Sew and so

Just to let you know that sewandso.co.uk is having a competition where you can win your order if it's over £20.  In other words it would be free.  Here's the link Sew and So facebook page.

Thank you for the positive comments on yesterdays post and for sharing your experiences.  It is a hard time of year for us as Rachael was diagnosed on the 22nd November so it is coming up to her 7th anniversary.  Jo was quite right yesterday. Asking if there is a family history is not necessarily a silly/stupid question.  There is a genetic link.  If you have a parent with type 1 there is between 1 in 100 to 1 in 10 chance of getting it.  This depends on who has it and apparently how old they were when it developed.  There is a higher risk if it is the father who has it than the mother.  Siblings are about 1 in 10 too.  There is also thought to be an environmental factor at work to though and 26 research studies currently point to the possibility of  it being an enterovirus as it has been found that children with diabetes are up to 10 times more likely to have had this than children without diabetes.

My comment about assuming there is a family history in our family is due to the fact that I am overweight, a lot overweight and prejudice seems to be that people assume that Rachael has diabetes because of this and that Colin and I therefore must also have diabetes.

Please accept my apologies for any offence caused by that comment.  None was intended but it is an amazingly common perception.

Stitching has been good this week.  Part 5 of ATW has been done.  I have chosen something for Nicola's giveaway win which I really hope she will love.  I'm NOT going to share it here yet though!!!!  I am working on a RR too and a Christmas ornie for an exchange.

I am having horrible problems with the camera and can't get any photos to upload to the computer.  I think it may be a dodgy connection with the USB lead.  I know there is another one in Rachael's room but I don't want to disturb her by going looking for it.

Luke had his parents evening tonight and it was wonderful.  Almost every teacher used the word fantastic about him and the 'negative' comments if you could call them that were that he needs to speak up a bit more in class and needs to believe in himself more.  We have always told him that he is bright and brainy but he doesn't believe us.  Hopefully he will believe it now lots of other people have told him.

Right...got to go...it's time for Question Time!!!

World Diabetes Day

Today is World Diabetes Day.  It is also the birthday of Banting who discovered insulin could keep people with diabetes alive.  Insulin is not a cure, it is as necessary to Rachael as breathing.  One day, hopefully, there will be a cure - a real cure that means people with diabetes don't have to put up with finger pricks, injections, feeling rubbish because blood sugars are too high or too low, discrimination and the stupid questions.

• Type 1 diabetes is NOT caused by too much sugar.
• Type 1 diabetes is NOT caused by being overweight.
• Type 1 diabetes is NOT caused by lack of exercise.
• Type 1 diabetes IS an auto immune condition.  The pancreas stops working - or at least the bit that regulates insulin.

Over the years we have had some right daft comments/questions.  Answers (or thoughts!) have included:

• No, she will not grow out of it.
• No, it's not the bad/serious kind - all diabetes is serious/bad.
• Yes, she will need injections every day for the rest of her life - unless we find a cure.
• Of course you could could give injections if you had to, the alternative is to let your child die.
• No there is no family history. Why? Does yours have a history of stupidity?

So I would ask in these days of recession/double dip/austerity or whatever we are in today that if you can spend £$5.00 on a sandwich and a coffee on your way to work, can you please spare £$5.00 for JDRF to find a cure.  One day they will and it may be your child, grandchild or great grandchild that benefits from it.

OK rant over...normal service will be resumed tomorrow!!

And the winner is...

The names were put into a hat...well actually a bowl and the husband decreed that

Nicola

is the winner of the giveaway.  Congratulations Nicola, could you send me your address please?

Thank you to everyone who entered and for the support you ALL give me!!

(Edited to put the link in that I thought I had to start with...sorry!)

Luke

Luke was really pleased to the response to his post yesterday.  He was most particular about his spelling but forgot to make sure it all made sense!!  Never mind, I am sure you can get what he meant.  We were very lucky in that Luke sorted tea out tonight too.  He was making pizza in food tech at school today.  Well when I say making, what I mean is he was decorating a pizza base.  Honestly standards have really fallen since I was at school, we would have had to make the base from scratch.  Anyway it was delicious.

No stitching tonight and no photos yet either.  I had the children and parents meeting for the Sacramental Programme tonight and by the time I got back was too tired to start stitching or taking photos.  All I have managed to do is flop on the sofa....sorry!

Poor Rachael is absolutely full of a cold, really quite poorly.  She is such a trooper though and refuses to stay off school.  This time next week there probably won't be anyone in school as she will have given it to everyone else!!I keep telling her to stay off but she loves school.  Doesn't she realise that I would like a day off?  Selfish child...lol.

Recipe for leek and potato soup

Hi I am Luke and I am doing a guest post to tell you the recipe for leek and potato soup,

Ingredients
1 leek, 2 small onions, 2 small potatoes, 2 vegetable stock cubes, 3 table spoons of corn flower and salt and pepper.

Method
1. First cut your leek up to the leaf at the top, this way you will get more flavour out of the leek and put it into a large source pan,
2. Next peel your 2 onions and cut it into a comfortable size to eat and put it into the pan with the leeks,
3. Now peel the 2 potatoes, then chop them into almost cube shapes, then put it into the pan with the leeks and onions,
4. Now put cold water into the same pan just so it fills the top of the vegetables, then mix it all together,
5. Next put the pan onto a hob then put the temperature of a medium heat so that it simmers,
6. After 5 minutes add your 2 veg stock cubes and mix it together, this is to make the mixture more thick,
7. Next put the corn flower into the large pan then followed by a pinch of salt and a small sprinkling of pepper to add more flavour,
8. After mixing it again let the soup simmer for another 15 minutes,
9. If you're fussy ( like my mum) then you can always blend it to give it a creamy texture,
10. Finally serve it to the family with some crusty bread.
P.S. This above serves 4 people.

Guess the season?

These are photos of plants in my garden taken a couple of days ago.  Now guess what season it is...

So first up we have an autumn flowering crocus - flowering period late October/November.

Then we have a fuchsia - flowering period late June/July/August/early September so long as you keep on top of the dead heading.

A different fuchsia - flowering period July/August/September

Hollyhock - flowering period July/August

Hydrangea - flowering period late June through to mid September if nice weather.

My favourite bi-colour rose - flowering period June with a second period in September if nice weather for a few weeks.

And finally...a spring crocus - flowering period late January/February if the weather is right.

Seriously what on earth is going on?  It's November for crying out loud!!  These poor plants don't know if they are coming or going.

Today I chose to stitch on Cinderella but haven't made a lot of progress.   I will take some photos of this week's stitching tomorrow to show you.

Shirlee asked if I would post the recipe for Luke's soup.  I have asked Luke if he will do a blog post for me with the recipe so standby for that.  He isn't the world's best speller but as it's his post I won't correct his spelling for him so bear with it!!

The kids have been cooking

I now know that my 2 children will never starve to death from not being able to cook.  Luke has been making leek and potato soup at school and as we all liked it so much, he wanted to do it again.  So I gave him the ingredients and off he went.  He did everything himself apart from light the hob.  This is the finished result.  Luke, Rachael and Colin all like it chunky, whereas I'm a fussy mare and ran mine through the blender. I will have to post the photos tomorrow as they are on the other laptop which Colin is on at the moment.  (edited to add photos)

I haven't had a chance to stitch tonight as it was swimming club for the kids.  They had a really good time but as it's the first week of term, I'm shattered and could feel my eyes getting droopy at one point. Another early night needed I think!


Don't forget to enter the giveaway!!

Just a quickie

It's getting late and I need my bed!  Tonight I have stitched.  I checked my rotation and today's the day for LK 6 Fat Men so that is what I did.  I started on stitching the 3rd border which is the one for Snowed In.  I love the colours in these designs.

OK...that's it..I'm shattered and off to bed!  Goodnight all...sleep tight x x

Brilliant day at work today

Every year cbeebies do a panto to be shown at Christmas.  This year our school bid for tickets and luckily got some. I got to go!!!!!  It was filmed and had some of the stars for cbeebies.  Sadly I only knew 2 of them - Justin who plays Mr Tumble and BERNARD CRIBBINS.  Think I was more excited than the kids!!!

Jo announced the Christmas Blog Hop today and a logistical nightmare of a giveaway so get yourself over to serendipitous stitching to sign up for either of them!

No stitchy news tonight.  I haven't stitched for 3 nights on the trot now...shock horror!

Cats, Tryllacraft and Canada post

First off I want to say a bit thank you to everyone who comments.  I don't always get round to replying, which I am sorry for but sometimes I write a reply and then realise the address is noreply.  So if you are a no reply blogger, I am sorry that I can't respond to you.

I haven't done any stitching the last couple of days...that's a great start to my rotation isn't it?  Still never mind, the WIP's will still be there tomorrow :)

Below is a a photo of our 2 cats (Biskey is on the left, Smudge is on the right).  I think Colin was cooking something that they were desperately hoping was going to fall on the floor!  Sadly it didn't - well sadly for them anyway!!

Adrienne over at Tryllacraft was offering some of her WIP's that she was no longer in love with to a new home and I was fortunate that she let me provide a new home for 2 of them.  Both of them are Mill Hill kits and are lovely.  Adrienne also included all the threads etc and even a few skeins of DMC variegated for me. I absolutely love the red in particular.  Thank you Adrienne for your generosity.

What's really amazing though is that Adrienne posted them on 29th October and I received them on 2nd November...from Canada...to UK.  That's amazing!  Royal Mail are lucky if they can deliver a second class letter inland in that time.

Don't forget there is a giveaway a couple of posts previously.  Please leave a comment and be entered for it. On the subject of the giveaway, the votes on the poll have all mysteriously turned up again.  Very strange!!!

Very belated WIPocalypse post

Well I have been stitching away through WIPocalypse even though I keep forgetting to update for it.  First up is Confetti of Hardanger by Abi Gurden.  I had so many problems with part 3 that I left that and did part 4 instead.  I went back to Part 3 a few days ago and managed to work out where I was going wrong and correct it.  I am also trying a new technique for the eyelets where instead of a controlled pull I just give a sharp tug.  This has really helped to open up the hole in the centre and I really like the look of them.  There is a close up of the eyelets and then a view of the piece as a whole. 

I know I only posted this a few days ago and strictly speaking it wasn't a WIP but it's cute so you can see it again...lol.

And then is a giraffe that I started about 3 1/2 years ago.  I am going to try to stitch one or two lengths of thread on this each day.  I really hate the fabric.  It's a very stiff aida and splitting the fabric for quarter stitches requires a pneumatic drill not a needle.

I did a little bit more on the Flip It's series but have run out some of the threads or didn't buy them to start with so it will have to wait.  I might move onto February whilst I wait for them.

The final project to get some love was Sunflower Fairy.  I have no idea why but I just had an urge to work on her one night and in that time stitched everything except the green.

At the moment I am working on a RR and I have a Christmas Exchange to decide on too.  I am thinking of doing a rotation to try and stop my butterfly tendencies which show no sign of abating at the moment.  I have roughed out a plan and posted it on a separate page.  Have a look if you like.

And finally....don't forget to enter the giveaway on the previous post if you would like to.

150 followers

....well actually it's 153 followers.  So time for a giveaway...YAY!!!

I don't know what on earth has gone on with the poll in my sidebar.  It really is playing up and now I apparently I have no votes at all...not even the one I did myself to try it out to see if it was actually working.

Anyway the most popular idea seemed to be something made by me...honestly has nobody seen my finishing??? Therefore I will make a winner a little stitched 'something'.  I'm not going to say what because I need you to tell me what you like.

So if you would like to 'win' a 'something' from me, please answer the following questions.

1. favourite designer
2. favourite colour(s)
3. favourite season
4. favourite themes
5. stitchy likes and dislikes - anything at all (apart from frogging - we all hate that!!)

I'm going to ask that you don't post about this giveaway on your blog as I would like it to be open to the people who actually read my blog, support me, comment, inspire me, force me to stitch lovely designs that they put on their blog (mentioning no names, Jo!) etc etc.

To enter just leave a comment on this post before Sunday 11th November.  I will choose a winner on Monday 12th to allow for time differences affecting when people read.

Now obviously as I am going to tailor the 'something' especially to your likes/dislikes it won't be with you on Tuesday!  Please give me time to make it!!!  Oh and if there are any finishes you really don't like or perhaps would like to own, let me know!

Belated Halloween photos

Luke was invited to a Halloween party at a friend's house and wanted to go as a skeleton.  Here he is.

His hair was white face paints mixed with ordinary styling gel which worked quite well.  He went trick or treating at the end of the party and came home like a bedraggled rat with his hair slicked to his head as it was raining cats and dogs.

Rachael initially was only going to have her nails painted.  I spent ages painting little ghosties on them for her, trying to get different faces for each which was difficult.  Finally she was convinced to put her old costume on to scare and trick or treaters away...lol.

Perhaps she overdid the fake blood a bit?  Trick or treaters were really disappointing this year.  We only had 5 groups come round whereas in previous years we have run out of sweets as it was so busy.  We sat and watched The Corpse Bride whilst Luke was out as he wouldn't have liked it.  

And finally...here are this years pumpkins.  Luke's is the one with the teeth joined (top), Rachael's has the teeth staggered (bottom).

2 Posts in 1 day - a new L*K SAL

When I was busily following links for the Halloween blog hop, I stumbled upon several new blogs not just from people involved with the hop but people who commented and seeing blog lists too.  On one of these was the details for a SAL involving the L*K 6 Fat Men from last year and the newly released Snow Belles.  Now I did originally sign up for a 6 Fat Men SAL but never got very far with it so hopefully this will inspire me.

Below is a photo of my fabric and threads with the minuscule progress that I made on it.  I don't actually have the Snow Belles yet...hint hint Colin.

Last night I stitched on it a little.  My plan at the moment is to do all the borders and then 'fill in' with the design.  Denise designed a template with all 12 designs intermingled but sadly my fabric was not big enough to use it.  At the moment I can't really justify spending money on fabric when I have a good piece already to hand.  It's such a shame that I cut it down when I bought it!!  Oh well, you live and learn.

my votes

What has happened to the votes in my poll?  Last night there were 26 votes by 6 people, today there is 1 vote....bizarre.  If you voted in the poll would you please do so again just to make sure your vote is counted. Thanks!

NaBloPoMo

I had a go at this last year and managed 3 days. This year I am going to try to beat it!!

So I am accepting Dani's challenge/dare and going to blog every single day for a month.  Yikes...what will I talk about every day!

Well anyway, I guess this is the first day done!!

Ooooh before I go.... I need to say a big thank you to Jo for hosting a Halloween blog hop.  I discovered several new to me bloggers and got a few new followers.  I *nearly* have 150 followers now and was thinking that maybe a small giveaway may be in order once I reach it.  So what would you rather receive?  Please vote in the poll over on the right and let me know.  If there is something else you think of you can add that to the poll yourself!!