New job and swimming!

I feel very much like I've vanished lately! I started a new job at the beginning of last week and it comes with a fairly hefty commute, and I've spent most of my evenings totally wiped out!

The weekend was good though and I'm very proud of myself as I completed the Marie Curie Swimathon!

It was a great afternoon on Saturday, and myself and two friends managed to swim 5km to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care, and did it in a faster time than we predicted so were very happy!

So far we've raised about £250 for Marie Curie and are sooooooo happy with it, but if anyone can spare £1 then we are still busy collecting and all donations are incredibly gratefully received.

Interview with Bonnita

It's that time of the week when I talk to another crafter, to find out a bit more about what's out there... This week I'm talking to Bonnita who has a number of shops on Folksy, including Momo made by Moaby, Jucimoon and It's all about the Graphics. So lets talk to this multi talented lady to find out a bit more...

If you were an animal, what would you be?

Any Bird of Prey!

Cadbury or Galaxy?

Galaxy all the way baby!

What film did you last see at the cinema and what did you think of it?

Erm.......Can't remember I rarely go

What is your favourite season?

Autumn, the colours are beautiful

And now about your work.

What’s the first thing you can remember making?

A crochet cupcake that went very wrong lol

What’s your favourite material to work with and why?

Wool, u can do so much with it, knit, crochet, pom poms ect.

Who has been your biggest inspiration?

Not really who as a person but a country, Japan and china has a huge influence on me I love their style of Amigurumi.

What’s your best crafty tip?

Enjoy yourself! And spray mount can make a fantastic temporary bond

What’s your favourite item in your shop?

I had so much fun making her, she is a lot bigger than picture makes out too.

Thanks Bonnita!

Book Review - Engleby by Sebastian Faulks

I've just finished reading 'Engleby' by Sebastian Faulks.

On the back cover one of the press quotes declared this to be different to anything else he'd written. When my bf read this he asked me if the book was depressing, I answered 'yes', to which he said 'well then it's the same as everything else he's written!'.

I loved Sebastian Faulk's book 'Birdsong', and it was that which led me to buy 'Engleby'. This book followed the life of the character Engleby, narrated in the first person, through his childhood, university and career. The standard of writing was brilliant, the storyline flowed and the Engleby himself was at the same time both disturbing and compelling. Despite this, you never feel that you know Engleby or can work out what makes him tick, and that is the purpose of the book: that as his life moves on and mysteries from his past come back to haunt him, you realise that this child who you thought was mildly odd is frighteningly dangerous.

I don't know whether to say I enjoyed the book or not. Something drove me to keep reading, to finish it, but at the end I couldn't say whether I felt it had been a worthwhile experience.

If you like a compelling storyline, mystery, intriguing characters and a hero who isn't a hero, then this book is worth a shot; but I wouldn't declare it to be a book everyone should read.

Picture from amazon.co.uk

A Week's Holiday

I've had a week off work this week and it's been lovely.

Initially I thought I needed to come up with all sorts of exciting, self-improving or impressive things to do; mostly so that when someone asked me what I did I would have something decent to say.

I think I do that too much: do things so that I can sound impressive when I'm talking to others.

But not this week!

I'm feeling much more relaxed than anytime in the last few months, I've finally caught up on sleep, caught up on TV, caught up on talking to my family, caught up on spending time with my Mum, caught up on fresh air and sunshine, restarted going climbing, got around to making some jewellery from precious metal clay 7 years after buying the stuff. And I feel good.

When someone asks me what I did I'll probably say "Not a lot, just chilled out", but in truth this has been the most impressive, the most successful and basically the nicest holiday I've had in a long time.

Don't underestimate a week spent at home!

Interview with Lazy Daisy

First of all, a belated Happy Easter! I hope you've been thoroughly enjoying the bank holiday weekend! Due to the bank holiday I'm a bit delayed in putting up last weeks interview, but here we go... This week I'm talking to Kate from Lazy Daisy, a shop full of fantastic button and glass jewellery!

We would like to get to know a bit more about the person behind the craft.

If you were an animal, what would you be?

A cat, preferably a pampered one.

What is your favourite day of the week?

Friday, I only work half day and the whole weekend is still ahead.

If you were stuck on a desert island, what one thing would you want to have with you?

If I was sensible, a satellite phone, but in reality probably a craft kit!

Who would play you in the film of your life?

Emma Thompson. I would like to say someone more glamorous but fear I may be struck by a thunderbolt!

And now about your work.

How did you get started?

I learnt to crochet at primary school and started making bead earrings at high school.

What’s your favourite material to work with and why?

I love beads and buttons, especially buttons. I used to love emptying out my Grandmother’s button box and sorting through it, I love finding different and interesting buttons and get sadly excited by a new find!!

Where do you go for inspiration?

I always notice what people are wearing. My younger sister is a good source of inspiration as she likes things that are different and less run of the mill.

What’s your best crafty tip?

Try and source materials from the manufacturer.

What’s your favourite item in your shop?

It is usually whatever I last made but at the moment it is a button bracelet made of vintage buttons.

Thanks Kate!