Rewind

HAPPY NEW YEAR ONE AND ALL.
I'm hoping by now any sore heads are a distant memory and everyone is feeling wide awake positive for the new year ahead.
Although I don't want to tempt fate, the Hotchpotch household has managed to steer clear of the dreaded sickness bug and apart from the odd cough and sniffle we have stayed relatively healthy.

I just want to say a BIG THANK YOU to followers/loiterers old and new and to anyone who has left a comment or kind word. I never realised how addictive this blogging malarkey would become, and I for one am more than happy to be an addict!
Through blogging I have realised that there are plenty of like minded people out there and this has given me the confidence to be happy in my own skin, doing my own thing.
I have done vintage/handmade fairs and opened up an etsy shop (o.k I might have only sold one thing but we will gloss over that!) but I have sold things at the fairs to people who return time and time again to buy purchase my wares.
I have met some fantastic, kind and generous people and Iv'e even met a 'real life' friend through blogging and to say she makes me laugh out loud is somewhat of an understatement (you know who you are!)
Anyway that's enough gushing for now.

2012 brought it's ups and it's downs.....I'm pleased to say mainly ups.

Here was my 2012 in pictures

Of course who could forget the amazing Jubilee Celebrations and the Olympics which I absolutely loved.
As you can see, I am a girl of simple pleasures and I can't see this changing any time soon.

So here's to lots more blogging in 2013 (hopefully I might learn how to take better photographs but don't hold your breath!!!)

: )

Suffolk here we come

I can't believe we are very nearly into the fourth week of the school holidays, surely that can't be possible, how did that happen???

As usual it's all go here, trying to get all the little jobs done and generally getting in the holiday mood.
There is still tons to do but I really wanted to squeeze in a quick post before I head off into the sunshine (wishful thinking!!!)

Bruce has been to the pooch parlour

and the essentials have been packed

I was going to have a bash at this

but decided on another granny square blanket for the camper instead, I fear blankets are fast becoming another one of my obsessions.
Anyway back to the bag thing

I'd had my eye on it since I'd hopped on the tour bus and saw it there waiting for me and with 20% off it would have been rude not to bring it home... actually it was the lovely Mr. H who suggested I bring it home and who was I to argue.

What I'd actually called into CK for in the first place was this

This was a surprise find when I popped into Hillsborough last weekend to get Velcro.

All that ring loveliness for One English Pound

Our lovely next-door-but-one neighbours brought this round on Friday as a little thank you for keeping an eye on their house while they tootled off up North.

I love the packaging nearly as much as I love the gingerbread.
Every last crumb had been devoured by Saturday evening..... apart from the ones I found in the bed on Sunday morning, obviously not on my side of the bed you understand!
Who needs Mr. Grey at bedtime when you have Yorkshire tea and Grasmere gingerbread!!!

I'm totally loving the Olympics which is surprising really as I'm not what you could call a sporty person, I hated sport at school with the exception of hockey which we didn't actually play that often as we were far too dangerous, infact If my memory serves me well I recall it was brought to a rather abrubt end when one of the girls got her nose in the way of my friend and her hockey stick, I don't think I have ever seen so much blood, mind you as I remember it was quite a big hooter!!!
Being a Sheffield girl I'm looking forward to seeing this when I return from my holibobs.

 Well done Jess your City loves you  
                                                                    ♥  ♥  ♥

fingers crossed for sunshine
I'll send you a postcard!

adios amigos : )

School's (almost) out

YAY school holidays are just around the corner which also means I'm off work for 6 whole weeks *does celebratory dance.
I appreciate that I am one of the lucky ones as I have never had to worry about childcare as my previous job at the Convent allowed me to take (not so) little H along.
My current job is term time only so again I don't have to worry about who is going to look after him while I am at work, especially now when he is at an age where he doesn't need looking after as such but still needs supervising.

I made a list, it's a very long list of all the things I hope to do while I'm off, what I will actually achieve is another story altogether!
Here are just a few of of the things on THE LIST

1. over haul spare room which is currently a dumping ground for my junk AHEM important craft supplies.

2. try new recipes as I will have all day to rustle up something interesting... fish fingers will be banished to the back of the freezer and saved for emergencies only (like when I forget iv'e put something interesting in the oven and burn it to a cinder!)

3. watch a film at least one afternoon a week.... without nodding off

4. Get at least half way down the W.I.P's basket.

5. take (not so) little H clothes shopping for the holidays.

6. rob a bank in order to achieve above task.

7. tackle the small mountain that is my ironing pile.

8. paint tea trolley.

9. transform oneself back into the domestic goddess I once was (or at least I liked to think I was!) o.k crossed this off as this ain't ever gonna happen!!!

10. potter- I love to potter and I must admit I am very good at it, so I can safely say this is one thing I'm sure I will be able to cross off THE LIST

Squeezed in amongst this hive of activity will be our annual camping trip and this year as some of you already know we are heading off to Southwold (never been before) via Norfolk (been loads of times before) and I for one can't wait.

All we need now is some much longed for sunshine as I fear another two weeks of damp miserable weather spent in the campervan will finally send Mr. H over the edge!

Just a quick chicken update... our two remaining chooks are doing grand with no sign of any illness, so we decided it was high time we introduced Bruce.......... so with bated breath and hands over eyes we let him off the lead and let the girls run free.

It could have quite easily gone t**s up but I am happy to report that he was an absolute star and apart from having a little sniff at their nether regions he was quite happy to let them do their own thing. This means we have been able to give them much more freedom and in return they are rewarding us with two eggs each day.

: )

Treasure Trove

Iv'e managed to get my mitts on few lovely bits and bobs over the last couple of weeks and thought perhaps you would like to have a gander.

Here are some recent car boot finds

a pile of Noddy books

a pretty sewing basket

.....mmmmmmm not too sure about that Barbie pink lining, it looks suspiciously like a dressing gown to me!

a lovely bowl which might be keeper

another bowl, not in great condition but I really loved the colours and for £2 it would have been rude not to!

a giant tea pot which reminded me of the Convent where I used to work so this just had to come home with me and only a £1.........more tea Vicar!

this was discovered while rummaging through a box at the Summer (felt more like Autumn) fair at our local church last Saturday.

a lovely scrap of embroidery which had been badly placed in the most hideous frame but hopefully someday soon it will be transformed into a beautiful cushion.
(already breaking out into a cold sweat at the thought of firing up the Janome)

I also picked up pretty rose picture, a cup minus saucer and a lovely glass cake stand which had never been out of it's original box, I'm no Judith Miller but I'm guessing it's from the 70's, possibly a wedding present, who knows (pics to follow)

This little pot is my latest flea market find.

Still experimenting with instagram but loved how this turned out.


Iv'e been tackling my pile of W.I.P's and finally managed to get this done while watching Inspector Morse on a wet and miserable Sunday afternoon (the one where he died and yes there were tears)

Little H couldn't believe I had patched my jeans and was horrified when he realised I was actually going to venture out of the house in them. He said I was becoming more like Barbara from the Good Life
I got the idea when I first saw it here

Although I have enough unfinished projects to keep me busy for the next ten years I couldn't resist starting another one.
I enjoyed doing the hexie patch so much I thought I'd give this a bash.

I do love a bit of hand stitching while watching the box
It's destined to become yet another cushion because as we all know...one can never have too many cushions!


Well school's nearly out and I for one can't wait.
It's little H's 12th birthday the first week of the holidays and this will be the first time since he was born that we haven't had a huge party for him at home *sad face.
Usually by now all the plans have been made, lists compiled, invitations made and posted out and party bags made and filled..... but not this year, this year he asked if he could do something else *even sadder face.
I knew this day would come but nothing prepares you for the sudden realisation that your sticky fingered, blonde haired blue eyed boy has grown up and morphed into a handsome pre teen with a complete set of adult teeth and squirting deodorant like it's going out of fashion... BLOODY NORA when did that happen?!!!

So he's decided he wants to play footie with his friends, so the pitch has been hired at our local park and a trainer/referee who will supervise take charge of the proceedings has been booked (good luck to him that's all I can say!)
Fingers crossed the weather picks up in time although I won't hold my breath!

I am also looking forward to our summer camping trip. This year we are Southwold bound, somewhere we have never visited before but it looks like just the kind of place we like and a little stop off in Holt on the way there and Cromer on the way back, with a trip to Wiveton Farm and Holkham Beach thrown in for good measure.....now where did I put those waterproofs?!!!