Sad News! and everyday stuff!

A few pretty flowers for you!

I have some sad news today, although the baby rabbits are ok, their Mother sadly died over the weekend. All I can think is that she picked up some kind of infection after/during the birth, and just couldn't shake it off. She seemed fine until a few days ago - I was a bit worried she was getting thin, but I thought that was due to her suckling her young.

Luckily the young are old enough to get on without her. I buried her under a nice Rosemary bush. Another few weeks and I will start looking for homes for the babies.

On a lighter not, I found this for 50p at the car boot sale on Sunday - its a tourist-y thing with 'Paris' embroidered on it, but the hat is a good quality beret. So I bought it thinking I could do something with it! (well for 50p!!!)





I had some nice Vintage pretty bits in my sewing stash, so I just covered up the tacky 'Paris' with a - well, a kinda flower thing-y! I think it works quite well!






'This week we have mostly' - been playing Poi.
For those of you who don't know what on earth I am talking about (I didn't know until last week!) Poi is a set of two weighted lengths of something - these on the photo are fabric, but you can buy them as weighted balls on lengths of string. And you do a series of moves/patterns, twirling them about.
Some people do it with lighted (as on fire!) Poi - I have ruled that out completely, we have enough accidents in this house!



Apparently its all the rage with the young folk at the music festivals, so Will (seen above) who is going to 'Glade' (a Festival for all us who are past thinking of such things!) asked if 'we' could make some for him and his friends. The 'we' of course being me doing all the sewing - him filling the bags of rice for weights! I managed to find some old - Vintage I might add, crimpoline fabric from my stash to make them. We found this worked better than cotton - its that bit elastic-y.
And I found a big piece of jazzy crimpoline at the car boot, so we made some more!




We made so many he's taking lots and going to sell them at the Festival!

There was so much of this jazzy stripy fabric I made some colourful bunting! We are having a Party this weekend, just a family thing, but I thought it would look rather jolly!

As its Tuesday today - its car boot sale day!

Just one or two things today, a nice cake plate with pretty roses, and a 1940's bottle of Yardley Lavender scent. The scent comes in its original box with a little hand written note from Thomas, dated 1940! So sweet!

Flowers too, some unusual ceramic (white) ones and deep purple flowers - paper or perhaps wood - I'm not sure. They make a nice display alongside my Lily's from the garden.

xx That's all for now folks xx Take care xx

Welcome to our little Grandson!

He's arrived at last! Safe and sound! And suitably unimpressed with the rest of us!

Hubby P and I ventured off our little Island and headed to the big city (well not really a city - but it seems big, noisy and fast to us country bumpkins!) to see our grandson - and what a little smasher!

What is it about babies? who can resist a cuddle!

Hubby P got a bit of a smile - or was it a yawn. Otherwise he took us all in his tiny stride, was happy to be handed around and cuddled.

He is our our first Grandson, we have two Granddaughters so a little boy is always nice to balance things out, one can get a bit tired of forever pink and glittery!

We just spent the day with them - you know how it is, everyone wants to meet the new arrival, constant visitors, it can be so tiring for baby and mum. Hubby P too needed a good 24hrs to get over the hectic emotional day! Not that he's at all a softie, of course!!*

We had only been away for a day (a day with lots of rain I might add) and the garden was positively zinging with colour!

So fresh and lush with all the rain.

Unfortunately the shallots have gone to seed, but don't they look nice with their little bulbous tops, I think I will just leave them to add interest to the garden.

On the crafting front, not a lot. We seem to have been so busy, last week was a very sad week, we lost a good friend, and had the Funeral and all that entails - so sad, Helen left three daughters and young grandchildren.

On a lighter note - we had a lovely visit from Twiggy (Twiggypeasticks - see side bar) and family, they were on holiday here on Anglesey. I think they had a nice time - the weather was fabulous - lots of playing in the sea I believe.

And of course the new baby!

I did however finish the bodyform/dressmakers dummy thing-y, do you remember I was covering it in papier mach'e. Well I finished with a top layer of old vintage music. I am quite pleased with her - just need to 'dress' her now - find some nice vintage-y bits and bobs!

Not a terribly good photo - here she's just drying outside.

Bunny watch!

All doing well, the little ones are starting to nibble at food I put in for mum. I try and give them a little something different most days. They enjoy fresh herbs from the garden, not too keen on boring old white cabbage!

Mum seems to getting a bit bored with them now!

One or two carboot-y bits ( I took Hubby P on Sunday, to unwind from the hectic day we had on Saturday - visiting the big city!)
A couple more bits of the Better Maid ware that I collect. The little white and red watering can is also Better maid, although it looks nothing like the other pieces I have! Still, its pretty and I like it!

I just loved this little tin - nothing in it yet, but I'm sure it will lend itself to holding some nice pretty buttons or something. Please excuse the sticky label mark and whatnot, I haven't got around to giving it a was yet!

It just reminded me of the pretty butterflies that grace my garden during the summer - butterflies must be some of the most wonderful little beings we have in the garden - those and Faeries of course!

Here's one I chased around the garden with the camera - the only place it would stay long enough for a photo was on the heap of building materials! Obviously not one for posing nicely on flower!

Well - back to the everyday stuff now, washing to do, dinner to prepare, still - its sunny outside, we have a lot to be thankful for!

Ta ta for now xx

Elderflowers, Bunnies and Morticias Dressing Screen!

A Post of bits'n bobs today!

The first of the climbing roses I planted only a few weeks ago is blooming its little socks off. I hadn't expected very much from them this first year, I thought it would take a while for them to scramble up the poles of the pergola. So I am pleased - so pretty and white!

The garden is doing so well with all this lovely weather!

It was Car Boot Sale day yesterday - lots and lots of finds! I spent £25 - which is a fortune for me! But lots of goodies - --




Some wonderful old music - Christopher Robin songs - remember him from Winnie the Pooh, and an old newspaper, I like to keep - Hubby P would say hoard things like that for crafty type projects. I just love the ageing paper and old faded print!
The Union Jack I acquired for free! (a little surreptitious fluttering of the eyelashes!). I was busy looking through all the boxes for goodies when a man said ' Sorry Love, I've just bought that boxful' by this time I had the flag - His flag, in my hand. 'Oh' I said 'what a pity - I do so like this little flag, I collect old fabrics and whatnot' - with a nice smile of course! 'Oh you have it then' He said - then I got a long tale about what else was in the box and what he wanted it for - nice Man though! And nice flag!




Lots of other goodies too - pretty tin, 30's mirrored photograph frame, another Better Maid bowl, dressmaking body form, soaps, smellies, some 60's Vintage dresses (for ebay) the list goes on - Oh' and a little rabbit hutch - expanding family you know!

The dressmaking form I am covering with paper - papier mache' style, and finishing with layer of old print music - I think - up to now that's my idea. Other 'bodies' I have covered in scraps of Vintage fabric - I use them to display my collection if Vintage furs (sounds grand - I have two or three!)
- they were passed down to me from family members - I know Fur is really un PC nowadays, but they are so lovely and glamorous.

One of my 'bodies' wears a pretty Vintage corset and crystal beads under her fur!

The most unusual, and exciting thing I found - tossed on the floor - nearly getting trampled on, is this old Screen (possibly Victorian).

Hubby P thinks it is hauntingly Gothic - he calls it Morticias screen ( Morticia from the Adams family!)

There is a lot of damage - lots of restoration work to do (Hubby P is a whizz with a screwdriver and whatnot!) - but the two inner panels are in reasonable condition - the gold thread work is just beautiful.

I am still thinking of the best way to go about it, I think I may have to loose one outer very badly damaged panel, and maybe repair the fabric with black lace - make feature of the repair. Whatever I do will have to be done slowly and painstakingly - the fabric is so old and frail.

I saw it, liked it - just had to save it!


On the home provisions side, I made some Elderflower cordial - it is so lovely and refreshing!

I imagine its especially 'refreshing' with a splash of Gin or Vodka!!

Update on the Bunnies - they are out of the nest and scampering about the hutch with Mum, sorry the photo's not too good - they just won't keep still!

Off to stick some paper on a dummy - doesn't sound too good does it!!

xx Take Care For Now xx

If you like Vintage Buttons and Bits and Bobs, and Vintage clothes take a look on my ebay(Link on my side bar) - I've been having a listing fest!

Glorious Fragrant Fluffy Elderflowers!! Jelly Anyone?

Hope everyone's all ok, we've been having 'tinternet'! problems, but a kindly Knight called Stuart sorted us out and we're all 'hunky dory' now - fingers crossed!

Yes! its that time again folks - Mother Nature goes bonkers and garlands all our hedges with frilly frothy, fragranced lacey delights - the air is thick with the scent of Elderflowers.

They are a delight I treasure each year, they remind me so, of my childhood, a constant 'if you will' of my love affair with nature!

But what to do with them all - how to capture that wonderful fragrance for all the cold grey days.

Luckily Hubby P was in a reflective mood the other evening, so I handed him the basket and suggested he pick the Gooseberries, not that its a bad job, I enjoy anything like that, but its nice that Hubby's included in the garden, and not just all the heavy manual jobs.

So we had this little lot to do something with!

I thought about Gooseberry jam - but we don't eat too much jam (I end up giving it away) so I tried to think of what we do enjoy, and I came up with pickles and jellies to eat with cheese etc.
So I came up with this Gooseberry and Elderflower jelly - I put a touch of chilli in it too, although it is a bit lost in the overpowering lusciousness of the elderflowers!

Once it had come to a set I took the pan off the heat and added a few elderflowers, you can clearly see them in the jelly - they make it look all frothy!

I must say - not one for blowing my own trumpet, but it tastes wonderful - so scrummy, the scent and taste of the elderflowers is so fresh and summery!

I can see me scrounging more gooseberries to make more, because this lots not going to last very long!

We have plans to make some Elderberry Cordial too - such a mass of blooms on the trees, its a shame not to bottle as much a possible, and hopefully save some for the winter months.

Update on the baby bunnies!

This is one of the little chaps I gently lifted out of the nest, their eyes are nearly open, won't be long before they are running around. Mum is doing an excellent job.

xx Take care for now, have a nice weekend xx

Tra La! And The Birthday Giveaway Goes To !!!

Well ! How's your week been? I've had a lovely time!

First of all I would like to thank you all so much for your nice Birthday wishes, I had some lovely cards and pressies too! Unfortunately I was so busy with people popping in, and family to stay, I haven't taken any photos. - I feel its all been a bit of a whirlwind!

But I did get myself organised enough this morning to do the draw for the Birthday Give away!

And the Winner is Jo, of Jojo Designs! (there's a link on my sidebar).

So this little parcel of goodies will be winging its way to you as soon. I chose something flowery - a bit Country Garden-ish, I do hope its your sort of thing!

As I said we had our son and his partner down for the weekend, so we played out all weekend, and had a great time.

I picked up The National Gardens Scheme booklet the other day - they often have them in the garden centres.

This is a great scheme where ordinary people open their gardens to the public for a small fee, which goes to charity. It has raised £23 Million in the last 10 years, and supports a whole list of Charities ( I am not going to list them - but it does tell you all about it in the book).
The book gives Opening times/dates and directions to the Gardens, there are so many to choose from. We try and fit one in most weekends during the summer.
I feel its such an 'English' thing to do - they usually provide tea and cake sat in the garden - I always wear a hat! Its a bit like a garden tea party!




Here are just a couple of the photos I took at the garden we visited on Saturday.

I just loved this mass of wild cotton-y stuff growing at the side of the pond.

Of course the children played on the swing!

The Lads had energy enough for the beach (with the dog!), where-as I came back from the Open Garden with lots of plants (they often have a little stall selling their own cuttings and whatnot), so I spent the evening planting them in my own little bit of Eden!
A 'grand time' was had by all.

Thrifty finds!

I found this lovely bag a couple of weeks ago, I've just got around to washing and pressing it. The fabric is just so lovely, and the bag is quite large. I don't know what I shall use it for - but its just pretty enough to hang on the wall!

This weekend I found this dinky little basket (£2 ) - couldn't believe my luck, is in great condition. The old tatty music I thought I could use for crafty stuff, that old worn, tatty always appeals to me - maybe the secret to Hubby P's charm!!

And just to finish, an update on the bunnies - mother and babies are doing really well. She is an excellent mother, they seem to be growing really fast, they are no longer pink and hairless - they look like rabbits.

Bit of a poor photo, but I don't want to disturb them, and upset Mum. Wont be long until they are out of the nest!

xxx Take care for now xxx

Pretty Roses and Baby Bunnies - what a Happy Birthday Week!

Its my Birthday tomorrow so I would like to treat you all to a pretty rose!

Thankyou for all your interesting and enlightening blogs, its such a treat to sit and browse through all your Special Days and Thrifty Finds!

To celebrate I would like to do a Birthday Giveaway! Leave me a comment telling me of your favorite flowers and if they have a special meaning to you, and I will do a draw next Monday, the 15th June.

Meanwhile enjoy your rose!

Great excitement on Sunday morning! I went to see my girlies (the rabbits) to give them their feed, to find this - a nest full of pink wriggly little baby rabbits!

How excited was I , I had thought Dusty was expecting, she has been 'nesting' for a few days. Never the less - its a bit hit and miss, especially with it being her first time! Anyway up to now she's doing very well, keeping them nice and warm. You can see the nest in the photo, its a mass of hay and plucked fur. They will soon be out of the nest and running about - all being well - keep your fingers crossed!

With all this girly, baby stuff going on, Dad has had to go and live with the chickens for a while ( I need more hutch space!) - not that he minds, the deep litter is great to dig in!






Good Thrifting finds too, at the carboot sale!

This little metal table I picked up for £1, I am hoping it will just sit outside the door and 'shabby up' some more.





Lovely floaty Hippy dippy, Flower Power dresses! I thought they were pretty spectacular - just imagine what it must have been like living through that era!

And dotty, dotty aprons! there are two of these!

Just look - a Grannie Apron!

This is as new, never been worn, its just the kind I remember my Gran wearing, it goes with the wrinkled stockings and hair in rollers!

Is your Garden blooming too?

Here are just a few pics of my pretty flowers.

This (below) is a bit fuzzy - the wind was blowing! But its so pretty, its a Cutleaf Elder tree, the nigra (black) and the flowers are this incredible chocolaty pink colour!

I bought and planted this Tree Lupin only a few weeks ago - and its just flowering its socks off!

What garden is complete without a Gooseberry bush (after-all - its where they leave the babies!)

Gooseberry crumble for tea!

That's all for now - remember the Birthday Giveaway!

xx Take care xx

Thrifting Finds to Pretty Cushions!

I seem to have got my sewing mojo back!

I found this little piece of Vintage cotton - a riot of floral loveliness, screwed up in the bottom of a box, at a carboot sale. I gave it a wash and it came up lovely - fresh as a daisy!

There was just enough to make a couple of cushion covers - very 'country cottage' meets 'shabby chic'!

I used a bit of broidery anglaise from the box of lace I found last week, and some vintage buttons, to add a bit of original 'fancy-pretty-ness', and finished with a bit of hand embroidery.

A bit of green cotton backs the cover and closes with poppers - buttons are just for decoration!

A nice fresh, touch of pretty florals to brighten my sofa!

Having just a very small house and lot ( too many really) of cushions already - I just can't resist 'saving' vintage cushion covers, especially the had embroidered ones - I have decided to keep just one of the two and put the other in my Etsy shop. I haven't had much luck with Etsy - I think its just so big nowadays, but I will give it another go. You never know, it might take someones fancy!

I hope it goes to a nice home where someone appreciates the materials it's made from, and the work that has gone into it.

But don't we all want that!

Whilst I was on a roll' I fitted Mucky Marge with her new frock, she looks a bit better, still a bit 'shabby' but I kinda like that!

On the 'finds' front - lucky me I found another piece of Better Maid ware - a cute little watering can - sort of thing. Its in the green form - I think its really quite cute.
I found it at the Tuesday carboot sale - just sat there for 50p!

xx Take care for now xx