A Blogging Break

I am taking a break from blogging for a while.  I don't have the time to write any new posts or leave comments, though I will endeavour to read as many of yours as I can.  My mum has suffered a severe stroke and I am travelling between home and Cornwall to be with her as much as possible.

Shells

I can't have biscuits in the house whilst I am trying to lose weight so when I was photographing this biscuit barrel for the website I had to improvise.  I actually think it looks really nice with flowers or these shells in it and would look lovely in a bathroom.

I always seem to come back from the beach with pretty shells in my pockets so we have quite a collection (not these ones though).

I bought this Victorian shell purse when I was 10 (many years ago) and have treasured it ever since.

 

 

I have a new friend who has been following me all round the garden this week.  This female blackbird is so tame (though a little camera shy) and every time I have found a worm I have given it to her as she is feeding chicks.  As soon as I walk into the garden she appears.

 

My Garden

It has been a while since my last post.  I had to drive down to Cornwall as my elderly mother was rushed into hospital.  I actually stayed down there for 9 days until she was discharged (and is now on the mend, thank goodness).  This week I have been catching up on sending out all the orders which I hadn't been able to do whilst away.  I have also bought lots more French items and am trying to list these on the website .

Isn't it amazing how much the garden changes over a short period especially with all the sunshine and rain we were having.  My week has also been spent weeding and generally tidying up the garden.  I thought I would share some photos.  My husband created this pond and waterfall recently and it looks lovely now the plants are beginning to grow.  The wood at the back is driftwood from our local beach and we think it to be part of a very old hull.  On the right hand sideyou can just see the air raid shelter and on the left is the summerhouse which is being built.

My birthday present to my husband in March was a course on making a living willow chair, this is it just starting to come into leaf.  And his Christmas present was this pig and piglets.

We had a huge lily which we split and it seems to have survived. I love ferns and these are growing well. Does anyone know the name of this tree which has white pom pom blossom? It looks like snow now the petals are beginning to drop.

And last but not least the roses are going to be wonderful again this year.

Linen Press

About a year ago I posted about this linen press I had bought. It was in need of a great deal of TLC as someone had partially painted it, some bits were missing and one of the drawers didn't fit. I bought it for a song and knew one day it could look lovely. I intended doing it up myself but I didn't know what to do as, although I love painted furniture, I really wanted to take it back to its original wood. So I sent it to a stripper and restorer and took delivery of it this week. Well, I am thrilled with the result. What do you think?

We have put it in the kitchen but I'm not sure what I will store in it yet. Originally I wanted to put it in a bedroom and use it to store my vintage linens etc. but it seems to fit so well in this alcove in the kitchen so I will probably use it for food, jars etc.

I have an assortment of these stone jars in the kitchen. I love the ones which have makers' names and places on them. These are from Helston (where I used to live in Cornwall) and Chichester (near where I live now)

and one of these is from Bradford where I was born and the large jug is stamped GPO (General Post Office for younger bloggers) from where I used to work many years ago.

Notice Board

I have been trying to smarten up the study a little and last month came across these tall red Ikea Billy book shelves for just £19.99 each so bought two. They really brighten the room up.

I also decided to make a notice board but, of course this had to be colour co-ordinated so this is my attempt and I am quite pleased with the result.

Aren't we having some glorious weather? This is the view from the cafe where I stopped for a cup of coffee whilst out walking early this morning. It was quite hazy with the promise of a very warm and sunny day.

Country Living Fair

Last Wednesday I went to the Country Living Fair in London (why it's held in London I don't know, surely it should be held in the country!). It's the third year in succession that I've been and I thoroughly enjoy it each time. There is just so much to see (and buy!). There are a lot of the same stands each year and there is a glut of polka dotty, Cath Kidstoney type things (all very nice, don't get me wrong) but it is refreshing to linger at the stands selling different things especially those made by such very talented artists. My neighbour who is a ceramicist had a stand; she specialises in raku and crystalline.

Another friend who is a textile designer and who has her own loom also had a stand. This is one of her scarves which I treated myself to recently; I just love it.

I loved the stand by another textile artist named Charlotte Clowes which can be seen in this photo.

I was exhausted by the end of the day, goodness knows how the exhibitors manage to last the whole five days!

Past Sewing Projects

I have been emptying a large coffer we have so that I can move it to paint a floor. It contains things like old baby clothes that I can't bear to part with, curtains I still like but don't fit any of my windows, dresses I used to wear to balls which I will never have occasion to wear again (nor be able to fit into!) etc. etc. Lots of memories in this piece of furniture.

I used to do a lot more sewing than I do now and came across all these tapestry cushions I have worked. What a shame they have been relegated to the chest. The first one I sewed was the tulips one. I was heavily pregnant and remember sewing this sitting in the garden in the summer of 1984.

The cross stitch was worked in 1993 and I have recently re-found this and hung it on the wall. I wonder where this will end up in years to come! In an auction house perhaps and the buyer wondering who R D T was and whether she lived by the motto 'Not to spend my time for naught'!

My daughter has moved further away from me (geographically I hasten to add) this week and has set up home with her boyfriend, a new chapter in her life. Lots of memories came flooding back as I removed these clothes I made for her from the chest. I used to enjoy knitting but haven't done any for many, many years. The fairisle coat and bonnet were worked in 2 ply wool and the Guernsey was also worked in a fine yarn.

Back in the days when we used to go to naval balls you just couldn't buy gowns in the shops, or if you could they were very expensive so I went on a dressmaking course to learn how to make them with all the boning in the bodice etc.

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend. I have just finished painting the dining room floor this evening so will post photos later in the week. I am considering painting a stencil around the edges too so will see how that looks.