Tuesday 24 February 2009

My Pegrail is Finished...... EDIT

Here's my finished peg rail! Hubby made it, and I painted it. I've put a few bits on it, not sure if they'll stay there yet, I may still move things around. Its in my kitchen so is for practical items, like my apron, as well as pretties. Please ignore the decor, I really hate our kitchen, and would love a new one and have it all decorated. The kitchen is the original 80's one and we painted the walls yellow about 9 or 10 years ago. I loved it then, but hate it now. Our kitchen is more shabby, than chic, and my cafe net curtain could probably considered vintage by now!


I made this heart yesterday, using Laura Ashley BiBi fabric, with one of the vintage buttons I got on Sunday. It has a lovely rose scent, and I'm really pleased with it. I'm going to make some more of these and pop in my blog shop this week. I'm also making some more bunting. Its smaller and is for our bedroom.

Scrummy pancakes for tea tonight, can't wait. HAPPY PANCAKE DAY!
EDIT.......
A plea to all my blogging friends. Does anyone have a fat quarter or similar size piece of orange or terracotta linen or linen mix fabric, that I could swap for another piece of fabric from my stash. I can't find any of this fabric anywhere.
Cheers My Dears......

Monday 23 February 2009

Bunting and Daffs........

Hello folks. Sorry I've neglected you all this weekend, I've been really busy. I went to Stockbridge on Saturday with hubby, but was a bit disappointed. Not much there and what was there was very expensive, I mean £70 for one cushion is just ridiculous. Saturday night I went over my friends for a party so had a late night and was up again at 5.30am to go to London to Hugglets. More on that in a minute.
I finished stitching my bunting yesterday and here it is. I'm pretty pleased with it, and want to make more now.


Here's a couple of pics of the daffs my neighbour bought over for me on Friday, they're so pretty, and it really feels like Springs in the air when I see daffs.




Well back to Hugglets, which is the bear fair in Kensington. As you all know my sister in law makes lovely artist bears and we had a stall at the fair. I was amazed at just how busy the fair was, considering we're in a recession, the place was jumping. I forgot to take my camera, but my SIL is going to e-mail me some pics to put on here. I was quite good and didn't buy a bear, but I did get some small pieces of fabric with tiny print on, which is great for patches and stuff.

Also got these lovely buttons for my crafting projects. They are hand made and lovely. I think the ducks are my favourite.


This little collection of mother of pearl vintage buttons cost £2.50, bargain!

and I couldn't resist this little fella. The lady that makes the buttons also makes these.
We got diverted going to London as the A3 was shut aarrrhhh, but managed to get there on time thankfully. We were stuck in loads of traffic on the way home too, so didn't get home until nearly 8pm. By that time I was knackered, so put my PJ's on, watched Larkrise to Candleford and went to bed. I still feel really tired today, but theres so much I want to do.
Thats all for now folks catch you later.

Friday 20 February 2009

A Day at Home........

Well after a month of waiting my Laura Ashley fabric that I ordered in the sale a month ago finally arrived yesterday morning. But no crafting was done yesterday, as I went out to lunch with my parents and brother as its little brothers 25th Today. We had a lovely time. We must have been tiny tots the last time we went out as a family with just the four of us. Today I wanted a nice day pottering around at home. I still got up at 6 am as usual, and did a bit of blogging. I had a nice hot bath and didn't put a scrap of makeup on. My next door neighbour knocked the door this morning and gave me a bunch of daffodils which was very sweet, and I'm looking forward to them flowering. I did some washing and few household chores, then made a pattern for some bunting and cut that out, and made myself comfy on the sofa and started to stitch it up whilst watching 'Tales from the Green Valley' which I've rented from amazon.
And then, I thought I'd have a bash at making iced buns. I've never made any before, and was pretty pleased how they turned out, although they are bigger than I thought they'd be, so next time I'll make them smaller, also the batch on the top shelf were in a tad too long and got too brown but they taste scrummy, hubby loved them too.
I'm hoping to finish stitching the bunting tonight so will post a pic tomorrow. xx

Are you Coffee or Tea?




You Are Tea



You are mellow and reflective. You don't allow yourself to feel in a rush and frenzied.

You're likely to appreciated the ideas or connections that come up over a warm cup of tea.



While you do enjoy the energy of a caffeine boost, you love that it allows you to take a break.

You're not in a rush to do anything. You're content with your life, and in no rush to change it.

Wednesday 18 February 2009

Afternoon Tea Anyone?

This afternoon I had some friends over for afternoon tea. I'm shattered now, I've been cleaning and baking all day. The Tea Party went well though and everyone was stuffed.
I made a chocolate cake, recipe was from Nigella Lawson's Feast cookbook, and its the old fashioned chocolate cake recipe.

I also made a Victoria sponge with homemade Lemon Curd filling. The girls love my lemon curd.

We also had cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off, pate sandwiches and egg sandwiches.



We drank out of some china that I picked up at a car boot sale last year, and boy did we drink some tea today. I lost count of how many cups we each consumed.

I also made some coconut macaroons, I LOVE coconut.

My friend made a scrummy banana loaf.


Still had a fair bit of choccy cake left. It was rather yummy but very rich. Hubby will be having some in his lunch box.

Woody said he like some cake........


Needless to say after all that cake, I didn't want any dinner, and I'm still full.

Monday 16 February 2009

Remember that Eiderdown.......

Remember the Eiderdown I got from e-bay? Well here it is on the bed. The cat couldn't resist having her picture taken.
She looks really evil in this pic, but she's only yawning. I love my new eiderdown, but so does the cat which is a worry, as she's not fussy where she sharpens her claws, even though she has two cat scratchers upstairs. Also the paw prints and furs a worry, as they aren't the easiest things to clean, but I suppose whats the point of having something lovely if you can't enjoy it.


Our bed is on its last legs and we are in need of a new one, and we need new bedding, which I'm saving up for, as I'm torn between a Cath Kidston set and a Laura Ashley set, both of which are not cheap. So if anyone knows of any pretty rose bedding that's cheaper can you let me know!
I also have plans to re-jig the cushions and make a new one or two, as well as having a bash at covering our bedside lamps.
Peg Rail update........ Its had its second coat, but will need another. xxxxx


Weekend Stuff......

Hope you all had a good valentines day and weekend folks! Look what Mr P has made me. I couldn't found one in the charity shops, so told him how I wanted it to look and walla, a lovely jubbly peg rail to hang all my pretties on.
I spent a few minutes yesterday sealing the knots, then when that was dry gave it its first coat of paint. I hope to finish the painting today and will post some pics when its finished.

Had a trip to Matalan yesterday and got a few bits including a new jacket, and some PJ's. Matalan have some nice stuff in at the moment so check it out if you live near by.
The pic above of Woody made me laugh. He likes to sit on your lap, but always waits for you to put the cushion down first. He was starting to get a bit whiffy yesterday, so Mr P gave him a bath. He runs around like a pup when he's had a bath.

Look at those curly ears. You'd think he been to the hairdressers for a perm.




Its half term this week, whoopppeee, so I've only got a few hours work at the holiday club this week. The rest of the week will be spent sorting the house out and hopefully finishing some projects.
Bye for Now. xxxxxxxx

Thursday 12 February 2009

An Award and Random Pics.....

Hello! I'm blommin freezing today, although the weathers quite nice outside. Nothing particularly exciting to tell you all, so I've put a few of pics on to show you. Firstly Some lovely pink Hyacinths, they just got too tall for their pot and no amount of tying them up was helping so I popped them in a jug on my table instead.




I took these on Tuesday when the sun was streaming in the dining room and it looked really pretty in there, although it doesn't look that sunny in the photo.


Here a lovely handmade fairy in a jar that hubby bought for my birthday a few years ago now, she was made by a lady from e-bay and I think she's really cute!


And the last photo is of a very tired Woody, taken on Sunday, after lots of running around and catching his ball!


The Lemonade Award


And last but no means least, a big thank you to Nita for this award, its really lovely of you to think of me, and its such a pretty award to boot!
The lemonade award is for showing great attitude and/or gratitude. Its lovely isn't it?
The Rules
Put the logo on your blog, nominate at least 10 blogs, which show great attitude and/or gratitude. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
Share the love and link to this post, and/or to the person from whom you received your award.
Well here goes:-

Monday 9 February 2009

TA DAH..........

Whilst I was out taking mum shopping today, my Cath Kidston bag arrived. Whoopee, I'm so chuffed, Can't decide whether to take it to work today. Its bucketing down and I wouldn't want to ruin it. I've never had a Cath K bag before, so its a new treasured possession. Even the packaging it arrived in is pretty. But the samples I ordered at the same time weren't in the parcel, so if they don't arrive shortly I will have to phone and get them to re-send.
I went on a magical mystery tour to the New Forest yesterday with my friend. We stopped in Lyndhurst to start with and found there to be a flea market on in the hall in the car park. Had to take a look, it would be rude not to. I came across a lovely stall with a couple selling vintage brooches and clip earrings and they had loads. I've never seen so many pretty brooches in one place, and really cheap too, much better than the prices of them on eBay. So with ideas of making bags and accessorising outfits I spent ages umming and arrring and finally decided on these four, mind you one I bought for someone else.

This is my first favorite, I think its so unusual and stunning, and as you can see its already pinned to my duffel coat.


This is my second favourite and the first brooch to catch my eye. The photo doesn't do it justice its sooooooooooooo sparkly and pretty.



and then this one, which I think is simple yet elegant!


and finally this one. not sure if its a feather or leaf, but this ones for a friend even though I love it too.

Then we found a gorgeous antique shop with the most pretty china and glasses in, but I've already spent far too much money of late so I was good and only bought these two soup spoons and cake slice and a knife that we'll use as a butter knife, all 50p each.


My last buy, which was also from the flea market is the lovely organic comfrey and marigold hand cream which is made locally and is just lovely. My hands get really dry and cracked, and I've been on the lookout for some comfrey hand cream.
So after Lyndhurst we set off to Burley, where we had lunch in the pub and a scout around the shops. It was getting cold by then and the bad weather had set in so then off home.
Hubby has found some old shelves in his dads shed that he's going to use to make my peg rail :o). And forgot to say yesterday that the eiderdown has arrived its lovely, but doesn't appear to be old, but its in perfect condition. Will post some pics when its on the bed and I've hoovered and dusted our bedroom. xxxxx