Snow: I hate you and you're ruining my life

Yesterday's post was all lies. I hate the snow. School was cancelled today and it's already cancelled for tomorrow. We have three inches of snow. Go ahead, laugh, North Americans. I dare you. While we were out celebrating Thanksgiving with grown-ups yesterday, somebody stole the entire head off our snowman. It was that awesome that someone coveted it, waited until we left and stole that head right up. Speaking of awesome, the kids and I did crafting for Christmas pretty much all day long. I'm not sure I'll be able to cope with this much fun in my life. Also, I'm thinking of submitting our Christmas home makeover to Oh-Dee-Doh.

Before: lackluster

After: Amazing, classy, flawless etc

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((Yay + Yay) x Yay) x infinity

Britain's been having major snow all over the place.

BBC weather says we'll have another five days of it.

Even Invalid V2 ventured outside. At the moment, we are all very happy.

Although I reserve the right to change my mind if the schools are closed.

Addendum: The bravest 2% of the world can see The Worst Pox in the World TM. Click for Squick.

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If you geek me, I'll geek you back. But if you gourmet me, I'll probably just scratch my head.

I received an unexpected surprise package yesterday from none other than the illustrious Kat from Housewife Confidential. At first I thought she just sent a hefty amount of bubble wrap and Rainbow Brite tape for the kids (which would have been more than appreciated), but hidden within was a hefty jar of deliciousness. As Kat is a sophisticated grown-up who I'm keen to impress, I've had to pretend I know what it is but I'm assuming it's either ambrosia or manna. Depending on what religion you follow. And pumpkin is involved.


I've gone on record saying if you geek me I will geek you back, but what am I assumed to do when someone sends me something grown up? Obviously, baking is out of the question. She has a beautiful house full of awesome and quirky things. And the only man that makes Kat go all fangirl is her husband. She's pretty much perfect.

If you were me, what would you make Kat?

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The Good, the Great and the Horrifying

Exciting times here today. Black Friday means lots of sales and bargains and for fabric excitement three of my favourite UK fabric shops are having sales:

• M is for Make is having a 10% off sale through tomorrow night. Kate started tormenting me earlier this week with a 15% sale on Patti Young knits and I totally resisted until today when the additional discount drove me over the edge.
• The Fabric Loft is also having a Black Friday sale through Sunday, with lots of nice fabrics and sewing patterns at a discount.
• Although it's not technically a Black Friday sale (it's a colloboration with Gertie's latest sewalong!), Sewbox is offering 20% of their garment cottons through 6 December. Click on the Gertie link for the code.

*DO NOT EVEN SKIP THIS BIT*
Never one to let a bandwagon pass without jumping right on, if you've been thinking about buying one of my patterns enter BLACKFRIDAY at checkout in Etsy and get 15% off.

So that's the good over with... how about the great? I've only been included in one of Babygadget's Christmas gift guides!


With a bonus picture of the Baby Maia. So little, so little hair.

And now the horrifying. See that X at the top right corner of this window? Go ahead and click it if you're easily squicked.............


This was this morning, and by the afternoon she had so many on her eyelids that they nearly swelled shut. I thought Jamie's pox was bad but she has the same number as he had on his whole body, on her upper back alone. She must have hundreds.

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Must. Be. Thankful. Must. Be. Thankful.

UK friends: This is pretty much what Thanksgiving in the States is like

Ugh. Why do kids have to be so bloody competitive? Today we were playing Illness Poker and although I no longer have a sinus infection to play with I wagered my thrush and Jamie outbid me with chicken pox and then Maia said, 'I see your chicken pox, Jamie, and I raise you a urinary tract infection.' All right, Maia, you win. You are the ill-est of them all. Well done, have this statuette of Caligula*. Another week sacrificed to the pox, my plans for a pre-Christmas sale scuppered. So perhaps I'm not feeling as thankful as I was last year. Or maybe I just need to look past my self-pity and see the bigger picture.

*As you might have gathered, she is not an appreciative or cooperative patient.

Things I am thankful for (2010 edition):

• My micro-family: who keep me amused and bemused in equal measures but who I love with a fierceness that is overwhelming
• My macro-family: whether you be at home and abroad, thank you for being at the end of the road or the end of the phone, and for the graciousness with which you are happy to switch places
• My quasi-family: my beloved real life friends and my treasured cyber pals, both locked-and-loaded for shenanigans. Cowl dresses optional but recommended.
  
• Scotmid: Thank you for the frozen party food for our very authentic dinner tonight. Nope, not homesick at all. Eating mini spring rolls on the couch with Steven = Thanksgiving. It's the same thing.
  
• Ex-pat misfits: who understand that eating spring rolls on the couch on Thanksgiving is slightly tragic and invite you to share the proper experience with their family this weekend. Just like grown-ups do. And did so last year. And those who send you candy corn and Peeps at Halloween because life is practically meaningless without them. True fact.
  
• Apple: I might not be able to afford your products be so cool I need an Android phone, but you make Damn You Auto Correct! possible and for that I am eternally grateful
  
• Dan Simmons: Thank you for writing a book twenty years ago that I never knew about until Steven's birthday, and thank you for making it sound too scary for Steven to read without pre-vetting. It was awesome.

More than anything (and this deserves more than a pithy bullet point), I am grateful for perspective. Although I was a lot less personally affected than others, attending the funeral of someone taken from their friends and family much too young has reminded me how insignificant my personal grievances are. I am truly blessed and eternally grateful. But also pretty sleepy.

Right, peeps. Let's hear it. What are you thankful for?

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The Transportation Hoodies

The second edition of Makes for Mysterious Recipient: The Transportation Hoodies.

Follow my shameful adventures of crafting with under-used adorable fabrics, starting with Riley Blake's Wheel fabric.

Reversed with chocolate-coloured drill and a car applique.

Next stop: Alexander Henry's Fly by Day, also making its debut. That's four fabrics in a row that I've been shamefully hoarding.

Backed with a red twill and plane applique.

I'm finally stumbling out of the tunnel of manic noctural crafting... final edition tomorrow!

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The tunics at the end of the tunnel

I've been working on a Very Big Top Secret Project for what seems like weeks now. Hampered by the pox and assembly line sewing, it felt like I was getting nowhere but finally there's a light at the end of the tunnel. And in that light there's some rather lovely tunics.

This turquoise and green tulip print has to be one of my favourite fabrics, and as such, I haven't sewn with it much. Isn't that perverse? I'm a complex creature.

And this brown bird print is making its sewing debut. I've only had it for five months. Shocking behaviour on my part again.

The colours are lovely and autumnal, and the bird houses are frankly adorable.

Top Secret reveal and a lot more finished garments coming soon!

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