ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 33RD OF 2026

 Good Evening all time to clock the silver linings and positive moments from the last 7 days. 

Well what a week it has been, last Thursday I spent the day with my niece and my daughter-in-law and Grandson as we spent the day making floral displays from artificial flowers for my niece's wedding which was imminent.  We were worried that we wouldn't get done everything that we wanted but to be honest the day went like a dream, my niece's vision was in line with what I had thought she wanted and we carefully worked our way through and managed to make the floral displays easily.  I didn't take any photos on the day (we were busy) but my hubby captured them in situ on the day of her wedding. 

So she wanted a display next to the mirror they had which had words on it. 

She wanted a display on the top table

And four plinths at the end of the aisle this was taken the night before so it is quite dark

this was on the morning of the wedding but you can see the bar as they were setting up at the time, obviously the doors were closed for the ceremony

Then we had a quiet Saturday pending our journey over for a two day stay over where they were getting married. 

We spent Sunday afternoon (the day before the wedding) setting up the flowers, ribbons and displays in readiness for the wedding. 

All the tables were set, table runners, flowers, candles, placemats, name cards ribbon bunting at the far end. 

Top table 

In the evening I asked her what she wanted to do with regards to the bouquets for herself and her bridesmaids as she'd taken fresh flowers and she was quite happy for me to make the bouquets up for the bridesmaids. 

So I started one and she was happy and so two more were added to the mix. 

I decided to leave the bridal bouquet until the morning of the wedding as I genuinely wasn't sure how the flowers would fair in the heat and didn't want rework.  So whilst everyone else was having their hair and make up done. 

I set too making the bridal bouquet, putting ribbons on all the bouquets and creating eight buttonholes for the groomsmen.  By then end the bouquets and button holes looked great, everyone had fabulous hair and make up and I looked like Cinderella sat on the floor not a morsel of make up and my hair scooped up in a clip. 

Thankfully an hour spent curling my hair and putting on some make up and we were all good and then the momentous occasion was upon us.  These are two of the photos that the bride and groom have shared on social media by a photographer called Jodie, who genuinely was an absolute star.  On Friday my niece got an email indicating that her original photographer was cancelling and so there was a mad rush on social media to try and find a photographer in budget that could help, the photographer on the day who travelled all the way from south Wales to Goole genuinely pulled off the most amazing day photos wise.  Her business is Click Photography and she genuinely travels all around the country for days like this, so if you need an excellent photographer then this business is highly recommended. 

Photos of me and my sister

Me, son and daughter-in-law (who was one of the bridesmaids)

Me, son, daughter-in-law and hubby

Son and daughter-in-law

Me and the stunning bride

In the ceremony room a chair had been saved for where my Mum would have sat, to say it brought a tear is an understatement, with one of her cardigans hung on the back of the chair. 

Rings shot

And the crochet bags that my niece asked me to create for the bridesmaids, not sure if I've shared them before but they were used.  Hindsight - I would have lined them, but hey they were made which was the main thing. 

And then it was done only the packing away to do on Tuesday and then back to normality and wedded life for them.  Wednesday become the start of my working week (rather than the end) and so that is the reason for my tardiness today.  

My heart is full and I feel eternally grateful that I was able to help in whatever way helped the day go so well. 

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 15TH OF 2026

 Good morning finally it is a Friday I'm managing to post on, time to find the silver linings and positive moments from the last 7 days. 

So last Friday I had decided in my infinite wisdom that I could make a dress in a day, now when I say that I don't mean just running a dress up, I mean sticking the printed pattern together, cutting the pattern, reading the instructions, cutting the materials and then making the dress and I will be honest none of that would have been possible if my lovely hubby had not helped with the sticking and cutting of the pattern and the cutting of the material then giving me a 3 hour run at making the dress and completing it before tea time.  Why the urgency, well the tea party was on the Saturday for my daughter-in-laws birthday on the Sunday, thankfully I'd chosen the right size (and definitely the right style) for the dress and here she is showing off the finished item and yes it is a Toy Story dress and yes it was made from a duvet cover

We had people over on Saturday for a birthday tea and this was before they descended, unfortunately my brother and his fiancée couldn't make it but we had a lovely afternoon nonetheless

the table matched the Easter flowers I'd received

I also wore a new dress that I'd made, I'm not sure I pulled the style off if I'm honest, but I had fun making it, the pattern is the Marauder's Map from Harry Potter and this too is made from a duvet cover, my dress is floor length.  

Hubby decided it needed a bow at the back

This little man was amazing on the day an absolute joy to be around and yes he is wearing a Toy Story outfit. 

We also managed a walk on the day look at those blue skies

The rest of the weekend was quiet, we enjoyed reading, I enjoyed scrapbooking, we spent time outside, we spent time in front of the woodburner and I managed to complete a couple of books, the first is the book 'Eat Pray Love' I'd seen the film but was intrigued to read the original book, it was a joy to read

and then 'The Grapes of Wrath' this is a book my Mum read and declared that neither myself nor my sister would be able to read.  On reflection we have no idea why, we think she might have been trying to stir the competitiveness in us so we could discuss in detail, but unfortunately it didn't happen whilst she was still with us.  I did however complete the book and what a read it has to be said, such a harrowing tale of humanity but also one where being determined to survive the day is essential, I enjoyed it immensely. 

And that my lovely people is my lot for this week, I hope you've had a good week too. 

Hugs

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 6TH OF 2026

 Good morning lovely people tis Friday time for 

Well the weather has not been particularly kind to us this week if I'm honest it has been wall to wall rain, which does make it feel rather dismal out there at the moment.  However, there have been some positive moments in the week. 

Well last Friday me and hubby met family down at Ikea for a breakfast which was lovely.  My niece was celebrating that she had got herself a new job which was fantastic news.  My grandson didn't seem very enamoured with his milk (to be honest they have had issues with milk since he was born).  Thankfully my daughter-in-law trialled a different one later in the day and he was much happier with that, so I'm very grateful on that front. 

Saturday we had a walk and a lovely brunch together and then my son, daughter-in-law and grandson came to visit and we had a lovely catch up for a few hours together which was great.  Hubby had made a slow cooker tea which was lovely and there was enough to cover Sunday night as well. 

On Sunday me and hubby made a St Brigid's cross, I made one out of paper and hubby made one out of ivy, St Brigid is a curious saint in that they aren't quite sure if she was a real person.  We also cleansed some of our crystals in the full moon, I'm hoping the cloud cover won't affect them as it was definitely cloudy that night. 

On Sunday my daughter-in-law sent this photo, it was his first pair of proper dungarees he was wearing as he was off to a baby shower, he looks very cute bless him. .  

Monday arrived and back to work, I worked from home Monday and Wednesday this week and despite my promises to myself that I would finish early on Wednesday I started a job that couldn't be left mid-way through.

Hubby bought me some new flowers when he went shopping, they are opening up beautifully at the moment. 

I've read 'The Simple Things' magazine a number of times and really enjoy it as a read.  It works out that the subscription is good value for money, so I ordered it and my first copy turned up this week, so I enjoyed starting it in front of the fire the other day. 

After work on Wednesday we went for a walk and popped to the pub on the way back which made a nice change and broke the working week. 

My daughter-in-law sent me this gorgoues photo of her and my grandson at his first playgroup this week, I love the 'matching' outfits and the photo makes my heart sing. 

I hope you've had a grand week. 

Hugs

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 24TH OF 2025

 Afternoon all tis Friday time for 

So last Friday we had a very busy day baking, as we eat limited amounts of UPF these days, this meant not only baking orange drizzle, lemon drizzle, cinnamon cake and a chocolate birthday cake but also hubby made the bread for the get together and cooked a ham. 

Then Saturday morning we brought everything together and put on a tea party for my sister's birthday that had been on the Thursday.  It was lovely to get together and catch up and there was little left in the way of leftovers which is always a good sign. 

Here is my sister getting ready to blow her candles out

A photo at the end of the afternoon as we nearly forgot to grab a photo

The cake up close

On Sunday I went to a local church hall to do a hand tied bouquet class.  My sister, daughter-in-law and niece all went as well.  We had a fun few hours getting our heads around creating this with the expert help of a friend who is a florist.  My hand was mighty tired when I had completed it as it was so heavy. 

 Me and my sister fighting with the wrappings

My niece was a natural when it came to the bouquet but my daughter-in-law had more of a fight to create it. 

And here is the full class

And the flowers are still going strong as you can see. 

Monday and back into work mode, another very busy week but I got a number of items ticked off my to do list and had a good couple of meetings which was great. 

On Thursday we had a trip to Ikea, we are working on one of our spare bedrooms to turn it into another reading room/yoga/meditation room and we had stalled as we weren't sure which way to go, but thankfully we are off and running again, so an expensive trip there. 

In the evening we went for pre-theatre dining, the last one of the college year, we had a prawn cocktail starter and chicken chasseur main and then hubby had the crumble dessert and I went with the cheesecake which was sublime! 

Then we headed to theatre to watch 

Which was a fun one man show explaining 5 mistakes in history, all of which I genuinely didn't know about. 

I hope you've had a good week. 

Hugs

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 19TH OF 2025

 Morning lovely people tis Friday time for 

Well I'm having to prep this post before I've technically finished my week, so apologies for that, but needs must. 

I have been catching up on my scrapbooking recently, as some of you may know it ground to a halt after my Mum passed away last year and I genuinely struggled to get going again.  However, with the great craft room sort out and hubby's gentle encouragement I've finally started making headway through a fairly epic pile of photographs if I'm honest. 

Here is what I've done recently with a kit I put together, with a colourway that I wouldn't normally choose myself if truth be told, but it was fun to work outside my comfort zone.  These go back to 2023

Stag and hen weekend at Center Parcs

The start of the stag and hen weekend, when the quiz is always critical 

Trip to Stafford a couple of years ago. 

A date night when we were in Stafford. 

and another 

More pictures, this was when my Mum gate crashed the stag party when the girls went to the spa, she hadn't long finished chemo and didn't feel up to it. 

The first none castle based Shakespeare at Stafford, it was good just not as good as the Bridge Theatre one, that one takes some beating. 

On our way to the restaurant at Center Parcs

When we first got to Center Parcs and Mum's mobility scooter wasn't ready so they loaned us a wheelchair, it was hard for me to see my Mum like this, even though we knew things were hard, she loved feeling independent. 

The other thing I was grateful for this week was the amarylis gift that I got provided with at work, we'd ended up with them in centre and one of my colleagues passed it to me, I thought that I would have a go at growing the bulb eventually, little did I realise it had already been potted and because it had been put in my warm utility room it had decided it was time to grow so when I went out there the other week it's flower head was peeking out the side of the box, it genuinely made me laugh and think of Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors.  

So I got it out of the box, watered it, found an plant pot (albeit that the outer pot is designed for a much bigger plant) and popped it in the window and it has loved it ever since.  

I've genuinely no idea if it will come back again (I need to check them out as a bulb) but it has been lovely to see it happily enjoying it's window position and has definitely raised a smile. 

I've also loved reading recently, it has been such a joy to escape into a book if you know what I mean, both me and hubby are having a fab time reading currently. 

I hope you've had a grand week too. 

Hugs