Ridgeway Cottage anyhow

At last, things are starting to get a little bit easier and I can start getting on with the whole living thing. After the overly complex stitchery I started on one of the flowers for my embroidered dress at the beginning of the week, it felt like I would never get it either right or finished. My mood darkened, but I kept at it and then suddenly it was finished. The kitchen is no longer the sensory nightmare of the last couple of months, as long as I am the only one in there. I even managed to gather a harvest from the allotment and make a potato curry with my homegrown produce. I’ve also managed to not only go properly outside but took on my own autistic/ PTSD challenge. In true over the top ADHD style, I went on a day trip to The Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace, the perfect overwhelmingly stimulating environment to anxiously await the boy’s Kent Test results. If I can cope with needle-felted Sherlocks, then I can probably start to engage in some of those day to day act...

    As if there wasn't enough to worry about in the world of food already, with supermarkets filling our heads with the need for special offer junk, sugar in absolutely everything and multi-national companies tampering with whatever takes their fancy, GMO OMG has planted the seed of nightmare killer corn and chemically engineered soya. I thought I was doing my bit by being a vegetarian, growing my own fruit and veg and forcing it on my kids instead of feeding them McDonalds, but "no!", the scientists have been at my seeds. When I first got my allotment there was an enormous parsnip growing happily there that went to seed and I was warned against collecting the seed because my parsnips "wouldn't come true". I nodded wisely, thinking "poppycock" in my head and collected the seed anyway. But what was in this whole "not coming true" business? Should I be scared of my hundreds of seeds that I got for free? Basically a F1 hybrid seed invol...

Today was the first day of the Easter holidays. After a rainy start, the sun shone, the children played, Sherlock sunbathed in the garden and all was fine in the world. As far as the year of the sock is concerned, it's time to try the second green leaf pattern sock, that I made such a mess of in February in between gardening. This afternoon there were some problems with the Internet and it was probably off for a couple of hours but it wasn't the disaster you'd imagine for a couple of kiddies off from school. Charlie did come out to tell me it wasn't working and that Josie was making her own real life Cluedo but I was in the middle of planting out peas so didn't really take too much notice. Next thing I knew, Josie was outside, giving me directions as the murderer and instructing that I don't remove the clue from the slug pellets (the murder weapon). There were clues all over the house and several murders that went on for at least a couple of hours. The childre...

Where do you stand on the nature or nurture debate? Speaking purely from my own experience; girls are little princesses who live in castles of pink and boys like cars and everything noisy or dirty. Although at age two both my children received a ride on car for their birthday, so perhaps the appeal is universal.   Here's the back of the quilt that I recently made for my nephew. It's been unwrapped now and is all the way on the other side of the world. If you live by the sea, as my little guy does, you're going to need the ocean on your quilt. Who doesn't like the park for a quick swing and slide?   You also need some where to live.   Happy birthday Manny! Wish I was still there to drive cars around your quilt.   Posted with Blogsy

Two years ago I packed my carpet bag and headed off to Oz for my Mary Poppins mission. I wrote about it here , here and here . Mary Poppins is originally from Queensland you know and although I missed out on a The Mary Poppins Festival , I did get the chance to spend lots of time with my gorgeous niece and welcome my new nephew into the world. So what would be the ideal gift for a very special little nephew? I know a quilt because I've only got a week to make it. Nothing like putting the pressure on, but I did it. I can only give a few hints of the final piece because I know that my sister will see this and I don't want to ruin the surprise. Here's a sneaky peek Hmm what could that be? A three eyed monster? A bird? Just to add a sprinkling of mystery and a touch more suspense, the big reveal will be on 4th February which is the little man's 2nd birthday. Oh go on then, one more quick look...   Posted with Blogsy

  I love my new shelves. They are rather like frames for all our precious Halloweenland crafting. My ancient crocheted pumpkin and the world's smallest pumpkin make ideal shelf buddies.   Topped with the ghosts of parsnips gone to seed in an orange vintage Tupperwear beaker. Add Halloween bunting   And finally some candles to complete our Halloweenland for 2014.   Posted with Blogsy

There should always be a bit of an excursion to a museum in the school holidays. A day trip is just so exciting. Eating sandwiches on the train and trying to hold onto their little hands as all who are purposeful and important race by through the subterranean tunnels of the underground. I wouldn't miss their sheer delight at the immense entrance halls of the great museums of South Kensington.   Today we strayed from our well trodden path to The Natural History Museum to explore the world of science.   With shapes of mathematical marvels   Interactions with the interactive   Cabinets of specimen phobias Thought provoking photography from the exhibition "Making living worth while" by Nick Hedges, commissioned in 1968 by the housing and homelessness charity Shelter.   And even a spot of retro gaming. The only thing that could have possibly made the day better would have been if I'd let them go skating on the outdoor ice rink. Filled with excitement, sweets ...

Yes that's right, it's that time of year again. The train of terror has terminated at Canterbury West unleashing two delightfully fiendish ghouls on no. 17. The kiddies love Halloween and there is often talk of costumes, crafts and delicacies from the start of October.   Skeleton girl is a great fan of Tim Burton's gothic and dark animation, delights in scaring her friends with frightful tales and practices her horror film make overs throughout the year. She practically squeals with delight at anything that sends shivers down her spine.   Zombie boy is a little more sensitive to the potential threat of the undead. It's not that he's frightened or anything, he just feels like putting his fingers in his ears and burying his head into an adult. He's still more than happy to get involved in the Halloween crafting though and I imagine there will be a lot more spookiness to come this week.   Posted with Blogsy