TODAY I AM MAKING SOUP - IT MUST BE AUTUMN!

Just a Quickie folks! Mostly pic's.

Yes! It must be Autumn! I felt the greatest urge to make soup today - with lots of root-y type veg and lentils and pearl barley. Its simmering away as I write this - I am just struggling with myself -would it be just too self indulgent to make some nice fluffy herby dumplings to put in it!

Tummys grumbling something awful!

Yesterday we had no electricity for 4 hours. There was a little man down the Lane fixing something. They did give us warning - so I had my trusty flask to hand. But of course it meant no washing, ironing etc - shame!!*

What could a girl do! I had to fill my time somehow! so I got out some stamper thingies I had bought myself, and played about making my Christmas cards and wrapping paper.

We don't make too much of Christmas here, but I always try to give my loved ones a little something nicely wrapped in some homespun effort of my own making! I am very much of the - its the time effort and thought - that's gone into a gift, rather than how much flashy people can afford to spend!

Maybe a am just too old fashioned - maybe my upbringing is now 'old hat' but I am not gonna change now - old dogs an all that!

I think this paper should look ok with some nice rustic twine/string/ribbon - or whatever I can find! Goin for the rustic look!

One or two finds from the Auction, and car boot sale on Sunday.

Some pretty jars to stand on my kitchen windowsill - I use then to store bits and bobs (paint brushes to dry and what not), and start plant cuttings off to root. I had to bid for 3 crates of milk bottles to get these, Hubby P's face was a picture! You've bought what! that sort of thing - but too late I already had them! A ha!

I thought the unwanted ones could just go in the recycling - but when we looked at them, they were/or had been someones collection of vintage milk bottles all dating from the 70/80's - with special promotions on them. Hubby's looking to see if he can sell them on Ebay - be a shame to throw them in the recycling if someone out there collects them.

Pretty New rug - don't look at the dirty cupboard where the dog as flopped down!

Two Salter scales - how many scales does a girl need!

Goinn for some soup now! Have a nice day xxxx

AUCTION DAY! HOW EXCITING!!!

Hi You!

Just a quick post - just to share with you, my exciting finds really. I am Soooo thrilled, just wait until you see what I have found! - admittedly some of you (like my Son who just shook his head in dismay!) will think Yuk! But I love it - and Hubby P says so too - not really that he would have said NO, not if he values his life!

Anyway! - Thursday was Auction day - Hubby P had booked a day off work especially to accompany me (read that as restrain/control my bidding fever!).

Wednesday afternoon was viewing - when you can go along, buy a catalogue, and see what goodies there are to be had. I went along - well when I saw it! I just knew I had to have it, it would look so fine in my new kitchen- cum - dining area. I marked it in the catalogue along with other possible 'treats'!

Come Thursday morning and Auction Fever was upon me! I just love it, the atmosphere of the Auction Rooms, that sense of anticipation, everyone intent on their bidding.

I had prepared Hubby P on my 'Find' - and yes, when he saw it he liked it well enough - not as gushy as me! He was just apprehensive as to whether we would be lucky enough _ or have enough cash! to out bid the various Dealers who were there.

Well! i this is what I got so excited about - looks better than in the photo. Its just so 'Heartbeat' - you know the Sunday night drama on TV, set in the 1960's.

I just loved the whole set, there is the glass topped dresser/sideboard-y thing, a basic old white shabby, shelved cupboard, chest of similar kitchen drawers, and the yellow Formica drop leaf table.

I just have to drag all my nice vintage glassware out of the 'storage' boxes ( you know the things you keep sored away, because 'some day' you will have somewhere to put them!) - they will look great in the new dresser.

Of course the actual bidding for the thing was Sooo thrilling - dare I say it better than sex! We had to keep our nerve and bid and bid and bid - till the others gave up. Wow what a adrenalin rush!

Of course buying all this lot meant 3 trips home with it all for Hubby P. Not to worry I told him - I had a taste for it now - I will wait here and bid for the 'odd' thing - to be truthful he had marked in the catalogue, some books he was interested in.

Well that was me sunk/sucked in well and truly, anything vaguely interesting (or cheap!) I was in there!

Look at this little lot, so pretty - Of course now I have to decide which to keep and which to ebay (just got to recover some of my money - ready for next Auction day!).

The compacts are really so pretty and in such good order - its gonna be tough choosing!

And of course a Hat!

Not just any hat- a Vintage silk hat from Liberty of London, in its original tatty/shabby box. I just fell for the box - before I looked inside. What is it about us and old tatty things. Mind you the hat is wonderful! I wonder what occasion M.A. Bale of Abergyvenny bought the hat for in 1967. I like to think she had wonderful, life enhancing time in the hat - maybe met the man of her dreams, who whisked her off her feet - then again it could be just another wedding! All the information is clearly shown on the address label on the box! - how intriguing is that!

Gotta go now - its all go! Car Boot sale tomorrow!

Ta Ta Take care xxx

AND THE LUCKY WINNER IS!!!

As duly promised, I put the names in a hat (well! a rather pretty dish actually!) and picked out the lucky winner.

The winner is the lovely lady from ~ Lace Hearts ~ (lacehearts.blogspot.com/)

Congratulations!!!!

She chose the name Angel-in -waiting (I think it will be Angel for short!) for the little doll found abandoned and lonely at the car boot.

If you would kindly email me with your address I can post your goodies on to you.

Its been very wet here, but we managed a couple of Car Boot sales that were indoors.

Look at these lovely little vintage hair slides - the butterflies are particularly sweet!

And how about the Hair net! real Grannie style, it even has a ribbon that ties under the chin!
Isn't it funny how fashions change - we wouldn't be seen dead going to bed in one of these today, yet they were common place not that long ago.




That's all for now - Bye xx

WINTERS ON ITS BLUSTERY WAY!

Winter must be on its way! Hubby P has taken to wearing his Thermals!!

This is a photo of him last Christmas (beards been taken off now! thank goodness!) I bought him these red flannel long johns - with 'bum flap' - just like the 'Old Timers' on the Westerns!

There are other photos of him, but they are - shall we say 'indiscreet'- before he managed the flap buttons!

Anyway - busy busy here! I decided it was time to put the heavier, warmer Winter curtains back up at the windows.

We can then draw them against the cold blustery weather, and snuggle around the fire!





Gave all my sparkly bits and bobs a wash too, I love lighting the candles and watching the flames flickering amongst my gemstones!





I have quite a collection of Amethyst.




Just love the deep rich purple.
Hubby P treats me to a new stone every now and then - 'its my one weakness'!!

Have a good Weekend!

AUTUMNS MELLOW FRUITFULNESS! and SEASONAL GIVEAWAY!!

Hi Folks!

I just love this time of year, the autumnal colours, that fresh earthy autumn smell - and the memories of times past, it brings with it.

I particularly love these Flag or water Iris, they grew in perfusion in the water meadows near my childhood home.

I have always taken a 'root' with me whenever I have moved house, and found a damp corner for it. I think the seed pods are particularly beautiful.

I picked these earlier today - just to have and admire in the house. I wondered - if I dried the seed, could I use it as beads - string them on some nice thread. I thought they would look pretty - rustic pretty!

Credit Crunch - Winter coughs and colds Preventative!

I had a little walk up the lane yesterday - to see what I could see see see! (who remembers that little rhyme - although it started as 'A sailor went''''?)
I digress - anyway I came home with a basket of hedgerow fruits, mostly blackberries although there are so few left now. So I made some of his Blackberry Cordial, said to cure all manor of coughs, colds and general chills!
Its just such a gorgeous colour - got to do you a world of good!







Hubby P kindly brought home this little book, he knows me well! Its full of serious useful country remedies, the not so useful and the down right silly!
The Blackberry Cordial has honey and brandy (well mine has whisky - what I had to hand - not literally!) in it, the idea is that as soon as you feel you may have a cold coming on, put a dash of cordial with hot water and sip said drink in bed.
After sampling last night - I am sure I had a chill from standing the Car Boot sale! - I think maybe I will be prone to 'chills' the winter!!








Car Boot Sale finds!
We had a stall again yesterday - the weather was great, bit chilly but fine and bright. We had a great time, its so much fun watching the world go by, having a good old natter with people. And of course you can still take turns (if there are two of you) to look around the stalls, and find 'goodies'!
I found these nice curtains, they are old toweling ones, the sort of thing we had in the bathroom when I was growing up in the 70s! The bag had lots of oddments of the fabric (old cushion covers I think) so I may keep the oddments to sew with and good old Ebay the curtains. It would be such a shame to cut them up!








This little picture is so bright and breezy, its a painting on glass in the shape of a dome, really pretty. I thought it just a bit different from the usual pictures we hang on the wall!
It reminds me of the Bluetits we get on our Apple tree.






This is a sad little tale, I was walking back to the car - I had just found this little basket - all for £1! People we starting to pack up their stalls, and as I walked past the various boxes of rubbish people leave, I saw this little dolly thrown in one of the boxes - my first thought was 'what a waste' some little girl, somewhere in the world, would dearly love a dolly like this. We are so obviously a nation of people with far too much, if we can throw so much away!
Anyway rather than 'Rant' on - I picked up the dolly - nothing wrong with her (she needs a bit of a wash is all ) - so I thought she could come live with us. Little people can enjoy her when they come to visit.

But - of course! she needs a Name! This is where you come in - if you can think of a nice name, leave me a Comment (with the name!) - and I will draw the winner out of a hat on Sunday 5th Oct. Winner gets a 'Seasonal Giveaway'!!

Go on - name the Dolly!

Speaking of hats! - I found a new one for the Winter, its a bit ' Men of Sherwood -y' or 'Robin Hood', but I like it! It cost the princely sum of £1 and its a Laura Ashley design!

Hows zat for style!

I know the photos a bit iffy - that's what you get when trying to take a photo of yourself with the aid of a mirror!

Ta ra for now! xx

A SUNSHINE-Y ICECREAM-Y SORT OF DAY!

Hi Folks!

Its been a lovely sunshiny day here in North Wales - hope you're having a bit too!

The kind of day to sit in the sun with an ice cream! - I saw this nasturtium today, climbing up the trellis - the colours just reminded me of raspberry ripple ice cream!

On the Garden Front!

Not a great lot to report - much tidying of beds and potting on, not really photogenic stuff! However I have made an 'Artistic' decision! - No more plastic tubs, 'old galvanised' has just got to be more fitting for an old cottage like ours, and indeed! far more pleasing to the eye!

So! like mad woman on a mission! I have been buying up all the old buckets I could lay my hands on. They may not look terribly exciting just now, but planted up with lots of pretty foliage - they will look the business!
Hubby P wanted to take the lump hammer to 'straighten out' the old galvanised bath (I think it was used to feed animals!) - I was horrified -I had bought it precisely because it looked 'old battered, worn and well loved' (bit like me really!). I told him he would take his life in his hands if he went anywhere near it! He just gives me that strange look - sometimes we are poles apart! What was that book called? 'Men are from Mars !!!!


Carbooty Finds!!

Tuesday is Car Boot day - so this is hot off the press!

Look ! a whole bunch of pretty vintage smellies! A Girl can't have too much sweet smelly stuff! Only 50p a bottle, how could I walk away!





And thinking of the Chri******* word, a couple of little books to browse for ideas. I shall have a look make some notes, and probably put these on Ebay - I try not to collect this sort of craft book nowadays - I just haven't the space. Someone else can enjoy them.

These I thought were exceptionally cute - little vintage needle cases! What stories could they tell? Who made them? and why? The one with the swan is a manufactured case from Milwards -Finest Quality Needles! Nowadays you get then in an awful plastic box! These little cases are so much nicer - don't you think so?

Again - saved from the skip! These were from a house clearance 'Van Man', what he doesn't sell goes to the rubbish dump (I suppose its called the recycling centre now!) Although I don't really knit, I thought these would be nice to have and look at if only for the great Vintage pictures!

I could just see Hubby P in this snazzy yellow jumper! (I don't think So!! he would run a mile - he's not a jumper man really! and he certainly would refuse to do the 'Ahoy There' pose!)

And Yes again the Ch*********** word crops up! These little festive streamers took me right back to when I was a child, helping put up decorations in the school hall. Isn't it strange how you can almost 'smell' and 'feel' the time and place! I find old shoe box really nice - am I strange? -does it have to be old, worn and shabby for me to 'bond' with it?

Maybe its something to do with age!!

Earlier in the week the weather was more like this!

The nights are drawing in, it was cold, dark, damp - and I needed something comforting! So I made a batch of Treacle Toffee! It was sooooo good and sweet and sticky! Just the thing to snuggle up to the fire with! - of course I ate far too much!

I made lots, so I made little parcels off it - even sold some on the Carboot on Sunday! ( in this new era of tightening belts and earning extra, we have done/had a stall - a couple of times - its ok until we run out of surplus/unwanted/what Hubby P can prize off me - stock).

It must be said - the people who bought the toffee seemed to be Ladies of a certain age, shape and disposition as myself - no Posh Spice look-a-likes then!
I don't suppose Posh would know a good toffee if it hit her in the teeth! - and imagine the mess if the wrapper was to come off in her Gucci handbag! Anyway - I digress - how did I get to Posh Spice? - the Toffee was good - none left now - just neeeeed to make more!

Gotta go now Pancakes for tea! Ta ra for now xxx

WHAT A GRAND DAY OUT!

Well! Hello there!

Sorry to open with such a gruesome picture - especially nasty if you are a vegetarian. But this is life in the country! Its Sootin season!

My friend turned up with a Gentleman who was a retired Gamekeeper in tow, he had been at one of the shoots - had spare birds and would I like them? Yes Please! love a bit of Duck, and I certainly can't afford to buy it in the shops - and how could it be fresher than this?

Of course it involved me 'dressing' the birds, not that great a job, but I feel if we want to eat meat we should be prepared to do the nasty side. I got a goodly amount of meat from them that now sits in my freezer - lovely duck with orange sauce on a cold winters evening!

On to our Exciting Day out!!

Hubby P has taken a few days holiday from work - to fix the roof primarily! but I thought he should have a least a days fun! So - off we trot to the local Household Auction, armed with a bit of cash and trusty picnic basket (no expensive cafes for us Credit Crunchers!).

I just love it all! - the smell of the old well polished furniture, musty old books, the anticipation in the air, the atmosphere, and then the buzz of the bidding as the Auctioneer drones on in his sing song-y voice!

We had looked at what was for sale earlier, and noted down a few lot numbers that perhaps we could have a bid at, Hubby P left me to go for a -break (smoke!) - That was it - I was so enthralled in it all, the Auctioneer mentioned 3 Antique chairs (my attention was grabbed!) -Chairs for renovation project (more bells ringing - he said renovation - that's the same as crafts/sewing/fun to me!!!) well my hand shot up! - I just had to have them! Got them for a £1!

Funny no one else wanted them! - No wonder when Hubby P went to track them down (we had not seen them earlier - they were stacked on top of a wardrobe!) - well! they all had 3 legs! one had no seat! but they had been beautiful - still were in a sad, crumbly, faded fashion. They just had to come home with us - to spend the last of their glory days fading away in our garden!

I think they look rather elegant!





As if they are just waiting for the Fairy Princess to take a rest amongst the flowers!

Hubby P managed to win this butter churn, it came with a crate of milk bottles! I like the churn, but I'm not sure what we will do with the bottles!

I won some Potty's (Chamber Pots)! again for £1 - no one wanted them. I have them in my bathroom for storing things in!

We got lots of other things - boxes full, because they sell things by the box, and if - for example I wanted some Willow pattern mugs (I won them for £1) I got the whole box of household items -an iron, heated rollers, clocks, pictures, and endless all sorts! Some things were really grim and went in the bin, but the rest - well we did a Car boot sale on Sunday! and turned a profit! What fun!

Just thought I would show you this -

Its a wonderful great big piece of woollen fabric given to be by a friend. Fancy finding this at the back of a cupboard! It really wants to be made into something rather fine, tailored into a nice jacket or coat.

Think I might put it on Ebay and share any earnings with my friend - I don't feel confident enough to put the scissors to it!

More Apples!

Hubby P came home with a box of windfall apples someone had kindly given him - we put them in the freezer (I made a few apple pies) and the peelings and cores I boiled up to make apple jelly.

Just before I put it in jars I added some finely chopped chilli - I don't know if it will work! - what it will taste like! but its a bit different!

Bad photo of the jars of 'Apple jelly with a hint of chilli'! as you can see I got quite a lot considering it was just the peel and cores I used, I will do that again -Nothings Wasted in the Crunch household!

Hope you are all having a good week Remember 'Gird Your Loins' against this Credit Crunch, and we will come out the other side!

Ta ra for now xxxx