A 'BITS AND PIECES' WEEKEND!!

Hope you all had a good weekend!

I just had to show you this!!*** such an exciting find!!**** and for just £1!

I had spotted the green metal soap dish (£1) and picked up thinking it kinda matched one that holds my 'Sunlight soap' on the kitchen window sill. The lady who's stall it was pointed out this WONDERFUL - tatty green painted shaving mirror, the mirror in tact and everything.!

I was so thrilled!!! -I know its so sad!

Anyway here it is on my kitchen window sill - for now! Just a bit creepy catching yourself in the mirror whilst washing up!

These are so pretty, I know you will appreciate them. They are Foil work pictures, and in such good condition - just flung in an oddments box! How they didn't get broken!

Pretty, pretty bonnet ed, crinoline-d young lady, picking flowers or fruit from a tree.

And pretty colourful parrots!

They are so pretty, but I just can't keep every thing so I have put them on Ebay, the rationing goes - if they don't sell they are JUST SUPPOSED TO LIVE WITH ME!

Now just a little peek at my Inspirational Summer Swap - don't look Cleary!!

Yes its green with summery flowers, that's all I am saying! Its finished so I will be sending it off - all the way to America soon!

See I haven't spent all my time in the garden - well it does go dark eventually!

ETSY!!!!!

I have been busy putting bits and pieces in my Etsy shop

(VickysVintage.etsy.com)

The reasoning being that if I am to keep buying like a mad thing, I have to try and MAKE! some money! Otherwise the sums wont work out!

This is just a little Native American Fantasy Dream Brooch/Corsage.

And a little Faerie Glade Toadstool Brooch/Corsage.

The photos are not too good, I am going to have some instruction from Rich (son) with this fancy camera! Not sure it will do much good - me and technology don't mix too well!

Hope everyone Else's Etsy is picking up, all we can do is stick with it, and mention Etsy to all your friends - mine are tired of hearing of the wonderful world of Etsy!!

Ta Ta for now XX

ETSY - A SERIOUS ADDICTION!!!!!

I think its becoming a problem!!

There are such wonderful, inspiring things in the Etsy shops - I just want to buy them all!

Just look at this Hat - well its not just 'a hat' is it - its a marvelous summery feminine creation! and guess what - you can have one especially made for you - how cool is that!

I was simply looking - honest! for something 'simple' to keep the sun off me, I have decided to take a stand and not buy any cheap rubbish mass produced imports.

So Etsy is ideal - small home produced goods made with care. Anyway - saw this - fell in love! - Simple!

AND - its on its way - all the way from America - how exciting is that!

You simply must have a look at Anna's Blog and Etsy shop - hatjunkie.blogspot.com/

Etsy - annashoub.etsy.com

And such a lovely surprise today - a beautiful ring of vintage beads arrived (via Etsy) from Blissed Out. Its so gorgeous - I shall try and get a photo to show you - I haven't shown this to Hubby yet - does that mean I might - sub consciously have a bit of a guilty problem? After all its not that I NEED another ring - beautiful though it is!

SUMMER TIME IS HERE! its official -

I have put my light floaty summery curtains up!

The heavy green velvet curtains that have kept us warm all winter have been washed and put away, welcome to the sunshine!

The sunshine has brought out this little Welsh Poppy, surprisingly (to say we are in Wales ), I struggle to grow these, I just have this one little clump.

Our little cottage - disappearing behind the lush growth of the garden!

Richard (son) has been giving the cottage a freshen up with the paint, its looking Blue-er than ever - but very smart!

Just a couple of views up and down the little lane ( as you step out of our gate) -

as you can see its lovely and lush at the moment .

Don't look at the bin!

This is Hubby P's obsession - the love of his life! Yes - he's a Morris Man.
Its good fun rattling around the country lanes in her, although shes a bit poorly at the moment, she needs some jobs done, and a 'makeover' (paint job)

Ta Ta for now!

ALL IN THE GARDEN IS BLOOMING! AND TREASURES TOO!!!

Well Hello!

I hope you are all enjoying this lovely weather we are having in the UK.

Wonderful weather for the garden, my plants are shooting up before my very eyes, its all looking so lush and fresh.

This is a little photo of some Aquiligias (Grannies Bonnets) I only have ordinary cottage garden ones, a pink variety and a blue. Did anyone see the really fancy, special ones on Gardeners World? I think they were showing them at Malvern Show, they were so pretty and delicate, maybe I will have to treat myself!

Weekend treasures from the Car Boot Sale!

Two cards of rather pretty kind of mirrored vintage buttons, I will put these aside until a worthy project comes to mind.

The pretty glass cake stand was in a box marked Free Stuff! Well what could a girl do but have a good noisy in the box, and came up with the pretty object. Hubby P got some Free books, the seller said he has too much stuff and was urging people to take as many as they could carry. Thankfully he only chose three - we do have a somewhat large collect of books too!

I tell you for such a little house we cram so much in - bit like a Tardis!

I bought the little Willow Pattern creamer to go with my tea set. The tea set was my Mothers - we lost her 4 years ago, it still seems like yesterday.

She used the tea set daily, so I thought it would be nice to at least look at it daily, I have it on a little shelf in the kitchen. Maybe I will look for more Willow Pattern items - they are not too expensive, I could use them every day and not worry about breaking them.

Jolly little Golliwogs!

Not very PC these days, but they were so much a part of my childhood.

I found these on a stall where the lady was selling all sorts of sewing items. These are Tea towel size, and can be used as such, or they can be made into a jolly little cushion. The sewing instructions are printed around the edge of the 'tea towel'.

I couldn't resist, I thought they were so cute!

Mind you I did go over board as usual and buy all she had! I think I will offer some on Ebay - I can't use then all!

If you fancy one for the children or whatever (your inner child!), just let me know, I will put them on Ebay for £3 (but I could just post one to you with out the ebay fuss) - it would be nice to find nice homes that are going to make them into cuddly cushions!

Jolly smiley Golliwogs! I will make one up and post some pics, I've got to have one to keep Humpty Dumpty company on my bed. (when will we grow up!!!)

Say 'Hello' to Charlie.

He who hogs all the best seats - and we are daft enough to let him!!!

Ta Ta for now!

BUSY BUSY ALLSORTS!!!!!

Here we are again! It seems ages since I last 'Posted', its all been a hectic round of family doings over the Bank Holiday.

We had Family to visit - if 'visit' is the right word - after all family is family, and home is home, family is inseparable from home - if you know what I mean. You don't 'visit' your own home - anyway it was nice to see them and we all squashed in our little cottage, a bit sardine-ish, but we had fun!

We did all the Tourist-y things, the weather was great, we had a nice leisurely time.

This is the obligatory photo of us - Mr & Mrs Allsorts! Me grimacing behind the darkest sunglasses I could find (I had a nagging Migraine) - Gosh! I thought when I saw this, I look just like my Grandmother - how time creeps up on you!

This is where we were heading, we went for a walk to a little ancient church underneath the Menai Suspension Bridge.

We even found a little magical stone circle, Anglesey is full of these sorts of things, it was the last refuge of the Druids - lots of Spiritual Places, and we still have a living breathing Druid culture on
the island.







A little trip into Beaumaris later, in search of Tea and Cakes!
Such a pretty little town, I love the candy coloured row of houses as you enter the town.







And of course! no trip would be complete without visiting the Traditional Sweetie Shop!
I am too embarrassed to tell you how much I spent on sweets!








Lots and Lots of Carboot Sales on over the weekend. Lots of goodies for the buying. I thought I would show you one or two additions to my sewing area - so exciting!

Hubby P bought me this for my Birthday (its a few weeks off yet, but I so fell in love with this!).
Its a lovely old little chest we think probably 1940/50s - specially made to hold ( and Yes it is FULL!) sewing notions - lots and lots of old cottons, needles of every kind, buttons, beeswax,tracing wheels, all manner of goodies!









And this - well - this is an old cashiers draw, the sort that use to be fixed under a shop counter.
I just loved it, it even has little areas worn away where fingers have scrabbled for money over the years.
The felt bottoms of the compartments had been worn away, so I replaced it with some pretty, colourful felt!








I shall use it as a little tray, to hold all my sewing bits and pieces.








Just a few pics of the garden - I couldn't resist this fresh pretty delicate green of this Horse Chestnut tree, my son Will planted the seed a couple of years ago - so its known as Wills tree!

I have a thing about trees too - lots of little baby trees in pots, I just need someone to leave me some land in their Will, and I can plant my own woodland!









Another of my babies - a little Oak tree just bursting into leaf, this was again grown from an Acorn.
At one time Anglesey was covered in great Forest's of Oak - it was the tree of the Druids, a magical, special tree!








Just an update on the salad window boxes - the seed are up already! It wont be long until we can pick and eat.

Lots more exciting news - I have won Jennies ( Falling Down the Rabbit Hole) PIF, I cant believe my luck, and I am partnered with a nice lady in USA for the Summer Inspirational Swap - but more of all that later!!!

Ta Ta for now xxx

SUMMER SWAP!

I have got my act together, right at the last minute - it must be said - and signed up for this Crafty Swap!

I do hope you all are joining in too -

it will be fun seeing all the crafty ideas, of who does what, where and when!

Cant wait to see who I am swapped with!

DAMP - BUT FRUITFUL WEEKEND!!

Hi, hope you all had a good weekend!

My hands are not too good today (I have a problem with numbness, just something I have to live with!) so - lots of pics, but not too hot on the typing I am afraid - see how I go on. If its short and sweet you know why - its not that I don't love you any more!

First things first - Saturday morning a Lovely little gift from Twiggypeasticks! so unexpected and exciting - even a special little bookmark created by Twiglet!

So very kind! Lots of goodies from Twiggy - just the right colour for my 'Primitive' type crafts. Thank You so much Twiggy!

As you can see the bookmark is in good use with the present Bedtime reading. Something Hubby P found for me in the Charity shop (he does all his shopping there!). The Author is American and I think this version was altered slightly for the English market, first published in 1963! Entertaining and an insight into attitudes of 'keeping Hubby happy' (a good laugh!)and society in general.

Just thought the fresh yellow of these Marsh Marigolds were nice and cheery in this miserable rain!
At least the fish don't mind the rain!

This is probably why my hands are not so hot! Too much gardening - even in the drizzle!

Following on from the theme of rising food prices, and me banging on about how we should grow as much of our own veg as possible - Hubby P just happened to mention we could grow salad-y things in window boxes! Well! - not a girl to let the grass grow under her feet - I had to have them - like now!! And I knew he had some ideal wood (salvaged from some old pallets) in the shed, so rain or not we set to.

As you can see we (well - I did a lot of holding screws and pointing! -site supervisor!) managed to make 3 window boxes out of the wood we had. I stained them, Hubby P put them up, and I filled them with compost and sowed them with mixed Salad Leaves, Spring Onions, Rocket, baby Carrots and a few nasturtiums.

We just need a bit of sun now - I am hoping they grow well in the black boxes (they should hold the heat) - it will be a bit like a self serve salad bar!!

Its amazing what Hubby P has made from odds and sods of recycled wood over the years, we started off as a couple with 4 ready made children and no money! Needs must then, but now its become a way of life and apparently very 'Green' - about the only thing I am in fashion with!!

I managed to put up a wigwam of sticks and get my Runner Beans in - we always seem to do well with beans - at the end of summer I begin to think I never want to see another bean! I pickled some last year - they were nice for a change with salad.

Bit of Crafting news!

Here are some little padded Hearts made from the scraps of fabric leftover from the 'Primitive' Bags. I think they look quite pretty - a change from the usual floral fabric I would perhaps use for this sort of thing.

This on has a hand embroidered Willow Tree - I quite like the Tree effect.

And a couple more!

I think I will try them on Etsy, it will be nice to find a new home for them!

Ta Ta for now!

N.B. just a word about the Bramble Port - I forgot to mention in the last Post - dont wash the Blackberries! You can pick them over removing any stalks and other undesirables - but you need the natural fruit yeasts to ferment the Port.

RECESSION ~ CREDIT CRUNCH!! DONT PANIC!!

Lucky, lucky Me! A lovely Award from Twiggy, at The World of Twiggypeasticks - Thank you so much!

Its nice to know there are those of you who read - and enjoy? my witterings.

I think I can now pass this on to others with interesting Blogs that brighten my day! There are so many - I will have a think and get back to you on that.

Anyone else get a huge shock when they got to the supermarket checkout this week? The cost of my weekly shop must of gone up by nearly £8!

Time to take stock I thought - get into the thrifty mindset of my Gran, and all she taught me. Nothing is new - what goes around comes around. I can remember when food was relatively expensive - a large portion of the weekly wage went on food - chicken was a luxury, a weekend roast ( and you used every scrap!).

I do think this is only the beginning and prices are going to go up and up. News in the paper says the US is rationing rice to the wholesale merchants, whats next!

Needless to say I thought I ought to go through my cupboards and be more organised with this whole food/meals thing - I have got so lazy - looking in the cupboards I have all the beans pulses and other wholesome things, to make good nourishing thrifty meals - its just sometimes easier to buy a ready cooked chicken from Tesco!

Feeling all 'Green' and virtuous I started going through the cupboards - it took me most of the day!

Its sad but I just loved arranging all the jars of beans and pulses - such colours and textures!

I even got as far as sorting out my pan cupboard - polish Halo!!





And best of all!!!!!!!!! along with all the out of date tins - I found this! Right at the back of a cupboard, a little dusty, but 'the real thing'!
Has anyone else made Bramble Port - it is soooooooooo delicious!
This was dates 2004 - so nice and mature. It tastes like warm slightly spicy juicy blackberries, and warms your tummy in the nicest possible way!





I decanted it (out of the dusty old bottle ) into a more gracious and fitting decanter, we all 'tested' it - just to make sure it was Ok for other people of course! - extensive tests!!




I think it may need further 'testing' this evening!
And roll on autumn so I can make some more, it is the easiest thing to make. Basically pick your Blackberries and layer them with sugar in a bucket, cover loosely, and leave the fruit to ferment. After fermentation ( when it has stopped bubbling and frothing) strain, put fruit mush on compost ( not to chickens - although they like it and its the funniest thing - a drunk chicken! But seriously, not a nice thing to do.) Bottle the juice and leave to mature for a few weeks/years! The longer the better.
It is like a heavy sweet sherry/but blackberry-ish!

Ta Ta for now xxx