Reasons to be cheerful

There has been lots to smile about this week.
I have been absolutely loving the wall to wall sunshine, it's lifted my spirits no end.

I couldn't wait to get home from work on Tuesday and kick of my shoes.

Sadly had to make do with a cuppa as we had no ice or lemonade for the Pimms!
I know it says Thursday but I'm planning next week's T.V (please tell me it's not only me that does this!)
It's also that time of year again when Alan dons his best suit and shiny badges.

I love Diarmuid for always doing his own thing and not conforming, even though I don't usually get his designs, but I have to say I LOVE LOVE LOVE this.
I would like to say I was actually at Chelsea and took these pics myself but sadly they are taken from google images, I live in hope that someday soon I will make it to Chelsea, it's most definitely on our 'to do' list, despite little H's protestations (he hates anything to do with gardening despite our best efforts!)

I have been a bit hit and miss with Chelsea this year, I just seem to have been really busy this week but not actually achieved much, but fear not as I have recorded them all so I will be catching up over the next couple of days. I'm really looking forward to seeing the garden with the caravan which I have heard so much about.

while I'm on the subject of gardening, the plum tree finally arrived this week and is settling into its new home.

don't be fooled by the chicken wire, it's not actually there to stop the chickens as they haven't arrived yet, it's to stop this fella from Christening it!!!

A few other odd jobs have been crossed off the list and Iv'e planted out some veggies but I have been mainly enjoying relaxing in the garden.


hope you are enjoying the sunshine......... while it lasts!
: )

Another Vintage Weekend

is it just me or are the days and weeks just flying by? I can't believe that June is just around the corner.
Spring seems to have completely passed me by this year, maybe it's because it feels more like autumn.
The H's have been saddened this week by the loss of our blackbird chicks which were happily nesting in our beech hedge, that is until the magpies came along and the rest as they say is history.
I have noticed that Mr. and Mrs. Blackbird have been keeping themselves busy nest building again so hopefully we will get a second clutch sometime soon.

On a lighter note Saturday meant yet another craft fair. It was organised by the very lovely Lucy Mellon, it was her first event and hopefully the first of many.
It was a very relaxed atmosphere and there were lots of lovely stalls, some favourites of mine from Mary's Marvellous and some new stalls I hope to see again hopefully closer to pay day!

I tried a slightly different layout this time with the addition of my old shelves and I think it worked well and I had some really positive comments.

I had a great neighbour too in the very lovely Adele Donnellan@nicethingsby. It was her very first craft fair and to say she was excited was an understatement!!!

Spotted this in the newsagent's on the way home from the fair.

So with P.J's warmed to perfection and mug of builder's tea balancing dangerously on the chair arm I settled down with my shiny new magazine.

There was lots of this....OOOOH!

and some of this.......AAAAH!

and plenty of this......MMMMMMMMMMM!

I can definitely feel another subscription looming.


Sunday meant car boot day much to little H's dismay as he had to be dragged out of bed at 7.30, he made it quite clear to us that Sunday's are for lie ins and under no circumstances should he have to get out of his bed before 10 a.m, so I did what any other self respecting parent would do when their 11½ year old is stomping around the house with a face like thunder........ I resorted to plain old fashioned blackmail, I promised him a massive ice cream if he picked up his chin from the floor and as my gorgeous boy is easily pleased it seemed to work a treat.
Once he was up washed and in the car he was fine and actually enjoyed hunting for his own car booty, bringing home one or two treasures which of course I ended up paying for!

not much in the way of treasure for me apart from this which caught my eye just as we were leaving

The box has seen better days but there are 48 cards, making a complete set.

maybe I will keep or maybe they will end up being used to make greetings cards for the next vintage fair..... decisions, decisions.



So car booting over for another week there was only one thing for it.............extra large 99's all round!

hope you had a great weekend
: )

Soup and a Stroll

it's a long time since we had a weekend with nothing much planned but last weekend was one of these rare occasions.
Little H was out all day Saturday with Scouts on an orienteering sort of thing so after dropping him off at Rivelin Valley early morning we had the rest of the day to do as we pleased.
So we do what we always do when spoiled for choice we went for some lunch.
There is a lovely little tea room in an antiques centre in the village of Cawthorne which is not too far away, the antique centre isn't really much to write home about but the tea room does really nice home made soup and cakes.
Cawthorne is a gorgeous village in Barnsley next to Cannon Hall which is also worth a visit although we didn't stop by today.

The village post office looking suitably patriotic


After a quick mooch around the antiques (I use this term loosely as a lot of the stuff is new) we tucked into Home made leek and potato soup and a round of sandwiches, followed by lemon cake and flapjack washed down with a cuppa served in lovely china, I should have really taken a few snaps but I was far too busy eating!!!

There is also a lovely walk up to the church

past my favourite allotments

through the woods

OOOPS! highly unsuitable footwear

There are plenty of houses to swoon over and if you are lucky a peek through the windows as you are passing!


This has got to be my favourite house in the world EVER.

Sunday was another lazy(ish) day although we were up at the crack of dawn for the local car boot, not much in the way of treasure but did manage to pick up a few bits and bobs that I will reveal in another post.
A trip to the local garden centre on the hunt for a plum tree remained fruitless... Pardon the pun! as it seems full size plum trees are much harder to come by than we imagined, with most of the ones being offered in garden centres being grafted onto a dwarf rootstock which only grow up to 2-3 metres in 10 years, well that just doesn't cut the mustard for me as I want a huge tree that hopefully one day will provide enough plums to make a tonne of jam!

The sun shone down on us for most of the day so we managed to get a little bit further with the gardening, the planting hole is now ready for the plum tree, providing we ever get one.
The fence posts are here and the panels have been ordered, so it's onwards and upwards and hopefully the next job will be the chicken run fingers crossed.

I also had a little bit of making time so the plan is to fill up the shelves in my Etsy shop so do pop over and have a gander over the next few days

off now to do a trial run for my stall at this weekend's craft fair

toodle pip!

: )

My favourite things this week

Not too much happening here this week. As usual weather has been unpredictable to say the least so gardening jobs are on hold until the sunshine decides to show.
I have another craft fair coming up next weekend but only need to make a few bits and bobs as I still have quite a bit left over from last time.
SO it's back to 'pottering' and catching up on the mountain of ironing I have been ignoring for the last few days weeks okay months!
I have also managed to squeeze in a few trips to the Charity shops which always makes me happy.


Some other things that have made me happy this week

Yet another commemorative tin that managed to find it's way into my basket......sorry Mr. H

OOOPS! really don't know how that happened

decided I needed my own bag adorning with one of my Union Jack thingy bobs!

Every one of my sweet pea seeds have germinated, still small I know but I was late with my sowing this year (too busy with this blogging malarkey!)

The rogue forget me not that seeded itself in with the mint.

The apple tree.

The patch of grass (nearly) ready for the arrival of the plum tree.

My new favourite mug and catching up with my ever increasing blog list.


Just wanted to say thank you to all the people who take time to read my ramblings and for those lovely few who follow my blog, it is very much appreciated X
: )

Whirlwind Weekend

My weekends are usually spent pottering, either around the house or weather permitting, in the garden but not this weekend... NO I have been as busy as the busiest bee in busy town.
I had a great day at St Mary's Vintage and craft market yesterday, meeting and chatting to people, some new faces and some regulars at the fair.
As usual I only had a few minutes to whip round before the doors opened so didn't manage any photos this time...sorry : (
Although Mr. H must have taken this when I wasn't looking

I'm thinking of trying a new layout for next time just to make it more interesting, I will be keep the corner cupboards as they give the much needed height to the stall and I am able to hang my banner across although you can't see it on this picture, besides everyone seems to like them and Iv'e had plenty of people asking me if they are for sale.
The fair was unusually quiet but my lovely friend popped down and we had a chat about all the gorgeous things we wanted to buy.. hope you didn't spend too much Sian Thomas!!!

Had to hitch a ride home with my other lovely friend Claire as my boys were at the match and stuck at the other side of the city, normally it wouldn't matter but I had to get home quickly as possible for a quick wash and brush up (I really should put more effort into this now I'm knocking on a bit!) before I was off out again into Sheffield for a school reunion, which I have to say was total pants and not very well organised, I did catch up with a few friends who I keep in touch with anyway so all was not lost.
Anyone who knows me will tell you I'm not much of a drinker (at least not these days) and I was safely home by 11pm ish, sporting my stripy P.J's with a cuppa and Country Living in hand

Ooooh dear look at that nasty chipped nail varnish, it definitely didn't look like that when I went out!


It was a massive day in Sheffield yesterday (which is probably why St Mary's vintage fair was so quiet) as the two rival football teams were vying for an automatic promotion place, I'm not exactly sure of the ins and outs but I had everything crossed for Sheffield Wednesday to win otherwise it was going to be a dismal bank holiday weekend in our house.
Luckily for me (and the boys) it was a blue and white victory and all was well.

Sheffield Wednesday: Civic reception to celebrate Owls promotion - Local - The Star

Apparently the H boys were part of the pitch invasion. *horrified look on face*

The Sun was shining in Sheffield when I woke up this morning so although I didn't quite feel as fresh as a daisy I was totally hangover free (albeit slightly bloated from all the coke I drank) we decided to hotfoot it to the local car boot, sadly no bargains today and we came home empty handed.
A few more gardening jobs have been crossed off the list but Still no chicken run (she says through gritted teeth.)

So its been another busy day and I really feel like I need 40 winks but have to get ready as we are meeting up with my lovely friend Claire and her equally lovely OH and we are off into town again to see...

A lie in will definitely be the order of the day tomorrow.........now where did I put those maracas?!!!
hope you are having a great bank holiday weekend
: )

Rule Britannia

Just finished off stitching the last few bits ready for St. Mary's vintage and craft market on saturday

I have done lots of these little cross stitch Union Jacks before but I usually make them into cards, however I really wanted to make them into something different, so with a bit of spotty ribbon and fabric............this is how they ended up.
What do you think?
: )