another tag...

A while ago Caireen tagged me for a 4 things meme. I have only just got around to doing it.

4 movies I'd watch again:

Amelie

Finding Neverland

Moulin Rouge

Delicatessen

4 places I've lived:

Leeds

London

York

Belfast

4 tv shows I watch:

Ashes to Ashes (just finished)

Flight of the Conchords (long finished, but i have the cd!)

Gavin and Stacy (just discovered)

Hotel Babylon (for trash fix!)

4 places I've been:

Barcelona, Spain

Carnac, Brittany

Lucca, Tuscany

Mount Sinai

4 people I email:

Alice

Ali (our publisher)

Caireen

Florence

4 things to eat:

black olives

Blackberry and Apple crumble

homemade leek and potato soup with crusty bread (buttered)

'Divine' Chocolate, or as my youngest calls it, ‘Delightful’ chocolate.

4 places I'd rather be :

relaxing in bed

spending time in the garden on a warm summer’s day

snuggled up on the sofa with my family watching a film

on the top of a mountain with the breeze in my hair, the warm sun on my face and not a care in the world.

4 things to look forward to:

Sept and book release date!

moving into my home studio

the warmer weather returning

spending time in the garden.

4 people to tag:

Tash

Florence

Lynn

Louise

Easter weekend

Well, the Easter Bunny did visit our house on Sunday or i should say garden. A little hunt took place at 6am i kid you not and the girls collected lots of chocolate eggs which had been put in various amusing places.

Two years ago Alice and i made some little Easter bags with appliqued bunnies on the front. My girls use theirs to gather the tasty finds.

Once collected they lined up all the eggs and shared them out evenly. They know the Easter Bunny would be fair and they are pretty loving sisters (most of the time).

We are now back at school for just under a fortnight then off for a 2 week Easter break.. a bit confusing but hopefully by the time the kids break up the weather will be better for getting out in the garden to do some serious veg planting.

Hope your weekends were good.
ginny
x

wishing you a very....

This is what greeted me this morning when i came downstairs.
The girls had been busy creating this Easter message from the geomagnets.

Hope your Easter break is filled with happiness and chocolate.
We are hoping for a visit from the Easter Bunny!

A giveaway and a breakaway

The giveaway first.
Drawn by my two girls at the Dinner table on Sunday. The name they both pulled out together was......

Congratulations to Emma at Sew Recycled. I will send you the little springtime bundle.

Thank you to all who left a comment guessing correctly that it was indeed a galvanised watering can, roseless but nevertheless perfect and it arrived displaying a tag with 'C1940's ' on it. Amanda said she couldn't resist it especially the 40 bit... she's just rubbing it in... she's 40 next! I was thrilled with it especially as i know she would've loved to have kept it. x Thank you also to those who left a comment for the first time, it was nice to meet you. If i haven't thanked you already, i will be off to check out your blogs soon.

Secondly the breakaway.

Well i'm not going anywhere but life has been hectic and i feel shattered. I have been going to bed early this week and i really need it. That balancing act, me 'juggling all those balls' , well i guess i have dropped some, anyway i need to be kind to myself, not take on to much and hence the blog 'break...away'. I will be back as i do enjoy the little space we all share in blogsville. Until then enjoy the newness and hope of Spring and i leave you with a little bundle brought for me by my man who has just been to New York and found Purl Soho.


p.s. Alice and I are taking part in a FREE Open Day at RHS Wisley this Saturday 8th March 10.30am till 3.30pm. It's all to do with growing your own veg. For further details click here.

g
x

A manic day, a givaway and some perfect cards

Today has been manic.. i just haven't stopped.. even my hour off whilst the girls are at Brownies didn't happen. We were invited to join in a 'fairtrade' talk with guest speakers which was really interesting, and better still was the chance to buy some produce... so Divine chocolate and double choc chip cookies for us..mmm! so all good in the end. It is Fairtrade fortnight at the moment, for further information check out fairtrade.org.uk.

Whilst at the studio today Al and I sorted out a little bundle for the mystery photo draw. So if you would still like a chance to enter and win a few little Springtime crafty goodies...

(sneaky preview of a few of the bits)

then please leave a comment with your guess.(see last post or click on mystery photo link). I will give you a few extra days and will draw at the weekend when i am less busy.

I will leave you with a link to my friend Caireen from the patchwork dress.

I brought some of her eco card packs recently and wanted to share with you how fabulous they are. Each card and envelope is made from carefully chosen pages from beautiful magazines. She has such a flair with theming each pack (comes in a set of 4) and they were such a delight to write and perfect to send as thank you letters.

My friends all loved them.
(thanks Caireen)

Caireen has a beautiful blog and for anyone interested in a great original eco product you can buy her cards here.

Have a good Thursday!

p.s. did you know that the Fairtrade logo depicts a person waving? I didn't. Have a look.. it's such a strong recognisable image but i suspect if asked to draw it from memory most of us couldn't.

g
x

just a bit of fun...

Thank you so much for all your kind Birthday wishes.
I have been so spoilt... and have loved very minute of my celebrations.

I know many of you were excited (and some confessed to being a little envious) about the trip to see Hairspray. Well all i can say was that it was bloody brilliant.. if you get a chance do go see it. It is so energetic, the music fabulous, the dance routines amazing... i couldn't keep still...brilliant brilliant.... we saw the matinee and to think the cast would be repeating it all again that evening. now that's what i call stamina.

I have come back down to earth now and have been sorting out the house, washing, homework etc ready for the return to school/work next week. For those on half term... hope you have had a good week.

I will leave you with a mystery object...(not too hard) taken whilst testing out the new macro lens.

It is a close up of part of something given to me for my birthday from my friend Amanda
(hi Amanda!).

Leave a comment with your guess and i will put all those with correct answers into a hat and do a draw on Wednesday next week . If your name is picked out i will send you a little something (not sure what yet)?

Enjoy your weekend.
g
x

a year older...

It has happened... i am now in my 40's. It's quite a landmark really and has been an odd experience for someone who has always said that age doesn't matter it is how you feel. I still think this and know it is only a number but somehow, it felt like a different passage.

Firstly when written down it is quite a large number... not 50 or 60 granted but makes one feel that somehow you should at least now be a 'grown up'. (something i do not feel or think i will ever feel). I have received lots of lovely birthday cards, many with the number 40 prominent on the front. To associate it with myself at the moment, feels a little alien to say the least, though i am sure i will quickly get used to it, like one does to a new haircut.

Secondly others seem to have an expectation of 40, asking you how you feel, how are you going to celebrate entering another decade and so on... I do like to mark festivals and significant moments in our families lives and enjoy gathering friends and family together. One large party seemed too much pressure on the actual day... so i shied away from this but as a result decided that as i am 40 all year i will celebrate all year. (any excuse).





My first celebration was a family treat to see Mary Poppins in the West End. I wanted to do something that my girls would love and remember. This was the first big London show that they have seen and they loved it... we all did. Fantastic!

A 'grown up' , 'decadent' trip away to Winchester came next. A mixture of shopping, treats, fine food and luxury lodgings. Thoroughly recommended to ease one into their 40's. Then an unbirthday party tea at mums with a visit from my sister and all this happened before my actual birthday!


My birthday morning started abruptly with no 'lie in' but girls bouncing on the bed at 6.30 wanting me to open their specially wrapped and chosen presents. They were very excited and had gone to a lot of trouble making cards and presents .... a scoubi bangle from my eldest and a rainbow picture from my little one. Once they had been rushed off to school, a little later than usual, we relaxed into a very chilled out day. My man had the day off so we went out for a pub lunch and played with my new present ... a sexy macro lens for our digital SLR camera. We have both wanted this for a while and couldn't justify the cost, so my 'big' birthday was a good excuse to finally buy it. I do have to keep reminding him that it was my present though!




He knew i wanted a homemade cake so... as time was rushed the girls chose a chocolate cake for me but he felt he should still make one. He never ceases to surprise me and he secretly decided he wanted to make a lemon drizzle cake. True to form this was 'googled' and the recipe he found was this one. It was gorgeous and the best thing was that he had made it especially for me. So another birthday tea followed .... this one with candles, wishes and cake, and we finally finished the day with a quiet drink out.

So i really have been very spoilt. On Friday night i also spent a fantastic evening out with my local girlfriends.. i felt so happy and so lucky to have such great people around me to call my friends. My good friend Sarah surprised me with more cake.. a beautiful homemade fresh raspberry filled Victoria sponge which even had candles on... everyone sang 'Happy Birthday'.... i blushed... we all had a piece.. so yummy. My oldest friends who live away couldn't be with us so i am planning a Summer party in the garden. Not that i am greedy or anything.. i just love bringing everyone together.

On Saturday morning i reflected on this birthday week and i know i have had the best birthday ever. In stark contrast to my 35th when i had an intensely low period in my life, things now could not be more different. I know i have been 'milking' the whole 40 experience... well, what the hell, i am only 40 once and i really do feel that while we are all rattling through our lives we must never forget to enjoy them. So here's to enjoyment, wherever you are, whatever your age... go and celebrate your life.. unlike cats we only have one! g x

pictures are of a wire and recycled beads heart made for me by my talented sister J.

My celebrations continue next week when i am off with both of my sisters to see this.