Monday 31 May 2010

a temporary toy to play with.

Well, the battery in my faithful old compact has nearly died it's final death - and while a new one is on order and as my trusty DSLR is a bit big for everyday use my SuperDad has loaned me his Canon Powershot G10 - oooh, I love these sexy camera names! 

so, this morning has mainly involved photographing everything and anything just because it is such a nice camera! 
When my boat comes in / lottery ticket wins/ rich non-existent aunt dies/ oil is found under the allotment/ my craft book (that I haven't written yet) becomes a number one seller....well, you get the idea - then, I shall buy myself a Leika - Oh yes- it shall be so, and now tis written also! 

Friday 28 May 2010

Fancy that!

I can't believe almost a week has gone since I posted anything on my blog - it is amazing how you can fill your time and sometimes feel like you haven't actually done that much, but then on reflection you have achieved more than you thought!

My little e-bay shop is doing quite well, but I have to admit my mothers wardrobe has supplied most of what I have sold so far. She is addicted to clothes shopping, and hiding her purchases from my dad in their original packing with the labels - it has proved a little gold mine, and she reckons I have enough to keep me in business for the next 6 months!

I have been very industrious in the sewing room making things for my Folksy shop - nothing sold to date but I did feature on someones 'Folksy Friday' which was a total buzz!

While pottering away in the sewing room my mind fills with ideas and wonderful things to blog - unfortunately I don't make a note of them so consequently can't remember what the idea was! I bet I am alone in this...who am I kidding!

Lots of my Grandma's favourite pearls of wisdom keep popping in there as well, so to help you through the long bank holiday weekend here are a few of them...

"If I had a new feather, would my old hat do?"

Only the mugs get used - the best china stays on the shelf

Do your best - more than that even Angels can't do

Look after your hands - they are precious - and one day they will look after you!

No photo's from me today - the weather has reminded my of my love of Fancy Birds - and other people do them so well!


Saturday 22 May 2010

oooooh, what's that ya got juicyfig????

the swap pixies have been playing in the sewing room, and have a bundle of goodies ready to post on Monday morning...

and hopefully by Tuesday morning this will be arriving on Marie's doorstop



Unless this heat makes me swoon on the way to the post office!


Tuesday 18 May 2010

Ventures on FOLKSY

Wow - what a week - I haven't had time to read all the lovely blogs I normally do! 
Baby Fig is moving out into her own flat this week, so we have been busy collecting bits of furniture, buying tea towels etc...Just had time to pop out with the dog last night to 'Spring wood' - aptly named as it is at its very best in spring when our native bluebells form an amazing purple carpet 

and for the rest of the week I have been busy selling my clothes on e-bay, and...tada...opening my Folksy shop! (shameless advertising time!)

Here is a little sample of what I have posted up for sale all ready!

The next step is the harshest one - I NEED to sort through my vast fabric collection (dating back almost 20 years) and pop some of that onto folksy as well, so if you are into your vintage Liberty and Laura Ashley - keep your eye on my folksy shop! 

there - advertising over.


Wednesday 12 May 2010

Midweek blues...and reds and greens and...

The sun is streaming through the window, and the wool haul is destined to be a stripey blanket.

Happy mid week!

Saturday 8 May 2010

Flower Fairies - they get everywhere!!!

My head has been in a spin for the past week - I have a lot of what I consider to be big decisions to make at the moment about my future income - do I want to go back to work at the same place with the same problems, frustrations etc etc because I am the only one bringing in an income at the moment - can I put myself through it all for another 6 years? or - is it now I throw my heart and soul into trying to start my own business making/selling the crafts and materials I have loved since I was a child?


I have finally braved e-bay to make a start and get the hang of this Internet selling - before Tuesday I had NEVER been on e-bay before! (I think I may be the last person beside my hubby to do this!) - I have sold 3 things already - not enough to cover this months bills, but it certainly gave me a boost!

I am in the process of opening a Folksy shop - and may even get a web site if I can find a cheap good website building type person - or a free course!

so - I have been busy - and it is lovely to be able to parcel my sold items up and take the dog out in the sunshine, into the village to the post office - with the camera of course!

All along 'Broad Lane' in the hedgerow are the Lords and Ladies
(also known as Wild arum, Lords and Ladies, Jack in the Pulpit, Devils and Angels, Cows and Bulls, Cuckoo-Pint, Adam and Eve, Bobbins, Naked Boys, Starch-Root and Wake Robin.)

They may look a little boring, and are easily missed but these are one of my favourite wild flowers. When I was about 5 years old my mum bought me a copy of Cicily Mary Barkers "flower fairies of the autumn"
Not only did it spark my interest in wild flowers but confirmed for me that fairies were indeed living among us - outside, but among us!


In Autumn, the lords and ladies plant produces these amazing columns of berries, that according to the poem are for lighting up the tiny paths in the hedgerows and woodlands so that the fairies could safely see their way to the dance/ball

wow - what a way to spark of a young and fertile imagination!




Above is Whalley Abbey 'School house' - this is part of the Abbey that straddles the road - I love that it is part of the village now rather than the abbey grounds and that to get into the village I can drive or walk under it - it always reminds me of the mouth of some huge wale!

and the gate way to our little station that had been closed by Beaching in the 60's and re-opened in the 90's.


Monday 3 May 2010

but I really NEEDED more wool!

Please! ban me from wool shops and their sales!
Four of us went over to the Black Sheep Wool sale yesterday - they sell luxury yarns at HUGE discounts, and yesterday there was and extra 25% off - so what chance did I stand?


Actually, I was very very restrained - not by ropes and chains, just the overdraft! and like a true thrifty person NOT - convinced myself that I needed to buy one of every colour of this gorgeous cotton/linen mix for my wavy crochet blanket, still, they were only 75p a ball so.....
My niece who came with us almost had to blind fold me and frog march me away from the place - and my mother ended up buying a mountain of some Japanese Merino/cashmere yarn with no bands on them because they had been reduced from £8 per 25g to 75p - she has no idea what she is going to make, but what a bargain! - I love how us women can pretty much justify all our spending!

I also treated myself to some more natural colours for my first granny squares - to say I only learned to crochet last Monday I am quite pleased with these, they are a bit baggy, slightly wonky, and 3 different sizes - but it kept me entertained while Mr Fig was off on a boy's own camping adventure with his friends, and baby Fig was stopping at the "we're not going out together" boyfriends (?)

I have been meaning to stop and take a photo of this tree for YEARS now - finally as I was driving past the other day there was a parking spot nearby, no people, the sun was shining, no one was with me, and I had my camera!

If you look closely the tree has both pink blossom and white - half and half! It is probably the result of a graft many years ago, but I think it is still pretty cool!


Saturday 1 May 2010

Sloe Gin, mamalade and cheers!


It has been such a busy week! first of all I went to a crochet class with age concern on Monday - it is run in the library, so anyone can attend - my 50th is a long long long way off...honest!!!

so since then I have been obsessively crocheting strange looking objects and then pulling them back after giggling like a school girl at them.

Yesterday my niece came round and made marmalade and bread, we have set up a little stall at the front door to try and earn a little spending money for the black sheep wools sale we are off to tomorrow
Yesterday was also my baby brothers 34th birthday - here we are, a very rare photo of me! I love the delicate way the flash bounces of his baldy head!


The Sloe Gin I started last November was ready to decant yesterday. It was a first for me, I have made cherry brandy in the past, wines, bears etc, but spent a long time trying to find sloe berry's growing round here - so now is my chance to raise a glass to all you wonderful people out there in blog land!

To all of you who follow my blog, make me smile, keep me sane, share your lives and passions!

CHEERS!


And thank you also to the two lovely bloggers who awarded me more smiles this week!

From Catherine at Kids and Capers for the sunshine award


and from Deborah at Fondant Kiss for the I love your blog award

CHEERS to you two lovely people!

There seams to be so much love going around at the moment I couldn't possibly choose between all the blogs I read and love to pass these onto, so to anyone who pops by here and makes me smile - help yourself to an award - you deserve it!