Rain

The good thing about the huge rainfall we've been having - my new welly boots get to make their debut!!

5am

I seriously don't know how many more 5am starts I can cope with!!!

My 3yr old started nursery this week and has been going to bed - asking to go to bed - at 5.30 ish each evening. Now I realise that 11 hours sleep is fabulous but I don't do mornings.....especially not when I have faffed about and not gone to bed til nearly midnight , then had to get the baby in with me at 3 to feed him (hooray for boobies I say , least I don't have to go downstairs!!)I don't like to get out of bed when it says 5 something on the clock, 5.59 bad - 6.01 good!!

I put him to bed at 7 last night and guess what...yep, 5am!!!

I do try and get him to snuggle in for loves with mammy - looks like those days are o.v.e.r!!

Clever boy has discovered a way to get mummy out of bed, he annoys the life out of his baby brother who is snoozing post belly filling and pulls the grate out of the bottom of the fire in the bedroom - in and out - in and out(can you just imagine that cast iron scraping on the tiled hearth...mmm its lovely!!!) so I have to get up before the neighbours are knocking on my door. Smooth, very smooth!!!

So its now 8am and I'm feeling like this little man...

Shout me when its bedtime x

Strawberry Blonde

Whilst watching Big Brother last night ...(if you don't watch look away now - I'll be back tomorrow with, hopefully, a more interesting post!!!This post a day is harder than I thought lol!!)....I was forced to endure one of my pet hates...

This man here (Rex for you non watchers)

told everyone his hair was 'strawberry blonde'....and...'so not red'! Another housemate very eloquently(!) put him straight - but purlease is the man deluded!!!???

I have red hair, its ginger, not strawberry blonde, ginger. I didn't like it particularly much at school but as an adult I love it, I know its not the done thing to admit you like your ginger hair but I do - there I'm out:)

Why are people in denial about it - I have met fellow gingers over the years who dye their hair black to cover it (you can still tell petal!!) and also other 'blonde' and 'strawberry blonde' gingers.

It makes me want to scream - as I (frequently) tell my brother strawberry blonde is just a posh name for ginger anyhow!!!

As Kat would say - its hiwarious!!!

Btw - my brother really is strawberry blonde - not ginger - but I enjoy the wind up!!!

Swaps

I've been lucky enough to receive 2 swap parcels in the last few weeks, organised by the SC forum.

First helen sent me an eco bag and handmade cutlery roll, and green jelly cases....which I didn't even know I wanted til I got them (i keep taking them out of the cupboard to look at!) and they will be used at the next birthday party chez dollop :)

Then yesterday Rasp sent me a parcel of lovliness which included a table runner and a flower heart which is so pretty..

And fabulous crochet and knitted bunting....I can't crochet and my knitting is shameful, so without this swap I would never have owned any!!!

I love swapping:)

fabric brooch

Made for August swap on SC forum -
theme green -
interpretation by me: recycled fabric :)

there is a light...

....that never goes out.

This is my all time ever bestest favourite Smiths song - the lyrics are genius, listen - here -if you don't believe me!!!!

So I have been coveting this picture

for months over at the Black Apple, etsy shop.

I absolutely love Emilys paintings but I was unsure how they would fit in our home, Mr Dollop is a lot more conventional than I am!!!

So, after looking almost daily for 6 months, I placed the order...and Smiths Girl is now all mine.

I didn't want her to get lonely so jackalope girl has come across the water to live with us too!

Mr Dollop has agreed that they are beautiful and we are now deciding what colour frames they should go in (I'm thinking red or white?) ...any help gratefully received!!

September

I've been rubbish at blogging( and baking ,crafting, sewing etc etc) all through August. I have made excuses for myself daily with the immortal words 'things'll get easier come September when the boys are back at school'.

Well September is here (1 starts nursery today and just 2 more sleeps til me and the babe get some peace when the other 2 go too lol!!) and I am setting myself a challenge to post everyday in September......wish me luck!! Care to join me??

I'm going to start with postcrossing - I saw a link to it on Donna at a more green and simple life's blog, had a nose and thought it could be fun.Basically you sign up and send postcards to the addresses sent to you - which could be anywhere in the world.

Thinking more about it, I decided it has to be a positive thing for the boys to share with me, it could open their eyes to other cultures. Also nice post dropping on your mat is...well, nice!!
There are quite stringent rules around how many cards you can send at a time (5 in transit), but its simply explained on the site.

I requested 2 addresses at the weekend and will be posting my cards today to Finland and the States - the boys are looking forward to receiving our 1st card.

I'll keep you posted ........................................ (sorry!)