AND THE WINNER IS .........................TA DAH..........

Happy Friday Peeps!

This one certainly crept up on me!  This week has seen more work being done on the house, and it feels as if it is never-ending sometimes!  The new french doors are now installed and performing their new task of framing and inviting the back garden into the sitting room with a  gusto.  I will take another shot of them opened another time, as I am not allowed to open them yet. Have to let it all set.

 Isn't everything all Autumny all of a sudden?  I have been gathering in the harvest!

 There are still lots of apple to pick!..... No there are not only two apples!

Take a look at all those red hot chili peppers! This is the last batch, we have about 4 bags stored now, and they may be tiny, but they are hot. George loves hot food, I mean really hot, bring me that fire extinguisher hot, hot! 

There is also a tiny new window in the shower room. This being our very impatient shower room, which wants a makeover too, and in protest of waiting too long, has now sprung a leak which has caused me to trot up and down stairs every hour to empty the bucket. Obviously I have forgotten a few times, which results in the utility room beneath flooding. In fact I think it is a while since I last did it! Ooops, back in a mo!

Oh dear!

Another glimpse of the kitchen, which now has the floor down, and a rather large hairy dog in it too!

At the moment though, I am confined to my work room with the dogs, this is the only place left to hide! I have music playing  (The Eels, I love them! Got every cd of theirs I think!) so the dogs can't hear the banging, and the curtains shut so they can't see the man on the ladder! I hope the man on the ladder doesn't think me rude! In this room sits my PC, and so I am writing my blog this week on there instead of on my laptop. So this week I have my 'Z' back.. yippee I can be Suzie again!  I wonder what I could do... hmmmmm, maybe have a mess on my sewing machine?

This is my lovely naughty, indulgence, it was expensive, but I treated myself to it when my Mum died, with some money that she left me.  However it is ages since I did any sewing, with all the work and upsets over the last few months. But I seriously  think is time to get sewing again, after all I am called itch2stitch aren't I!

I have a confession... I am Suzie and I am a gadgetholic! I simply cannot resist the urge to collect little gadgets for sewing, strange feet for my sewing machine, objects which promise to make the job easier or more professional......elastic guides, jean-a-jumps, measuring gauges... I view these objects as vital, magic, essential when I buy them, and then I simply put them in here.....

And then rarely use them!

I love the idea of patchwork and quilting, but I have only ever taken baby steps with it so far. This, which is so basic it is not true, was going to be  a bed cover, but never got finished.  It is made from dresses which my daughters wore when they were little, some shop bought dresses and some which I made for them. So each square holds special memories.

Whilst rooting about in my room I came across this embroidery which surprise, surprise, is also unfinished. It is a tablecloth, or should I say it will be one day if it ever gets finished!

 How about this for some sewing inspiration? I took some pics in the V&A on our hols in London,  Iranian fabric I think.  Isn't it beautiful? Can you see how you could use this design  (and the gorgeous colours too!) in an embroidery or some quilting, etc.?  Or, Sarah if you are reading, don't they remind you of colourful doilies?

It is amazing how much inspiration you can find by just looking at things that little bit closer. 

Ooooh and I love this fireplace! I would love to have one like this, perhaps in a garden room, with white furniture and lots of comfy colourful pretty cushions? Oooh yes please!

Now to the winner of one of my drawings.......


The winner is........ Mummy Boo Bear! Congratulations!  Let me know your posting details and also what colour you prefer, as you didn't mention that  in your comment and I shall get on to it as soon as possible! I can just do it in the colours you saw on my last post if you wish, it is entirely up to you. If I ever emerge from my work room that is!

Thank you all for joining in the fun, and there may be another chance for you to win again in a few weeks, if you would like too.  And may I say a big thank you to all my new followers too (and my old ones!), it cheers me, and makes me feel happy inside to 'meet' you here! Thank you for taking the time to visit me and leave your lovely comments. :)

Until next week, I wish you all good things. I am off to empty that darn bucket again!

Suzie xxxxx

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 :)

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

Tagged for a MeMe and a special thank you to an Angel!

Hello!

Anyone who knows me, knows I only ever post on a Friday but I have been tagged by the very lovely Mummy Mad at TheMadHouse to tell of ten things that I enjoy doing that are free! Thank you so much Mad Mummy for thinking of me! Go over and visit her, her blog is wonderful and you really will feel like you have popped home for a cup of tea and a chat. Very warm and cosy! I love the Mad Mummy! In fact I would choose to tag her but that would just be plain silly!

So here goes!

1: Breathing! I wouldn't be without it! But seriously, I love smelling wood smoke, autumn leaves and the subtle changes in the air when the seasons change. Smells can work on the emotions sometimes, they can bring back someone who has gone from this earth and rekindle childhood memories too.

2:  Daydreaming! I love going off in my mind in a story, or just drifting through meandering thoughts!

3: Drawing (ok, I need a pencil and paper!) , but being able to draw has always been present in my life and especially when I was younger, I used to escape with my pencil quite often!

One of my drawings.

4: Dreaming- when I sleep I have very vivd dreams, and sometimes I remember 3 or 4 in a night. I used to write them down, but for some reason during my chemotherapy, I seemed to stop dreaming, or rather I couldn't remember them. They are beginning to re-emerge now after nearly 6 years, and I am so happy about that. I must say though that my dreams are very strange mostly, but it is like going on an adventure or sitting through a surreal movie for free!

5: Being brought a pot of tea every morning by my husband! Yes every morning he delivers a steamy hot pot of tea, complete with a china mug, jug of milk and tea cosy too! That is one of those pleasures in life which I never tire of and always appreciate with a relish!

6: Stroking my dogs- there is something very cosy and calming about stroking a beast! To develop a special, warm and loving relationship with what in effect is just that- a beast- is just wonderful and precious. Anyone who owns a dog will tell you that their ability for understanding and communicating with you is amazing! Nature right here in my own home!

Ralph! The beast!

7: Nature and walking - I love walking and I love nature, so bliss! The two go so well together, and it is very uplifting and mending to walk through trees and beautiful landscapes. When I feel low, George forces me out! And it really is like a tonic for the soul! Just as I love watching the nature in my garden, feeding the birds and watching all the miraculous goings on! Is it just me (I think not!) but after I have spent time digging about in the soil I feel almost spiritual, grounded and part of something huge! I also enjoy watching my friend's chickens... what characters!

8:  I would like to say sewing, but of course like drawing , it is not completely free! I love being creative, using my hands to make something that was not there before appear into the world!  I also enjoy turning something that has outlived it's use into something usable.

9: Singing! - Now! I am not a singer. The sound which dances, or rather stumbles from my chops is probably not a pretty sound! In fact I think I saw one of the dogs put their paw over their ears once! But I love music, all types, really everything! Loud, quiet, rock, folk, jazz, clasical... the list goes on. So, natuarally or not, singing kind of goes with it! I love good lyrics, and I love singing them too! That may be why I like my music so loud so that even I can't hear my racket!
 
10:  Improving my mind, learning about other people's ways, beliefs, customs. I really can't stand ignorance, racism or intolerance and I enjoy to find out what makes other people tick. It is fascinating! I actually really do wish for a huge melting pot! I particularily love the buddhist way of living and thinking, and I have said before that it is more of a philosophy than a religion. I dream of a day when I am as serene and together as this.....!

When I was little I used to whisper my secrets into his ears! His ears are long, so I figured they would hold more information!

Right! Now I will tag some peeps:

Tracey at Tracey- crafty scraps, she is so funny and lovely, always brings a smile to our faces even though, it must be hard for her sometimes. A true star!

Ro at Bitchin Witch She is one on her own, and a friend of many years too. She is imaginative, fun and not your norm, which I really love!

Kay at Finding my way. Kay has become one of my bloggie and facebook friends, I love her attitude and enjoy visiting her blog to read her wonderful words on life! I also enjoy poking her on facebook daily too! Yes, I really like Kay!

I would like to tag  Penny at the hen house, but she already has been tagged!

Michela at Little secrets from my garden  - Michela is a truly lovely soul, generous and caring. Everybody loves Michela!

Mollye at Mizmollye, another lady who I have come to think of as a friend! Her stories are amazing, witty and charming. Mollye is lovely!

Pomona at Little Cottage Comforts- Pomona is just so wonderful with words! I enjoy reding her very thoughtful posts. I would love to hear what she writes about this!

Finally but not at all least! I would like to thank Angel at Kissed by an Angel for recieving her lovely giveaway in the post the other day. She has just been in hospital and so I have hung off thanking her as she was computerless in there! And probably a bit groggy too! I have just had a quick peek on her blog and she is back home! so welcome home Angel hope you see this thank you!

Look at these goodies!

Now how did you know that I hadn't bought a calendar yet for this year! You must be a mind reader Angel! Also a yummy recipe book! Hmmmmm, making me hungry!

Take a look at this wonderful aborigine art magnet! wonderful!

And , oh yes! scrumptious treats, The whole bag of clinkers is now in my tum! Not the bag of course though! I did stop to open it first! Those clinnkers were addictive Angel!

Thank you so much Angel, you are so kind! I wish you a speedy recovery!

See you all on Friday, if you can take me twice in one week that is!

Love to you all Suzie. xxx :)

And the winner of my giveaway is!!!!>>>>>>>>

Hello!  Gosh, thank you all so much for joining in my giveaway fun, and to my new followers too! (I don't really like the term followers, it makes me feel a bit like some sort of weird sect!!!)  Reading through all of your wonderful comments has been very enjoyable and heart-warming too. One of the pleasures that I get from doing my blog is reading all of the comments.  They make me smile, make me laugh out loud, fill me with happiness, sometimes bring a tear to my eye and my days are enriched by hearing about other peoples lives too. It is like getting letters from friends! My invisible friends!

The Lovely Ralph and Bertram Butterbean Barker (Bertie!) watching over the proceedings!

Now to my giveaway!!!  To make it fair, I allocated everyone a number. We all knew the day would come when we are all just numbers, didn't we?!  The followers got their number put into the hat twice. The hat by the way, was one of my Grandmother's (she adored hats!), rather nice isn't it! No I don't wear it, although it is sometimes quite tempting!
Here is George's hand making it's way into the said hat last night.  He can be quite useful sometimes you know!

DRUM ROLL...........     Well ok then! More like a tap tap on the biscuit tin!

Andthe winner is........

Number 15!!!

Oh, you want to know who number 15 is do you?  Hee hee!  Well it is my pleasure to announce that number 15 is the delightful and very lovely Michela in Italy!  Michela has the blog Little Secrets From My Garden, pop over and visit her, she is so lovely and her blog is wonderful to read!  Congratulations Michela!!!  It must have been a sign, as you were the first one to comment on the first giveaway post! I am quite enjoying myself here, this is fun!

Congratulations! Please let me have your email so that I can get your address, etc.
You will soon be receiving these in the post. There will be a few other bits and bobs too which I haven't shown here!

 

 

 

 

I decided in the end to make it into a little bits and bobs bag to hang in a bedroom or bathroom, or wherever! 

Last week I showed you all what I got from Aunt spicy in her giveaway, well I am just posting about it again for anyone who didn't see last week (I added it after I had published, and then republished again!)  If you would like to see what I wrote then please look at last weeks post here! Here are the photos again for you too see.

Aunt spicy sent this lovely handmade card which was made by Jacky at the Sweetest Petunia.

                                               She also sent this lovely bag!

And these yummy chocs amd cupcake cases with santa a xmas tree signs in a little bag ! Thank you again Aunt spicy!

I love kindness, don't you?  Any act of kindness, and there are many.  If only there was more kindness in the world, it would be such a wonderful place! But despite the awful stories of human selfishness which we are bombarded with on the news daily, I know that there is still so much kindness out there. After all,  good news doesn't get the attention that bad news does. Negative always seems to be noticed more than positive don't you think?!

Kindness, whether recieved or given, for me personally, gives me a lovely warm fuzzy feeling deep down in my soul. Kindness can be as simple as giving a smile, opening a door, giving a car park ticket to someone else, there are just so many ways to make someone feel happier and cared for! There are so many ways to bring out the sunshine on a rainy day!

One of my stitcheries!

So you can imagine how warm and fuzzy my soul felt when I got a parcel through the post from a lovely lady, (who I feel has become a friend) Lynne. I have done a few commissions for her lately and just last week I sent some little fairy christmas hearts off to her.  I opened her parcel and there was this very pretty scarf wrapped up in layers of this gorgeous tissue paper (which has dots of silver sparkle in, and looks like a starry night!).....

And! Remember a few weeks ago in the Cath Kidston party? I said that I wanted one of these?......

Well! Now I have one! Yes there was a Cath Kidston pin tin in my parcel too!

There was also a beautiful card too, with little angels on the front and the most wonderful words from Lynne inside!

Her act of kindness to me has filled me up with happiness and still a few days later I still feel warm and cuddly inside! So generous and kind that lady is!

You see, I feel that kindness is so much more than just an act. To me it is a gift that has a lasting effect. Everytime we give our kindness we are making the world a sunnier and more loving place for us and more importantly, our children to live in.
What act of kindness do you remember which made your life a happier one?

A couple of weeks ago the lovely Pomona asked me for the knitting pattern for this tea cosy.......

Well here it is pomoma! Click here to go to the pattern. I hope I wrote it all down properly! If not just get in touch and I will amend it!

Til next week then, go and spread some happiness! And although we don't actually do thanksgiving in England, everyone who does, have a good one! All the ones who don't, well it doesn't mean we can't all stop and remember all there is to be thankful for!

Love and blessings to you all,
Suzie. xxx