Lets it snow, let it snow, let it....stop snowing!!!!

This is what I woke up to on Monday morning, very pretty and christmassy - I was very excited and felt like a little girl as i jumped on the bed to wake Martin up and show him!

My excitement quickly dissapated however when I made it ourside to my car. Half an hour later and with the car sort of de-iced I realised I had no petrol and set off to Asda thinking that as it was only 8am I had loads of time to make the 35 minute journey to blackpool where I work.

How wrong I was. After filling up with petrol I spent 1/2 hour skating around the Asda carpark (who builds an Asda on a hill I ask?!). I must thank the two very kind and patient car park attendents who pushed (and pulled) me around until I was finally on a flat bit of road and able to set off to work!

The motroway was a bit slippery but not too bad and I made it off my junction with not much trouble. It was at this point that I began to regret setting off! The roads were like sheets of glass...

...and it took me 3 hours to travel 7 miles looking at this most of the way.

I did see this though..

the beautiful ice sculpture made by ........... totally covered in snow - it looked very magical =]

I eventually arrived at work 4 hours late and desperate for the loo! After dealing with a few messages I set off back home as the roads were starting to freeze - thankfully my journey home only took 1 1/2 hours! lol

That was Monday, yesterday I did not even attempt to go to work and this morning I woke up to yet more snow! I had decided to wait until the sun came out and chance trying to get to work as I am supposed to be meeting with the Blackpool Gazette to do a feature about some people I work with. it seems though that things are conspiring against me. Just as I was getting bundled up and starting to de-ice once again the traffic on my road started to slow and then stop.

There is now a traffic jam, both ways, outside and according to Martin, who walks to work, the jam is right across Peston! Seems I am not destined to work this week =]

The time off has allowed me to make some christmas pressies that I didn't think I would have time for, pictures will follow later as you never know who is reading and I don't want to spoil the surprise. I have also been snappy happy and taking lots of pictures of the snow, as much as it is annoying me its still very pretty!

I hope everyone is doing ok, wrap up warm get your wellies on and go play!

x x x

All change

Today was my friends last day in work as she is leaving to have a baby =]

It's very exciting for her as it's her first and I'm really excited for her too. I am also a little sad as I no longer have someone to cause mischief with at work! As her last day 'treat' we all went out for a meal here. It's such a lovely, traditional pub and the food was amazing (yum).

I made her a beaded bracelet as a leaving pressie, a bit like this one (I forgot to take a picture of the one I made for her)

I'm making some more like this to give as christmas pressies to various people, they take a very long time to make but I think the end result is quite nice and sparkly!!!

I have also bought some nice new beads...

(the picture doesn't do them justice).

On a different note I have nearly finished my christmas shopping, and theres still 6 days to go (I think I'm breaking my own record). I have mainly bought books as our local book shop, Borders, is closing down which makes me sad but was great for cheap pressies, hehe! When i was younger my mum owned a book shop so I practically grew up surrounded by books and as a result I am a real book worm. I visit Borders at least once a week as I get through them so fast and I really really don't want it to close =[ =[ =[

Hope everyone's christmas preperations are going well!

x x x

The Christmas tree is up!

Get me being all organised. Last night I managed to clean through the whole house (something that doesn’t happen all in one go very often), get the decorations down from the loft (with disgruntled help from Martin), put the decorations up (picture to follow later when I can extract it from my camera), start my Christmas shopping (online) and start a new project.

I found some lovely wool at my local fabric shop ages ago. It is scrummy and yummy and pink with ‘bits’ in and I love it. I have been holding on to it for quite a while, waiting for the perfect project to come along. I have always loved ‘felted things’ so In my infinite wisdom I have decided to make a felted run, yes you heard it right, not a nice easy and small project for my first attempt at ‘proper’ felting but a big pink rug!

Last Christmas I started to make a poncho, which now lives unfinished in an asda bag at the bottom of my wardrobe. I never learn, I wonder how much of this project I will complete before I get distracted, bored, etc.

I had a lovely weekend surrounded by family at my Mum & Dad's in Cumbria followed by a visit to my Aunty & Uncle's to see some of my cousins.

x x x

Its ffffffreezing today...

...literally!

In typical ‘me’ style I managed to sleep through the alarm on the one morning I really needed to be up in time. By the time I have showered and dressed and attempted to do something with my hair which normally looks something resembling this…

…then given up with my hair, I was just about on time. That was when I opened the front door and was met with a car that looked something like this…


It’s the first time that I have had to dig out the de-icer this winter and I couldn’t find it anywhere! So 15 minutes of heaters on full blast sat shivering in the driver’s seat I was ready to go and 20 minutes late, I hope that this isn’t a sign of things to come for the rest of the day?!

I am now starting to panic about christmas as today is now oficially December. Every year I leave things to the last minute and breeze through October and November saying to my self 'its aaages away, theres plenty of time' then before you know it December has arrived and the mad rush begins - will I ever learn? I think it may be a Folksy christmas this year!

Note to self: Buy de-icer!

X x x

Here are...

...a few of my elephants...

A Wet Weekend

My lack of presence recently is due to lots of crazyness at work. In the last month I have worked until 9pm 6 nights, stayed away at a conference for 2 nights, been out of the office for 4 days and I have just got back from a 3 day trip to London with three of our Young Carers. Phew. What a busy old month!

I was a bit aprehensive before going to London, it being my friest trip away with them by myself and the word daunted does not even to beging to sum up how I felt. Its quite scary really to think that your supposed to be totally responsible for three other people, especially when most of the time I feel I only just managed to get me and Martin from A to B in one peice!

Despite my worries everyone had a lovely weekend dispite the torrentious rain and grey skies. The three I took were aged between 16 and 18 and none onf them had been to London before so They were really excited.

The main reason for the trip was to visit the launch of a film they had made in conjunction with True Tube last month. We spent a great day on Saturday at the British Film Institute watching a handful of the films made by different youth organisations around the country. We also got the opportunity to attend 'Question Time' with some MP's and Richard Taylor (Damilola Taylor's Father and founder of the Damilola Taylor Trust) to discuss the issues and problems in today's youth society.

We also saw Big Ben and the Houses of Parlement, We stood under the London Eye in the dark and took pictures and we mosied around lots of christmas stalls on the South Bank hunting out bargains for Christmas.

The train journy back was pretty hellish though - 2 1/2 hours sat on the floor of a stupidly over crowded train is not my idea of a fun Sunday evening!

I was instantly cheered up however when I got home as these...

...were waiting for me on the table from Martin.

So now I'm back home, Martin is off in Liverpool tonight with some friends (I haven't seen him since Thursday) and I am contemplating whether or not I should treat myself to a takeaway?!

Hope everyone is okies?

x x x

I have....

...18 elephants in my house. Not real ones but ceramic ones, fabric ones, tin ones and many other types. I have pink ones, blue ones, shiney ones, sparkley ones, big ones, little ones, matching ones and spotty ones - i think i'm bordering on obsession!

Random but true!

x x x

Busy

My camera has broken so I STILL haven't been able to take pictures of the lovely goodies I made the other week, I am working 13 hours days all this week so I have no desire to try and fix the camera!

Maybe next week will I will be more productive =]

This week I have...

...mostly been making:

2 bags
1 apron
1 scarf
1 butterfly brooch
1 cushion cover
and a pig!

After my rant about the lack of 'making' I have been doing recently I have gone into overdrive this week.

Pictures to follow later this evening!

x x x

Where has my 'creative mojo' gone?

I have not been posting much at all over the last few months, mainly because I have not really done anything that is blog worthy, i'm sure no one really wants to read about my day at work, or about me doing house work or generally rushing around like a mad woman. I haven't even been creative enough to make anything worth blogging about.

I think that the whole leaving university and getting a 'proper' job has knocked me slightly off track. I realised how bad it had got last night when, while hunting for a scarf, i found my sewing machine at the bottom of my wardrobe totally hidden from sight. My boxes of beads and buttons have been hidden away in cupboards and my stash of felt is sitting in a box in the utility room looking very un-used and un-loved. Even my friend commented the other week about the lack of 'making' I have been doing declaring that my 'creative mojo' seemed to have done a dissappearing act.

I am also missing reading about what everyone is doing, saying and making.

So I will say it on here so that I can make no more excuses, I will make at least one new thing each week, something different that I have not made before and that will keep me feeling happy and creative and help me to find my 'creative mojo' again!

Any suggestions/tutorials are welcomed - I'll have a bash at anything!

Love to every one from a very bad blogger

x x x

Aching legs and a bruised bum!

I think i've mentioned before that i have two horses (well one and a half really!), Monty and Rhona, but due to a serious lack of space (my gardens not really suitable) they both live in Cumbria with my parents while im down here in Preston.

Its not an ideal situation but at least it meant i didnt have to sell them when i moved to Preston to uni three years ago.

Just after starting uni i had a fall and broke my arm (for the second time in the exact same place) which meant that i could not ride and by the time it was healed enough my poor Monty had grown to quite like the life of leisure, munching grass all day and generally being an inactive pig! So now they are living the life of reily and I have put on 3 stone since i stopped riding =[

A couple of weeks ago i decided that i had to do something about the lack of horseiness in my life and a quick search on the internet turned up a riding school not too far away. I rang on the off chance that they could fit me in for a lesson today and they could!

The lesson was great - just like riding a bike - and i loved every minute of it (i think some people are just meant to be on a horse! I can still ride pretty well, if i do say so my self, but i just need to get my head around the technical stuff again and try and look a bit prettier.

Surfice to say not riding for three years tends to lead to extreemly sore legs and a very bruised bum after the first time back in the saddle!

I have also started goiung to a yoga class on a monday night so i dread to think how stiff i will be come Tuesday morning!

I've booked another lesson for next week and can't wait - I love it!

Button Swap!

I really shouldn't have, i'm so busy, and i really don't have the time but.....

..I couldn't resist joining in on Incy Wincy Stitches fab button jewellery swap! Check it out here!!!!

The last three weeks I have mostly been decorating...

...so it would be safe to assume that I have done lots and lots and nearly done the whole house. Well, that assumption would be wrong!

Having never actually decorated a full room before I was very naive to think that a splash of paint here and a bit of gloss there and bobs your uncle you have a lovely decorated room. In reality It has taken me a whole week (of evenings after work) to do just the office. However if i do say so my self it looks wonderful! I am a hopeless perfecionist so it had to be just right.

I have also been planning a nine day trip to France for me and Martin. We leave on Friday after work and drive down to Dover then sail to Calais on Saturday morning. We're spending two days in Paris here in this lovely hotel, I can't wait. There is so much that i want to do and see in Paris, we definatley won't be able to fit it all in but i do hope that we make it to the Louvre as i have always wanted to go. I'd also like to take a boat trip down the Seine - thats the hopeless romantic in me!

After leaving Paris we are driving 6 hours down country a bit further than Cognac. We're spending 5 days in that area and then driving back to Calais on saturday and sailing back to Dover on Sunday just in time to be back at work on Monday morning!

Still got loads to do and a bit daunted as neither me nor Martin have ever driven on the 'wrong' side of the road before (well not intentionally) but it should be a fun adventire.

Watch out for 'France' themed pictures soon!

sunsets, fast cars and fairs!

Well hasn't it been a long time.

What with finding my feet in my new job, holidays, lots and lots of fairs and gereral life type things i have not had any time to visit blog land. I hope that now i will have a little more time, although i have big ideas about re-decorating the whole of the house so we will see how i go!

Last weekend me an Alex were intrepid adventurers at the Cumbira Steam Gathering, You can read about it here! It was a sunny, rainy, funny and tireing weekend, quite the combination!

I have just spent a lovely weekend with my Mummy and Daddy and did lots of yummy cooking just like when i was a little girl. I love going 'home', it was always just me and mu and dad (i am an only child) so sometimes its nice to just be the three of us again!

So since i last blogged i have:

Been on an amazing holiday to Florida with Martin and mum and dad... ...where we found some amazing waterways...

...and saw breathtaking sunsets.

I did a craft fair (with the lovely Alex) 2 days after landing back from Florida with extreem jet lag!

And i marveled at the awsome power of the Ariel Atom - with Martin behind the wheel! This was part of his 21st Birthday pressie from him mum, he got to drive 7 super cars including an Aston Martin V8 Vantage and an Audi A8 - i watched from behind my fingers!

Oh and i graduated! 3 years finally finished so i now have a BA Hons degree in Advertising and Marketing Communications! It was a lovely day as both me and Martin graduated in the same ceremony. We had both our families there and made a fab day of it!

So thats about it, i am on a major re-decorating mission so will be posting various before and after piccies very soon - please just humour me!

I hope you are all well and i will be popping by your blogs in just a minute!

x x x x x

x x x x

Uncreative

I have been very uncreative lately - this makes me sad =(

Work is getting to me, a lack of computer memory and an internet connection slower than a very slow snail makes for an unproductive sarah at work - this also makes me sad =(

I woke up last week and could hardly move so i spent all last week off work laid on the sofa not being able to do anything - that made me frustrated and sad! =(

The pump in our tropical fish tank broke down and cost £30 to replace (not replacing it was not an option! hehe) - that made me sad, and skint! =(

I did a vraft fair near to my Mum and Dad's at the weekend and only sold enough to cover the cost of my pitch (everyone else did as bad so at least it wasn't anything personal) - This made me sad and v.bored sitting on a kinda of wooden pew all day with no customers =(

I have been so busy i have hardly been able to spend any time in the shop amongst all of the treasures - sad again =(

My car has started makiing a funny noise when i go, stop and turn! i don't think it likes the 40 mile round trip i now have to do every day and is complaining loudly about it! - guess how this makes me feel........yup, SAD!!! =(

My grass now reaches up to my knees and as much as i hint Martin is not getting the message, hehe - sad (and a little funny when watching next doors cat go manic in it!) =(

However on the up side:

We are going to Florida in 7 days - this makes me v.v.v. happy (if a little scared abut how much i have to do before then) =)

I spent a great weekend at my mum and dad's sitting in the sun watching tadpoles, that are now very big and are starting to grow legs! - happy, happy, happy =)

My back is all fixed and i can actually do things again - happy and mobile! =)

My aunty gave me two massive bags of yummy buttons brought back from France - giddy and happy =)

I have now met all of Martin's family, at a family get together a couple of weeks ago, and they are all lovely. I now belong to two super duper families!!!!! - Loved and Happy =)

Hopfully i will be able to post lots and lots of pictures tomorrow - when i find my camera!

Hope everyone is well
x x x x x

Still Manic =(

Hello!!!!

My life is still manic and the manicness shows no sign of easing off so here is a very brief update in pictures!

It was Martin's 21st Birthday on 3rd May so we spent a lovely weekend at my Mum and Dad's, well Martin had a lovely weekend - i spent it all sat in the summer house frantically typing my dissertation!

I can think of worse places to have to be doing work thopugh!

The stream helped to keep me calm! hehe

And Molly Cat tried to help!

We had a nice meal out to celebrate his birthday.

The last few weeks have just been a blur of dissertation, new job, shop, madly trying to get to see all of the family and bottoming the whole house as the lodgers have now left (massive sigh of relief!!!).

I did find time though to take part in Race For Life last weekend in Burnley. It was the firsat time i have done it and i was not prepared for how emotional i would be - its really moving to see so many people all doing something so wonderful!

There was me, my mum, my aunty, my cousin and her friend.

We all marched off from the start...

...and had laughed and nattered our way around the 5k course before we knew it....

...and were soon crossign the finish line.....

...to collect our medals and cereal bars!

A busy old week

Helloo - i've had a busy old week so apologies for the lack of posting and commenting.

Todays will be a picture heavy blog so you have been warned!

Me and my friend (another Sarah) had a celebratory night out...

...I made lots and lots of these felt brooches and keyrings, some floweras and cupcakes too to take to my craft fair...

...which was a huge success, the best one yet. The sun shone all day and 100's (slight exageration) of people came!

Me and Martin had a nice day out at Skipton Castle...

..and have spent a sunny weekend outside (mainly in the various beer gardens of preston!

Yesterday i spent a super afternoon with my Mum and my Grandma watching the Dancing on Ice tour in Manchester.

This week is panning out to be just as packed as it is mine and Martin's second anniversary tommorrow, my birthday on Friday and Martins birthday next Sunday, lots of cakes to be made!

Hope you are all well

x x x