Baskets (and an attempt at being organised)

I am not a tidy person, my husband is (as you may have guessed by his Queen of Clean nickname), but me well.....it's just not where my strengths lie.

Having said that I do love the idea of being organised and can waste much time reading books on the subject or gazing through flickr photo pools devoted to organisation.  Yes, really - they do exist.  My best friend Harry even has this cupboard that I stand and gaze at whenever I am there...trying to capture every little ordered, organised detail.  Harry if you are reading - I have to photograph that cupboard.

So anyhow, on this little journey of mine toward being organised I have sorted out this chest of baskets in my dining room.  These baskets used to store toys and stuff when the kids were babies and it just wasn't being used anymore.  I also had all the craft stuff on shelves in the playroom, which  has no table.....so any crafting requests by the kids involved much eye rolling and moving supplies from one room to the other.  In a kind of grumpy and unenthusiastic manner.

Armed with some Ikea bathroom plastic containers (super cheap and used as dividers), and a somewhat frantic 'Martha Stewart' attitude I got sorting.  If multiple photos of contents of wicker baskets bore you, I make no apologies...just hit the back button on  your browser ;-)

Sewing stuff - bias tape, thread, webbing, scissors, needles etc.

Fabric scraps

Craft punches, rubber stamps, luggage labels (great as gift tags)

More stamps, bull dog clips, foam shapes, raffia, embellishments (don't you just love that word - not that much embellishing goes on around here)

Glue, spreaders, stencils, hole punch, pipecleaners, paperchains, felt bunnies!

Table runner and placemats 

Colouring and sticker books

Wrapping paper

The more observant amongst you (who have made it to the end of these pictures, please someone?) may have noticed that there are only 8 pictures, whilst there are 9 baskets. This is because I read somewhere you should always have an empty shelf/drawer/basket....room to expand.  Worth a try I reckon.

Ramblings about a chair

I have finally put my dreams of vintage bentwood chairs for the playroom to rest.  And settled for something more budget friendly and readily available.  This bright red kitchen chair from Ikea has made it's way into our home as the chair for the computer desk - I like how it contrasts with the world map mural.

It feels kind of 'flung together'...........although you and I know a whole heap of thought (admittedly too much) went into it.

Just don't tell anyone.  They'll think I'm contrived.

Cleaning up...

....at the awards ceremony.

I don't often speak about my eldest on here.  A combination of reasons I think - you may be aware he has special needs and I feel uncomfortable talking about those in this space.  Perhaps surprising as I am prepared to share every other tiny detail (!), but this has always seemed, well, sort of separate.  He is also a good reader and I would hate him to read something on here without my knowing that he may misunderstand.

Until this evening.  Because to be honest I am feeling rather proud. 

So proud I could burst.

You see he won 4 awards last night at his schools annual celebration evening.  I won't bore you with what they were for - but they weren't the token litter picking or handwriting awards. 

When you have a child who is different you begin a journey, perhaps one you never imagined you would find yourself on.  And on that journey along with a whole heap of worry, some remarkable things can happen, and emotions you may not experience in the normal parenting realm are there. And tonight I am experiencing one of those....imagine feeling your average parenting pride but ten fold.

It feels amazing.

And he is amazing.  He still has lots to teach me I think.

In my garden this weekend...

.....I wish I had spent more time lying on this blanket.  Instead it lay there mocking me whilst I ran around applying suntan cream to little bodies, making food and hanging washing.

I spent lots of time inspecting my little patch - we have eaten two cucumbers (am sure my excitement levels around this are abnormal), dug all our potatoes, harvested some carrots and courgettes.

 Again - I would have liked to have spent more time sitting under this parasol, but maternal duties called.

I made the Queen of Clean look at these sweet peas on more than one occasion exclaiming like a proud child 'Do you know I grew these myself?'.  He wasn't overly impressed.

Hopefully one of you will 'get' it.

The Godsister

The Queen of Clean and I became Godparents yesterday to my friends little Lottie.

Yoyo, having  badgered us for a sister for a couple of years (and to no avail), announced that she would be Godsister.

Of all the pictures taken yesterday, the above is my favourite, taken by my eldest and only discovered when uploaded onto the PC.  Our God daughters biggest brother (and one of Yoyo's best friends) looking the wrong way during the sermon.  Just brilliant.  May I just add we are not regular churchgoers - so along with his usual challenges our eldest had no idea that clicking pictures throughout the service wasn't really the done thing!

And here is Yoyo and her Godsister.  Who will more than make up for her overstock of brothers.

And as godmother (or fairy godmother as I have been nicknamed) what gift did I bestow upon this little girl?

Look away now if you are easily tempted/love crochet/know any little girls/have a fairytale fetish and don't want to part with your money.

Don't say I didn't warn you.  A princess and the pea playset. I won't share where or how much for your own financial safety.