Birthday break......

Its that time of year, strawberries and cream, champagne and tennis.  Which to me means its my birthday, half way through the year, June, the sun is shinning, the air is warm and its time to take stock.  Yes there is something about birthdays  that makes me want to think about things. The place  I am at, how I got here and what I want to do in the future, its often quite emotional as I go through this process, but its a positive experience a time to make changes and plans for the future.Yes its a 'Daisy' moment.  My love of the simple daisy and all that it inspires in me, simplicity and purity.  This little daisy was my birthday present from my youngest child, could you wish for a better gift?
So I took a few days off, the children and I headed to the beach.  It was all a little last minute (sorry I never dropped in to say goodbye) and as these things often turn out, It was a lovely birthday, sitting on the beach all day until the sun lost all its strength and I pulled a sweater over my shoulders whilst watching my children play in the water, listening to their laughter and the sound of the waves whilst sipping Hot Chocolate and eating birthday cake.  I had free time to think, to dream and to plan... 
Of course I took my knitting with me and I picked up a project I started a while ago and never got into, another pair of socks, well just one so far.  I turned the heel on the beach and settled in for the evening with a bottle of fizz and some nibbles and just let the yarn flow through my fingers whilst I relaxed to the sound of my babes snoring gently after a day in the surf.
The next day we headed inland, walking along the cliffs and sitting in fields of clover and watching the wildlife (thanks Spring Watch).
Sadly the birthday break ended in a trip to A & E with my eldest child cutting his leg rather badly, nine stitches later and a bandage from his ankle to his thigh, it was not how we planned to spend our last few hours away, it had been a lovely lazy, sunny Sunday afternoon.  A brave boy indeed and with a week off school I am pleased to have the company at home.

I hope your weekend was a good one and the hot weather is suiting you.  

Hearts all around....

Well I first want to say a HUGE thank you to one of our fellow blogging friends for sending me this adorable heart in the post, and this was before she knew I collected hearts (see previous post).  Anne, you are a very thoughtful and kind individual, I thank you for your words of support in your card also.  How lucky we all are to be part of this community of creativeand caring  people.Once again the weekend is upon us, the weeks are just blending into one at the moment, I am eagerly awaiting the start of the summer holidays when time becomes irrelevant and its just me, my guys and hopefully a beach. In the meantime though I am spring cleaning, to be honest though I am sure I will still be spring cleaning in winter, the brain is willing but the body is kinda lacking, especially when the sun is shinning. Housework has never been one of my better assets!!!
However on the crafting front I have been working on a little project, using the palest of pink yummy 4ply cotton yarn, I love the way this feels through my fingers as I knit each stitch.  I know the pattern now off by 'heart' so its starting to come together now.  So a little peek just to show and tell...so this will be keeping me busy this weekend.

I wish you a good weekend filled with love, peace and hopefully laughter.

Music I am listening to: CLICK HERE.  Dancing around my kitchen to this one on a daily basis.

Childs Play....

Oh yes, child's play, what is it about the beach that without a word gives you permission to be a child?  Being on the beach, or by the English Seaside is a magical place.  It does not matter if its beautiful stretches of empty breathtaking beach scapes or the seaside strip full of people, donkeys and the bells and whistles of the arcade, there is just something that invites you play, to take your shoes off and dip your toes in the cold water, to sit on the sand and feel the tiny grains of sand cling to your skin, to turn your face into the breeze and feel transported to a special place.  Yes for me the beach is a place of fun, it helps me focus, rebalanced myself and indeed feed my very soul.  So indulge me if you will in a few pictures from the weekend.  The sun was shinning, the outdoors was the place to be...Tagged, yes another tag that I never got round to doing.  I kinda like this one, its not deep and yet has made me think about 'the here and now'  feel free to join in...

WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE COLOUR?

Green

WHATS IS YOUR FAVOURITE ITEM OF CLOTHING IN YOUR WARDROBE?

Oh just one... that's tricky... An old battered sweatshirt from Fat face, I bought it when I started camping with my family, its served me well.  Its baggy, faded and has many memories ground into it (literally) a few BBQ marks, suncream and I swear I can smell a camp fire on it.  I love it its like giving myself a hug at that time of evening on the beach when the sun loses its strength but your not ready to go indoors yet.

WHATS YOUR DREAM JOB?

Being a full time Mommy, oh that's what I am doing, living the dream then!!!

WHATS THE LAST THING YOU BOUGHT?

A jade Tee from a charity shop for 75p

WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?

Radio 4, women's hour, the play is on soon....

WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE ICE CREAM?

Rum and Raisin.

WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE FRUIT?

Cherries

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

Life does.. Corney I know but so many things inspire me, I believe with all my heart we live too fast, I watch people push so much into their lives in the pretence of success and happiness.  I want to shout...slow down and take time to smell the coffee, ITS GOOD I PROMISE!!!  Yes its the little things that inspire me, colour, texture, smell. Daisies, yes daisies a wild flower you could even argue its a weed, its perfect, small and sweet it holds its face to the sun and folds itself up in the dark... yes simple little daisies...they inspire me.

WHATS ON THE WALL OF YOUR BEDROOM?

Oh quite a lot, I like pictures and I do over utilise the wall space.  The focal point though is a print of a basic pencil drawing of a naked women, a real women with curves, it has a splash of colour that takes the print to a different level.  My children think its me, this makes me smile I think its good children get a good body image and embrace imperfections  as its what makes us unique.

WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE DESIGNER?

I am not into labels of any sort really, I like what I like I am not really swayed that's its a good designer.  OK I do like certain clothes shops (Boden, Fatface, Coast, Jigsaw) but as for designers...well my wedding dress was designed by Jeff Banks, it was beautiful, hand stitched bead work bodice and the most beautiful Satin Skirt, it was priced over three times what my engagement ring cost...MADNESS. I am inspire by Westwood, I adore her eccentricity but the clothes just don't suit me,  I am the wrong shape to carry them off. 

DO YOU ADMIRE ANY ONES STYLE?

Yes, I think there are some great women out there with cool style.  Sadly there are also a lot of pretentious people who's style I feel is a poor role model for our children especially girls. I love Kirstie from Relocation Relocation but we do have a similar shape and I like her kookiness.  Whilst I might have mixed feeling about Madonna, I love her boldness, her ever changing look, I just need to watch her perform and I want to get the exercise mat out, her energy is amazing.  

WHAT LANGUAGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK?

I worked in Europe for a few years and I learnt a splattering of a few languages, Greek being the main one, I love listening to radio when I travel, the flow of a language is what I enjoy.  I attended Spanish Classes, sadly I was rubbish at it, I just do not have an aptitude for languages.  I would like to speak French, my NIA teacher (Nia is an exercise class, awesome bare foot dancing, click link)  She is french and as its a senses based form of exercise I think its great to listen to her voice. It is a very sensuous language.

WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE QUOTE?

Its Character building.  I was brought up with this quote, I believe it. 
WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE MAGAZINE?

Country Living

IF YOU HAD A £100 WHAT WOULD YOU SPEND IT ON?

A book, a few fat quarters of fabric some wool and maybe a pot of cream from LUSH...happy happy happy!!!  

WHATS YOUR CURRENT OBSESSION?

Being in my kitchen, I am trying to watch the pennies at the moment so I am getting a kick out  of cooking on a budget, I am trying to get the children to broaden their taste range also.  I also love being in my kitchen, my music on, I have a sofa at one end with a view of the hills when the kitchen door is open, I sit here and talk on the phone, read, knit  or hand sew. Its also a great place to cuddle the children, yes being in the kitchen is my obsession at the moment.

WHAT ARE YOU WEARING TODAY?

Grey linen pinstriped, wide leg trousers and a white granddad shirt finished of with sparkly between the toe sandals.
WHATS FOR DINNER?

Left overs...Spaghetti Bol. and a salad with sticky toffee pud for dessert (waste not want not)

WHAT WOULD YOU EAT FOR YOUR LAST MEAL?

Tapas

IF YOU COULD HAVE A HOUSE PAID AND FURNISHED ANYPLACE IN THE WORLD WERE WOULD IT BE?

A Greek island, a tumbling down white house by the side of the sea (Think Captain Corelli's Mandolin or Mamma Mia)

IF YOU COULD GO ANYPLACE IN THE NEXT HOUR WERE IN THE WORLD WOULD IT BE.

The company would be more important than the place but, yes it has to be a beach in the warm sunshine, yes maybe a Greek Island again.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO AFTER THIS?

Get out in the garden.

WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK?

Again a hard one, I have two Fav. ones but as its just one it would have to be Bram Stokers Dracula, a  unique love story.

DO YOU COLLECT SOMETHING?

Yes too much stuff.  I do have a little thing for heart shaped objects, there all over my home. 

WHATS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT RULE IN LIFE?

My children come first.

 

Still reading, wow your a star.  I thank you.  OK the sun is shinning, I have housework to do but I have to get out there and enjoy it... go on take time to smell the coffee, I dare you!

Jumping around...

Spring watch has a big impact on my little family of three.  It opens my children's eyes to all the wonderful riches around us.  The beauty of nature at this time of year just takes my breath away.  Please forgive my lack of posting and I thank you personally for the caring emails I have received.  Its been a busy couple of weeks, a school holiday, which of course involved some beach time and a fabulous camping trip with friends.  Nothing beats curling up under a quilt in the great outdoors around a real fire toasting a couple of marshmallows with good friends...

My creative vibe and even my photography are somewhat at a standstill.  I feel I am drowning in responsibility at present as I adjust and indeed sort out my life as a single parent.  Its not easy and indeed its not very pleasant.  The bonds that tie my boys and me together are stronger than ever, I get cuddles from them all the time, its as if the tighter we hold each other the safer we will be.  

My head is so full of ideas and the frustration of lack of time is something I think we can all identify with.  So whilst I find a balance in my life that I am comfortable with I ask you to forgive the lack of correspondence from the 'Suzie Sews Household'.  I am still here, I am still being a Mom, still cooking, sewing and knitting...just not as much as I would like as I get lost in paperwork, meetings, financial worries and solicitors!!!

Making things is what calms my soul, it is a part of who I am, I know it want be long till I slip back into the comforting flow that is my 'creative spirit'.