Vintage Pink

Christmas 2011

2011-12-30T06:08:00.000-08:00

It was a fabulous Christmas for us and I hope it was for you too.

Whilst I draw breath in the lull before the next round of 'making merry' I'd just like to capture some images of Christmas 2011 ..... ...

Wishing you all a very happy New Year x

Cosy Autumn

2011-10-26T06:39:00.001-07:00

Well I've been away from blogging for a little while now ... life just seems to overwhelm sometimes. I've not been feeling 100% either and having spent a while trawling the internet with my symptoms (pesky hormones or lack of them I think) I've now put myself into the hands of the doctors. Hopefully I'll be popped full of pills and back on form soon.

The darker evenings couples with the tiredness I have right now has made me want to cosy down. We've had a new gas fire fitted, a stove look-a-like and whilst I'd love a 'real' one, I'm thrilled with it.

Lara and I made the felt autumn leaf bunting strung above.The templates are based on leaves we collected at the weekend. I have to admit to doing most of the cutting but Lara chose the colours and the running order.

Despite being a little under the weather I've not neglected my vintage haunts. I picked up this gorgeous little seat from a local antiques fair. I spotted it under torch light at 7.00am in the morning so took a chance and am utterly delighted. It cost me £40 - probably the best money I've spent in a long while. I also use the term 'picked up' loosely as I struggled about 20 metres with it and realised that I would never make it to the carpark and felt totally pathetic but luckily a strong chappy was sympathetic to my plight and lugged it for me.

I also picked up this basket on a stand from a recent car boot. I did intend to sell it but just couldn't part with it.

The oil painting above the basket was a "stop the car now there's a garage sale" find. Luckily my family understand me x

It's storing my quilt (for evening snuggles on the sofa) which I bought from a village fete at the end of the summer. It's beautifully made and lovely warm, cosy shades. I desperately want to learn to quilt ... one of these days!

'Vintage Pink' china

2011-08-15T08:37:00.000-07:00

I remember one day looking flipping over a tea cup to look at the makers mark and imagining how wonderful it would be that if one day I could have my own range tea cups, cake stands etc.

Well here it is my very own ‘Vintage Pink’ ditsy rose bone china tea wares.

It is inspired by a vintage but timeless small pink rose design that I love. I have opted for silver rims and cake stand fitments for a contemporary twist.

It is made in England too which sits more comfortably with me than importing from abroad.

I have another china range being decorated/firing in the kiln as I write so it’s all very exciting!

Imagine one day in the future when I’m in my eighties still scouring car boot sales and I find a piece of Vintage Pink bone china!!

Sewing basket make-over

2011-08-12T03:20:00.000-07:00

I found this gorgeous, big blue vintage sewing basket last weekend ... it cost £2.

Unfortunately the inside had seen better days.

It's not something I've done before but I really wanted to revamp this basket to make it useable.

It needed a good scrubbing and a day or so to dry out then, whilst hubby was glued to Torchwood last night, I was glueing and sticking the new Cath Kidston strawberry lining in place and here it is now. My forever sewing basket x

Glorious Swap Goodies!

2011-07-07T04:02:00.001-07:00

I signed up for the swap organised by Lakota over at Faith Hope and Charity Shopping blog. The rules were really appealing as it was to be no more than a £12 spend and a least one item from the following criteria: a thrifted source (i.e charity shop), something handmade and a jewellery item to a maximum of five items.

My partner was the lovely Wendy from 15 Coast Road

Just look what she sent me:

A beautiful make –up bag she’d made for me with supreme attention to detail.

A vintage , very special rosy tea cup trio and pretty jug (how could she part with these – so generous)

A scrummy floral bag with heart appliqué – this looks so pretty in Lara’s room.

A fab vintage bracelet in a handmade vintage hankie pouch

She even stitched an appliquéd card for me which I intend to frame.

And this has to be my favourite, a stunning cushion cover with vintage doily and appliquéd roses. I was delighted as I’ve been coveting some of Wendy's recent makes in a similar theme on her blog. It matches my living room décor so well as Wendy has really took the trouble to see what sort of things I like. I just adore this cushion .... so beautifully well made too. Just take a look at the things in her etsy shop … all very tempting!

Thank you Wendy for spoiling me x

Back from hols

2011-07-01T03:04:00.000-07:00

I’ve just returned from two weeks of wonderful (and much needed) holiday. I love this snap of us all together …. Sigh I wish we were back there now…..

I’m wearing a vintage dress I bought from etsy a while back. Love, love, love it.

We had oodles of photos taken by an onsite photographer – there are literally dozens of fabulous pictures. These two melt my heart.

The day before we flew out on hols I found this cute little 50’s/60’s basket just the perfect size for my sunglasses, sun lotion and a good book.

I read seven novels whilst away (bliss!). This lot plus a couple borrowed whilst I was there.

Coming home a small bounty was awaiting us, not only had my parents kindly stocked up the fridge but there were potatoes, salad and strawberries in our garden all ready to consume.

It’s the first time I’ve grown potatoes (my parents are pretty much self-sufficient with their’s but mine are just three patio sacks (one down, two to go). I was very impressed with the amount we harvested though and it was also great fun for Lara digging in the compost for ‘treasure’ potatoes. I’m definitely growing these again next year.

Last night we ate the last of the potatoes with feta and palma ham filled chicken (yum). Lara was watching me bash the chicken breasts flat and after a while pronounced, ‘I think they’re killed now Mummy’, which made me giggle!

Louise
x

A mainly filthy post

2011-06-09T01:02:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the post title but it does reflect a week of scrubbing, washing, polishing and all that!

We’re going on our beach hols for a fortnight on Monday so I have that overwhelming urge to Spring clean the house as if there isn’t enough to do with all the packing … but every year I do the same.
The other cleaning bizz is with my latest boot sale hauls.

This blanket box (£2) I carried back to the car. It was so heavy, and halfway back to the car it started pouting with rain and I have to admit I was quite tempted to crawl inside and shelter!
It was so dirty here I just managed to get a ‘before shot’ as I set to work.

Just look at the muck

And now back to it's rosy glory ... love it.

Next up is this little cot (£3.50). I had intended to paint it but after a wash down I realised that I wouldn’t be able to improve on that vintage duck-egg blue paint. I peeled off the original cartoon-y transfers and applied a pretty flower one which I’d bought several years ago and never used. I ran up some new bedding and even before I tidied away the fabric debris the cot had vanished into someone’s bedroom ….
Just look at this fabulous china haul … all from just one car boot sale. This took some washing … but not by me (I have a long suffering hubby!), after lugging it back I really was shattered! I don’t need to join a gym as my upper arms are so toned – I do weights every weekend carrying booty!

I’ve been after one of these Tala stacking cake tins for ages – I just knew one would show up eventually. This one was still full of ‘vintage’ cake crumbs so needed a good soaking! Still on the hunt for a Tala piping set …..
I didn’t get a before shot of this teapot I also picked up but it was really grimy black. It’s come up to a lovely shine.

To polish the teapot I firked out the last rag in the rag bag which happened to be one of Lara’s baby vests. I have to admit to snuffling said teeny vest for a few moments searching for any lingering scent traces of babyhood – but nope – that’s all long gone now. How big she has got.

I’ve just filled out all the forms for her school place in September. Some bits of her uniform arrived from M&S this week which she was keen to try on – my baby all grown up, my little schoolgirl-to-be.

She’s so eager for school but I’m so going to miss her chattering away, drawing endless pictures, pottering about in the garden (which is coming along nicely) …… I have to remind myself of how lucky I’ve been to have been able to stay at home this last couple of years.
Treasured years indeed.

An Owl and a Robin

2011-05-23T06:04:00.000-07:00

I loved these purses over at Little Cottage Comfort blog and took a peep at the pattern source and found a really cute owl purse. It was very quick to make as the pattern was fantastically well explained. I just sewed on buttons rather than embroidering the eyes. My top stitching is a little dodgy but for a first attempt I'm very pleased and intend to make more for birthday pressies for Lara's little pals.

And the little robin mug is Pip studio from the carboot sale. Yep, Pip Studio has now filtered through to our local car boot (I remember a similar thrill at finding my first Cath Kidston car booty). I thought I'd missed out on the mug as it was in someone elses hands when I spied it - but she put it down tutting, 'oh it's only foreign', and quick as a flash it was mine!

Friday Frocks

2011-05-13T11:19:00.000-07:00

The charity shop was bounteous indeed today as I picked up this Dolce & Gabbana chevron lace knit strappy dress and cardi set. It is in immaculate condition and fits perfectly. I just love the vintage-y cream lace edging. I just had to share my find with you (although the photo doesn't do it justice).

Maybe this is a sign of a great weekend of car-booty?

Love

Louise

A 4th Birthday and garden projects

2011-05-06T02:24:00.000-07:00

My little Lara turned four this week (FOUR ... yeek!!) and we celebrated with trip to a theme park (where she fed a baby lamp - ahhhh) and a party at home which was very 'pink' as you can probably imagine. I spent a good while colouring various shades of icing for all sorts of cakes and my pink-est vintage china came out to play too. She had a lovely time.

Favourite pressies included a Disney Belle doll (tacky but much adored!) and a pretty wigwam which I have to admit is more for me.

This week we've had a builder friend round to create raised beds for the garden and replace a very tatty patio (which we laid as temporary measure 12 years ago with some old industrial looking slabs).

This is progress so far ... I't looks a million times better already. I'm very tired though as I've been like a mad thing switching between cooking and baking for Lara's party and digging/re-planting in the garden.

I'm hoping the garden will be finished today in time for my birthday on Monday when I'm going to the garden centre to treat myself to a few plants - some lavender, sweetpeas and a couple of herbs.

Have a good weekend - for once I'm wishing for a wet one .... how bizarre is that?

Louise

April

2011-04-27T06:10:00.000-07:00

Well what a wonderful April it's been .... we've been outside and out-and-about far more than indoors (hence I've been away from blogging for a little while).

The little playhouse has had it's much needed make-over. I placed an order with Boden and received some gorgeous bunting which just finishes off the outside splendidly.

We waved goodbye to our caravan earlier this year after4 years and 25 great holidays in it but I just fancied a change and do find the caravan a burden sometimes with cleaning, washing it and the extra time it adds to journeys with towing. We have a couple of big foreign holidays booked so it's hard to justify the expense of the caravan combined with those .... we still want to get away for weekends though so have bought a tent.

We camped out in the back garden over Easter (with Chester snuggly up/annoying us in equal measure!) to try things out and am certain we are going to love camping but I imagine I will view things very different if it rains on us.

I also been very busy with my website and eBay with china and bunting flying out for the Wedding (I shall be avidly watching, waving my flag and sipping champagne).

It's not all plain sailing though as I've had a tough time on eBay recently with another seller copying my listings which is really upsetting as I've evolved my style and presentation over several years and for someone to just to mimic me and cut and paste what I've done ... grrrr. The second blow I had was that one third of my eBay listings were zapped (without warning) by eBay for trademark violation as I used the words 'Shabby Chic' in the title, despite me being a Top-rated seller and having traded on the site for 7 years ... ho hum.

I was totally unaware of this but apparently nobody outside Shabby Chic Inc can legally use the words 'shabby chic' to describe their products. How can you trademark a style?? So frustrating.

On the up-side, I supplied one of the birdcages I sell for a Sunday Express magazine photo shoot so it's great to see my business in print.

It'll be Lara's 4th birthday next week so there's a very excited little girl here. Unfortunately, my not-so-little boy is a bit down in the dumps as he's had teeth braces fitted today and has his SATs in two weeks so is trying to brush up on his algebra while dribbling profusely over the page. I think he's earned a big bowl of Cookies and Cream ice-cream.

Louise

March

2011-03-07T05:18:00.000-08:00

Here's my new rabbit (I think it's an egg store) that I got from Saturday's car boot sale (Oh yes, now we're into March I can indulge myself in treasure hunting at TWO sales per week). I very pleased with my new bunny and shall be filling his tummy with chocolate eggs at Easter.

I also picked up a vintage wicker mannequin. I've been after one for a while to display brooches on at my stalls this Summer. Then, so bizarrely as these things happen, I found the identical same item at Sunday's car boot (rather more expensive though) ... #2 is currently trying her luck on eBay.

I also found this vintage spool for 20p. I need quite a few more though to organise my ribbons and lace.

My thoughts this month are turning to the garden and particularly to this scruffy playhouse that is in dire need of a makeover (I've seen some fabulous ones on blogs). I've selected the colours and am awaiting some warmer days to get started as despite being invitingly sunny, it is still a very chilly 4 degrees outside which is fine for short spells in the garden but not for full -on outdoorsy tasks.

Legolas

2011-03-03T01:16:00.000-08:00

It's World Book day at school today. We have gradually worked our way through Lord of the Rings characters and this year Toby wanted to go as Gollum but I didn't think his idea of a costume (or lack of it!) was appropriate for school ... and certainly not at near freezing temperatures again today!.

So we settled on Legolas (a good choice because I've always been desperate to try on elf ears!)

A 'new' corner of my home

2011-02-02T05:00:00.001-08:00

Since Christmas I haven't felt like the lounge was 'working' for me anymore. I'd bought a large leather sofa and chair a couple of years ago, they gave the room really cosy feeling which was perfect for coming home to in the evening after work but now I'm based at home the room just seemed too dark in the daytime. I can't afford to replace the sofa just yet (and my husband won't allow it!) but I had a small splurge on ebay last week and now have a much neater, prettier chair in the bay window in place of the large armchair .... so much better. It's amazing how just a small change gives the room a whole new look.

This is before.

The lupins cushion is Laura Ashley and came from a carboot sale in the summer, very grubby but has washed lovely.

I have some new pretty china too .... a ditsy rose 1930's tea set ......

and some pretty plates which go so well with the new teaset. The plates were just £3.75 from the CS.

I am in constant turmoil over which china to keep and which to sell on but these are definate keepers ♥.

Pretty florals

2011-01-19T05:34:00.000-08:00

I am eagerly anticipating Spring, and today's sunshine is a tantalising glimpse a warmer, lighter days. I'm longing for some colourful blooms in my bland green/brown garden. However, since the weekend there's been a flurry of pretty florals into my home.

A cheery tablecloth for the kitchen and oodles of flower shaped buttons (replenishing my much delpeted stash) shown on a pretty rosy china dish all courtesy of the car boot sale.

New rosy bedding from Pip studio (along with a lacy top sheet from TK Maxx).

Pretty trousers for Lara along with a daisy headband just £1 from Primark. Hopefully it won't be long before she'll be out of boots and woolly tights and wearing these.

Enjoy the sunny afternoon!

Love, Louise

Friday Frocks

2011-01-07T02:52:00.001-08:00

Already one week into the new year and this is my first post ... a belated Happy New Year all! I am really struggling to get motivated and back into the old routine ... a covering a snow AGAIN doesn't help either.

I've just read a lovely 'Fridays Frocks' post over at Pretty Vintage which struck a chord with me. I've never been a follower of fashions but do love clothes/accessories. Following on from this I thought I'd show my 'new' vintage dress. It's not clear from the gloomy photo but the colours are brown, black and salmon pink - all my favourite colours for clothes together!

I have worn this dress to literally every occassion over xmas and the new year - either dressed up with heels or teamed with boots and a little (eBay) cardi. The beads are Primark and the brooch from a craft fayre. It made me smile when a lady I was seated near at a Christmas meal divulged how much she spent on clothes /her outfit. She nearly choked when I told her my dress, that she had complemented several times, was a quid from a car boot sale!

Finishing touches

2010-12-23T04:00:00.001-08:00

We're getting to the point of counting down in hours rather than days and I today have a lovely day at home with the children watching films and generally pottering about. This is in contrast to yesterday which was the day from hell (a manic frustrating Sainsbury's along with someone driving into the side of my car on a roundabout ... minimal damage really but gave me a scare!)

I picked up this white bristle tree for £1 at the car boot sale on Sunday (braving -8 degrees brrr). I am hoping to have some vintage baubles to adorn it but in the meantime these little hearts and birdies are in place. Hubby was convinced I would come back from the boot sale empty handed but I also bought five vintage tea sets.<>

I finished my pink and green Christmas fabric bunting which doesn't really reflect the amount of time I spent on it but I'm pleased all the same. I thing it needs to be combined with fairy lights though but that's for another year.

The cake is iced. I couldn't find my gold icing paint for the snowflakes so they ended up being pink and blue but I rather like them.

I'm getting out my vintage china ready for xmas day when they'll be nine of us together. This photo of treats on my a cake stand I took a few weeks ago when we had friends over. I'm going to do the same again for some of the desserts and also another with satsumas, mince pies and mints.

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas ... can you believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve!!!!

Love

Louise

Christmasey

2010-12-16T01:50:00.000-08:00

With all the fayres/fetes finished and last posting dates approaching I feel due a rest. The last week has been a hard slog as my Lara has been poorly with fever and tummy/sickness bugs. We missed out on some festive social type things too which is a shame but there’s plenty more to come!
She has bounced back though and is almost her usual self, thankfully, but I feel a little jaded and I’m also playing catch up as we’ve ‘lost quite a few days’ and I still have pressies to buy (only a couple though) and some baking to do. I’m also waiting on so many things to arrive from eBay/Amazon and it’s getting scarily close to xmas!

This little cake stand decoration I'd ordered arrived (finally!) this morning so cute.

Pre-lurgi we did get the decorations (mostly) done. I have changed things this year and cut back on the ‘big decorations’. I really couldn’t face our massive bushy 7ft tree and I was planning to get a smaller real tree this year but changed my mind when considering the mess, hassle and random branches (I am more comfortable with the symmetry and order of artificial trees) . So I’ve had a fake tree again this year but I’ve bought a neater, less bushy, woodland style tree with berries (a fab bargain from eBay). Our old tree had a zillion branches to arrange and hook on. This one has hinged branches so needs minimal fiddling and the more ‘open’ style means my decorations can hang freely.

The fire place I’ve kept simple with fairly lights and tea lights. I’m really please with the house lantern tea light holder. The bay window which usually has a big pine garland will eventually have some Christmas bunting (a WIP!).

I have just made one batch of mince pies so all is feeling (and tasting) decidedly Christmasey.

Only eight sleeps!

Personalised santa videos!

2010-12-13T21:53:00.000-08:00

I've just come across this website where you can get a personalised video message from santa for your children (and grown ups too!):
http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/home

It just takes a few minutes and is free to do .... can't wait for mine to wake up and see theirs!

This is Toby's message:

http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/guest/KliSPWRzULcTHEVpUFEFNA

Have fun

Louise

Wintery View

2010-11-30T02:51:00.000-08:00

This is the view from my window earlier this morning - well it's not actually my window as we're at Centre Parcs Sherwood this week but as we've stayed in the same villa every year for our winter break I like to pretend it's our very own holiday cottage!

It has snowed continuously now for hours and getting deeper and deeper. An absolute winter wonderland here in the forest - we'll be visiting Santa tomorrow so it'll be so magical. This morning us girls are snuggled up with a log blazing away while the boys are off doing sporty things (rather them!).

This is one of the locals whose been devouring our left-over supper and breakfast. He is so persistant that I shall end up giving him our dinner soon!

Keep warm!

Vintage Christmas Cards

2010-11-23T03:10:00.001-08:00

After an unsuccessful trip into town to find Christmas cards that I liked with suitable messages I decided to have my own cards produced (vintage themed of course!)... they arrived this morning and I’m delighted.

I will be having some on my stall and in my online shop too .... just to see if they sell as it's something I'd like to do next year. I’m branching out!
Do you like my ‘new’ deer too ... she was a bit dear(!) at £5 but I thought she would look great as part of a table centre piece for Xmas day.

I've just made Lara and me hot chocolate (her's tepid!) with cream and crushed aero bars ... so yummy.

Louise
x

Fun Fayres!

2010-11-22T02:15:00.001-08:00

Thank you to everyone for such lovely comments on my last post. I am now into the Christmas fayres full swing and golly it’s busy and exhausting but so much fun. It’s great to meet up with old friends and new too ... being a sole trader can be quite lonely at times. My handmade items have sold particularly well which I’m really chuffed about.

I’ve bought some lovely items from the fayres too including oodles of chutney (I never did get round to making my own), some gorgeous knitted things including these two teacosies – I couldn’t decided between the pink and duck-egg so I bought them both.

In the background are some of my absolute favourite ever teacups ... new additions to my china collection (as if I need any more!).

My online shop has been super busy this week (and is looking a bit more festive),

combined with eBay it’s all a bit manic. I was up at 5.00am wrapping parcels from yesterday’s sales and am at 40 so far and still going – wow!

Look at all this lot (luckily my husband has been doing the Post Office run x)

I am hoping to catch up with all your blogs soon.

Love, Louise
x

Stockings Tops and a Giveaway

2010-11-12T01:15:00.000-08:00

I had a lovely indoorsy kind of day yesterday. The weather was so wild but I was cosied up with a beef casserole simmering in the slow cooker, the heating on toasty and finishing off festive makes for my Christmas stalls ... it's my first one tomorrow so very excited!

I've been making mini stockings and applique tops .... fidly but fun .... I hope the customers like them.

The casserole was delicious with scrummy dumplings but it's just such torture smelling delicious aromas all day!!

Before I forget do pop over to my facebook page (link in sidebar) as I'm having a little giveaway of a heart wreath over there!

Louise

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T09:37:00.000-07:00

We're (impatiently) waiting for it to get dark - then Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf will be out and about. I'm not sure whether the wolf will stay dressed as grandma as he's not too happy with the nightie and mop cap!

Have some spooky good fun!

Louise

Thank you for all your kind comments on my last post re: Lambie. I'm happy to report that Lambie has returned home and is also very much cleaner ;-)

He has been accepted with no problem ....phew! (although I'm still sentimental about the original one).

Lost and Found

2010-10-28T06:34:00.001-07:00

I visited a new local antique market held at Donnington last week. I expected prices to be high, some were, but there were many things at not much more than car boot prices. These are some of the things I got there.

Now these should all be destined to be sold but I just had to keep the little brown suitcase and the satchel.

The satchel looks great (I think) with my 'new' salmon pink velvet jacket. I just love that colour. I have pinned on a vintage lucite brooch that I found on a charity stall at a summer fayre. The total cost of all the items in this picture is under £15 (and that includes the dry clean cost of the jacket!).

This is a close up of the lucite brooch - so pretty!

It's not been all 'finds' though as I have to report that 'Lambie' is lost. He has been my daughters favourite softy and is being sadly missed.

. We went on a daytrip to London on Tuesday and just before we came home Lara asked for Lambie. We searched all through our various bags until she informed us that she had left him with his 'friends' on the toy shop (Hamleys) shelf. It was too late by then to go back for him. I've phoned Hamley's but he hasn't turned up yet.

Meanwhile I've won a replica on eBay ... I wonder if she will notice that Lambie has returned looking clean and rather less scraggy?

I'm certainly pining for the original Lambie - is this normal for a grown women?

Lara's Room

2010-10-07T01:40:00.001-07:00

All is quite here with Lara at pre-school today so I’ve been tidying her room: re-uniting pieces of jigsaw, picking up books, finding all sorts tucked into her bed etc. I then realised that I have never blogged about her sweet little room although I decorated it many months ago!

The walls are painted in Laura Ashley Oyster pink – my absolute favourite colour.

Lara’s bed came from eBay. I love it.

The bunting across the bed is Cath Kidston pink paisley and lavender filled. I bought it from a craft fair but made the length across the curtain pole to co-ordinate.

The curtains I made from a Monsoon lace throw – bought for £20 from TK Maxx (original price £125!). It was destined for the sofa but I then imagined cats claws tangling so it stayed in the bag for a while until I had inspiration to slice it down the middle and make curtains. One of the easiest but most effective crafty things I’ve done. I still haven’t got round to painting the curtain pole which is still blue to match the original scheme in this room!

The light fitting – another car boot find – I think it was £3.

The rabbit tin frieze was £1 from a car boot sale (again!). There is a duck one too on Lara's shelves. The little basket was just 30p.

The bedding is from TK Maxx. It's not clear from the photo but it's a pretty dove-grey with flowers in a shade of pink that is exactly the same as the walls.

The teddy nightdress case was a gift.

The little rabbit hanging from the bed is from here. She often takes it into bed with her sometime in the night as I usually find it under the covers in the morning.

The house cushion and ragdoll are from my on-line shop.

The antique baby nightdress I have hanging up was screwed up in box of things I bought from an auction. I thought it was a piece of dirty rag at first! With a bit if care and attention it looks near pristine.The crochet blanket was a car boot find – it is crocheted in 4ply wool so is finer and more dainty than many vintage blankets. It needed a wash and repairs but looks beautiful now (other than covered in cat fur!)

I am off now to catch-up on your lovely blogs!
Louise
x

GIVEAWAY DRAW

2010-09-30T05:54:00.001-07:00

Thank you to everyone who has left me such nice comments and entered my ‘Pretty Birds Giveaway’.

It’s great that so many new friends have also joined in leading me to discover so many more fabulous blogs that I’m reading through, discovering more and more like-minded people and so much loveliness out there.

So onto the draw (very technical with slips of paper screwed up into numbered teapots!) ......

..... and here are the results ......

*********

The winner of draw 1 over on my Facebook page who will receive this set of eight hanging metal birds is:

Claire Louise Smith

I don’t know if Claire has a blog but do say ‘Hi’ if you’re in blogland as well as on Facebook.

**********

The winner of draw 2 who left me a comment (and became or was already a blog follower) is:

Clare (Daisy Darling)

These wooden owl bookends will soon be off to you x

*********

The winner of draw 3 from those who kindly posted my giveaway button on their blog is:

Vanessa (Coco Rose)

I’ll be sending you this pretty Home Sweet Home sign x

**********

and finally, draw 4 was for someone who posted about my giveaway on their own blog, the winner is:

Shirl (Indigo Shirl)

you will receive these heart and bird decorations x

If you could all email me (louise@vintagepinkonline.co.uk) with your address I’ll get your winnings in the post to you. There maybe a little delay in posting as I’m heading off up north for the weekend but I will get them out as soon as possible.
Thank you to everyone who took part and I’m sorry you couldn’t all win!

Louise
x

92 days to go ...

2010-09-24T08:17:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm on Christmas countdown although the day itself is still ages away my Christmas Fayres start in six weeks so time is marching on and I'm busy making little pretties.

Off the hook are trees and snowflakes ....

Off the machine are little robins and all sorts of hearts .....

but a much closer deadline is my giveaway ... just 6 days to go. You can see more details here.

Happy weekend,

Louise x

'New' Pink things

2010-09-20T01:42:00.000-07:00

Introducing my new favourite tea set which I found on Saturday. It's a very old Queen Anne set that is both complete and pristine. I love the dainty pink cups but the polka dots give it a modern twist. This will be fabulous for summer parties (I'm wishing away the Winter already).

I also have a 'new' outfit : a brand new petal pink John Smedley jumper.... but from the car boot sale of course for just £4 - wow! It still had the zillion pounds price tag on. I wore it with my 'new' shorts which were a pair of work trousers (from the old days) which although lovely and fit me well, were a bit dated with wide boot fit legs. So snip, snip and some quick stitching and voila some Autumn shorts which I wore with brown opaque tights and ballet pumps. To complete the outfit a pretty (so cheap) scarf from Primark.

It was such 'therapy' chopping up the trousers - it felt like the ties to that old 9-to-5 (or more like 8-to-6pm) way of life are finally severed. My thoughts are turning to the other half dozen work suits hanging redundant in the wardrobe. I fancy a 'new' waistcoat .....

Waiting in the wings for chillier weather are these sweet crocheted hand warmer/mittens (terrible photo!) also from Primark in my favourite oyster/blush shade of pink. I couldn't have bought the yarn for the price of these.

And finally two pretty cake stands have just joined my ever expanding china collection - one a mismatched style new repro (from my shop) and one a car boot find from last week.

Toby has crept into the background of the last photo "Mum, I'm really hungry!"
OK, better go cook the tea!

My 'Small' Dream

2010-09-13T08:09:00.000-07:00

I had a stall at a City carnival on Saturday - not especially successful despite crowds of people and a super-sunny day - but there was a car-boot sale area where I picked up a miniature shop front.

I have now realised a dream (in a small way): my very own shop!

Louise

One persons junk

2010-09-10T00:56:00.000-07:00

On the last day of the summer hols I got an excited phone call from my mum-in-law to say that their next door neighbours were having a clear out and were putting ‘stuff’ out on their drive for folk to help themselves to – she had spotted a scruffy old dolls cot which was my ‘type of thing’. Well, we three were still in our PJs but within 20 minutes we were all showered, breakfasted and in the car en route to the grandparents (which is a treat in itself as the children love seeing them.)

It was a VERY worthwhile trip. I picked up the gorgeous cot which I'm going to use to display rag-dolls and teddies on my stall (meanwhile, as I expected it has already become another cat bed .... sorry to disturb your 22 hours-per-day sleep Chester!).

There was also this lovely chair. I’ve been after one like this for a while to use with our dining table as I never seem to have enough when we have visitors now that Lara occupies her own chair.

There was also another five chairs, old galvanised watering cans, two wrought iron table bases, a HUGE travelling trunk in need of a good clean but it will be a perfect low table for the reception area in my husband’s new offices.

Some lucky, un-expected finds!

Louise
x

Just a reminder about my giveaway running until 30 September please feel free to join in and thank you to everyone who has already left me lovely comments.

Pretty Birds GIVEAWAY!!

2010-08-31T23:20:00.000-07:00

I was delighted to see my hanging birds set (image #1 above) featured here amongst lots of other gorgeous birdie things! Inspired by this, and to celebrate the 100th sale from my Vintage Pink website I have decided to have a ‘Pretty Bird Giveaway’. Well, actually I’ve decided there will be FOUR giveaway draws for the items shown above:

1) The first giveaway prize is the aforementioned set of eight metal hanging birdies in assorted colours . These will flutter off to one lucky, randomly selected person who becomes a ‘liker’ on my little website’s Facebook page AND clicks ‘like’ or comments against the giveaway post on that page. You can find the link to my Facebook page in my sidebar.

2) Next up is a cute pair of owl bookends to one lucky person drawn from those who leave a comment below AND becomes a follower of this blog (or is already a follower).

3) The draw for giveaway #3 is for a vintage style home-sweet-home sign for one lucky, randomly picked person who spreads the word about my giveaway via their own blog by grabbing my button from the sidebar and adding it to their sidebar.

4) The fourth giveaway is a sweet pair of hanging bird decorations for one blogger who posts about this giveaway on their own blog.

For entries to draw 3 and 4 please leave me a comment below to tell me that you have done this so I can include your name.

I’ll draw the names for all four items soon after 12.00 noon (GMT) 30 September and publish the winners shortly afterwards. The giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere in the world, meeting any or all off the pointers above. So good luck (you could be ultra lucky and win all four!)

Louise

I have subscribed to Giveaway Scout to promote this giveaway you can see their feed in my sidebar for more interesting goodies!

Model Making

2010-08-19T00:10:00.001-07:00

Panda's Car by Lara

A Death Strike (!) by Toby

They worked so hard on these ... I'm so proud of them x

Booty-ful weekend!

2010-08-16T03:16:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely weekend, the (temporary?) improvement in the weather had a lot to do with it. I had a stall at the local Cricket Club on Sunday - my takings were fairly low but we had a great couple of hours out in the sunshine watching the cricket followed by a little diversion afterwards for tea and cakes at the local lavender fields. I wish I had taken my camera because it is a lovely place with little fancy chickens coming to share our cake crumbs which Lara was delighted with.
I have also crammed in my usual car-booting which have been especially fabulous - these are my favourite finds (out of many!):

Lovely ditsy sugar tongs. I got six pairs in all but these are my favourite:

Pretty birdy print, perfect for my hallway (I will however change the frame):

Little sugar scoop that will be perfect for scooping lavender into bags:

Glamorous golden tea plates (I'm imagining slices of my Christmas cake served on these):

Cute vintage sewing basket in fabulous condition:

Handsome concetina sewing box (I've been after one of these for a while):

I've also bought some lovely items to sell - at least I'm intending to sell them but things have a way of sneaking onto shelves/into cupboards when my will-power is low!

Last week I set myself up a Facebook page for my stall/shop. This is all quite new to me as Facebook has pretty much passed me by but I have recently joined some shop/business pages myself and I do like the quick bitesize updates that come through.

I have a few people who 'like' Vintage Pink already but it would be good to have a few more - you can find the link on my sidebar :-)

Vintage Button Bracelet

2010-08-12T02:48:00.000-07:00

I've had the urge to make jewellery for some while. I bought fastenings and links at the start of the year but never put them to use. The loss of a 'favourite' bracelet at the weekend spurred me on. Here's my 'Chocolate & Cream Vintage Button Bracelet'.

I made two (similar but different) - one for me and this one to sell on my stall/in my online shop. I have a stall at the weekend - pleeeassse let the sun shine!!

Incidently the bracelet I 'lost' has now been found at my sister-in-law's house ...hurrah... I was convinced I lost it rummaging at a car boot sale. Oh, talking of boot sales, what goodies I found at the weekend. This is my favourite - the sweetest primrose coffee set (£2 for the lot!). I don't usually drink coffee but I will be making an exception just to use these pretty, dinky cups.

THE dress

2010-08-03T03:30:00.000-07:00

I have been on a manic hunt for the 'perfect' vintage dress for some while .......and at last there on Etsy it was waiting for me. A gorgeous 50's number that had it all: flowers, polka dots, pinkiness and lovely full skirt. The measurements sounded small so I was dubious of it fitting but it is a near perfect fit. I just need to lengthen the straps as the bust sits a bit too high (or is mine a bit low nowadays?) but there is a good inch of strap spare so a minor adjustment and I shall be swishing around for the rest of the summer.

I shall be wearing it behind my stall so can't wait for the next one, however, with two venues left to go in my 'Summer' run I shall be ready for a break. The one below was on the hotest day I can remember - phew it was a scorcher and a wonderful day. The other days have been so windy creating chaos with my wares and gazebo that I really am falling out of love with outdoor stalls!

We've just got back from a week in Cornwall so I have that post-hols feeling ..... I so wish I was back there on this beautiful Porthpean beach .... cue a stint on 'Rightmove' looking at gorgeous Cornish homes that I could never afford but dream about nethertheless.

Vintage deckchair makeover

2010-07-13T03:17:00.000-07:00

I found a tatty old deckchair at a car-boot sale last week for £2, and inspired by MichelleMadeThis I gave it a make-over and am very pleased at the result. I bought some new upholstery tacks but the paint (Laura Ashley chalk pink) and vintage fabric I already had. Amazingly the piece of fabric that I had was just the right size for a double sided cover (for strength) and a pillow - there was literally just an inch strip left over!

I'm longing for the sunshine to return to try it outdoors!!!

'LOVE' Bunting

2010-07-07T01:18:00.001-07:00

I do love bunting .... and I love my new sewing machine with its nifty tricks and gadgets that makes sewing nearly as much a pleasure as crochet - especially as I've managed to get to grips with applique.

This

lace edged linen bunting is proving popular at my summer fete stalls (I am now personalising them with names too).

My Dream Dresser

2010-06-10T01:06:00.000-07:00

I have longed for this for a long, long while. I had been keeping my eye out for one to paint but then found this one already give the shabby chic treatment on eBay. I must admit that I never concidered duck-egg blue (even though it's a fave colour) as I envisaged white or off-white. But there is so much white furniture in my home it makes a change to have a little, subtle, splash of colour.

I spent a fair while arranging my treasures (oh heaven!)...

.... but not as long as I expected as I had already mentally planned out where everything would go whilst waiting the week or so for delivery.

With the exception of the Shelly rose bud teaset I think the average price of each item on this dresser is 50p!

I've changed the knobs for some ceramic grey spotty and stripe ones that have just arrived on my little stall and in my online shop. I also have these on other colours, the pink especially are so pretty (and are flying out!).

I need to buy a new chest of drawers just to use these somewhere!

♥ I love vintage china ♥

2010-05-27T03:01:00.001-07:00

I have had some wonderful vintage china finds recently ..... oh I so want to keep it all and whilst I have saved some for me this is just a selection of some that I'm parting with.

It's all on eBay at the moment finishing over the next week or so .... about 20 lots in all .... and fingers crossed it will raise some pennies towards a longed for purchase - a beautiful dresser to house my special china collection ... hopefully I'll be posting up piccies soon.

Right I'm off for a cup of tea in a pretty cup - one of lifes small pleasures ♥

Crochet cushion

2010-05-14T04:09:00.000-07:00

Isn't it satisfying to finally secure some time to make something that's been on your 'want to make' list for ages.

I first saw round crochet cushions on blogs a year or so ago and had a little corner of my yarn drawer with the allocated materials waiting patiently ... finally I've used them!

It matches Lara's Blanket which I made last year ...which has still not yet made it up into her room as it has taken a permanent position in the lounge. I just love the colours and even after a year it still makes me just as happy to look at it - ahhh the joy of crochet!

Birthdays

2010-05-11T02:31:00.000-07:00

Both Lara and I have have May birthdays, coupled with my wedding anniversary, it's been fantastic but I have to say I'm feeling fairly exhausted and looking forward to a quiet couple of days.

Here's my 'baby' who is now three:

We had a really lovely family party. I made an Italian Buffet so was shopping, chopping, cooking and baking non-stop but it was, I have to say, a real success. I'm especially pleased with Lara's cake which was made in a bit of a rush but turned out well (she loves strawberries):

Lara's special treat was a trip to Gulliver's Kingdom in Matlock which is a small theme park which thankfully is looking a lot less run down nowadays (it used to be a bit tatty!). It was freezing cold - but such a great day, Lara is still chattering on about it.

We had a weekend away in a hotel in Northampton for my birthday. It had a nice warm swimming pool too. The highlight for me was a visit to Stowe - somewhere I've wanted to go for a long time. We were lucky to hook up on a guided tour of the grounds led by a lovely lady which we really enjoyed.

This was my favourite temple - I'd love it in my garden - it is decorated with pictures, motifs and mosaics made from little stones and pebbles.

I was very spoilt with goodies for my birthday and have been treated to a fabby computerised sewing machine which does fancy writing and buttonholes so am trying to squeeze in some time to play!

April

2010-04-23T02:32:00.000-07:00

This is one of those blog posts where I realise that time has slipped away and there are so many little incidentals to write about so It all gets lumped under the generic title of the current month!

We got away for our first caravan holiday of the year over Easter. Visiting Kingsbury Waterpark (Sutton Coldfield nr. Birmingham) which, although only about 30 miles from home, is in an area we've never explored. There were lots of walks .....

...... a mini train and children's farm .......

..... but best of all (for me!) was Hoar Park craft centre just a short drive away which had a yarn shop where I bought some lovely ceramic buttons , an antique centre where I bought a medium sized TG Green cream & blue mixing bowl (to go with the large one I already have) and there was also an ice cream parlour and dolls house shop so I was in my own personal heaven!

It's lovely to get outdoors again. Back home, Lara has been helping dig and plant in the 'smallest veg patch'.....

... when she's not otherwise occupied making bubbles .....

We made the scarecrow (above) in the depths of winter and she's now emerged from the shed and put to work. I keep catching a glimpse of a small figure in pink from the corner of my eye from the kitchen window and think it's Lara in the garden (which panicked me this morning as she was actually at playgroup!)

I bought this old wooden toy cart from the car boot sale two weeks ago. We had a Christening to attend in a nearby village a little later in the morning but I just had to nip to check out the bargains first. So I was dressed in posh frock dragging this dirty old thing around (it cost £2 and I really fancing lining and planting in it).

When I was pulling that trolley around the car boot sale it proved very useful as I had bought quite alot of china and glassware (including one of my best ever finds: a decanter and set of goblets which match my bumblebee tumbers). I'm sure other 'booters' appreciate that, although china looks fine and delicate, it weighs a tonne once you get a few pieces so I decided to buy myself a shopping trolley!

So I nipped on-line later and bought this little beauty which is just superb as it accompanied me to last weeks car boot which was one of the most bountiful ever - I got several shabby chic tea sets which I would have struggled to carry and they are now on eBay doing well so the trolley has more than paid for itself. I thought I would feel a complete twerp with a 'granny' trolley but there were actually quite a few around (and not just pulled/pushed by 'older' ladies!). I'm not sure I'll be using it to pop down to the village shops though.

I would also like to show this 'pretty' which flew over from here. I bought a gorgeous little rabbit for Lara's birthday next month and very generously included in the package was the little birdie below as a thank you for being her first Etsy customer.

It is exactly the same colours as the birdy wallpaper in my hall (which you can ptobably just see) so has found a home here perched on my new garland. I bought the pretty garlands for my shop and hung one around the mirror to photograph it and it stayed!

Just one final thing for April so far .... we have been in process of buying a business property which all succesfully completed over Easter so I now own a quarter share of this building in town which will eventually be hubbies new offices. I have started a blog to record the process of the renovations (and it needs a few!)

Easter 'Tree'

2010-03-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

I picked up a wonderful 'shabby chic' candleabra from a car boot sale earler in the month. It was a freezing cold morning and I'd been to a Charity Ball the previous evening so had had only 4 hours sleep - but my dedication (madness!) paid off - it was just £3!

It has a hanging chain but I haven't got round to fixing it up yet in it's destined place but thought of an ideal use in the meantime ... here's my Easter 'Tree' :

My hubby thinks I've gone completely potty with this ensemble - but you understand? don't you?

Spring makes

2010-03-18T05:40:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled to find a small embroidered panel of Spring loveliness at the car boot on Sunday - it leant itself perfectly to a new cushion and how lucky that I found a piece of salmon pink upholstery fabric the previous week which was perfect for the back. Hopefully there will be some bursting forth of Spring in my garden soon - it's ultra tidy out there but so bare. I'm longing to see some daffodils that haven't come from the supermarket!

Just as an aside I noted that my fave car boot sale is attracting quite a crowd nowadays which will be in part due to milder weather - but this weekend there seemed to be a much different class of people rummaging through the wares and I heard some very 'upperclass' voices asking prices. There will be stiff competion for treasures this year I feel!

Lara has made another batch of Easter nests this morning. I melt the chocolate but she does everything else (with minimal mess too!). She lamented this morning that everyone keeps eating the cakes she makes till there's none left - I know what you mean poppet those boys are so greedy (oh, and I've had three already!) :-)

I have a stall at a local Spring Fair on Saturday so I have a little production line of crocheted hats and hairslides which are always my most popular items. I have started adding some to my website too. I've been experimenting with different styles of hats - but always come back to this daisy one (albeit in different colour combinations), this one being Lara's current favourite:

Crochet Necklace

2010-03-11T02:01:00.001-08:00

This was the cause of overcooked tea and my son being late for football training last night:

I've had such a necklace on my mental 'to do' list for some months. It's rare I make anything for myself, indeed I've been stuck in a rut fulfilling orders for little girls hats that it's great to make something new and different. The photo isn't great but (at least it doesn't show extra chins as the first efforts did!!).

Whilst on the theme of 'new and different' I also got my hair chopped yesterday (this is a new necklace + new hair photo - I must brush up my camera skills - I am happy too though you wouldn't know it from my glum face!). This is the shortest I've had my hair in 15 years. I grew my hair into a Rachel from Friends style in the mid nineties (a lot of people did, but they moved on to other things and I kept the same style) so a change was well overdue - it's quite liberating too (a lot less blow drying and faffing)!

Spring

2010-03-01T07:30:00.000-08:00

It's a new month, the sun is shining.... at last Spring is here.... and we should really get into the garden and start a bit of post-winter tidying. There is some lovely Spring prettiness out there but just so much to do I don't really know where to start! In an act of pure procrastination I've made another cup of tea and whilst I mentally plan the outdoor onslaught I thought I’d share pictures of some indoor pretties that have joined my home of the past few weeks:

Gorgeous little knitted animals from Devon Bear Designs. These were actually xmas presents to Lara and me (so a belated posting !)

Somehow Badger managed to aquire herself a tinsel scarf over xmas (which has stayed). Quite where the tinsel came from i don't know! Incidently their creator is having an Easter Bunny giveaway on her blog (it's so cute!)

This bracelet was my valentines present from hubby (heavily hinted at by me). It is from Kate Hamilton-Hunter and is made from vintage biscuit tins. My photo does not do it justice it is so pretty on - I've got very small hands and wrists so chunky bracelets don't suit/fit me but this is just perfect as it is quite delicate.

Lara seems to be growing at an amazing rate and is needing a new Spring wardrobe - I've begun making/planning to make some items but I also came across these gorgeous PJ trousers from here and couldn't resist them - they are ultra sweet on her.

Finally, these arrived on Monday and are one of my favourire things ever - vintage building blocks from here. I have them showing their 'Spring' sides (but little fingers keep reaarranging them and we had Santa showing earlier!)

I must really summon the energy and tackle that garden. Is it too early/chilly to mow ones lawn - I feel it's a good place to start .....

Homes in my Home!

2010-02-12T04:19:00.000-08:00

After falling utterly in love with this I luckily managed to aquire my very own (hurrah for eBay) which is just awaiting a lick of paint ... groan ... I hate painting (perhaps my 'Valentine' will wield the paint brush for me over the weekend !!)

Whilst dropping hints about the painting task it was pointed out to me that we have rather a number of 'homes in our home'. Well, yes, I suppose we do!

Here are just a few of my home sweet homes:

This one was made by my dad. It was very 'played with' as I lovedit (and still do). I refurbished it last year (the 'new but vintage' doors and windows were found on a car boot sale for 50p for a huge bag full!)

This one is my dream home (I'll never afford the bricks and mortar equivalent).I built it in 2007. Inside about half the rooms are decorated and furnished inside but I'm saving some to do with Lara when she is older (hopefully before she gets to the age where she would paint the walls black and purple!).

Lara is happier to play with this one for the time being ......

.... and this one too. It's a pop up book and is just fabulous for taking on holidays/hotel stays. ...

and there are more 'homes' on the fireplace:

on window ledges:

on beds (someone is tired and grumpy!)

I think my new shelves will be right at home here!

Ten

2010-01-29T06:50:00.000-08:00

I'm reeling a little today from the realisation that tomorrow I shall be the mother of a child in double figures!

Toby is in for a weekend of birthday treats. I collected his main present of a BMX bike today (it has stunt bars but there's NO WAY he'll be doing anything dangerous on it!). We've also arranged for his birthday to be announced over the tanoy at tomorrows football match (he'll be sooo suprised), then in the evening we'll have a family birthday tea so I've been baking all morning ... making so much mess and eating too much butter cream ...this OTT chocolate cake is for tomorrow's party ....

.... and this is the cake for his 'Warhammer' Party on Sunday featuring his game hero 'Yarrick' - a tough looking brute if ever there was! I initially planned to make a tank but after some deliberation I settled on the easy option of printed icing (never used it before but it's a doddle). I'm so excited to see his face when I show him the cake :-)

Have a great weekend all - it'll be a busy one here but hopefully I should be able to cram in a trip to the carboot sale and some gentle crafting too.

January

2010-01-14T03:11:00.000-08:00

Two weeks into the year already – how did that happen? This year has started well – no nasty bugs, energy levels good (the luxury of not to have to go out to work) and the weather has been lenient to us here although we’ve had a few play dates/activities cancelled because of the weather which has been a bit of a blessing because it has allowed us to recharge our batteries somewhat after xmas.

A great Christmas it was too.

New Year’s eve was a quiet one at home but we’d had a few get-togethers with friends and family in the previous days so it was nice just to be ‘just us’ until the family descended again on New Year’s day.

I cooked lamb with pancetta and tomato from my new cook book (Homemade~Tana Ramsey), it was simple but yummy. I have to admit I was initially drawn to the book as it coordinated with my kitchen but it’s proved to be a worthy buy as it contains the sort of recipes that I’ll probably have at leady 50% of the ingredients in for but wouldn’t have necessarily thought/known how to make!

I’ve been busy on the craft front but nothing manic. A few hat orders to fulfil and restocking for future craft stalls.

One of my cushions has appeared in a ‘Vintage Living’ feature in Vogue Magazine – it’s a tiny section though and I’ve had no enquiries yet (I’m hopeful though as finances could do with an uplift!).

On New Year's Eve I started and completed this little project (inspired by Attic 24) to liven up a tatty old kitchen stool:

Despite being fairly ‘drunk in charge of a crochet hook’ it turned out to be good fit. Of course the kitchen then looked decided scruffy alongside the smart ‘new’ stool (how does food get splattered so high up walls?) so I given it a fresh lick of paint and scrubbed and cleaned all the cupboards inside and out – phew!

Then tackled the rest of the house with Lara assisting with some tricky jobs – like scrambling under the beds to dust the skirting boards – do you think it’s illegal to engage a two year old in such activity? (is it akin to Victorian chimney sweeps?) ... she did have fun, honestly! I have to say I do enjoy housework when I’ve time and energy to do it properly.

We’ve had lots of time for play too this is a favourite toy, a present from Grandma and Grandad. This lucky panda family go on holiday every day!

I’m enjoying settling down in the evening with the latest instalment in this box set. I’ve seen them all before but most I have forgotten the who/why dunnit so it’s great to re-visit these old favourites of mine.
I’m currently reading this – not at all something I’d pick up but it’s surprisingly un-putdownable. It’s not particularly well written, sort of Mills and Boon with vampires (but then I’ve been spoilt with Persephone books!). Nonetheless, I’m enjoying it immensely ... do you think I can put a Maisy Mouse DVD on and sneak another chapter or two?

Christmas at home.

2009-12-20T21:40:00.000-08:00

Well, the cake is iced (and adorned with some splendid 1970's nativity decs):

and four dozen mince pies made (so far!):

Stockings have been sewn and hung in readiness; this is Toby's:

and this is Lara's (I'm particularly pleased with this one):

The tree is looking jolly with some handmade additions:

Handmade creations have ventured outdoors too:

Whilst we've had just a sprinkling of snow this village is snowed in - let's hope santa makes it through!

and here's two children eager with anticipation for Santa too!

Merry Christmas

Cheery things

2009-11-25T01:44:00.000-08:00

This month for me can be such a gloomy one so I’ve been making a little extra effort to counteract the grey days although it’s been difficult as I’ve been under the weather and Lara who is normally so perky has been reeling from one lurgi another with scarcely chance for recovery in between. I am just crossing my fingers that she will avoid the permanent tonsillitis that plagued her older brother (until he was well enough to have them removed aged three). But it's not been all tending the sick ....

We’ve baked (I came across these originally here) ... so cute!

I've crocheted another blanket (made completely from car-boot/recycle yard yarn collected over the past couple of months - I'd like it bigger but that’s my stash gone for now). Chester appreciates it and thinks it's just his size (grrr that cat) !!

I had a lovely cheery parcel of goodies through the post too – this was a fabulous giveaway from Kelly. I love the way she has colour coordinated it all . I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled for that Ladybird book too so it was great to have it at last and the Kitfix kit is pure nostalgia.

Began the festive foodie preparations with my two little helpers mixing in the fruit - I love traditions and realised after I took it that this photo is almost identical to last years but I'm stunned at how much those two have grown!!!

Lara is still wearing her angel costume as Iearlier (in between the rain stoems) 'd been snapping them for family xmas cards as is also a tradition with us.

Despite feeling a bit sluggish I’ve knuckled down with my stalls and have notched up five so far - some quiet and some mega-busy ! My favourite so far was at this beautiful house held in aid of a local charity. The organisers looked after us stallholders so well with bacon rolls on arrival followed lunch, supper and a constant stream of refreshments including homemade soup and mulled wine(I hope they invite me back next year).

There are some lovely things (and such talented people) at these crafty venues. I bought this little ensemble at another fair at the weekend. They are so well made. I wish I had photographed this ladies' stall as it was absolutely brimming with knitted toys spread over, I would imagine, a 10ft length of tables. All knitted by herself over the course of the year and all for charity. She had several nativity scenes too – they’re on my wish list for next year.

This weekend I have another stall and it is right in the middle of a shopping centre in town so really scary as it will be the busiest venue I’ve done.

Then next week we’re off to Centre Parcs – woohoo – fingers crossed we’ll all be fighting fit as we’ve some lovely fun planned.

Small things

2009-10-13T05:36:00.000-07:00

'm very lucky (and grateful) that my pace of life has slowed these past few months to allow me to take time out for small incidental things that make me sooo happy such as ..... making Lara little dresses and loving the way she is putting her awl into modelling this 'autumnal trees, squirrels and mushrooms' little number for me .....

.......trying out our new wellies by spending a lovely sunny morning pottering in the garden ...

...... then indoors to fiddle with my new display of haberdashery nostalgia (many are recent car boot finds) ........

...... I made the pincushion mouse last week (fiddly but fun) ........

.... these were fun too ... little hats for smoothie bottles (in aid of Help the Aged)

...... most days we're off on various jaunts around the village, trying to use the bike for as long as possible while the weather continues to be good. Enjoying the fact that we can stop off at the park if we want to because we're in no hurry .......

...... in the evenings Toby is reading this book to me. It's spooky (in a nice not too scary way), a great Halloween read (but we'll probably have finished it by then) ......

..... getting ready for seven (!) craft fairs is keeping me busy - but in a good way - I like working at my own pace and on what ever I fancy at the time. Here's one of my stall displays (my dad made me the tree decoration display stand, I'm very pleased with it) ......

.... it seems early to be thinking 'Christmas' but this will only be the second year in twenty where I have not worked Christmas eve nor had to go into work between Christmas and New Year so this will be a special 'family' Christmas and I'm getting excited already!!!

Arty, crafty week

2009-09-24T05:51:00.000-07:00

Lara and I have been homebodies this week - we've popped out to our usual clubs etc but no major outings - reason being we're potty training. After a tricky couple of days she is doing fabulously well and is wearing pants at all times (except for sleeps). It's another milestone - those baby days are slipping away faster and faster.

I brought out Lara's easel yesterday - I put it away a few months ago as she seemed bored with it. But straight away she took up the chalk drew her brother 'naughty Toby'. I'm very impressed with her artistic ability:

and this is her self portrait:

I've been whizzing out some crochet this week. I completed these wrist warmers for me from a pattern I saw here. They were very quick and easy and are suprisingly very warm and cosy. They will be perfect for some winter car booting as they will keep my hands toasty but fingers free for rummaging. This isn't a good photo - I struggled to get a shot in which my hands didn't look like some strange poised insects.

I've also got four craft fayres booked in over the next couple of months so I've been churning out some hats. I do so love making these. I'm also proud that well over half of all the yarn I use is either bought second hand or is from 're-purposed' garments.

My latest style is the Cherry Bakewell hat - two of my craft fayres are in Bakewell so I hope these will be popular.

The winners are .......

2009-09-15T01:15:00.000-07:00

I completely forgot the draw for my giveaway yesterday - the days simply fly by - but better late than never here's Lara enlisted to pick out the two winners .....

and they are ......

Well done ladies I'll get in touch for your addresses and get your goodies in the post shortly.

I'm very pleased with my new strawberry jam pot in the pictures above (50p from Sunday's car boot sale) although I never got around to making strawberry jam this year and this does remind me of my failings on the preserves front this summer (will try harder next year!!).

I had a fabulous haul from the car boot sale including 11 balls of pink cotton DK for £2, a full spool of fine vintage cotton lace for 50p and best of all I picked up this vintage clothes horse, I've been desperate for one as despite the lovely sunshine I just can't bring myself to peg washing out anymore as there are just too many fat spiders lurking (yuk!) - indoors there's only a fat cat lurking .....

The end of the holidays ... and a little giveaway

2009-09-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

We’re just back from our wonderful hols in Ibiza. We stayed at Portinatx next to a beautiful sandy cove where the sea was teaming with fish and was very shallow (perfect for Lara) and also so warm it was almost bath temperature!

Oh happy days .... but now the cases are unpacked, the ironings all done (phew) and our family unit is splintering off again with hubby back to work today and Toby back to school tomorrow. I spoke to another mum today who can’t wait for hers to be back but I never feel like that. We’ve had such a lovely summer – I always feel quite sad at the end of the holidays and am already looking forward to half term.

To avoid me moping around the house today with post-holiday blues the three of us went for a longish walk/blackberry forage as it turned out to be a nice sunny morning. Lara did incredibly well as we walked over two miles without her needing to be carried and she worked hard at picking the fruit too.

We retraced our steps from last year but have really missed the season this time as we only got enough for two small crumbles which, although is better than nothing, I had been hoping for a batch of blackberry brandy – oh well maybe next year. To make up for the lack of blackberries we stopped at the deli for ice cream and cake as it is conveniently at the end of our outing.

I’m just catching up with everyone’s blogs(such a lot to read over the past couple of weeks). Meanwhile thanks all for your encouraging comments about Lara’s dress from the previous post – I love the comment from Sewing Room Pat about patterns all fitting together like a jigsaw puzzle which makes it all sound less daunting as I’ve seen some lovely things I’d like to make one day (thank you Pat for the award too!)

Now for a little giveaway on the sewing theme – a larger crocheted cake which is a nice size for a pincushion and aptly coming from Derbyshire it’s a cherry bakewell . I’ll pick two winners next Monday to each win a cake along with one or two surprises – just leave a comment to enter, good luck x

A dress for Lara

2009-08-24T03:40:00.000-07:00

We're away shortly for our summer beach holiday in Spain and once we return home Autumn will be pretty much here. So last week I'd been sorting through the children's clothes whilst packing summer things for our trip and seeing what from last year has been outgrown and oh yes there's lots on the 'too small pile' and not much left in the children's wardrobes!

I had a trip into town to look at the new seasons ranges and couldn't find anything for Lara. I really like tunic dresses for her worn with jeans or trousers over a long or short sleeved t-shirt (girly but functional) but I didn't see anything at all. I then decided to dig out a pattern I'd bought from Etsy a couple of months back. I 'd originally looked through the instructions but promply filed it away deciding that it was too ambitious as I'd never made anything from a pattern before. But I decided I should at least give it a go using some 50p fabric from a car boot so that it wouldn't matter if I made a complete pigs ear! I thought it would take me a week to make but I'd finished it within an hour and made proper button holes too for the first time ever.

I'm completely shocked that I've actually made a dress that is pretty much what I wanted and it vitually fits (a bit long but it is for Autumn).

I'm not ever so keen on the fabric but it had grown on me and will look nice with a brown top and tights. It's reversible too - how clever is that? (the pattern not me I should add!). I'm going to make a shorter tunic version perhaps in a thicker fabric and with a front pocket for hankies ready for winter sniffles.

Seaside at home

2009-08-11T00:25:00.001-07:00

Well, our Cornwall hols are a distant memory and our next beach holiday is still several weeks away so I 've injected a bit of the seaside into our home .... and here's my very own little piece of coast ....

After the loft conversion earlier this year we have aquired a small top landing which was orginally going to be a large walk-in store cupboard but I changed my mind and fancied a galleried landing. In retrospect the store cupboard would have been more useful but it would have made the new stairs very gloomy. This little area is the perfect place for all my seaside bits and bobs (the things I pick up from naf souvenir shops as holiday mementos but then don't 'go' anywhere once I get them home!!)

'm planning to paint the three cupboard doors in funky beach hut stripes ... I will stop short of putting sand down in place of carpet though!

Buy, Buy ... Sell, Sell

2009-07-20T03:27:00.000-07:00

It’s been a whirl of commerce just lately in my little world. I’ve had three stalls at various carnivals and fetes over the last three Saturdays so have been a busy bee making things and trawling the car-boot sale to restock my stall in between. Each Saturday rain had been forecast but we’ve so far escaped a drenching with only a few short showers or the barest of drizzle. I actually quite like the rain showers as it does bring a little crowd under my stall!!

I think we’ll all miss the end of the summer fayre season. The children have had oodles of fun and I’ve absolutely loved it all.

This was Melbourne Carnival two weeks ago. I was next door to the firemen :-)

Here's Lara de-merchandising the stall - put it back Lara!

I’ve another stall lined up at a local farm shop opening in a fortnight so I’m thinking of some farmyard themed makes (crochet animals, piggy cushions etc) although once Toby breaks up for the hols on Thursday my ‘free time’ will seriously deplete so I don’t think I’ll accomplish an awful lot in time.
These have whizzed off my stall (thankfully they are very fun and simple to make so I've topped up the bowls again)

The car boot sales have been great over the past month – there seems to be a lot of stalls but less customers than in the past. I’ve found lots of goodies to put away for Christmas stalls (funny no one else is buying xmas decorations in July!!). The most difficult thing is parting with things to sell on my stall. I only buy or make what I love so then I have to be so strict with myself not to keep everything.

I originally made this cushion for my stall. Other than the inner pad it's entirely reclaimed fabric and lace. I took it to the fayre then put it back into the car as I just couldn't part with it. It's my first attempt at machine applique (inspired from this great book which had been on my Amazon list for a while then I realised one of the co-authors was one of the first bloggers I'd found - isn't blogland funny!)

Despite the recent extra income I’m going to have to watch the pennies as I’ve had a bit of a splurge recently.
I treated myself to a lovely twelve person teaset from an auction last month. I’m planning on a family garden party soon and am thrilled to find to a big set as I’m not one for mismatched china (although similar pieces are okay)

I‘ve also won a bundle of Irish table linen at last week’s auction. I can’t pick it up until tomorrow but v. excited as I’m into vintage linen at the moment (an appreciation which is slipping into a collection).

I rarely buy ‘new’ clothes but couldn’t resist this vintage style story book theme dress for Lara – especially as the style is called ‘Lara’!! She looks so sweet in it.

And I’ve just won a gorgeous bed for Lara off eBay, this is the sellers photo:.

I’ve been intending to move her into a big bed for sometime but I’ve been loathed to make any changes as she sleeps so well. But she’s had a growth spurt over the past couple of months and looks too grown up for the cot. I think she’ll love her bed as she’s always tucking up her toys in mine. I've started her bedroom 'makeover' in readiness,. Bye bye baby room :-(

I love Cornwall

2009-07-03T01:15:00.000-07:00

We're just back from the most glorious week in Cornwall (staying at Pentewan nr. Mevagissey). We were so, so lucky with the weather as the sun shone everyday.

We crammed lots into the week with visits to Looe, Mevagissey, the Eden Project, Charlestown and my very favourite place Polperro. There was a festival on at Polperro when we visited - Lara loved the music and was showing off her moves.

I could spend hours browsing the gift shops (if the others had let me!!). I bought this cute cushion for the caravan which is a nice memento of our holiday. The caravan is gradually morphing from a bland modern interior to a vintage haven with bunting and crochet blankets and is becoming very much a home from home. I collected lots of pieces of broken pot off the various beaches which will (one day) become a 'holiday mosaic'.

There was lots of beach fun for Lara, and body-boarding for Toby which he'd never done before and absolutely loved.

We overlapped our stay with grandparents which was lovely (especially as they did much of the BBQ-ing!).

We've never taken the children to Cornwall, usually venturing to Devon or Dorset but they coped with the 7 hour journey marvellously well. I used to detest long car journeys but now I see it as a good crocheting opportunity with lots of hats, cakes and hairslides completed for my next stall on Saturday.

Oh what a week - it went all too quickly.

Gardening in miniature

2009-06-19T02:11:00.000-07:00

Here's Toby's entry for the Cath Kidston Design a Miniature Garden competition (it runs until 26 June so there's still time folks!). I helped with the bunting and layout but he did a great job on the planting - it's just a shame he doesn't garden on a macro scale as I could do with an extra pair of hands.

We raided my dolls house patio for the furniture (I must blog about my dolls house one day) and Toby the Elf came out to soak up the sunshine. I love this elf because it looks like a small version of the real Toby.

Here's Toby from a couple of years ago so you can see what I mean :-)

Unfortunately the mini garden has now been 'Lara'd' and looks like a tornado has hit - oh dear!

Sunny Fete

2009-06-15T04:51:00.000-07:00

Well the day of the fete arrived and rain was predicted but they got it so wrong as the sun shone - a beautiful June day.

It was a fabulous event, a very traditional village affair which was very well organised with a band playing, WI cake stall, marquees serving strawberries and so on. I was pleased to part of it and boy did I get some lovely comments about my stall. A lady from the WI in a nearby village invited me to have a stall at their Christmas Fayre so I've another date in the diary.

Of course, the sunshine brought out the crowds and I was kept pretty busy but grandparents helped out with the stall and looked after Lara - she had a wonderful time. Toby had been paid premium pocket money to help me but seemed to be helping on every other stall but mine - he realised if he helped on the skittles/coconut shire etc he was given free goes!

I was so unsure about what would sell but by far the best sellers were my crochet hats and cakes - I'd pretty much sold out within an hour and jewellery also did well too so I'm concentrating on these for my next stall. I made a fairly decent profit and came home with a great suntan and two very tired children. Yep, I'll definately be doing this again but I imagine things could have been so different if the heavens had opened!!

Auction Adventure

2009-06-04T05:25:00.000-07:00

Well half-term flew by in no time and we’re almost through the first week back - it’ll be the summer hols (yeah!). We spent the first part of half-term caravanning with friends in the Cotswolds and for once the sun shone for us and it was bliss – picnics, BBQs, ice creams, paddling, Pimms. We were sad to leave.
The other end of the hols included Grandmas 60th and an evening at the cricket but mid week we had a lull and with dismal weather thrown in scuppering outdoor plans so I looked for something to do.
I’ve been musing about attending an auction for a few weeks but had so far lacked courage but on one of the local auctioneer websites I found a really interesting sale which included over 500 lots representing five generations of one family. The catalogue read like a dream of desirable goodies. So yesterday (with Lara on her weekly nursery session) Toby was given the choice of going to the cinema or an auction and whoopee for me he chose the auction (the Nintendo DS came along too – just in case!).

The auction was held in a country hotel where as it happens I had presented at several seminars in my old work life but I actually was more nervous about the sale. Of the fantastic collection of stuff there were about ten lots I was interested in – mainly linens but once the auction commenced I quickly realised that I’d needed to spend more time perusing the lot beforehand and had a firmer idea of what I wanted and how much I wanted to pay. I had a price in mind which I’d like to pay but I hadn’t calculated my top price so I was being outbid every time.

Half way through the auction there was a box of ‘stuff’ that no one else wanted so I bid a fiver and got it (I hadn’t seen it beforehand so I’d no idea what it contained). Anyway, the last lot of linen came up and I was determined to get it, I did, but paid a lot although there are some lovely items - four boxes same as below full of crochet edged tablecloths, runners, doilies etc.

When I sorted through the box of ‘stuff’ at home I found a photograph circa 1960 of a lady seated with her dogs in front of a shelf unit on which was a number of the items that I’d seen go under the hammer – so poignant, she must have loved her things I could almost feel her sadness at the devolving of her collections. Also in the box was a framed postcard – I took it out to clean the frame and found this beautiful portrait dated 1885 (she’s called Frederica Marsh – lovely name isn’t it) and wish I’d bid on some of the other oddments boxes.

Some of the linens I bought from the auction were quite damaged so i have diverted a few of these:

Sorry for the sideways piccy !
I have got the hang of these hanging hearts (if not photos) at last (thanks for advice Pat). I 'm definately improving with experience– the faster I sew the easier it is to manoeuvre my work as I go. The hearts (and many more!!) are destined for the Fete next weekend. I cobbled my stall together in the garage and I’m pleased with how it’s all looking – I just need to price tag everthing (yawn).

My new room

2009-05-19T04:41:00.000-07:00

With Toby now installed in his new attic bedroom I've redecorated his old room. I had a lump in my throat whilst peeling of his old airplane border - it feels like the end of an era. But any sadness has been surmounted by my delight at my new 'Craft Room' - and here it is.

Well strictly speaking it's a study-guest-play room but I think by plonking my sewing machine right in the middle sort of stakes my claim - ha ha.

I've painted the room Laura Ashley duck-egg blue. I found a perfect light fitting - not too 'bedroomy'. I've hung a set of Derbyshire landscape prints in there. These were in the lounge up till about four years ago in pine frames, it's nice to have them back on the wall again (in repainted frames).

It's nice having everything together in one room rather than stashed all round the house. I've drawers for my yarn, fabric and trimmings,

I still need to fix up some shelves but this basket is fine for my craft books for now

It's absolute bliss having an hour or so in here sat at the machine after the children are all tucked up or sneaking up in the lull after teatime when hubby is home although Lara likes pottering around with me in here too - can you see the evidence of earlier play ....

I'm still very slow at sewing but I reckon I'm improving. My 'work in progress' basket was overflowing but I've buckled down and completely finished everything (some things had been lingering around for months) - not just lovely crafting projects but the mundane like replacing zips and turning up trousers. Yep - I've finished the lot.

Also, since I last posted I've completed five cushions and have two in progress.

I'm spurred on of course by the stall I'm having at two local fetes - it was one but I've now signed up for another which is just two weeks away. I've also had a go at making hearts but I'm really struggling with the top curvy bits whatever they're called (ventricles?).

I don't have the instruction manual for my sewing machine but maybe there's something I need to twiddle with to help me turn my work while sewing (any advice much appreciated!!)

Lovely finds and pretty things

2009-05-08T04:37:00.001-07:00

After a few weeks of fruitless scouring of my usual carboot sale I was beginning to question whether it was worth continuing to go at all but the last two weeks were bountiful indeed ... below are a few of my finds.

My favourite is this vintage biscuit barrel - I love the colours, style, shape ... everything about it. It was £3.50.

This beautiful picture was mine for £2.50 - I haven't hung it yet but I have the perfect place for it on my landing (currently in state of redecoration - I need to emphasise the 'state' as it's a complete mess there but I'm flagging in enthusiam and sick of the sight of the paintbrush and smell of paint).

These were a real find - a zillion sample cards of vintage buttons. The photo show just some of my favourites but I've so many I struggled back to the car with them.

I also picked up a bundle of vintage linen including a prisine tablecloth (perfect for my patio table) and some gorgeous hand-crocheted lace which is long enough to trim a double bed sheet. The latter has been added to my ever growing WIP pile.

This is a favourite new pretty - it's the heart I was a lucky winner of Lesley's giveaway at Notes from my Days. It perfectly compliments my bedroom. I love it!! I'm going to have a bash at making hearts - now I've got to grips with sewing in straight lines!

Oh, and here's Lara's blanket (again) although it hasn't quite made it up to her room yet. I rather like it here on the sofa (I'm going to have to make another for me).

I've just e-mailed to sign up this morning to sign up to have a stall at a local fete in July and now I'm struck down with a severe case of butterflies. I've had carboot sales before but nothing like this

I'm hoping to sell some of the pretty things I've been selling recently on eBay .... bunting, birdies, hearts, cushions etc but I'm also going to have some of my handmade items (at the moment I've just three crochet hats!!) and maybe I'll try some of the surplus vintage pretties too although I don't know anyone else with 'shabby chic' decor hereabouts.

I'll need to find a table/display stands, make price lables, find a bag supplier (I'm assuming things will sell!!) eeek - what have I done??

Birthday blanket - ta da!!

2009-05-05T06:43:00.000-07:00

Here's Lara's finished blanket - phew. It's almost a year since I learnt to crochet and this has been my most ambitious project so far. I do actually have another row of squares to add (I ran out of time as this was a birthday pressie) but I'll add the remaining row on this week ... at a more leisurely pace. I shall really miss working on this blanket as I've just loved it so much (I'm already planning another). Here is the birthday girl with her new blanket (although she appreciated her new Sylvannian families much more!!!)

We had a lovely sunny trip to Chatsworth Farm for Lara's birthday treat - she even got to stroke a lamb. Unfortunately the weather wasn't kind for Lara's BBQ/birthday party but we still had a fun time. Here she is waiting for candles to be lit - she loved everyone singing 'Happy Birthday':

I love the inspiration source from blogging - I spotted a similar salad monster and had to make one for the buffet!! It had to be him who ate all the birthday cake .... it wasn't me - honest.

Blocking

2009-04-24T04:59:00.000-07:00

I am busily trying to block (stretch, pin and steam into shape) all the crochet squares for Lara's blanket in time for her 2nd birthday (next Sunday). Here's a couple of blocks in process of being blocked (the plastic push pins are not a great idea as I keep melting them onto the iron!!)

I had thought of skipping the blocking altogether but I then concidered the effort I had put in so far it seemed a shame to start cutting corners.
Blocking, albeit time consuming, really is sooo worthwhile -below is a before (left block) and after (right block) photo so you can see the effect. The effect is not just in shape and size but also in the feel and drape.

I'm unlikely to get all 40 squares blocked and attached but I thought I would do as many as possible as I would so like this to be a special memento (I can always attach a few rows after the event).

With the glorious weather earlier in the week there have been so many distractions ... like the garden ... I've had a good tidy up - preparing our meagre veg patch (to the left of the piccy below). How I long for a decent sized plot but I manage to cram in a few runner beans and courgettes.

Can you see my crochet waiting patiently on the stone bench (above)?

..... and this is the view from said bench. My garden is tiny but I do enjoy it's quietness and vistas.

Oh but what has appeared?

a delivery lorry arrived with the gazebo we've ordered in readiness for Lara's birthday/ BBQ party (just £15 from Tesco) so I thought I'd better make sure it was all OK. Lara was very excited 'helping' to put it up - it did state two people were required but one and a little bit managed alright. The trickiest bit was fixing up the bunting.

Here I am (with a tired Lara down for a nap), crochet hook in hand, starting to attach the first of the blocks.

I'm using the flat braid method to join the blocks and think it is just perfect for my vintagey blanket.

I've also been experimenting in making this soft baby crochet toy block as I've a nephew due in July and thought a set of these with different animals on one side and letters to spell out babies name on the opposite side would be cute (if it's a short name, else it will be A, B, C!!). I'm not sure whether to continue as the blocks aren't very cube-shaped and my bear looks a bit grumpy so I may opt for a blanket instead!

TTFN

Easter decorating

2009-04-16T01:07:00.000-07:00

I'm afraid that the 'Easter decorating' referred to in the title of this post is not the lovely kind involving eggs, cakes etc (like the gorgeous creations I have seen on many blogs) - no, it's been the boring, monotonous sanding skirting, slapping paint on walls kind of decorating.
Our attic conversion (aka Toby's Room) has finally been completed. After over five weeks the builders moved out last Wednesday - I say 'moved out' as they have been here 7.45am till 4.30pm every week day and a couple of week ends too. I quite miss them (the house is very quiet now!) - but I don't miss the mess!!!
We finished decorating Toby's room just before the Easter weekend and here is one end of it:

I was really pleased to find the bamboo print wallpaper (I set my alarm for 5.30am one morning to get it put up before Lara woke - dedicated (or mad!!)

I'm sad to leave the LA blue/red cars and planes decor of his old room behind as I really loved it. He was however quite adamant that his much loved pandas would be moving into his new room (I made this new door sign for him) so he hasn't grown up too much yet.

We've spent a small fortune in Ikea furnishing his room - I get a real thrill assembling Ikea furniture (very sad!!). Their Expedit range is so useful for all the 'stuff' boys accumulate.

The ultimate though for Toby was the special treat awaiting him - a Nintendo Wii. I've been quite adament that I would NEVER buy one "if you want to play tennis - go outside and play" etc but he's never really asked for anything before and the look on his face when he spotted it was priceless.
There's still a lot more decorating to do - a whole staircase area andToby's old room (soon to be the study/guest/craft room - or junk room!!).

We got away for three days over Easter in the caravan and stayed at Stratford-on-Avon on the banks of the River Avon - lovely location.

On Saturday we had a fabulous day out to Warwick Castle (we went last year too and had an equally wonderful time). It's Toby's favourite place - the battle re-enactments were "the best thing ever" and Lara had a great time too - rolling down banks.....

......splashing in puddles (luckily though it didn't rain on us for once) .......

.....stroking the horses and gazing at the peacocks displaying- how amazing these must seem to her.......

On Sunday we had an Easter egg hunt in and around the caravan ........ before enjoying a boat trip along the river into Stratford and back then for a delicious roast cooked very well by my husband in the confines of the caravan.

We were stuck in a horrendous traffic jam on the way home but not all bad as Lara had a much needed sleep, Toby played on his DS and I crocheted (so just my husband suffered). I have finally finished all the squares for Lara's blanket, I completed the last stitch last night)- just the blocking and joining now to do.

Seven things I love

2009-03-31T04:15:00.001-07:00

I was recently passed on an award from Sarah (aka Miss Sew 'n' Sew) the rules being the recipient states seven things they love. I could easily make a list of fifty or more - but here's seven of the things I love:

1) This little lot. Absolutely the meaning to my life.

2) Holidays with my family. We bought a caravan when I was pregnant with my daughter and have enjoyed lots of extra holidays/ breaks since, unfortunately the weather has never been particularly kind to us so fingers crossed for this year.

3) Sunday Lunch. We struggle to sit down all together as a family on weekdays as my husband comes home later than our tummies can cope with so I do keep to the tradition of a 'proper' family sunday lunch (guests optional). It's my children's favourite meal too. Excuse the lack of table cloth!

4) Tea. My favourite tipple - strong with a splash of semi-skimmed. I've usually had four mugs by 9.30 in the morning! I prefer Yorkshire Tea - the one in the gold packaging.

5) Crochet. I'm struggling to fit much in at the moment but if there's torrential rain again this summer when we're in the caravan I guess I'll be doing alot of hooking.

6) Car boot sales. I rarely miss a week (unless It's raining or we're away). I've picked up some wonderful things over the years. One of my favourites is this little wicker pram I bought for Lara when she was a baby - she practised her walking pushing it around.

7) Warm summer evenings in the garden ... eating outside (demonstrated by the piggies below!) .... playing with the children .... lazing on the hammock .... a glass of few of chilled cava ... oh bliss. It all seems like a distant memory at the moment ...roll on summer.

Oh, before I forget pop over and see the talented Pat at The Sewing Room she's having a fabulous giveaway and has asked for her readers to spread the word.

Louise

Mothering Weekend

2009-03-23T06:22:00.000-07:00

I always manage to extend Mother's Day to encompass the whole weekend - it only seems fair as Mother's day itself is spent with my parents/in-laws so we include Saturday as my day (I'm just greedy really!).

The children made me lovely cards, bought me a great Preserves book (lots of yummy jamming this summer). Toby, whilst not quite pampering me was giving lots of instructions to his dad to ensure I was made very special ("Dad, go make mums breafast", "Dad, make mum a cup of tea" etc).

I managed to squeeze in a brief visit to a boot sale and picked up this little painted wooden union jack table which will be perfect for my tea tray on the patio. It's on the shabby side of shabby chic but at £4 it wasn't much to spend and I adore it.

We had a trip to the zoo on Saturday and it was fabulous. Lara was on form: full of elephant and monkey impressions. She's at the most adorable age.

We all loved this mummy with her offspring, lazing and cuddling in the sunshine ....

and here I am with my offspring ...

It's been a lovely Mothering Weekend x

My Union Jack Cushion

2009-03-18T04:04:00.000-07:00

I finished my cushion last night. I had to make an emergency call out to my husband at work to pop out to pick me up some red thread - he does indulge/tolerate me so well!!)

I felt the centre needed some embellishment, I tried a rose motif, then a crochet flower but I've settled on this doggy brooch that was given to me by my grandma some 30 years ago. I don't wear the brooch as I'd hate to lose it so I'm pleased I can display it.

Can you see how neat-ish my stitching is? I didn't go over the edges at all. When I'm at the sewing machine I feel like a child learning to colour in pictures .... concentrating so hard so as not go over the lines!

A little crafting and some cooking nostalgia

2009-03-17T07:34:00.000-07:00

I popped into TK Maxx last week but couldn't resist this a lovely soft floral throw. It didn't occur to me at the time but the colours compliment Lara's in-progress crochet blanket so perfectly. I'm tempted to back her blanket with it. ... maybe ... if I can part with it.

Lara's crochet blocks are gradually multiplying - trouble is I keep getting side tracked with other things (like baking and sewing). I'd really like to complete the blanket for her 2nd birthday in May so I need to get hooking!

I also picked up some new baking tins from TK Maxx (my cheap Wilkos tins were so tatty) and made a yummy Lemon Drizzle Cake to christen my new loaf tin - I was going to make an orange cake too but we've eaten all the oranges! Lemon cake is mums speciality so it always reminds me of my childhood.

A second helping of foody nostalgia is this rhubarb from my parents ...just look at that colour ... gorgeous. When my brother and me were younger we used to pick the rhubarb then slip into the kitchen to pour ourselves big tubs of sugar to dip the stalks in (unwashed of course!) and scoff them in the garden (fighting over the pink nicest ones). I do like rhubarb. I've rhubarb crumbles cooling in the kitchen just now (roll on tea-time).

I've spent the last couple of afternoons organising all my craft bits'n'bobs - I didn't have much originally but I've been picking up 'useful' things from carboot sales over the past few weeks and my stash has grown massively.

I picked up this segmented green tray in Aldi last week - originally displaying seed packets until I took them all out :-). It''s great for organising my haberdashery. When I get an oppotunity I may cover it in some pretty paper and maybe make a lid.

The bunting I've got pinned out above is made from some triangular lace collar pieces and binding from this huge batch of vintage trimmings I found recently. The lace is really pretty - and there were just the right amount of 'flags' and exactly the right length of binding so I think this was mean't to be. I've now sewed it and it's strung across the conservatory at the moment but it's destined for Lara's new room.

I'm also making a Union Jack cushion cover - at long last:

I do love this strawberry fabric - it's also the only pretty fabric I have so I do need to treat myself to some more variety for all the projects I have planned ... perhaps Lara will get me some for Mother's Day?

A strawberry skirt for Lara

2009-03-11T03:08:00.000-07:00

I've just finished Lara's skirt as inspired by those on blogs by Deravelled and Tabiboo (great tutorial here - thank you x). I am so pleased as it's turned out exactly as I wished. I hope you don't think that sounds smug but I am at the fledgling stage of crafting where things seem at first so unachievable (like crochet once was) but then eventually it starts to come together and form something which makes you proud.

We've a trip planned to the zoo in a fortnight so hope it's sunny then and she can wear her new skirt - I've also made another strawberry hat (bigger size!) and a little brooch which I though is looks quite Joules-esque:

The fabric is of course Cath Kidston. I used to have lots of strawberry things for Lara when she was a baby. This is her in our caravan at Lyme Regis - Aug 2007 wearing the strawberry tank top I adored so much I bought in every available size!:

I hope I can post pictures of my 'strawberry toddler' soon :-)

Neigh (but yay!)

2009-03-10T03:34:00.000-07:00

I picked up this fellow at the weekend. I nearly left him behind because he was filthy but he had such a lovely face and Lara has a thing about horses at the moment so home with me he came.

Needless to say - Lara was delighted and is actually galloping across the lounge as I'm typing this.

The wierd thing was that I really expected lots of sniggering and smirking from my husband when 'Chance' (named after a horse we can see from Lara's bedroom window) came trotting (squeaky wheeling) through the front door. But he really likes him and apparently always thinks I find such great things - what? is this a temporary state or is he at long last sharing in thrifting love - yay!

Busy, busy

2009-03-02T23:12:00.000-08:00

Golly I’m whacked this morning! The weekend whizzed by in a whirl of non-stop activity and I don't think I sat down at all yesterday. This finer weather does encourage you to get out and about more doesn’t it?

Our Sunday started very early (it usually does!). Whilst Simon and Lara had a lazy morning, Toby and me skipped off (well I skipped and Toby sauntered) to the car boot sale with our empty bags and pockets full of pennies. I just love it! However, this week I felt a small sad pang as Toby was less enthusiastic than usual – but I think maybe he was tired from a busy Saturday (two football games!). I would so not wish to lose his company on Sunday mornings as he’s been coming with me (and sharing the doughnuts) for I would guess five years now.

The market was teeming and these were our finds: the china posies and glass lidded bowl were just 10p each, the vintage mixing bowl a bargain £1, the pristine vintage cushion cover, monsoon jewellery wrap (which I’m going to convert for my crochet hooks), and white metal tray were all 50p each and I picked up another wicker cart for Lara’s toys (this is the third one so far – so handy).

And look at all this lot – a phenomenal haul of vintage trimmings and motifs. I was rooting through them on a stall but then decided to make an offer and bought the lot. Lara and I have spent the morning so far sorting these. I’m thrilled with them. I’m planning on making Lara some skirts for summer as seen here and here so I shall be using some there but It may be a while before I make any inroads into this stash!
.
After the market we all went to walk around a new plantation about 10 miles away at Hartshone which is will become partof the New National Forest. Toby had been to plant trees (fourteen in total!) a couple of weeks earlier with school and I really wanted to photograph the area so we could look back in years to come. Here's Toby showing us the way:

Part of the site had been a kiln so there were a few small piece of broken crocks around which we collected - It was like treasure hunting –I’d like to make a mosaic one day of all the broken bits of pot we’ve picked up over the years!
Coincidently, the mixing bowl from the morning’s car boot sale was made at Church Gresley just a mile or so from where we were walking.

In the afternoon we decided to visit another kiln: The BottleKiln – this time a converted building which sells gorgeous things (Greengate, Bridgewater, Gisela Graham etc). I had read about it on this blog and have been meaning to visit for a few weeks. Lovely place but not ideal with a 9 year old who has to look at everything ‘with his hands’, a 22 month old who ‘wants everything’ coupled with an inviting garden area which is "adults only" - boo!!!. We then went for tea at a nearby pub and were just in time to watch a local hunt leaving, such a magnificent sight to see all those riders and horses – Lara was spellbound.

Then when we got home (with full tummies) and I just wanted to collapse on the sofa but we had the builders starting at home yesterday to convert the loft into an extra room (which will free up a study (aka my craft room!)) so we had to empty the last few boxes out of the loft and generally sort things out. So much stuff! Today I'm emptying the airing cupboard and a built in wardrobe. Where do I put it all??The house looks chaotic. I can't wait till it's all finished!!!

One down!

2009-02-18T00:40:00.000-08:00

I made a start on Lara's throw last night and here's the first block:

The pattern is from the book below - I had been waiting for the library to get it in but it looked so useful that I gave up and bought a copy. Can you see all my little page markers? I am just so spoilt for choice on all the designs. For anyone who has the book this is design#189 but I've used different colours.

I haven't calculated how many blocks overall I'm going to need (too scary!). I would like the overall blanket to me a muted affair of pinks (including 'poncho pink'!), cream, blues, greens and white. A mammoth hooking-fest over the next few weeks... months...years!!

Giveaway winner!

2009-02-15T09:58:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who has stopped by to enter my Green Gables Giveaway (incidently there is a real Green Gables as I discovered via this lovely blog uinfortunately I can only offer the book and not the wonderful house!!)

Well down to business. Here's my beautiful assistant to draw the winner from my new pink hearts mixing bowl (a Valentines Day pressie from me to me!)

and who is it Lara?

Sorry ... do scroll down ....just trying to build the tension (tee hee)

It's:

Well done Beki!! and sorry for the soggy looking entry slip - I'd washed the bowl earlier in readiness for some half-term baking and it wasn't properly dry.

If could you drop me an e-mail with your address please .... and also next weeks lottery numbers if you would please as you seem to be on a winning streak just now :-)

Thanks again everyone - I really enjoyed hosting a giveaway (even just this little one) and am already planning a future one and may well be brave enough to include something I've crafted next time.

Louise
x

Thrifty yarn

2009-02-13T01:20:00.000-08:00

My in-laws visited yesterday bringing with them a boot full of 'booty' coutesy of my sister in-laws latest clear-out. My mother-in-law said the items (mainly clothes) were destined for the charity bag but then they thought I might have greater need of them! She is of course referring to my new SAHM status and reduced earnings .... she does mean well of course (although I'm not sure that I'm a charity case - just yet!). But what better way to spend an afternoon than a good rummage through boxes of 'stuff''.

I picked out a couple of bits for me - my sister-in-law does like her boutiques and designer labels so there was some real gems however she is much shorter and curvier than me so some of the lovely trousers and tops etc are destined for eBay.

One item I ame across was this Per Una poncho. I remember this from about 5 years ago as I bought one after seeing in featured in the Sunday Times Style supplement. But it never suited me and I took it back. My sister-in-law bought one too and it looked great on her. Anyway trends have changed and here it is photographed yesterday to be listed on eBay.

But then I had a look to see where to pitch my starting price - £4.99 maybe? but it seems no-one wants a poncho from some seasons back as there were many not sold for just 99p. Golly 99p.... surely the cotton yarn is worth more than that .... and such a lovely colour too (an oyster pink - same colour as my lounge walls) .... perfect for little hats .... and well, here's that lovely poncho now.

How could I !!!

Well actually it was quite therapeutic - the destruction (harvesting?) of something was nearly as pleasurable as creating something.

I did feel slightly awful ripping it all and know in my heart that the original item was so superior to what it will yield from my crochet hook. But now I've got a good quantity of lovely quality of yarn to fulfil hat requests from friends and also some scraps for a long planned granny square throw.

If you've read my previous posts you'll see that I do like 'thrifty' yarn. I get a lot of pleasure not only from making something nice but I also love knowing that what I've made is at a fraction of equivalent shop cost. So I'm setting myself a challenge to make the intended granny throw from 're-cycled yarns'. Cue some rummaging at future car-boot sales for some more garments to destroy (send any cotton jumpers my way please!) - riiiiipppppp.

Thank you for the comments on my previous post (Lara's beret). I'm not by nature a 'crafter' so it still comes as a suprise when something turns out OK. Of course things always look twice as nice once they're on your kiddies - Lara really transforms a lump of knotted wool!.

Have a great weekend - my pleas yesterday for warmer weather have been answered (today at least!).

Oo la la Lara (a crochet beret for my little poppet)

2009-02-12T00:24:00.000-08:00

Lara's hats are all beginning to get a bit snug and it's still too chilly for her 'spring collection'. So I made this crochet beret over the last few days. It was incredibly simple but it took me some effort to work out the increases and decreases to get the fit and shape right (the effort being in the fact that I ripped it right back and re-worked it THREE times... aaargh... and then it could still do with being a tad bigger). The initial one looked like a saucer plonked on top of her head :-(

However, I now have it sussed so am going to scale it up to make one for my older niece and also maybe one for me too (well I've added these to my ever growing 'to do' list).

The beret matches the cardigan and scarf made previously from this batch of bargain 4ply wool(and I've still one ball left!). Here's a close up of the detail on the beret.

It was very chilly out when I took these photos on the way back from school this morning although the sun was lovely. Surely we're due some warmer weather soon?

My 'Library' ... and a little giveaway

2009-02-08T09:11:00.000-08:00

Whilst pregnant with Lara I had a blitz on decluttering the lounge as we needed to basically gain more space for another family member (and all the baby paraphernalia). I consigned a large pine bookcase to the garage and all it's contents (mostly books) to the loft. The extra space gained was a bonus but I've missed my books :-(

I don't actually own many books, I borrow mostly from the library or circulate them around, but I got my small collection of titles down from the loft last week, deciding I needed to stash them somewhere more accessible.

After a while pondering I settled upon this fairly vacant zone .... the downstairs toilet!

The conversation with my husband then went something like this .....

Him: "it's a toilet, you can't put up book shelves in a toilet"

Me: "it won't be a toilet then, it'll be a library and, after all, you can have a toilet in a library"

So we cobbled together some shelving, neither of us has much DIY savvy but it's suprisingly fairly level and still fixed to the wall under the load. I then found the great shabby chic library door sign pictured at the top of this blog which finishes it all off a treat. I could just do with one saying "Quiet Please" next to the loo!

Still on the book theme I've decided to start collecting copies of my old favourite books. Toby and I read a lot together but there are certain books which he would view as too girly but it won't be too many years before Lara and I are sharing novels (I do hope that she'll be a reader).

Anyway, I will move on to the giveaway .... I had some vouchers for Amazon and amongst my orderings was a copy of Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery - I've read it several times in the past but never owned a copy so I clicked and it was mine (and Lara's). Well actually I must have clicked-clicked because when my order arrived I'd bought two copies (stooopid!!). So I've decided to pass my spare copy on through a giveaway. I guarantee this book will warm you through in this chilly weather - just leave a comment on this post and I'll draw the lucky winner in one weeks time - (unless I just get just one comment (I don't get many readers!) then of course I'll skip the actual draw!). I'm also including the other items as shown: a beachhut bookmark, ivory painted metal hanging rabbit decoration and a little choccie bar.

So good luck and to quote from Green Gables: "Next to trying and winning, the best thing is trying and failing."

My 'tag' piccie

2009-02-04T05:41:00.001-08:00

I've been tagged by the lovely lady Pat at The Sewing Room to post my 4th photo from my 4th folder (which is titled August '07) and this is it ...... Lara at 3 months.....

There's no particular background to the photo - I just remember it was after bathtime and she was so adorable and full of chatter and smiles that I took lots of pictures to capture the moment and just wished that the video camera had been to hand.

Thank you for the tag Pat, I've really enjoyed looking through the photos from that summer and revisiting some lovely memories. I know I should now tag others - but from the blogs I read it seems most have done it already.

Frostina the Snowlady

2009-02-03T03:06:00.000-08:00

I couldn't wait for school to finish yesterday. In fact, I was tempted to invent a dentist's appointment and collect Toby early I was that excited! But eventually, (after being snowballed mercilously on the way home from school) we were out in what Toby described as a 'winter wonderland' this was the view from the side of my house ....

This is out first snowman (or snowlady). Toby named her 'Frostina' which I thought was lovely and she is sooo shabby chic in her CK gloves and vintage sunhat!

and you can just see Lara there in the background taking shelter in the playhouse when the snow started to whirl round like we were in a snowglobe. When we had finished there was quite a snowman army surrounding the house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When we looked out this morning this image made us laugh.... poor Frostina... it looks like she has one hand held aloft pleading for help.

When I went outside to reclaim my hat and gardening gloves I saw such beautiful things..... snow drops peeking through .......

and prettiest primulas ....

and yet more pretties this morning... the giveaway package from Gemma @ Deravelled arrived which was so beautifully wrapped ......

and contained such lovely things .... I was so lucky!

The icing on the cake

2009-01-30T02:43:00.000-08:00

When I started blogging it was really as a chronological record of my crochet creations but then I also wanted somewhere to record the everyday kind of events that I could look back on in years to come that would othewise get lost to memory. I keep a seperate journal for our family holidays and other events are saved for posterity by photos or so this blog is really everything else!

I have only recently discovered other peoples blogs and am delighted to find such a wonderful community of likeminded folk and am beginning to receive comments which I love. Then as an extra special treat I received an award today from Lou @ Ludabelle (thank you!). This lady has had a flurry of much deserved awards ... I'm not sure which of her awards she is passing on but I like this one so I've greedily grabbed it:

maybe with my new SAHM status I'll now have a little more time for reading and aspire to be more like Marie Antoinette .
Thanks again for my award it really is the icing on the cake for a blogger.

Now talking of icing on the cake (and a horrible TV style link) here's an opportunity to show my mornings labours. It's my gorgeous Toby's 9th birthday today so I've been busy decorating cakes (the sponges I made yesterday). The first is for his bowling party tommorrow:

For those (most I'm guessing) of you who don't recognise that wierd looking creature it's a Pokemon called Empoleon (see below - identical twins eh?)- we've moved on now from trains

The second cake is an over-the top chocolate butter cream concoction for our family get together tonight (and as Marie Antoinette may have said '"let them eat cake" - this award is going to my head!!). Would you like some?? It smells sooo chocolatey mmmm!!

I'll save you a slice if there's any left over ;-)

Every day is a weekend

2009-01-28T02:34:00.000-08:00

Well I'm now officially a stay at home mum (big, big smiles) and all this week I've had that weekend feeling (you know when you wake up and initially think it's a work day then and realise it's a Saturday ... well it's that feeling). I've always held a job since the paperrounds of my early teens which is over twenty years of employment so it's a wierd (but good) feeling to be beholden to no one. I'll be a fair bit poorer .... but a lot happier.

I had increased from part-time working to full-time which was just a nightmare, the job was great but after the euphoria of a successful interview etc very shortly into the job I realised that I'd changed over the years and, whilst I used to be very career orientated, I just wanted to be home with my children. I considered part-time again but it was never actually "part-time" as I would be e-mailing and writing reports on my non-working days so I've decided to have a clean break for the forseeable future. I'll still be eBaying and pulling in a bit of bookeeping for my husband so in essence I'll still be working ... but just when I've nothing better to do :-)

Of course I'll have more time for crochet. I've started this tunic for Lara. I'm using a 5mm hook, which feels so huge and clumsy after using a 3mm hook on my previous cardigan project, but it's working up really quickly. I have also 'invented' a new variation on a shell stitch (basically a morphing of two styles of shell stitch). I'm sure this stitch exists somewhere but I've never seen it before and it'll be perfect for Lara's clothes as it'll be dense enough to prevent toys snagging but not too dense to be heavy.

A cardigan for Lara

2009-01-24T02:01:00.000-08:00

I've been working on this crocheted cardigan for what seems like forever and finally finished it last night .... well actually it isn't truly finished as the pattern I was following had a collar too but I didn't feel it needed a collar when worn over a pretty blouse and also by the time I'd finished the lacy shell pattern on the body I couldn't face making the collar!

The pattern is the Lacy Cardigan from The Big Book of Weekend Crochet by Hilary Mackin & Sue Whiting. I made the largest size and also went up a hook size (I use a 3mm as I anticipating some shrinkage as I used a yarn with wool).

I wasn't too happy with how the sleeves have turned out as they are over-long (despite me reducing them by two rows) and also quite wide and bulky across the shoulders (if I make this pattern again I may omit the sleeves altogther and make it as waistcoat or tank-top/tunic). The yarn I used is Sirdar Country Style 4 ply, I also used the same to make this scarf that I completed a few weeks back - I bought eight balls for 25p each from a car-boot sale. So the cardigan cost 75p and the scarf 50p in materials and I still have two balls left for a matching hat!

Here's another picture of Lara - thoroughly enjoying modelling for mummy (and of course Chester joining in wherever he can ... it's so hard to get a photo without some or all of him sneaking in to it!)

Flu

2009-01-06T04:16:00.000-08:00

I normally manage to escape the clutches of most Winter ailments but this weekend I was struck by a flu type bug which has kept me under the duvet for two days solid. I find being ill so frustrating... but it's not all bad as I have been able to dip into my towering reading pile and have just finished this gem of a book (Miss Buncle's Book - D.E. Stevenson) which is a funny, witty, easy read - the perfect tonic!

And to cheer me up even more the postman brought the new Laura Ashley catalogue and the set of wonderful bumblebee glasses I'd ordered from Dibor (one of my favourite web shops). Just perfect for my lucozade!

A lazy day

2008-12-30T01:37:00.000-08:00

No more cooking, no more buffets and no more visitors .... for a day or so anyway until all the family and friends things start again for the New Year!! However, today we're having a much needed rest. The children lay in till nearly 8.00am (latest ever!) and for the first time in many weeks we can have a lazy pyjama day - oh bliss!

Before I put the kettle on and eat the last mince pie I just wanted to show off this cushion I've just finished, the inspiration came from here. It used up lots of cotton oddments (making way for the 2009 stash additions!)

Another view of the cushion (and Chester continuing our lazy day theme!)

I am going to settle down now and have a flick through these lovely books that I bought from eBay before Christmas and haven't chance to enjoy yet.

Speaking of eBay I've now reached 10,000 feedback. Gosh, when I think of the number of parcels I've dispatched over the last few years and all the miles of sellotape I must have used!

However, I have reduced my eBay business to a manageable level as I'm working more hours at 'real' work for the next few months but I'm already itching to get out to trade shows and wholesalers in the new year so I must be strict with myself and try not to take too much on (a sound New Year's resolution for me!).

Happy New Year
x

We're all ready!

2008-12-22T22:24:00.000-08:00

The shopping is done (phew), the pressies are wrapped, mince pies made, the parties been and gone and the house is (fairly) tidy. This for me is the worst bit about Christmas - the waiting!

Meanwhile here are Toby and Lara getting into the spirit of things:

I feel this may be the last year that Toby will oblige me by donning a costume at every opportunity (he'll be nine next year) so for good measure here they both are from last years Christmas card:

Christmas cake #2

2008-12-19T23:59:00.000-08:00

Here's my Christmas cake this year - a bit rushed as Toby was home from school poorly yesterday (needing lots of mummy cuddles) and we had friends for supper so I was rolling icing and marzipan at top speed in between preparing for the evening, playing with Lara and nursing Toby.

[The little white blobs are actually doves!]

Some seasonal crafts

2008-12-16T02:09:00.000-08:00

Most of our Christmas decorations are like old friends with whom it's great to be re-united after many months. However, some of the tree ornaments were looking a little dated so I've made quite a few changes this year (lots of Gisela Graham!).

Realising I was at risk of blowing the budget I did make some decorations for the garland which I'm really pleased with. Dad cut out the wooden heart shapes which I painted in Laura Ashley Duck Egg Blue and Chalk Pink with white polka dots.

Here is a seasonal crochet creation.... I'm so please with how this pudding hat has turned out (it's the same basic pattern as the strawberry and pumpkin hats).

Lara was captivated by the 'Santa Army'!

My favourite room ...

2008-11-30T22:21:00.000-08:00

We've just finished decorating the lounge (hurrah!) and am so pleased with it. It's taken over a month to do but with having a little one there is only so much you can get done during her sleeps or after bedtime. The walls are a combination of Laura Ashley Duck-Egg Blue, Vanilla and Oyster (I love these colours).

The new sofa and chair arrived on Wednesday and I ordered some gorgeous blossom cushions from House of Fraser which came on Saturday.

Then on Sunday Toby and I braved the chill and went to the car boot sale. There were an amazing lots of stalls (I expected a sparse afair on account of near freezing temperatures at 7.30am when we left home). We found this fabulous little rocking chair for Lara (£2.50) which co-ordinates so well - she loves it too.

Just look at Lara's hair! Daddy washed and dressed her on Sunday and ommitted to smooth down those unruly curls!

A new bed for Chester

2008-11-28T04:12:00.000-08:00

I had put aside a piece of the blue polka fabric to make cushions but decided to make Chester a bed as we're all jostling for position on the sofa in the evenings!

This is the latest in a long line of cat beds (radiator bed, igloo, wicker). None before have ever met with his satisfaction, but just look .....

and I promise I didn't manhandle him in just for the photo!

Some more sewing ...

2008-11-21T02:03:00.000-08:00

My parents came over last week and brought my old dolls cot with them. My dad had made it for me over 30 years ago but he replaced a broken strutt and revamped it with a lick of paint and it looks just adorable. Amazingly though it has shrunk substantially in the intervening years (or have I grown?). I was busy last week making a new matress along with a bedding set. I found some gorgeous pink gingham fabric on eBay and teamed it with pink ribbon and some white broderie lace (20p from a car boot sale!). I'm thrilled with the outcome. It will be Lara's Christmas present along with a new baby - I can't wait for Christmas morning.

I haven't neglected crochet with all this sewing. I completed Lara's new scarf this morning. She isn't around to model it as she's having a snooze since she was wide awake before 5.00am this morning - oh joy!

Some sewing and Pi

2008-11-05T14:19:00.000-08:00

It's a long, long time since I had a good session on the sewing machine but the grotty weather has kept us indoors so I made up this bean bag and a length of bunting for each end of the room.

I came across a bag of polystyrene prills that I consigned to the loft when Toby was a baby (a never started project) and the blue polka dot fabric was intended to be cushions for the patio furniture but we didn't spend that many evening outside this year so I never got started on this project either. It's satisfying to put these materials to good use at last.

I made the top and bottom circles for the bean bag but then was struggling to measure up the length for the sides when the formula to calculate circumference sprung into my mind! I often remember wondering during my maths lessons when I would have cause to use anything we were taught .... and well 20 years later this bit of embedded knowledge did prove useful!

Christmas Cake

2008-11-03T06:45:00.001-08:00

December will be hectic this year - we've got a week away at the start of the month then I'll be working full-time from 8th December for the foreseeable future (this I have mixed feelings about but it's one of those opportunities that I would regret if I didn't give it a go). So, with all the family coming for Christmas Day I've started planning earlier this year. I don't usually make my Christmas Cake till the end of November as I make a lighter fruit cake so it doesn't particularly benefit from months of maturing (just a few good doses of alcohol).

I've made Delia Smiths Whisky Dundee Cake recipe for the last thirteen years (I like traditions!). Thankfully I have two assistants this year to help with all the festive preparations ....

Pumpkins

2008-10-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

I've been struggling to fit in any crochet at all over the past few weeks as any spare time is devoted to re-vamping the lounge (hopefully it'll all be done for Christmas!)

I did manage a hat for Lara which was highly complemented at nursery, here's 'my little pumpkin' ....

and here's my other pumpkin (made using my scary Toby template):

Eggs

2008-10-30T00:10:00.000-07:00

We've been inundated with eggs over the last fortnight (and we don't even keep chickens - yet!).

My husband was given a couple of dozen by a farmer friend and then on Monday I took the children to Happy Hens where we fed the animals and also collected our own eggs of course.

Lara was rather in awe of the livestock (I guess geese, pigs, goats and even the chickens seem so huge to her, and all so noisy too!) so she spent much of the outing clinging to my legs! Toby of course loved every minute. I just adore the way he immerses himself so completely in every activity and adventure.

I'm still desperate for my own hens (they have names already!) but this small dream is hinged upon whether we are successful in aquiring the plot of land adjacent to our garden. This has been an ongoing saga of over two years - but one day ......

Amongst the omelettes, scrambled eggs and dippy eggs I made these egg bakes which are based on a recipe I spotted in a supermarket brochure - I didn't retain the brochure so made it from memory and they were a lovely tasty brunch (or great toddler sized meal):

Egg Bakes

200g sweetcorn
cheese
100ml milk
200ml single cream
5 medium eggs
1 courgette
Fresh chives

1) Whiz the sweetcorn in the processor with the milk until creamy, add the eggs and continue for a minute ir so more. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the cream.
2) Use the processor to grate the cheese and courgette . Add to the mixing bowl and stir well.
3) Pour into 6 or 7 greased ramekins. Stand the ramekins in a tin filled half way with water and bake for about 40mins at gas 3 (150 C).
4) Garnish with chives.