislikes or finds difficult to get into.  It's my turn to select a book for Thursday night and I've tried to be quite relaxed about my choice - I haven't read lots of reviews on Amazon or tried to chose a book that makes me look intellectual!  I did threaten to take a Mills and Boon!

I'll let you know how it goes.  Maybe I'll be banished from the Club!

half-term hols

It was half-term holidays for my little family last week and we were been blessed with beautiful weather.  My daughter little MissG and I had a few days away in a B&B near Richmond in Yorkshire and we had a lovely time.  One downside was that I didn't pack the right clothes!  The weather hadn't been too good in the days leading up to our little jaunt so I wrongly presumed that we would get much of the same - wet and windy.  Not to worry, we had a great time in the sun even though I was overdressed - my feet were crying out for my flip-flops! Ho-hum.  Another downside was that MrG was very busy at work so couldn't go with us this time, and the boys are now too old for a trip out with Mum unless it's a trip to GAME.  Little MissG is always up for a change of scene and is a great shopping companion!

We didn't really buy very much this time.  I bought a funky little foldaway shopping bag to keep in my handbag...

 

and some pretty note cards

and a birthday present for my Little Sis - no photo as I don't want to spoil the surprise!

Little MissG got two new tops (as she never has anything to wear!)

and she bought her friend Molly a birthday present 

My other recent purchases include...

a lovely new teapot from TK Maxx to display on my dresser.   I'm the only one in the house that enjoys a good cuppa so I will only use it when family or friends pop round.   I will get enjoyment out of it by displaying it on my dresser though.

Another TK Maxx purchase... a lovely make up bag...

I also bought these lovely mugs from Dunelm Mill - a bargain at 99p.  We certainly didn't need them as our mug cupboard is already overstocked!  I'm a sucker for a nice pattern though - aren't they pretty?

And an ebay purchase... a vintage glass cake stand (no photo yet).  I think a batch of home-made meringues or cream scones would look lovely on this and it will be used for birthday celebrations as I do think a birthday cake should take pride of place!  Talking of meringues, I took my daughter out for tea and cake after school on the last day of term and we had the most fantastic pink, chewy meringues at Emily's on the market square in Kirkby Lonsdale.

Note to self:  Add to my to-do list.  I would love to make my own meringues as it is something I have never attempted to make and yet I do love them!  I found a recipe for Ultimate Meringues on the BBC Good Food website so I just need to get the ingredients.

I'll let you know how they turn out!

Bye for now x