Girlie shopping trip

Last week I asked Rachael if she would like a girlie trip out somewhere to buy her some trendier closthes. She was thrilled at the idea and so today we left the boys at home and headed to The Trafford Centre for some retail therapy. The first stop was Lush where we got some bath bombs and new lip salve. Rachael was completely overwhelmed at all the different aromas, textures etc of their products and would have spent a fortune if allowed. That was as far as the shopping got as Rachael decided she was starving so we got lunch. We both had pasta which was delicious and then headed back to the shops!

We ended up with a few clothes for Rachael but not a lot. She got a LBD from H&M for £10 which looks fabulous on her, makes her look really grown up. 2 cardigans from Gap which were a bargain at £31 for them both (should have been about £47). In next she found 4 pairs of trousers which she needed age 11 for the length of her legs. They will be loose round the waist but hopefully she will fill out a bit soon. We also picked up 2 pairs for Luke too so he didn't feel completely left out.

We went in the Build a Bear store but after seeing the queue snaking right round the store, decided to order online instead! In the Disney Store there was a soft toy that Rachael had wanted last time but decided it was too much to spend her money on. Today it had 33% off so we bought it and it will go away for Christmas, even though she knows.

We had a brilliant time and it was so nice to spend some quality time with Rachael on her own doing something that she really wanted to. I am going to try to think of something to do with Luke in a couple of weeks so we can have some special time together. I can't see him wanting to go shopping for the day.

I have had a couple of finishes recently but one is for an exchange so I will post it in a few days. The other is an ornament I made for my mum but the camera is low on batteries so I can't post that one either.

I have had a new start too which was in Cross Stitch Collection and is a gorgeous Christmas Sampler. There isn't enough progress to make it worth showing yet.

World Diabetes Day draw

Drum roll please..............and the winner of the draw to celebrate World Diabetes Day, as selcted by my hubby, is................................

******* Jennifer *******

Jennifer, could you email me your snail addy please and I will get your goodies in the post to you a.s.a.p. Congratulations!

Thank you to everyone who entered. It was amazing how many peoples' lives are touched by diabetes in one way or another. Thank you for sharing your storie.

A few finishes

I still have a couple of finishes that I can't show but there are some I can. This week I have finished both February Glows and September Brings. Only 3 left to do. I will probably leave them until after Christmas now.

I finished this ornament a few weeks ago but as it was for an exchange I couldn't show it. It is one of my favourite designs from the ornament issue of Just Cross Stitch and I fancy stitching it again for myself. It was the first time I had finished one in this way.

This one is one that I stitched a long time ago but only just got round to finishing.

Robin Titan can you please email with your snail mail details so I have them to hand when I am ready to send you your PIF. For some reason I can't just click on your email link!

I've been tagged by Ashley to share 6 random things about myself, according to the rules.
The rules are as follows.

• link to the person who tagged you.
• Post the rules to your blog.
• Write 6 random things about you.
• Tag 6 people at the end of your post.
• Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
• Let the tagger know the entry is up.

So here are 6 random things about me.

1. I would rather die than eat a tomato in its natural state.
2. I prefer to swim under water than on top in the pool.
3. My first ever "crush" was on Martin Shaw who played Doyle in The Professionals.
4. I laugh when I am nervous.
5. I cry at anything that involves children being hurt or even the thought of being hurt.
6. I love to study. If I don't know something I will read a book on it.

I have tagged.
Carolyn
Amy
Shari
Nicki
Carol
Sharon

Open University

I must be mad! I have signed up for another OU course. I was going to wait until I got the result of my maths course before worrying about another but this sounded interesting and was starting next week so I took the plunge!! I don't find out the result of the maths course until about 12th December which still feels ages away yet.

So far I only have one taker for my PIF. Sign up here if you want to join in. I will leave it open for a few more days to see if I get anyone else.

I am going to do a giveaway. My daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes on the 22nd November 2005. Unless you have been there, you cannot imagine the impact that diabetes can have on a family's life. Realistically there is not likely to be a cure any time soon. They may be able to do different things to control it but they won't be able to cure it. Many people think that Type 1 is pretty much the same as Type 2 but there are HUGE differences. Many (not all Type 2's) get it due to diet and lifestyle choices. Type 1's DON'T. It is because their pancreas stops working and no longer produces insulin.

On 14th November it is World Diabetes Day. This is to raise awareness of diabetes. They try to light up the world with blue lights - there may be one near you! So in honour of this, I will be giving away a little "goodie bag" of cross stitch bits which will have a blue theme! If you would like to enter the draw for this leave me a comment on this posting. I will do the draw on Friday 14th November. Good luck!!

October review and November goals

October's goals were........

• to complete TOT in time for Halloween. (well a couple of days late but done!)
• complete fancy fiber exchange (done)
• complete autumn/halloween exchange (done - lady didn't bother to let me know if it arrived or not)
• stitch unicorn card in time for Debbie's birthday (not yet)
• at least one Snapper (half done)
• some of Cut Thru Garden Shed (not touched it)

November's goals are.......

• complete 2 snappers
• complete 2 Christmas ornaments (1 for exchange and 1 for my mum)
• stitch unicorn card
• start Historical Sampler design from CS Collection
• catch up with How does your garden Grow?

Halloween update

Better late than never I suppose!!

Luke had a party at Beavers on Friday - officially known as a Monster Ball so no parents were upset at us celebrating Halloween, yes, really!

I said I would do some of the food for the party so Colin and I were cooking and preparing all morning. The picutres are of the cakes and biscuits we made between us. Below are the oranges I carved like pumpkins and filled with jelly.

Luke was a devil and Rachael was a vampiress.

Thank you to everyone who commented on my Trick or Treat Fairy. She is currently hanging on a wall until I can decide on the frame for her. I am toying with the idea of adding some spiders and bats to her but can't decide.
I have finished a couple of small projects in the last few days. Both of them were on my WIP/UFO list so I am really pleased. Firstly there was a blackwork butterfly and today I finished an ornament for an exchange.

Trick or Treat finished

Trick or Treat (Cross Stitch and Needlework magazine - September 2008)

Fabric - Picture this Plus - Monet lugana

Trick or Treat is finished!! This now becomes my first ever Nora Corbett design that is finished. Unfortunately it is 2 days late for Halloween but never mind. Now I need to find the perfect frame for her. She also becomes my 20th finish of the year.

For the rest of the year I am going to try to finish up some old WIP's/UFO's that are on the list and see if I can't start 2009 with less than 40 projects started. Yeah right!!

PIF

I signed up to a PIF that Lindsay is doing over the next 12 months so I in turn need some willing victims. In case you've not done one before the rules are really simple.

If you would like to receive something handmade by me sometime in the next 12 months then leave a comment saying so on this post and by doing so you're committing to do a similar offer on your blog. I'm offering this for 3 people and should I get more than that interested I will get Rachael and Luke to pull 3 names from a "hat".

I will leave this open until Sunday 8th November and post the winning recipients on Monday night. If you want to have a look at all my stitching go to my webshots.

PIF stands for Pay It Forward.