Sundaying

A hearty brunch - homemade waffles, crispy bacon, maple syrup and freshly made blueberry sauce...

Then off to the beach to walk it off!!

{The gorgeous crochet hat is by the extremely talented and ever so lovely Mrs Bobo Bun}

How was your weekend and Sundaying??

xXx

One

Oh my word I can't believe it (in the words of the great and utterly brilliant Kaiser Chiefs) I'm one already, can you believe it?? - that last bit isn't in the song, by the way.

I can't!.....Believe that is!!....A whole year of blogging!!!................Awesome!!!!

If I actually sit back and let that little thought, just the tiniest little flicker of a flashback into my head - well it just blows me away.

'She's mad, she's mad!!' I can hear you all saying and I know, but when I'm lost for words then normally a whole jumble tumbles out in it's place.


Do you know I have posted two hundred and ninety nine posts in this past year?? This will be my three hundredth - now that is something to celebrate alone.

Gawd knows how many pictures I've taken though, but by the way my computer whirls and chugs with such effort I'm guessing - a few! ahem.

{I had to pinch the smartie out of the top of this cake for the candle, but it was well worth the sacrifice - yum, yum!!}

So my first birthday 'wow' - how cool is that?? Did you know that with hand on heart and being totally honest I had never heard of blogging or Flickr before October 'ish' 2008? Again I know - a very sheltered life!

It was by pure chance - or fate some may say (that would be me) I just happened to stumble across a book in the library and like I do (it's a me thing) being nosey I flicked to the back of the book to see what the author looked like and discovered I could read more if I typed in a link. And being doubly nosey - I did!!


That's where I discovered a blog - my first blogging experience, the first blog I ever followed and read - and still do, such inspiration.

And from there on in it just, well kind of took off really. From one I found another then more until I began to think 'I could do that'..........but (there's that but!!) not knowing where to start and having very little computer knowledge - apart from how to shop that is!!


So I sat on the sidelines for a good couple of months just reading and discovering new people, new worlds, different takes on life and others just as passionate in the things that I am - I had found a like minded community.

And 'oh' how glad I am to have stumbled.

The rest as they say is history - pretty much.

I wonder how many of cups of these I have drunk as I sat at the computer over my first year!?


This past year (personally) has seen some good times and bad times, job losses and new adventures, I've lost far too many loved ones but made loads of lovely new friends and above all (in blogging) it has been an amazing, fabulous and utterly brilliant year and I wouldn't change it for a jot because..........

.........of you guys!!

Thank you sooooooooooo much for sharing this past year and adventure with me, you guys are the best!! And for that I would like to raise a glass ::

'To You Guys - chin, chin and bottoms up!'

I hope you like the cakes - there's plenty to go around and for those of you who are not keen on cupcakes or fairy cakes, as I've always known them...........I've made some more caramel slices after my little piggy fest on Wednesday.


Now I've been playing around with mosaic maker recently, as you do and thought maybe I could do a little collection of my past year in pictures, but..........I did that on New Year's Eve (not in mosaic though) - hope that makes sense??

Sooooooooooooo what I thought I would do is make a mosaic of the little give away I'd like to do, just to say 'Thank you' for all your wonderful support, continued following, commenting and friendships and much, much more - though there can only be one winner, sorry.

A little give away which will comprise of :: some of the vintage things I've collected over the past year, some very pretty ribbon and a couple of Suffolk puff brooches I've made and.....

.....a 1978 BBC 'Discovering Patchwork' booklet

This book is where I found my love for hexagon pincushions!!

Now there will be 'NO' rules or reg's no linking or mentioning - though you can if you like!

Just leave me a comment and maybe for a little bit of fun an answer to the following maybe?? If you could change the name of your blog or if you wanted to set one up, what would you call it??

Though you don't have to as my brain always seizes up when I'm posed with a question, but a definite 'Hi' would be good and maybe how you found me? - oh and your email address, just in case............fingers crossed xxxxxxxxxxxx.

I've always felt I could of been a little bit more creative with my blog name and with foresight maybe I should of named it 'The mutterings of a stressed out house wife' or something like that, but Tabiboo it is and Tabiboo it will stay.

I'll leave the give away open for a week so that's next Friday the 5th Feb and I'll post the winner on Saturday 6th.

Thank you all again for this utterly delicious past year - here's to many, many more (I hope) and if you'd raise your glasses please (or cake) and make a toast to us all - the very best of wishes for this next 'blogging' year.


As always, have a wonderful, wonderful weekend, take care and have F.U.N.

xXx

Stash

Hellooooooo and good afternoon - I hope your all having a super delicious day??


Mine's been filled with shopping for paint - don't ask, it's verrrry boring!

And consuming not one, not two but three homemade caramel slices! Plus a mug of strong tea to accompany of course.


Anyway, I'm just about almost there with the mammoth present making task I set myself two 'ish' weeks ago for Little Miss F's birthday - next week, gulp!!

And can you believe it? I am now thinking about the next crafty thing I intend to tackle this year.


This has come about because of one very naughty lady, Kelly at Handmade at Home - she is actually very, very nice really, I'm just teasing.


Anyhow, I kind of lost my way the other day when I accidentally noticed a link on her blog.

And not just any old link, but a link to yarn and..................yarn on 'SALE' at that!!

This stash is from the Debbie Bliss pure cotton Aran range and it is super, super soft.


So now I am armed - get it?? And absolutely itching to get my mitts on this gorgeous stash of yarn and begin my first ever granny square (I think) blanket as I have spent far too much time this past year 'ooohhhhhing' and 'aaahhhhhhing' over all the lovely ones that have been made in blogland.

Though I must concentrate for just one more week, must, must, must!!!!!!!

I hope your will all join me on Friday to help celebrate this very humble and little old blog turning the grand old age of 'One?' - There will be cakes!!

ps. the blanket the blanket in the background is a thrift shop buy - I want to make one of my own, all mine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xXx

Winter's Silhouettes

One thing I've noticed more and more this Winter is how beautiful the trees look in their naked leafless form.


Now I love trees and I'm the first to put my hand up if their is one to be hugged, but it's always been more of a texture and smell thing for me and normally only the most magnificent of species attract my eye.


But this Winter I have really opened up my eyes and started appreciating the real beauty a tree of any shape or size has to offer.

With it's bare and almost finger like branches reaching out and waving in the breeze.



Though I still do prefer sitting under our silver birch with her dappled light in the height of summer and hearing her leaves rustle in the breeze or finding shelter under an ancient oak in the middle of an April shower and fruiting trees with their confetti like blossom and gorgeous smelling wood.


But these same trees and many, many more in the depths of Winter are starting to find their own enchanting magical way into my heart and for that I dearly love them.



Thank you again for all your lovely, lovely messages yesterday, the confidence and inspiration you have shown me has truly been amazing - thank you.

Here's to a wonderful, wonderful wintry day.

xXx

Delicate

Hello, good day and welcome one and all!!

Did you have a lovely weekend??

Sorry I didn't stick to my regular daily posting on Friday, hope you didn't miss me too much?

I was feeling a little bit delicate if truth be known and it wasn't from the usual sins of the old vino rouge!!

No, not this time. To be honest I was a bit choked up really, a little tearful and completely and utterly gobsmacked!! I guess I couldn't believe (well I can cause it's you guys) how wonderfully amazing you lot are and how utterly supportive you are of little old me. You all absolutely rock my world.


I have been thinking recently 'what is this all about' this blogging lark and am I on the right path, you know heading in the right direction?

Is this something I really want to keep doing and can I keep it up?


I know some people think 'flipping 'eck - not another post!!' that it's started to make me question if blogging is the right thing to do? I know I shouldn't care about what other people say, and I try not to, but sometimes it does make me think and question - it's only natural.

I love taking pictures of our every day life and sharing them with you, hearing your comments and views. And in return reading all about the things you've been up to, but I've also kind of hit a block and I've been unsure recently whether to continue.


Though your affirmation in me last Thursday and the things that I waffle on about has kind of wrenched me and I honestly know deep down this truly is something I love doing and would miss it and you guys greatly if I didn't have it in my life anymore. Like a piece of me was missing.

Thank you again for all your wonderful, wonderful messages last Thursday and I will try to pull myself together, honest.


Also (last) thank you, honest!! For keeping me in check, liking the things that I love, even if they do seem a little bonkers sometimes and for keeping me on the right track.

I'm sure it's only natural to have these little colly wobbles every now and again and I guess deep down I know that there are so many of you out there, my virtual family so to speak, when I do witter on about stuff and nonsense someone, somewhere is listening.


Now then, enough of my sniff, sniff, sniffing - I have a very exciting week ahead - well for me anyhow.

I've been slaving away with Little F's birthday bits and they are almost finished 'wooooo hoooo' I never had a doubt (cough, cough!!) and............... on Friday I'm 'One!!' a whole year old 'yeeaaaa haawwwww' so there will be cake and fizz and..................... I'm going to have a little giveaway to celebrate.

I do hope you'll join me?

Happy Monday to you all and here's to a fabulous week.

xXxXx

Giving Thanks

And in need of some Sunshine??

Just recently I've received a couple of awards which to be honest has left me feeling very humble.

I know I witter on most days and you all are so very generous with your comments - far more than I deserve I feel some times and your friendships mean so much to me that they literally place a great big fat soft padded comforter around my world everyday, but to actually have people like the things I say and the pictures I take has left me some what lost for words - hope that makes sense?


So I would like to give thanks to five very, very lovely ladies :: The Curious Cat for all your funny warm hearted messages, Ali at Snipsnaphappy's world who always makes me laugh no matter how you are feeling, Sew Obsessed who is ever so lovely and has just started out, Tilly Rose who always gives me a big virtual hug when ever you leave a comment and Kirsty at Sixty One A for being such the nicest person - thank you ladies for all your friendships and support, they dearly mean the world to me.


And if you've got a little time do pop over and say 'Hi' to these ladies - they are ever so lovely with an enormous capital L!!

Now you may be astonished to know that I am a quite a quiet person - 'yes' really and in real life I'm a girl with very few words. So much so people that read my blog have been a little confused when they meet me for real. I guess it all comes out in the blog!!

I'm also not a person that is very good with words - as you may have noticed from a fair few of my postings 'ahem!!' So I'm not going to chatter about the things I'm suppose to that go with these awards because to be honest I'm really not that very exciting, but I do want to say to all of you out there a great big 'Thank You' for all your wonderful, wonderful comments, your friendships and popping by most days.


I know I'm suppose to hand these awards out to a certain amount of fellow bloggers, but I'm thinking 'what the hell' I can't choose - I'm such a cop out I know!!

So if you fancy a little piece of sunshine to brighten your day then please, please help yourself and spread it around - gawd knows we could all do with a bit of that most days.

Thank you again ladies and thank you all for giving me the confidence to continue blogging even if it is complete and utter nonsense most days.

xXxXx