We're joining in with...

...the BIG knit.

Each year the company who make 'innocent smoothies' here in the UK have a drive to raise money for "Age Concern". This money helps to provide the elderly with the means to keep warm during the Winter months.

For those of you who live here in the UK you will be familiar with the sight of bottles of smoothies sitting on the shelves in the stores, wearing little knitted or crochet hats - and some of these can be quite ornate. The 'hatted' bottles usually hit the stores around Autumn and for every bottle with a hat sold, 'innocent' will donate 25p to Age Concern.

This year they want to put 2 million bottles out there with hats - so far they have received in excess of 1 million but the deadline is closing in (hats have to be with 'innocent by 31 July).

I received an email reminding me about the deadline so I asked the "Knit & Natter"/"Craft & Chatter" group if they wanted to make some hats that we could send off for the cause - they said yes.

Here are a few that I have made...

 ...nothing overly fancy but I'm going for numbers.
We have a collecting box so that others in the office can contribute...

...even if they don't attend the craft group.

If you knit/crochet, why not have a go too. There are lots of free patterns on the Internet - along with details of where to send the completed hats. These little makes are a great way of using up all those scraps of wool for a good cause.

Sitting here chatting isn't getting things done so I'd better get back to the needles.............................

HUGE Shock...

...Pinnacle Crafts has decided to close its physical shop.

Please see the following message: -

Hi everyone,

We hope you are well?

We would like to announce that we have taken the decision to close our shop here at Barleylands and concentrate on our on line offering and also our lessons and workshops.

So, we won’t be closing Pinnacles as a whole, just the physical shop... Therefore as a Pinnacle Crafts Club Member, you will still be able to use your discount on our website and also attend our Card Making and Parchment Craft lessons and workshops. In fact, we are looking to expand these.

So, if you are interested in any of our workshops then please let us know. And, if there is sufficient interest, we will open up additional dates, as the ones we currently teach are pretty much full on a weekly basis.

 

From Tuesday 23^rd May 2017, until a date to be announced we will be having a

Rummage Sale in the shop.

Everything is 50%

off the marked price to everyone..

(stock on our website has been “zeroed out” until after the event. The sale is just in store.)

We acknowledge and appreciate that Club Members Discount Weekend would have been this coming weekend. This sale is instead of this event.

We will not be taking any orders at this time, the sale is just off of the items we have in stock.

 

So, that’s half price off of all remaining Adhesives, Dies, Cutting Plates, Parchment and Groovi products, pre packed card and paper, Stamps, Inks, Punches, Embellishments, Paints, Wooden Shapes & MDF, Pinflair & Cross Stitch Kits, Pens & Pencils, Pan Pastels, Tools & Equipment, Books & CDs and already Reduced to Clear items.

In addition, the following products have been reduced in price;

All loose single sheets of card & paper – 20p each (yes, if it says £1.49 on it, its 20p!!)

All loose single sheets of Peel Offs – 20p each

All loose single sheets of Non Die Cut Decoupage Sheets – 20p each

Gift Vouchers

Gift Vouchers are still redeemable in the shop, or can be used for workshops or on our website after the event.

Fixtures & Fittings

We will be offering our card/paper stands and Billy Book Cases for sale. If you would like to lay claim to any of these please let us know.

The A4 and 12”x12” paper stands are £2.50 each, or 10 for £20.00. Sight as seen and can only be collected between 20^th – 24^th June 2017. Cash only...

The Billy Book Cases are £10.00 each or 2 for £15.00. Again, sight as seen and collection only between 20^th – 24^th June 2017. Cash only...

Outstanding Orders

We would encourage you to come and collect any outstanding orders you have been advised which are now in. Orders which have outstanding balances to pay will be honoured at the discount at time of ordering only.

Magazines

We will no longer be holding our range of magazines in stock. So, if you are on our list of recipients, please be advised of this.

Please feel free to share this message with any of your fellow crafters and/or Club Members who you know do not receive this newsletter, as this Rummage Sale is open to everyone.. If you have a blog or belong to any social media groups, crafting groups, School Clubs, Guides or Scout Groups, etc, please feel free to share this message with them too as there are some great bargains to be had which will help keep the costs of running such groups down.

We’re sure that this message will come as a bit of a shock to some of you. We have been here at Barleylands for almost 14 years and in that time we have seen crafting and retail in general change beyond recognition... We hope you understand why we feel the need to make this change to Pinnacles at this time..

N.B

We will be closed specifically on Sunday 18^th June 2017 (this is not our actual closing date though). This is so we can celebrate Fathers Day with our Dad, something we have not been able to do on this day in 14 years.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Pinnacles....

This is such a shame as this has been my 'go to' place every weekend for as long as I can remember - and as the bank manager will confirm, this has been where a big chunk of my salary goes.

Classes will continue and the message says that their on-line service will also continue but such a shame not to have the physical shop once the sale is over...I am an impulse buyer and rarely come out with just what I went in for.

Anyhoo...

If you happen to be in the area, do take advantage of the sale. A great chance to stock up on a few bits & bobs...................................................................................

Sorry...

...for the lack of visits & comments.

Over the weekend a problem developed in the heating system at work and on Tuesday when the building was reopened, our security staff were greeted by water pouring through the doors.

I have spent the last couple of days phoning staff & keeping them up to date with the situation (I'm dreading the next mobile bill - it is going to be an OUCH!!! moment). The building has had to remain closed to staff for H&S reasons.

Managers were allowed access to the unaffected wing of the building for an emergency meeting and the building will reopen today with limited access whilst repair works continue in the wing that was flooded.

Normally I would catch up on my blog reading during my lunch break but as there has been no IT use this has thrown a spanner in the works. The PC at home also seems to be on a 'go slow' at the moment so blogland access is very hit & miss at the moment (praise-be to scheduled posts that work on time - almost).

I was able to check the damage to my team's area and I am happy to say that we have escaped pretty unscathed (although we don't have access to our work area whilst repairs are on-going in that wing) - this includes all the RNLI sale stuff (BIG sigh of relief - phew).

So today we decamp to wherever we can find an empty desk and see what we can get done.

So once again, a "Sorry" from me for not visiting or commenting much over the last few days - I hope to catch-up when things calm down a bit...........................................

Messing about...

...on the river - part 2.

Get those kettles on as here are the rest of the photos.

The Olympic stadium is now the home of West Ham United football club...

 ...but it remains one of the big venues for a variety of events held in London - there are a few BIG name concerts being held there over the Summer months as well as numerous sporting events.

 

Elsewhere in the park there is a lot of building going on...

...some is 'repurposing of buildings used during the Olympics...

 ...and much is new build.
The team were amazed at how much was going on...

 ...right on our working doorstep.
The river is beautifully maintained...

 ...which is a very different story to how it was found when development started...

...as this whole area had been a dumping ground for centuries due to its closeness to the City of London. Thousands of tons of contaminated ground had to be removed & cleansed whilst the river itself had to be cleared of thousands of shopping trolleys, cars and numerous in-exploded bombs from WWII.
Construction around the park is moving at a pretty rapid rate...

 ...and cranes  are everywhere on the skyline.
The Orbit was the end marker of our tour...

...and we headed back to the moorings. The park has a large number of sculptures...

 ...these are called "The Pencils" and mark the side of the waterway.
Back on the jetty we made sure we had details about coming events...

 ...and took a last few photos...

...and bid farewell to our guide...

 ...and skipper.
The Orbit was constructed especially for the Olympics and is a prominent feature in the park...

...it is one of the largest free-standing sculptures.
The edge of the park is still a massive building site...

 ...and this area is known as the International Quarter - many large businesses will be re-locating here from the City of London.
The Aquatic Centre is now a busy part of the community...

 ...standing next to the walkway that takes you into the par.
The view across the park towards London...

 ...is ever changing as new buildings join the skyline.
Everywhere is being maintained beautifully...

...and even the entrance into the Westfield shopping complex is beautifully planted.
The is "The Street"...

...original open to the sky, it has now been covered over so that folk can make use of the outside space despite the British weather.

We had a fabulous afternoon and we're all looking forward to the new tours that will be starting later in the year............................................................

This time a week ago...

...we were anticipating our team building event.

(Lots of photos so you might want to grab a cuppa).

Our office is just across the railway line from the Queen Elizabeth Park (Olympic park) and we had been planning on taking a river boat trip through the park since last year but by the time we had a date that everyone could make, the tours had closed for the Winter.

The tours reopened at Easter so we were able to organise our team outing.

We decided to cut through the residential area by the office rather than battle with the crowds in the Westfield Centre so this was the first view of the park from the road...

 ...the Olympic Stadium is now the home of West Ham United football club.
We go quite 'up close & personal' to the Orbit...

 ...which now has one of the longest slides wrapped around it (quite expensive and not something most of us would want to do).
We needed to be at the boat before the tour time to confirm numbers so some of us dashed ahead...

 ...the rest brought up the rear.
The boat moorings are in what is called "Waterworks River"...

 ...and easily accessible.
Whilst waiting for the others to catch-up, we spotted a mummy duck and her babies...

 ..."Dad" was waiting ahead of them and "Mum" was trying to ensure that all 11 of her brood were present & correct.
The tour boats can accommodate 60 people...

 ...there were 10 of us and we had the boat to ourselves.
Hot & cold drinks were available (including booze)...

...and although it was a lovely bright day, the wind had an edge to it - so tea & coffees all round.
The boat slowly makes its way through the park and there is a commentary about what is seen...

 ...and how the park has tried to be as eco-friendly as possible by providing nesting boxes for bother birds and bats in the underside of all the bridges that cross the river. Lots to see...

 ...and lots of interesting facts as we poodled along.
This is where the Waterworks River joins the River Lee...

...there is a lot of work going on around this lock and an extended tour will be available later this Summer.
Despite the horrid weather forecast we had a lovely time...

 ...and the sun was shining off the water.

 The amount of land cleansing and replanting that took place in the park is astounding...

 ...and at every point of the tour there was something to see...

...even these magnificent reed beds.

These photos take you to roughly the half-way point - I'll share some more photos tomorrow...............................................

Fundraising for the RNLI...

...is still going strong.

I sent out an email to everyone at work asking for donations that we could use as raffle prizes and folk certainly 'stepped up to the mark'.

These were the photos I took just before the Easter weekend...

...and there have been a few additions since. People are so very generous.

What with end of year performance reviews and a complete restructuring of our line of business things have been a little slow on the charity front. However, even with just the trickle coming in from book & craft sales we have managed to almost reach £900. It is hoped that our raffle will boost interest and we should make the £1000 by the end of May - fingers crossed.

I have to say a very BIG thank you to everyone who has contributed to the fundraising.

It has been an interesting year of fundraising - book sales, craft sales, shipping forecast sweepstakes, raffles and afternoon cream teas - all done without any 'hard sell' as I didn't want folk to feel pressured into participating.

I will be continuing with the fundraising for the RNLI as I think it is a very worthy cause - I just need to come up with some ideas for the coming year to keep interest high..........................................

Easter...

...in true British weather style.

The weather forecast for the Easter weekend was not great and in parts of the UK there was even the promise of SNOW. However, in my neck of the woods the temps certainly dropped but we didn't get the terrible rain storms that we had been threatened with.

On the whole, the weather in the UK has been pretty good for the last few weeks but it has taken the day a little while to get going with mornings often dull & chilly.

The other end of the day has been quite muted too.

What warmth there has been during the day has caused many evenings to be hazy/misty...

 ...but this creates quite a lovely effect when looking at the Sun going down...

 ...through the shadow of the trees...

...and the colours of the sunset have been quite soft.

The biggest problem I have had this weekend has been trying to decide whether to risk making a start on some more of the outside painting. However, with the forecast for my area being so unfavourable I really didn't want to start on something that would have to be left mid-way. I did consider painting the front door as it is sheltered from the elements but who wants to have all their heating disappearing outside as the door would have needed to stay open whilst the paint dried.

So the Easter weekend has seen nothing in the way of outside décor and to be honest not much has gone on inside either - other than dipping into a few Christmas movies. Yep, you read that right - True Movies had a whole day (Easter Sunday) of Christmas movies...go figure.

No decorating achieved but I did get a lot of crochet done.............................................................

I did say...

...the fencing was looking a bit tired.

This is how the back gate looked....

 ...very shabby and scruffy where the previous coat of stain had faded & worn.
The two pots of pansies...

 ...dropped neatly into the two planters by the front door...

 ...and a drop of water soon had them looking perky.
However, here is the back gate after its coat of "Forest Green"...

...it certainly looks a lot tidier but it will probably need a second coat.

I have to say, I'm quite pleased with the new colour (despite my doubts) so it looks like I'm going to be busy for a while. Let's hope Mother Nature is kind and provides a few dry & bright weekends over the next few weeks. Good job Easter weekend is coming up soon.........................................................................