A Little Directon....

 



I am no stranger to boy bands in fact Take That was possible the best boy band EVER!!So , a few years back when Little Madame started to take a interest in the phenomenon that is One Direction, I was mildly amused, She takes after her mama! Clever Child!!

 

I was totally naive to think that it would wane, in fact after having to purchase 1D bedding, 1D towels, 1D pyjama's, 1D bags, 1D tee shirts and any other 1D item she saw, I was beginning to think we had a problem, she is only little after all.

 

 But not too little to hear that they were coming to our neck of the woods and BEG and PLEAD for tickets. Which after sitting in a waiting room on the world wide web for 2 hours with fingers poised over the key board... we managed to get, well I cannot lie, my friend Vic's got in before I did and got us tickets with her gang! Thank you Vic's.

 

That dear peeps was over a year ago...... YES...1 year ! For one year I have heard 'Mama is it nearly time see One Direction?'  

 

 

Well, finally the day came. We were going to the Cape Town show as none of the big gun ever come to our fishing village. We were also going to spend a few days there before and after the concert as it all coincided with our school holidays. Excitement reigned supreme  as we left....... We had an amazing holiday but that's for another post..... 

 

The long awaited day arrived, hair was flat ironed and a little lip gloss was allowed. Adorned in every piece of 1D clothing she had, our little gang set out .The big and small girls were equally excited! I even had a 1D T-shirt on. The stadium was already full when we got there and the excitement was high! You could feel it in the air!

 

The older girls were kitted out in their best, tightest, smallest and shortest attire. Signs were cute and funny, and  some were actually very clever......

 

 

 

After a long walk(we were sent in the wrong Direction.. Get it?) we found our seats, and I must say 7 rows from the front, was a great place to be. As I sat there taking everything in, I was transported back to days when I saw Robbie Williams, Sting, Micheal Jackson, Janet Jackson, Gloria Estefan... to name  a few. The excitement of a live concert is something you cannot describe and I honestly fell blessed that I could share that with my Little Madame.  



As the sunset over Cape Town, the opening act started, a local talent, named Johny Apple(I had never heard of him) He was funny, sweet and appealed to the girls who were screaming and yelling in minutes....

The excitement  mounted and mounted and soon the stadium was full of 60 000 screaming men(yes, men) women, sons(yes, sons too)  and  daughters ..... people of every shape, form and persuasion were there all waiting......

We were on our feet screaming, clapping, doing wave after Mexican wave. Waving, joking and making friends with those 'Directioners' around us.....Waiting in anticipation.....FINALLY...

The lights went down, and from were we were seated I could see the boys in the wings, I wondered how they were feeling right then, waiting to go on stage with thousands of adoring fans screaming their names, what a magical feeling.  The music build..... The big screens started to flash images of them....And suddenly a whole years worth of waiting was over. There before her little eyes was were Little Madame hero's One Direction. Now I am no big photographer or writer but I wish that could have captured her face and reaction to seeing Harry Styles for the first time.... It was priceless, it was inspiring, it was a gift!

 

Now I would be remiss if I didn't give you a big 'girls' take on these fine young men. They are all really good looking young men - Lois, being cute and funny, Liam the spokesperson and Naill, a real talent, playing guitar and singing through the entire show.  I have always thought that Lois was quite cute, however..... Harry Styles is another story altogether! What a gorgeous, sexy young man! He oozes charm and he knows it!  No wonder these girls were hysterical over him! He has hair flipping down to a fine art and those gold boots were HOT! If only I was a few years younger... (Alright, all you smarty pants peeps! ) ALOT younger!

I think what works most about them is how much fun they had on stage. No synchronised dance moves or dressing all the same.... they chase one another around the stage, don't dance, pour water on each other, chatter away while the others are singing and take so many selfies...... They put on and unbelievable show, everyone was up and dancing, singing along and generally having fun. Not once did I lose interest or get bored.

As they began to sing 'Little Things' my favourite One Direction song, a slow ballad about the imperfection that make a man love a woman, I glanced up, a full and haunting moon was rising above the stadium, it was a moment I don't think I will ever forget! The song, the moon, my little girl's first ever concert, it was quite simply  perfection! 

The night ended with the 'Best song ever' followed by a fantastic fire work show and then it was all over! Done and Dusted!  The lights came up and I felt quiet sad that it was finished!

So am  I a convert, no I am not! I am a total and absolute DIRECTIONER! Should they ever pass by our shores again, I will be the first in line to buy tickets, well right behind Little Madame that is....... xxx

 

 

1,2 Buckle My Shoe



A while ago I waxed lyrically about a icing class that I attend. Remember...... Have A look Here if you don't. Well if you look at the post it was written one year ago. we have made some really pretty and incredibly beautiful things... Love bird cupcakes, skateboard figures, a little ballerina, Santa's and gingerbread men, cute mini cakes and decorated Easter eggs to name a few......

Now before I tell you what we made I need to talk about the group of ladies that I go with.... We have become a 'club'..An Icing Club  There are 8 permanently ladies and a few that flit in and out.... but more than a club we have become friends. We laugh together, cry together, are happy for each other, share all the joys of being parents, and the trial and tribulations of husbands.  We all live vicariously through each other. There is a teacher, a beauty therapist(she is single and having a blast) a receptionist,  a few  business women (1 flies in for classes from far away), a couple of moms and our beloved and amazing teacher Kerry! Kerry is a saint, we laugh when she talks,  talk over her, tease her unmercifully and sometimes I think she would like to put us in the naughty corner. We are a group of very different women but somehow the dynamic of this group works perfectly!  

 

 

So we made SHOES...... Beautiful creative gorgeous shoes. Exquisite high heeled shoes! now they were all supposed to be the same but each and every shoes was different, each and every shoe had the personality of the Icing Club I have just talked about. 

 

They looked really difficult, but ever the great teacher Kerry showed us exactly how they would come together, every step of the way(and I promise not  to bore you with each and every step) explained in detail. And then we were let loose to create and make......

Shoe's of every kind began to emerge. Oo's and ah's could be heard all down the table and to be honest with you .... I think it was the  quietest this class had ever been! Shoe's of all description were produced... Snake skin shoes, stencilled flowers, bows, little embellishment of silver, some covered with bling bling, others plain, some chic, some a little edgy, some a little over the top but each and every shoe was a master piece and reflected the creators personality!  

 

Sunday morning dawned and the only thing I could think about was a pretty pink shoe. A lacy pretty shoe with pearls on it! So when little Madame asked what we were doing I told her we were making shoes... My pink shoe took shape and it was everything I had imagined while lying in bed the previous evening. I added stitching to the sole and a label - see what I would call my shoe line....LOOLABOO of course!  

 

I am in love with my shoes, actually totally smitten! I keep going  to the kitchen  to just look at them. I cannot believe I made them! Maybe I missed my calling maybe I should have been a shoes designer, I could make a fortune, give all the designers a run for there money . Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin  - Be afraid be very afraid...... Looalaboo is coming to town xxx

 

PS. The collage below are the pictures of the shoe Little Madame created.... Maybe I should be afraid!

A Little Cup of Yummy

 

What is my favourite thing in the world?  Well, yes besides wine, stop trying to be smart!! I think you have heard me ramble on about chocolate enough to know that it is the  ultimate and best thing I can put into my mouth..... My ample rear end can attest to that!

 

Over Christmas My sister and I did our usual market and decided to add a little extra to the general fare. We decided on pre mixed cookie buckets, ready made Christmas cookies - you just had to frost them and these little cups of  yumminess. A hot chocolate drink thingy.... Not really sure how to explain them, but you will get the picture toward the end of the post. I know this treat should have been a Christmas post but as you have read, time has been my nemesis recently, and so with Easter coming up I thought why not tell you all about this. They could be 'adult' Easter gifts.

 

So what you need......  

 

 

*Chocolate -

 *Some wooden spoons -

*Small chocolate moulds(I used silicone muffin cases) -

*Melt the Chocolate in the microwave -
(short bursts of 20 seconds at a time)

*Pour into the moulds.... our moulds were big so we filled to about a quarter full
Place the spoon in the centre of the Chocolate, the find a way to keep the spoon upright, aluminium foil worked for us
Allow the chocolate to harden then pop the little discs out.
Place in a plastic bag with a few mini marshmallows, and close with a ribbon....

*Add a little tag that says place in a mug of boiling milk and stir until dissolved!

* Ta Dah  - Hot Chocolate

We added some sugared mint in a few , just for some Christmas cheer.... But you could do anything, maybe a small bunny biscuit... a little bottle of  liqueur... this list is endless.
Simple, quick and very easy! They sold really well as stocking fillers, and what was left over came home with me.... They were going to get attached to family gift but alas never made it that far. How do you think a came up with the liqueur idea..... Little cups of YUMMY - Hic Hic  xxx

Renovation Nation Part 4 .....The End....

Towards the end of last year my posts were all about the on going house renovations... However I never got to finish the journey of our renovations! I got busy moving back in, , the Internet was down for the first few weeks of our move, I got busy redecorating, to be honest I got busy with everything else besides my favourite things  to do , BLOGGING and CROCHETING!  the post below was just beginning and so I decided that I would carry it on, and end the renovation journey......

 

So, 2 months on......

 

On Thursday when I wrote the last blog on my renovations my house was a TIP!!! What a difference a few days can make! OH boy OH BoY OH BOY!!!! Uh.... Excited.com!!! One week later the house is looking like my home again, vastly different, a totally new home but my home! Some rooms are done, some patiently  waiting for paint and cleaning...... Take a quick peek..... 

  

Outside Is Still A Tip!

Cupboards, Plastering And Painting

 

Bathroom And Laundry!

Can you know see why I am so very excited..... It is all starting to look like a house again and not a building site.

Right so this is the end of the post I started on the 5th of November! I also for some unknown reason and to my horror STOPPED taking photos at this stage! (I think excitement had a lots to do with it) So today I pottered around and took some picture for you to see..... Then I hit on a great idea.... why not show you all the house as we saw it and now...... so here goes....

LOUNGE


The Day we Bought



After The First Renovation



Now(A work in progress)

SUN LOUNGE



The Day We Bought



 



My Crochet Spot Has New Chairs

KITCHEN

The Day We Bought

 

A Pantry Type Thing

 

Now

DINING ROOM



The Day We Bought
 

MAIN BEDROOM

The Day We Bought

First Renovation

 

Now

Love All The Sunlight

MAIN BATHROOM

The Day We Bought

 

 

Now(My Favourite Room)

 GUEST BATHROOM

The Day We Bought - YIKES!!

Now!

LITTLE MADAME'S ROOM

The Day We Bought

Now

 

New Cupboards

 

Now let me tell you what I learnt from Renovating our house..... 

 

1. Do your homework  - look at peoples houses and see what you like

2. Do your homework - ask people who to use, people who are happy talk about it!

3. Trust your builders they know what works!

4. Have an idea of what you want to spend however be flexible  

5. Its your house do what you like - I heard this over and over from our builders

 

The wonderful, gorgeous and beautiful people who build for us have changed our lives! LITERALLY! We will never be able to thank Dave Natalie and Tilly for our home.   And that, as they say in the classics, is that! We are done and dusted and as you can see have been living back in our brand new home for 3 months! To say we love it would be an understatement. We have fallen in love with our home all over again and its  so good to be HOME! xxx

  



Tick Tock Tick Tock.....



Seconds turn into minutes, minutes into hours, hours into days, days into weeks, weeks into months and suddenly you realised that times has passed you by..... time that you can never get back. Time that you have spent racing and  hurrying from one thing to the next. Time that you have not spent appreciating what is right in front of you, time that you have not spent doing what you love the most!

 

This is how I am feeling at the moment dear peeps, it has been 3 months since I sat down in front of my computer, 3 months since I came to my happy place and rambled...... 3 VERY long months. I have not blogged or crocheted, I have not baked, sewn a stitch and not and certainly not been my usual creative self... In fact I have been very unproductive and very uncreative and this makes me very unhappy to say the least.  

 

While speaking to a few friends a few days ago we realised that we all felt exactly the same..... Life normally calms down after Christmas and New Year, its back to school  and then back to life as normal, however this year has JUST NOT settled down......It has become more rushed! EEKK!! 

 

Soooo, I have resolved to stop the mania, stop the rushing, stop the rushing. Try and slow things down a bit, no, not a bit, a whole lot!! a few days after deciding to do this slow down thing I found these two beautiful post cards, instantly I knew that these beautiful cards would go onto my notice board and become my mantra for the rest of this year....

 

BREATH SLOWLY!

GROW PATIENCE!

BE HAPPY!

BE THANKFUL!

 

The last two have been added because so many times I catch myself thinking "Oh, that would make me happy" Would it really? Would a material item make me happy....... Or should I just be thankful for what I have! The best things in the world - warm hugs from little arms and the looks of love from my wonderful long-suffering-husband...... That is what is important!

 

 So while I am breathing slowly and trying to grow some patience,  expect lots of blogging and lots of catching up on things I did actually do in December, because this is my happy place and I am back! xxx