January 31, 2006

Food on the brain

Following on from my Four Things post I have been thinking of all the lovely food I like and how I just cannot simply have just four favourites because I just LOVE food. This is not a good thing, as I start putting on a pound here and a pound there and then suddenly I have to not eat all of my scrumptious favourites anymore!

Anyway I thought I better add the following to my list:

pancakes with maple syrup & bacon, pizza - especially hot & spicy ones, chow mein, thai green curry, chilli, cheese & ham toasties, scrummy crumpets, morrocan lamb casserole & cous cous, homemade stew, butternut squash curry soup & naan bread, cheese with crackers & pickled onions, spicy lentil soup...

...I could be here all day so I think I will leave it there...hmmm I am rather hungry now..!

Posted by Maxine at 03:08 PM | Comments (0)

January 30, 2006

Four Things

Well, my good friend Darren tagged me with this but I'm afraid that my answers will be a little uninteresting, maybe mainly because I haven't really travelled that much. Not that I haven't wanted to, I suppose I just never got around to it. Anyhoo, here goes...

Four Things..

Four jobs I've had:
Shop Assistant/Manager
Multimedia Sales Exec
Post-Production Coordinator
Graphic Designer

Four movies I can watch over and over:
Vertigo
Amelie
A Fistful of Dollars
Sinbad (I know I know, but its on every Christmas and how can you not like it?!)

Four places I've liked:
Fuertaventura (honeymoon)
Scotland (underrated)
Incheydoney Island, Cork (where W proposed!)
London (so many good friends & special memories)

Four TV shows I love :
Lost
Third Watch
X-Files
Twin Peaks

Four places I've vacationed:
Lanzarote
Corfu
Scotland
Skegness (when I was wee! but had to put that one in)

Four of my favorite dishes:
Anything Indian...yum
Sausage & Mash with onion gravy
Roast Chicken dinner, with roast potatoes & roast veg
Bacon Lettuce & Tomato sandwhich

Four sites I visit daily:
Loobylu
M.Patrizio Illustrations
Etsy
Wee Wonderfuls

Four places I would rather be right now:
Canada
Italy
Prague
Hawaii

Four bloggers I am tagging (hmm feel strange about tagging people whose blogs I read, who I haven't really spoken to apart from comments, but hey I'll give it a whirl!)

Marilyn Patrizio Illustrations
Esther at All Things Creative
Myra at My little Mochi
Arc & Mav at port2port

There it goes. Hope you don't mind being tagged you guys! Its always interesting to find out those extra little details.

Do you know, it has taken me AGES to think of four things for all these. I swear my memory has totally gone and there is something really wrong with that. Scarily wrong. So wrong I think I need to go and lie down and try to locate other things that seem to be missing from my memory...hmmm but how do I know they are missing if I can't remember what they are in the first place...?

Posted by Maxine at 08:38 PM | Comments (2)

Its arrived!

I was so excited to get this parcel in the post, even though I have bought it for someone else and it will only be staying with me for a short while. I can't believe how quickly it arrived, from New York. I am very impressed with the postal service!

What a great package it is too, so beautifully presented, even the envelope with the lovely illustration and cram cream tape (hmm I really must add this to the list of things I would like to purchase!). There was even a little packet of Timmie stickers too, which I am keeping all for myself! Emily loved bunny pouch too and after he had relaxed with a cup of tea and animal biscuit, gave him a big welcoming kiss! (I know bunny pouch is pink but for some reason all the softies in our house are called Mr something or other!).

Thank you Marilyn! You made the sun shine on an otherwise dull day. :)

Posted by Maxine at 01:30 PM | Comments (1)

January 26, 2006

My First Postcard

How exciting! I received my first Happy New Year postcard today from Maria in Sweden. Thanks Maria, its lovely.

I have discovered a new love for wallpaper, textures and patterns over the past year and have many ideas stored away in my bottomless pit of a head! Hopefully they will see the light of day sometime.

Posted by Maxine at 02:09 PM | Comments (1)

Swap Crazy!

Ok, I am going swap crazy. But I read about this over at mommycoddle and how could I possibly resist?! Its a swap between families all over the world with the theme "To brighten the winter(rainy day) Blues".

The idea is put together a swap for the children which is based around handmade or hand-me-down goodies. This is such a lovely idea and means that the kids get involved too. It also makes economic sense for me, because it doesn't involve spending money (which, lets face it, when you are a stay-at-home mom, this is necessary!). The only thing you need to spend money on is postage (and treats if you want to add treats). Just aim to keep your parcel small and nice and light and it won't break the bank at the post office.

I am quite excited about this one! Its just so nice corresponding with people around the world, who in the blogging commununity, just seem so close.

Posted by Maxine at 10:32 AM | Comments (2)

January 25, 2006

Postcard Swap

Well I have finally finished my postcards and mailed them out today. I hope they don't take too long to get to their destinations! Most of the 10 have gone to the US, but also to New Zealand, Australia and even Wandsworth, London!

I was going to do more than one, but this week has been tough. I have been sick since the weekend with one thing and another and haven't felt like getting out of bed let alone be creative.

But I am really pleased with these. In fact if I had any energy left at all I would send out more of them to my friends and even places like our local, much valued Chinese restaurant! I'm afraid I will just have to not go totally bonkers and have a good old rest!

So Happy New Year to everyone (a few days early but hey!). Hopefully I will get a chance to check out the blogs of my recipients soon.

Thanks for the project Myra!

Posted by Maxine at 01:10 PM | Comments (7)

January 20, 2006

An Exciting Purchase!

Look what I just bought from Marilyn in the Etsy Shop ( I wish I had more time to look on there its such a cool site...hmm maybe its a good thing, otherwise I would end up bankrupt!).

Marilyn is one of my daily reads and has been for some time now. Her illustration style and crocheted critters are amazing and totally inspiring. I am so pleased that I have bought this bunny pouch! Although a little sad as I will have to let it go when it arrives, as I have bought it for a friends birthday. I don't think its too risky putting it up here as there is only a very slim chance that she reads my blog.

Next time it will have to be just for me!

Posted by Maxine at 09:35 PM | Comments (2)

January 16, 2006

Less Haste...

The pressure was on to get this birthday bag made and ready for the post! I was doing really well until I realised (too late) that I had sewn the handles on back to front, so that the seams were on the outside instead of the inside!

Rushing things is my major problem in life. I should be calm and take my time. I don't think its too bad though, you can't tell unless you look closely - thankfully the busy pattern disguises it. I think I did the handles a little too thin too, but fingers crossed she will like it!

I really like the size of this one. Its hard to tell in the picture (I have to start taking better shots) but its about 30cm x 40cm. Nice and room to stash lots in.

Posted by Maxine at 07:51 PM | Comments (1)

January 15, 2006

More Fabric Finds

Here's another duvet I thrifted this week. The pictures don't do this justice. Its so lovely, I have started cutting up already! I was going to combine this with another fabric I have to make a large reversible tote, but its reversible anyway so I decided to use it as it is.

Hopefully I will get sewing tomorrow and get this in the post in time for a friends birthday!

Posted by Maxine at 09:39 PM | Comments (0)

Not Wednesday Nor Movie

Hmmm, you know how I said Wednesday Movie was back? Well...

Actually I have a good reason this week as Wednesday was the double episode finale of Lost. You could kinda count this as a movie I think...sort of...! Lost is one of the best programmes I have seen in a long time and anyone who hasn't yet seen it, go rent the DVD's or at least make sure you watch next time around as it is just fantastic.

It fulfills all of my criteria for good TV; the drama, the thrills, the total weirdness, the 'never knowing whats gonna happen next' writing. As a fan of Twin Peaks, X-Files, American Gothic and other such shows this has definitely reached my top list.

So now I have to wait AGES for the next season! Oh well, will have to try and make sure next Wedesday is a movie! If you are reading this Warren, pencil that movie in!

Posted by Maxine at 07:14 PM | Comments (2)

January 12, 2006

Postcard Swap

I am so excited to be part of the Chinese New Year (29th Jan) postcard swap over at My Little Mochi.

"... I've always been interested in the Japanese New Years postcard tradition of nengajo. This custom is similar to the sending of Christmas cards except the Japanese postal system times it so that the postcards arrive exactly on New Years Day. It is also customary for nengajo to include a picture of the Asian zodiac and 2006 is the Year of the Dog..."

She has 100 participants and we each have to create 10 postcards each (but they can be 10 of the same design). She will then be emailing us each with 10 names and addresses to send our cards to, in time for the New Year.

I am quite excited at the prospect of receiving 10 postcards from other crafty bloggers from around the world! Thanks for the project Myra!

Posted by Maxine at 05:14 PM | Comments (3)

January 10, 2006

Self Portrait Tuesday: Personal History

I knew I had earlier photos of myself lying around and this is one of my favourites. I think I am about 6 months old in this photo and this is my grandad, on my moms side.

My grandad was a very important part of my life and was always there for me. In some ways I think my brother and I were his favourites. Maybe part of the reason was that he helped raise us for a number of years after my parents seperated (when I was about 6ish I think). Me, my brother and my mom lived with him for about 5 or 6 years. Even when we moved my grandad still made my lunch for me during school time, every day until I was 16! Only now do I realise how I took him for granted, just being there for us and wish that I could go back and tell him how much he meant to me.

He was a real character my grandad. He visits me often in my dreams. I miss him a lot.

The other image was something I was working on but never really finished. I want to use this image along with things that remind me of him, like his roses and hydrangea - I have very fond memories of my grandads garden. I was going to screenprint something of this effect but never got it how I wanted it, maybe I will revisit it sometime.

Posted by Maxine at 01:29 PM | Comments (0)

January 08, 2006

Resolutions

This post is a bit late coming but I thought I would do it anyway.

I have decided to keep any precise, acitivity based resolutions in my head and not divulge any ideas about anything I might want to achieve this year. This is because I am certain anytime I make definitive resolutions they are instantly jinxed and never happen. I don't know why this is. It starts making me feel a bit 'all mouth and no action' so I am taking a different approach to the New Year to see if I can make a difference.

The most important aspects of 2006 for me, are CONTROL and FOCUS.

I think if I can achieve these two things all the rest will follow. I need to have more control over all aspects of my life, whether in my day to day life, emotionally or in respect of any projects I may want to work on. As for focus, this is a trait that I have always lacked. Its in my nature to flit from one thing to the next without any true focus on anything. I honestly believe that if I can learn to be more focused I would achieve more and be happier with the results.

Lets just see how well this approach works. So far I am feeling quite positive about it all.

Posted by Maxine at 09:06 PM | Comments (1)

Tie One On - Apron From Old Clothes

What a great theme for this months 'Tie One On'. I just love recycling old clothes or duvets or in fact anything! I have to say I am really pleased with how this turned out. You have to excuse the photo of me, as I do look like a bit of a maniac or maybe slightly Stepfordy with that very plasticy looking grin!

Anyhoo the apron is made up of two of Warren's old shirts. The one with stars I have been keeping for ages cause I thought the fabric would come in very useful some day (and it has!). The pale blue is the back of a lovely linen shirt of Warren's that somehow got a big splodge of black ink on the front, when I washed it with a permanent marker! I didn't have the heart to throw it away and stashed it in another 'I'll use it for something' kinda way.

The pocket is simply just the pocket taken from the shirt and attached to the apron, with a zigzag stitch around the edge just to add a little detail. One of things I love is the bit that goes around your neck, as it is the front strip of the shirt which contains the buttons and I just left the buttons on.

It did take me far too long to make, but for some reason whenever I get my sewing machine out I spend half of the time rethreading the needle, running out of thread in the bobbin and fixing things. Is it just me? I really enjoyed this project though, a good start to the New Year!

Posted by Maxine at 08:55 PM | Comments (1)

January 06, 2006

Wednesday Movie is Back!

Well almost. I am kinda saying this because we went to the cinema on Wednesday, but we will just have to see whether we start our movie night again. We really didn't last very long with that one did we? Oh well, the best intentions and all that...I will make a concerted effort to keep this up!

We went to see King Kong, which I htink was kinda brave for us considering we can't get out of the house before 8pm due to getting Emily to bed. Then after trailers etc the film didn't start till 9pm and it was over 3 hours long!

I had a great night (sore knees but great anyway!). I loved the film. Naomi Watts was so of that era, perfect casting overall. Getting the right people for a film definitely makes a difference. The scenes were great and considering it was so long it didn't get slow at all, fast paced giant gorilla action all the way. By the end of it I had to try really hard not to cry, it was so sad. I just wanted to give that big hairy giant a cuddle!

In fact when I left the cinema, I totally decided I wasn't going to take Emily to the zoo. I have always being unsure of zoo's. In one way they are great, conserve species and a way of children to see the animals in the flesh and I am sure these days they are mostly up to standard. But still, its not a natural habitat for the animals and I think it would depress me. I was a big fan of the TV series Monkey World, if you ever saw it. A monkey sanctuary in Devon, England, who rescue monkeys from all over the world and provide as a natural a habitat as possible for them (obviously not completely authentic but the people are so wonderful and inspiring). In fact for my 30th birthday a couple of years Warren adopted a gorilla for me called Gordon! So sweet.

Posted by Maxine at 01:35 PM | Comments (0)

January 03, 2006

Self Portrait Tuesday: Personal History

Firstly I would just like to say Happy New Year to everyone! I haven't posted in a while partly because Christmas lethargy set in and partly due to having a very bad cold and feeling very sorry for myself!

I was going to approach this months challenge chronologically (who knows, I sitll might!) but as usual I don't seem to be able to lay my hands on any earlier photographs of myself than this. Most of them are in England with my mom but I do have a few here and so if I find them they just have to go up out of order.

I'm not sure how old I am here, but there are many photographs like this in existence - me posing with my 2 years younger brother Chris. I can't ever remember not having a fringe when I was younger, my mom always cut our hair. All I know is that since I was able to make the decision for myself I opted out of the fringe look, in fact I can even say that I am positively scared of them now. Is there such a thing as a fringe phobia? Even if the worlds top hairdresser promised to make me look fantastic with a fringe I couldn't do it!

Posted by Maxine at 08:53 PM | Comments (1)