oohps....

Country Living was lovely.....

Pretty ribbon from here

more gorgeous ribbon on lovely vintage wooden spools from this lovely lady

and I finally got myself one of these at a reduced price too.

The pretty fabric used to make these dresses is designed by Bryony at Poppy, I loved the design, but couldn't afford the price tag, so I bought a little 'make with mother' kit that they make up with the left over fabric from the dresses, just so I could have a piece of it to treasure. But now I've discovered you can buy the fabric by the metre on the website, so I may re-visit when funds allow.

after I'd 'done' the fair, I made a detour via Marylebone High St to here where I treated myself to a pair of these lovely pumps, some oilcloth for the dining table and a cute little budgie badge. Sadly they didn't have this in stock, so I didn't get to have a proper look at it, to see if I really love it and really want it. They said it's due back in mid april, so hopefully it will be a firm contender for my birthday present wish list.

So all in all it was a good day, even though my partner in crime didn't manage to make it because she was brought down by the dreaded lurgy.

The excitement is killing me......

I may even have to squeeze a trip to here in too.

Reasons to be cheerful No.4

a new china brooch

dust free pretty china

freshly cleaned in honour of spring

thanks mum x

Reasons to be cheerful No.3

Junk Stall Treasure = £7.50

Reasons to be cheerful No.2

spring flowers


my first attempt at crochet


now I just need to go shopping for yarn !

reasons to be cheerful No.1

Now, I'm not normally one for lots of beauty products and smellies, but I am a sucker for pretty packaging, and when I came across the new Boots Original Beauty Formula Range, I just couldn't resist making a couple of purchases. The range is inspired by the original 18th century Boots formulas, and come the most gorgeous packaging, with glass jars and bottles, and vintage letterpress style labels. Not only do they look good on the outside, but I was impressed with the amount of natural ingredients used.



I managed to restrain myself to just two items, the Geranium Cleansing Milk and Damask Rose Skin Tonic, and have spring cleaned my bathroom shelve in honour of the new arrivals. But I am still lusting after the Rose Vanishing Cream, Rose Cold Cream (just for the names) Bergamot Overnight Skin Cream and the Bergamot & Clary Sage Bath Foam, which smells divine!

Doily Love

my doily curtain, they're only pinned on, I haven't got round to sewing them yet, but they look so pretty when the morning sun comes shining through.

Sorry about the dark pictures, but it's a very grey day today in essex.

Have a happy weekend whatever you're up to.

I'm going to start it at about 4 o'clock, over at my neighbour's house. The children will play and have dinner and we will have wine and crisps!

excuse my hyperventilating....

I have just come across the newly updated Cath Kidston site, and here are just a few of my favourites.....

and I which bag? Decisions, decisions.............

and apparently there's more - lots of  "coming soon....."'s, the anticipation is killing me, I need some vallium or something, it's like I've had a major sugar rush!

they need to get a new web designer though, lots of cock-ups, just to name a few, they  have a mother's bag in the new spray flowers design priced up at £0.00, which will go in the your shopping trolley (didn't have the guts to check it out though), and a picture of a blue polka dot bag instead of what's meant to be a blue rose blanket?!?!

Floral beauties

Finally some decent light as arrived in my neck of the woods, so I thought I show off some of my newest pretties.

newly arrived carved rose cabochons from here

gorgeous Christmas presents from my family......

a lovely nest of tins from my brother

a beautiful CK box file from my sister

and the prettiest floral oil painting from my parents

two of my favourite recent thrifty finds......

this white linen embroidered table cloth with wide cotton lace edging in lovely condition for £2.50. 

and this dinky little souvenir jug "A Present from Brighton" for 50p

and last but not least, my new favourite mug, dainty design, but large enough for a decent dose of tea.

Recovering from chaos

This is the view from my window where I sit at my computer.
Back in October my father-in-law came to live with us, and up until the end of last week he was staying in my sewing room our spare bedroom while the junk storage facility outbuilding in our garden was converted in to a little annex for him to live in. In between then and now we have been living in chaos. Things that originally had homes have been been displaced, some outside under tarpulins, some just sitting about with no place to go.

My dining table hasn't been used for dining in a long while.

My garden has all been dug up with a digger, all my plants gone, to make way for new pipework.

the old boiler had to go, it finally gave up the ghost, and has left us with a unplastered patch in the kitchen and a load of new pipes that need to be boxed in.

 

But on the brightside we now have a central heating back which has been lovely, especially with this recent cold snap.

 

So now the big reshuffle must begin, it is time to find all things homeless a new place to reside, and restore some order to our home. Wish me Luck!