#declutterday - I'm opening a candle shop

Been away for a couple of weeks with various bouts of illness in our household and a trip to A&E that I would rather forget, but I've finally managed to find an hour to open a cupboard and see what I've stashed inside all in the name of #declutterday

#declutterday

This week I discovered that I really could open a candle shop to rival Yankee, Ikea or Prices. I guess this would be ok if I was an avid candle burner, but my husband really doesn't like the flickering light they give out. So whilst I would love to sit by candle light on an evening, I usually manage about 30 mins before I'm asked if we can put the light on so I simply don't bother any more. This means that my pre-husband candle stash is still sitting around unburnt and unloved. 

... and it's taking up valuable cupboard space

This morning I pulled all the candles I could find into the dining room, I emptied one cupboard shelf and a dresser draw (also found some chocolate truffles behind the candles which will be enjoyed this evening!) 

How many??????

From top left to right

8 - used tea lights

18 - new / unused tea lights

3 - large 3 wick table candles

11 - various used candles

4 - new / unused cathedral candles

5 - table centre candles from our wedding (been married 5 years today!) 

12 - new / unused standard candles

8 - new / unused  hand finished silver candles in box

Total 69 candles - not including the ones I have on the mantle piece 'cos they look nice! 

Yes that is a lot of candles for a household which doesn't use them! 

But what to do with my candle stash???? I don't use them, I don't love them

they have to go

But, they are really heavy so don't really want to post them, I guess eBay is out of the question then. I suppose a charity shop would accept the new ones but what to do with the used ones? There is still plenty of life in them and it seems such a shame to throw them in the bin.

I don't use the candles so making new ones out of the old ones seems pointless, I don't skateboard or know anyone else who does so don't think skateboard wax block is an option. These are the only solutions I seem to be able to find online, have you any ideas? 

All ideas gratefully received, or if you want them - I'm in Basingstoke - drop me a note and happy for them to go to a good home. 

Unfortunately this probably means that the used ones will migrate from a cupboard and draw to a box in the garage - doesn't seem right... I will come back to you in a couple of weeks to report back that these have been ejected from the house one way or another. 

xx

Knitting and Stitching Show October 2013 - Ad

Can't believe it is already 5 months since the Spring Knitting and Stitching Show in Olympia London, I had such a great time there, seeing all the tools and fabric for sale, attending classes and of course splashing some cash on a new sewing machine. Read my show review here. 

And now it's time to think about the Autumn show in Alexandra Palace. Tickets are already on sale for The Knitting and Stitching Show - 10th-13th October.

I'm looking forward to attending the event and will be booking myself into some classes again, think it's the best way to get the most of the day - learning something new and meeting new people. There is an amazing range of classes again at this event including 3D Applique, Making Felt Lace, Knitting Baby Booties, Stitch Portraits, Freeform Crochet. My biggest challenge is trying to decide which day to go on and which classes to attend. 

Are you planning on attending? Would love to meet up with you there 

The Knitting and Stitching Show

Twisted Thread offered my 2 free tickets to the show in exchange for writing this post and a review post. All the words are my own and any classes or show purchases are made with my own money

The week that was....

Well we have had a pretty rubbish week here. If you follow me on Facebook you may have read my moaning on Tuesday that my little man was sent home from nursery and excluded for 48 hours due to having 3 running nappies over 2 days. There was absolutely nothing wrong with him. 

I took Tuesday off work with no notice to look after him and my team at work were left to pick up the pieces in my absence. 

The little man went to work with Daddy on Wednesday and that is when the trauma accelerated.

My precious little boy fell over and grazed his knee....this was his first proper graze. Making a big thing of his big boy injury Daddy turned to the first aid box to get an elastoplast.

My little man blacked out and started to fit 

Never happened before

He came round after a very short time but wasn't really there 

Call an ambulance

I was at work in London - 1hr 45mins away. I was out of my office building like a shooting bullet, charging to the tube station whilst paramedics checked my little man's temperature, heart rate and blood oxygen

Daddy and little man were taken to the nearest hospital in the ambulance (no flashing lights which was a relief) 

At hospital my precious little boy was the same colour as the bed sheets and not talking or wriggling when I joined them. The Doctor checked his vitals and they were all normal, then suddenly my little man flickered back, his eyes sharpened, and he asked for a snack. 

That's my boy! 

Always eating

He was ok

He gradually came round over the next hour or so to be the cheeky 2yr old that I know and love. The staff were brilliant, we had a bed picnic and watched Cbeebies on my iPad whilst nurses and doctors checked on us regularly. 

We were moved from A&E to Pediatrics where more tests and examinations took place. 

Nothing was abnormal and nothing gave even a hint as to the cause of the fit. 

The doctor concluded that he had a Febrile Seizure, these are usually caused by an increase in temperature but can also be triggered by trauma.

My little man is fine. Yesterday Daddy and I wouldn't let him out of our sight. Today I have dropped him at nursery for a couple of hours. I would desperately love to keep him at home wrapped in cotton wool until he is 18 but that wouldn't be good for either of us. So I have to be strong and trust in the staff at nursery and the doctors who told me it probably won't ever happen again. 

Today I am about 5 minutes away from him. On Monday he will be back at nursery, I will be in 1hr 45mins away from him and Daddy will be at work 30 minutes away from him. I'm not looking forward to Monday.

Still Mulling Over the Christmas Craft Fair

I shared last week that I was contemplating having a stand at a my village Christmas Craft Fair. I asked for an application form - its £20 and runs 12-5pm. Still not sure about it, I've got that little voice in my head telling me that it is all a waste of time, do you get that annoying little voice too? 

I'd planned that today was going to be a dry run. I've managed to wriggle a day off work with the house to myself - hubby at work and little man at nursery. The plan was to make a few items to see how they go and get a sense of what I can make in a day if I did indeed want to stock a Christmas Stall. 

Well, my day hasn't exactly gone to plan. Little man came home from nursery yesterday and promptly threw up all over me (well better me than the carpet, I'm fully washable!). He is still unwell today so not gone to nursery. I think he is on the mend, not been sick again and he just wants to watch Disney movies and sleep, I'm hoping he will be cured of what ever nasty bug came to visit soon. So understandably I haven't got on with any crafting. Maybe this is a sign? 

I did find a couple of crafty hours yesterday and had a little play with my circle cutter. I made this, what do you think? 

I think it's pretty cool - both sides are the same

It's a modern bauble

I would hang it on my tree

The big question is would anyone else? and would they pay money for it? 

Think I do need that day of total craftiness to see if I can make bits that people would love to buy 

#declutterday week 4 and link to my guest post

Hi, sorry I've been a little quiet this week, lots going on at home and I've been in the office working more than usual - this hasn't taken me away from crafting but it has taken me away from the computer to write to you. Hope you are having a good week. 

I've also been busy writing a guest post....very exciting to be asked...

Michelle over at the Purple Pumpkin Blog has taken August off from blogging and has asked a few of us to take the helm and write a post for her (she is off on a lovely long holiday lucky lady). 

I spent ages thinking about what to write, should it be crafty? should it be something totally random? should it be #declutterday? I was surfing the deadline to get this written and had sever writers block. In the end I decided to do a #delcutterday post about an area of my home I've been wanting to tackle but hadn't because I didn't know what to do with the bits I no longer needed/wanted. I wanted to sort out my underwear draw....so I've sorted, and recycled - read my post to find out what you can do with your old bras to support a good cause and make getting dressed a joy not a challenge  

Orlando Funding Challenge

As I sit her writing to you I am surrounded by outgoing eBay parcels of good stuff we no longer need but hopefully someone else will love. Will share these with you next week. 

ta ta for now...more crafting to share very soon

Happy Birthday to me

Look what I got for my birthday today, I'm a lucky lady :)

 

 

 

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To Christmas Craft Fair or Not To Christmas Craft Fair

Dear Lovely readers I have a dilemma. I've just heard that my village hall is holding a Christmas Craft Fair this year. They've only ever had a summer fair before but decided this is the year to burst into the Christmas market

I went to the summer fair in June this year and it was great, I was thinking that I would love to have a stall there one day, day dreaming of sitting there next year surrounded by a table of my lovely creations, so with the advertisement of a Christmas Fair I'm left wondering if I should sign up?

I don't really have a range of goodies to sell

but I have a lot of ideas

I don't really have the time

but I'm so excited at the prospect

So, what to do? 

It's only a one day fair and I think it will only be an afternoon event (at least the summer fair was only on in the afternoon). So half of me is thinking 

"well its hardly worth the effort if it is only 1/2 a day!"

but the other half is saying 

"half a day is a great way to give craft fairs a trial without too much investment in stock or time" 

oh gosh I really don't know what to do. 

Have you sold at any craft fairs? what are the things I should be thinking of? is it a good idea? 

I'm at the moment scared, anxious and excited in equal measure! 

PLEASE HELP! 

#declutterday week 3

I really do

I love plain ones

I love flat ones

I love heeled ones

But most of all I love pretty ones

My shoe collection has grown to mammoth proportions over the years - it doesn't seem to matter how your body weight fluctuates your feet stay the same and your shoes always fit, don't you love shoes for that. I've always seen then as an investment

(well unless you blow up like a balloon whilst pregnant and your feet start to resemble large pies....thank goodness they deflated after the birth!) 

I've always had this love affair with shoes (and also with bags but that declutter is for a different day) and a sort out was really needed.

I've started this week with my summer sandals, if I haven't worn them so far this summer then they've been assessed. Have to admit I wasn't as firm as I should have been but I have managed to sell 3 pairs on eBay. 

I also managed to sell 2 DVD boxsets for a tidy sum, every little helps. 

So this week's decluttered items are ...

Not bad and more ordered approach than last week... my decluttering is improving. 

So how is the Mickey Reveal shaping up in week 3? 

It's still a long way to go but I've got 23 weeks.....fingers crossed

Which draw / cupboard / shelf have you tackled this week? How are you getting on?

And the winner is....

Catja from Gjeomtry

Congratulations on winning this cool cat print

Catja I will be in contact to ask for your address details soon.. well done

xxx