contemplating.......

So, dear readers, once again I have been absent for far longer than is decent, suffering from blogging angst. Time is a major factor at the moment, I probably have much more of it than lots of you out there but time management is NOT my strong point and I feel that spending hours on the computer is not a productive way to spend my days. Added to that is the guilt factor, and being a parent brings with it a huge amount of guilt already without adding to it.

However I love the record of family life that a blog gives me, I don't keep a diary and all the digital photos spend their life on discs and not kept in any order, so a blog provides us with a great keepsake.

I love reading blogs that make me laugh, inspire me and make me drool with envy and I'm not sure that a log of my children's life would make scintillating reading. So what I think I will do is carry on sporadically, mainly for me but very happy to have you all popping in and I will endeavour to call in on you all whenever time permits.

So for now I'll leave you with some of the things making me smile at the moment.................

:: walking up a nearby hill, one of Ian's favourite haunts and enjoying a very windy picnic and the amazing views once there.

:: the fact that even with my limited (very) gardening skills, the mixture of rain and sunshine recently have meant that my haphazard approach to gardening has led to a pretty fantastic display this year. Particularly loving the geraniums and the surprise anenome that I'd forgotten I'd planted..................

:: special gifts from very special people. A gorgeous vintage inspired necklace from the lovely Kathy and a fantastic tea dress in the Cath Kidston fabric I bought a while ago made by a very talented mum from school who wanted to practice her dressmaking skills in return for a few crochet lessons.

:: taming that wild bed hair, scrumptious!

:: delicious, sweet cherries, flipping expensive but heavenly and with the added bonus of giving you an illicit thrill when you see how far you can spit the stone (or is that just me??)

:: sun, sun and more sun which means everything can be done outside, which in turn means less mess inside, just as well because I do not operate at full capacity when the temperature gets above 25 degrees.

:: the colour of the water against the paddling pool, it only stayed this way for about five minutes since Jack decided paddling pools should always have added soil, grass and leaves...............

:: celebrating my birthday with a meal without kidlets in a sushi restaurant, and loving the cards from friends who know me so well............


:: wearing a bikini in secret. This 39 year old body is not fit for public consumption but whilst everyone is out I can cavort around the house in total privacy without scaring small children. As Jack commented when asked his opinion about mummy in said bikini : "too white and too wide". Ahem.

Just in case you were all wondering if I've completely lost the few marbles I have left, I have remembered the button maker, next post I'll announce the winners.

Bye all.............

wet weekend...............

Well I don't know how the weather is treating the rest of you but here we seem to be either bathed in lovely spring sunshine or braving the monsoon season, all within the space of a few minutes. Far too confusing for my little brain and it means that twice I've had to cycle home in torrential rain wearing naught but a flimsy cardigan, "never prepared" being my motto.

We had a friend's 40th birthday party this weekend, a very posh do which entailed proper dressing up. I dragged my black dress from the back of the wardrobe, dusted it down and with the addition of a few turquoise accessories off we went, Ian resplendent in kilt and sporran, being of the Scottish variety.

Kitty has never seen me in evening dress let alone high heels and was fascinated by my shoes. She has been clattering around the bedroom in them all week. I learnt on the night why I never wear high heels, apart from making me walk like a drag queen, they're bloody uncomfortable. Being blessed with feet wider than a pair of flippers does not make wearing dainty strappy shoes a pleasure, give me flip flops any day.


Sunday was spent recovering from Saturday night. Once again I was reminded that I SHOULD NEVER EVER drink champagne, so for most of the day I felt the need to swoon on the sofa in a rather pathetic manner. Jack attempted to make me better with his toast crust heart, did the trick momentarily until my nearly 40 year old body reminded me of it's limitations when it comes to alcohol. Never again (until the next time).

This beautiful lilac was brought from a friend's garden. I love the blowsy beauty of it but I have to tell you, it smells like toilet cleaner. It gets right up my nostrils and I can't get rid of the smell. Is it just me?

I may be back later in the week, if we haven't been washed away, see you all soon.............

the week so far.................

This has been one of those weeks where nothing much has been done, a fairly relaxed affair, much mooching, wandering and pootling about. I have actually pulled my finger out and managed to make a couple of orders for people but I've also managed to grab the odd bit of sunshine earlier on in the week and created a few crocheted hangers in the garden. A nice quick and easy project, simply four lines of treble crochet sewn around the hanger with the addition of a simple flower. I also dug out my rather large bead collection and added to my expanding necklace collection.

One of the car boot finds came in very handily for these garden projects. An old folding table picked up for 50p now covered (very haphazardly) in oilcloth. This will undoubtedly accompany us on our camping trips this summer, the children have earmarked it for a few activities, poor table.

Sitting in the garden I noticed that the few plants I do have seem to have a common theme, a colour I'm not usually fond of but one that pops up everywhere in my small bed..........

...........purple. I'm drawn to purple flowers, especially alliums, I'm so impressed that the bulbs I chucked in the bed in November have produced the goods, I wasn't holding out much hope, so dire are my gardening skills.

Plans are afoot for our little garden, hopefully these will come to fruition in early June, although knowing our gardener the end of the month is more likely. There's also some very exciting (for me, anyhow) news which I'll update you on in the very near future.

Lastly I have a huge apology to all for of you for a terrible error on my part. Whilst rummaging through the carnage downstairs which is supposed to be my sewing room I came across one of these...............

...............hmmmm I thought, why do I have another of these? Then the horrible realisation dawned that way back in December I had a little giveaway which I then forgot to give away. What can I say??!! Lesson learnt, don't arrange a giveaway a week before Christmas because in the excitement my shrivelled up brain will forget that I've done one. So sorry to all of you who left a comment. As an apology I went out and bought another one and I will be doing the draw and giving away two and some other goodies next Friday. I'll count in all those who left me comments back then and anyone who leaves me another before next Friday. Does that garbled message make sense to anyone? Just pop in and say hi if you haven't already and you're in!

Ok everyone, have a lovely weekend, I have a feeling car bootin' may be off this weekend (sob), I can hear my bank account breathing a sigh of relief, but you never know! Emma, I'll be keeping an eye open for a table if we make it.

Byeeeee............

car bootin' treasure..........

Let's start with a couple of pics of my very own fashionista, useful blackmail material for those turbulent teenage years. Particularly loving the wedding veil and socks combo. This is how she walked around to a friends house to collect Jack, oh to be four and without any self consciousness again...

So, dear readers, would you like me to treat you to a quick peek at the latest car boot finds? Of course you do........... Sunday morning was bright and sunny so 7.30am found Andrea and I ready to start our regular saunter around what was a huge boot fair. This local (about 5 mins from my door) car boot has grown in both sellers and buyers and there's always a good atmosphere up there. There's been a distinct change in the people buying of late with a lot more arty / crafty looking people wandering around, people have cottoned on to the bargains to be had, great for the sellers but makes treasures a bit harder to come by. I nearly bopped a woman on the head with the two vintage windbreaks she snaffled just before I got to the stall. That's what keeps me going back, you just never know what you're going to find.

Plants are a great car boot favourite, cheap and abundant, the choice is fantastic. This week I treated myself to a foxglove and aquilegia. Let's see how long it takes me or the rampant snails to finish them off.........

Another fortuitous fabric find, two lovely patchwork cushions for £1. Lovely, lovely...........soon there'll be no space left on the sofa, that'll discourage lounging, doing my bit for a healthy lifestyle you see.

Although I can now crochet I find it impossible to pass a granny square by, especially for the magic sum of £1 - the price of most things it seems.

A fabulous red polka dot raincoat for the fashion queen, yes, you guessed it £1.

Here's where I pushed the boat out, couldn't resist this fair advertisement from Montana (apparently). Loving that name! Worth the £3, had to barter for this one, paying £5 for anything at the car boot is out of the question.

The colours are fantastic, really vibrant. Jack has his eye on it, but I have a space in mind in the kitchen once it's framed.

Bringing home something that Ian approves of always makes my Sunday jaunts more acceptable, the poster was well received but he loved this..............

..........our very own medicine cabinet for 50p. I virtually snatched it out of the bemused sellers' hands. Love that green, helps me forget the so-near-but-oh-so-far vintage windbreak ........just have to go back this weekend!