It's Party Time!!

Go on! Admit it! You thought I'd forgotten! Well I've been so excited all day but so much to do, little people on holiday and no time for me! But I'm here now! And I'm so glad you're here to join me! Let's party!
A bit of origami is always a good start! We'll need cups for sweeties!
Oh and hats! You can't have a party without hats!
All set? Marvellous!
Time for games! Kim's Game was always a favourite of mine.
Take a peek at this. A good long look....
That's it! Cover it up with a favourite vintage tea towel and how many can you remember?
Did you get all twelve? Ooo! Clever you! Have a sweetie! Now, you need a piece of wool and some blue tac! Go on, close your eyes and stick the tail on the donkey!
HAHA! Did you get the dog?! Or that little boy's nose! (better clean your computer screen now!)
So, next up! Lets play with matches! I love this! 6+5=9. Oh yes it does!
Here are six sticks....add five more to make nine!
Just 5 more!

You can do it!

You see it really does!
Did you get it?! Oh goodie. Time for prezzies now? My Blogiversary giveaway! A Crazy Patchwork heart....
and something scrummy for summer...
..just a little something from me to you, an ice cream brooch in pinks and blue...
Just leave a comment on this blogiversary post to say hello and I'll put all your names in the tombowler hat! As I'm so late today, I'll leave the post up until Sunday so all you lovely readers and followers have time to stop by!
Now, feeling peckish?
Didn't I promise you cake?
In keeping with the season I baked you Norfolk Strawberry Ice buns. No craters today! Hurrah!
Now, blow!
Make a wish!!
Thank-you so much for joining in my bit of fun! I cannot thank you all enough for the welcome you have given me here in blogworld. You are all wonderful and I read every one of your comments even if I don't always have time to reply anymore! I'm working on that! Now, don't forget to say hello and then go have a lovely weekend! t.xxx
Giveaway closed now! We're off to put numbers into the hat! Thank-you everyone for taking part! Winner to be announced tomorrow! t.x

Old fashioned friendships

I have pondered recent news scares about online relationships, the loss of the art of social interaction. I have reached the conclusion that these moaning minnies are clearly not participating in the world of blogging that I inhabit. I have been privilleged enough to meet a few bloggy ladies now and always I have thoroughly enjoyed the warmth of their company. I get a huge sense of happiness that this strange soup called blogger has enabled me to meet like minded and creative individuals. And today was exceptional. Cake was eaten....Orange and Almond (and the jury is out as to whether this one will make it into my recipe book). Pretty gifts were exchanged..I made this for my friend...
and look what pretties she found to add to my collection! So beautiful!
Even the beautiful boy received a perfect gift and already he and daddy are planning which model to test first!
Can you guess who came to visit Norfolk today? Want a clue?
Ok so thats fairly obvious isn't it! The lovely Mr and Mrs Custard came down our way and we hope very much they'll be back soon for a longer stay! But before then Mrs Custard has far more important things to do!
I feel sure this event, the second Vintage and Handmade Fair organised by Michele and Jayne, will be a huge success. Lucky you if you live close enough to go along for some jolly shopping. Have a bun and a cuppa for me! I so wish I could be there!
Once our guests left us the beautiful boy and I had chores to do in town. Of course this is always an excuse to check out our favourite charity shops and the beautiful boy fell in love...
...with a HUGE tapestry picture of ships and seagulls and waves crashing on the rocks. (sorry, tricky to get a picture without reflections on the glass!). It's very kitsch. I loved it too and at the weekend we will have a shuffle around to find a space for it on his bedroom wall.
I found this lovely Finnish honey pot and snazzy metal tray....
and a few books with jolly summertime pictures.
All in all a perfect day.
Now, have you noticed what happens tomorrow?! Well, yes, we have the lovely journalist coming to visit for a chat and that's going to be such fun! Another virtual contact made real! But also, tomorrow is my blogiversary! There will certainly be cake! Cake and more. Do stop by and say hello! t.xx

Miscellany, this and that.

Sorry to be so absent folks. Time is in fast forward! A busy week and a busy weekend. Sunny gardening, a barbecue with neighbours and a family of toads moved into the new vivarium... !The Christening was a lovely chance to see family and old friends. And the karaoke style screen in the church for hymns was a first for most of us..... and not entirely well received. There's something about singing from a musty old hymn book which adds to the sense of a place! The big screen had everything except the bouncing red ball!
The gifts were completed in the eleventh hour!
Last week ended with a serious bun crisis.....this was the second batch!! I have no idea what happened to my baking skills. My buns never ever do this so I had no idea what was wrong.
But I had promised the beautiful boy Bug Buns for an end of half term class treat... so I filled up those craters with icing - I didn't think many 7 year olds would object to more icing!
I was cheered up to be given flowers! I have been helping a little with KS1 sewing activities which has been enormous fun and now it has come to an end they gave me flowers! Beautiful zingy bright flowers!
Flowers that made me stop worrying about my baking mojo and made me go zing!
Then clever mumsie gave me lovely prezzies! A yummy blue jug for my collection and acres of candlewick!
Beautiful raspberry ripply candlewick. Oh I have plans for this!
Then a little person gave me more flowers.... so pretty!
and as we are fully in the swing of half term, I am grabbing quiet late night moments pattern cutting ready for a sewing marathon next week! Eleventh hour again! But I am so looking forward to going along to the Little Vintage Lover Fair.
Big excitements to come this week. Tomorrow a bloggy friend is visiting from way out West! And on Thursday a journalist is coming to do an interview. Not sure I shall be in any fit state half way through half term but hey ho! I shall witter on about something I'm sure! Enjoy the holiday those of you who are home with children! Lets hope the sunshine returns soon! t.x

This is not work avoidance!

Honestly it's not! Somewhere out there, one of our bloggy friends needs a little eye candy in her life right now. When I walked into the workroom this morning there were rainbows amongst the threads on the carpet and I thought of her.
You see! I am in the right room! My table is looking industrious. Who said I had to work to my deadlines in an orderly manner?! Of course I'm all over the place and not working on what I am supposed to be working on but I am working! See?
The sun is shining and the week ahead promises to be fair and I am in the mood for buns and ice creams!
So I had a play taking pretty pictures of them for our friend. Buns on Poole Twintone!
Oh and look! Utility china! I know where this picture is headed! My new little Flickr group is slowly growing! If you add anything be sure to tag it with the china manufacturer!
I've been taking pictures of backstamps too today. Well, I had the china out so...
This one is headed to the group too! Mmmm. Yummy colours! Thrifty Mrs described them beautifully: "they have 'lick me I taste like sherbert' stamped through them". I just love that. I think of it everytime I look at my collection!
And whilst we're on the subject of Eye Candy I have a new addition to my fave blogs to share with you! Every time I visit Aneela over at Comfort Stitching I am astounded by the quantity and beauty of her work! Every time I visit I resolve to be more productive and every time I wallow happily in the fabrics and colours and technical wonders that I find there!
So Aneela! This is for you! Thank-you!
The very important rules of this award are that you don't have to mention it nor display it on your blog. Nor do you have to link back to me, but if you would like to, that's fine. You don't have to pass it on to anyone but if you know others who deserve it, then go ahead and share the fun! Most of all enjoy the moment! It is richly deserved!
Now ..... oops ..... nearly time for the school run! Another day gone! t.x

Button mortification.

When hubby passed me a shirt this morning with the simple request that I replace the collar button, you would think this was not an unreasonable request. After all I have a few buttons.
So I confidently tipped out my tin of pearly buttons. The ones I don't use so often. And I sorted out all the coloured ones leaving a pile of all those ubiquitous white pearly buttons any button collector accumulates by the pound.
I looked for a tiny button to match the remaining collar button but fast realised that was too tricky. So I removed the awkward button from the shirt and searched instead for a pair....
Could I find a pair of tiny buttons just the right size? Nope!
Was I mortified? Yep!
Did I feel my button collecting was really quite an embarrassment if I couldn't even replace a lost shirt button? Yep!
Did I feel there was an issue to be addressed here? Oh yes certainly!
Clearly I need to buy more buttons! I just don't have enough!
Meanwhile, glancing across my messy work table this morning I spied a little pin cushion I have had since I was a child.
It has never struck me before just how barbaric it is and what that poor little chap has been through over the years! He seems happy though!
Now, working, working! Two Christening gifts to complete first, then stock for the fair! Chop chop! Honest I am! Working, that's me......Blogging? Who? t.xx