French Knots

Damp days

What a soggy week, I seem to have spent it chasing my tail and trying to get things done. What I find frustrating is that so much of what I do is invisible; tidy the playroom and it's messy again in no time, ditto hoovering, do the washing and bingo the washing basket is full again . Don't get me wrong, I enjoy making our home comfortable and welcoming but I prefer the things with a more visible end result. Spending time making something ornamental or unnecessary just because I want to is fine and pleases me.

Perhaps the horrid weather is dampening my mood; having to light a fire at the end of June as it is so cold, getting drenched endless times a day while doing errands or the school/playgroup run. We usually walk round to playgroup as it is only round the corner but this morning I couldn't face another soggy trudge so we hopped in the car - and my spirits lifted as one of my favourite songs came on the radio - Stepping Out by Joe Jackson, in fact I drove round the long way so I could listen to it all! I love the way that a song can connect you with happy memories and positive feelings. I'm going to dig out a couple of his CDs and indulge in some nostalgia.

The work room make over continues and will take sometime, but I have got a few projects finished. The little chair has come up well

I just need to track down a better table and I'll be able to sew without giving myself a crick in the neck. Once I'd got the staple gun out I couldn't stop so also revamped an old folding table that had been my Gram's with some spotty sage green oil cloth

The glass candlesticks are destined to become cakestands once I find a couple of pretty plates to glue on top and I liked the pattern on the pyrex dish, nothing like a bargain at the charity shop to cheer you up. I've also finished The Big Sister's Birthday crown

She likes it, which is the main thing. I like it too.

Sorry the pictures are all so dark but as it's June we can't expect sunshine can we??

WIP!

This is current wip and is likely to take weeks to finish, or possibly years! My work room has been in need of a sort out for ages and now that I've started it's an even bigger mess

I'm organising stuff into boxes and even putting tags on so I know what's inside

Then everything has to be moved while the walls are painted and the shelves are moving to the other end of the room and will be hidden with muslin curtains. I'm a dreadful hoarder and it's proving tricky to get rid of things but I have, at long last, sent the great big stripey office chair on it's way. I used to sit on it at work and brought it home when the office was being refurbed about 15 years ago. It was still fine to sit on so I put it on Freecycle and had quite a few people respond. A very nice lady picked it up yesterday ( after I nearly slipped a disc getting it downstairs as it is blummin heavy!) and I have more space already but what to sit on? I had an old chair that had been my parents, covered in black vinyl.

but underneath was this original green and cream. It must be at least 40 years old, I'm going to paint the woodwork and brighten it up.

I've unearthed all sorts of things that I'd forgotten about including this

The apron I made at school, in the first year seniors I think. It brought back memories, I really enjoyed the needlework classes even though the teacher was fearsome! I remember making a hideous blue wool seven gored skirt with matching waistcoat too. I don't remember how to do the smocking now but it must have taken ages

I went through a bit of a Goth phase, wearing nothing but black, which could explain the colour choice. Have a lovely, creative weekend.

 

Lovely felt

Inspired by Soule mama's lovely birthday crowns I fancied making them for the children. The local shop only has the most revolting colours of felt so I had a look on line and found Myriad. They have wool felt in a wonderful range of colours, I placed the order yesterday afternoon and it has already been delivered.....less than 24 hours later! What amazing service, I'll certainly be using them again

I also ordered the book of button games which I saw mentioned on Wisecraft and thought it would be handy for the summer holidays......I'm sure I've got a few buttons lying around somewhere!

How to look good naked....

Have you watched it?.....Never mind looking good naked, I'd like to look good with my clothes on! I'd like Gok to come round here and help me out, he is so good at making ' his girls' relax and love their bodies. Perhaps if a was a stone or three lighter it wouldn't be so hard, ah well maybe one day. In fact maybe one day before August next year as I will be 40 and would like to feel I'd taken myself in hand before then. 40 seems to hold more fears for me than 30 did, 30 I didn't mind at all but 40, not so sure. At 40 aren't you meant to be a grown up, in control, know where your life is heading?! I've only got just over a year to work it all out!

While we were away we went to the nearest town and found the most amazing shop, buttons galore! Sorry for the crappy ' through the window' photo. I nipped in for a quick look, leaving the family on the pavement. It was so different to the shops round here. A whole shop devoted to notions, staffed by three busy women with a huge queue waiting to be served. In fact they had a ticket machine like the ones at the deli counter in supermarkets! I suppose it was a good job I couldn't wait to be served or we'd have been paying for excess baggage on the plane home.

Success at Ikea over the weekend, we found a lovely bed for My Little Helper. A cabin bed up a little ladder with room to play underneath, we also got a tent thing to go on top of it with stars all over which goes really well with the rocket duvet cover and planets on the walls. He is very pleased with it and keeps inviting people to come for a sleepover in his new bed. I snuggled in with him on Sunday morning, savouring his hot little body cuddled up against me as no doubt the day when he no longer wants to snuggle his Mummy will come all too soon. No trip to Ikea would be complete without a selection of scissors, storage boxes and picture frames ' because they are so nice and so cheap'! I got some small wooden frames for The Big Sister's beach party which will be great for a craft activity if the swimming and splashing get too giddy as they can be covered with shells and glitter, all little girls love glue and glitter don't they?

Friday already??

I'm having trouble settling back into a routine since getting back from holiday, this week has slipped away somewhere and even though each day has been busy I've not done half the things I wanted to. This includes replies to those of you kind enough to comment recently so please accept a thank you instead and I'll get back on track next week. I have got a couple of orders finished which I'll deliver in the playground later and started gathering some thoughts for the upcoming birthdays. My Little Helper will be 4 and The Big Sister will be 8 in a few weeks, guess what these are for...

She's having a beach party so fingers crossed for a sunny day,but I bet they'd be happy swimming in the pool in the rain. ( No we don't have a real pool just one of those ones that's like a huge paddling pool)  I've got a big bag of shells and some picture frames for them to make some seaside photo frames and I'm going to make some large paper palm trees to decorate the garden plus bunting and lots of shells on the table.

We noticed how they are getting older while we were away as they were happy to do some sight seeing which a year or so ago would have been a no no for My Little Helper. We had a lovely wander round some of the medieval fortified villages

The warm yellows of the brickwork looked lovely in the sunshine and there were lots of lovely alleys leading round corners

to more lovely sights.

Have a relaxing weekend, I'm planning one apart from a trip to Ikea to but a bed for My Little Helper which will be anything but relaxing!

   

Home sweet home

What a lovely couple of weeks, lazing around in the sun, swimming in the sea and building sandcastles. The days seem longer when you don't try to fit as much in as normal, bit of bar- b- qing was as taxing as it got.

I collect some lovely shells and seaglass and fortunately my husband is used to my bringing bits and bobs home.

There were several surprises waiting for me when I got back which made the return from holiday less depressing

A super package from Angelina with a magazine for reading peacefully ( in the bath probably) and a couple of postcards of her home town. It's good to know the Mcminnville Gas Co has been going strong since 1946! I had to hurry to open the packages as MyLittle Helper and The Big Sister were keen to 'assist'. Isn't the paper lovely? The lovely scent gave me a clue as to what might be inside.... 

A lovely lavender sachet which I'm going to keep on my bedside table to help me sleep and a dinky keyring embroidered with French Knots of course! Go and visit her at Dustpan Alley where she always has something thought provoking to say.

My Coast subscription had also arrived and when I get a new magazine I like to flick through quickly anticipating the enjoyment ahead. Which is what I was doing when the shrieking started

A few months ago I had spoken to a very nice lady called Clare at Coast and emailed her the details of our cottage in the hope it would be included in the Homes to Buy Beside the Sea feature but I hadn't heard anything back so assumed it wasn't suitable.......but no! There we are right in the middle,  I am excited out of all proportion and feel like our cottage is a bit famous. Fingers crossed someone is interested in it.

Now I have lots of blog reading to catch up on - what a terrible chore!