Things I miss from home....

This weekend was a long weekend in Canada. We have had such a great time and really feel like we have had a break. I still did the Moss St Market on Saturday while the Noisy Boys stayed at home and it was a really good day. I also met lots of visiting Brits and recent immigrants which is always so nice (I moved to Canada from the UK 8 years ago). It is great to check in with people from home, sharing stories and wows abt things over here! There are some days in the year that I can get quite homesick - someone will have a party, a family member becomes ill, a friend has a child, my canadian friends are all at the grandparents, too many people have looked at me strangely when I have been speaking in the week or I just have an over-riding urge to meet my mates in the local pub and have a good natter (talk)! Facebook definitely helps a lot for me to feel connected to some of the day to day of people, but you do inevitably miss the normality of what was once "home". Then there are weekends like this when you sigh to yourself "I am living somewhere very close to paradise.

Brighton Beach on a long weekend in the UK

West Coast Canada on a long weekend!

A meeting and a cream tea!

Yesterday I had a visit/meeting with two friends of mine, to discuss a school creative pursuits program that is happening in September. I felt all inspired first thing in the morning and had the notion that the meeting had to have a serving of cream tea to be complete. I don't know if this is an english thing or not but for those of you who don't know a cream tea is basically pots of tea (keep them coming), whipped cream, yummy jam and scones. This was my first try at making scones (my nan would be so ashamed of me!) - but the little noisy boy even helped by adding half a cup of raisins and they were delicious! I had taken the boy out in the morning for a 2 hour swim so he was happy to hang out and even let his mum visit, share sewing ideas, and talk about our plans. It was all so civilised and wonderful! I of course later had to deal with poopy pants - a pee on the sofa - and a banged up nose - but for a few hours I felt quite the lady! The two friends I was meeting with have both played big parts in helping me along with my business - one has been there from the very beginning when I had been feeling quite a wreck from a string of icky past experiences - she helped me buy my first sewing machine here in Canada, patiently guided me through my first sewing pattern of a bag - and whooped in encouraging joy at the tea cosie I made for her. My complete supporter in the wings - who always asks me what I am working on, buys stocks at the plenty and tells me to put my big pants on when necessary!! I had never had a real mentor in my life before and it is amazing when you find one, the things they can help you achieve! The other friend I met at a really sad craft show I was at one Christmas nearly 5 years ago. It was one of those shows where you know you aren't in the right place - as people were going gaga over some doilies and weird shaped toilet roll covers - but then along comes this funky little chick who fell in love with my vintage fabric Christmas stockings and ordered 5 on the spot. As we chatted more with the order I found out she salvaged all this wonderful furniture and after getting to know her more have realised that there isn't really anything this lady can't do. She births goats on the fly, organises a farm, sews and designs fabulous things for kids / adults alike AND rummages for funky wares! Her house makes me go "ohhhhhhhh oooooooooo ahhhhhhhhhhhh" AND she has 3 kids! Over achieving ?? No - just capable! When you get days like this, amongst all the nonsense of everyday living it teaches me over and over to go with the flow of life - just because things may not happen as I have planned and fussed over - life has a way of putting you with all the right people on this weird journey of life and just sometimes you get the chance to see fates puzzle pieces fitting together - all over a cream tea!!

Prizes, Prizes

Just a reminder of a few giveaways on the go at the mo from My NOisy Boys Designs.

Simply Stylish Mom is offering a free wallflag - just tell her which flag you like and come and be a fan on My Noisy Boys facebook page. Draw will take place on Tuesday 26th July.


http://simplystylishmom.com/2011/07/19/tuesdays-giveaway-wall-flag-from-my-noisy-boys/

My Noisy Boys designs is also running a $30 voucher giveaway on it's facebook page. Simply post a picture that to you represents the theme "It doesn't get better than this" and become a fan to the page. Once we have reached 60 fans we will draw the lucky winners name.


https://www.facebook.com/MyNoisyBoys
Well that's it for today. It is ia daycare day - but instead of getting to play with paints and fabric I get to do my husbands books - yuck!