A Peek at my kitchen Makeover! Come and have a gander!

Hello!

Well its been a long time coming, but our kitchen makeover is nearly, very nearly finished! Hurray! hoorah! Dippy do-dah! (Backward flip somersault!) At last I can prepare a meal once again without searching the rooms downstairs to find a vital implement, to return to said kitchen to find a burnt offering! Do you remember what it was like before?

Well heres a peek.....

So? What do you think? This has been a very low budget production. The Kitchen cupboards and sink were all bought second hand from my Friend Karen (hello Karen if you are reading this! Big hugs!) for £200! Of course you have to add on the price for fitting, worktop, tiles, cooker, hob and flooring, but it was done with very tight purse strings! It just needs some shelves putting up, for my bits and bobs (you know, all those pretty finishing off touches!) and the kicker boards.

What other news?  More kindness in blogland! A surprise envelope in the post from Jacqueline at Once upon a Fairyland.  An envelope filled with kindness and love from a very special lady and friend. Lots of owlishness just for me. Words which thank me for being real, and putting out what is in my heart. Thank you Jacqueline, your words mean more than I can say. In the beautiful note Jacqueline suggest that I put one of the owl stickers onto George's head while he sleeps for good luck! So funny! It will complete his new look of wearing odd shoes! So glad that that gave so many of you a good laugh in last weeks post!

 

And hey!  I won a giveaway. Yes I did! The very lovely Joe at Josie-Mary has sent me these lovely goodies! How lucky am I? Very, I'd say. How wonderful to think of an owl for me Joe! It is filled with lavender, and smells delish!  The brooch is divine and the photograph really does not do it justice. You are so talented and clever Joe!  I love each and every one of your gifts! Thank you! Do visit her, if you haven't all ready, she makes the most beautifully (and skillfully made) gorgeous goodies!

Some sweeties too, yum! What a sweet shopping bag with dashhounds on and some lovely Emma Bridgewater tissues which I will keep in my handbag.  Ahh the Union Jack! .........and talking of union Jacks.... there is more to report....

The lovely George and I have decided that 4 years without a holiday is quite enough! So we are going to London for a few days! And then a two night stay in the cotswolds on the way home.  I love London, all those museums and art galleries to explore. I shall be letting you all know how it goes! So the Tissues will be going with me Joe, in my little Cath Kidson Handbag to see all the very Englishnessness of London! All those red Double deckers!

This reminded me, that as a child, after watching Cliff Richard's film, Summer Holiday, I announced to my long suffering Mum, that when I grew up I was going to live in a double decker bus (red... it just has to be red!), adopt some children and have an Old English Sheepdog. Well, I did adopt some children (3), and I did get my Old English (4 so far!) but as of yet I have not lived in a bus! If I had done, it would look have looked something like this inside!

Ha ha, I somehow don't think I will get my bus! But stranger things have happened.  Oooh Cath Kidston, squeal, squeal! I must go to the London branch (one of them!), I shall be like a child on E-numbers let loose in a sweetie shop! Watch this space girls! (and any boys too!)

Ta ta old beans until next week! Have a jolly spiffing weekend and week!

Susie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx :)

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

Vintage stitchery, a bit of Cath and a helping of kindness!

Hello you lovelies!

How is life treating you all... very well I hope!

I love this time of the year, don't you? All changes.... buds bursting forth and gardens and widlife springing to life. You just can't help but to feel brighter on a spring day pregnant with hope and promise! That is the spring day being pregnant... not me! Now that would be a blooming miracle!!!!

This is one of my cross stitch designs ... my take on spring, and my own verse too I may add. Yes I know, I will never make it as a poet! Ha ha ha!

Even the country is standing at the starting line of new beginnings, changes are afoot, and no matter what our individual views on it all are, it is a very interesting time to come. A little scary perhaps, and unsure, but this last week has been a historical one in politics! I am finding all a little scary I must say! I wait with baited breath to see the future unfold..... People have been getting bees in their bonnets about it all, and we will wait and see now what is to come!

One of my stitchery designs... Think I may have put this one on before, so sorry if I have! Losing track!

I seem to have been drifting away from stitching lately and filling my blog with my drawing. There is good reason for this of course, and that is that all my stitcheries originate from my drawings and paintings, so they are close cousins!  So here are some charity shop finds for all you lovers of vintage stitching! These are not my designs, I found them in my local CS s.

Lovely spring inspiring beauties.....

I love this one, it is a table cloth, but it is badly marked in places, so it may be a job for the scissors maybe!I quite fancy using the pieces in a patchwork quilt for the bed , maybe!

I was rooting about upstairs trying to find something, when I heard some giggling coming from a box in the cupboard. Guess what? It was these two impish little girls and their cat who have been stuffed in a box in a very undignified way since we moved. I had forgotten all about my attempts at making ragdolls!

 

 

 

The top girlie has been embellished with some of my stitchery and my handmade buttons!

While I am still in the sewing theme... I am thinking of making a throw for a very tatty embarassing chair out of these fabrics and some embroidery... what do you think hey?

Ok! I can hear you! "Where is the Cath Kidston bit?".....  Oh ok! Here it is. I spotted this tote on the front of a magazine a week or two ago. My eyes nearly stood out on stalks! I actually let out a little squeal of delight right there in the middle of a crowded supermarket, much to poor George's despair! A free, yes FREE Cath Kidston tote bag! Straight to the till with that!

So cheerful, it brightens up my hallway! Off to the shops I will go! 

Before I go again, I must tell you all about a parcel that landed on my porch floor on wednesday. My lovely friend Jen at Themadhouse sent me these lovely gifts. I sometimes just can not get over the kindness of you wonderful peeps! Jen thank you soooooo much! I really must get my finger out to repay these kindnesses, as I have had a few so far, and I am going to see to it that I give some kindness back! You know who you are! So! Thank you so much Jen, you are a very kind and special person! 

A beautiful pin cushion, such a lovely fabric and a little label which says sewing! A very interesting book, which I just know I will love! Also a lovely thoughtful note, which I have partly covered to hide the address, of course!

Right then folks! Cheery bye for another week. I am off to water my seedlings and veggies now!  

Suzie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx :)

My birthday week! Whats your perfect birthday?

Greetings Earthlings!

What a lovely birthday week I have had! Thank you to all of you who have sent me birthday wishes! George has had a few days off this week, so it seems like my birthday every day, so I am sorry if I haven't been keeping up to date with all your wonderful blogs! How would you like to spend a dream birthday?

This week though I have squeezed in enough time to make something for Lissylou's good cause. You can find further info about this here! I hope this is the kind of thing she was thinking of, I designed it specially for her, so she will be receiving the prototype!

 

Now then, what have I been up too?  Oh yes!  One evening we decided that we would go for a drink at a local pub and then try out a new Thai takeaway..... so I set the table with a Thai (ish!) theme, well more Chinese really! Our brother in-law is chinese mandarin, and our niece brought us the lovely chopsticks.......

 

  

....... but the Thai was closed, so we drove to Blackpool (4 miles away) to look for a Thai, but the one we found looked a bit iffy! What to do?  Well go for greek of course! So Greek we had, on a thai table and very nice it was too!

My birthday was lovely, one of the nicest ever, lots of birthday wishes, this lovely card from Penny at The hen house, isn't it gorgeous?  Penny made it, she is so clever! 

Next to it you can see a card from my lovely friend Ro ( I can't leave a link, as her blog is acting up, well it is for me anyway! sorry Ro, I have tryed to read it a few times now!) who also sent me a wonderful scrapbook made about 27 years ago, about me and her and our time working  in the Civil service.

I was a very lucky birthday girl and got these beautiful flowers off one friend....

And from another friend this fab cushion.....

 

This book and cd too ......

 

  

Very good cd!

While George has been off we have been attempting to sort out insurance.... so George was on the phone answering some ( a lot!) of questions about his health, after which he was accepted on the spot. He was giving me the thumbs up from across the room.  Next was my turn for the interrogation! Now, since my diagnosis I have not really had any insurance because a) It is almost impossible to get any company to insure me  ( I remember being told that after five years you can be, not sure though!) and b) the ones that are willing are ridiculously expensive. I am considered a high risk. so, George smiling to himself as he hears me saying no, I haven't had that, and no not that either. Question, cancer, erhhhh yes, hmmmm, any breathing problems, or chest complaints, errrr yes, very mild asthma....hmmmmm,  any heart conditions?  Errrrr..... a heart murmur, but!   I say in a jolly voice, only when I lie down!  Hmmmmmm.....have any of your parents died before the age of 65?  Errrr.... yes both, from cancer. Hmmmmmm.....! By this time George is trying to hide his laughter, and stands up and gives me a ......

  

What a wonderful likeness George!

Needless to say I was not accepted on the spot, I will be getting more forms and questions! And then an expensive quate, no doubt!

Quite funny really!   I think I will concentrate on something much more pretty and pleasant!

Ahhhh thats better! Back in La la land where I belong!  The land of sweet imaginings, and beauty! 

Well, I am off now, to enjoy the rest of my birthday week. How greedy is that, to make your birthday go on all week!  I don't mind being one year older at all,  I am just so happy to be allowed to get older! 

What is your perfect birthday, how would be your ideal way to spend it?

I will try so hard to catch up with all of the blogs this weekend!  

Have a wonderful happy weekend everyone!  Love to you all. Suzie. xxx

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