Dreaming of an Aga

Winter Sun

2012-02-15T17:40:00.000Z

We had some very welcomed sunshine today in the West Country. My whole being is grateful for that smidgen of vitamin D that is sinking it's way into my bloodstream as I write. Good work, weather. Even more welcomed was some fresh air and a walk along the canal, desperately needed after feeling sick as a dog yesterday. So today has been a slow and patient day with nature giving me the the little boosts I need to feel human again.

Like spring bulbs shooting up and saluting the sunshine,

wintery picnics bundled up warm with toasted hot cross buns and a cup of tea.

Freshly henna'd hair with it's chestnut shine

and setting seed potatoes out for chitting, a promise of the new season for growing.

The sun even helped to give me patience with my achingly defiant daughter. The 'mine' phase has begun and she is starting to stop needing her afternoon naps. Need I say more!

Peg loom purse

2012-01-25T10:00:00.000Z

My adventure in weaving has begun! I picked up two simple A4 sized peg looms in the charity shop with one half-full with a bit of weaving. Not wanting to destroy anyone else's handiwork I made up a little purse for Flo with it. Not my neatest ever zip but who is looking!

I have also just taken my own first piece of peg woven fabric off the other loom but am debating what to do with it but I will post it here when I do. I swear I am in love with weaving, it is so satisfying!

Abney and Teal

2012-01-24T10:00:00.000Z

Image: BBC

Joel Stewart, you genius. Abney and Teal is the most gentle and inspiring animation that I've seen in a long time. It started showing on Cbeebies in the autumn and from pretty much the first one Florence watched she was just as smitten as I. The characters, Abney and Teal are rag dolls and each episode I watched their construction would tease me. I started drawing them for Flo to colour in. And then drawing how they might be made. A length of yellow and white floral vintage Habitat calico that was my Mum's was whispering to me from the other side of my craft room. During the run-up to Christmas I couldn't put it off any longer: these characters just had to be made.

To speed up the process and ensure I wasn't wasting my time I adapted this Purl Bee pattern for felt dolls. A few basic dressmaking skills and my first ever Peter Pan collar later Teal's dress was made. She remained legless until a week before Flo's birthday where a mad search across Taunton for teal coloured fabric (I swear it does not exist and I didn't allow myself to look online- shop local and all that) led me to buying quilting fabric in the wrong shade and it took me three attempts to get those legs right without bursting seams.

Abney, to the contrary, was a delight to make. I found his baby cord blue fabric in less than a minute in my local fabric shop and it cost me just over £1. His wee jumper was made up as I went along that thankfully just happened to work out. I used the same wool that I made my nephew's jumper with so knew it'd be Fair Isle-ish. As Florence is leaning how to use buttons and zips I wanted to make all the clothes removable so put an elasticated waist to the trousers and a button fastening to the jumper. Teal's dress has a popper but the shoes are sewn on.

Flo was so excited when she unwrapped her dolls and she recognised them straight away, thank goodness! And more importantly to me she is playing with them and takes them to bed every night. So all in all a very worthwhile project!

Florence turns 2

2012-01-23T20:47:00.000Z

Last week little Florence turned 2. Over the last year we have watched her grow and develop and demonstrate what a feisty wee thing she really is. She is confident, going up to almost anyone and want to say hello, caring and loving, headstrong and bright. She's not so outdoorsy yet but I'm sure she'll learn to enjoy exploring as she gets older. And she hates having mucky hands, her hair washed or being given anything with cheese on to eat. She loves singing nursery rhymes and dancing and for a two year old she can keep in tune and and time rather well. She has to have a little cup of tea when we sit down for one in the afternoon and will most likely say "that's better" after having her first sip. She is afraid (still) of the hoover, the hairdryer and the sewing machine and of dogs when they come up to her and will always say "not that scary, mummy" when they've left.

Florence had a fun birthday that involved helping me bake her birthday cake and prepare food for her party in the morning and then had five toddler friends over for tea in the afternoon. A bit less stressful than her party last year that's for sure! Because I'm so out of the blogging mind I didn't take any pictures of the food or decorations but we made a cheese and pineapple hedgehog (naturally), AK's cucumber crocodile with cocktail sausages, ham and cheese sandwiches cut in the shape of '2', homemade pizza moons, jellies in tea cups and of course birthday cake. I went classic vanilla sponge with fresh blueberry buttercream icing to fill and fresh strawberry buttercream icing for the top. Florence loves fruit and I love cake so it was a match made in birthday heaven.

It's kind of awesome having a two year old. She is just so much more self-sufficient now and on the whole is a joy to be around (exceptions being midnight crying and tantrums in shops, of course). I adore being able to have a conversation with her and to begin to teach her this and that. Especially when I don't realise it and I over hear her talking to her teddy about collecting their "bits and bobbins." My work here is done!

Alpha Animals

2011-11-14T14:47:00.001Z

How absolutely positively darling are these wooden alphabet letters from the V & A museum?

Florence has developed chicken pox so whilst she's having a nice long nap I've been looking at some presents for Christmas and I think the 'F' would fit rather well in a stocking!

Wales in November

2011-11-13T21:32:00.001Z

We're fresh back from a wonderful, cosy week away in a cottage nestled in a valley in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The weather was not on our side but we did have one day of glorious sunshine. Flanked by grey rainy days meant that we could watch DVDs, read books, knit, play Lego and most importantly, drink mulled wine and eat minced pies snuggled by the fire.

Originally the cottage was built as a home for a local weaver who worked for the mill just up the lane. Derelict walls that now lay subject to nature surround the property and are described as being the dyeing house, pig sty and courtyard garden. The stream that runs alongside shows evidence of cloth being washed on the great grey Welsh slate, worn by time and use.

This we found out when we arrived and felt very apt for me at this particular time in my life with my current loom acquisitions. But that's for a whole other blog post.

The owners of the cottage have preserved it's character beautifully. Many, many points during the week we'd catch each other staring at the inglenook or notch in the wall with a mind filled with vibrant images of life a century ago.

The cottage is heated by a biomass boiler in the shed and watered by the stream so we felt the reality of what self-sufficiency looks like. I can't count the number of conversations we had about designing our own dream house. I'm now on the lookout for ones with their own waterwheel!

In true Brit style we went to the beach in November. In the rain and mist. And it was a blast. Being outdoors, wrapped up in scarves and anoraks makes me feel so alive and peaceful. So I was very happy. This beach is called Poppit sands. Poppet at Poppit!

All in all a marvelous first family holiday. But next time we'll not go out of season as fun things for Flo to do like the steam railway and farm park were all shut. We booked through the superb company Under The Thatch from a recommendation by Hannah and I'm, in turn recommending them too!

Baby Poonam for Baby Toby

2011-10-31T14:27:00.000Z

Introducing baby Toby, my newest, most adorable, squishiest, cuddliest nephew.

Unfortunately I've yet to squeeze his chunky thighs and adorn his head with kisses as he currently resides in South Korea, along with his doting parents. He was born a few days before my birthday making him about two months old. We are counting down the days until they are back here (for good, hooray!) and we can finally meet the wee lad. So naturally, with the expectation of a new baby joining the troops my knitting needles called me up and I put them to good use.

There are not enough babyish boy knitting patterns on the web. Plenty of ones that will suit a toddler or fantastic vintage patterns but none that I wanted to make for Toby. Though, when I found Baby Poonam by Berroco my search was over. Boyish, a bit complicated and fun.

But boy, oh boy was it hard to knit.

I used some dk wool that I found in Taunton's amazing charity shops and still have loads and loads left over, enough for some little knitted trousers perhaps?!

The pattern was confusing and I believe that I ended up somehow knitting the button band on the wrong shoulder and knit a sleeve back-to-front. But, with perseverance and confidence I think I pulled it off in the end. I'm now on the lookout for another boy pattern to knit for Toby as he's probably going to have grown out of this by the time we meet him so any recommendations greatly appreciated.

Big Wool, Little Hat

2011-10-25T17:07:00.000+01:00

Crikey! What a particularly long, dark tunnel in my blogging journey. There has been a bit of change here that's left me with not much energy for writing at all (but before all of you speak inhale isshepregnant....? I'm not!)

I've been a back to work for nearly a month now so you can imagine the transition between having all the time in the world and staying in my jamas 'til lunchtime Neighbours to professional and punctual has been somewhat of a big thing for me. I must say though, going back to work has reminded me who I am a bit and also what I'm good at. Being a mum is all-consuming so it's nice to have a little time for me to be me again. I'm only doing part-time, mind, so there are still plenty of opportunities for crafting and walks along the canal with the little one.

Speaking of which, I made Flo an emergency hat with this cold weather that arrived abruptly one morning last week, plucking us out of our lazy, hazy late Indian summer and thrusting us into the land of chapped lips and central heating.

This pattern is easy peasy and quick. and FREE. Written by a very talented lady, Sarah Shepherd and can be downloaded here. I made mine on circular needles and adjusted the pattern for it to come out bigger as I'd read on Ravelry that it knits up small so there is plenty of stretch to see out the winter. Flo's crocheted hat from last year can be seen here.

28

2011-08-31T20:42:00.000+01:00

Happy birthday to me!

I was super inspired by Lisa-Marie's recent 30-things-before-30. As I'm two years away does that mean I have to think of 60 things or just have more time to complete them all? Mine involve the practical- getting a job and the fanatical- buying and learning how to use a loom and spinning my own wool from fleece.

Today it was just me and Flo as the husband was out at work. We went into town and I had a little hair cut and we stopped by a cafe for a coffee and juice. Flo's been teething with the molars so she's been in a bit of a grump so the day was spent with peaks of snuggles and songs and troughs of whining (her) and shouting (me). This afternoon we made some more biscuits and played play dough before practicing blowing out candles on my birthday cake. The husband brought home take-away curry so I'm feeling rather full now!

Thank you all for your supportive comments from my post about the car crash. We've had an evaluation for the car which wasn't too shabby and have put our existing snore-fest sensible family car up for sale. I'm still on track to take my driving test in the autumn.

I also wanted to welcome all the new blog readers who have shown up in my follwers box. Hello! Please keep reading the blog. I've a barrage of posts to write and share of my adventures over the summer. X

My World

2011-08-24T22:34:00.000+01:00

I am trying to write my personal statement for a job application and I'm having a tough time with it. My sentences are spreading out into paragraphs and subjects are littered with similes and metaphors. Not entirely appropriate for an application form. I was just flicking through old files on my computer and I found this wee bit of creative writing from earlier in the year. It's nothing special but re-reading it has itched the creative itch that my fingers are desperate to type out in this particular instance. So where better to share than here?

My world

Though dry, weathered, cracked and rough, her hands glided gracefully over the keyboard like a prima ballerina. Delicately she tapped the keys, in an organised rhythmic motion that emulated a symphony, the crescendo where the words clicked into place and gushed out, tumbling blindly, letting each letter shape the next until a sentence was formed.

Mavis Beacon, and a fair few hours of solid practice enabled her thoughts to be documented rapidly. As each word, idea, paragraph and characteristic formed it was instantly recorded. History. Long be gone the days of fleeting thoughts. Welcome in the constructed, edited and meaningful snippet of her mind’s eye.

This try-hard, part-time novelist, infrequent blogger and working overtime thinker has, it must be said, a gift. The notion, bestowed upon her by her elders, mildly acknowledged by her peers, encouraged by her husband was yet to be accepted by the lady in question. For what does she owe the world to have been granted such a delightful gift? For how must she commence her gratitude? By which method will she use to convey pitch and pleasure, sucking the reader from this world into hers? Zappppp….. and you are back in the room. Look around you, the four walls are yours and not mine. The light that leaks through the gap that illuminates your darkened room when you wake, that lingers on just enough surface for you to recognise the world as still all as it should be, is yours. Not mine. But for that one minute, I had you, there, with me. Sitting at my desk, tapping away at my keyboard, looking out of my window, feeling the breeze on my bare arms that escapes the cold and silent night to my warm and cosy nest through warped Edwardian window frames. Believing that you too had one special lady to thank for putting you here. This is my world. And I would like you to be privy to it.

***

One can only appreciate their differences when made vulnerable. I asked him, “do you think?” he replied, “…well, of course.” Gaze averted, eyes in a downward shift to the right, drink sipped from. Conversation about the weather begun. I appear the fool.

My internal monologue knew what I meant. We discussed it after dinner. I castigated myself for not presenting my dark desire to understand if the next person rolls words around in the same way as I do. If every sentence unspoken is primarily constructed, rearranged, deconstructed, analysed, edited, re-edited for an email or blog post and then finally discarded along with the seven other similar paragraphs from that hour.

Command-Z

2011-08-15T08:36:00.001+01:00

Yesterday I wrote off my car. Thankfully no-one was hurt and no other cars were involved. It was simply a stupid mistake that led to me driving over a bollard and crashing into a street sign. Despite only going 10-15mph the impact crumpled the front of the car and the radiator blew. We were advised to send the car for salvage as the repairs needed would be more than the value of the car itself. It happened as I panicked turning off of a roundabout on an A-road. The husband was telling me that my gear change had popped out and gone into neutral at the very same time I looked up at the sign and saw a blue arrow with 'M5'. Thinking he was telling me I was leaving at the wrong exit I tried to turn the car right to stay on the roundabout but ended up mounting the central reservation instead. It feels like a minute went by before I managed to find the break pedal but it couldn't have been more than two seconds and by that time we'd hit the sign.

The baby in the back started wailing. I joined in. The husband grabbed my arm asking if I was ok. A man suddenly appeared at the window saying he was driving a few cars behind us and seen what had happened. He ushered us over the road where his wife was waiting and she let me and Florence sit in her car to calm down. The husband and the very helpful gentleman pushed the car across the road to a safe spot where the damage to the front of the car became evident. Whilst the husband was on the phone with the insurance company our saviours, Dawn and Phil helped to reassure me and calm me down. They gave us a lift to Bristol airport which was around the corner where we sat and had a restorative cup of tea. Their kindness overwhelmed me, but as Phil said, 'it would be a sad day if we hadn't have stopped.' A wonderful mantra.

It took over four hours for a company to come and pick up the battered car. Ever so irritatingly our insurance didn't cover transport for us so we were left to get the bus into Bristol to catch the train back home. Our destination for the day was meant to be the infamous Bristol International Balloon Fiesta to see the sky populated with a host of brightly coloured hot-air balloons and for the Red Arrows flying display. Quiet and Mournful during our bus trip to the station our spirits were lifted when we caught the Red Arrows zooming and looping all around us, pillar box red against a pure blue sky (oh... the photographic and blogging potential...!)

All day long I was thinking of my stupid mistake and how it changed the direction of a day that had so much potential. I came to the conclusion that my generation, living in the presence of a virtual world for as much of the time as the real one, cannot comprehend the consequences of our actions. We are so used to (command-z) 'undo' when we make a mistake. When I hit the street sign, command-z, in fact, command-z back to changing gear correctly and having the time to see that I was taking the right exit after all. But not in this world. I had to see out the consequences of my action: waiting by the roadside, waiting for four hours entertaining a grumpy toddler, catching the bus and train with all our belongings from the car, tired, hungry and upset. Getting home to call the parents and letting them know what had happened. Then walking 30 minutes to the police station still without having dinner to report the crushed bollard and knowing that I was wasting really valuable police time and resources. And most importantly writing off a car that we had only had a week after my mother-in-law had very kindly given us it.

So what next? I've still not passed my test and have a lesson booked this week and a test looming so I must get back on the horse and carry on. It is a very uneasy feeling knowing that my mistake has inconvenienced us greatly and I know I will learn from this all but today it still feels a bit raw.

(command-z)

I know I will learn from this and after writing this post I think I am seeing things more clearly already.

Bumble Bee Bum

2011-08-12T15:30:00.000+01:00

Flo has been wearing the birth to potty Bumble nappies since she was around a month old. There have been points when I couldn't be bothered with using them and opted for disposables when nappy changes would be a wriggle-fest followed by me getting very cross indeed. And then when she had diahorrea for six weeks. Oh and that was at the same time when our washing machine broke! And when we've been away to stay with relatives or on holiday. But on the whole, I've been really pleased with them. I'm feeling particularly jubilant at the moment as I've finally got a system that works with the washing and drying, inserting the booster and pre-folding and putting the nappy into the wrap before popping it under Flo's bottom (honestly, it took me a year to work out that this will solve all wriggle problems).

When I took her to nursery today (her first morning!) I was encouraged to hear that the nursery nurses were happy to learn how to use her re-usable nappies for when she is there- saving us loads of money. I was also a little bit surprised that there were no other children in the nursery in reusables. To me, they are just as easy as disposables and the time it takes to put them in the washing machine and then out to dry is probably the same amount of time it would take to go to the shop and buy disposable nappies anyway.

I love that these nappies in particular are made here in the UK by Oxfordshire-based company Easy Peasy Nappies. I chose these nappies after learning that The Nappy Lady used them on her sons. If you call yourself The Nappy Lady, you are going to know what you are talking about. I wrote pages and pages of notes on the differences between the different nappies but what sold it to me was that I didn't want to have to tumble dry them though it is a little annoying in the winter when they've been drying on the radiator and they are as stiff as cardboard. You're not allowed to use fabric softener as that affects the absorbency so the image of the cherubesque fluffy and white-bottomed Fairy Liquid baby is shattered somewhat. But you're doing your bit for the planet so it's all ok. And watching the gleaming white nappies dry on the line in the summer, well it's worth it just for that image.

Biscuit Love

2011-08-03T08:19:00.000+01:00

Thank you all for your happy anniversary wishes from yesterday. I am pleased to say we celebrated with a trip to the cinema as we were desperate to see the last Harry Potter film.

So here is what Flo and I got up to yesterday afternoon. I emailed the bottom picture to the husband at work. Everyone loves a biscuit greeting don't they?!

I'm trying to get the wee one more involved in what I'm doing to save the tantrums that have been coming thick and fast recently. Last week we did some baking together and she would not stop talking about 'cakie' all week! My best friend Steph bought her this pinny for Christmas and despite it reaching the floor it is totally adorable to see Flo wearing it and joining in.

I adapted the recipe for gingerbread from my (please don't snigger!) beloved Dorling Kindersley 'Children's Step-by-Step Cook Book' by Angela Wilkes and made some coconut spiced biscuits for the main reason that I didn't have any ginger in the cupboard.

So if you, like me, are perhaps not the best baker on the planet but still enjoy the process here is a really easy recipe to follow:

Ingredients:
340g (12oz) plain flour
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
175g (6oz) soft brown sugar
115g (4oz) butter
1 beaten egg
4tbs golden syrup
2/3 tsps mixed allspice
2 drops vanilla essence
75g desiccated coconut

Set the oven to 180 degrees celsius/ gas mark 4. Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan over a low heat and stir until melted. Sift the flour, spices and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl. Add the syrup mixture, the beaten egg, vanilla and coconut. Mix everything together then knead into a ball. Chill the dough in a plastic bag in the fridge for 30 minutes. On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out the shapes and transfer to a greased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. As soon as you notice the biscuits start to go golden brown whip them out of the oven. Leave to cool on the sheet for a few minutes. When they can be lifted without cracking transfer to a cooling rack.

3 Years

2011-08-02T12:06:00.001+01:00

Crikey, today we are celebrating our 3rd wedding anniversary! It couldn't have fallen at a busier time as the husband starts his new job officially tomorrow so plans to celebrate will be understated and local but I kind of like it that way. I've just looked through all of our wedding photos and it has brought the day to life once more. We both look so young and happy and the husband has brown hair (now rather salt and pepper it has to be said!)

We are so very fortunate to be blessed with very supportive families and have some solid and inspiring role models who help us to see just what marriage can be and that being married in your twenties in 2011 doesn't mean that we are missing out on one single thing. I am such a huge fan of marriage, I really am. Especially today.

If you're interested here's our first and second anniversary celebrations.

All photos by the wonderful and incredibly talented Owen Silverwood except the close-up of the dancing shot which was taken by one of our guests.

So I made a skirt

2011-08-01T22:11:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I had craft impulsion. You know the kind. It wasn't meant to be a craft day at all. It was meant to be a painting the house and sorting and pottering day. But I found some fabric in Taunton's amazing charity shops and it all started from there. I was going to make cushions from the fabric pieces but I noticed that there were 4 A-line cut skirt pieces that were already hemmed!

I just had to re-create that skirt. How could I not?!

I didn't have a pattern to go from so I just made it up as I went along. I sewed the A-line panels together to make a mahusive skirt then worked on pinning 2 inch pleats around the whole skirt.

I popped in a zip then sewed through the pleats twice with about 1cm between. I then trimmed the top to about 2cm from the top band and sewed the edge to make it nice and neat. Then I cut a waistband out from the spare fabric and folded it over the edge of the skirt and sewed it on.

I wore the skirt today and was thoroughly chuffed. I've not sewn myself an item of clothing from scratch for ages and it has totally got me in the mood for more!

Peek-a-boo

2011-07-28T21:34:00.000+01:00

Quite often in my house I'll walk into a seemingly quiet room only to hear a little snigger from inside a cupboard or under the table. Today was very much a peek-a-boo day. I love how much she is starting to play and interact. She does this hilarious act wearing one of my hats walking around with it pulled over her face, giggling hysterically underneath.

The wee dress she is wearing is actually vintage! I found it in my parents' loft along with a whole pile of other gorgeous frocks. Lucky Flo!

Beach Kid

2011-07-25T20:59:00.000+01:00

When did she get so big?!

We've not taken Flo to the beach that much other than trips to Brighton and St. Leonards in East Sussex so it amused me greatly when looking through the photos to see how we all fell into stereotypical beach roles today at our local seaside town, Minehead:

I plastered her with suncream,

the husband taught her how to make sandcastles

and Flo sat in a hole sporting a sand beard from eating handfuls of the stuff.

Anchored

2011-07-24T20:54:00.000+01:00

Just the perfect word to describe how I'm feeling right now. Somerset is the land of my ancestors and it feels like I'm back home. I've been soul searching after inspiring discussions with family and after the tragic death of Amy Winehouse. We're the same age. You can't but think about it all, you know? But I'm in a good place to do all of this thinking. Admist this I've just completed a job application. It's hilarious trying to big myself up after not having worked for nearly two years. Re-reading my old personal statement had me in disbelief that I was ever so passionate about something that feels alien to me now.

Anyway. I hope you feel anchored too.

Lavandula Angustifolia

2011-07-21T14:30:00.000+01:00

Lavandula angustifolia

I love that you are showier

and all other plants are lowlier.

It happens just once a year

that your flowers gracefully appear

And make me smile from ear to ear.

I'm sorry for a lack of blog updates lately. We weren't online for a week or so and today I have finally managed to file and alert the world and his wife of our change of address and have a reasonably clear desk. It didn't help that we were heading back to London for the weekend just gone, making our two weeks in Somerset feel more like a holiday. But we're back, unpacked and getting used to life in our new little bubble. We managed to fit a wedding, my sister's 40th and the husband's graduation into our trip so as you can imagine we came home feeling a little bit exhausted!

The afternoon we arrived at my parents' house we jumped back in the car and drove straight to Mayfield Lavender. I've made a vow to try and go every year and to take pictures of Florence there. This year was spectacular with the sun shining and the aroma of the lavender intoxicating. The husband, feeling a little stressed with starting his new job, lay on the ground surrounded by the plants and reported up to me that he felt instantly relaxed. Good work, lav. No lavender cupcakes on sale at the tea shed this year though.

I'm going to enter the photo competition with one of these shots, probably the second one down with the puffy clouds in the gorgeous blue sky. If you live in London or Surrey or anywhere nearby I seriously recommend you go to the lavender fields. The top field was only just beginning to bloom so there are a good few weeks of beauty left for sure.

My new garden

2011-07-02T19:51:00.001+01:00

Thank you all for your good move wishes. My little family now resides in the great British countryside! The day went smoothly enough bar the removal company getting in a grump having to run up two flights to pack our things, the remaining balance not arriving in the letting agents' bank account and not having a fridge or freezer at the house.

It was and is so very sad to leave London. But today, having started to unpack and sort out the kitchen and exploring the town our house is already feeling a little like home.

Flo and I wasted no time in exploring the garden, most importantly the vegetable patch.

When we viewed it a month ago there were potatoes growing- I was hopeful that they'd still be there ready for me to harvest, but alas they were gone. But after a little digging...

... I found 3! There are always some that get away! I'm going to do a little research later to see if I can plant anything this late. All I can think of is radishes and leftover. Any other ideas?

I love having a relatively child-friendly garden. Flo wants to be outside all the time!

We will have Internet in just over a week so it'll be blogging from my iPhone until then. Gives me time to potter and get the house looking smart to be able to post a few pictures on here.

XXX

Road Trip

2011-06-23T18:31:00.000+01:00

Before the mania that is our move begins (in one week tomorrow....) we are fitting in a trip to Lancashire to stay with the in-laws. To a land where the water tastes better than any other, the desserts are plentiful and there is always someone to entertain the baby.

We have done so much driving recently. I am so bored of driving. Well, bored of being a passenger as I *still* haven't taken/passed my test yet. There have been several random conversations that spark from something we listen to on Radio 4 or just through general pontification on whatever comes to the surface in the mind. Today we both decided that we wanted to read poetry, how wonderful is that?! I absolutely adore poetry or prose read aloud. It is incredibly romantic don't you think? Any recommendations for poets would be greatly appreciated. Anyway, what a random and rambley post!

PYO Strawbs

2011-06-19T08:40:00.000+01:00

Did anyone UK-based hear the thunder yesterday afternoon? At one point it was right overhead us and it was so scary! As soon as it stopped raining we jumped into the car and made our way to Priory Farm for some half-price end of season PYO.

We managed to avoid the rain for a short while but the heavens opened and the husband had to whisk Florence to safety. My sister-in-law, Jen and I remained, hardcore strawberry pickers, fingers whitened from the cold but joyful to have the whole field to ourselves.

I am never sure of the PYO etiquette, is it ok to eat as you go? The field was unmanned and it was the end of the season so I couldn't resist the lure of the strawbs. Did have a belly ache on the way home though.

Jen found the perfect strawberry! And naturally it had to be modeled.

Good summer times indeed!

Dreaming of... my craft room

2011-06-18T10:51:00.000+01:00

Recently I have just felt flat, listless and uninspired. I am one hundred per cent certain that this has everything to do with being out of my normal routine and having half of my belongings packed up in moving boxes and bare walls staring back at me. My July issue of Country Living had been flicked through and tossed aside, front cover torn by an explorative baby just showing that I wasn't at all bothered by keeping it safe. But with the promise of the elusive 'five minutes' peace' whilst the husband took the baby to soft play, Country Living made an appearance again. I swear, I loved every inch of it.

For a while now I've felt my tastes changing. Maybe it's the constant visual stream of bright and bold colours I'm surrounded by from hanging out with Flo or maybe I'm just bored of green (sorry green....I still don't know, I do love you, I will never leave you, but perhaps we'll just take a wee break?)

Thanks to their 'Bold, Bright and Beautiful' feature I now want to paint my craft room rhubarb. Thanks, Country Living, you've picked me right up. I am swooning over this table above from Unto This Last. Reminds me in a very sweet way of my friend Katie's wooden engagement ring, handmade by her fiance.

Floral suitcase? Liberty you are killing me!

I had to give up my craft area in our current house when we changed our living room and bedroom over. But I did enjoy nine months or so of having a sewing machine that I refused to dust in hope that I'd be using it so much that the dust simply wouldn't be able to settle. Since it's been packed away I have barely used it. Such a shame as I really love sewing. But with my new craft room, that baby is going to be set up and plugged in and never packed away. Now, I've got to write an email to my future landlord to see if rhubarb is a colour they'll let me paint their property...

Wet Play

2011-06-16T10:29:00.000+01:00

Not much to do in our corner of the world except brave the elements, don the anoraks and splash in some puddles.

We have officially begun to pack. I find the process of sorting through belongings and editing down to the bare essentials and sentimental bits and bobs very refreshing. In my head I believe that I only have items that serve a purpose and that are used at least once a year, but as the husband quite rightly pointed out I am hoarding a fair bit of junk. And the baby has SO much stuff! Wish me luck.

The kindness of others.

2011-06-12T20:36:00.001+01:00

"Just because it is nice to receive a parcel in the post."

So very right indeed, Caroline. Thank you so much.

Even my dad (who is a colour and texture nut being an interior designer) was enamoured with the shade of the wool against the fabric and threw in a "fabulous" when he saw the buttons that matched. Do all designers say 'fabulous' or is that just my dad?! As I am moving house I think it right to honour this parcel of goodies and make a cushion cover or two from them. Knitted fronts and sewn backs? Sounds good to me! And I shall plant the lavender seeds in pots to remind me of home. Talking of lavender I suppose you'll be expecting an account of my latest visits to my local fields but sadly the crops have been blighted by the disordered weather. They are hoping for the plants to flower but it might be after we've moved. I'll be checking their website frequently though, I don't want to miss out on the sea of purple.

Had to use the husband's hipstamatic app to take this photo as our digital camera card reader is broke. I found this out after taking a myriad of gorgeous photos. Pantaloons.