Sunday, January 31, 2016

Sailing Anyone?

OK six hours on the water... lets go!

Calshot

Time to run off a little energy on the beach before another week at school. We used to walk on this bit of the beach a lot back in the day when the boys loved playing Tonka Toys.

How to make a harumika fashion doll.    

Today's post is by Miranda. She wants to tell you about her designs.

First select your fabrics (they come with the set) you need your stuffer for this project. I'm making a skirt and strapless top!   

Next you need to fold Your fabric in half and wrap round the top of the dolls torso until tight (so the fabric doesn't slip down!)

Now you can do exactly same with the skirt but don't fold the fabric otherwise it will be a strip round the mannequins waist!

  
You will also attach ribbons now. The excess material will have to be pigged in so its not so messy! Now you have a nicely dressed mannequin!                                                                                       

By Miranda Jane Brown a harumika fan!!!!  
 XxXi love harumika fashion dolls!

You can design new outfits everyday as well as a new doll they are variable prices!

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Llansteffan Beach

A nice photo of Lewis with his Gran and Grandan from a few weeks ago on my favourite beach of all beaches. Scotts Bay where we played as kids growing up in rural West Wales.

Logpile

Found this one from a few weeks ago and thought I'd post it to satisfy all those who complain that CJ doesn't appear very often. Miranda sporting her riding crop, which was a strange Christmas present don't you think!

Can I have some cheese please Mrs Shopkeeper

Quite like the muppet features delighting in the board game fun. The quick witted will notice the hand of CJ who "likes to win" when she plays.

Empire

Miranda entertaining herself with some mind numbing computer game...

LTSC

Gregory in reflective mood after a typically stormy day's sailing at our 'home from home' in Lymington.

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Da Clan

Has always been difficult to get all three in the same frame, looking half decent and yet not wooden. They are not the most co-operative at the best of times. So there's something about this that makes me think I should keep it.

Monday, January 25, 2016

Nosh and splosh

We don't have enough food photos on the blog these days. Something that needs rectifying I think Chef!

The Black Cottage was especially fine, in case there's any vino lovers watching...

Friday, January 22, 2016

Big Burd

Spotted on the fridge door at home, one of Miranda's paintings done at school.

Loading up

We do this quite often, load, unload, open gates, close gates, but you'd have to look quite hard to find a more useful life skill than sailing.

Sunday, January 17, 2016

Draycote Water Winter Championships 2016

Not yer average jolly breeze sail...

I was awoken on the Sunday morning of this two day event with the two boys description of the huge pile of snow outside. So fanciful and exaggerated their wonder, I was convinced they were winding me up. I eventually got to the widow (it was 7am on the Sabbath) and could see it was no joke.

In the event it was all manageable and the snow has stuck all day, and we had a great time too. The boys had some of their best finishes in the 29er with two races in the top 10, so something must be working. 46 boats on the water.

Results here

The way to start the day

 Just two images from an action packed day at Draycote...


Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Monday, January 11, 2016

Mind of it's own

At the end of a tiring day, it's great to see something like this to put life in perspective.  A murmuration of starlings over Lymington, as they flitted from roost to roost calling the faithful. It would be lovely to have a drone to follow these guys down the road and record the majestic patterns they create. Sadly I had just one hand and an iPhone.

Sunday, January 10, 2016

Tough day training on the Solent today with Ben Batten coaching. Didn't manage too many photos with all three boats in, although you can see one capsized 29er just in this one. Winds consistently 25-30 kts, wind over tide made it fairly hard going. Nice cloudscape though.

Saturday, January 02, 2016

Patchwork

Miranda has been busy with her sewing machine. This piece I especially like for it bold geometric naive charm. It has all the power of a Roksanda dress, and the stitch lines I feel add to artistic qualities. I've already given Gran the heads up to look at the blog so I wonder how long before I get a call saying "Well I was looking at the blog and I saw Miranda's lovely patchwork quilt!!"