French Knots

We're all going on a ......

Well not quite a summer holiday but certainly a lovely sunny holiday by the sea. I've finally got the cowgirl tshirt done for The Big Sister, she's only been asking for three months !

I've also spiffied up a pair of last years trousers for her, they were a bit short in the leg so I lopped off a bit more to make them cutoffs and added a polka dot ribbon and rosette

 

Just what she needs for lazy sun filled days. I'm already looking forward to a major catch up session with all my favourite blogs when I get back, see you in a couple of weeks.

Come on you reds

The rain has really brought everything on even more in the garden, especially after all the sunshine in April. My poppy usually blooms in mid June

but it's out already and looking wonderful. I love the vibrant colour and the inky purple centre, even the texture of the petals pleases me. Sadly I wont be enjoying any lupin flowers this year as the slugs have polished off every leaf on the plant, wish they eat all the dandelions in the lawn instead...but not the daises, i like them and always mow round them as they are pretty.

Top to toe

You know how sometimes when you go shopping with an idea of what you want in an ' I'll know it when I see it' kind of way.........

Perfect! Love the fabric, very comfortable, great price and just right for when the sun comes out again.Funny how buying shoes is so much easier than buying clothes...as my feet never look like they are bulging out in all the wrong places.

I've been sorting out my underwear drawer to support this  Bra Appeal, they distribute bras for homeless ladies. I had a pile that I'd worn once or twice and then decided that they weren't really as comfy as I first thought so I'm going to send them off.  Have a rummage in your drawers too and give them plenty of support!

Green fingers

Between the showers and torrential downpours I have managed to get a bit of gardening done. I love watching seedlings mature and develop, My Little Helper had sown some magic beans ( runner beans) and we planted them out together and they are now romping up the wall. The courgettes however are faring less well, we transplanted six plants  into pots at the weekend and they barely have leaf left between them! I don't use slug pellets though I'm happy to sprinkle slugs with salt when I catch them chomping on my new shoots. Snails get picked of which ever of my poor plants they are eating and I have to confess I throw them over the fence! Now that's not as bad as it sounds because we are next to the school and my idea is that the birds will find them in the playground and have a tasty treat.

I planted these little tea cups with Alyssum, they were 10p each in the charity shop and I like their translucent finish, as yet they have not been eaten by anything so fingers crossed.

baby baby

I had a few commissions to finish, a couple of Baptism pictures and also two pictures for friends who had babies

Inky fingers, scraps of felt snipped and they were done, what's with all the boys?

Then a colleague of my husband's had a girl to even up the numbers a bit

I love making these pictures to mark the arrival of a special new person

Mmm that lovely new baby smell, their tiny ears and gorgeous fingers....broody... no..just nostalgic as mine seem to be growing up so fast. I've loved being off this year ( for new readers I was made redundant at the beginning of the year from a rather full on, consuming job) having time with the children, not having to rush from the moment we all wake up, enjoying a book and a cuddle together, planting seeds, baking, swimming lessons and going to the park. Their childhood is so fleeting, I'm glad I'm here more now to be a bigger part of it. Of course the days when they are bickering, arguing over toys and generally being horrible are slightly less Pollyannaish!

Treasure

I have been snapping up a few unconsidered trifles as Angel Jem so correctly said a couple of posts ago! Some super bits of fabric and half a dozen lovely old embroidery hoops, the jar of buttons are just for starters - look at the main course....

A large box jammed full of goodies, many still on the cards. Underneath is a treasure trove of mother of pearl buttons too, all in a paper covered box so they must have been treasured over the years.

I'm going to use the hoops to try this out, I have so much gorgeous fabric that I rarely see so putting it on show makes perfect sense. I'm going to hang them on the wall in my newly tided craft room if the fairies ever come and sort it out for me.

This and that

Many people have posted recently about the revival of Victoria magazine and it's much anticipated return. I have a couple of very old issues that I don't need and wondered if anyone wanted- February 1997 and February 1998?

Had a great night out with some friends last week, we went to see The Producers with Peter Kay and John Gordon Sinclair. I had no idea what it was about before we went which is often best. It was hilarious with Peter Kay stealing the show, a real mood lifter. Peter Kay is a favourite in this house at the moment because of his part in Roary the Racing Car. We have taped each episode and My Little Helper has watched them about 10 times each already, it would be interesting to know how many of his lines are actually scripted.. It's a great programme which will no doubt result in little Roary Racing Cars to buy in time for Christmas.

To do list

We are going away at Whit for 2 weeks ( hurrah!) and between now and when we come back from Holiday there are 7 birthdays, family and friends, and also Father's Day the weekend after we come back. So I need to get organised, make a list and get creating............so what do I do but make a pincushion .........

Yes that'll get the jobs done! It is vital really because when I'm hand sewing downstairs I use this lovely pincushion from the talented Raspberry

but upstairs I only have a little pot by the sewing machine so the pins get stuck in my fingers - so time well spent right? But no more stabbed fingers as I now have my new pincushion made from this straight forward tutorial.I decorated the top with a couple of vintage buttons and the underneath with a little felt yo yo and another vintage button , which nobody can see but I know it's there!

Of course the rest of the room is still in total chaos but I'm sure having my pins organised is the first step to getting my presents made and maybe even tidying the room a little!

19 years...

Today is our Wedding Anniversary, we met 21 years ago yesterday at the May Day Steam and got married two years later almost to the day. We nostalgically go back to the May Day Steam most years not that we were into Traction engines then or indeed now but it's a fun day out.

I like the smell and the sound of the engines, they are amazing machines well loved and cared for and the ground trembles as they rumble into the area to parade round.

There is also a tractor parade followed by motorbikes, vintage cars and vintage fire engines. My Little Helper was especially impressed with the fire engines this year, he's just at that age when little boys are keen on 'nee-naws'

We sat on the rug and enjoyed a healthy lunch!!

A lovely relaxed family day, and without the May Day Steam our family would not be.

Have been thinking about another family the last few days and hope that little Madeleine is found safe and well.

She sells seashells on the seashore

What do you get from a piece of driftwood, some clout nails and a few shells?

A tidy dressing table

My jewellery box has been overflowing for sometime as I just can't resist a pretty necklace, I wanted a solution that would also allow me to see, and enjoy, some of them when they are not being worn. It also reminds me of being on holiday as I collected the wood and shells when we were last away in Catalonia, I had to sneak them in the suitcase to get them home as I have a reputation for collecting junk - an outrageous slur on my character!