Random Things I Love

I've been tagged by Joshy and Belle to write about six unimportant things that I love. For me anything I love is not unimportant by virtue of its being loved, so this will be about some of the things that I love because they are.

This picture captures lots of things I love. The randomness of things that come together. The memories that are contained in these things. The pleasure gained from looking at them daily. I was drawn to the colours of the bowl and the childlike splodgy, naivete of the design. Inside is a small broken bird shell found by the Bun's one day in our garden and then just left in this bowl as they raced to another adventure. In front is a small leather pill box which was my great-grandmothers. The once vibrant purple velvet which lines it is now quite faded.

I love the world that is our home. Of all the places I most want to be, it's wherever my wonderful family and I have made our home.

This victorian sardine dish is loved for various reasons. The design and the intensity of the yellow are pretty good reasons, but there are far more significant reasons to love this. We bought it on holiday in Devon weeks before our beautiful Eldest Bun was born. It was a time of lazy summer days. Just the two of us before the unknown of another coming into our lives. This dish holds memories of that time.

Whilst I love the fantastic colours of my floral tin and cherub, my most loved object in this picture is the small framed sketch Mr Bun drew for me one Mother's Day. It captures the Bun's when they were small going for a walk with a balloon.

Quirky things, small things, sparkly things - all gathered together to make me smile.

China, colour and beautiful old things that fill cupboards and make this home that I love so much

Scenes from Village Life

On Saturday Little Bun and I went to feed the ducks and saw a poster announcing a Dog Show was going to be held in our village on Sunday. Alfie Blue was put into training straight away and brushed and polished to a high sheen. We were there bright and fresh first thing thinking it would be a laid back fun show. Alfie was entered into Most Handsome Dog (class no 3) and Pedigree (class no 13).

We waited and waited. Serious competitors turned up, people ran in a Crufts kind of way beside their dogs and we started to think maybe this wasn't going to be the fun thing we thought it would be. After an hour No 1 class hadn't even finished, so we decided Alfie was a star for us and we needed to go and get on with our Sunday somewhere else.

As we walked past the pond some of the ducks followed us as usual, but we hadn't brought food with us today.

The Buns were in too much of a hurry anyway as around 11am every Sunday the sound of the icecream van jingles can be heard. Each week we rush out hoping we haven't missed it as it pulls up by our cottage.

And here it was today just over the road from our home.

Success - happiness is a yummy 99.

No icecream for me today, but I did get these beautiful sweetpeas on the walk back. Cornflowers, sweet williams and sweetpeas are also there to choose from for only 70p a bunch. The scent from them is delicious. I think some more cornflowers tomorrow.

I was given some cornflowers this week by a bloggy visitor who came for cake and to chat. Teena also kindly brought me some apple juice (pressed from their own fruit no less) and homemade crab apple jelly. I must ask for the recipe as I end up sweeping our crab apples up each year, not knowing what to do with them.

I must also finally get round to saying a big thankyou to the bloggy ladies who have given me awards over the last few weeks. Melanie awarded me this -

Fleur and Mandy this one -



Little Gem this -

and Rebecca this award.

Thankyou for thinking of me all of you, it's really appreciated. I must apologise for being so rubbish and only just getting round to my thankyou's. I've also been tagged by Fabric Nation and Joshy and Belle so sometime soon I will reply with my own thoughts and ideas. Rather than passing any of these awards on to anyone in particular, I would like to award anyone who takes the time to blog and finds it truly inspiring to do so.

Now I must get go and get my sleep as I have a crochet class to teach in the morning and then a lion and a bellydancer to watch in the school play in the afternoon. Wishing you all a great week.

A Field of Treasures

Wednesday and best car boot all round day is here again. As usual I start off feeling a bit despondent, thinking there won't be much there today. I walk past clothes piled into mountains on the floor, garish plastic toys that have been outgrown and then I spy my first treasures.

From then on I know this will be good. Six beautiful frill edged pink utility plates. On the next stall I buy a huge icecream tub of buttons and buckles. After sorting out all the muddy colours, I'm left with this glorious selection. BUT - most exciting of all are the coloured crochet hooks. They've been in my mental shopping list for a while now and today two stalls had all of these to offer me. I have plans for teaching children to crochet as an after school club and wanted something more exciting than grey steel for them to learn with. The floral pot they are in was only 20p on another stall, so that was popped into my bag too.

A beautiful selection of linens, tablecloths and fabric from the same two stalls.

A pen and ink floral picture which is in need of a bit of tender care. I've always loved these small Observer series of books. This handy one will be great when the buns and I go for our walks with Alfie. They always ask the names of everything and I'm hopeless at knowing these kind of things. Now we'll all learn as we go.

Two small Jasmine Woods Ware jugs. Slightly chipped so they'll look perfect with some sweet peas in I think.

Now for one of my favourite finds of the day. I picked him up thinking he would be £4 at least, but he was 50p only. I don't think the man knew what treasure a Stanley dog is these days. He has sat in the middle of the other lads avoiding eye contact and just trying to blend in. They seem to be getting along fine so far.

Now I'm off to try out those new hooks as I really must finish the flowers on my garden cushion. Too many projects on the go at once means no finished works to reveal as yet.

I have also been the lucky receipient of a few awards which I really must copy over and show you so that I can properly thank the lovely bloggers who gave them to me. In the next few days I promise.

High Tea

Two father's to celebrate Father's Day for, Grandad and Mr Bun. Little Bun was beside herself with excitement. She loves any kind of special occasion and so set to with her daddy to arrange everything on the table. I know I was meant to be doing it, but eldest bun and I were groaning until the afternoon as we were feeling very poorly indeed.

Thank goodness I had made the cakes the day before. Being the control freak I am I did manage to get all the pretty china out for them to use. Little bun called it our strawberry tea and tucked in with gusto.

Inside and Outside

My week wouldn't be whole without the Wednesday carboot. Only a few goodies this week, but they were definately worth the trip, despite having to take a very naughty Mr Alfie Blue with me. Mr Salt and Ms Pepper above are in fantastic condition so will be perfect for the next fair. Yet more Enid's which are always added to the pile with delight by the Bun's. In front is the most delightful child's saucer, Such a shame the cup is no longer with it, but it is still a small object of gorgeousness in it's own right. I especially love the snail pulling a trolley along.

Yet more fantastic linens and cloths before they become something entirely new indeed.

A pretty oval glass dish and lots and lots of buttons and buckles. I picked these out from a pitch laid out on the floor. With my right hand I searched through all the treasures in front of me whilst my left held on tightly to a very naughty Pug. As I got more absorbed in selecting my buttons, Alfie saw a dog he absolutely needed to chase walk behind me. So off he went and I followed on my bum in the mud. I wonder why I've never really enjoyed taking him with me. He loves being the star of the moment though and so we stop and talk to people who want to know all about this very mischievious boy that walks amongst them.

I also picked up a fantastic plant stand soon to be painted. I'll add that to the next post or so. Might choose a different colour as Little Bun said quite dismissively "I bet it will blue or white as usual." That's me told then.

It seems whilst I've been out and about this week our garden has used all the sun and tons of rain to go mad. It's becoming quite jungly in parts and something needs to be done. A father's day treat perhaps. Mr Bun can clear while we serve him Pimms and fancy cakes. Aren't these water lillies fabulous?

In the apple tree above the hen run tbere is an enormous rose bush that literally explodes with blooms each year. This picture doesn't capture how pink the roses really are, nor the amazing scent when I stand underneath feeding the ladies and collecting their eggs.

These lilies grow alongside my lily of the valley which have now stopped flowering and I have these huge ones instead.

Finally some incredibly tall delphiniums. Yet another of my favourite plants. The sunlight is a bit too strong on them too fully make out the fantastic colours. I'm not going to knock the sun though. It can carry on shining.

Now for a more peaceful weekend as it's my first for a couple of weeks when I'm not at a fair. I think we may be going to a riverside concert on Saturday evening as it starts early so it's ideal for the Bun's. The real lure though is the promise of a colourdome. Not sure what one is, so I hope it is as exciting as it sounds. Then High Tea of strawberries, scones, cake and delicate sandwiches planned for the two fathers on Sunday.

Wishing you all a great weekend too.

Fair on the Square

I got up at the ridiculous time of 5am on Saturday and I was incredibly glad I did as I had a wonderful day in Woodbridge, Suffolk. This is the peaceful candy coloured scene on one side of the road, at 7am, as I walked down the hill towards the Shire Hall where the Fair in the Square was being held. On the other all was busyness as everyone set up their travelling shops ready for the first customers of the day.

Here's Sarah, one of the fair's organisers, caught putting out her fabulous vintage fabric lamps.

Then looking across the square to the Shire Hall shortly before the crowds (and I mean crowds - no poetic licence here today at all) arrived.

(*)

The Shire Hall from the back looked just as fantastic decked out with it's bunting and pitches being set up.

I was really pleased with my pitch. I was the first stall on the walk into the hall. You couldn't avoid me, so all had to stop and look. Luckily for me most were also tempted and I had already made my first sale shortly before we opened for business. It wasn't just about selling though. These events never are, even though that's a pretty good reason for getting up so early. It was great meeting so many new people and bouncing ideas of each other aswell as chatting a lot (which I'm getting good at as I get older). I spied one lady with a familiar looking crochet bag. I shouted out that's an Attic 24 bag isn't it before I could stop myself. The lady was pleased, but surprised as she had only just finished making it the night before. I also made contact with shopkeepers to discuss possible wholesale of some of my handmade wares and I managed to fit in a spot of shopping before the day began.

It's not easy including this picture as I'm still kicking myself very very hard. When I showed Mr Bun he asked me what I was thinking of (in not buying these cups and saucers). I was trying to be good and not spend much, how I wish I'd said to hell with it as I normally do. They are truly beautiful.

I settled on getting dinky little condiment pots for picnics,

a tablecloth covered in tulips and some more fabric. The larger one is a fabulous double sheet which will go towards making a teepee for the buns.

The picture marked with a star above and these last ones were sent to me by Richard, another one of the team of organisers. I can't take credit for such great pictures. They really show what a fantastic bustling day it was. I'd never been to Woodbridge before, just kept on going on the A12 to London, so it was a delight to find such a lively market town. How can you not want to visit somewhere that has a windmill nestled between the houses as you drive in, lots of quirky shops, cafes, bars, antique shops and water to enjoy. Make sure you don't miss the next Fair on the Square on Saturday 26th September if you're looking for a fabulous day out. I'll post more details when I have them.

I'm on a roll

I found these zingy and fun ribbons at the Range yesterday. Never been before, but it was opposite the garage I was collecting my friend from so I popped in to see what it was like.

When I got home we had the most unbelievable storms - lots of rumbles and hailstones. Perfect crochet weather I thought. So for an hour before collecting the buns from school I attacked my slowly growing cushion cover.

I'd slip stitched all the squares together the night before so I was finishing off with a couple of rows of dc edging to bring it all together. I started off sitting on my hard desk chair as Pip had taken up all of the comfy armchair beside my desk. Then she moved over ever so slightly ...

... so I slid in bedside her.

Edged my bum over a bit ...



... and there we are she took over for a bit while I had a catnap (hahaha - aren't puns awful).

So back to my nimble fingers again, I've finished the edging and started on the flowers. I thought I'd use Vanessa's flowers as they are the perfect size for this project. Just need to do these and make the back and I will finally have a beautiful flower garden cushion.