London's Stitch and Craft Show

Hello again, I feel like I have been away from the computer for ages.  Sorry for delay in posting this, I felt as though I was catching up after my last absence but now I feel like I have taken about 20 paces backwards again.  Firstly this post was supposed to be sent in last week but I wasn’t able to access the Internet, then I was struck down with the dreaded lurgy that has been going round but I am back now ready and fighting.

A couple of weeks ago I spent a day with some of the lovely ladies I work with, including Kirstin from Kirstin's Crafts and Challenges at the Stitch and Craft show at Earls Court Olympia.  It was a fab day and I spent lots of money on wool and fabrics.  I think it is now safe to say that I am stocked up for the rest of the year. 

There were some amazing and inspirational stands, which to be honest puts all my efforts to shame, but I won’t let that deter me.  Give me a couple of years and that will be me standing there in my glory (yeah right!!!!)  I can wish though, can’t I?

The whole of this dress, wings included was all hand knitted - AMAZING

 And this was knitted also.  You have to love a bit of Marilyn.

 And this, officilally the biggest blanket I have ever seen.  It has taken the lady 2 years to get this far, and all in the name of charity (Breast Cancer Care).

I spotted one stand and literally ran to it.  I have wanted to try decoupage for a while now and when I saw the stand I had no excuse not to stock up on materials to get me started.  

This was a selection of just some of the paper you could buy - you can tell by this photo I was spoilt for choice and it took me ages to decide : )

I started on this new craft pretty much as soon as I got home.  This is what I made.

It now hangs on my desk at work.

I mentioned in my last post a present James had bought for me.  Well here it is on my desk making my workspace look all pretty : ).  I knew I loved him for a reason, he knows just the things to make me smile.

Saturday was such a lovely day it seemed a shame to be inside for the best part of it but hopefully there will be plenty more of those days to come yet this year.  The weather was still good on Sunday.  I spent the whole day in James’ garden planting new life in the flower beds and helping him paint his brewing shed a gorgeous duck egg blue colour, it looks beautiful.

Love Gem xxx

Pretty Purchases & Gifts

I am happy today as the sun is still shinning, it makes such a difference to people moods, they always seem much happier when the sun is out and it is a lovely feeling.  I just hope it lasts until tomorrow, through to Monday as I have a long weekend.  I love it when my weekend starts early, I like it even more so when it lasts that bit longer as well.

As well as my charity shop finds I have also been buying a few other lovely bits recently.  I am trying so hard at the moment to save my money and not waste it on things I don’t need.  I have been having regular clear outs to try and get rid of all the clutter and things I no longer like, use or really need.  I am pleased with how it has been working and slowly I feel like I am getting somewhere with it.  I have found great inspiration from Sue at Our New Life in The Country who is trying to live a self sufficient life and Kath at Inverleith is taking on a challenge for one year to buy all good handmade or second hand and making anything else she may need.  It is too easy to go out and just buy something for the sake of it and I am trying to get out of this habit. 

My spending includes a couple of new summer dresses.  I thought I would snap them up now as when the time comes I can never find any that I like and I spotted these pretty things and had to get them ready for the summer. 

I also spotted this necklace and these cute earrings.  Now I am not one for wearing much costume jewellery or much jewellery at all to be honest, just a ring and a bracelet that James bought me a few years ago and usually 1 pair of earring, occasionally 2 pairs (depends on the occasion).  However I saw this and thought it looked really lovely and it was only a couple of £’s so I snapped it up.

The next item doesn’t count as buying things I don’t really need, as I didn’t buy it hehee.  It was a present from my Mum as a Thank You for my help recently, She also bought me a bag which I haven't got a photo of. 

Talking of present James also bought me a present this week.  It was waiting for me when I returned from my day out on Saturday which I will tell you about tomorrow.  Isn't he a sweetie.  I also haven't got a photo of this gift either but I will get one next week so I can show it off, right now it is sitting on my desk at work.  
Right well I'm off to bed now.  Fingers crossed it will be sunny tomorrow x.  Night all.

Love Gem xxxx

Moving On

Well as you may have noticed yesterday I am back.  I have started to build my life back up again after everything that has happened over the past month or so and am excited about what the future may hold, although I know at times it is going to be far from easy I know I will have a lot of help from someone very special in my heart : ).  The funeral was lovely and I know my Grandad would have been really proud with what we arranged (well mainly my Mum and my Nan, they did a great job), I went and saw him before the funeral and was pleased to see how peaceful he looked after so much suffering.  It still feels weird and as though it hasn’t happened but it takes time, I know that.  I read out a poem during the service, it is strange, I hate talking to a crowd but I didn’t even think about this, I suppose it was the last thing on my mind at the time and it is the least I could have done for him.

I would like to say a huge Thank you to everyone for all your support and kind messages over the past few weeks they really meant a lot.  I took a week off work and returned back again last Monday to find this waiting for me on my desk.

I know I have said it before but I really am so lucky to work with such a great team of people, I suppose in the role we have we find it easy to understand what people are going through, but that aside they really are such lovely people to work with. 

I feel like I have so much to tell you, I don’t really know where to start.  The beginning may be a good place to start hey.   Well I have made a couple of visits to the local charity shops and come across some brilliant bargains.

Mum was very pleased with this little purchase as it has found a new home in her bedroom, filled with pretty flowers : )

Last weekend myself and James made a visit to the Guild of Essex Craftsmen Spring Fair located in Hylands House.  I was a bit disappointed with it if I’m honest with you.  I made a few purchases but nothing extravagant.  I bought a pretty brush for baking that had patterns burnt into the wooden handle and a couple of gifts for friends but that was all really.  Never mind, you don’t know these things unless you try.

That’s all from me today folks, check back tomorrow to find out what else I have been getting up to these past couple of weeks.

Love Gem xxx

P.S.  How lovely is this sunshine?  It has been a glorious day in London today, just a shame I wasn’t able to be outside in it instead of being stuck inside an office looking at it out the window.  Never mind, let’s hope we have plenty more of it to come.

Virtual Coffee - A - Z of Me

I’m back.  I have really missed blogging, it is so amazing how quickly it can really become part of your life.  Well I have plenty to tell you all so I will be catching up over the next few days with everything that has been going on.

What better way to start off then giving you all some facts about me.  Today I am taking the lead from Lissy Lou and completing the A – Z of me.

Here goes:

A. Age: 23

B. Bed size: Double – I like to be able to stretch out. Hehee

C. Chore you dislike: Ironing.  I never iron any of my own things unless it is absolutely necessary, I hate it, don’t know why.

D. Dogs: I don’t mind them but I much prefer cat’s.

E. Essential start to your day: I don’t really have one.  Could this be the reason why I find it so hard to get up of a morning????

F. Favourite colour: Baby pink (I know this isn't baby pink but it is the closest I could get).

G. Gold or silver: Silver.  But then again it does depend what we are talking about.

H. Height: 5ft something??????

I. Instruments you play(ed): None.  I never seemed to have any interests as a child and then as I got older it just didn’t seem relevant, but to be honest there isn’t any instrument that interests me particularly. 

J. Job. I work for Macmillan Cancer Support but would rather not say what my role involves, hope you don’t mind.

K. Kids: Not yet but hopefully one day.  I can’t wait to have kids : )

L. Live: Essex!!! Like Lissy Lou I am not a typical Essex girl thank goodness.

M. Mum’s name: Jeanette

N. Nicknames: Gemstar, Thanks Manjiv

O. Overnight hospital stays: I have been lucky and not had any as yet.

P. Pet peeves: Bad manners, there is just no excuse for it.

Q. Quote from a movie: You know what I actually can’t think of any, I am sure as soon as I post this I will be able to think of loads.  Always the way hey.

R. Righty or lefty: Righty.

S. Siblings: One younger brother, I am lucky that we get on really well too.

T. Time you wake up: 6:30 usually but it depends what shift I am working and whether it is the weekend

U. Underwear: I go for comfort and cool and pretty patterns haha that’s the child within me screaming to come out.

V. Vegetables you don’t like: Sprouts

W. What makes you run late: Me, I am a natural faffer, I get sidetracked so easily, either that or I can’t get out of bed, I love my sleep.

X. X-rays you’ve had: Lots of Dental X-Rays and a couple on my hand, one for an accident I had while playing basketball at school and the other when I was in primary school, I was running across the playground and split my hand open on something sharp, they wanted to make sure it wasn’t still stuck in my hand it was really nasty. 

Y. Yummy food you make: I am not the best cook, in fact I hardly ever cook, if I do I bake cakes or scones, they usually turn out pretty well.

Z. Zoo animal favourites: Elephants, they are amazing.

Please feel free to join in.  It is always good to learn a bit more about each other, and what better way then this.

I could really get used to this weather, it is gorgeous, just a shame the sun isn’t shining as much as it was at the weekend, but temperature wise I shan’t complain.

Love Gem xxx

Gorgeous Finds

A few days ago I ventured round the local charity shops again.  It seems that now I know where to look I am finding some great bargains. 

You may have noticed I have a thing for florals at the moment.  I love them, they are so pretty and girly and just divine : ).  I spotted this little beauty in one of the local Farleigh Hospice shops for just 75p and already it is filled with some rose scented body cream, you can also see I don't wast any time.

In another Farleigh shop I spotted this gorgeous tea set.  I love everything about it, the colour and the design, if I could change just one thing it would be for it to be a little bigger as it is only one of those little ones, but beggars can't be choosers and I snapped this one up just as the lady was setting it up on the shelf, well I saved her a job so we both won really.

The only downside to this one is that once I got back to my car I had won myself a parking ticket, that will teach me for parking somewhere I shouldn't be hey.  Oh well.

It's Friday,  I have been looking forward to this weekend since Monday.  I have had enough of this week and am so pleased to now be able to relax and chill out, well at least try to anyway.

Hope you have a great weekend.

Love Gem xxx

I wrote this post this morning.  Since then I have had some bad news about my Grandad.  He has sadly passed away.  He is in a better place now with no more pain or suffering.  i love him dearly and he will always be in my thoughts.  John Hills 28.3.1931 - 4.3.2011 forever in my heart.
I will be taking some time out from blogging for a few days, spending some time with my family.  I know you will all understand this.  Thanks Gem xxx

Virtual Coffee - Happy St David's Day

Hello March : ) and Happy St David's Day to you all.  It's Tuesday which means it is time for Virtual Coffee.

If I were really meeting you for coffee today I would tell you about what I got up to on Sunday.  I know this was a couple of days ago now but as I haven't been up to anything exciting the past couple of day's it seemed to fit in quite nicely.

We had so much rain on Saturday it really was miserable.  Sunday morning appeared to be a bit brighter so we decided we would venture out for the day.  Our first stop was a small town called Maldon.  It is a beautiful little fishing town in Essex and I managed to get a couple of nice photos, just a shame that by this point the sun stopped shining and it became very overcast all of a sudden.

 

 

(This little cutie looked right at home.  I love cats and so just had to stop and take this little fellow's picture.)

We stopped off for a quick drink in one of the many pubs and watched the world go by from the window.  We must of timed it just right as by the time we had walked back to the car park and sat in the car the first few drops of rain began to fall.

This didn't stop us though, oh no.  We moved on to Burnham On Crouch, had a short walk up the pretty much deserted High Street popped into a few shops then headed back to the car when it started to absolutely bucket it down.

On the drive back to Chelmsford we stopped off at The Baddow Antiques Centre which I have driven past many times but never ventured inside.  Although I am kicking myself for it now.  It was much bigger then I originally thought and so much closer then the Antique Centre we normally visit, so I am a little annoyed with myself for not visiting sooner, but we have discovered it now and will be visiting again very soon (hopefully this weekend) when more of the shops there will be open for business : ) 

So that was my Sunday.

What have you been up to the past few days?

Thanks for joining me for coffee.

Love Gem xxx