Saturday 7 December 2013

A Double Whammy Sandwich

It's December! How the hey did that happen?

The Frog Prince by Walter Crane

The last few weeks have been a bit of a blur - blink and it's gone. The craft fair is still pending (next Saturday to be precise - thank you so much for all the positive feedback!) so sleep has been punctuated with images from Pinterest and ideas way above my station. Jessie Dog has been to and fro from the vets with - shall we say - old lady issues. And somewhere in the middle of all this the word Christmas has been bandied about like a bee in a biscuit tin (I'm not sure where this simile has come from - I have never actually put a bee in a biscuit tin and would not recommend others to do so. Apologies to bee lovers everywhere).

Back to the sandwich. This one is made from a wonderful artisan loaf - perhaps sprinkled with seeds and with the texture of a soft cloud. The first slice came through the post last week. Marianne at Ladybird Diaries had organised a Christmas decoration swap and I had been paired up with  Amy at Love Made My Home. It's so rare these days to have lovely things through the post that I sat and stared at the package for a good ten minutes before opening. Inside was a gorgeous card and four neatly wrapped little bundles.


The first one really made me giggle - the most festive little robin popped out.


Next a beautifully stitched heart with my initial on the front - what a lovely thoughtful idea.


The other packages contained two crocheted trees with the most gorgeous buttons stitched on


Have you got a favourite button? I think mine is the blue one with the cream dashes around the edge.

Wonderful lovely things. Thank you so much Amy.

 To see the other part of this double you'll have to pop over to Amy's here as I was not at all organised enough to take some snaps myself!

Now to our filling. The best bit of a sandwich? The part you really look forward to as you bite through the outer layers. That is until you realise that something isn't quite right. Doubts start to set in and you question if you had checked the sell by date on the dressing, spotted the mould on the cheese or used the dogs fork to mash up the tuna. Something is wrong, there is definitely something off, off (don't worry I'm getting there) - Ofsted!! For those of you who are blissfully unaware an Ofsted inspection consists of several inspectors wandering around your establishment questioning your every move and observing your teaching, attitude and overall awareness of every bit of school data. The result is no sleep, forced grins and shameless bribery for the children to be at their best! Mr K's college got 'the call' a couple of weeks ago and so followed seven days of the above. Last weekend we were able to breathe a sigh of relief, raise a glass (or two) and say 'at least that's over with'. Little did we know. The relief lasted about forty eight hours then on Monday lunchtime staff at my school were all summoned to the staff room to be told that (you saw this coming didn't you?) - we too had had 'the call'. And so it began again. We've been double Ofstededed. All over with now though. 

After the rotten filling it was time for some respite. Surely the top layer would cheer us up. Maybe this one would have some sliced olives and a dash of oil?

Thursday night saw our yarn group's Christmas meal and, with that, a Secret Santa. The theme this year was hot water bottle cosies. I'd decided to try the join as you go method with crochet squares - which I couldn't recommend highly enough - and a plain envelope back.


In return I received the most snuggly cosy knitted in Bergere wool 



Thank you Janine!

Yes that double lived up to expectations.

So there we have it. Highs and lows. But more importantly two highs and only one low. A high, low, high if you like. Can you tell my brain has been on overload? Now I'd better light the festive candle and start thinking about that bee.

Jane
x

16 comments :

  1. Overload indeed your poor brain! At least yours is big enough to cope with it all...my little one would have imploded!!
    I am liking the hottie swap too...and lets have a 'how to' on join as you go please...I always need reminders and all crochet tips come in handy.... Bestest to you this festive weekend
    daisy j xxxxxx

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  2. Oh! As a retired Chalky... My heart goes out to you both! Put the full stop on that little lot and enjoy all the lovely goodies. Fill up the bottle and cosy on down

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  3. Love the illustration at the top! What a week hey? I had a little trouble getting my head round the sandwich analogy ...until Irealised that's what it was - I'm slow today. Two OFSTEDS in one household is surely not allowed! Im so pleased your 'outer layers' were nice ones!

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  4. You have had some lovely things. I had Ofsted last year 6 days before I left a job at which I had been made redundant! it was quite hard to stay positive really but it went well and I always feel OK if I know I have done my best in the big turning wheel. Jo x

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  5. So glad that you liked the decorations Jane. Lovely to see them again! Glad that the ofsted went well too, and at that you had a good end with the hottie cover swap - they are both very pretty. Hope that the run down to Christmas is less busy for you! xx

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  6. Oh my goodness, so much stress at this time of year. can you imagine having that job? Everyone would just hate to see you. Glad it is all over with and now you can breath a big sigh of relief. Love your swap fun.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  7. Eeeek! Double Ofsted? Isn't there a law against that? Good grief, you and hubby deserve a holiday on a lovely secluded island after that, and with Christmas on the horizon, too, as if life weren't manic enough right now! Well done both of you, and you have received some very lovely gifts of late, so karma is having a go at paying you back for the ofsted thing...Chrissie x

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  8. Love that little Christmas tree. Couldn't chose a favourite button.....they all look fab. Jacqui x

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  9. I am soooo glad I no longer have to endure the ofsted call! Loving all your creativity! :) x

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  10. A lovely cosy post Jane and what wonderful swops - gorgeous, no wonder you are pleased. Big hugs
    Dorothy
    :-)xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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  11. What gorgeous hot water bottle covers. I love your crocheted one! And fabulous decorations too. It's begining to look a lot like Christmas! xx

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  12. Oh my word, you have had quite a sandwich there! Love your little decs and the hottie covers too and glad the Ofsted inspection is over and you can relax now. Have a lovely week,
    Xx

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  13. Sorry about your rotten filling...and yay for crafty highs. Cheese roll for lunch? xx

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  14. Such lovely swap things! So glad you enjoyed taking part. Love your how water bottle covers too, they are fab.
    Marianne x

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  15. Blimey, two Ofsted's, that sounds like the last thing one needs with the run up to Christmas. It sounds like you both need a well deserved break over the holidays. Well done, I am pleased it went well. Love the swap goodies, you both made some gorgeous bits. I love the pretty peg angle you made, she is so so lovely. Love the hot water bottie swap too. Enjoy your week and hopefully you can breathe in peace again. xoxo

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