Flowers, invisible horses and sadness too.

Hey! Thank you so much for your get well wishes... I think it worked too, as I do feel much better now!

What have I been up to this week?  Oh, you didn't ask did you? Well I will tell you anyway!  Despite feeling lousy, I got quite busy once I recovered a bit. Now lets see.  Oh yes! on Tuesday my bottom made a quick telephone call! Yes, it did... It rang George's car phone, but remained silent.. thank goodness!  Ha ha ha, I had sat on my phone!

I have been doing a bit more on my secret project...

Have been busy making lots of flowers....

And I finally had a go at making a brooch, as I have had some brooch pins for some time now! Does anyone else find themselves on occasion buying things, thinking that you will make lots and sell them or at least give as presents, but never get around to doing it?

I felted the wool onto the under felt, and attached beads, and of course a brooch pin too!

Now, you may not be aware of this, but I have an invisible horse. Those of you who are friends with me on facebook will already know!  Obviously, this door was absolutely no use whatsoever for an inquisitive horse now was it?

 

Let us out! Let us out!

So as part of the grand makeover which has just begun, we just had to have this door fitted.......

 

So now my beautiful invisible appaloosa horse (brown and white markings for anyone interested!  ;o), can trot to the door anytime he likes and gaze out of the window at the flowers, butterfies and bees!

Paula the lady who bred ralph our Old English Sheepdog, breeds these beautiful natured horses as well!  Click on this link If you like to ooohhhh and awhhhhh at puppies and horses!

And it looks so much cosier from the inside too!  I can't wait for a rainy day all snuggled up in the kitchen with a warming bowl of homemade soup, watching the rain pitter pattering down that little cutie window!

It really feels now, like we are finally starting to get somewhere with all thes jobs that need doing on this house!

Two thank yous this week and one sadness I am afraid.

Thank you Jacqueline for another one of your beautiful tags! Look at the cute owls peeps! You are a star, so kind thinking of little old me here in Lancashire with my dotty dogs and invisible horse!

Thank you too, to Star, who sent me these lovely mags for a giveaway I recently won at her lovely blog.  I shall have a good look through them as soon as I get a mo!  I have only managed to skim through them as yet! 

I still haven't got around to reading your book Jen, which I am sorry for! I haven't even answered your question about it yet... sorry! I am sure I will enjoy it and will report back to you when I have read it.  I noticed that you have done a wonderful post about 'four', which I will try and read later! X

I would like give a mention here to a lovely blog friend of mine Mollye, who suddenly and tragically lost her son Jake just over a week ago. It is at times like these when we need to show our love, support and care so much. I like Mollye very much, and often think of her, and send my love to her often, but right now I am sending her every ounce that I can squeeze out of me. Words are just inadequate really.  He sounded a truly amazing man, and you can read Mollye's beautiful tribute to him here. It made me cry.

It just makes me think once again, how every moment on this earth is precious, and how, when we are lucky enough to have people to love, we must love them with all we have got. We all take too many things for granted sometimes.

Love to you all.   Suzie xxxxxxxxxx

The laughing Hyena Strikes Again!!!

Hello lovely peeps!

Short post this week, as I am over run with work on the house, and I am feeling lousy with a cold too. So I apologise if I haven't been visiting as many blogs as I usually do!  This week we have had a joiner here, sawing, whirring and hammering! Let the grand makeover begin! We have bought paint for a few rooms, and I have been planning colour schemes. These little birds I made from a pattern in the Cath Kidston book 'Sew!' will give you an idea of the colours of the 'new' room, along with the buttons in my cake stand which will be stood on the dressing table,... the room that we are presently using as a dining room, will be transformed into a bedroom. Before and after pics coming soon!

It was gala week last week, and the procession went past our house last Saturday. You will be pleased to know that I was reduced to tears with giggling again, on my own in the front garden with an audience of people watching me from across the road. The culprit? Well it was a float going by, with the warbling  tones of what I can only describe as chipmunks on speed siniging a disco song! I staggered back to the front door, unable to see through the tears. I was shaking and was no longer able to make any noise..

Anyway, I pulled myself together and went back out to stand by the Owl Tree again... I am a grown-up, I am a grown-up, repeat seven times.. I am a grown-up ....Another float, with horns a blowing, aaahhh-haaaa, ahhhh-haaaa, like the kind that Harpo Marx from the Marx brothers always hooted as he ran about wildly. Well the image of Harpo in my head was too much, so I am afraid it set me off again! George was stood in the front room window watching me with disdain, which quite frankly just made me all the worse. "How old are you?" he asked me, when I went back in the house! 

 For those who don't already know, the Cath Kidston book featured above, has everything you need to make this handbag! Amazing value for money!  I added the gingham lining though, and replaced the white button supplied with my own gingham covered one. It is easy to make too!

Well thats it! Yep, I mean it! No doubt you are all in a deep state of shock at my short post, but I really do feel yuk, and really just want to curl up in a ball somewhere. You know that feeling when you feel as if someone has taken all the bones out of your body?   As my Mum used to say, I am only useful to be chopped up for fire wood! An expression she would always use when I was a good for nothing!

Blessings and giggles to you all!

Update! I have put my owls back on...... I missed them!!!

Suzie xxxx

Kindness, magic, faith and a spot of laughter!

Hippy Happy Friday!

I think that the crazy as a loon fairy has been fluttering about in our home lately! Oh yes, that little fairy has definitely been visiting.

 I did this one yesterday, my latest little fairy, not looking particularily crazy, but a fairy nonetheless! The little creature hasn't been living with me long enough yet... give it time!

In the past when we have decided to move house, I start out by looking at potential properties on rightmove, and then usually get daydreams of a particular house stuck firmly in my head. It is a kin to falling in love, you just can't stop thinking of the object of your affection, and basically long to get your mitts on the blighter!

Well, this time, I have spotted a house that I really, really, (think!) I want to live in. I say think, because I actually haven't been to view it.  The fact of the matter is... that it is not even up for sale!  Yes, you heard that right,  NOT FOR SALE!  Put that together with the fact that we are not even up for sale yet either, and the fact that even if we were and we had a buyer, there is no reason to believe that said object of my affections would even be up for sale when we are, or even for years!   I know, the crazy fairy has me smitten with its's madness!

 One of my applique cross stitch designs, very simple... like the creator of it!

It is a sweet old cottagey type house, with original stained glass windows and the sweetest 1920's original front door! We have walked past it several times now, and no, sorry, I haven't got a photo, as I may well be arrested soon for stalking a house anyway, without standing at the front of it wildly snapping pictures as well!  It needs a lot of work (well, from the outside, it looks so!), It has a good sized garden (good old google bird's eye view maps!) So, we could still grow some of this.....

 Some of our veggies grownig happily in the veggie plot! 

And this.......

Ahhhh, Aubergines!

And these.....

Oh pretty flowers!  Such beauty!

I love a cottage garden, wild and full of wildlife, mysterious and magical. Oooh err and slightly rambling like me!

YES! I do, do , DO  believe in magic, I believe that what ever we can imagine is utterly and completely possible! SO,  I have been doing a spot of cosmic ordering! George says that if we end up living there, he will have me burnt at the stake for being a witch!

Talking of George, ha ha ha,  he did make me laugh yesterday morning! George, I am telling you, you are so funny! You ought to be bottled up and sold as a tonic!

I woke up and noticed that it was 8.30am, so I nudged George and said "GEORGE! Its 8.30!" He opened one eye and replied "SO!". I gave him a shake " GEORGE! Its 8.30!" He wasn't too happy, in fact he was coming accross a tad grumpy here. Another nudge, a shove in the ribs, another "GEE-ORGE"......reply- "WHAT????" he was not happy....he squints at me irritated and says.." ITS SATURDAY FOR GAWDS SAKE"  ...... "Errr, no George," I reply  "its Thursday!" ... Silence....then.... "ITS THURSDAY???!!!".   Ha ha ha, I have never seen him jump out of bed so quick..."BLOODY HELL!, Why didn't you tell me"  He says as he scurries around getting ready for work!!!

Now another, yes another big thank you, for a big huge dollop of  kindness! Look what the postman delivered yesterday!
 Kay! You are such a love,  it was wonderful  surprise! This is what I love about kindness! Kindness can lift your spirits, cheer you, make you feel cared for and loved. Kindness is infectious like a smile it sends out ripples of good feeling, and makes the world a nicer place to live in. Kay, made this lovely hanging for me, and recently did a post featuring this (you can read the post here).

 Look at the gorgeous charms, I love them!

 Yummy goodies too!

 The parcel had lots of goodies in as well as the hanging, and the sweetest enchanted garden card, with lovely words from Kay, which I will treasure with all my heart. Thank you so much Kay! You are one of those special people here on blogger (and Facebook!) who I feel a real connection with, and now consider a very good friend, and who make all of this waffling that I do, worthwhile!

As a matter of fact, I am so very lucky to have so many kind and wonderful friends in this huge and unseen blogland and facebook too.... thank you all!

I will leave you with this photo of my clematis.... now if thats not magic, I would like to know what is!

Every time I see this, my I gasp, and my eyes pop out! That conjures up a picture... gasping for breath, with my eyes a bulging. Ha ha, I had wanted it to sound a bit more romantic than that! I was aiming for more of a  Wuthering Heights effect than the Hunch Back of Notre Dame!


I wish you all happiness and love, and hope that that darn crazy fairy stays well away from you. Its too late for me I am afraid!  Now where did I put that book of spells.... hmmmmm?  :o)

Suzie xxxxxxxxx

....With Silver Bells and Cockle Shells.....

Hello!
Thank you for all your warm comments and kind wishes over the last week, I really do a happy dance when I hear from you!

 One of my stitcheries (and my verse too! Oh dear!) Sorry it is not a very good photo!

I am sure many of you like me will have been out in your gardens busying yourselves. There is something about being outside, breathing in the air, communing with nature and being close to the earth which really relaxes, refreshs and grounds me. I always feel better for it, whether it is just being in the garden or going on a lovely country walk. It never fails to inspire me and touch my soul.

Kind hearts are gardens,
Kind thoughts are roots,
Kind words are blossoms,
Kind deeds are fruits.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


This week the lovely George and I have been .....

Planting babies!

This is way down at the bottom of the garden, the meadow grass, natural bit! We planted plum, apple, pear and morello cherry trees, I hope they will be ok!

I have been tidying borders....

Bertram Butterbean Barker (Bertie!) had the very important job as executive supervisor!

I have been admiring our beautiful Owl Tree.....

Magnificent..No? I will miss this wise old tree when we move. Sometimes on a moonlit night, when caught in the silvery moonbeams, Mr. Owl tree has a face!

We have been finishing off our alpine rockery. I really wanted George to wear a Sound of Music little number while planting, but he wasn't having it! 

Oooh, what else have I been doing? Hmmmmm......

 Baking bread. There were two loaves.. I wonder what happened to the other one???

Now then Ralph Le Puff MacDuff! Don't you look all sweet and innocent in your 1920's hat.. you are not fooling anyone you thief you!  Was it tasty you blighter!?

And baking these, (keeping them well away from a certain big black twitching nose!)

And drinking this!

I had to buy this bottle of cider. No really, I did! Look at the lovely 1950's style label, I just couldn't resist!

You will be pleased to hear that the christening went very well. It was a lovely sunny day, if a little windy! Lily, the star of the show, after all it was her day, performed a fabulous party piece!  She grabbed hold of, and pulled off the vicar's glasses as he was holding her at the font, and she would not let go! It was so funny, the whole congregation were laughing! Not good for a serial giggler like me. George got that slightly alarmed look flit across his face, as he saw me laughing... Is she going to be able to stop? Yes, you will be pleased to know (or bitterly disappointed!) to hear that I managed to hold on to my dignity,   for a change!

Lastly, I am quite shocked and so deeply saddened at the news of the shooting in Cumbria. I have been to Whitehaven a few times, once to visit the Maritime festival, and it really is unbelievable that such a thing can hapen there.

 It truly is dreadful, and once again a reminder to me to enjoy each day and to always be grateful. When I heard it on the news, the gunman had just finished his shooting rampage and had run off. I just went in the house and locked the door. Silly I know, as Whitehaven is over an hours journey from where I live, but with going to Cumbria a lot, it felt so close! I feel so sorry for all involved in this tragedy, remembering too all of the emergency services and nursing staff who have had to witness such trauma. It is all unimaginable.

Til next week all you sweetpeas, go forth and enjoy... everything! Sun and rain!

I love to search for the joy in each day!

Another one of my stitcheries, I love this one (even though I shouldn't say so myself!) So I have it hanging from the french doors!

You may have noticed that I have changed my background on the blog, now what do you think, this one or the overload of owls? You can decide... if you want to that is!

Beautiful blessing to you all.... Suzie xxxxxxxxxxxxxx