The Thread of Life. Project & Exhibition

While on Twitter the other day I came across a lovely project by a local resident artist Sharon Mossbeck that I thought others would love to know about (especially my friends new and old in the )..
MSE Cross Stitch Cafe

The project is based on the mythological Greek figures of the Fates, or Moirai and called "The thread of Life" and is in 2 parts.

Trick or Treat (part 2)

This year sees the first ever Swizzels Trick Or Treat Trail at all three Gulliver’s theme parks in Warrington, Matlock Bath and Milton Keynes throughout October half term through to Halloween weekend and we've been invited to go along and experience the spooky magic.  So the boys faces painted (Noah wanted to be a yellow angry bird and Ben was apparently "Batman Fake" we set off to Matlock Bath to experience the Swizzels Trick or Treat Trail.I refrained from doing my own make up given that it was a 2-hour journey on Public Transport!

  

Christmas Planning - Week 8 and 9: Guest Room and public spaces.

sorry sorry sorry, I may be having an organised Christmas but the rest of my life is completely disorganised.  It also doesn't help that the site I base my posts on (Organized Home) has a glitch or a virus or something and constantly throws me to an 'update Adobe Flash" page with an instant download.  Please delete this download as I am concerned it's a virus as I've gone thro the proper adobe site and should be up to date yet it's still showing up all the time.

Anyways I battled round it and thankfully (as I'm soo behind) there's not a lot to add to my list.  I'd like to say check the website for the full lists but.......

Of course weeks 8 and 9 are also Halloween prep so they have some great ideas for getting you organised there too.  We don't do Halloween massively here so I'll not be covering it in this post.

I have sorted out the boys letters from Santa already though thanks to Offiical Lapland, check out my post and competition here.

If Halloween and sweets are more your thing then I have a Spooky competition from Swizzles live too, here.

Don't forget to turn your clocks back.............

Heroes in a Half Shell........ Turtle Power.

I promised you I'd let you know how Ben's birthday and his party went... so here's a round up for you (I'm going to get round to the "how to's" I promise).

The decorations I mentioned a few posts ago from Kids-Partyshop.co.uk look absolutly fantastic.

  

Groupon Goods - if fulfilled by "Delux Homebrands"avoid.

You've probably read my tweets about how my omelette maker has become non-stick so guess how excited I was for it a Groupon goods to appear so I could order a new one for £15.98 (with free delivery.



The fine print said to allow up to 7 working days for delivery, so you would expect (having ordered on the 10th October) that I would be able to tell you all how fantastic it was.

Sadly not.

Trick or Treat?

I was young .... once

We love Halloween, we don't go trick or treating ourselves (I was never allowed as a child) but that
doesn't stop me and the boys dressing up, eating junk food and having a fab time and this year it'll taste even better as Swizzels have teamed up with Gulliver Theme's parks.

This year sees the first ever Swizzels Trick Or Treat Trail at all three Gulliver’s theme parks in Warrington, Matlock Bath and Milton Keynes throughout October half term through to Halloween weekend and we've been invited to go along and experience the spooky magic (I am already planning the outfit) on Monday.  I cannot wait to tell you all about it when we get back.

So then Santa said to me......

I know what you're thinking... Santa doesn't exist.... except I know a secret ..... he does and we've recently been talking about Christmas, after all it's his specialist conversation and I may be a teeny bit excited already... Ben taking after me has started going to bed listening to the Christmas CD.

He introduced me to a delightful website where he works hard with Mrs Claus to write lovely personalised letters for children in time for Christmas.

Tuneful Tuesday - Glasses - Chris jarvis

Like many mums when my boys were a bit smaller hours were sent watching Chris and Poi on Cbeebies.  Hmmm I thought, I recognise him .... surly after all this years it is not the Chris I remember from my childhood?  So ... like most people..... I turned to Wikipedia.

It was indeed THAT Chris Jarvis..... the one who in the early 1990s appeared on Children's BBC, presenting in The Broom Cupboard alongside Zoë Ball and Josie d'Arby.  THE Chris Jarvis who presented Playdays. In 1997,   THE same Chris Jarvis who hosted Fully Booked with Tim Vincent and Gail Porter.

In 1997 Chris was part of The Friday Zone, which was broadcast on Friday afternoons on BBC One.  Alongside Debra Stephenson (Bad Girls/ Coronation Street), Peter Simon (Run the Risk/ Going Live), Dominic Wood (one half of Dick and Dom), Steve Rock and Emma Lee. As a spin-off to tgis show they released a single called "Glasses" to raise money for Comic Relief. Sadly, perhaps due to the fact it was up against the official song by the Spice Girls "Mama" not many people, other then me, bought it (it was cd's and tapes back then)

Did you buy or not??

Freshly harvested fruit and veg make the perfect ... ... accompaniment to any Sunday dinner.

It's really Autummy out there now, I don't know if you'd noticed, and Tesco are passionate about
bringing us seasonal flavours to enhance our meals.  Not only this but they like to ensure all their harvested fruit and vegetables is fresh and of the highest quality.  If you see the Red Tractor logo on their products you can be assured they are working with suppliers who have passed rigorous production standards to bring you the best possible food.  It's no secret where Red Tractor food comes from, you can trace it all back to the farm it originated on.

Confident of their products Tesco set some of their Orchard Club members a challenge, to use their freshly harvested products and let everyone know about them.

Party planning - the perils of RSVP

Ohh I am sooo angry.

Last year Ben had 10 friends to his party but (due to a communication error) I thought one mum hadn't RSVP'd, didn't after a reminder so he invited someone else ....... and we ended up with 11.

Every party this year had the same idea as me "text me to say you are coming".  I must admit, bad forgetful mum that I am I only replied a week before but mums were fine (after all they were catering for around 30).

This year Ben has invited 4 friends (twins and 2 others).  We hand-made and hand-wrote the invitations, as it's at our house I am sure there is no uncertainty we've not invited the whole class!
one mum hasn't RSVP'd (and it's the Saturday).  It's now far too late to invite someone else if she replies with no without that child's parents knowing they were a drop-out extra.   We have tried to catch her before and after school all week and seen her once but as soon as went to approach her she'd vanished.

I've tried to get her number from a couple of mums but none have it, besides they'd probably not pass it on.

It just makes me so cross when he's had to be selective that the parents can't even be bothered to let me know.

How do you manage party replies?

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Party Supplies

Mummy...... can I have a party??

Those words every mummy/ daddy/ carer dreads hearing, and yet every year without fail (normally 6 months before their birthday) those words are uttered.  Depending on what sort of person you are you either go into a mad panic mode, or you book the tortuorous soft play party or, like me, you simply say "maybe, we'll discuss it nearer the time" (hoping they may have forgotton/ lowered their expectations) ........ until 2 months before their birthday when they again ask and you think "ohh pants, I guess I'd better get this party planning hat on then".

Last year I took the easy option, the fail safe option and booked a party at Pizza Hut for Ben and some friends.  Ouch that was an epic fail in itself.  From the 5year olds that "don't eat Pizza" (seriously!!) to the lack of planning and from the place itself..... but I won't go into that - you can read all about it here. 

A year was spent where most weekends we were at one party or another, it was so much fun (for the kids)... not quite as enjyable for the parents who had to endure soft play hell or the party hall of doom.... 30 screaming hyperactive kids ... no thank you.  

     Then you had the element of "who can outdo who"..... one had a bouncy castle ... so the next had a ball pool and a bouncy castle.  

      One did the party games all by themselves (very brave).... anther hired Elsa from Frozen to run the show for them.   

      There were facepainters, dj's, The Hulk, foam pies in faces, balloons.... balloons and oh did I mentin balloons?  

      There were the parents who provided a nice slow cooker curry (YUCK) for the parents while their kids ate semi-stale sandwiches and those whose family own the local Chinese (YUCK) takeaway and provided a complete buffet for the grown ups (while kids ate cold nuggets and smily faces) .... and then you have the parents who thought they were feeding the entire school and were probably eating cold party food for weeks to follow (my personal favourite -I think I ate my weight in strawberries at that one).

Christmas Planning - Week 7: Guest Room (AKAcatch-up week for me)

Oh my gosh the weeks are going far to quickly (10 Sundays left).  It's Ben's birthday on Friday so I've been a little pre-occupied and my organised Friday was once again taken up with yet another trip to Meadowhell!

On the plus side while I was queuing in the Lego Shop for one of his presents the people in front let me have their points.... it wasn't like they were spending much .... only £150 (that's £15 in Lego points)!  Someone will be having a fantastic birthday/ Christmas I said... and they explained it was for a 28 year old :)  Just shows kids don't grow up they just get older.

Cbeebies Panto 2014: Peter Pan

Tag-lined:  Fab show, shame about the 'organisation'.

We loved the Panto last year, it was filmed in Sheffield where we live but sadly we didn't win the public ballot to get tickets, this year it was at The Lowry in Manchester so we applied again (alongside a few thousand other hopefuls).  Once again we didn't get tickets.  But having learnt last year of the "stand-by list" we went along in hope.

Far from the well organised 'gig' of last year this year both internal and external events at The Lowry were chaos.  I wish this post could be as positive as last years, and I wish the message could be as fantastic as the one I was giving out this year to encourage people to go .... but sadly.......... 

  

Pink Parcel ... something to look forward to every month.

If you happen to be a man reading my blog then this post probably won't interest you, unless you

have a temperamental woman once a month who needs cheering up.

Have you guessed what Pink Parcel specialises in yet?........Yup making your 'monthlies' so much more bearable.

Christmas Planning - Week 6: Kids Rooms

Pfft just got back from Tesco.  Where they did, eventually have in the green Rowntree sweetie boxes ... back up to £5.   Needless to say we didn't buy any as when we looked you could fill it with an assortment of various jelly's for the same price (same quantity, if not more).  So instead I will be utilising a spare tub I have and in the next few weeks stocking up on various goodies to fill it.


What have I accomplished this week,....  I've made a start on the boys Christmas gifts.  I was frantically racking my brain to try and remember what it was they wanted.  I'd like to avoid more toys... then I remembered they were after Tablets.  Which I was quite happy with as it may mean I reclaim some TV and Ben would not be constantly asking for my laptop.   Annoyingly the really great deal I had seen is no more (typical) - I don't want to spend more than £50 so it's going to be one on offer, a 7" screen is fine.     I am reluctant to buy online as I bought one from amazon at the beginning of the year and it was faulty.... it was replaced (after a fuss) with another faulty one and I e eventually got my money back.
   I am now considering getting them 1 to share (and of course then mummy can borrow it when we go on holiday).  :)   So if you see any great offers please let me know.

300 picture book challenge - September Update

September

We are still plowing through The Enchanted Wood trilogy, book 3 now.  With school starting again I must get back into the habit of school books and bedtime books again after we let ourselves down massively over the Summer.

122 days left in 2014 and 81 books to read.  We CAN do this.

12 players ........... 1 world ..... who will survive? who will loose? #EndgameIsComing

Endgame is real. Endgame is now. Endgame has begun.

My first impressions of this youtube clip that has been going around the internet was WOW.  My 2nd was just how much it reminded me of Murder Game, a little remembered programme from 2002/3 in BBC.   But it (sadly) wasn't documenting the return of this epic but a new book adventure coming on the 7th October from James Frey and Nils Johnson-Shelton.

Christmas Planning - Week 5: Bathroom Week

A little late (sorry) but it means that I can bring you my new hashtag a week early (so not all bad than) .... let me introduce #MistletoeMonday.   Organised will return to Sundays again this weekend and Mondays will be full of festive ideas, treats, and exciting reviews to get you in the mood.  After all there is only 87 more sleeps.

Well after blogging about them we headed to Tesco last week and picked up a tub of Heroes for £4.  I wanted to get a tub of the rowntree ones too but they didn't have any :(  I have now been assured by
Tesco they have them in at my local so think I'll pay them a visit on the way home tomorrow and see if they still do.

e-books vs tree-books

Don't get me wrong I LOVE the idea of an e-book.  I've often considered buying an e-reader or tablet and putting the app on it.  I have read the odd few pages of e-books on my android smartphone but it is so small that I could never read a whole book on it... we do read e-books on the internet occasionally (small few page ones),  and of course when you want to read 'that type' of book on a bus load of people an e-book is so much less embarrassing :).

..... and THAT is why I have hung up the #pblogger hat.

Let me lay it on the line.... I am clearly NOT a parent blogger... and not just because my @tots100 stats tell me so.

1) I don't CARE if the kids packed lunch doesn't resemble a letter of the alphabet every day.   They have never complained because the jam from their sandwich (when I'm feeling generous and change from
the normal ham) has strayed onto their slice of cheese.  I've never been screamed at because their carrot sticks were not nice and even.

In fact while I am on the subject of food I don't make their tea like pretty either (ok I did twice).  I cook the food I put it on a plate. To be honest they don't even really care that alphabet potato shapes look like letters and Peppa Pig spaghetti may as well be hoops.

Panda Drinks are back

If you were an 80s / 90s child then you  probably grew up with Panda Pops... yummy fizzy goodness that artifically flavoured cherryade and the orangeade that well come to think of it wasn't really that
orangy and don't get me started on my views about 'cola'.... then the health police came around and they disappeared.  The good news is they are now back... with a soft drink that tastes JUST as good (if not better) then the fizzy pop of our childhood.

         VS  

Tuneful Tuesday - Birdhouse In Your Soul (They Might Be Giants)

Back in the days of casesste tapes and recording the Pepsi Network Chart Show this found its way onto a mix tape.  I'd forgotton all about it, reheard it today and the memories came flooding back.

It was released in 1989 but most recently returned to the UK Singles Chart in 2010, after its use in a television advert for Clarks Shoes.

 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle - Party Invitations

I may have mentioned (once or twice) how Ben is having a TMNT party for his birthday.  As it's at home I've told him he can have 4 friends as my house can't take many more.  All the invitations we saw to buy were very boring . ... so with a bit of Pin-spiration ...  I bring you home made TMNT invitations.  And they are soo easy.

Christmas Planning - Week 4: Our Bedroom Week

So the chocolates in Morrisons are definitely back up to full price now so I'll be waiting to see who's next to reduce them or give a great deal.

Did you see my Poundland post?  The boys are very excited to have their advent calenders already.  I need to get my wooden advent calendar out I made last year and see if it needs updating.

The selling stuff didn't sell again last week so next weekend (it's black bin day this week) I'll be throwing or charity shopping stuff to make the space.

Books for sale............

I know tree-books are in decline but I love them farr more then electronic ones.  

I've listed these on Preloved, I've tried local sites and ebay with no responses.  Some are on read it swap it but to be honest I just need them gone.

Collection is from Sheffield or I can post (tho this works out pretty pricey now and I probably can't beat Amazon - thanks royal mail!).

So I'm going to put them on here for a little while and see if any of you lovely people fancy them......

Prices start from just 50p and all can be seen in this album

Halloween, Christmas and Birthday all catered for on today's Poundland shop

I only went out for sugar and bread .... but ended up spending £13 in Poundland today.....

Review - Yollies

A long time ago .... way back in ...... August..... the lovely people who make Cheesestrings(Kerry Dairies)  produced a yummy new after dinner snack - a yogurt lolly on a stick - a Yollies.

We couldn't wait to try these, unfortunately they are only available in large Asda stores at the moment (other retailers will be stocking them later in the year) in the chiller aisle, tho I am told they also taste great frozen in the warmer summer months..

Revamp your fridge with PicStick

Every time I look at my fridge I am reminded of the baby dinosaur from 'Dinosaurs' back in the early 90's.  He drew a picture and handed it to Frank who exclaimed "where will I put it?  the fridge is full".... Baby's reply "Buy a new fridge..... problem solved".........

............ whilst PicStick's can't solve the space issue (or maybe they can... I'll come to that in a minute) they can certainly make a boring white fridge prettier.

Photo Magnets themselves are not a new concept to me, a few years ago I made my own, that is to say I found some pictures I liked, printed them, laminated and stuck some magnetic tape on the back.  It is fair to say these were massively overdue for an update as my kids are no longer babies.  So when PicStick offered me the chance to explore their website and order some Photo Magnets I jumped at the chance..... and it is safe to say I'll be heading back.

Meredith Brooks - Bitch (as you can guess contains bad words)

In the days of PC gone mad and people overreacting to things I was shocked to hear Asda playing one of my favourite songs this week... in fact I moseyed around the clothing/ entertainment department far longer then I anticipated just to hear all of it.

I kind of see this song as a theme tune to my life ... I am all these things and you know what ... if you don't like it I don't care, I DO have a softer side but only if you deserve to see it :)

Released in May 1997 I was still at school (albeit high school) and to say the word 'bitch' even in context/ a song was really frowned about in my house.  However it is one of my go-to feel good songs for an anger release.

Turtle Power.... cupcakes

As you may have seen on Twitter it's all about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in this house at the moment.  Just when I've learnt all the superhero's from A-Z (honestly would you like me to list them) Ben announces he wants a TMNT birthday party.   Well his birthday isn't until the middle of October but when we went to B&M the other day he found a turtle bun mix and it sat in the cupboard forgotten about until this weekend.

He loved the fact the cake's were soo easy to make, and I loved not having to measure out all the ingredients.

Christmas Planning - Week 3: Entry/ Foyer Week

I was really cross with myself when I went into Morrisons today and the sweetie tubs appeared to be back to full price (so I didn't get any), it was only on the way out I noticed the sign was still up saying they were on offer, will have to go back for a couple.   I even resisted the urge to buy the boys chocolate advent calenders when I saw them.

I've managed to empty a box/ rearrange my stitching stash to make an extra Christmas present box but I need more space.  There is only one thing for it, a load of my unsold stuff will have to go to a charity shop to free up the large box!!!  Do I want to give ebay a chance first??? hmmm.....

Step back to school with Shoe Zone

........ sound familiar???  Then you must be a trying to get school shoes (with the rest of the town) in the last few days before term starts, because you know if you bought them in July your child's feet WILL grow in the 6 weeks holiday.

My very own Personal Planner

Planner, organiser, jotter, diary .... whatever it's called in your house there is bound to be one in your bag.  In my case I probably have about 3 in the house as I change my mind as often as I change my pants and if I see a nice new diary (within budget) I will buy it.

I don't know if it stems back to the days of being in school but there is something about mid-year diaries that I need in my life.  Starting something on the 1st of January seems .... wrong.   My friend is unfortunate enough to have her birthday on the 2nd of January (or is it the 3rd?) and I won't begin to tell you how many times I have forgotten it because I haven't started using my new diary/ calender until 1st January.

This year I wanted something more than a diary, last year I had a lovely organiser diary with compartments, note space, shopping lists, budgeting etc and I thought right this year I WILL be organised....... it lasted about 3 months before it got tatty/ took up too much space in my bag and to be honest I was bored of it and bought a basic diary .... that I didn't like because I didn't have enough space to write things I thought of (like shopping lists).

Exuviance Age Reverse Night Lift

I'm really enjoying going through my goody bag from #NorthernBloggersMeetUp and this week has been a great week for trialing creams.

I can't remember the last time my skin saw any face cream, I just forget! This cream was a pleasure to use tho, once you get past the strong alcohol (?) smell.  Unlike other night creams I've used this is light and silky to apply and moisturisers in quickly.  It does't leave a greasy sensation like previous products.

Silent Sunday 7.9.14

Christmas Planning - Week 2: Living Room / Question Week

We move on slightly from lists in Week Two and turn our focus to questions questions questions.   It is supposed to be living room cleaning/ decluttering week and as I've not actually done this from last week I think I'd better keep it in.

Couldn't believe it yesterday when I went into Morrisons and they had hugee towers of the Hero, Celebration, Roses, Quality Street and Haribo tubs for £5 each or 2 for £8.  i was very tempted to make a start on my Christmas food storage until I remembered I'd nearly filled the pressie box and hadn't unburied the big Christmas 'stuff' box... which in reality means they would be gone before October :)

Every year I pledge to not buy these but for me they are a BIG part of Christmas.  Last year, I will

admit, we bought the Haribo one but kept it topped up with goodies from other places.... we even found Christmas Haribo (why don't they include that??) Do you buy the tubs??

Ghost Train and Gimmie 5

Back in the days (1989 - 1994) when Nobby really was a non-laughed at name for a sheep were
Ghost Train and Gimmie 5.

Hours and hours were spent watching these fantastic series which ran ALL MORNING on ITV on Saturdays for children. Not everything on them was to my taste... so I'd move over to see what BBC were offering (but that's for another post)

Northern Rail plan to introduce New PEAK ticket prices ..... will you be affected

As non-car drivers you will be aware that we do a LOT of travelling by train.  We have a family and friends rail card and love to go for days out.

Fortunately most of our outings fall on the weekends but there are times, like this weekend (or during the school holidays).  We considered going away for a couple of night when the kids finished school tonight (meaning travelling out of Sheffield after 4pm).  Additionally if we do go on a day out in the week we tend to try and get back to Sheffield for around 5pm so enough time for tea and bed with out rushing our day out.   Today I have just spotted Northern Rails plans to ruin our days out by increasing ticket prices in South and West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and Hexham-Newcastle.... so all the routes we frequently use...from the 8th September.   They say they have given plenty of notice of this including announcements on affected trains.... well I must have slept through my return journey from Manchester last week because there was NOTHING about this change - no posters, no announcements - if I'd not seen it on Twitter today I would not have been aware.  You would have expected when I booked my tickets (and I can't remember who I booked through) a month ago that some notification of the change would have been sent, but not that I can see.

Northern Bloggers Meet Up - 30th August

Saturday... the day I'd been waiting for for ... agesssss finally came round.  A double celebration, the first Saturday in years where hubby was at home for the kids and I could abandon them and go to meet some fellow bloggers....oh and I got my hair cut for the occasion too
.

The morning didn't go too smoothly and I ended up 45 minutes late for the #northerbloggersmeetup meaning I'd missed all the introductions and people were already deep in conversation.  Thankfully I found a lovey comfy armchair and was instantly welcomed to a smaller group.  It was lovely to get a chance to talk to Jaye from Liberty Belle properly as she was rather busy the last time I saw her.

#WIP - Let's Deck the halls.

here's where I'm at 3/9/14

  

Work in Progress Wednesday - Let's Deck the Halls, Ursula Michael

My Ursula Michael passion hit again when I found this beauty on crossstitch.com  and yes it may only be September but I had to start it.

I choose to go against the guidance (I wouldn't be me otherwise) and opt for various shades of green for the text.  I am contemplating replacing the star with metallic gold.......

A week in and here's my progress...........I am determined that for the first year ever I will have a seasonal work finished and framed for the festivities.