Hello Ducky...

Well, it's a bit all change here. The cat's had her collar off and is absolutely loving her new found freedom after 10 days, doing flying leaps onto our big cat and generally jumping about all over the place. The operation obviously hasn't phased her one bit, although she still has a big bald patch on her side where she got shaved. I think it's going to take months to grow back!

P is off school again and has a chest infection. I took her to the drs last week and could have told him that then, so as he didn't give her any medication we've ended up going back again today. Very frustrating. She'd be well now if she'd have had those meds last week, and consequently she's missing another day off school. She's paparazzi shy...

The benefit is that we have Zac Efron on the DVD and he's getting his head in the game! Gotta love Zac bustin' some cool moves on a Monday morning!...



I've finished knitting my cousin's little girl a duck with a big fat 'F' on his bum for the first letter of her name. Now the snow's all gone, I can get to posting it! She loved the penguin I did for P, so hopefully will love her new ducky!

Follwing on from my new obsession with food blogs, feast your eyes on THIS baby!

                                                        (Photo credit to notsohumble.blogspot.com)
Isn't she the most gorgeous thing you've ever seen? She's a lemon meringue lamington made by my favourite blogger Ms Humble. Be sure to catch her blog here and join me in daily salivation. She is like a food deity, producing the most edible pictures and text, coming up with amazing recipes and generally making me want to move to Seattle to live with her. A sugary, cakey, moussey, meringuey, lemoney, chocolatey inspiration. I love her. And that lemon meringue lamington.

Dad, P and I managed to do some sledging and build a great snowman at the end of my parent's road last Thursday when it snowed ALL day and we had so much fun. P was ill after this, so I guess all fun has its downsides! Here's my Dad sledging! We haven't done this for years! And our snowman with his sprout eyes, carrot nose and red pepper lips!

Apparenly the UK hasn't had snow like this for 30 years. It's been great, but I'm so glad it's gone now... although it's forecast to come back later this week so I won't hold my breath!

N x

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow...

...and we've had some! This is the worst winter I think the UK's seen for a while. The snow has stayed around for the last 3 days, and some parts of the country are -17 degrees which is colder than Russia! My walks to school have been beautiful and really refreshing and the roads look super white. Really beautiful. Pity it's so dangerous and this country is not cut out for heavy snowfall, so I've not taken the car out all week. It does have the downside that you can't do what you want to because of the trecherous conditions, but it makes you walk more which has got to be good, and apparently walking in snow is the same as walking on sand, so I'll have thighs like a championship tennis player by the end of the week....yeah right!!

Here's the road I walk down to school in all it's sparkly glory, and my road underneath.

I found my Christmas photos on my camera and wondered how it could have been nearly 2 weeks ago  since my daughter sat down in front of this monumental pile of presents! (these were for 8 people, not just her!)

                                                      

And my little sister riding away into the sunset to find her Prince Charming...(snigger)

                                                  

My short hair is starting to grow out a bit and I bouffed it up into a mini beehive for Boxing Day! I love this picture of P, me and my Mom. :) 3 generations of us girls. Love P's face!!

N x

Proper Winter!

Atchoo!! Cough, cough, cough. Ouchy!

:( pooooorly Tiger

Oh, plus it's snowing! We had about 2 inches in 40 minutes this morning and it's been on and off all day. The kids came home from school early and played in the garden, making snow bricks. I had to wrangle 3 of them home, but only got to keep my own!! Bring on a closed school tomorrow so I can stay indoors with my cold and my girl :)

N x

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas!

Let it snow... (just a bit though because I'm not that keen...) We woke up to a smattering this morning, but still went out for a play. P loves throwing snow at me for some reason. Can't think why!

The Queen's grandaughter, Zara Phillips attended a wedding this weekend wearing a fabulous fascinator in steel grey which looked amazing. I love it when the royals get dressed up and wear great head wear!

I particularly loved the Duchess of Cornwall's (Prince Charles' wife, Camilla), wedding head piece. An amazing plume of feathers that suited her so well and worked perfectly for her age and for a second wedding. Classy but fabulous showing that fascinators can be worn at any age.

P and I have been on a Christmas baking spree this weekend. We've made vanilla cookies which she had so much fun decorating for everyone, and has made a special one just for Santa for Christmas eve. Bless her!

I've been making presents for my sister and my two friends who I don't see as often as I should. I made Chocolate Brownie Jars! Basically it's the dry ingredients of the recipe layered into the jar, and finished off with Christmas ribbon and instructions on how to bake! I think they look amazing and I'll definitely be doing more of these for other presents throughout the year now. I love home made presents, and you can't beat ones that you can eat!!

I've actually had time to complete all my orders too this week, making a fascinator for Hong Kong, some jewellery and a hair comb for a client in the UK and I forgot to show a fascinator that went over to the States a couple of weeks ago for a repeat client who has lots of children who are all getting married around this time so I'm sure I'll see her again!

For the States. Laura design in English rose with blue and purple feathers:

Jewellery and hair comb for the UK:

Jane design in daffodil yellow with fluffy yellow feathers:

We went to the candlelit carol service in the church tonight which was lovely and walking home in the snow made it feel really Christmassy. Roll on Friday!!

N x

Snooooooooooooooooow!

MORE snow! I know this is a normal winter for the UK, or it used to be before global warming messed up our seasons, but it's ridiculous! We haven't had this much snow for years! School's been closed for 2 days this week and everyone is staying at home because even if they get into work, they can't get back!


I managed to make and post the rest of my fascinator orders but in the rush to get them to the Post Office forgot to take pictures. I have another order to work on today inbetween nails clients, or those that can make it because of the weather so that will keep me busy!

I did a photoshoot for Halfords yesterday which was well timed because there was no snow about! It involved me and Rob pretending to pack up a car for a family camping trip. We had 2 kids and a dog called Scooby and it was lots of fun. The shots are going into a camping and touring leaflet that will be in all Halfords stores in April on page 3 and maybe on their website! Woohoo! I didn't realise how much I missed modelling until yesterday, and I should do some more. I'll post the pics when they are published.

We're going out to build a snowman later, although P is still not 100% well, but she's convinced snowman building will cheer her up.

I've just given into the fact that my plans will have to go on hold until the snow goes and we're all feeling better! How frustrating!

N x

S'No Fun... :(

So I've been ill, and I mean so ill I couldn't get out of bed for 3 days, and my fascinator orders have really picked up which is brilliant but really tiring when you're trying to sit in bed and sew, and then today it snowed so bad it's the worst snow in 18 years! On the day I feel better! And P now has the bug and has been off school and the school is closed tomorrow so it's another day indoors!

I have plans to go and see a friend tomorrow which is an hour's drive away and we had to postpone from last week because of my bug and looks like we'll have to postpone tomorrow because of the weather! It's snow fun! I really don't like the snow when it ruins plans.

I've managed to get some fascinators made but can't post them because I'm snowed in and it's turned icy now.

These 2 Jane Fascinators went to Los Angeles:


Along with this Glimmer Tiara adapted for a French Barrette:


And this Double Band Tiara for the UK:


So at least I've been constructive whilst ill! We've sat in and P's watched The Chronicles of Narnia twice today. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. I remember listening to that being read by my class teacher when I was about 8. It's weird to think my daughter is watching the same story now all these years on.


I have some more fascinators to make tomorrow whilst P is off school and hopefully I might be able to get out to post them!

N x

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

Oh my goodness! I woke up yesterday, opened the blind and was greeted by a blanket of snow outside! What a shock! How come snow always falls overnight? Or it always seems to. The back garden looked so beautiful, but P had the day off school luckily, so we went out and built a snowman and the quality of the snow was fab!

It was that really great snow that makes good snowballs and sticks together really easily, so our snownman was big! He had a spent firework for his nose, fluffy fabric balls for his eyes and a pipecleaner mouth. He got adorned with Charlie's leopardskin blanket from one of his beds, and my hat (which I'll be looking all over for in a few days) and looked brilliant!

Charlie didn't know what to make of it and it took him ages to jump over the fence when I let him outside!


I've been making lots of jewellery for my shoot in a couple of weeks for my website. I've started with the earrings and done some necklaces and I need to do bracelets and hairpins, followed by the tiaras. I'm trying to do sets which can be purchased altogether, or as seperates to give customers a choice, and also when shooting allows my photographer to photograph a lot of items in one shot to save time and post shoot editing later. I've really enjoyed what I've done so far and I'm back in my groove!



I spoke to my friend Nic tonight. We lived together in Cardiff in my first year at University and lost touch 8 years ago. So much has happened in both of our lives since then and I'm so glad we found eachother again through Friends Reunited. I'm going to visit her at the end of the month and I can't wait to catch up over old photos and a bottle or two of wine in the Lake District where she lives now. We were such good friends and I feel that some good karma is here with us and we won't lose touch again. I'm a big believer that people are in or out of your life for a reason, and sometimes you're not sure what that reason is at the time and it only becomes clear later, or maybe not at all, but I'm sure fate plays a big part in my life and the path it takes.

N x