My Mum is THE BEST!!

My parents live in France, so we don't get to see them very much. We had a great Christmas this year, they came over to England and stayed in a farmhouse near by.

I don't think that I would be as crafty as I am now if it wasn't for my parents.

When Mum met Dad, she was a photographer, she loves crafts, she sews, knits, crochets, loves pottery, cold porcelain, what else,I remember when I was younger she came into school and taught macrame, helped build production sets and probably loads more! Since I started making my own cards back in 1999, I've now got her into card making.. say no more..

Dad, also LOVES creating things.. from woodwork, turning, pyrography, making beds out of sideboards, building chicken sheds! He has a passion for 'his' birds in his garden and I've seen some lovely drawings he's pencilled. His only school qualification is in ART.

Anyway, I guess that's where my artistic flair has come from.

With Mum being in France, she's quite lucky NOT to be surrounded by craft shops, I say this as the creations she comes up with are totally unique with the supplies that she has! She's a total magpie like me and when she sees something shiny, thinks of another crafty uses for it!

Mum now has her own room in their house where she will soon be creating... so I thought a nice pressie for her was this craft bag. So, on the phone this morning I asked if she had filled it... put it this way, sounds like she is getting organised and sorted out her 'small' bits like sticky pads, pens and tools etc.! Secretly Sarah (my eldest) wanted the bag, maybe I'll have to get her one for her birthday... (hope she's not reading this)

The other great news, when i see embellishments made by BIG companies, I always think of ways I could recreate them myself, cheaper.... well with Mum's great craftiness, I've asked her to do some crocheting for me...
I saw these lovely flowers, thought of Mum and asked if she could help me by making some.. and she said YES!!!! She also made me and Sarah 2 lovely crocheted netted (holey) bags for Christmas presents, and she's now made some more for Molly & Aimee, they're going to have fun with them! So they should be coming in the post next week.... ooooooh, like parcels!

I'm on a buzz now from talking to my Mum and Dad, it's so lovely to hear their voices... I really miss them. BUT, shall get on and do some crafty bits with the girls now that Molly's back from Nursery.. Have promised to do some painting (don't do this often as it's messy!)

Hugs,
Em x

Post Christmas sigh...............

Joyner peeps Christmas morning

- everyone full of cold and coughs....

oh and Aimee stuffing her face with banana chips!

Well, that was that! Christmas is now over.
I've not blogged for a whole month now! What is going on! Lots to say...

Firstly, the pc is now installed in the dining room - on the breakfast table that was the dumping ground!! It's great there as Sarah can now do her homework, we can all be sociable (as much as you can when surfing!) or at least be in the same room together when playing, eating etc.

Secondly, the front room is TIDY!! With Christmas and decorations to be put up, the boxes, (Yes, it did take us 6 months to move the box with our wedding presents in..) the clothes - ironed and unironed - and piles of craft items have NOW GONE!!! This is the way that I am attempting to keep it as well, it's so nice without the mess everywhere!

Thirdly, because Christmas involves entertaining - not a word that normally enters the Joyner family vocabulary - I tidied the dining table, yes you heard right!! Jo was amazed when she came around yesterday to see it tidy. BUT... yes.. this is the way forward, I've said it before, but it has always reverted back to a crafty organised chaos.. piles leaning everywhere. .. NO MORE!! The Chaos is now in my room, and in the garage, to be sorted and organised ready for the big move into the Craft Shed. ooohh... it won't be too long now!

Lastly, my Mum and Dad are now on their way home..... it's so sad when they return back to France, I don't think that I will ever get used it. But it's meant to be.. We had a really fun week with them. The girls enjoyed their company so much this time around, June (when Rob and I were married) was so rushed and we didn't really spend quality time together with Mum & Dad..... but this time was lovely. We spent last weekend with M&D and Mat & Jill (my brother & SIL) ... it was great - we had an early Christmas on Sunday and were all spoilt rotten by Mat & Jill.

I made some gifts this year, and now that they've been received, I shall post them here. I've been quite chuffed as I've not really been in the mood to create what with one thing and another.. but it's helped me turn things around and move on from a sad last few months.

I also got some lovely crafty presents, well OK with a little bit of a hint to Rob.. well he wouldn't know otherwise!!

I'm aiming to get a creation posted a day to help me keep motivated, it shouldn't be that hard - should it!?

So.... until tomorrow.. I'm off to create.!

Hugs, Em xx