But I wanted a...

...playstation.

Don't you just love the expression on this LOTV image...

...you can tell that she is not amused.

Whilst colouring this little miss I was reminded of so many Christmas gifts from my gran. She always bought clothes for everyone and they were always too big - "so we could 'grow' into them". This might have been fine for the grandkids but she also did it with the adults...socks was the traditional gift for the men and my poor Dad (who didn't have the largest feet in the world) would receive socks that were so big that you could tuck the toe under the foot and it would reach back to the heel LOL

Did you have folk that gave 'strange' presents?

I would love to know if there are others out there that had family members who had similar mind-sets - I think with my gran a lot was to do with her up-bringing and the era that she grew up in. Things had to last so it was common practice to buy things bigger than needed so that you could in deed 'grow into them'.

Still, the thought was there and the gifts were always given with love - bless you gran................

Memories are...

...made of this.

Yesterday as I left the office I passed a young mum and her little one playing "don't step on the cracks" - it was such fun seeing the pure enjoyment on the little ones face as he held his mom's hand and tried to step from paving slab to paving slab without stepping on the joins. This is the stuff childhood memories should be made of...not 24/7 in front of a TV or stuck to a mobile phone. Life should be fun - the world makes children grow up quick enough without robbing them of simple joys like this.

As a child (pre-school) I stayed with my Grandparents for extended periods as my Mum was in and out of hospital during her pregnancy with my Sister and in those days there was no 'paternity leave' so Dad had to continue going to work each day.

One of my fondest memories of that time was captured in this photo...

...I loved to spend time 'helping' Granddad in the garden (running back and forth carrying veg or flowers to Gran in the kitchen) and if I had been good, I would be given one of Granddads Gold sweets. He loved butterscotch and the brand he bought were in a box with each rectangular piece wrapped in gold foil. It was such a treat to be given one of these treasures.

The garden at my Grandparents house was very long and narrow but Granddad had the borders brimming with colourful flowers and at the end of the garden was the raised veg area along with his "little shed" (it had originally been the family Andersen shelter). Next to the house was the coal bunker and the larger shed, along with Granddad's 'planning' bench.

I was too young to know or realise that my Granddad had been retired early due to Emphysema and as much as he loved his garden the effort involved made it difficult for him to breath - so we would sit for a while and plan the garden or plan how we would spend the day.

It makes me sad to see so many children now relying on phones and things to keep themselves amused because the adults in their lives don't seem (or want) to have the time to spend with them. We live in a digital age but there are some things that all children should have the joy of experiencing.

I'm just glad that at least I have these wonderful memories...............................................

Another...

...blast from the past.

In 2012, there was no mistaking that Stratford was the 'home' of the 2012 Olympics.

The advertising giants were taking advantage of any & all available space...

 ...Lloyds TSB took over every piece of glass at the station - inside as well as out.
Car manufacturers also got in on the act...

 ...and we had completely wrapped buildings...

...which certainly brought colour and an air of excitement to the area.

The wrapped building in the photos has stood empty since - minus its colourful wrapping and the area to the right of it is a massive building site where a 36 storey creation is currently being constructed.

Before the 2012 games, Stratford regeneration had been underway but sort of ground to a halt in preparation for the Olympics but as soon as the games were over, all the building work restarted.

Instead of Olympic venues the skyline is now an ever growing 'field' of skyscrapers.

I wonder what it has been like in Rio..........................................................................

The Flower Trees...

...are back!!!

However, they are looking a little lonely and sorry for themselves...

...and not the wonderful display that we had back in 2012 for the London Olympics.

The following photos were taken at the start of July 2012...

...as Stratford in East London was putting on its finery...

 ...getting ready to welcome the nations of the World...

...each flower tree sporting a different colour and variety of planting. Stratford looked wonderful with its masses of flowers and banners everywhere.

2012 was the first year we had the flower trees at this crossing by the office. Each year since, they have returned but each year there have been less of them and the planting has been less impressive.

This year we are down to three flower trees (although I could only get two in my photo) and the red/white/blue planting scheme is taking a while to 'do' anything. Hopefully with a bit more sunshine they may yet burst forth.

Today is exactly one month before the 2016 Olympics open in Rio - gosh those four years have flown........................................................................

What a lovely Sunday...

...so nice to see blue skies and sunshine.

Isn't it amazing how a bit of good weather can raise one's mood.

The grass soooooooooooo needs cutting but the ground is still a bit squishy from the rain we have been getting. However, I don't mind because at the moment I have bluebells dotted all over the place and I really wouldn't want them to be 'cut off in their prime', so to speak.

I was beginning to wonder if they would ever bloom as there has been a wealth of greenery for a while but as you can see...

 ...they are now producing a lovely display of bells...

...which look so pretty and the blue is a complete change to the splashes of yellow that the daffs created.

When I was growing up, we lived near woodland that separated the housing estate from farmland and every year there was a lovely blanket of bluebells as you entered the woods. Sadly the woodland is no longer there and there are no woods near to my house (One Tree Hill is a short drive away) so it is lovely to see this reminder of my childhood in my very own garden.

The sun is shining so fingers crossed for a better week this week........................................................

I was all set...

...to watch the New Year fireworks on the TV.

However, I fell asleep and would have missed the countdown if folk a few houses away from me hadn't started their fireworks a bit early. Some huge explosions and I was awake - just as the 'bongs' started...

...I so love huge firework displays like this but there is no way I would have trekked up to London to battle with the crowds when I had a birds-eye view from the sofa.

The weather this New Year's eve wasn't great - plenty of rain - but folk still seemed determined to see in the New Year with loads of bangs & crashes. Now that always meant grabbing some pots & pans and going out into the street as midnight chimed. The pots & pans were clanged making a huge row and everyone yelled "Happy New Year" to their neighbours. Folk don't tend to do that these days. They seem to prefer letting off very noisy fireworks that seem to consist of lots of 'bang' but not much 'twinkle'.

I live close to the river Thames and usually there are boat horns sounding on the river but either the wind was blowing in the wrong direction or it didn't happen this year - shame.

Things seem to have changed so much.

Do folk still "first foot" ? It is something that I can remember my parents & their neighbours doing but I don't recall it happening since I've been an adult. Are we forgetting the traditions that always went with 'seeing out the old & welcoming the new' ?

Do you still keep traditions linked with the start of a New Year - I would love to hear what you do..............................................................

Are there things...

...that mean Christmas to you?

In our family there was the early present from Santa's elves on Christmas Eve which contain a new nightie or pajamas so we could go to bed and await Santa's arrival...all snuggled up in our new nightwear.

Stirring the Christmas pudding mix (and getting to 'lick out' the remains of the mix from the bowl).

Checking the TV listing to see when "White Christmas" would be showing (usually Christmas Eve) because the holidays couldn't start until we had all sung along with Bing, Danny, Vera and Rosemary.

Another Christmas 'must see' was the Tom & Jerry "Night before Christmas" animation - I loved this cartoon as the Clement C Moore tale has always been a favourite.

I have a number of copies of this tale in various formats and love to see the wonderful illustrations that artists come up with to go with the tale. Last week I bought a beautifully illustrated paperback from the 'Nutshell Studios' at Barleylands (a wonderful children's book shop that reminds me of the 'Shop around the corner' from the film You've Got Mail). This week was the craft village's Festive event and all the retailers were sporting Christmas jumpers or fancy outfits - creating a fabulous atmosphere. The Nutshell was all 'decked out' and there was a super display of Christmas books including this...

...it is only 5.5 x 6.5 inches in size (there is a full size version available) but each page is a delight and I couldn't resist buying a copy...for me!
The Night Before Christmas story is printed with silhouette illustrations to support the narrative...

 ...but each page has secret interactive parts that help to bring the story to life.
However, it is the delicate paper-cut pop-up at the end of the book that is amazing...

 ...Santa and his reindeer, speeding off over the rooftops...

...and the last line of the tale "Merry Christmas to all...and to all a good-night!".

Although this is only a small book, it would make a lovely display centre-piece for over the Holidays.

As a lover of books, I can truly say that this is a book that I will treasure and enjoy.

As for the other family traditions - the DVD of White Christmas is to hand, YouTube have the Tom & Jerry cartoon and I'll just have to wait and see what the elves bring this year by way of PJs.......................................................................

What a week...

...this has been.

Full of ups & downs.

Just a week ago today, we were observing a minutes silence to show our support of the families who had lost loved ones in the horrific act of terrorism that had taken place in Tunisia.

The terrifying thing was that my niece had been on holiday out there with a group of friends last month at a location just over an hour away from where all those folk lost their lives.

This was the photo that she took of the sunset on her last evening on holiday...

...seeing this lovely peaceful scene, you can't believe that such awful things could happen.

Saturday I sat in the sunshine at Barleylands, colouring.

On the Sunday the mood was far more up-beat as we saw footage of the crowds trying to get a glimpse of Princess Charlotte on the day of her christening.

Monday was fairly up-beat too. 10 years ago on 6 July, the UK was celebrating being awarded the 2012 Olympic games. I can remember the fabulous party atmosphere on the square outside Stratford station (East London) where they had a stage and a huge TV screen. several of our athletes were there leading the crowds in the celebrations as they saw the announcement made on the huge screen.

Tuesday saw us observing yet another minutes silence in remembrance of the 52 people who lost their lives as a result of the bombings that took place on the morning of 7/7 in London in the aftermath of the previous night's celebrations about the Olympics. I was caught up in the public transport disruption that day but luckily was nowhere near any of the sites where the bombs went off. It wasn't until I finally reached work that I found out what had happened and it became a very frightening day. On police advice, offices were put on lock-down and folk were not allowed to leave their buildings for safety. Communication networks went into meltdown as folk were trying to contact loved ones to ensure they were safe. We had folk reporting to our office as they could not get to their locations in central London and many were panic stricken because they could not let family know they were okay or check that their friends/family were okay. There were a lot of frightened people that day.

Wednesday saw the start of disruption across London as the Underground system prepared for a day of strike action on the Thursday. Although I had to change my route of travel to avoid possible problem areas, I have to say that the only problem I encountered was the extra time it took to complete my journey because I was taking a bit of a roundabout route to get to work. It was the first time that I had travelled on the Stratford to Romford line since TFL rail took it over and I have to say I was very impressed at the calm professionalism demonstrated by their staff. They were friendly, encouraging and extremely helpful. There were also plenty of them - clearly visible and quick to help folk that were confused or lost. They kept things moving and folk were completing their journeys without any of the hassle that was seen on the TV footage of events in central London. I managed to get home on Wednesday and to work on Thursday with the minimum of trouble. Well done TFL.

So here we are  at the end of the week and I was so pleased to get through Friday and back home ready for the weekend.

Let's hope that the coming week is far more up-beat.......................................................

Things have changed...

...so much in three years.

Three years ago as Stratford was preparing for the Olympics...

 ...there were flowers everywhere. I snapped this photo from the steps that lead to the Westfield shopping centre as the workmen were hanging flower baskets from the lights. Behind them you can see the roof of the Bus station and to the top right you can see the blue framed windows on my office.
Fast forward three years and the lights are still there...

 ...so is the Bus station roof - but there is no sign of my office...it is hidden behind a new tower block.
If you look closely, you will see that they have hung flower baskets from some of the lights but nowhere near as many as before...

...and to the left of the photo you can see a crane - that will be another tower block.
Three years ago on the plaza outside my office there were loads of these planters...

 ...each one was a different colour and made a wonderful backdrop for photos (I lost count of the number of times I was stopped and asked to take photos of Olympic visitors on this square).
This year there are three planters...

 ...all filled with a mix of red/white/blue...

 ,,,very pretty...

 ...but not nearly as impressive as three years ago...

...however, at least an effort is being made. Where I live in Essex, our Council decided that from this year they are no longer going to plant and maintain the public flower beds around the Borough.

Stanford-le-Hope is just a small part of the Borough and the local traders thought it was terrible to let things like the flower beds, hanging baskets and planters disappear so they have taken over responsibility. Some of the planters are really coming into bloom beautifully so I'll try and get some photos to share with you all......................................................................

There's nothing nicer than...

...fresh bedding.

I remember as a child, trying to slip in between the sheets of my freshly made bed without disturbing them and then breathing in the lovely smell of the outdoors from where they had blown on the washing line until dry. One of the Yankee Candle company's most popular fragrances is "Clean Cotton"...I can understand why.

I still love the feel of snuggling down into a freshly made bed but these days I am normally breathing in the clean smell of my washing liquid as time and the good old British weather don't allow me to peg out washing as often as I would like.

I also like my bedding to match.

It doesn't feel 'right' if the colour of the sheets & pillowcases are not matching or if they are 'wrong' for the duvet cover - is that a bit OCD? - probably but it still doesn't feel right. So when I purchase new bedding, I have to make sure that I have things that 'go with'.

I recently bought some beige bedding that had script on the duvet in white and matched it with the same beige colour sheets (I know white would have done and I already have white but...). This turned out to be a perfect purchase because the other week, Mum 'encouraged' me to buy this...

...super quilted throw that looks like a pretty patchwork quilt. They also had the duvet set so...

 ...matching top pillows...

...and the cushions were ones that I already had. With the bedside lights on...

...everything looks cosy and inviting.

Earlier in the year I decided to invest in some neutral coloured accessories and I'm so glad that I did because it has made it so much easier to pull everything together. Either side of the bed is a shallow alcove that was the perfect size for a couple of ottomans to provide additional storage and act as bedside tables - I went for a soft cream 'leather-look' (easy to wipe over). The side lights have a wooden base painted white and slightly distressed. Because they are switched on you can't see that the shades are beige with white polka-dots and I matched the colour to the central shade which has script over it.

It is starting to look how I want and last night, looking at this and then climbing into the freshly made bed brought back all those lovely memories of childhood.

Mum is a very bad influence. She also encouraged me to buy the most snuggly of throws with a lovely winter design (of course there was bedding to match). I'm being very good - it has been washed and put away as it is the set that I will be putting on the bed for Christmas. If I remember, I'll take some photos to share...................................................................

Do you remember those...

...lazy, hazy days of Summer.

You know...the ones when you were a child and the most important things in your life were being able to play out in the garden, sit on the grass making daisy chains, checking to see if your best friend liked butter by holding a buttercup under their chin and listening out for the tinkling of your favourite ice-cream van.

With the very dull, wet Winter we have been experiencing in the UK those days seem so very long ago and you start to imagine whether they ever existed - luckily (or not, as the case may be) most of us have photos that our parents took to prove that they did...

I remember pretty Spring flowers bursting in the flower beds followed by the crowded shows of all the Summer colours.

If you feel the need for some of that colour in your lives at the moment, hop on over to the Nicecrane Design site as Ignacio has added some wonderful new design sheets to his collection.

 

From beautiful coloured studies like this...

....Flowers from Vintage books...

 ...Flowers from Vintage books II - to glorious coloured images like this...



...Henderson's Giant Flowers...

...and Henderson's Giant Flowers II - all the sheets are full of glorious coloured images for you to use in your card making and crafting.
However, Ignacio doesn't just provide beautiful pre-coloured images - he has a fabulous selection of digi-stamp images that you can colour yourselves...

...Our Village...

...but best of all...

..."Dandelion Clocks", a set that contains this adorable little chap...

 ...oh how he reminded me of those sunny days when we would pick the dandelion clocks and blow them so that we could watch the 'fairies' float off on the breeze...my granddad would get so cross if we did it in his garden - we didn't realise that we were spreading the dandelions and this would cause him more work trying to keep the lawn weed-free **chuckle**.
I thought this little chap was perfect to decorate this journal...

 ...so keeping it simple, I die-cut the image using a Spellbinders scalloped oval and inked the edge with Vintage paper Distress ink...

,,,this image is a lovely reminder of times past so I thought it went well with the time themed covering of the journal.

You really must hop over to the Nicecrane blog because the other DT members have been far more industrious that I have and there are some wonderful things to see..........................................

A local piece of...

...history.

I'm sure many of us are guilty of not paying attention to what is close to home - I know I certainly am. I have travelled to London to visit "The Tower" and various palaces. I've been to Scotland and seen a Castle or two. I've also been to Yorkshire, Devon and Cheddar where I've explored caves/caverns but I don't often stop to think about things right on my door-step.

Right here in the borough where I live (Thurrock) they discovered a Woolly Mammoth (in Aveley). There were archaeological digs at Mucking (oh that was a very muddy school trip) and we have two forts on the banks of the river Thames - Tilbury Fort and Coalhouse Fort. A big chunk of the land that borders the Thames near to where I live was at one time owned by the Boleyn family in Tudor times and going further back in time to the reign of Richard II we had several leaders of the Peasant's Revolt (1381 - poll tax revolt) allegedly living in the Fobbing area.

Just across the border from Fobbing in the next borough we have Wat Tyler Park which has been designated a site of significant interest and if you take a look at the park website via the link you'll see that there has been stuff going on there since around the Bronze age.

Now I'm sure you are all wondering where I'm going with this...well...I have a few days off and as the weather was beautiful today, I went for a wander.

I haven't been to Wat Tyler park since before my niece got married and I have to say that there have been a number of changes, many of which I have snapped so that I could share them on here - get a very long cool drink because there are a load of photos...

Next to the visitor centre there is the "Village Green" which is a large grassed area surrounded by some thatched buildings that have been rescued and relocated here...

 Much of the park was marsh/wetland and what used to be muddy paths near the children's play area has duckboard walkways now...

 I'm not sure what these figures are but they are part of the sculpture trail that consists of pieces of art throughout the park...

...they could be representations of Wat Tyler and the other peasants but I couldn't get close enough to find out.
 The tide was in...

...and this map shows the route up from the Thames via Holehaven creek...

This is a "Washing Bowl" - a leftover from when there was an explosives factory on the site...

 ...the information board suggests that it was used to wash gun cotton...

 This building was originally part of the explosive works but is now a bird & wildlife discovery centre...

 A lot of work is currently going on to clear overgrown & clogged waterways - this waterfall is one of the first bits completed...

 The waterway will run into a series of ponds in the rose garden...

 ...and seating area...

 There are lots of information boards dotted all around the park...

 The park is a wonderful place to wander around...

 ...with shady wooded areas...

 ...and open grassy mounds...

 Here is another of the art pieces...

 This is one of four pill-boxes from WWII...

 ...there is another info board...

 ...and on top is a viewing platform...

 What you can see in the distance is the remains of the Coryton oil refinery...

 This pond full of water grass is quite close to the creek...

 ...and you can probably just make out a few water-lilies...

 

I spent a lovely (if hot) few hours wandering around the park and really must make the effort to pop over there more often.

 

If you stop to think about it, are there places near where you live that you often take for granted ? Why not spend some time wandering around where you live or pop into the library to find out a bit more about where you live - you might surprise yourself with what you find....................................