from small seeds

These little chaps are looking for a new home, in just a month these have grown from seed and soon enough we'll be eating home grown peas - I can hardly wait!
These will be moved to the allotment in the next day or two where they can spread themselves out. I love their spindly tendrils which just reach out and hug whatever they can.

I remember as a child we grew a few peas and my Mum sent me and my brother to pick some for our tea, we picked plenty and ate most of them straight from the pod sitting amongst the plants. We didn't get many on our plate that evening but I still remember their delicious sweet taste.
My 4 year old loves that story and although she doesn't like peas I'm hoping she'll at least try a few straight from the pod.

We've been busy digging and digging on our new allotment and I'm thrilled that we have finally done some planting. Say hello to our blackcurrents and rhubarb, who seem to be happy in their new homes, we've also got some red gooseberries in.

We need to get some netting over these before the birds start to help themselves.


Looking forward to rhubarb crumble and custard - yum.

I'm really enjoying this new project, although it's physically hard work at this stage I'm also finding it very relaxing and surprisingly creative. I love being out in the fresh air and watching something grow from a tiny seed is incredible, many of the seeds we've sown I've never actually seen as a plant so it's very exciting to see what happens.
I have been watching The Edible Garden on BBC2 and am thoroughly inspired.

What are you growing? I'd love to hear from you.
Any advice or tips are very welcome as I'm a complete novice!

happy digging x

dreaming of a tidy home

I'm trying to have a clear out and make our home a little less chaotic, so I headed to etsy to find some inspiring storage solutions, I wasn't disappointed...

from sewingmomma on etsy

from thevintagemercantile on etsy

from Debeauxsouvenirs on etsy

from greenduckweed
this one has sold but take a look at the etsy shop for other lovely items


I don't think you can beat handmade or vintage finds as a way of adding instant charm to your home. Of course now all I need to do is actually sort out and tidy up!

happy tidying x

the simple pleasures in life

As the school holidays are sadly drawing to an end we spent a precious day at home, enjoying the simple pleasures in life.


We read books, made a den in the garden, pressed flowers, baked oat cookies and made chocolate nests. We painted our paperclay shapes and watered our fruit bushes at the allotment. And we played - lots.

Heavenly. Lots of laughter, no rushing around, stress free.

happy holidays x

flea market finds

There's something about typewriters that I can't resist, this one caught my eye and I knew she had to be mine.

Miss Parker (as I've named her) and I will be having some adventures and sending some notes...




She's not my first, I wonder will she be my last?


Play along and add your thrifty finds at Her Library Adventures.


happy typing x

my day out - V & A Quilts exhibition

I don't get out much into my fabulous city, so when I do it's a huge treat

Today we had an outing to the Victoria and Albert museum to see the Quilts exhibition. Ooooh I had a great day, children behaved, Mum was with us, the sun came out, all went like clockwork - perfect.

The quilts ranged from 1700 - 2010, the workmanship in the quilts was astounding, and the stories the quilts tell about the makers lives are fascinating. The fabrics that come from old sun dresses and curtains, the paper templates from old ledgers and receipts - the history and nostalgia draws you in.

image courtesy of V and A

I loved this quilt the most, Liberty Jack by Janey Forgan which was the Quilt 2008 winner. Made up of lots of union jack flags made from Liberty fabrics, this picture doesn't do it justice, it's bursting with colour and is so inspiring.

I contained myself in the shop - some limited edition Liberty fabric, created just for the exhibition did tempt me though - I'm not really a patchworker, but it grabbed me - so I gave in.


We spent some time outside just soaking up the enormity of the building and watching people interact with the installations. What joy.

happy quilting x

a charming little house

I made one of these for a friends daughter, and her cousin loved it so much she asked me to do another for her cousin for her birthday, so we collaborated on colours and this is the result - I hope she likes it.


Must make some for my little misses soon.

happy homes x

growing or swimming?

we've been busy on the allotment, digging beds and trying to turn our clay into something resembling soil - and then it rained - when we returned we had lots of little pools... maybe we should consider growing aquatic plants instead?

I'm slightly concerned....

happy digging x

flea market finds

we made it out this week...

both girls are free from chickenpox and were allowed out back into the wider community - hooray!


First stop was the charity shops, I needed a fix, and it was my lucky day.
I've been on the look out for some fabrics to use as a base for some new work, I was thinking of table cloths etc. I got lucky - a sweet linen table cloth with hand embroidered flowers on and two white pillowcases with machine embroidered flowers. My heart skipped a beat - two finds in one shop!
I then took a peek in the button box - oh joy - lots of little white and clear buttons, just what I needed, my little button jar was looking so empty and sad.


Whilst paying for these treasures I glanced around and spotted a little woven basket hanging up and screaming my name - my first thought was it was perfect for the girls to play shops / harvest our crops ( I know - I'm getting ahead of myself here!) But on closer inspection I realised it was a DKNY , missing most of it's beads but still as cute as pie. It was a snip at just £1.95.
I did hand it over to the girls, but we are on a strict agreement that we will all share it. And I will get a turn!


When I got home and took a closer look at my linen treasures I did my usual, 'these are too good to cut up, how can I make this into something else - it's just too lovely as it is.... ' so at the moment they are in a pile whilst I think about what to do with them, along with many other previous finds.....

I should say hello, it's the first time I've played along with this though I've been looking in, play along at Her Library Adventures. I notice most of you are Australian and use the term 'op' shop - can someone tell me what does this mean? We have charity shops and car boot sales here in the UK where we can find old gems - but no 'oppies'

happy hunting x

made with love

When my first daughter was 6 months old I returned to work part-time.

I decided to set myself a project I could do during my lunch break. I decided upon a rather ambitious crochet cot blanket, whilst I enjoyed crocheting I wasn't (and still aren't) an expert so it was a challenge, especially as I had no pattern and thought I'd just make it up as I went along.

As time went on and I realised just how slow the process is, the little lady grew out of her cot.
I was then pregnant again and too exhausted to crochet.


Fast forward to now, the 6 month old baby is now 4 and a half. The blanket still isn't cot size and it's a bit wonky. I now have a 2 year old I'd also like to make a blanket for.

So I've hatched a plan.
Stop work on the first blanket - start on the second one and once that's at a reasonable size go back and add to the first one, then go back and add to the second one... you get the idea... this process will no doubt continue for the next 15 years or so, by then the blankets may be single bed size - or if not - ready to pass on to future grandchildren.



But I love doing them, and the girls have found it makes the perfect picnic blanket for their friends.....

happy crocheting x

mother's day 'card'

I made one of these garlands for my Mum for Mother's day, it's a garland-card of sorts.
She loves hearts, and paper and dangly things - just like me, so this way she can hang it up in her workroom and enjoy it for longer - the bottom heart has a blank side to write a message to your loved one.

I thought someone else might like one too, so I made some extras which I'll be adding to my etsy shop any day now.

Wishing you love on what has been a lovely spring day here - hooray!
x