ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 36TH OF 2025

Morning all tis not Friday (I genuinely missed this yesterday - big apologies) time for 

 

So last week on Friday we headed to Chatsworth for the country fayre, it is an annual event for us and the weather had looked changeable all week, but we took our chances and headed over and genuinely got away with it, feeling only a couple of spots of rain during the day. 

This year it was me and hubby, which was strange, we usually have at least my sister with us but she has been ultra busy working so she couldn't make it either. 

My favourite view was a little cloudy and misty first thing. 

Unusually we saw the balloons at the beginning of the day, they've usually set off by 6.30am but this year with the cloud there were still some lingering about. 

I love these photos of the helter skelter

We headed to the main arena first thing for the mounted games and this year on the Friday Yorkshire won, which was a grand start to the day. 

We saw the parachutists coming in as we headed to the food village. 

You can see the cloud cover

We also watched the stunt motorbike show from the opposite side for a while

and grabbed a shot of the ferris wheel 

we went back to the car for lunch, I packed a perfect picnic, genuinely just the right amount of food for lunch and dinner.  We watched this crazy acrobatic plane as we had lunch. 

The skies started to clear

I spotted this succulents display which I thought was fun. 

Then we headed back to the main arena for the Knights of Middle England jousting. 

As you can see the skies were getting clearer

and clearer. 

We had an amazing day which we genuinely really enjoyed and headed home in the evening absolutely shattered and with 14000 steps on my fitbit. 

Saturday and Sunday we kicked back (as we were both really tired). 

I managed to complete two gifts (mini books) for a friend's daughters birthdays which I was pleased at. 

I also finished this awesome book.  As you may recall we'd been to see 'A Winter's Tale' at the RSC recently, this was on the display in the shop and is a retelling of the original tale (updated and modern).  I remember reading one of my self help books that mentions enhancing experiences by planning and enjoying the build up/aftermath of an activity and this is exactly what this book provided.  It was utterly amazing to read such a stunning book.  I was genuinely sad to finish it.  She is one of the most accomplished authors that I've read. 

Monday through to Wednesday I was working and I'm in the middle of the audit so with that, sorting normal day to day items, finishing the month end I have had a busy week, so busy in fact that Thursday I spent working from home to 'catch up' which I thankfully did so the time was well spent.  But then I wanted to do something autumnal, so we popped out to get some bits picked up and I took down my rather sad looking summer wreath, removed the flowers

and created this which I'm genuinely over the moon with.  It cost me about £12 to revamp it but buying one of this calibre would cost me a lot more and my normal wreath making class this autumn isn't on a day that I can do. 

and that my lovely people was my week. 

I hope yours were grand too

Hugs

XX

Rocking Your World Friday - 20th of 2020

Morning lovely people tis Friday and time for 

So what fun and mischief have I been up to this week on lock down number - actually what week is this?  Absolutely no idea and despite Boris starting to lift restrictions - I will be absolutely brutally honest, I haven't changed a thing, the only thing I might do (and it is a might rather than a will), is drive to the nearby ancient bluebell woods to enjoy the spectacular beauty of this flower, but like I say it is still a might. 

In all honesty with the number of people now moving around and the signs of people starting to congregate again I'm guessing the second wave will be just around the corner, but then that isn't a positive thought, so let us ignore what I just said and find a few silver linings as there are bound to be some. 

So first up is NT live, we watched both versions of this awesome play the other week

We also watched the Lord Chamberlains Men performing The Tempest, we've seen this particular one performed at Chatsworth a couple of years ago and as in Shakespeares time this is an all male cast (regardless of the parts)

Last Friday saw us celebrating the 75th anniversary of VE Day, said 19 year old's gf had managed to get some bunting for us, albeit that it wasn't particularly patriotic (pink flamingoes anyone), so I set to with scrapbook papers and hubby to create the one that we put upstairs and then as a quick fix we coloured in using felt tip pens on the one downstairs.  A neighbour popped the 'spare' balloons through the letterbox. 

We had a fabulous time sharing a social distancing, on the front of the house picnic with the neighbours off the close, it was lovely to see people and have a chat, albeit that it was done safely from a distance. 

Further up the road Clive had been brave and climbed up a lamppost to put the bunting across the road

I made more mini books (actually I've made more since these but I haven't photographed them), this is number 21 and 22 of lockdown

In fact the blue one above went down a storm on my facebook page and I had a friend ask if she could buy it for an anniversary present for friends, so we did a social distancing hand over (I left it hung on my door handle and she popped the money through the letterbox which I promptly washed as it is now plastic notes that we have in the UK - win win).

I also made this very bright mini book, although I've no idea who the hell would use it, it was fun to make though. 

These mini books are particularly deceptive in size because they were about 8" x 8", the downside to a mini book this size is that there was lots of leftovers pieces at the end, thankfully however, I've found a way of using those pieces up this week with smaller mini books - so win win!

VE Day saw hubby baking again as he made some lemon and blueberry scones with a lemon drizzle topping, which we enjoyed as a cream tea at our VE day picnic, the other loaf was a banana cake using up some left over bananas as I hate food waste, both went down a treat albeit not great on the old waist line. 

The rest of the week has been lots and lots of work, I've not physically been into the office as I work on funding bid after funding bid as things are looking particularly difficult in these coming months, but I've ploughed on and remain positive and optimistic.

I've kept up with a chat with my Mum everyday (twice a day on most days) using Facetime, it is keeping both of us sane and other family members pop in when they can, which is lovely. 

We've both taken today off, my Mum has ordered a skip so we are going to go and fill it with all the things she's left outside for us, she is determined to get this green house up that she bought the other week, but needs all the debris she's got to be gone, so a skip it is. 

And that my lovely people was the week that was, I hope yours has been grand if you fancy popping a post together, pop back link up and we can come and visit. 

Hugs to you all and stay safe 

Rocking Your World Friday - 17th of 2020

Afternoon lovely people, I hope I find you well and managing in these strange times.  As it's Friday its time for 

Ok, so the routine of home working is becoming just that, routine.  I'm still managing to maintain the normal waking time routine and even get dressed for work and put my make up on ready for the working day and my days have got busier as we are immensely stretched at the moment as we continue to deliver to vulnerable people at work.   But the positive is that we are geared up to work from home and it has been a relatively quick and simple transition. 

Other than work, I've really enjoyed home cooking meals at night, its always too easy when we are busy and out and about to sometimes manage to cook from scratch, but this enforced lock down has made me realise how much I enjoy cooking from scratch. 

I know I shared this last week bu the photo was in poor light so I thought I'd reshare

Inside each box is a mini book with the same colour way measure 3 inch, 4 inch and 5 inch respectively

I really loved these papers, someone mentioned that they reminded them of fruit salad. 

Hubby bought me a 12 x 12 and 6 x 6 stack of Vintage Lace papers by Crafters Companion for Christmas.  They really are beautiful papers, maybe a little too pretty for my normal scrapbook style, but they make a beautiful mini book.  I really loved the finished effect. 

The inside 

Folded out, I added lots of glossy accents to the flower elements

In fact I enjoyed making it so much, I made another one

Midweek change of papers and I created one using some 8 x 8 papers I'd bought an age ago that are Winnie the Pooh, I cut a couple of the paper elements out for the front cover

Again really pretty papers

And again, inspired by the first, I made a second

With lots of pull out tags and flaps

You can see the pocket element from above

I'm loving how the cactus in the window has just loved being in full sun, it's obviously treating it like a greenhouse. 

Me and hubby also celebrated our 22 wedding anniversary last weekend, obviously we were home alone, but we still made the effort and had a three course candlelit dinner for two that we'd cooked from scratch. 

Although there is no traditional 22nd wedding anniversary gift, there is a modern one which is copper, fortunately for hubby he was on with making me some earrings anyway so I got a gift from him as you can see. 

The rest of the week has been good other gratefuls are

The weather - the blue skies and sun shining makes a real difference if I'm honest, even if it is just grabbing a cuppa whilst we are working and getting 5 minutes to drink it outside. 

11am coffee time (I said we'd got into a habit), me and hubby enjoying our coffee break at 11am. 

All the creative crafting at home

A weekend of Shakespeare to look forward to, NT Live at home have put 12th Night on for the next week and the Handlebards have Macbeth of until Sunday night, so I'm hoping we can watch both of these. 

Getting house jobs sorted and done, I honestly don't think we've ever got so many done.  Yesterday whilst hubby was working I painted our bedroom including the ceiling.  I've finished this morning glossiing the door frame and window cill and painting in the quote above our bed.  

Facetime with my Mum

Catching up with family at 6pm on Facetime each evening 

And that my lovely people is my list for the last seven days, if you fancy joining in pop a post together, come back and link up and we can come and visit.