Excuses excuses

I made a promise to myself that I would do my very bestest to blog a little more often than I have of late, its obvious I haven't adhered to this promise (thankfully I only made it to myself) and have in fact blogged less....OH DEAR!
It's not that the intention isn't there, I have a camera/phone on the verge of combustion from all the photographs I take with the intention of boring you all to death.
I have blamed my recent lack of posts on many things, including bloggers block (still not sure if there is such a thing) Iv'e also used lack of time and inspiration as an excuse, but to be perfectly honest I have come to realise it's just plain old fashioned laziness.
Plenty has happened since my last post but the time lapse has blurred things a little and everything is out of sync but I'll try and do a super quick catch up for anyone out there who is still remotely interested!

we had a little trip to the big smoke

We've been busy in our little plot

and enjoying the fruits of our labour.

Iv'e been busy with the hook

and the glue

and there have been one or two thrifty finds

There has also been a small matter of a 13th birthday  but I'll save that for next time.

thanks to everyone who has stayed tuned! xxx

A quick Hello

Things have been very quiet around here of late, the Easter break has passed by in a flash and it's now back to business as usual.
We didn't have much time off together this holiday so didn't venture very far, besides the weather here in Sheffield has been dire, feeling more like winter than spring, much like everywhere I suspect.
 Little H is at an age where he wants to spend time with his friends, doing what typical 12 (nearly 13) year old boys want to do, it seems me and the Mr have to fit around his plans these days!

We did have a run out to Matlock and had a lovely walk around the park followed by a mooch around the shops (much to little H's annoyance) Vintage Living and Rewirks are two 'new to me' places, I knew I was going to love them before I had even set foot inside.
Rewirks is a lovely little place filled with lots of interesting bits and bobs, it's a perfect mix of vintage  and hand made, just the kind of place I daydream about owning one day.
Vintage Living is packed to the rafters with everything you could ever want in your home......

 including the kitchen sink

No day out for us is complete without lunch so not wishing to break the habit of a lifetime we headed to the Old Smithy at Beeley for lunch, followed by ice creams in the car (it was far too cold to eat them outside!!!)

Fast forward a couple of weeks and at last Spring seems to have found it's way to Sheffield and our little plot has finally come to life.

Mr. H  dragged out the deck chairs and we enjoyed a well earned cuppa in our secret garden.

taken last year round about this time

Hope you are having some ☀☀☀ where you are

Marvellous Mary

OH This weather!
I really don't want to bang on about it but what is happening?....glorious sunshine one minute and torrential downpours the next, my poor veggies don't know whether to look to the sky or dive for cover, they are looking decidedly bruised and battered.



However the dreary weather doesn't seem to be bothering the bees and the chives are absolutely heaving with them at the moment





Apart from the obligatory mowing, the gardening has been sidelined for the moment as the chickens will be arriving next weekend (about bloody time I hear you cry!) We knew the longer we talked about it the less chance we would actually get around to building the run so we decided hey why not order the chickens then we would definitely have to build the run, so thats where we are at the moment... still no run and the girls arrive next Saturday!

Back to this Saturday and it was that time again when St Mary's church in Sheffield threw open it's doors for it's 8th (I think) Vintage and Craft Market.

As always the fair had been well publicised so an orderly queue had formed outside and as soon as the doors opened at 10a.m the church quickly began to fill up,there is always a really good mix of people from all generations, some experiencing vintage for the first time right through to the more mature ladies and gents who have seen things come round full circle.
The sellers and crafters are also a great mix of people and the organisers always manage to get the balance spot on, keeping the regular stallholders but always mixing it up with new sellers.

As ever I took ages to set up as I always take too much so it was a quick sprint around before I had to get back to man my stall ( and devour a bacon sarni!)

My stall was the usual mix of vintage bits and bobs with a few of my makes thrown in, although I have struggled to find time to make much I don't think it looked too bad. Sorry no picture today, I forgot!!!
I try to make something new for each fair just so the regular visitors don't get bored of looking at the same things. I have noticed I have a few customers who always buy from me which is really lovely.





I made a couple of these to take along, sadly I also brought both of them back home again,I noticed people were certainly not spending much today and after talking to many of the other sellers they were noticing too, and some of them were only just getting their stall money back which is really sad when you put so much care and attention into making things not to mention the cost of the materials.
I didn't do to badly so I can't complain and I have lots to take along to the next fair and I did have a couple of ladies approach me about possibly selling my things in their shops, one a tea room and the other vintage furniture, both were looking for locally made crafts so fingers crossed!



I met Heather last Christmas at a school Christmas fair and was bowled over by her gorgeous books







the book covers can be anything from vintage tea towels, to ladybird books and maps, I could have quite easily emptied her stall in one fail swoop as anyone who knows me knows I have a thing for notebooks.

I was very very good again today and only came home with this sweet little brooch....



although there were lots of other things I could have brought home, including this little fella



All made by a lovely lady who's other work can be found here.

I have been so busy getting ready for the fair that I'm ashamed to say I'm not on the ball with Father's day preparations this year and only managed to get a box of licorice allsorts for Mr. H and as for my dad and stepdad I will have to get my thinking cap on and get something in the morning - OOOPS!

Off now to make 3 Father's day cards and 2 cards for Grandad's.......It's true what they say- a woman's work is never done!


Love to all the Dad's, Grandad's and let's not forget the Godfather's

: )

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
: )