meet Miss Pumpkin

We are coming to the end of our first season as allotment holders. It has been a huge experiment and a massive learning curve. Most people that know me know that I can kill a plant just by buying it at a garden centre, so when we told our friends and family they looked at us aghast. But it seems I have found something I can't kill - vegetables. We have had a fairly modest range in our first year - but everything has grown and given us produce - in abundance. 

 
This beauty is something we are all very proud of, we thought we'd have a go and see if we could grow ourselves a pumpkin for Halloween. Didn't we do well??!! She weighs (yes I weighed her, I have turned into a nerd) 2 stone / 13kilos.
How do I know she's a she? Well for Halloween Missy Big tells me she has to have long eyelashes and earrings. Of course.


We took two half plots back in March - which weren't next to each other as I missed out on a whole plot by one day, imagine my fury - especially as the person who took the whole plot only came once and decided it was harder work that they anticipated. Hhhmmmmm.
So when this person gave it up a couple of weeks ago I got straight on the phone to the council and snapped up the half that is next to my veggie plot. 
I can't tell you how excited this made me. So now we have all this space....

....ready for next year. 


And I will be saying goodbye to this plot, 

 
that way mostly clay, full of mare's tail and killed most of the fruit bushes we planted. I was going to rescue the remaining fruit bushes - but I don't want to risk bringing the mare's tail, or any disease that may be in the soil that has killed everything off. So I think I will kiss it all goodbye, and start afresh next spring.


Which is a very exciting thought, I can give the girls a space each, plan a cutting garden, more variation of veg, oh la la! Oh and we are now allowed a shed! Hooray! Oh yes - and they installed a composting toilet - could life get any better?

If you are inclined to stitch, there is a stitched postcard swap going on, you have until Friday to sign up - you know you want to...

an empty nest

In September Little Missy started to go to playgroup / pre-school 2 mornings a week. She was delighted, she could get dropped off and picked up again, just like her big sister.  I thought oooohh, time for some crafting and my little brain notched up endless projects for me to get busy with. 


And I have kept busy....

... but I keep looking for her, ...the house is so quiet, ...it seems too soon for her to have left the nest. I miss her. And I watch the clock until I can go and get her again. 

Don't get me wrong, I quite like the free time and I've managed to get a lot done. But it feels like such a huge step forward in letting her grow up, and be her own self, without me. I miss her.


What the heck am I going to do when she starts school? 

But she loves it, and is full of tales of what she's been doing, and her new friends, and she can dress up and dance all morning. And she's happy. And the smile on her face when I pick her up is enormous - that's the best bit. x





 

inspired

I should be making the little present for my friends daughter that I'm half way through, but instead I will give you a little peek at some of the things I got up to last week...

The Knitting and Stitching Show was packed, with a whole lot of creative and inspiring stuff.

Stitched chairs and lamps seem to be a new trend, there were a few about, which I loved - these were on the Rowan stand, (free patterns for the cushions are on their website) I quite fancy a knitted telephone.


And paper, something i can't resist.

 
These huge delicate hangings made up of torn panels were enchanting. By artist Chiaki Morita.

And books, coming to life....

by Boukje Voet

And of course, the dress, at the party - I somehow spent most of my time in the children's tent - fancy that....

Best get back to making that present. x

laveneder and crochet

I've had my eye on crocheted ric-rac for a while, I managed to have a go... what do you think?

It's so super easy, and quick so I feel like I've achieved something. So now I'm a whizz at this, I'll be adding it to more dresses, bags, cushions, anything that doesn't move really. 
Go on, you know you want a go too. The tutorial is over at Foxs Lane, so pleased Kate shared it with us.

My little lavender plant isn't happy where it is, but it did give me a few gorgeous flowers this year. I love it's subtle colours against the slate. 

We've got family coming tomorrow, and on Friday I'm off to the Knitting and Stitching Show at Ally Pally with my Mum to be inspired by the exhibition and stock up on more crafty supplies (yes I'm very sure I need more).


I'll pop back next week with my goodies and a picture of the dress which is now back together in one piece ( never, ever, ever let me alter anything again - how long did it take me?? Ridiculous!)


Have a great week, x