It Doesn't take Much

Some days you just know are going to be easy going good feeling days don't you. First thing this morning there was a hazy mist hovering about which meant another hot one. It was an ideal rootling around in a field for treasure kind of a day, but I just wanted to enjoy having the whole day at home by myself. I really enjoy my own company and had plans for my day.

After dropping the Bun's at school I got home, threw the doors wide in the dining room and rushed through the morning chores.

A hot choccy and a dripping in butter teacake were the perfect fodder to get me ready for the sewing I had planned. After work yesterday I found a few gorgeous things that I had to bring home. My folks collected the Bun's from school yesterday and then stayed to eat with us so I hadn't had the chance to look at my buys as yet.

How I adore this fabric. I could make so many things in it that my wardrobe might start looking a bit too family von Trapp. You know when you've had a fabric in your head for an age. One that you don't know if it exists or not, but you hope it does. Then one day you suddenly find it and you feel so excited. Well this is that fabric. There was only a metre and a half left and a fat quarter which I bought too. Just so's you know, as I bet some of you will love it too, it's Liberty Marylebone collection Meadow for Rowan. It comes in other colour ways too, but this one was the one.

I also bought some more pom pom trim. Goodness knows why, I just loved it and so I've stored it in the big sweetie jar and one day it'll get used.

On Monday night I started a spot of winter scarf knitting with Mustard Debbie Bliss Donegal luxury Tweed. Now doesn't that shade just look wonderful next to the florals. At the moment I can picture plumy grapey coloured tights and t-shirts under it.

The scarf pattern is from Jane Brockett's Gentle Art of Knitting by the way. I realised recently that I don't give enough information and that's frustrating if you see something you like on here, so I'm going to try to remember to be a wee bit more helpful. I love this book, just to look at and enjoy, but now it's all coffee stained and rubbishy looking in places as Alfie Blue jumped on the table to run at Mr Bun's lap the other day. He sent coffee flying as he raced past and I called him loads of sweet names.

Now I also brought a couple of delicious books home last night to add to my other lovely crafty books. I'll show and tell about them another day as I've loads more to show you here.

You know I made a tunic on Saturday and then I wore it on Monday, well that divine fabric I bought yesterday became another tunic today (a shorter one mind you).

I stitched and stitched until I had a new top. As my helpful camera girl happened to be at school you'll have to try and get the idea from my attempts to take my own photo.

I'll be wearing a t-shirt under it mostly and cardi's galore, but far too hot for that today. If you can spy what look like threads at the bottom then you're right as I've not hemmed it yet.

Just enough time was left to grab a very late lunch and then a race to school and off to basketball club. 

One last thing that I'd not managed to fit into my day was brewing some fruity gin. Little Bun helped me prick the sloes while I got the cheapo gin ready and the jar the dog biscuits had been in.

All ready to go and still some more sloes left so there was nothing for it but to use some Bombay Sapphire to fill up the empty gin bottle. I reckon December will be a good month for sampling it.

In case you missed my mention in my comments. My cardi in the last post is from White Stuff and I did go back and ask for 20% off and got offered 15%. So there you go. 

Finally hello to you new followers. I always try and find a link to visit my followers, but for the most part there's never a link in the box thing, which is a shame. Right I think I've talked enough, I still need to get on with re-designing a students CV yet tonight so best be off. Night night.

Straddling two seasons

You might remember that I signed up for the Dottie Angel Ultimate Challenge. New clothes buying was off limits from April 2010 to April 2011.  Now I've got some stuff I'm just sick of the sight of as I wore it so much and other stuff is falling to pieces (mainly helped by the madness of moths). I need tons of socks, t-shirts and best of all cardi's which I love.

I treated myself to this spotty one which I just love. Then I found out there was a 20% off day the next day. Why didn't I know this?

I also came home with some cheapie wellies for Eldest. She's gone past pretty boots and now wants proper looking ones. Handy then that we're the same size feet as I can borrow them for morning chicken duty.

After starting the autumn clothes prep the weather just did an about turn this weekend and it's gone all hot and sunny. No one's complaining mind you. 

At breakfast this morning we asked the Buns if they fancied a home day, a day out somewhere we love or a walk, foraging and a picnic. They chose the last one hurrah - cheaper, more fun and we wanted to hunt the sloe for winter gin drinks.

I fed the ladies, hung the washing and just enjoyed all this warm Sunday morning air.

Then I convinced Eldest to take some shots of me in my new tunic. I stitched it together yesterday and only came unstuck a few times. 

I'm really pleased with it, apart from how it looks in these pics on me. I'm convinced it looks better in reality. I've got a meeting tommorow morning so I might give it a trial run then. 

While the fashion show was going on, the Sunday icecream van's bells were heard so Mr Bun went out to get the orders in. It's such a lovely thing having a van stop by the gate, but the miserable 'blighter' (I'm only this polite on my blog, I actually call him something else) just makes it hideous. He's rude to the girls, glares and today moaned about his logistics being interefered with when he served us before turning around at the end of the lane. What a prat - we'll be buying our own for the freezer from now on.

Now where was I? I was packing up a picnic and off we went. We pitched up in a field to eat and be whipped by the warm wind.

Eventually we got to the hidden lane where we've found sloes before.

The Bun's love exploring the tree covered undergrowth and disappeared for most of the walk. 

Mainly they were busy collecting autumn stuff.

Eventually we found the autumn stuff we were after. Mr Bun pulled down high branches for me to clear of fruit and fill the candyfloss tub with.

Cheap gin to buy tommorow and then the brewing will commence.

Desire, Lust & Need

No sooner had the money for my hardgraft hit our bank account than I was straight out the door in search of things I'd desired while I was waiting for that lovely dosh.

In that long shopping list I've got stored away in my head I can now put a big tick by pink china edged with gold bits.

That list also has 'need lots more fabric' written on it. Last Friday I caught up with a very special friend. Before she treated me to lunch we had a good poke around the fabric shop. I knew I'd be back when I had something shiny to spend. Along with adding to my repro fabrics I lusted after the cutesy, kitsch animal print and think I need to make a small bag to keep stuff in with it.

I also got a generous metre of the grey rosy fabric. A friend lent me a tunic pattern so I can get stitching (quick aside - thanks for popping it through the door Amanda). If it works out then I fancy a fine cord tunic (in my head looking as if made by Toast not me)

Next shop and more dlights. This blue dish caught my eye while I waited for my bobbles to be cut and bagged up.

Final stop of the morning found me in the wool shop. In the proper planning of things this is on the other side of the road from the lovely fabric shop. Last autumn's Debbie Bliss magazine was priced at a grand 99p which was just the thing. I'd gone in search of mustard coloured yarn, but the one I wanted won't do the things I want so I picked up a couple of soft balls of baby cashmerino to knit up some wristwarmers instead.

After all the nicety of my morning I had the nasty food shopping waiting for me. I raced quickly and filled my trolley wondering if any of it actually amounted to a real meal. Roll on Friday, I've got food in the cupboard and supplies to get stitching with.

A Change is a comin'

Small piles of autumnal stuff keeps appearing here and there. Each time we go for a wander the Buns fill their pockets with some more of their finds. The seasons are definately having a change about.

After school last week I decided we needed to go and pick some blackberries before they all disappeared. I dragged the Buns and Alfie Blue off for a walk to find some and see if we could find those sloes that make that delicious happy making gin. We only managed to collect a jugful before the rain chased us home again.

Never mind we got more than enough blackberries to cover the stewed apples we turned into a crumble. All part of Saturday's warming lunch cooked by Eldest Bun. She's growing up and wants to learn to cook, which is find by me, so we started with Butternut Squash & Chilli Soup, followed by fruit crumble. A change of season and changes in my girl are afoot.

I'm also planning for those longer evenings cosied up by the fire that are coming.  I really want to learn new things. Usually if I want to know new stuff, I go through books and just ask around until I work it out for myself. This time I decided to go the quicker route and actually get taught a how to, so I've signed up for a one day Fairisle knitting workshop.

I did have a go at fairisle once before, but the wristwarmer only covered half my hand. I'm not sure if my problem's tension, amount of stitches or that fairisle just doesn't like me.

Even though there was a nip in the air, the sun was out this weekend so we made the most of the gorgeous weather. On Saturday we had an afternoon bike ride along the lanes running from our cottage and worked off that hearty lunch. The only hint that autumn is coming was the change in light.

On Sunday we had an afternoon at the coast to celebrate my dad's 85th birthday. We go every year to the place where he holidayed as a small boy in the 1930's. Normally we have a picnic on the beach and set up camp for the day. This year dad couldn't manage getting on the sand so we had a grand time strolling and playing on the prom prom prom.

And because he was a birthday boy we came back here for a tea party of champagne, trifle and cake to end the day perfectly.

Meet the Gang

I really do fancy stopping by here more often than I do, but then the week runs away from me and suddenly I find another whole week has passed by. So it seems another catch up of this and that will be best way to go today.

It was an even thinner car boot haul this week, but I just can't keep away. The week I don't go, the best treasure in the world might be hiding in that field and I'd have missed it, but then I wouldn't know either would I. My lot loved this wee band I found as much as me. They seem so familiar, maybe I had some as a child and that's why I was drawn to them, whatever the reason I love them.

I really want to get back to making stuff now the Bun's are back to school and I have a few full days. Somehow I haven't been able to get my making head on though, although I've got plenty of inspiration to get me going again.

I couldn't resist this quilting book. It's the best one for me that I've found so far. It's got templates all ready to use in the back, the fabrics are a mix of vintage and just downright cheery and the quilts are handquilted with tons of cheery stitches. 

It works for me, because it's got the kind of quilts I'd like to make in it, the pictures are just up my street and it's full of original ideas (well ones I've not come across yet). All very important stuff when choosing a crafty book I think.

These two are my favourites. I'm keen to have a go at the one with black florals in a much bigger way than the dolly size here.

For the most part when I've not been working, I've been having a huge autumn clear-out. Bags full of stuff have gone to the charity shops and tons of muck hoovered up.

Then tonight I did something daft. I did it once before at the Buns old school and now I've gone and done it again. I went to the PTA AGM and volunteered to be Chair. The dad who was Chair definately needed a break after three years and no one else was coming forward so this idiot here put her hand up.

It must run in the family though as Eldest went for Chair of the school council this week. Posters were put up this week, campaign speeches were today and then voting tommorow. She's gone to bed all nervous about the results - fingers crossed.

Can I turn my fingers green?

This week we've had a short three day dip back into the usual routines of work and school. Even though it was a short week, we still did the dance of joy when it was the weekend at last.

Wednesday was the first day back to school in these parts. Luckily that was car boot morning, so no more groans from the Buns about going and then me giving up convincing them to come. I could go, race down each lane with my eyes scanning all I passed and grab a treasure or two. 

Mind you treasures were pretty thin on the ground. I grabbed a few more coloured needles, some china and two wee deer.

That afternoon I got in garden mode. I like gardens and wish we had a lovely cottagey, messy in the right kind of way garden. But - truth be told I can't really keep up my interest for longer than half a day and I think it takes a bit more dedication than that to get the kind of effects I have in my head. Also I don't have the first idea where you start with plants and stuff. 

Anyways to start some kind of prettying up I bought trays of violas because I can cope with putting things in pots for instant colour.

Next up I started attacking half the patio with a screwdriver. I hadn't weeded it properly for a couple of years so the weeds looked more like a lawn as they were starting to join up. Olive got confused about where all the green stuff had gone.

To give you an idea about what I was dealing with here's the other half I've still got to do. We'd convinced ourselves it looked quite homely and wasn't a state at all.

I've been back indoors since with plants I understand. No more time for gardening either as we were bowling and pizza-ing for Eldest's birthday yesterday and then at an airshow today. No pictures I'm afraid as those planes whizz by so fast.

Temptations

Lots of small things have been making their way back home with me lately. Stuff that I spied and just couldn't resist.

For a long time now I've seriously wanted a Carlton Ware toadstool cruet set. A friend has one, but I couldn't convince her to part with it. These wee new ones are nowhere as gorgeous, but they do a really good stand in cheery job.

Then last weekend, while we were at Village at War, I kept being drawn back to the bombed out, get your supplies here stall.  I had to rescue this pink rabbit, she looked too much like the Velveteen Rabbit and needed a new home.

Later as we sang along to Minnie the Moocher my eyes wandered to the stall again and I spotted a couple of aprons. 1950's I'd guess and full of oh so gorgeous fabric with far too tiny waists. Mr Bun couldn't resist a dandy black umbrella with masses of holes to let the rain through and keep his head cool.

Another fair, another day and I'm reaching out for this wee bag. 

Now the summer holidays are nearly over here in Norfolk and we've been blessed with really hot sunny weather. Picnics in fields have been fitted around dull uniform shopping.

Some gardening has actually been done too. Believe me I only ever show the good bits here, mainly we're weeds, nettles and brambles here. As we poked about the mystery of our hens not laying any eggs was solved. Little Bun found 21 eggs piled up in the leaves at the back of the log store.

Lots of baking and pancake munching needed to use up these beauties.

Now we're off to enjoy our last day together as I'm at work tommorow and then school for the Bun's on Wednesday. I always feel sad at the end of summer when all those lazy promise filled days are behind us and we're heading back into routines. Mind you some occassional peace and quiet might be quite nice. I'll even have time to actually visit lovely blogs and say hello to people who stop by to say hello to me.

Elevenses

September 1st marks the end of summer and a warm glide into autumn for me. It's the moment we two became three and didn't really get what a big deal it would be. It's the day Eldest Bun was born and life just kept getting better and better.

She appeared a few weeks earlier than she was supposed to, but then she has always been impatient. We never found out if she was a boy or a girl because we just knew who was in there. Our baby was Rosey and that was that. In a hurry and ready to get on with life from the first.

Each birthday I feel overwhelming pride for the beautiful young lady she is becoming. The little girl who could win prizes for the most tantrums in a day has grown into a calm and contented sweetheart.

Nowadays kisses aren't allowed in public, nor holding hands and any of that other funny stuff. Doesn't stop me trying though even when she cringes.

A morning by the sea and then the Seaside Special end of pier show was the birthday outing this year. The last was so fabulous that the Bun's had begged and offered all their pocket money to be able to go again and see the other show.  This time it was the matinee show and then a ride on the little yellow seaside train back up the cliffs to the car and home for birthday tea.

Next weekend is the party with friends, nothing like milking it is there.