WHAT ELSE CAN A GIRL DO - ITS FREEZING COLD!

What else' can a girl do when its a so finger numming-ly cold, but Sew, Shop and Lunch!!

Just back form the Car Boot Sale - yes! some hardy souls were still selling their wares - it was so cold! We didn't really hang about there long, I just had a good old nosy in their boxes, then we went for Lunch ( a 'Recession Special' - a choice of five different main meals for £2.95 - my kinda lunch!).

A saved these lovelies from a tatty old box - I thought they were so pretty!

I especially like this one with the white doves.

And wouldn't we all like a garden like this!

I have suddenly got my crafting mojo back - but wanting to be thrifty, I am trying to use up all those odd bits of fabric that we all keep, just in case - they are too pretty to throw away, but a bit small to make anything substantial!

So I hit on the idea of covering old wooden coat hangers with pretty vintage fabric. I have some and find they are so much better than the thin wire ones, or wooden for that matter, they don't leave pokey-out bits in your clothes especially woollen tops and jackets ( bit of a hate/thing with me - iron something, then come to put it on and have 'pokey' shoulders!).

As you can see my little table at the side of my chair is now a total mess of sewing stuff, just handy for when I sit down to watch Larkrise, Victorian Farm etc. I sew them all by hand - I find it very soothing/therapeutic, I have always done a lot of hand stitching, embroidery and the like.

This pretty blue fabric is a bit Cath Kidston-ish, It may be I am not sure, just a lump of fabric I picked up somewhere! Still - its pretty! I made the little padded hearts so that they could be scented with oils - Lavender, Rose or whatever, every one has a favorite. Mine is Patchouli - not everyone's cup of tea.

I used some pretty vintage buttons to finish them off.

I thought I might try some in my Etsy shop, I am a bit disappointed in Etsy, but I suppose it is world wide, and there are so many lovely things on there - I am just a little fish!

Then again, nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Ta Ta for now xx

JUST A QUICK THANKYOU - I HAVE BEEN A LAZY BLOGGER!

Just a quick little Thank you ~ well a what I mean is a BIG Thank you, but short, late night Blog!

Some of you Girls have been so kind as to give me these Awards. I know I am so lazy about doing anything with them (still not too confident with the old cut/paste or whatever!).

Anyway, it seems most of the people I 'follow' would qualify for these awards, I am always amazed at the interesting things they post. How could I choose between you you all, to pass them on!

So Big Big Thanks to :-

Tracy - Craftyscraps for this delightful Pink creation of an Award!

And Many many thanks to Elaine - Bloomin' Myrtle

There are a few nice words that go with this, but I still can't manage to transfer them over to here! - hopeless! I know, I need some more lessons!
But you could just pop along to Elaine's blog - a nice gentle read, from a dear gentle woman. One I considerto be a dear friend, although we haven't met - blogging is such a wonderful way of making friendships - a way of reaching out!

Getting ready for some sleep now - catch you all later!
xx

PRETTY, PRETTY SNOWDROPS!

Look what greeted me this morning!

Pretty, pretty snowdrops!

Last Autumn I had lots of unidentifiable loose bulbs, that I had dug up whilst moving plants around, and generally messing around with the planting.

So I potted them all up, in various spare pots, and stood them down by the side of the shed. All the little shoots are showing now, soon I will move the pots to the side of the path and around the door. Some nice fresh Spring flowers to brighten our days!

I do so love, snowdrops. My bridesmaids carried them, and I had snowdrops on my Wedding dress fabric - this was the first time around, when I had the whole shee-bang! Big white Wedding an all, sadly it didn't last, but I have two wonderful boys from the marriage, and sad as it was, I still think kindly of my ex-husband!

As you all know, I now have the wonderful/solid as a rock/too good to me to be true - Hubby P.

We get on great - so all turned out well in the end, and now I have 4 sons!

Think I am all maudlin because its around this time I was first married and snowdrops, well they just remind me!

Back to jollier things!!!!
Look what we have - some new little souls to join the Allsorts Household!




Not all got names yet, although the white one with back eyes is called Dusty (Dusty Springfield!), we will watch and their names will come to us!

These little pictures I found in the Charity shop on Saturday, the weather was so bad, all we did was have a mooch around the Charity shops. I do hope we have an early Spring!



I like their sweet innocence!

And here' s one of our Girls - a striking pose!

A Chicken for Gary - hope you are feeling better! Lots a love xxx

Got to go - steak for Tea (Yellow label, from the reduced shelf at Somerfields!!!)

Ta ta for now xx

An Afternoon with Engelbert Humperdink!

Just got in from the Car Boot Sale ~ Wow! lots of goodies today ~ just had to share this with you!

I am having an Afternoon of Engelbert and the Stylistics (the best of!)~ only 50p each!

Ooh --- do you remember Engelbert? He had his own show on TV ~ and what he did to my heart as a young girl!

I thought he was Sooooo wonderful!

The perfect lover ~ truth is he was probably a total Rat! Real lounge Lizard material!

Don't know that my choice in men changed much for a good while ~ until I met Hubby P ~ he's more grisly Joe Cocker than Engelbert! (not that he can sing -shame!)

And I found the stylistics - wonderful!

On the 20p table - something to read!

EVERY WOMAN'S ENQUIRE WITHIN

Its very old and battered, but full of wonderful 'Advice' on all subjects, a 'must' for all young Women wanting to be a success in all things!

I can just see me doing this! ~ don't thing I even have the right sort of frock!







This is more me ~ housework and more housework!






The photo's and illustrations are just wonderful!






'Every Woman's Home'?
How things have changed ~ it could well be on a different planet, its so different from the average home today.
Although I would kill to have a go in that kitchen!

Anyway that's all for now ~ back to Eng' and this fascinating book!

Bye for now xxx

Is Spring Around The Corner!!

Isn't this a cheery sight!

One of my baby Orchids bravely putting out a perfect little flower.

And looking a little closer down by the side of the shed, my pots are beginning to shoot - dare we

hope Spring is around the corner!

One of the best Presents ever, this Christmas!

Take a load of this ---





Give it a good old soaking in water for a couple of days ---

Fill this little machine-y thing with the paper pulp -----






And - hay presto! - you get one of these paper logs/briquettes to burn on the fire!
How cool is that!





Obviously they have to dry out first - here I have them on top of the wood burner drying out. I suppose summer would be the best time to make them, and dry them off in the greenhouse.
Its a great evening activity - whilst watching T.V. - sit shredding old newspapers and all those nasty bills that come through the letter box! Hubby P is thrilled !? another activity to keep him busy! - after all we don't want him to be bored!?!!

Have you got February's Country Living? loads of loveliness as usual, and Marmalade! It all sounds so scrummy, I just had to make some - I have just done the chopping up bit, I will leave it to soak overnight and boil it up tomorrow - Yummy, I just love Marmalade!
Too much Paddington Bear when I was a child!




Take care x Ta ta for now xxx

JUST CATCHING UP!

Hi there ~ sorry its been so long! I bet you thought I'd fallen off the edge of the Blog world!

Hope you all had a good Christmas/New Year/ Holiday and what not ~ seems a long time ago now.

Just a short post, sort of random ~ Hubby p has uploaded my photos I had for you, and goodness only knows where he has put them ~ I have searched this computer!

So here's a sunny one! ~ remember that Sunshine stuff! And the garden all lush and green.

Did Santa bring some nice goodies? This was one of my rather nice gifts ~ fancy Hubby P knowing I needed a Hatpin stand and Hatpins! This is a Vintage one from Woolworths, a double whammy ~ Vintage and Woolworths , poor Woolies been and gone, but it makes my Hatstand that extra bit special. Indeed, poor Woolies, I think we all have fond memories of spending our pocket money in Woolies on a Saturday!

We went to the Household and Collectables Auction yesterday, great excitement as usual! There was lots of lovely things, unfortunately the Vintage clothes I was interested in went far above the pennies in my pocket. I bought a nice box full of Vintage sherry glasses ( I could just not get a good photo of these) and whatnot, and as usual the Lot included a whole load of Table linen ~ just take a look at this!

It simply screams 1960/70s! with its bright pink geometric pattern! Its even brighter pink than on the photo. Its a tablecloth but would make a great hanging.
I have put this and some others on Ebay ~ to re-home. I am determined not to hoard stuff this year, looking through my cupboards earlier this week, I found stuff that I hadn't looked at for months! That and get my Credit cards paid right down - and fingers crossed paid off! So the not hording, selling on Ebay and reduction of Credit cards goes hand in hand. Wish me luck ~ its so hard not buying all those lovely linens and bits and bobs, just to 'have' them.

Found these too, stashed among the linen, ~ do you remember your Mum buying Scotchbright? It was the most innovative thing in the kitchen - no dishwashers then!

That's all for now time for Tea! Ta Ta for now xxx

HOW ABOUT SOME JUDY FOR CHRISTMAS?

It was Auction Day Again!

What are We like!! There were just so many wonderful Vintage things, all with their own stories to tell - I wanted to bring lots home, but I was restrained, besides, the huge 7 foot four poster bed with swags of vintage fabric wouldn't fit in my tiny bedroom - I did take the tape measure to it to check! ( I carry a tape in my bag - you never know what you may come accross!)

Anyway we were having a good day - we had looked at everything and noted in the catalogue, Lots we were interested in. I had had the little discussion with Hubby P about us 'Just Not having the room at home for any more furniture'! Yes Yes! I said.

He had bid and won some boxes with books and things in, one of the boxes had these old records in - shame I thought, someones collection the will never again be played - a collection which has been compiled over the years and treasured. There were handwritten (in beautiful copperplate) notes on the record sleeves.

One of the records was -

Judy Garland - a live recording Oct 16 1951 at the Palace, Broadway! How wonderful. This is truley a piece of social history captured on this little black disc.

Shortly after the boxes were sold HubbyP went outside for a constitutional - Well what was I to do - this next Lot was next - a wonderful 1950s Radiogram! I had loved it when I viewed it, but dismissed the idea (We had had the 'disscussion' about No furniture!) - But it would have been a sin - No one wanted it - I got it for a fiver! Yes! Just £5

Hubby p's face was a picture, but he was secretly delighted - I could tell! - And the deed was done!

This is what it looks like, rather smart piece of furniture - I just need to sort out some nice 50,s photo frames to stand on it. In this photo its just sort of been plonked down.

When the doors are open you can see the radio and record player , and you know what the record player worked straight away! And we had records to play!

What fun we had listening to all the old records - Judy Garland, Gracie Fields, Gene Kelly, Dean Martin, and host of others!

It transported me to another time, another era, it was like all those old black and white films playing in my mind - I could 'see' the fashions the hair, the clothes - hats lipstick! What a nice evening we had. So of course we are on the look out for interesting old vinyl now!

Hubby P treated himself to this - something for him to tinker with, far easier on the eye than some of this modern plastic and metal stero stuff.

I found these chair back covers in one of the boxes - on top of the records I think.

This larger one has some damage that someone has darned in the past - what happened there do you think? Did the Lady of the house spend time and effort embroidering these pretty things, and then the cat clawed at them, did her little terrier drag them on the floor and have a chew? We will never know - but they have a safe home now. That industrious little Lady will live on in her handiwork!

Ta ta for now xx