The one where The Raggy Rat became Queen!!!

So there she stood, creatively dressed as a busy, creative Mum-of-four...

Why are you wearing that?, says Carl from Wessex FM. All that's missing is a chicken under my arm!

For evening dress I eventual decided against pyjamas. I bought a very simple swingy dress and took it in a little, to fit. Ever practical!

There was entertainment and the Pavilion was so beautifully done up. Like a wedding! 

Judges scribbled their choices without conferring. Excitement was building!

And I was happy to win Miss Charity! Esp since we get to support Julia's House!

This is me utterly shocked ... I actually won Miss Carnival Queen 2015!!! And even better I'm listening to some amazing cheers from a certain table!!

Didn't we do well? I'll see you at the carnival!

Thanks to Frances Underwood Photography for letting me share these pics with you XXX

A Turban too ....

This lovely lady asked me to make a turban for 'Murder at the Pantomime' so I did - in exchange for a donation to Julia's House ....

Facing up to it - 4

A big blue smile from me this month. I chose Julia's House blue especially as I'm competing for Carnival Queen this year!

This time chez DCH I got four new brackets at the back of mouth. These wrap right around my number 7 Molars, the only number 8s I have are one upper right, as upper left was long ago pulled out. In my lower jaw the wisdom teeth have never emerged, they don't have any room to and sit in the jaw looking awkward. Sometimes one of the other will try to erupt! 

I expected discomfort from the new hardware, and I got busy with lots of dental wax. But I also got a huge painful swelling on the RHS of my face so I popped back into hospital where I was lucky to be seen within moments, and given reassurance and advice. 

As well as a crop of ulcers, Dr Ellis my consultant found my salivary glad with swollen and indicating a possible blockage or infection. She bent some of the new metalwork away from my cheek and helpfully snipped my wire to the bare minimum!

In a few days all was much better so I didn't have to go to my GP. Phew!

Charity brooch making ...

I am currently raising money for The Weymouth Carnival Charities, supporting Julia's House. That's the reason behind these colourful button-and-felt flowers ....

I was delighted when my children asked if they could help too, and we had a few family sessions around the dining table!

Sewing on a button is also a most useful life skill. Why Matty's school cardi had long been missing a button...

I wanted to make something that people could have, and keep if they wanted to. I'm not too ambitious and couldn't think of a sponsored activity either! Also we get asked to support so many things these days that I wanted to give a small gift in return. Mary is 7 and did very well making a pile of neat flowers ...

I used three hand drawn templates to create the felt petals, and we all dug through the four-hole-buttons leaving out the brown and grey ones to keep our designs bright!

We made 98 fun brooches, and Mummy glued all the backs on to them and pinned them to a pillow case! 

I will let you know how sales go, and also the reason why I'm lending my support in a different way this year. Would you like one?

School fish - didn't they do well?

I worked with reception and year two children, so that I could help out in all of my girls classes! 

Mary had a lot of fun looking for purple flowers for her fish. Some of the reception children finished inside the hour we had together, and very quickly chose a favourite colour ...

I love the eye on this fish!

Daisy worked with blocks of strong colour. Some children really didn't want to be restricted to one colour. 

These are going to look great swimming all over the carnival float!