Yesterday, today and tomorrow.

The last week of term at my school is activities week, and we had a local artist come in and, with the senior school children construct this shark from rolled up photo copy paper. It is about 18 feet long and the carcass looks like the inside of an old fashioned plane.

My class had another outing yesterday, only to the local park which is behind our school field. Mums, Dads Grans etc, were invited to come and join their children for the annual Teddy Bears Picnic. We were so lucky with the weather, we had balls and parachutes to keep the children busy and ended the picnic with an ice cream.

This statue in the park was created by a local artist and some school children. Everyone loves searching for all the creatures that are on the statue!
Today we celebrated Lesley's birthday, wearing the obligatory silly hat, (sister in law to Nickie) as her birthday is in the school holiday. It was a sad day for all the staff, as we said goodbye to 'our' children and wished them a safe and happy holiday. I'm back in school on Monday unpacking stock and getting ready for the new children starting in September.

I popped in to Craft Arena on the way to Basildon to get some Hemingworth threads and CPS. Retail therapy does lift the spirits!

Tomorrow it off to Fambridge, we have got Pauline Verrinder doing a 'Boogie with Books' workshop for us. I can't go to bed until the farmhouse cake for our afternoon cuppa has finished cooking.

Shattered!!!!!

Today my class of 3/4 year olds went on their first school outing. We went to Tropical Wings just outside South Woodham Ferrars. They were all very excited, especially as some of them had never been on a coach before!As well as wonderful butterflies and sun birds flying freely around the butterfly house, there was also some lovely flowers.Outside we saw wallabies, owls, lemurs to name but a few of the animals we saw there. Several children fell asleep on the coach home!

Having spent wasted an hour chilling in front of the television, (recharging my batteries) I am off to do some more to my time line.

That word.

My first stitching job today, was to put together the 'Congratulations' card for Diversity. Everyone at St. John's has signed the card from the youngest child (my class of 3-4 year olds) to the cooks and caretakers.

There were so many pages I stitched it together like a book.

Then it was onto thinking about 'Yesterday'. As soon as I thought about what this word means to me, it bought images of the Beatles, long happy sunny days and hippies/flower power. ( I still have my hippy bell! LOL!) I coloured some pages a la Francis Pickering then started a mind map, and

a time line 1965-1975. I have got until September to think about that word.

Thinking time

On Saturday, it was confirmed that our next exhibition will be September 2010 at Maldon, and the theme is 'Yesterday'. I have got to get my thinking cap on!
No stitching to show as I spent yesterday re-arranging my play room,. trying to make space to work in!

F.E.T.

A lovely day at Cottenham, picking up our textile pieces, getting the feedback on the exhibition, ( we have had lots of very positive comments) and then lunch, everyone brought something delish to eat. We all had very full stomachs after.
Some of us gave mini workshops, Ann showed us how to make our own postcards, Nickie demoed how to make her coins like the ones she made for the exhibition. Jenny demoed foiling on fabric and Pauline's workshop was a fabric bracelet,

Christine's workshop was using a bead loom and I did shaggy flowers.

I made an 'Anglo-Saxon' coin and put my name on it using the rune alphabet.I also had a go at using my loom, it was easier than I had thought it would be.

A quick shower and change when I got home, and it was then off to spend my evening celebrating Uncle Ronnies 80th birthday. It was lovely to see him and catch up on all the families news.

A verrrry busy Friday

Our school routine was disrupted today as we had a 'Time Capsule' ceremony to attend. The new school build (phase 1) is nearly completed. The children have enjoyed watching the cranes and diggers and seeing the building grow.

After work I went to the 'Octopus' exhibition, I wasn't sure that I was going to get there in time but I did. It was being held in the church in the middle of Billericay High Street. The theme was through the garden gate, and this is the first piece that you see as you walk in.
Each textile artist made two pieces, each representing a month.

I especially loved this one, and wanted to buy it, but someone beat me to it. I just love decaying seed heads.

Here are a few of the pieces that caught my eye, sorry I cant remember who made what.

I keep trying to grow Himalayan poppies without success, these were stitched on a beautifully dyed fabric.

I loved all the work on the easels, a lovely way to display the work. I would liked to have spent longer looking at all the work and taking photos but I ran out of time. I bought this book to give to my friend for a present and ordered Kezzy a butterfly. The exhibition finishes tomorrow and I cant go back because........................................

Tomorrow Nickie and I are off to Cottenham for F.E.T. We are all taking an item of food, so I have made Coronation chicken this evening. Mini workshops are being given by some of the members, Nickie is making her 'Anglo -Saxon coins'. Christine is going to do bead weaving,( I have had a bead loom for years and NEVER used it, I might find out what to do with it now! ) I am doing 'shaggy flowers' so I need to finish getting all my bits together.

It's arrived!!!!!

When I got home from work yesterday, my prize from Maggie Grey was on the doorstep. It's even better in real life, my photo doesn't do it justice. Thank you Maggie, I will treasure it.

I couldn't blog last night as I went to a fund raising event. My oldest daughter and her friend voluntarily run a baby and toddler group in the village. Once a year they hold a 'Curry Night'. Just over £300 was raised. Lots of laughs and another very late night!

At our Sutton Hoo exhibition, Kezzy fell in love with these fairy shoes, they are larger than the ones that are normally stitched, approx 7 inches in length. Anyway, Alan being a soft touch where Kezzy is concerned, bought them for her, and they arrived yesterday

Springfield Quilters held their final meeting here, at Graham on the Green, Writtle. Opposite this lovely pond.Very pretty and tasty starter, a wonderful main course, followed by..........hot chocolate brownie with chocolate ice cream-delish!!!!!!!!There was a live band playing which made conversation quite hard, but we managed to have a good natter and caught up on all the latest news.A big thank you to Delia and Diane, for starting the club, without them I would not be where I am now, textile wise.
A photo of my bag as promised, still taking Sutton Hoo as my inspiration. The pan scourer represents the armour, and again Celtic spirals. This is the week when I should have got some stitching done at school, though what with being out on a first aid course yesterday, and a 2nd pre-inspection visit today, tracking down my reports that had gone missing, between the office and my pigeon hole, its not happening. Then when I got home from work, guess what was on my doorstep.......

my books that I ordered, how's that for service? I have enjoyed looking through them both while sitting out in the garden watching the sun setting. Wonderful photos of inspiring work and lovely clear text in both books. Congratulations Maggie, Lynda and Carol well worth waiting for. I can't wait to read them properly and experiment.