Pink Green

That Friday Feeling!

Why do I still get that Friday feeling even though I'm not at work for another 3 days and I've had 6 weeks off? It really does feel special - lie in tomorrow (just like the last 42 days!), dog walking (ditto), nice food (ditto) and wine (again, ditto). I'm off for a Singstar night at my good buddy Ruth's house tonight with a gaggle of good friends, which has been booked in for weeks. I can guarantee there will be a huge amount of hilarity and chatter as we haven't met up for quite a while so there is always lots to catch up on.

I've been busy crocheting, sewing and making things for my latest venture - the MADE Market next Saturday (8th Sept) at the Gloucester Folk Museum. It sounds like there are some amazing sellers there and it will be really good fun. I also like the fact that I can pre-book a Ploughman's lunch - so it will also be civilised! Please come along if you are in the vicinity - and check out the link above for the list of other sellers too.

Aside from that I have been pottering at home. We finally (after 11 years of hating it with a passion) pulled up the AWFUL laminate flooring we had in the dining room (not through choice - it was down when we moved in)to reveal gorgeous floorboards and a hearth. We are getting them stripped and a fireplace put in, plus then decorating the living and dining room. I'm leaning towards grey, and am off to get paint samples tomorrow. I am very excited about finally getting it done. It means so much more when you have planned it for years!

I finally managed to find time to finish a project I've been working on for a while over the Summer. This mosaic is of our house, and I made the clay tiles with the birds, leaves and initials, and then filled in around them with broken china. It was so much fun to make and will be a permanent reminder of this house. I just need to find the perfect place to hang it now, and finish off the rough edges either with some paint or with a frame.

I hope you are all enjoying the last few days of the Summer. I get very excited about Autumn and have already made several vats of soup and stew. The blankets have been dug out and the chimney sweep is booked. We need the fire though as I have a rule that the heating cannot go on until November unless there is snow!

I'll leave you with a few pics of items in my Etsy shop - enjoy!

 

 

 

That'll be Summer over then!

We had amazing weather the whole time we were in Southwold, unlike the rest of the UK apparently but it feels like that's probably it for sunshine now. My tan is fading already and this morning was the first morning for weeks I sat in my 'coming to' chair by the door with the door closed. Even if it is raining I like the door open, but it there was just a bit of a chill at 7.00 this morning.

I sat here with my customary two cups of tea and persued paint charts. We are having some bits and pieces done to the house in the next few weeks and I, for once, have no clue what colours I want. Normally I know instantly, but I am having a bit of 'decorator's block' at the moment!

Yesterday I dodged the showers and went to the Cotswold Vintage Fair at Toddington with my usual partner in crime, Stacey. We were remarkably restrained and I came home with a French tin, a Fire King jadeite jug and a Pyrex bowl in the same colour, plus a subscription to Pretty Nostalgic magazine. Not bad at all really. Unfortunately due to the torrential rain the road was flooded on the way home and we were too late back for me to cook tea for Andy before his night shift. So although I didn't get a telling off for the shopping, I was still persona non grata and had to send him off with a frozen Shepherds Pie while the girls and I had a take away!

I love this colour green so much, and it goes perfectly with my little terrier salt cellar.

I made up for yesterday by making a fantastic (if I do say so myself) Kleftiko (Greek Lamb Stew) with Rapeseed Oil Roasties, and I am now back in the good books. The recipe is from BBC Good Food and is really easy and tasty. Unfortunately it was hoovered up before photos could be taken, but it was definitely one to add to the list of regulars in my recipe book.

(source)

Aside from cooking, today has mainly been taken up with crocheting Christmas decorations (yes,really), jewellery making (in Autumnal colours to mirror the weather), and cutting out things to sew tomorrow.

Vintage pudding basins listed in my shop - perfect for your Christmas puddings!!

I've been busy listing on Etsy again, having been inspired by yesterday's lovely stall holders. I thought I would try to get organised and on top of things before we go back to school as I will have much less spare time then. I'm moving up with the class I had last year to Year 4, which will be fun but hard work. I have a pile of things to sew in preparation for my next fair - on 8th September at Gloucester Folk Museum. It is organised by The Made Project and should be fun. Pop along if you are free (I hear there is a good tea room, just in case you need further persuasion!).

 

Normal service resumed!

Wow - it really has been ages since I last wrote a post. Before half term in June in fact. I always find the end of term a manically busy time, and this one was no exception - working in 2 classes means 2 school trips, 2 end of topic celebration days, 2 end of term clear ups. We even had the joys of an Ofsted visit 2 weeks before the end which sent everyone into overdrive. We did really well though, so we can relax for several years now!

So, school stuff out of the way, the holidays kicked off in style with Ruth's 10th birthday and the acquisition of a new member of the family - Brenda the Hamster. I have always said "Over my dead body" to requests for more pets, but Ruth has begged for over a year, and takes great care of Bob and Bernard her fish. She talks to them and never needs to be reminded to feed them, so we thought that 10 was probably a good age to be responsible for something furry! We are all in love with Brenda, and Andy has been caught chatting to her on his way past Ruth's bedroom door when he thought no one was listening. Grace decided to spend her birthday money on a cage and hamster too, so Beryl the Hamster moved in yesterday to join the menagerie.

Beryl!

Birthday celebrations included a trip to Giffords circus with grandparents, my sister and her husband and a family friend all the way from Canada. We had a pre-show picnic in the field despite being a bit chilly. I've mentioned Giffords before, but it has become an annual event with more and more family joining us each year. There is something for everyone and one of the best shows I have ever seen. I'd be off like a shot if they offered me a job (not sure what I could offer in terms of circus skills but I'd muck out the horses!).

The festivities continued with the girls going to my parents for a few days unaccompanied - one of their favourite holiday treats. I took advantage and went to stay with my sister and bro-in-law up in Newcastle, and had a good old girly time. Rach and I had a stall at Tynemouth Market on the Saturday which was great fun - so many dogs, people and comedy moments (not least us setting the stall up facing the wrong way - a definite blonde moment!).

Isn't it gorgeous? The station canopy has recently been refurbished and it is a great setting. So much fun (and so many sales!). This isn't my photo by the way - we were too busy! (Source)

A few days at home to get organised and we were off again - this time all together, to Southwold in Suffolk. I had never been to this part of the country, but suffice it to say I will be going back very soon. It had everything - sun, sand, pubs, Adnams beer, crabs, boats, beach huts, vintage shops, more pubs, ploughmans lunches, a pier, fish and chips. The only fly in the ointment (literally) was the number of mosquito bites I had on my legs - the size of 50p pieces, oozing poison. They've since gone down but I am still glad I favour the maxi dress more than the mini!

Please excuse the photos in this post - Andy is out and I can't find all the photos he downloaded after our holiday of Brenda, Giffords or holiday. I am hopeless at resizing etc so these will have to do for now. I wish I wasn't so computer illiterate!

I have some more fairs coming up, and Etsy sales still going well, so I am spending a few days making, photographing and listing, so watch this space. Hopefully it won't be quite so long until my next post.