Making Pom Poms is NOT a cottage industry

Just in case you thought I'd disappeared off the face of the earth, I'm just writing a quick post to assure you that I haven't. We've been visiting the Grandparents in Norfolk for the past week, and ever the optimist, I thought I'd be able to post from there, but alas, the Internet was a tad too slow and I just didn't have a moment.

Aaaaargggh.

And now I'm back at home there's just too much washing (on to my third load already today and it's not even midday), sorting, tidying, etc and not a moment to sit down and breathe. But before I go completely insane through lack of blogging I'm going to quickly update you with news of the pom pom for Bobble. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then where have you been? I insist you click here before reading on...

So, not wanting to let my poor child cry for longer than was absolutely necessary (quite a few hours in this case, but I'm trying not to think about it), I took the advice of a number of very clever people and decided to make her a pom pom all by my own. Whoops, sorry - meant all by myself - have spent far too long in the company of small children.

Unfortunately, it wasn't actually all by myself, as the result would probably have been somewhat more professional-looking. Instead I enlisted the help of small children and husband. Not a good move.

But first thing's first - although it's been a few years since I have made one (about a quarter of a century in fact), I embraced it with great enthusiasm and Renée and I, along with Grandma, toddled off to purchase enough wool to make 100 pom poms. At least, that's what I thought until I'd spent four hours winding said wool round and round and round and round and round and round........and realised it was, in fact, only enough for, erm...one. Shhhhh - don't tell Edie. Her consolation pom pom will have to wait until another day.

Anyway, I won't bore you with the details too much. Except to say, that when you next decide to make a pom pom (in 25 years time perhaps), do make sure you don't use the bluntest scissors you can find and don't, under any circumstances, let anyone, other than yourself, take the glory moment of snipping all the way round, especially if they veer off-centre as they're doing it, thus making one side rather longer than the other.

Hmph.

However, Renée seems happy enough - (I love it Mummy...but....ummm...do you think it might be a bit big? And why is this side longer than this one?)

Ahem...

But the person who was most impressed was my Granny, who it has to be said, at 85 years of age, doesn't have the best eyesight.

"You know you could sell those and start a little industry."

Erm...let me just do a few quick figures Granny.

How much would anyone be willing to pay for one of these?

£2.00 perhaps (on a good day when the sides are all the same length).

So for four hours work, I get £2.00. That's...quick calculation...50p per hour. Not forgetting the cost of the wool which was £3.00. So for four hours work, I would have earned minus £1.00.

So thanks for the support Granny, but I think I may have to look elsewhere for my fortune.