Having a great day.

Today is my birthday, as the weather is so unpredictable, Ive delayed my day out. Instead just pottering about, and enjoying my pressies 



A David Austin "Geoff Hamilton" rose bush.  I know just the spot for it. I used to love watching Geoff on BBC2.



   This delightful mug. 



What more could I ask for 
1. l love my cuppa, 
2.  Its green, my favourite colour and 
3. its in a shape of a campervan 
three favourite things rolled into one.  My daughter knows me well.


A bottle of Baileys, which always goes down well.  The card on the right my friend made, even the rose, very clever. 

Sometime ago last year,  a friend of ours got a pet lamb for his girls, and I asked that when it was shorn if I could have the wool.  Well last night I had a visit and a present of a large sack of smelly lambswool. 



Today,  I took a bucket full of lambswool and and pair of rubber gloves and rinsed the smelly wool 6 times till the water was clear.  Now Im not sure what to do next. 


 I need to wash it, to get the lanolin out, and when Ive washed Im not sure what Im going to do with it.  It seems a shame to use it for stuffing, though it would make wonderful stuffing.  It would be lovely if I could felt it or have it spun and knit something, maybe a present for his girls.  Any ideas out there. please.  I.ve also been busy creating, it started with a sketch and 3 days later, I have created this lovely Yorkshire Lady, she seems abit like Marmite.  You either love or hate her!!   

Fun between the Rain Showers

On Friday we had a small visitor to No. 23.  He is only seven years ond and he came to bake bread, something my husband had been promising him for a while.   He thoroughly loved the experience (he wants to be a chef), baked 6 bread rolls, walked Millie while the bread rose.  He was so excited when he peeped at the bread and it had doubled in size MAGIC.  We also printed off some special bread labels,  It was lovely have small children in the house again.

 In between the most horrendous weather we are having I have been really enjoying rearranging the garden with the hubbie.  First we bought some new veg boxes, replacing the mish mash wooden ones,  I am so pleased with them, and all but one veg bed so far has been successful.

Next we moved the sheds, we wanted to create a storage area in between to store and cut wood.   We started clearing the rubble planning to lay a base and to our surprise  we discovered old block paving. We believe it must have been when they used to keep pigs at the back of the outhouses.  What luck a good sound surface to work on.

Ive been so loving this little corner of our garden So colour

co-ordinated

but today this appeareed

 This beautiful red poppy amongst my pastel arrangement. 



I love this plant, when its rained the droplets look like diamonds on the leaves when the sun catches them, if only!

I am also still making bears, here is a WIP.  I had a new idea in my head, and this little pig came together so quickly, but the ears and facial expression, was another thing. Sometimes it pays to put things down for a while and come back and have a fresh look. Today I looked at it and now I know what I need to do.  On a bonus the ears have settled down, which I am so pleased about.
.


I LOVE ♥ pigs.  Do you?

Blooming Weather!.. Ideal for a spot of sewing

An April shower wont last half an hour.  Well Im not to sure about that one.   It has rained, now for about a week with just the odd hour of sunshine. 

at least the water isnt coming up onto the pavements, since we had the new pumping system put in, no more episodes like  this  (touch wood)


Even the cat doesn't want to go outside.

I'm waiting patiently to plant these potatoes, that have been on the  sill for what seems an eternity.

The tulips are looking nice though.  So whilst the weather  stops me from finishing sorting the garden out,  I continue to sew. 

Ive discovered the trick is to have a cutting out session.  So the other week I cut out three items to sew. I shall show you the first one today.  I had seen this pattern on another blog   




New Look 6808

I realised I had something similar in this Vogue pattern. I thought I could recreate  the above from this and add a collar.

Vogue 8667
Id made this pattern previously  but wasnt happy with the princess sea, it was way too high for me. So with the help of a friend I redrafted the top changing the princess seam into a vertical seamst seam.  Then I just added a collar, self drafted.



Isnt this fabric Soo beautiful. 
A petrol blue with large blossoms, I love it.  Its  36" wide seersucker, vintage and incredibly light.   I had just over a metre. Just enough to make a sleeveless top, I had to use bias on the seams binding and a contrast material under the collar.

How do you all take photos of yourselves I found it impossible, especially in my tiny cottage

At last with the help of someone, a really quick and easy top with so many options.




Home Ideas

Yesterday my Homes and Antiques Magazine dropped through the letter box, I have to say Im loving this months issue.  It had some fab articles just up my street

+ Free Prints



Vintage Bicycles. Great

Hen of Henhouse her lovely home is featured. Blog here http://henhousehomemade.blogspot.com/ for more scrummy photos.

Im so loving the 50s



Id love an Ercol daybed,  and the patchwork quilt  is so striking, sorry rubbish photo



An interesting article on vamping up a magazine rack. My daughter did something very similar but on a way larger scale .....

......on her bedroom wall

Of course, all these lovely photos is making me want to reach for the paint brush, and I have made a big decision. I would like to paint my rooms white, starting with the kitchen. Ive always shied away from white for obvious reasons, its not practical and everyone keeps saying it wont last five minutes. But Im always drawn to it in magazines. I hope Im making the right decision.

ON A DIFFERENT NOTE 

This beautiful Poppy in the garden, I noticed the other evening that when it closes up it looks like it is putting its hands together and saying a prayer.  Dont you think (or have I completely lost the plot)

In the garden

A few days ago I was in the garden taking photos.  .

The new climbing rose will look great next year, it will hide the trampoline and compost bin nicely.

The Raspberries are flourishing

Something the birds dropped in



A passion for poppies

 

But then it rained


Ahh well at least it will do the garden good!!
Tomorrow I will be heading to Bridlington where my friend has a chalet for the week, hope its sunny.