Cloudy Angels and home grown veggies!

Yippeeeeeeeeeeee peeps its Friday again.  Yes again!

I have been really enjoying reading all your blogs and finding out what you have all been getting up to! You are all so busy. it makes my head spin, it really does. For all the readers who haven't got a blog, I hope you have had a wonderful week, hopefully enjoying some good weather. Although frankly, our garden was gagging for a good long drink, and I was tiring of lugging a heavy watering can to all the poor thirsty pretties! So  was glad of the spot of rain we enjoyed this week! Me, me, me they were all shouting..... oh dear, I know, the plants are talking to me now.  No hope at all for me,is there?!  Or was it all the Faeries and Angels which flitter and flutter about in our garden?

Another one of my stitcheries, a reminder to myself that just because we can't see some things.. they are still there!

And speaking of clouds......isn't it amazing when you take the time to look up, just what you may see?  Ha ha ha! I wish I had seen the plane do this!

Do you think that the pilot had changed his mind, or do you think that he was turning back so he could take another look at this!?

An angel! And who is she chatting with?

Could it be tinkerbell?!!! Can you see her? Can you make out her hair and her wings?  She is kneeling down. Or am I really losing it completely? :)  I used to love laying on the grass as a child and looking at all the pictures in the clouds. We really should try to take the time to do that sometimes, it is so magical!   Yes, look up! You may just miss that elephant that is about to fall on you!



This song really sums me up!  There is even a reference to Tinkerbell in it too, so apt hey!   It was one of my favourites when I was a confused teenager, and I really haven't changed that much at all! As long as I don't look in the mirror!


Anyway! Earth calling! Woo hoo!  Do you know, I found myself at the bottom of the garden yesterday, smiling at my trees. Yikes. Don't worrry, I did intend to go down there, I really didn't just find myself there, and not know how I got there... and it wasn't in the middle of the night either! Phew! Just thought I would clear that up!  The little white van, complete with hug me jacket is on the way!

So! What have I been up to? Well, more house painting. Its awful, it just goes on and on...and on and on.... I mean painting the rendering, not me!  Have you ever painted rendering.... Gawd! Painful! Remind me never to get another fully rendered house please!

Oh, goodness me, I would much rather do this kind of painting. I finally managed to finish these this week....

And I would definitely rather be doing this....

This is a kit I started quite some time ago (not one of my designs... I wish! ) She is lovely isn't she?

And of course I would rather spend my time tending these.....

Awhhhh! A baby aubergine!

Obviously, I would much rather be skipping about the garden rummaging amongst the beautiful bountiful blooms looking for faeries. Well Obviously!

Is there one here?

No......    Here?.......

 Nope......

What about here?....

Ahhhh, yes look! A little wish fairy hiding in the roses!  Sweet!

Now before I go, another big thank you! Thank you Jackie for sending me these wonderful goodies! You know I love them as I have already sent you an email, but of course I had to show them to all! A while back I won Jackies giveaway at her lovely blog, you can go and visit her HERE.

I couldn't believe how much you sent me Jackie, I was bowled over! look at all these!  There was so much I couldn't fit it all on a couple of photos... so.....!

Lovely owl bottle stoppers, ( their heads nod!), Notelets with thread flowers on them!, a tiny little dolly who's eyes actually open and close!, a little hoose too. Can you see Pinocchio? He is one of my favourite disney characters, a little gnome who will live with the pixies, and some chamomile tea for me to slurp with George!

A lovely card covered in gnomes, a really cute gnome bookmark, a tinsy sweet christmas decoration,  some rather fetching flower garlands and a gorgeous wabbit frame! Rabbits are featuring a lot in my life this week! Also a box which I thought had olive soap in it, but it actually had this little chap hiding in it......

And I wonder what is in this beautiful hand painted box and little present? Hmmmmm......

Gosh, how did all these goodies fit in that box! Even little tiny shells, and tiny star fish!

Some lovely golden lily body cream in a fairy bottle!

And finally this absolutely adorable stitchery, with such a warm and touching saying! Thank you Jackie and I hope I haven't missed anything out.... there was so much of it!

Thank you for visiting me, and until next Friday, I will send you all a sprinkling of fairy dust! Oh, and if any of you get the urge, you can pop here and help me with the painting, Ok? , No, I don't care if you live in another country, that is no excuse! Ha ha ha!

Love to you all, and don't forget to look up!

Suzie xxxxxxxxxxxxx :)

The monster under the bed! I am losing my zzzzzzzzzzz s!

Hello!

What have you all been doing since last week? Anything exciting?  Mr. Owl tree,  here at owl tree cottage is beginning to spring forth with leaf!

Mine has been a mixed week... poor George has gone all bent on me again, he is not straight at all!  He got in the car on Monday, stretched his leg on the clutch and did his back in again. Yes, he suffers from back trouble occasionally, and the strangest things can set it off! Once he was reaching for his toothbrush and it went on him big time! Poor George (big ahhhhhh here!), he has been in pain, and I have been in fits of laughter. I know, I know, thats awful, but he understands me after all these years, and my very strange sense of humour by now, and he deliberately trys to make me laugh by making comments!

I, very sadly have always been afflicted with inappropiate giggling!  I think it is nerves or something! For instance, when he came in from the car he told me that there were some children waiting for the bus across the road watching him struggle to get out of the car and then hobble to the house looking like he had had an accident in his pants! Then later on when he was coming down the stairs, very slowly and all hunched over, and I was trying so hard to contain myself,  he just had to say to me that I can laugh if I want, to which I reply... of course I won't laugh! Followed of course by the giggles and many apologies! Talking about apologies... what about Gordon Brown this week? Oh dear!

I on the other hand have had quite a good week on the back of it (sorry for the pun!). For one thing I have had his company for a few days, which is lovely!  And on wednesday night, he felt a lot better and ready to go back to work the next day ( he is so rarely off work sick, infact I always tease him and say that he schedules his flus, colds, etc., for weekends and holidays!) and we had a steak and wine, which we don't usually do mid-week! So I have enjoyed him being home and eating earlier in the evenings, having more time together...the weekends are so short and flash by so quickly... heavy sigh!  Last weekend we enjoyed yet another BBQ! The fresh sardine fillets were wonderful!

These veggie kebabs with the fresh prawns were delish!

Anyway, on the Monday night he could not get in the bed at all, and he slept on the armchair downstairs. He can sleep absolutely anywhere at all! (more George stories there! ), where as I on the other hand, can not! I have trouble with my sleep quite often. I am losing my zzzzzzzzzzzz s! In more ways than one! .... the z on my computer is on it's way out and I have to press really hard to get one, so soon I may be called Suie!  Bertie jumped on the keyboard and sent my little z  a flying!  I was reading THIS post (by a very lovely lady!) and it struck a cord with me. Also a lovely , lovely sweet friend on Facebook (if you are reading this, you know who you are! KAY!)  has trouble with the night time too.  During the day, mostly, I am a very positve and optimistic person... but when I go to bed there is a monster under my bed! I toss and turn, worrying myself to bits. Every single niggle or worry comes crashing in at night time, and my mind will not be still at all! Does this happen to any of you lovely readers? It is awful, and of course.. very very tiring!

 I love Dali!

I have always had the night terrors though, and when I do sleep.. I have very vivid and peculiar dreams.  Recently, the lack of sleep is becoming more prominent. Of course once you get it in your head, it is very hard to stop the cycle! But by gawd, isn't that bedroom ceiling so interesting! NOT!

During the day though I have been busy though! I have been making a start on the garden and have got some veggies ready for planting ( I have only raised a few seeds this year and the rest have had to be ready to plant plants, due to work being done in the house).  Room makeovers coming soon!  I must remember to take before pictures! I shall be doing a complete kitchen makeover on a very, very tight budget!

Been painting again.............

Also I have been finishing off this cross stitch that I started sewing several years ago, and haven't touched since. It is not one of mine.. I wish it was...tis beautiful indeed and really is wasted stuck in a draw all scrumpled up! It really does not need much work to finish it, so I really should do!  So I have been sewing this along side a few other sewing projects too.

Before I go I would like to give a mention to another Kay, who I know from facebook too!  She is a lovely person and I really like her a lot, so please go and visit her on her blog HERE. On her recent post she has said the most lovely things about me, I was truly touched by her words! She has done some lovely creations and said that one of her pieces featured in her post were inspired by me! Gosh Kay you are so kind and wonderful, I wish you lived near by! I would give you a big hug! Thank you.
Anyway Enough! Enough for this week folks, Let me know what you all have been up to, I am so awfully nosey you know!

Happy days to you all! Suzie xxxxxxxxxxx

Tag you are IT again!

Gosh is it Friday again already?  Yes, apparently it is! It will be time to get the chrissy decorations out again before you know it!

I have been busy sewing as usual, and have just been drawing a set of seasons stitcheries. But first I will finally get around to sewing this design which I drew a while ago now.

Also I started sewing some curtains for my living room,but then a my friend gave me some that she didn't want anymore so now I have half a curtain and a proper pair! Like waiting for that bus hey, waiting for ages ,not a one in sight and then two come at once!

Since my unexpected post on Tuesday I have been tagged again, this time by the very lovely, interesting and highly readable blogger The Girl at Living with a Boy. Honestly a blog well worth the visit, such a unique talent for writing darn good stuff!  Anyway I have to list 10 things which make me happy, so (some are the same as my last list) here goes!:

1. My home-- I may be the most boring person in the world, but there is nowhere I love being more than my home. I love making it into a cosy little nest, and this house is an ongoing project, but bit by bit it is getting there!  Anything associated with home makes me all warm and fuzzy inside- baking, cooking.....Watching my veggies grow in the patch is excruciatingly happy making!

 We are actually trying to keep growing the odd edible delight during the winter too!

2. The long suffering George who has put up with me all this time and been there through some very dark times. He is like a still water in a stormy night, calm, unruffled, deep and re-assuring. I love his nature, his outlook on life, oooh errrr.... and his cooking!  He is tolerant, understanding, forgiving and a truly good and wise soul.

3. Like The girl, I love marmite! You either love it or hate it, well I love, love love it!  YUM. But what happens is that you start off by spreading it rather thinly, but then an addiction takes place and the spreading goes on thicker and thicker! Ooooh marmite on a big crust of bread, because I also love crusts and sometimes in our house there is just the middle bit of the loaf left, and a rather guilty looking me sat in the corner with marmite round my chops!

4. Well obviously being able to create,  thats a no-brainer!  I love making things! I only wish I had at least 12 arms so that I could be faster at it and get more done!

5. Nature, which includes animals, walking, gardening and anything that involves getting close to the nitty gritty of life and getting dirt on you!

My children when they were younger on one of our many hikes!

6. I have to say again music! To me it is like a medicine for my soul, I could not imagine a life without it!

7. Anything 1920's, I love the flappers, the fabulous clothes, the furniture, architecture, the dancing and just the general atmosphere of that era!

This is a drawing of a coat which I have, It is very 1920's! Well the real coat is more so than this drawing!

8. Eccentricity and observation- I love eccentric people, like my all time favourite- Quentin crisp! He was a natural observationalist with a wonderful slant on life!  Also I really enjoy Alan Bennett's wonderful writings, especially the Talking Heads series, but all of his wonderful observational works will make me happy!

 Quentin Crisp, now sadly has left this earth, what a wonderfully original man he was!

9. Watching lots of movies, especially the older ones - Doris Day, Cary grant, Bobe Hope (fantastic one-liners!) James Stewart, etc. I just adore them! Like music though,  I enjoy a varied choice -  new and old alike.

10. Finally all types of comunication.... anything that makes me laugh, as I so do love a good laugh. Sometimes when things are not so funny, I am lucky enough to be able to seek out the funny side and still smile.  I also love nothing more than a deep and meaningful conversation about the universe, the paranormal and all that is mysterious, this fascinates me... like where does space end?

Also People with a good attitude and a sense of humour are treasures, and if that goes side by side with a tolerant nature and openess and compassion to all things, then I admire them hugely and,  yes, knowing that there are people just like that in our world today makes me fill up with happiness!



Now I will tag ---

Penny from The Hen House
Mummy boo bear from Stitcherypockery
Mummy Mad from TheMadhouse
Julie at KC's Court
Aunt Spicy
Florence and Mary
Jacqueline at Auntie Jacquelines
Coco Rose
Valerie at For The Love Of Pete
Lavender Dreamer
Carolyn at Love Stitching Red
Sharon at My Passport to Style

Tag you're it!  If I didn't get you this time watch out! I can't wait to read everyone's lists! Now where did I put that marmite?

Until next Friday have a jolly spiffing week chaps!

Suzie. xxx

The north wind doth blow and we shall have snow angels!

Hello everyone!

Old Man Winter is definitely taking hold this year, snow, snow and more snow! I love it of course, because it reminds me of my childhood in Canada.

 

One of my drawings, a little tatty I'm afraid!

It is beautiful, magical and does not happen too often in Lancashire, so I am enjoying it. Then again,  I do have the benefit of working from home, and so far the snow which is affecting many parts of the country badly, is not causing a great problem where I live, so luckily has not stopped me from doing anything as yet!  It just looks incredibly pretty! Jack frost has been a busy little man!

Isn't this gorgeous, I found it on the internet. It is not one of mine.... sadly!

Winter to many people is a bleak time,  the season where all seems dormant and, some may say... dead. The ground is frozen, autumns leaves lie moulding, leafless twigs and branches waver in the cold icy winds. Gardens appear so sad compared to their full and lush appearance in the summer months. Yes, it all looks a bit sad don't you think?   Nothing is happening out there at all. But wait, what is this?

Buds all over the place... waiting for the spring!

No, it is only slumbering, and as our bodies do when asleep, replenishing and preparing for the next adventure.  At each turn of a moment all is changing... ever moving, turning in endless circles, soon to be re-born again into what appears to resemble a replica of last years glory,  but yet completely different ... new leaves, fresh flowers.

A view of my home from halfway down the garden.

 Change is an inevitable and inescapable presence in all of our lives. We can not hide from it. I could sit in a room all day and refuse to come out, ignoring the world, and still change will manifest all around me and to me! Just like the seasons coming and going, just as our cells in our bodies are not the same ones that we used to have, we are constantly changing. This is scary, but fascinating at the same time.

Now, I am no spring chicken any more, and like the winter garden,  perhaps I look like I need some attention! Sometimes I am feeling quite ancient like my old Owl Tree! Wisdom to follow I hope!

However, I sometimes feel like I am swapping my ever disappearing youth with an ever growing mind and spirit. I am nurturing my creativity and zest for life into a bursting flower. This to me, is how winter is. Underneath and behind what appears to be a faded vista,  is a hive of activity and life, busy in preparation for a new refreshed world ready to burst out in the spring. Winter is a time of hidden miracles!

Winter fills me to the brim with excitement for the year to come... planning my garden, looking forward to watching it waken slowly from its wintery sleep, getting my home decorated and sorted out, and inventing new projects to craft and sew! Cosy times at home spent next to a roaring fire eating heart-warming stews. I love the changing of the seasons, and their constant reminder for me to accept gracefully the changes that life brings each day.

Time to enjoy our homes and cosy comforts! One of my cross stitch designs.

Life is a journey and an adventure, one which should be embraced, bad times as well as good. All of our joys, trials and tribulations are what make up our Auto-biographies. Wouldn't our books make rather boring reading if every day our lives just plodded on and on? Our books are more likely to be stuffed full with the richness of life... our sadnesses, success and failure, our loves, our work, talents...laughter and tears. Each day our individual history, unique and precious is constructed. Once a page is written, it is there for all time in our book for better or for worse.

One of my Angel Angst stitcheries! Hmmm, my halo has slipped on occasions too!

We may not always hold control of  every word printed onto the pages of our life-story but we can decide whether we are the hero or the villian, whether we wish to reflect on events with bitterness or with grace. In other words, how we wish to react to each of our pages. We do have that choice at least.

So my New Years resolution for 2010 is to write a new chapter, one which has had some thought put into it!
This chapter will be about making the most of each moment, being aware of  the hidden magic that is very much there even if we forget to look for it sometimes! I intend to laugh a lot and jump in puddles much more often! Whatever life throws!  One of my favourite sayings is "Life is a tragi-comedy..... and you are the star!"

What are your New Years resolutions? Tell me!

Before I wander off for another week, go and have a look at Theresa's fantastic  January Jubilee giveaway at Faerie Moon Creations! It is well worth a look believe me, this lady is so talented!

Well until next week I wish you all to be allocated at least one snowman or lady, and I hope that the weather is not causing you any headaches. Oh and don't forget, if you get the chance.... have a snowball fight, make a snow-angel and laugh until you cry!

Love and blessings to you all!

Suzie. xxx :)