Balancing Skills

I love making stuff, I love being a mummy and I love just doing any old thing that is fun. This week it's been a real balancing act trying to do any of these things. With Little Vintage Lover Fair this Sunday and a pretty low stock mountain, I've been a bit pre-occupied and busy. I swing into feeling guilty because I'm ignoring the Bun's and then they start yelling at each other because they're bored. I've tried arguing in my head that being bored is a pretty good thing to learn, but then I give in and drop the crochet hook and off we go.

Picnic packed and we cycle off with no plans for where we'll end up. What heaven to have this on our doorstep. This is the first year we've been able to do this and Little Bun has only just felt confident enough to hit the road.

We found the most wonderful track in a sweetcorn field which leads to woodland beyond. After we'd munched and completely emptied the basket we had a wee explore. The Bun's spotted a hare running into the corn ahead of us, but I just missed it as I was daydreaming and soaking in the heavenly day.

They wanted to go on further so we did a three mile round trip to visit a very good friend who's just moved into a village the other side of us.

When we got back Eldest Bun helped me to print labels and scan in some playing cards. I don't know why I hadn't thought of this before. My stock is getting really low and none of the dealers I ask have any, so I've made my own.

Midweek the Bun's stayed at grandparents so we could both go to work . They came back after a night and a day at the beach as hyperactive as you can imagine, so today's been pretty full on.

While I stitched the last patchy cushion they decided to sit with me and get on with sewing their felt bunnies. Some quiet apart from the constant requests to re-thread needles and sort out tangles. Aaarrgggh. Oh and spot the other completely unhelpful boy on the table who kept tipping out the pins.

I did get them finished in the end though.

After lunch I needed to resort to bribery to sew up all the Bits & Bobs purses with NO interuptions please.

Four made which is amazing considering.

Now I must go to the bank for the till float and then I need to pack the car with all my treasures as Glory Days shop opening tommorow and then a 50th birthday party to go to.

Before I go I've been asked to show you one of our family's puppetry. Mr Bun ran a workshop on Wednesday and he made this one for himself. The Bun's are so impressed, they've asked daddy if they can make some on Sunday.

Glory Days

It feels an age again since I stopped by to say hello. Summer holidays are in full swing and we've been catching up with friends for beach trips, play and fun. Around all of this I've been trying to make stuff and I've not been very disciplined. I've been too easily distracted by all the fun going on. Good to see some new followers have stopped by too to say hello.

I did manage to sit myself down and make the bunting I've meant to make for an age now. I folded the fabric over garden twine for speed and now I'm in love with this look for bunting - for now.

While I sewed the pieces together someone's eye saw the twine twisting and turning and came for a closer look.

This is what a reprimanded Olly looks like, before he is back chewing and pulling again.

This bunting was destined for a shop - one I've mentioned before that will be opening this Saturday. The Bun's and I went along today to deliver a few bits and bobs to Ruth the gorgeous and so happy proprietor of Glory Days. Now the sign won't be up for a few days yet, but inside all was starting to take shape and it's glorious.

Little Bun told Ruth 'I think your shop is lovely.' They were in seventh heaven as no doubt the big girls will be when they're let in to spend their pennies.

Isn't this pink painted wardrobe beautiful. Kind Hearts dresses are hanging on my Hooky Hangers, with one of my Bits and Bobs rose purses up on the shelf above.

I'm so pleased with how my Happy Days bunting looks on the shelves. I could have bought so much before the shop was already open.

Apart from the most divine Art Deco cake stand I absolutely fell in love with this glass display cabinet. It's still second to Ma and Pa Larkins Galleon drinks cabinet though.

Ruth had so very kindly bought the Bun's a sunshine cupcake each for when they arrived. Welcomes don't get better than that. If you happen to be in Norwich on Saturday (when the shop opens) or any other day then you'll find Glory Days on 21 Magdalen Street (just at the bottom of Elm Hill, at the Cathedral end of the city). If you pop along on Saturday I heard a rumour that there might be Pink Lemonade to drink.

Once we left Ruth there were quite a few charity shops and a fleamarket to vist. The Bun's stocked up on some books and I spied a beautiful linen tablecloth.

Then we oohed and aahed at some vintage things in the fleamarket. I stocked up on candy stripe bags and tissue paper for Sunday and then spied this too lovely to leave behind plastic 1950's fruit basket. I can see this being the perfect place to show of those brooches that I still haven't made. Better get making.

P is for Pink and Patchy

As the three of us wandered up and down at the car boot today we knew what we were looking for. My list of wants was quite long, but the Buns was good and short. They wanted a large plastic car to take their dolls on journeys around the garden. Only two cars spotted today and both were too small. That means they're actually looking forward to coming next week in case they find one then.

I didn't get much of my mental lists wants, but I was thrilled to find more icecream pink Meakin Rosa and Johnson Bros. Rosedawn all in perfect condition.

Everything else I wanted like some 1930's incredibly filthy curtains was too much money and no one was bargaining. The knocker boys never play ball with the prices and always charge too much in my opinion. At the end of the day they're only selling in a field.

Now we're back home and I'm busy stitching some cushions together for next Sundays Vintage Market.

As usual I got distracted an ended up also doing some quick alterations to a Vintage Frock I bought at Christmas. After I'd finished sewing it was still a bit too big at the sides so I added a citrus velvet belt from Noa Noa.

This is probably my first Challenge of the Utmost Kind outfit. Not bad for three months in.

High Days & Holidays

Another school year is done and dusted and now the Bun's have got six lovely long weeks ahead of them.

On Saturday we went for an Italian lunch at a beautiful converted cinema to celebrate. Each time we're there we wish they'd kept it as a cinema and we could sit and watch some old Black & Whites while we munch.

On Sunday we stopped by a WWII USAAF airbase with the beautiful boy. He's sitting behind Mr Bun if you're wondering where he's gone.

I couldn't resist the urge to paint stuff when we got back.

Geoffrey Gnome was in a nasty hit and run with a hen while we were out. His face was all smashed up and needed a bit of glue. The sort of strong glue that nearly made Geoffrey a permanent feature on my hand

I thought I'd better get rid of the dead plants by the front door so I planted a couple of hot pink geraniums. The lobster haunted my childhood. My mum had it on the coffee rack and I hated it then. The Bun's brought it back to live here. They seem to love it. I won't let it come in.

Today I did a spot of cutting as a serious re-stocking of stuff to go to market is needed. Only one work day this week so fingers crossed I can get stitching done.

We made sure we got to the library this afternoon to register for the summer reading challenge. This time it's called Space Hop. Apart from reading six books to collect all the stickers, the children can make a spaceship. So I gave up cutting my stash while the Bun's got out the glue, paint and pens and had a great time making. Oh to have a room of my own.

I'd made sure I came home from the library with a bit of cooking and sewing inspiration for me, so I curled up for a read instead.

While we waited for the paint to dry on spaceships we took Olly for a walk round the garden. It's been so hot keeping the doors shut to keep him in and safe. He tries to escape every time he gets the chance so before tea we showed him what a big world it is when you're tiny with a too big pink sparkly collar and a bit of washing line lead.

He's an absolute devil as far as Alfie is concerned. He adores him and tries to suckle him every chance he gets. Alfie just sits and takes it, so we have to keep pulling Olly away. He's a funny, full on bundle, but I still can't help wishing he was Molly.

Tommorow is work for me and a lovely day with Grandma for the Bun's - not a bad life this holiday lark.

Fairly Short & Sweet

Time has flown along and I suddenly realised I hadn't taken a picture, let alone stopped by to say hello here for over a week. School life has pretty much taken up any spare time over the last two weeks. Two evening school play performances, drama club performance, school BBQ, Disco, Sports Day and today - leavers assembly in church. I have two shattered girls ready to enjoy six lazy weeks of summer.

As for me - well I've been busy finishing up the order for a lovely new shop that will be opening in Norwich on the 7 August. More about that very soon. I've also had orders for Cosy Round Cushions to make up so my hook has never been so busy.

This weeks Car Boot was the last one on my own for a while. Now more china horses, dogs and kittens will be coming home with us again as a bribe to keep the Buns walking just one more row - pppplleaaseeee. On Wednesday I only managed to find this wee basket, the candy striped pillowslips and this fabulous tablecloth. Outside are a couple of ugly brown garden chairs that need a bright coat of paint. Not decided yet on whether they'll be yellow, pink, or blue.

I've also rediscovered this gorgeous basket from under a pile of scarves. I bought it from Louise Loves a few years ago and now can't decide what to use it for as the French fabric inside is so lovely and I want to be able to see it, not hide it again. For the moment Olly sleeps in it.

The other thing I wanted to tell you about is the Redwings centre we visited on Saturday. It's a place that only opens twice a year and has many of the horses and donkeys that were rescued from Amersham two years ago. If you're not familiar with the story, roughly 90 horses and donkeys were found in appalling conditions on a horse dealers land. Esther the brown donkey below and her mother Martha were tethered in an enclosure which was far too small near an aggressive dog. Martha was so thin she had no milk to feed her baby, which meant Esther was so weak she had to be carried on and off the Redwings lorry when she was rescued.

Two years later Martha is having a snooze while Esther was in the middle of quite a few rolls, full of mischief. It's a fabulous place. What struck me the most was how gentle and loving the horses we met were. They can experience the worst and yet still feel able to trust humans. It shows what an amazing amount of work goes into rehabilitating these beautiful animals.

Have a lovely weekend whatever you get up to. For us I think a spot of collapsing, eating and just being is in order.

X

Mabel, Olly and a Thing or Two

At the moment I have a little demon helping me with everything I do. When I work on my ripple blanket at night he's there nibbling my toes and bouncing on me. He loves the pictures rolling up and down on the laptop and then jumps all over the keyboard to type in odd messages. Now Olly is getting in on the photo taking lark too.

All set up for a picture and there he is like a whirlwind of fur.


This is the what I'd meant you to see, but I bet you loved seeing him more. I picked up this Lucie Atwell Annual in the charity shop yesterday when I popped out for a break at work.

All that's left of my beloved childhood annual is the cover. Inside this 1966 version the paper is still soft and spongy as I remember it, with all the characters parading around to welcome us into their safe and magical world.

Alongside the Boo's, the children and the furry creatures are some gorgeous illustrations just as you'd expect.

Now being a Wednesday and my day off I went to the Car Boot in search of much needed embroidered linens. Instead I came home with a Pixie straight out of the pages of Enid Blyton and Mabel Lucie Atwell.

I think he'll be at home here with his other friends don't you?

I also did well finding glass today. Olly jumps straight in again before I get to show you some of my haul.

This 1930's green glass bowl was filthy when I found it, but looks lovely now all cleaned up with the stripy glasses.

The other bits of yumminess from my week so far are these stunning Larkspur and

Dahlia's that were being sold outside a house. Fantastic for 80p a bunch.

The cake I made on Sunday was so popular I baked another for tea on Monday. The fresh raspberries in the middle with the jam and buttercream make it melt in your mouth. Still can't get the measure of a light sponge mind you, never mind.

Now I'm off to glamourise a little as I'm off out with Teena to Wiveton Farm for a Private View of an artist who's name I've completely forgotten. Never mind a glass of wine, great surroundings having a chat and giggle with a friend will make up for my loss of memory.