happy hallowe'en

the skeletons are out tonight
they march about the streets
with bony bodies, bony heads
and bony hands and feet
bony, bony, bony bones
with nothing in between
up and down and all around
they march on hallowe'en

Wishing you all a happy Hallowe'en whatever mischief you get up to.

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The poem is from a card my eldest boy made in school for Hallowe'en.

52 weeks of happy (4/52)

The fourth week of Jen's 52 weeks of happy so here are my four simple, happy things.

Enjoying the beautiful illustrations in a new book for the little ones.  The artwork is so pretty.

Some lovely new fabrics from Sew La La.  Maybe a new quilting project.

My new Jane Foster rabbit.  I'm definitely keeping this one for myself.

A little posy of flowers picked from the garden by Mr F while he was mowing the lawn.  Very rosemantic.

Wishing you all a week of happy.

the extra hour

Today seems like the longest day.

The extra hour in the change to wintertime seems to have added an eternity to today.  I can't believe it is still only half past four.

Probably because my little ones pay no heed to the clock and have been up and about from ten past six this morning and as all parents know when they're awake, we're awake.

please excuse the photo ... the light is almost gone today

  

So what's your plan for the extra hour today.  We will be carving our pumpkin after dinner.  It's only little but the wee ones are very excited.  We've been googling pumpkins all day.

scrappy bowl

I have a good mind to drop the 's' on my scrappy bowl and instead entitle this post crappy bowl.

I went out last night to a handmade Christmas craft class.  This monstrosity was the the result of two hours of selecting, cutting, pasting and sticking pieces of decoupage paper to a papier mache bowl.

The craft we complete each week at the class is a surprise and my heart sank a little when I saw the supplies all prettily laid out on the table.  While I am sure there are lots of crafty lovers who adore decoupage, it is most certainly not for me.

To say I cannot cope with the messy method of patching the papers together to cover an object is a slight understatement.  I like my crafty makes to come together in a much more orderly fashion.

I had great fun at the class and thankfully a few of my classmates were equally as unenamoured with the craft as I was.  I think there may have been a little too much OCD in the room.

Anyway, now I have a bowl which the little fairy has taken a shine too.  I can always rely on her to love my crafty disasters.

I thought this might give you all a bit of a laugh on a Thursday afternoon.

I just wanted say a big hello and welcome to my lovely new followers.  Thanks so much for taking the time to read my ramblings.

52 weeks of happy (3/52)

I can't believe how quickly the weeks are flying by this year.  Time seems to race along when the little ones return to school.  One Monday to Friday rolls into the next.

So in the third week of Jen's 52 weeks of happy, here are my four simple, happy things.

A helping hand.  The biggest and the littlest, chasing after their brother. He's the little red speck on along the path.

A little treat.  Some glorious cupcakes from a lovely lady at a local craft fair.  They were as delicious as they look.

Two tiny feet in a pretty pair of plimsolls making me smile.

Lovely light.  A carpet of fallen leaves.  A beautiful sunny day.  Just as autumn should be.

So, what's making you happy? 

betsy

After teasing you all with my tales of my upholstery class it's time for a little reveal.  Meet Betsy.

My new hallway bench created by my own fair hand with a little help from my handy andy brother and a very patient tutor.

Before you ask.  No, I am not in the habit of naming all my furniture but as my bench and I have a special relationship built up over hours of prodding and poking to get her just right, innumerate loadings in and out of the boot of my car to go to class and easily a million touch ups of accidentally scratched paint when finally she was completed in all her glory I thought she deserved a name.

Betsy has a cute set of legs salvaged from a pine coffee table and a sturdy wooden frame built by my brother.  Carpentry is well beyond my DIY ability.  I know when I need to call in help.

I painted the legs with satin paint and gave them a coat of clear wax to protect them from the hoover, little feet and not so little feet.

The top is sprung with webbing and has a deep foam cushion for the seat.  The fabric is Quadrille in Summer by Clarke & Clarke.  I added piping to the centre of the bench.  It breaks up the expanse of fabric on the sides and adds a little pretty.

Betsy was my project from last term.  She just needed a few finishing touches. I have my sights set on greater things now I have built up my confidence.

There is a very battered and unloved Parker Knoll fireside chair waiting in the wings. 

pretty parcel in the post

Last week I was delighted to receive a pretty little parcel in the post.

I was one of the lucky winners of the recent Silly Old Suitcase giveaway.  A surprise package of treasures from the lovely Maartje.

Maartje put together a gorgeous gift for me, all packaged prettily with a handwritten note.

My parcel of treasures included,

a button brooch,

a wooden crochet hook,

a crochet bow brooch,

a flower necklace,

pretty fabric pieces,

and scrapbooking supplies.

I am feeling a little spoilt and so grateful for the thought and care that went into my gift.

I want to say a big thank you to Maartje.  I can't wait to get creative with my new supplies and I have already worn the pretty button brooch and necklace.

Maartje has a beautiful etsy shop also called Silly Old Suitcase.  It is well worth a visit.  She makes gorgeous things.  Maartje is on holiday at the moment but will reopen soon.

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I'm off out after tea to a handmade christmas class.  I can't wait.  How easily amused am I?

52 weeks of happy (2/52)

We have had a lovely mellow weekend, doing little and relaxing.  Walking, cooking and crafting.  My idea of bliss.

These weekends are always the loveliest.  No best laid plans, just roll with the punches.  Doing the little things we all enjoy.

Continuing with Jen's year of happy, here are my four picks this week.

A lovely little parcel from Silly Old Suitcase.  More on this later in the week.

 

Some cute keyrings made by the boys from an art and craft pack.  I love their big eyes and cheeky little faces.  Come to think of it, these are some of the things I love most about my little ones too.

The gorgeous red colour of the Virginia Creeper growing on either side of our front porch.  I love the lacy effect it creates as it weaves its way across the wall.

Doing a little weekend crafting.  A sort of work in progress.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend and that you are all happy.

eleven

The lovely Ada from Vintage Sheet Addict tagged me a few days ago.  I am to answer her eleven questions and then I will cheat the rules a little bit.

Here are my answers to Ada's questions.

  

What's on your bedside table  My bedside table is in danger of collapse with the weight of books and magazines balancing on it.  I devour reading material of all descriptions.  New books are one of my favourite things.

What's on top of your wardrobe  A box containing my wedding dress.

Happiest memories  Our wedding day and the arrival of our little ones.  We celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary on Tuesday and our second little boy's birthday on Sunday so October is a special month for us.



Favourite toy as a child  A Speak and Spell electronic game and my Tiny Tears doll.  I still have both although Tiny Tears is in need of some new clothes.

Your perfect holiday destination  Canada, we spent our honeymoon there and we are always dreaming of returning one day.

Spring or autumn  Autumn is my favourite season, although spring comes a close second.

What's your motto, number one rule, you live your life by  Live well, laugh often and love much.

If you had a time machine, what year would you like to land in  Any year in the 1950's.  I love the style and design from this era and would love to travel there.

Roast dinner or fish and chips  A roast dinner most definitely, probably chicken or lamb with lovely gravy and a huge selection of vegetables. Delicious.

What makes you 'belly laugh'  Most often my family.  Mr F, the wee ones and my two very funny brothers. Once I start laughing I find it very difficult to stop. It's always the silliest things start me off.

Favourite outfit, past or present  I have a couple of black dresses.  They are my go-to outfits for nights out and special occasions.  They are so easy.  I don't really enjoy the planning an outfit process.  I love to get ready and go with minimum fuss.

Now, the rules of this tag state that, each tagged person must post eleven random facts about themselves, answer the eleven questions set by previous blogger, create eleven more questions and tag eleven more blogs, with less than two hundred followers.

Due to my current brain fog and time constraints I have simply answered Ada's questions.  I cannot get my brain in gear to come up with eleven random facts or eleven new questions.  Please accept my apologies.

What I will do though, is mention eleven lovely blogs that don't seem to have been tagged yet.  I hate that I can't include all the wonderful blogs I read. This is a great way to find some lovely new blogs though.

Binds you to me, Teacups and Bunting, The Blooming Times, Imogen Eve, Scraps of Us, Tales from a Happy House, The Custards, My Rainbow Vintage Home, Modflowers, Little Buckles, Little Sleep

If you would like to take part could you please answer Ada's questions as it would be great to find out some more about all you lovelies but I won't be in the least offended if you don't want to take part ... xx

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The photos were all taken by me on our honeymoon in Canada.

52 weeks of happy (1/52)

Lovely Jen at little birdie has decided to record four things that are making her happy each week for the next year, a project entitled 52 weeks of happy.

Jen is going to live by the following mantra,

'It's absolutely true, it's not about money or success, it's about how you look at life and then live it'.

Great idea, don't you think?

So I have decided to join her.  Each week coming up with four simple things which have made me happy. 

Watching the little ones enjoying an art and craft workshop at a festival in our local town.

A beautiful seedhead in our wildflower bank.  Nature is amazing.

Celebrating our second little man's fifth birthday with homemade chocolate cake.

Apple picking in our garden for the first time.  I'm hoping for a good crop every year. 

And another thing which brings me happiness.  Having all you lovelies stop by for a visit.  It makes me really happy that you pop by, read my ramblings and take the time to say hello.  Thank you and welcome to all you new readers.  It's lovely to see you here.

mollie makes: september

I know, I know.  I am more than a little late with this post but I am cross with myself.

I started out with very good intentions to make the little dog plushie designed by Tania Ho in September's Mollie Makes.

I selected my fabrics.  Some grey linen, check cotton and ditsy floral cotton. All salvaged from clothing destined for recycling.  Printed the full size templates and cut out the pieces.

I even went so far as to sew a good portion of the dog together, as evidenced below.  But sadly, I just couldn't be doing with this project.  It was a faff. So fiddly and not at all how I expected it to turn out.  So I threw it aside crossly.

  

Don't feel bad for the little half finished pooch though.  Despite having no ears, only one arm and some drawn on eyes and nose, because frankly he was really creepy without them my little fairy has adopted him as her own.  I'm glad he won't be lonely.

And to make up for my epic failure on this project I made a little ruffle necklace or collar inspired by the beautiful tulle one in issue 18.

So what do you think?  I informed Mr F it was a necklace and he looked at me like I had lost the plot. Sometimes he just doesn't get my creative genius.  I think I do see his point but it might be fun to give this one a go again.

Anyway, onwards and upwards.  There's always the October issue.

corners of my home

I love lighting the fire.  The cosiness is impossible to replicate.  Who doesn't appreciate the promise of toasty warm toes.

With the recent dip in temperatures, we lit the fire in our solid fuel cooker for the first time this autumn.

 

We love our cooker for its many talents,

creating a warm, cosy kitchen and home,

cooking a lovely roast dinner,

drying and airing mountains of laundry,

providing an ocean of piping hot water,

warming bottoms after a chilly interlude outside,

and baking bread, buns and cakes.

A few of these talents require a little help from me but our cooker is invaluable in the colder chilly months. We all look forward to firing it up and reaping the benefits and I am always tickled to watch family and friends who come to visit.  Gravitating to the cooker and perching happily on the handrail warming their derriere.

Wishing you all a warm and cosy autumn.

pretty little birdie

I adore birds and vintage fabric so when I spied this pretty little birdie, resistance was futile.

It arrived in the post, packaged beautifully in its own handmade bag.

I couldn't be more delighted.  The brooch is so, so beautiful.  I could tell from Sharon's photos on modflowers that they were very lovely but in reality they are so exquisite.  The little wooden bird is beautifully carved and the fabric button is the perfect partner.

I am in love.