Painting like Pooter

When I was pregnant with Eldest Bun, and feeling shattered after a day on my swollen feet at work, Mr Bun read a short story to me each night. It was George and Weedon Grosssmith's Diary of a Nobody. Written in the C19th, it is Mr Pooter's first person narrative about his life. He is a clerk, living in a modest house, lower middle class, married to Carrie (who clearly thinks she's married an idiot) and has a son called Lupin of all things. It is absolutely hilarious and not dated at all. Poor Mr Pooter endlessly tries to keep up with all the latest rages and keep his wife happy, but always ends up in another disaster.

Our favourite tale is when he discovers red enamel paint. He's so excited by this new thing that he paints literally everything in sight, including the bath. It all ends with him bright red after his bath of molten enamel paint.

'April 27 "Painted the bath red, and was delighted with the result. Sorry to say Carrie was not, in fact we had a few words about it. She said I ought to have consulted her, and had never heard of such a thing as a bath being painted red. I replied: 'It's merely a matter of taste.' "

Well to get to the point of this post - I have the same problem as Mr Pooter and Mr Bun doesn't always understand it. I like painting everything too. In the kitchen is a victorian pine dresser which was lovingly stripped of it's paint by friends before giving it to us. I find it very hard to keep my paint itchy fingers away from it, but Mr Bun likes it and I guess he does live here too.

Then there is this sideboard, which was my aunts. It wouldn't be fitting for a 30's sideboard to be painted palest blue or cream would it?

Today though I couldn't restrain myself. After seeing Vanessa's cupboard painted pink inside I felt inspired to copy her. I had a pot of bright pink wallpaint never used that I had bought to paint the buns rooms and it was still there waiting to be used.

I've only done the one shelf so far while I decide - after all it takes about 70 coats of white to recover the dark paint and only one to add a bright pink zing.

A Walk through the Weekend

Alfie and I thought we would walk you through our weekend.

Friday night, after swimming, the buns picked some flowers from the garden. I've enjoyed looking at them all weekend (the bits where I actually sat down).

Saturday morning Mr Bun had to work so I finished off the cupboard. I really like it and he really likes it. So thanks for all your help in making me decide. Paint breeds more paint as now I want to paint the pale yellow chairs the same hot pink.

I then got out my drill and actually put up some of the pictures that have been propped against walls since we moved here a couple of years ago. By this time the buns had given up on entertaining themselves so dragged me off for a body art session. Now there are three Painted ladies in this house.

I've wanted a tatoo for years now - a small peacocks feather is what I'd like - just not sure where I'd put it. I'd like discreet, but not so discreet that there's no point having it. I like the idea of one on my wrist near my watch. As designed by little bun - who has now gone tattoo crazy. Sunday morning and she added a few more on her own.

Next up was to make a Banoffee Pie as inspired by Nina at Tabiboo. This is the only picture as once it was made it was so yummy we ate it all up and then remembered the picture.

Sunday morning and the car boot beckoned. I'm so glad it called me as there were tons of goodies to be found this week. Pablo the Rocking Donkey underneath a superb vintage games book.

The illustrations inside are as good as the games they describe.

A balloon pump for 10p.

Ellie eggcup. Bit chipped, but she still hasn't lost any of her charm.

A lovely little Carltonware dish for a £1.

The icing on the cake was coming across the type of pitch you dream of finding, but never actually exists. Well today it was there. Laid out on cloths on the floor and tables full of baskets were fabrics, threads, patterns, buttons and all sorts of sewing and knitting notions. I gasped with inward delight. Funnily enough that's where I bumped into a couple of friends who were in similar heaven. We all ooohhed and aaaahhhed a bit before choosing our own bounty. I chose these beautiful buckles, threads, tape measures, buttons and tin and the lady only charged me £2. How I hope she returns so I can have another rummage.

Lunch, tons of ironing and homework all done and we felt the need to be beside the sea. On the way there we passed a procession of vintage cars so the journey was all the more enjoyable. We rolled up at 4 o'clock happy as Larry (who was he I wonder). We seem to be going to places more and more when others have left so we can have it all to ourselves. Parked at the bottom of Gun Hill, raced up past the beach huts to the Gun's themselves.

These are just two of the six (?). The Buns always sit on them and then we race around for a bit. Today was scootering.

And then back down the hill in the hope that the fish and chip shop on the estuary will still be open.

Hope you all had a great weekend too.

A Fair, Colours, Black & White and Things

We had a fantastic time at the Country Fair yesterday. As usual I enjoyed what we were doing so much and only remembered to take the odd picture. This is the front of the hall and how I imagine it would have looked with visitors for a 30's house party having just arrived. Turning round and a view from the terrace, past the Punch & Judy show and across the Ha Ha.

While we were waiting for naughty Mr Punch we queued up for icecream from this great vintage van. Pity I couldn't edit out the lovely shot of the rubbish.

The Buns had a much needed run around the grounds with their friends after watching a bit of wooden violence. I had a catch up on news with my friend before a bit of craft stall browsing. I bought these square Greengate tins (off another friends stall) and some turkish delight. Sadly we got there too late for the Morris Dancers.

Today, despite the rain, and the general greyness, there were a lot of colours. Colours of the day - A fabulous Purple cardigan from Topshop.




I love the detail on the shoulder, so I treated myself.

A Mustard top I was wearing today. I love adding a print top under a cardigan as every day is a jeans day for me so need some variation. Something floral always finds its way on there too.

A new and literally very Green book that caught my eye. It has some great ideas, information and designs inside. I've wanted to work these colours together into something crochety for a while now so I picked them up too.

One of the ideas inside are these Hot Pink slippers made from recycled jumpers.

Which have most definately been inspired by little Bun's slippers. I know I'll keep these slippers forever as everytime I see her wearing them they make me feel very happy indeed.

After buying school summer dresses today I had a look in Oxfam and I found a few more things. A vintage Patons knitting and crochet magazine which has some wonderful designs in ranging from the hideous to the whimsical.

Next time Mr Bun needs to fight with a branch he would be glad of a pair of these.

I liked this as it's pretty much a design of the moment as a doorstop, not that I think I'll ever bother making one.

But I could be tempted by this variation on the round cushion with its frilly bits.

Then there was this small sewing box, a sugar bowl with a hanging spoon and these floral plates. Some weeks there is nothing and others real finds, it's part of the pleasure of the hunt.

Further down the road and I discovered an old store which is now used by antique dealers to rent their individual space. In the front was the most beautiful deco dressing table. Something I would love to have if we had a bedroom that had space for more than just a bed and what else - oh yes tons of cash to buy things when I fancy them. I think I prefer the dreaming anyway. I spent a lovely half an hour in there (browsing as I'd spent all my money in Oxfam). I will definately go back. Today I had no money and two lovely girls to get from school so off I went.

Later on back home, I was searching for something or other and I re-found this box of bits and things. That childhood feeling of the pleasure of searching through known things that haven't been seen for a while was just the same.

Inside was a little handmade felted floral box that has embroidery threads for stockings in it. I bought it from Louise Loves ages ago. Next to that one a little pig purse donated by the buns to hold buttons.

Some buttons that I covered in vintage embroidered cloths alongside sparkly threads.

And lastly - just what I was looking for. Toadstools.

Rippling & Skipping

Whenever we get a three day weekend I get so excited by the extra time we get off. Since Mr Bun has had his own company he very rarely can take any time off ,so Bank holidays take that option away from him. In the old days when we both taught we had six weeks of summer bliss together. We have gone at a snails pace to enjoy the glorious weather and stolen family time together. On Friday night I started a new addiction which is fighting for it's own space over my family. It's lurking up there, waiting to be discussed. For ages I've wanted to try the ripple, but wasn't sure if I had the patience for a blanket, so should it be a cushion instead? Quick result or a lovely snuggly keepsake for little bun? I settled on the blanket and then following Vanessa's advice searched my yarn stash. I've chosen wool from different cardigans and jumpers I was going to knit for the buns, but never got round to. For eldest bun I'm knitting a granny squares blanket so more of that another post day. As I'm a late night person I realise how great this new addiction is as I have got up at seven each morning to let the dog out and then climbed back into bed with my yarn and hook to do a couple of rows before getting up properly.

I'm not sure which colour might get added next. I love the way it is slowly evolving as each new colour is added in and it is very much my own design. No copyright problems here, even though I used the pattern from Susan Cropper's Vintage Crochet. I kept losing my wave effect and so I've sort of missed stitches and added some to keep it rising and falling. So to me the flaws are all there and glaringly obvious, to the non-hooker I think they will be impressed.

Once I left my ripples alone we went for a walk to visit the ducklings again and to get an icecream at the village shop. There are five of the eight with their mother and Daisyduck. Can't wait for the Moorhens to have some little black puffballs for us to oohh and aaahh over.

Got back to do a bit more sneaky rippling before potting up some of the plants from the carboot before they gave up on me and died.

The Lily of the Valley was from a friends garden and has filled the spot where all my French lavender went last year, before the chickens came. Then the lavender disappeared rapidly. Wonder why? Now when I let the ladies out I run around covering my lily bed with netting before they get to it. The Butler sink and pot behind belong to the buns and have just sprung into life on their own this year. Last year they sowed fairy wildmeadow seeds.

On to Sunday and more rippling - how much longer will it be? I then measured how long 72" is. It's as long as me, that means ages. I work this out to be an inch for two rows of colour. That means 144 rows - I hope this enthusiasm can keep it's momentum going or it it will be a very long thin scarf instead.

As we have a ton of eggs, I baked chocolate buns and biscuits after making pancakes for breakfast. My parents visited in the afternoon and took another dozen and we still have tons left. Dippy eggs for breakfast tomorrow then I think.

The bun's have finally got skipping today. So the rest of the day was spent with my mum and I chanting rhymes and spinning an old laundry line. I used to love that part of school so much. Standing in a long queue desperate for your turn to race and jump into the rope, show your skipping skill and exit without falling flat on your face. I can still remember the exhilaration of it all. Only today did the buns tell me that the Headteacher used to do this for them in the playground at their old school. I didn't think they did these games anymore, I'm so glad they do. I thought I'd look and see if I can find any of the rhymes we used to chant too as they have left my wool filled head completely.

Tommorow if the sun keeps shining it's a day of Morris Dancers and Punch & Judy at a Country Fair. Might sneak my knitting bag in with me.

Enjoy the rest of the bank holiday break.