Christmas 2009

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas my lovely blogger friends.

I have to say it has been a busy one for me, both Gav & I finished work on Christmas Eve and had the mammoth task of wrapping all the presents!!

Why oh why did Christmas creep up on us so quickly this year.

Christmas day started with some presents, the 1st of which had to be my Secret Santa present from the wonderful "Happy"of Happy Loves Rosie.

Boy what a lovely parcel of goodies it was too.

Some lovely Jingle bells which are now hanging on my tree, a Christmas peg which is now attached to my Christmas bunting in my kitchen, a lovely handmade CK Stanly book mark, a beautiful hand made button necklace which came wrapped in a page from an old annual, will be having a read of that!!

Some fab UJ tea towels already in use in the kitchen, some beautiful old Christmas cards/post cards, a fun keyring, and a Happy Loves Rosie Photo. All beautifully wrapped.

A great first present of the day, I took photos of it whilst opening each gift which Gav thought unusual but waited patiently for me to do so before we opened some more presents from each other.

We popped to the in laws for a coffee and presents then home for dinner.

Boxing day we went to see Gav's sister for more presents & coffee, and on Sunday my parents & sister & boyfriend arrived for 3 lovely family days plus sale shopping, witch is a tradition with my Mum & it's always the best.

I have had some lovely presents, jam making equipment, lovely leather over night bag, a beautiful scarf, champagne, chocolates, an Amazon voucher so my wish list of books are now on order & lots of CK mugs so my collection is nearly full & much much more.

Thank you xxx

I hope you all had wonderful Christmas, and that 2010 brings you everything you wish for.

Lost of Love & Hugs

Trying to be a good girl!!!

Hello all

I just had to show you what I received in the Secret Santa Swap organised by the lovely Victoria of "Florance & Mary" & the wonderful Kelly of "Kelly's Recipes for Life".

I got a call at work last Friday from Gav, saying that the postman had put a slip through the door saying I had a parcel at the post office. So I hot footed it down there from work with the hope that I would make it there before it closed. Well there was a queue as usual, and I waited in line until it was my turn.

The people behind me all had a good look when a bright pink parcel was handed to me.

Ohh the excitement, I could just mask out on the back that it was from

"Happy Harris" of Happy Love Rosie.

So here it is, although I am being a really good girl and not opening it until Christmas as "Happy" stated on the vintage gift tag.

Thank You Happy I can't wait to see whats in it.

Have a lovely snowy weekend.

Love

Christmas Stocking Swap

It seems like ages ago that I put my name down for Beki's Christmas Stocking swap.

Last week a huge parcel arrived from Vanessa at Coco Rose Textiles who I was paired up with and I have to say I was naughty and opened it the minute I saw it.

I don't think I even took my coat off first or said hello to Gav!!!

Well this huge box was sat on my sofa and it would have been rude to wait until Christmas day & I don't physically think I could have, sooooooooooo I opened the box only to find lots of lovely blue tissue and an enormous beautiful stocking stuffed full of pressies wrapped in the most beautiful Christmas tissue.

Vanessa really spoilt me & also got me so right!!

I love it all and still keep looking at it all.

Vanessa gave me a CK key ring, CK sticker book, CK UJ pin cushion, CK rose lip balm, beautiful coloured candles, jewelery, champagne truffles, hand made felt strawberry, hand made egg cozies, a note book and lots more. I really was in heaven so much so that I was speechless.

I can't tell you what I sent Vanessa as I know she is saving it for Christmas day like a good girl, I hope she likes it as much as I do mine.

Thank you Vanessa & thank you Beki for organising such a brilliant swap.

Love

Shop Chez Sophie is Offically Open for Business

Well, the craft fairs were fun but I also wanted another way to sell my handmade items, so I have set up a little blog shop of my own called

"Shop Chez Sophie"

My first listings are fabric cup cakes, & my first customer will also receive a surprise gift.

Wish me Luck

Love

Craft Fair - Findon West Sussex

Hi All

I'm off to my second Craft Fair this weekend, here are the details if you fancy popping along to see me & my stall.

Love

Lyme Regis with Love

Whilst in Dorset on my mini break we visited Lyme Regis, which was about 5 miles from where we were staying. It was a beautiful little seaside town with a lovely prom.
We wandered around the town first, great little shops.

Ginger Beer was beautiful and had the most amazing displays.

Then a couple of local charity shop stuffed to the gunnel's with things to buy.

Also a tiny but gorgeous shop full of CK and with the most amazing staircase.

Unfortunately I was not aloud to take photos!! which is a shame as I'm sure you would have all loved to have seen inside.

Then we went on a lovely long walk along the sea front with Milo (chocolate lab).

The prom had the most beautiful houses along it all with their own unique style.

Neapolitan beach huts with vintage curtains adorned the beach, fishing boats bobbed in the harbour and the wind blew and the rain threatened!!

So we walked and walked and then had a hot chocolate in a beach front pub.

Milo thoroughly enjoyed the walk & swim in the sea and we were all exhausted from the fresh air.

So off we went home for some lunch, & that's all from my visit to Dorset.

Love

Craft Fair Virgin

Well, here I am back blogging!

Shattered after my first Craft Fair but I just had to tell you all about it and show you my wears.

So where to start, I have been busily beavering away in my sewing room every night after work for what seems like weeks.

I have made all manor of pretties and sourced props for my stall so it would look beautiful.

The craft fair was held at The Body Shop head office site in Littlehampton where I work and was in aid of The Body Shop Foundation & Chestnut Tree House Children's Hospice, both very worthy causes. I also had the obligatory Santa's grotto, hog roast & Carols etc.

The Craft Fair was housed in a marquee, which was full of lovely stalls.

My stall was next to a wonderful Gingerbread house stall and I backed on to my friend Allison's stall she makes "Funky Chutney" Very yummy.

I arrived at 9am to set up and get sorted and although the fair didn't open till 11am I'm glad I did start early as it gave me plenty of time to titivate.

Gav had saved me a fallen branch of one of our pear trees which I put in an old enamel jug and hung my Christmas decorations off. I had lots for sale including, Tissue Wallets, Pin Cushions, Fabric Cupcakes, Fabric Wine Bottle Gift Bags, Scented Sachets, Hand Made cards, Drawstring bags, Stockings, Bunting and more.

The weather wasn't great but the fair was busy, I made some money and met lots of new friends.

I didn't sell out so I am hoping to join a Fair next Saturday with the Mum's market place in Findon.

I might be a bit crazy but I might also take a stall at the Angmering Christmas Market on the 19th Dec too!!!

Hope you like the photos.

Love

Mini break in the west country

Hello all, I'm on holiday in Wotton Fitz Pain near Lyme Regis for a few days.
I decided that a mini break with Gemma, Dee & Milo the chocolate lab would do me some good.
Although it's only a week until my first ever craft fair! But I have bought some sewing with me to keep me going. We arrived at lunch time and dumped our stuff in the converted barn we are staying in.

Then we went off to explore, Axminster is only 3 miles away so that was were we went. I was most excited as I have been a river cottage fan for ages now.

Axminster had some lovely shops, a cute little quilt shop with soo much fabric I could have bought the lot! I got 3 pretty fq's and a scrap bag. I would say for quite a little town it had a great amount of craft shops. I also fell in love with a shop called Spoted Chicken, full of ck, emma b, gisel g and much more.

As I said I am quite a fan of river cottage, so I went and found it with breakfast in mind for tomorrow.
Well I found it, and checked out the menu which disapointed me some what. No full English??? How can river cottage canteen not offer a full English !!

So I think we will find some where else to go.
Well all this is my first post from my phone so I hope it works
Have a lovely weekend
Love
Sophie
P.S I haven't worked out photos yet but when I do I have some to upload x

Bad Blogger

Hello All,

So sorry I have been away for blog lad for a while, I have had a nasty cold which turned into a double ear infection & throat infection.

As usual I tried to carry on when I should have stopped and taken a break.

So with lots of sewing to now do ready for my first craft fair (which I am really worried I will not have enough stock for) on the 5th Dec, I have decided to not blog until after then.

I will blog, and of course keep an eye on your lovely blogs if and when I can.

I hope you understand.

See you all soon

Love

Swinging Through The Trees......

This week I have been mostly swinging through the trees!

Well not all week but defiantly Wednesday Night and all day Thursday.

I have been away with work on a team building adventure to Ashdown Forest.

This adventure was based around climbing trees, walking high ropes, climbing 12 meter high telegraph poles and jumping off them and taking leaps of faith from platforms in the trees.

I never ever believed I could have done anything like this before but I did it all.

Wednesday night we arrived and were given harnesses and hard hats to put on by Bruce the ex army instructor who was leading the event.

The look of terror crept across a few faces but we did as we were told and off we went.

As it got dark we walked through the forest with the only light coming from our head torches. We eventually came to a clearing where two trees stood with ropes strung across them at 3 levels. One by one we all climbed the tree and walked the high ropes, with little more than a harness to hold us and ropes to catch and guide us along. Our fellow team mates held the ropes that were attached to our harnesses to ensure we could not fall and hurt ourselves.

(Scott hanging in the dark)

I have to say it was nothing I ever thought I would do in my life, but once done it was exhilarating. The adrenalin rush was amazing and the relief that I made it across the 2 wires was eminence.

After a very late night in the hotel with my team mates, we started a new day this time spit into teams of 5 each with amazing instructors.

We had four more high wire tasks to do along with team building problem solving group tasks.

So I climbed the next tree and tried to take the leap of faith and hit the suspended football, but I'm afraid the leaping go the better of me and jumping off the ledge was the best I could manage.

(Me frimly on the ground)

I also climbed the next tree & shimmied along the 2 rather high high wires whilst holding onto the dangling ropes.

(me on the high wires)

(Group Shot)

Lunchtime although my stomach was doing cartwheels I did manage a sandwich & cup of tea.

Then on to walking the log beam suspended between two trees and then the swinging logs that we had to get from one to another across the course.

(Lucy on the swining logs)

Last of the individual tasks was to clime a 12 meter high telegraph pole and stand on top of it, jump off and catch a trapeze suspended in the middle of a high wire, well lets just say I'm not a fan of telegraph poles and found this one the hardest yet. Yes I did make it to the top of the pole, climbing like a kola, but just couldn't make it on to the top to jump off. So I jumped from where I was.

(Dave jumping from the Telegraph Pole)

Then it was time for the final group task, all 10 of us were lead through the woods to a massive telegraph pole with a small platform at the top, about a foot by a foot big.

The task was to get four people up the pole and on to the top of it, one on each corner of the platform, then to all hold hands and trust each other to lean back and form a circle with our arms.

Well lets just say I was not the first to volunteer to go up but the last.

Two groups of 4 went up first and then it was just me and my boss left to go. My boss went up first, then I started to clime the telegraph pole. I got to the platform and really didn't want to be there, I feel queasy just writing about it! I managed to get up on to the platform and stand up. Ahh I thought it was all over, but no then an instructor started to clime up my legs.

By this point I was clinging on to my boss for dear life begging to be let down.

Ok so the instructor had made it and we were all still standing but then one of my colleges started to clime up my other leg, ohh hell I was going to fall, it was so wobbly that I really thought I would fall off.

But he made it on to the platform and we all eventually held hands once they had convinced me it was a good idea!!!

Then we let go and jumped off.

Phewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

I have to say that it is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do and it completely pushed me out of my comfort zone. But I can say I did it and gave every thing a go, no tears were shed and I kept it together.

I am soo pleased & proud that I attempted each task and com pleated the course.

So that has been my week.

Along with work and a Halloween party it has been a relatively abnormal week hopefully next wee will be normal again.

Lots of stock needs to be made for the craft fair, so I best keep going and get some done.

Have a lovely week and remember next time you are pushed out of your comfort zone, it could be worse, You could be hanging in the trees suspended by a rope facing your worst nightmare.

Love

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween All

Here is my home grown pumpkin carved by my lovely man.

Have a Good one.

Love

Truly Amazing Pumkins

I'm a great fan of this time of year, especially Halloween because it means Pumpkin time.

I have grown my own pumpkin this year and Gav & I will carve it this week ready for Saturday night.

Whilst out on a volunteering trip with work to the National Trust in Slindon this week we passed the most amazing Pumpkin display. It was so amazing on the way back, I stopped the car and went to have a look.

The display was at a the Slindon Pumpkin Festival, from a farm that is on the National Trust land.

I was truly amazed and soo excited to see the display.

It attracts thousands of visitors every year from all over the world.

I have never seen so many different types of pumpkins & squashes.

They sell all the pumpkins and squashes, unfortunately I had no cash on me so I couldn't get anything but next year I there and I will be getting lots of Pumpkins!!

Hope you've had a lovely weekend and that you have a wonderful week.

Love

Swap Tastic

I have recently caught the SWAP bug and am currently sighned up to three.

(Plus my PIF which I need to get a wiggle on with!! Sorry Girls)

1. Contented's Paper Bag Swap - This swap involves sending your partner 2 Fat Quaters of your choice, thread, embroydery silks and trimmings in a paper bag. You then make something for your partner out of the chosen fabrics, trimmings etc and send it back to her. I am partnered with Katy from I'm a Ginger Monkey, we have exchanged paper bags and I am now in the throughs of deciding what to make.


2. Beki's Christmas Stocking Swap - We will be given a partner then we have to make or buy a small stocking and fill with traditional gifts weather they be handmade, bought or thrifted. Should be fun. I am partnered with Vanessa from Coco Rose Textiles, yippie.



3. The lovely Victoria of Florence & Mary & the wonderful Kelly of Kelly's Recipes for life have come together and created the Secret Santa Swap. Each Blogger that signs up will receive a gift from a Blogger, but will send a gift to a different Blogger. Just like Secret Santa at work. So if you fancy signing up there is still time untill the 11th November 09.

So if you fancy swapping click on the links to join in we might end up swapping.

Love

Showing You My Cath....

Hello fellow CK lovers, Sorry I'm a bit late in the day with my Show Us Your Cath post.

Thanks Lissy Lou for suggesting we all join together and post about CK.

Here are my few CK items.

Tea Towels have become quite addictive recently, so I have 4 CK one for display purposes only.

I also have the Red Stencil First Aid Tin and it sits on my kitchen shelf keeping all the important things safe encase of emergency's.

I now enjoy ironing a lot more since I got my CK Ironing Bord cover.

My new mug collection is growing, since my visit last week.

I also have some Gardening gloves, but they are in the shed currently so sorry no photo.

And of course my new fabric, but that's for makes not for keeps.

I have the Make Book, & the cute little flower pot pin cushion too.

Have a great Friday

Love

Brighton Rocks!!!

Ohh what a fun day I had yesterday.

Early start, up at 8am out by 9am in Brighton for Bill's Breakfast by 9.45am.

Yummy breakfast if your ever in Brighton try and make a visit to Bill's.

It started in Lewes and then became a soo popular that they opened in Brighton.

It's a cafe within a fresh produce store, right in the heart of the North Lanes.

It had a great atmosphere and really set Gem & I up for our shopping trip.

So I had heard on the grape vine that there was a CK in the South Lanes, so obviously I went in search of the mecca and was pleased to spot the baby blue facade glinting at me from a distance.

Gem and I anxiously waited for the clock to chime 11am when the doors to the inner sanctum would open. Obviously I took some photos of the windows which were beautifully merchandised as usual.

Once in it is like a tardis with nooks and cranny's galore full of loveliness.

I purchased a Blue stencil mug for my CK mug collection, I have decided that as I don't get to a CK that often I will treat myself to a mug each time I am there. I also got some fabric which was on sale bargain! At the till the sales consultant told us about a crafting event they are holding on Thursday 22nd October in the evening in aid of Maire Curie. Only £5 but unfortunately I am busy, I have put my name down for any future events though as they are talking of making Craft evenings a regular event. Great Idea me thinks.

So off we went up to the main shops, me swinging my CK bag and Gem marching in search of more shops. I had one other mission for Brighton, a fabric shop right at the other end of the main high street. Bargains galore, lots of pretty fabrics at great prices.

My stash got considerably bigger!!!

Lots of crafting has been done in preparation for the fair, eek must make more stuff!!! more about that later this week.

So the start of a new week is here, Monday is over and only 4 more days until the weekend.

Enjoy your week, mine is hectic as usual.

Love

P.S If anyone fancies meeting for a day out in Brighton let me know xxxx