Wednesday 26 September 2012

Why I love the Rain

Yesterday I joined hitREcord, which is an open collaborative online production company. 

And I wrote a little bit of poetry about the rain and why I love it. Up for 24 hours, I have 8 recommendations, which is lovely and it's giving me a little bit of confidence that my writing isn't all that bad!

Why I love the Rain
I think about the time that we danced in the street, rain lashed my face and wind whipped my hair into and unending tangled mass of brown but you didn’t care.
You grabbed me tight around my waist and pulled me off the kerb, you held me in a dance embrace, my pavement path perturbed.
You pulled me close and twirled me round, you picked me up right off the ground and here, here in this wet and cold dismal street I saw rainbows reflected in the puddles that our feet went tippety tapping through to an imagined beat.
Forgotten was the nights missed sleep.
And it rained, and it poured, and my heart was an unending flutter of excitement as I knew this was what love really was. And ten years on still is.

Low Greenside Farm Campsite

Tuesday 25 September 2012

Ben Folds Five

I have a huge soft spot for Ben Folds Five.

I remember hearing Underground for the first time, how could you not fall in love with the upbeat piano (I’m a sucker for a good piano tune). Hand me my nose ring, show me the mosh pit…..



It’s Whatever and Ever Amen that is one of my top three albums of all time, I listened to it on repeat for years, and it was the soundtrack to the start of my relationship with Tim. I recorded it onto tape for him (showing my age here) and he’d listen to it walking about and I’d listen to it at home when we were separate. 10 years on we still only go a few months in between listens.

The album was recorded in a house Ben Folds was renting and you can hear his phone ringing during one of the songs. It makes for a very special album. Smoke is quite possibly my favourite song of all time, it’s hauntingly beautiful. 


I was super chuffed to discover (being way off the ball here) that they’ve recently released a new album, The Sound of The Life of the Mind,  which from the few songs I’ve heard seems a welcome return to their snappy emotive songs. Cannot wait to purchase when I get paid in a few days. Plus did I mention the awesome video for Do It Anyway? Featuring The Fraggles….something else I adore?!



And there’s a great behind the scences vid with them speaking about them working together again after so many years apart.


Oh and I have tickets, I’ll be off to see them In November at Manchester Apollo and I am so very happy, see you there if you’re going, if not, get your tickets before they sell out!

Monday 24 September 2012

Late 50s/Early 60s Blouse Pattern

Received in the post last week, and I can't wait to try it out. I am on a mission to make all of my summer clothes next year!


Wednesday 19 September 2012

Camping: Newborough, Anglesey, Llanddwyn Island - 7th - 9th September


It was with much excitement (super weather forecast) and much sadness (last camping trip of the year) that we set off for Anglesey on the Friday evening. The Journey was pretty uneventful apart from getting caught in a load of traffic around Queensferry.

We got to White Lodge Caravan Park and were directed to our pitch. It turned out we had one of the allotted ones for a tourer though as the camping field was full, it wasn’t any bother though and we got the tent and everything set up in just under an hour, inclusive of our new tent carpet (ah, the luxury!).

We munched on a supper of tomato soup and mature cheddar sandwiches before polishing off a bottle of wine and bedding down for the night as we knew we’d be up early.

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The next morning we wolfed down an eggy breakfast and packed up a lunch to take with us on the walk we’d found via the BBC to Llanddwyn Island (link to their pdf here). The campsite wasn’t far out of Newborough where the walk began so we headed off in the general direction of the town to get on our way. The sun was dancing through the clouds and it wasn’t too hot, and being 9am it was really nice and quiet on the roads. We set off early due to the tide times, wanting to get a decent stretch of time on the Island itself.
We walked through the village and down to the forest, through the tall trees and made our way to the coastline. It was a lovely surprise at walking over a sand dune to find the most beautiful stretch of beach with Llanddwyn Island at the far right of us.


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Spot the Ecologist. 

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We walked along the beach and watched the waves roll out, down to the Island, crossed over onto it and wandered about the various coves and hills leading to the lighthouse and cottages at the end of the Island.
I took far too many pictures as the island is so beautiful and best of all we pretty much got it to ourselves, it was only when we started wandering back that we saw more and more people arriving and we were happy that we’d had a good few hours in relative peace.

Full set of photos in my camping album on flickr, which can be found here.

We stopped for our lunch in the forest at a little picnic spot that was deserted, most people heading for the beach in such glorious weather but not for us as eating sandwiches covered with sand is not my idea of ideal. Sandwiches, chocolate and squash consumed we headed back for the campsite. It was only when we arrived back we realised we’d been walking for five hours. I can’t recommend this walk enough though, it was absolutely beautiful and not too much of a stretch if, like me, you’re not the fittest of folk!

We spent some time cleaning the tent when we got back, and has showers (shower facilities really good, even though they’re places at the back of the kitchens…I can see the appeal in the winter when the weather’s cold though!) and then went to the restaurant for a couple of ales and then some dinner.

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The food was beautiful and we had a full three courses, knowing it was the last camping trip for 2012 we though we deserved a little treat.

The service was great but, and I know this is somewhat a matter of taste, we really didn’t need to be asked every few minutes if everything was okay. One check back per course is fine. I know they were quiet but it was a little bothersome and we just wanted to relax and have a natter and not be interrupted every few minutes.

We retired to the tent, pooped after our day of walking and we were soon tucked up in bed listening to our audio books and feeling content.

It was a lovely end to a beautiful, sunny weekend. We’ll definitely be going back to Anglesey in the future, it’s gorgeous and great for a not too far away but far enough away camping trip for the weekend. 

Tuesday 18 September 2012

30th Birthday Embroidery

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30th birthday card for my friend Becky with a sweet kawaii cake pattern for the front, courtosey of Wilde Olive. 

Friday 14 September 2012

Home made Halloween Invitations

This year we're hosting a little Halloween film fest for a few friends and I decided to go the old fashioned way and shunned facebook in exchange fir some hand made invitations with a simple ghost embroidered on to black card. The inserts were printed in orange and brown.

Ghost drawn freehand by me (obviously, it's not that hard is it?!).

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Thursday 13 September 2012

30th Birthday Card Embroidery

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My friend Lauren always has a piƱata on her birthday so I thought this cute design was perfect, from Feeling Stitchy 

Wednesday 5 September 2012

Camping: Bents Camping Barn, 3rd - 5th August 2012

We went to Bents Camping Barn for our friend Graham's surprise birthday party. We opted not to stay in the barn, I'm a really light sleeper and sharing a dorm didn't appeal to me, so we took our tent and set up camp close to the barn.

Graham's Birthday, Bents Camping Barn 3rd - 5th August 2012 Graham's Birthday, Bents Camping Barn 3rd - 5th August 2012

It was a lovely weekend, the weather stayed nice and we were only a few miles from where we'd stayed previously in Ravenstonedale so we managed to get to Kirby Stephen and have a chippy tea on the first night while we were waiting for Graham to show up.

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It was a great first night, with drinks, merriment and the super birthday cake we made for Graham's present.

Graham's Birthday, Bents Camping Barn 3rd - 5th August 2012 Graham's Birthday, Bents Camping Barn 3rd - 5th August 2012 Graham's Birthday, Bents Camping Barn 3rd - 5th August 2012 Graham's Birthday, Bents Camping Barn 3rd - 5th August 2012 Graham's Birthday, Bents Camping Barn 3rd - 5th August 2012 Graham's Birthday, Bents Camping Barn 3rd - 5th August 2012 Graham's Birthday, Bents Camping Barn 3rd - 5th August 2012 

We went into Carlisle on the Saturday to see The Dark Knight Rises (my review here) as Tim's walking shoes were in need of fixing and we weren't up for a massive walk while he was in his trainers (and we wanted to go and see Batman!).

It was a lovely spot of countryside to be in, even if we were hassled by the sheep in the field!


Tuesday 4 September 2012

Wedding Card Embroidery: About Effing Time

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Wedding card made from my friend Mhairi's sister's wedding. Sorry for the shadow on the pic!

Ribbon in light blue to contrast with the dark blue lettering and dark green of the bottle. 

Monday 3 September 2012

Luna Lovegood Costume

It's was my friends 30th fancy dress party at the weekend. The theme is L or B. So I decided on Luna Lovegood. 

I secured myself some sprectrespecs, a ravenclaw tie, a butterbeer cork necklace, some dirigible plum earrings and a blonde wig, found a white shirt (that didn't button up the top but I quickly amended with the use of safety pins) and wore my Viven of Holloway pinafore skirt. 

Luna Lovegood costume



I think I looked pretty awesome! Of course, hardly anyone knew who I was meant to be but hey ho, I got to dress up as Luna andnd Tim went as Sirius Black :D 

It was a super night, and a great party, happy birthday Becky & Lauren! :D xx