Rocking Your World Friday - 13th of 2019

Good morning tis Friday time for 

Well it has been a mighty strange week up to now in all honesty but lets see what positives we have from the last 7 days. 

First up, members day at Chatsworth was lovely, it wasn't too busy, so we got to enjoy the house and grounds on a beautiful spring day. 

We got there a little early so we managed to grab a cuppa before we started.  Said 18 year old opted for cake too and he said it was delicious.  Unusually for a rainbow cake, they have flavoured each of the sponges!

This years theme in Chatsworth is all dog related, with lots of oil paintings on show depicting dogs (mainly working dogs), in addition there are a few sculptures dotted around the house plus a full corridor of dog related art loaned from the Queen, none of which you can photograph.  However, that being said there weren't many stand out pieces amongst them although they were interesting to read about. 

This cute dog near the entrance raised a smile!

I was much more impressed at the entrance with these 

And it was lovely to see these up close as they are usually around the bottom of the house which has restricted access

I also quite liked these little guys near the end

There was still conservation going on in the house, which was mesmerising, one lady was recovering the beads that adorn the fringe of a recently renovated bed.  

The work that goes into such renovations was truly amazing and she was happy to chat as she worked on one of the 5000 pieces needed to complete the project. This isn't one of the types she was doing but is of a similar style, she was covering just one of the wooden beads in thread that makes up a much large piece to adorn the bed. 

These two had me in fits of laughter when they started messing with the lenses, they were technically to see the wall up close without touching it, but they both had better ideas! 

Back outside we had a lovely walk around the garden which is in full spring bloom currently. 

I liked the scaffold dog on the front lawn, I can just imagine the conversation with the scaffold company! 

and we managed a family selfie or two (quite few and far between these days)

This part of the garden was looking particularly lush, me and said 18 year old said we fancied coming back to paint it later in the year. 

and I enjoyed seeing the view of Chatsworth from above the Cascade 

Saturday I went to the local heritage centre and had a couple more hours stitching heritage photos with my Mum which was lovely, we are due to head back for the last one tomorrow which should be fun. 

Sunday was a full day on the garden, doing some much needed tidying up including putting up the canopy.  Gina you'll be pleased to know that we've sorted it so that it can move back when we have high winds, so hopefully we will averted any issues with the excessive wind, which was one of the problems with the original roof.  Today's issue appears to be that the garden mirror I have that is permanently installed is causing a lens in good weather on my deck, which was smoking this morning.  I've done a temporary fix but its just that at the moment, temporary. 

The rest of the week has been busy busy busy with work, however, Wednesday brought a positive day when said 18 year old got an unconditional offer for the interior architecture degree course that he really wants to do, so hopefully he will be sorted with his plan post college very soon.  

I hope you have all had a splendid week, if you fancy joining in pop a post together, pop back. link up and we can come and visit. 

Rocking Your World Friday - 12th of 2019

Good Afternoon lovely people I'm a tad late today, so please accept my apologies but time to clock the silver linings and positive moments from the last seven days for it is time for

Well first up is a lovely catch up with a very old school friend, I haven't seen her in about 6 years and then prior to that was when we were last at college when I was about 17 years old.  We had a lovely catch up, a cuppa and a chat about something she wanted to pick my brains about.  It was a lovely catch up and something I hope to repeat at some point in the near future. 

Then a thoroughly lengthy catch up with my sister in Ikea, we haven't had a proper catch up in what seems like forever so it was brill to have a chat and wander around Ikea, we even stopped at the half way point (even though technically we started there as it's the cafe) and had another drink.  I spotted this in the children's section (again) and I really do keep asking myself whether I should buy it as it really calls to me, the better question is, would I actually use it! 

Yes it's a loom, I have several peg looms already but not one like this and oh it does look like fun! 

Saturday found us with wall to wall rugby, it was interesting and a bit stressful and our match was a farce but hey that's rugby for you, we enjoyed it nonetheless. 

We also had an invite out on Saturday night to a neighbour's party who was celebrating her 70th birthday.  I've only recently got to know the ladies in the close, despite living here for 15 years.  We had a lovely evening although the disco was loud and having a chat almost impossible, we are still glad we went. 

Hubby brought these home for me on Sunday, absolutely beautiful (and they are still going strong)!

Sunday was supposed to be bright and sunny but it was anything but as we had hail showers and rain through the day although I did manage to do a bit of weeding.  Hubby was sorting a few things out on the car (oil/brake light etc) so he was out and about tootling. 

We put braising steak on for tea which was really lovely and said 18 year old's girlfriend came over, had tea and stayed over.  We all sat and watched the film Venom on Sunday night which we all enjoyed. 

Monday came around soon enough and I worked from home, said 18 year old went over to do some volunteering at a local charity which was lovely of him.

Tuesday found hubby managing a few jobs in the garden which was great, we are trying to get it ready for the summer and so have a few tasks to sort out to get it ready.  We had a corrugated plastic roof on our outdoor arbour but two winters with storms has seen two panels lift, so we sat and considered other options, I've ended up buying and sewing some waterproof fabric which should prove interesting, but we've got pressure washing and paint touching up before we hang that. 

Wednesday night the lads were at their silversmithing course so I got a little bit of downtime on my own, which I enjoyed. 

Yesterday was a crazy day at work, but it flew by and I enjoyed it.

Other positives from this week spring colour in the garden

Several days of beautiful sunrises on my way to work, although I can never capture them as I'm driving! 

Enjoyable evening meals and using up what we have in (I'm on a mission to cut down on food waste at the moment and we've done really well this week). 

Catching up on my written journal. 

That my lovely people was my week, I hope you've had a splendid one, if you fancy joining in pop back link up and we shall come and visit. 

Rocking Your World Friday - 11th of 2019

Good morning lovely people, I hope I find you well and that you've had a splendid week, tis Friday which means time for 

So first up was last Saturday when I went with my Mum and sister to join Gemma at the Button Tin in a heritage craft day. 

Gemma has recently become artist in residence at Elsecar and wants to get lots of females involved from the locality and surrounding areas to celebrate the women of Elsecar and Wentworth. 

What this meant in real terms was a fabulous day with lots of women, talking about the locality and hand stitching and we had a fabulous day. 

It was made all the more fabulous by the fact that Gemma took us over to her new studio to have a look and as always it is always a delight. 

She still has all the banners done for the Tour De Yorkshire that went through Elsecar last year, in her space with Yorkshire phrases on them. 

As a textile artist, Gemma always has some hidden treasures to enjoy, this paper mache boat with hand embroidered sails was a particular favourite of mine

The day was actually spent in the upstairs rooms in the visitors centre, which meant walking past some eclectic art that I really liked

The boys in the meantime had a class up in Sheffield that involved some computer software that said 18 year old uses, he said it was really helpful, so Saturday was definitely a win win. 

Sunday and the weather was pretty atrocious again, so it was catching up on six nations rugby and making a simple tea. 

Monday morning we were all awake at 3am as said 18 year old had to be dropped off at college for 4.15pm as he was off to Barceleno

Me and hubby managed some more sleep when he returned. 

And said 18 year old sent us some pictures at the end of his first day.

and somewhere me and hubby have always wanted to go

He had a fabulous time

Tuesday me and hubby went out for a date night tapas and Spanish gin for hubby (homemade lemonade for me)

We had a lovely evening sat chatting and putting the world to rights.

I had a full days training on digital marketing strategy on Wednesday which was interesting but quite mentally stretching if you know what I mean!

Hubby went silversmithing on Wednesday night and I managed a tiny amount of scrapbooking (still on with 2017 and said 18 year old's NCS summer)

Thursday night we were awaiting return of said 18 year old, whose flight had been delayed, so we went for an evening walk for the first time in a while.  It was lovely as not only did we enjoy the walk but we had a good old natter at the same time, which is definitely good for the soul. 

We collected said 18 year old about half six, picked up a simple tea and then headed home to catch up on all his stories of being away. 

Now all I have to do is deal with the washing from his adventures! 

and that my lovely people is that

If you fancy joining in pop a post together, pop back, link up and we can come and visit. 

Rocking Your World Friday - 10th of 2019

Morning all, we are in double digits already as we are now on our 10th Friday of 2019, time to take stock look back and find the positive moments and silver linings. 

Well first up me and hubby breaking the working week on Friday with a jaunt to the local shopping centre, never the most exciting of places but it was lovely to see HMV back open if I'm honest and we had a lovely time wandering and looking at the goodies, bumping into said 18 year old and his girlfriend who were after a new CD and vinyl album. 

On our way up to Waterstones, we spotted a new piece of artwork on a corridor wall that we hadn't seen before so we headed for a closer inspection and I managed a couple of close ups of the doodle wall

I loved the detailed buildings and then the doodles in between 

Saturday I had volunteered hubby and said 18 year old to help neighbours tackle an overgrown conifer hedge that the owner had given permission to reduce, albeit without help from himself. 

It was a real community effort and within a matter of a few hours the hedge was at a much more sensible level letting in significantly more light and allowing our neighbour access to her patio without the 4 foot overhang.  It always confuses me why people insist on growing these so tall if they can't manage them, particular on a small estate when houses and gardens are close together. 

The neighbour arrived with bottles of beer for the boys that evening as a big thank you! 

Sunday saw me and my Mum enjoying a fabulous craft class at The Craft Box in Elsecar with a lady called Monika Maksym who helped us turn this

Into this

It was a brilliant class that I learnt loads on and I was really pleased with the finished result, not sure what I will keep in it yet, but it was a joy to make! 

Here is my Mum having a lovely time early in the class.

 

I've had a very busy week at work, hindered by a pretty awful virus that I succumbed to last week, followed quickly by hubby and said 18 year old. 

Both of them took to their beds on Wednesday but I ploughed on (although that might not have been the wisest of moves)

We did enjoy pancake day though on Tuesday, normally we would make the pancakes dessert, but with us all coming down with a virus, this plate equalled tea, we ate them with sugar or honey, lemon or fruit they will lovely and very naughty! 

And that my lovely bunch of people is it for this week, brief I think is the word, but the evenings have been spent dosing whilst my body is fighting this bug and the days have been filled with work so generally quiet. 

I hope you've had a fabulous week, if you fancy joining in pop a post together pop back and link up and we can come and visit. 

Rocking Your World Friday - 9th of 2019

Good morning lovely people tis Friday so time to clock the positive moments, silver linings and everything else in the last 7 days

Well the first positive has to be crafting time, I have spent many months looking longingly at my craft table but genuinely not getting anywhere and then there has been this lovely resurgence of crafting.  Helped along by finding a very inexpensive pad of papers in my very favourite colour way of aquas, whites and red.  

I have had an absolute ball creating these layouts, most of them documenting fun times in 2017. 

Saturday arrived and we'd volunteered to help bring the boat back from Sheffield.  The boat had been at the bi-centenary celebration at Sheffield Quays on Friday and so 8 of us volunteered to help.  Well volunteered is maybe a strong word for me, as I don't do boats, but both hubby and said 18 year old are skipper trained so they had a fabulous time on the hand cranked locks!  Something which you rarely see these days as they are more button press and automation.

The still waters provided fabulous reflections

We also got to see some canalside artwork 

It really was a beautiful day, the sun shone all day long!

This was one of my favourite shots of the day

And this one as we went down Tinsley flight - 11 locks in total all handcranked, a far cry from the key turn and button version on the main canal. 

After such a busy day on Saturday (well the boys were busy), I had a craft class with my Mum on Sunday and tried for the first time needle felting of the handmade variety (as some of you will know I have a machine needle felter, but this was very different).  We were allegedly making teddy bears, but mine seems to have taken on a mouse like quality my Mums a koala look, but we had great fun despite the couple of injuries (the needles are not forgiving if you miss). 

We got a beautiful sunset this week, the camera never really does the colours justice, but it was a delight!  I took it as we hurtled along country lanes on our way home whilst hubby was driving, so please forgive the reflection.

I've also enjoyed reading this magazine this week, it has provided lots of lovely ideas, I'm hoping that I might be able to put a few into practice this year

And that my lovely people was my week, in some respects its been a tough one, but looking back at the positive moments really has rebalanced things for me. 

I hope you've all had a splendid week, if you fancy joining in then pop a post together, come back and link up so we can come and visit.