In praise of libraries

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So, I've still not done anything crafty. Unless you count the very creative process of making my hair look normal before I went to work this morning. I have crafty things planned, honest, I just haven't got round to starting them yet.

So I thought I'd blog on a subject dear to my heart - libraries and how wonderful they are. I've always known libraries were fantastic, but I didn't realise quite how fantastic until I started working in a public one.

You can get anything from a library. This week I have borrowed books on cooking for a family on a budget, how to put on make-up and look vaguely nice, a book of short stories based on operas edited by Jeanette Winterson, and as many picture board books as my fickle daughter can look at, discard, and go 'eeah' at.

I have also looked at an online map of my neighbourhood that shows where all the street lights are, searched census entries for free using the library subscription to Ancestry.com, and done some photocopying. Had I been a bit more organised and not prone to falling asleep as soon as I collapse on the sofa after putting munchkin to bed, I might even have rented a dvd. For £2 for a whole 7 days!

And when I do get crafty again, and I want a book on, say, knitting with animal hair, or weaving plastic bags into clothing, or pipecleaner arranging, I can search the countywide catalogue online, and reserve any book of my choice from any library in Lancashire, and they'll send me a text when it's ready to pick up from my local library. How cool is that?

Munchkin is also excellently catered for. As well as being able to borrow 20 items of her choosing, she is does the Bookstart Bookcrawl and gets a little sticker on a card every time she takes books out. It's a bit like that loyalty card thing you get at coffee places. Except when her card is full she doesn't get a skinny mochalatte, she gets a jazzy certificate with some lovely pictures and her name on, that she can stick on her wardrobe door and go 'Eeeah' at. She also goes to a fantastic thing called 'Bounce and Rhyme' every week, where she gets to clap along to songs and shout at other like-minded munchkins.

And it's all freeeeeeee!

So, if you haven't been into your library for a bit, or you use it loads but just for getting out the latest Peppa Pig for your munchkin, take another look. Stop spending hours browsing all those shiny craft books on Amazon that you can't afford, go and borrow them!

*sad face*

My little brother has been unemployed since just before Christmas, and it's really starting to suck. So here's a message from me and the munchkin:

We're crossing our fingers he gets a job soon.

Craft Drought

I haven't done any craft related things for at least a week. This is due to several things - I did an extra day at work this week, which meant that I spent three days issuing Mills and Boon novels and cutting out green bits of cardboard to make dinosaur hats for storytime, rather than two days. And then the weather went and did this:

How's a girl meant to sit inside slaving over a hot sewing machine / pot of fabric paint / embroidery hoop when the sun is shining and the birds are singing and buds are....... budding? Today Munchkin and I potted up some pansies, and then family pickled weasel ate dinner outside. It felt like we were on holiday :)

It's meant to be sunny tomorrow, but then gets cloudier during the rest of the week, so I'm sure some craft related action will take place by Thursday. In the meantime you'll find me sitting on the bench outside, trying to ensure munchkin keeps her sunhat on :)

Domestic Bliss

Beautiful, isn't it? Munchkin and I had a very productive afternoon. She learnt how to open cupboards, and I made a date, coffee and pecan cake. And I managed to get the kitchen back to its normal reasonably tidy state before dinner. Everyone's a winner :)

Five From Folksy

Eeek, I've not blogged for aaaages! The pickled weasel family has been away for the weekend to see a poorly uncle, and we had a great time doing sunny things in lovely Kent. Munchkin even managed to do a bit of moving across a floor, even if it was shuffling on her bum backwards :)


Anyhoo, time for Five from Folksy. We also saw my cousin this weekend who has just fixed a date for his wedding, so I thought I'd use that as a theme. I have 3 weddings to go to this year - hooraaaaay! New dresses, getting drunk and dancing badly, some of my favourite things.




This unusual card from Under the Stair Studios would be a lovely keepsake.

These Lovebird Bowls from Prince Design UK would make a great wedding present.

I'm a bit of a sucker for cufflinks (mr pickled weasel has many pairs), and these ones from Nina Carolyn Jewellery would be perfect for a groom.

And for bridal hair, these flower pins from Claire's Crystal Classics.

Finally, these little gift boxes from Gooseberry Moon could be used for wedding favours.

Doday

It's Tuesday. It's raining. I have been up since 5am as munchkin is teething. I am surrounded by washing. The washing, once done, will turn into ironing. Bah.

But munchkin has gone to sleep for a bit, and so I've had a wander round the web while I've got some peace and quiet. What's struck me since I've been doing this blogging malarky is the huuuuuuge number of fantastic people out there who provide wonderful tutorials for plebs like me to follow. The only problem is that there's so much stuff to do!

So today's post is about what I would do if I had some spare time, say, an extra day in the week. Let's call it Doday. It'd come in between saturday and sunday :) Here's what I would be doing on doday this week.

I'd be stitching one of the free patterns over at Badbird's blog. They're just yummy.

Then I'd make myself a mini terrarium. Mine would have a squirrel in it.

And finally (after afternoon tea and scones), I'd make a start on this supercute little hat for munchkin, from Sockpixie.

If only.....*sigh*

Sink or Swim

Several things happened this week. I started my new job, and am really enjoying it. Everyone is lovely, it's a really nice library, and only doing 2 days a week is fan-bloomin-tastic. Munchkin got on fine at Grandma Pickled Weasel's (can I confess I was actually a bit disappointed? She cheerfully waved me off each day, and didn't seem bothered in the slightest!).

Last night I went out for a meal with some new friends I've made through a playgroup. We had yummy Chinese, and a couple of glasses of wine, and a good old chinwag. And it reminded me that I do have a brain, and can conduct grown-up conversations where I'm not talking about Poppy Cat, or why you can't drink the water from the cat's bowl. I intend to do it again some time soon :)

And the last thing that happened was the decision not to carry on with Pickled Weasel in its current form. My original idea was to sell personalised and handprinted tees and vests for babies and children. Which I still think is a good idea. But I can't for the life of me make my products work. I've been making letter stamps using foam alphabets, and stamping with fabric paint, but the finish just isn't good enough. I need small enough fonts to be able to fit long names on little vests, and I just can't find any. And I've been holding back on doing proper marketing until I've found a solution to the problem. I've come to the conclusion that there isn't a solution :(

So rather than putting lots of time and effort into going round and round in circles, I'm calling it a day. I'm still going to blog, because I've discovered I really enjoy it (even if no-one reads it!). I'm still going to make small things to sell, because I enjoy being creative and I'd like to try and make some pocket money out of it. But my 'Big Idea' is gone. It feels a bit sad really.

To make end on a cheery note, here is a picture of Munchkin in the bath :)