Rainy day activites

We had a stay at home day today- building dens with the living room furniture, making cushions and eating jaffa cakes. Little OB had his first taste of den building using blankets and cushions from the furniture. He loved it so did Spike the naughty kitten, lauching himself on our heads as we snuggled under the covers.

When the weather improved in the afternoon we headed outside to play on his tractor and in his water filled sand pit. I got time to do my folksy photoshoot, under the summer house, except someone else got in on the act.

Despite the help from Holly I got all my photos done. The bunting didn't come out as good as I wanted but I think it looks pretty. I just wanted it to look more arty, blowing in the breeze, its hard to capture the right look with a ugly barn with corrugated iron in the background.

Oh well, the cakestand looked good staged as a vintage tea party. So upset I wasn't invited and there were no cakes!

Thats all for now.

Have fun.

Splashing about

Yesterday had a promising start with a brilliant blue sky, so off to the Splash park we went. It's a outdoor, splashy, water jet park its great fun. Little OB loved it running in and out of the water jets. This only lasted about ten minutes and then he was more interested in where the water went- into the drains.

Then we had a quick walk by the river to see the boats, its very picturesque.

In the style of Bobobun we visited the Wednesday boot sale, I got a whole hour to look around before Little OB started to launch himself from the buggy. I got some great vintage buttons for the backs of my cushions and some 50's barkcloth with rich orange flowers on it. I have no idea what to use it for yet but no doubt I'll think of something. I also found a book man where I bought three lovely ladybird books, I was disappointed when he told me he started the morning with 80 books with their original dust covers. Mental note- Must go earlier next week.

Well thats it for now, Squiggle

Fun in the sun?

Well, we had some sun on our short break to Mersea Island, not much but some, we took our little caravan, my parents and two little monkeys and set off for a bit of fun. Little OB had his cousin to play with and spent the entire time laughing with her. We have a giant bike trailer that's also a buggy so getting them and all their toys to the beach is a breeze. This was when we decided to get the tiny ferry to Brightlingsea, the ferry man had to do two trips as their were lots of people waiting, it can only carry about ten people. We had a 40 min walk to the beach where the ferry lands and about five mins until we arrived to go in the lido. Errhh the weather put a stop to those plans as it was very windy and pretty cold so we stopped at the salt water pond and its little beach and played in the sand.

We spent the rest of the break relaxing and walking along the very long sea wall taking in the fresh sea air and getting lots of exercise. I love the colourful beach huts in East Mersea especially the ones with bunting hanging up- I can't resist the pretty little flags blowing in the wind.

We had a lovely time and can't wait to go back as soon as we can. I got some crocheting done to, my hexagon blanket is growing, slowly but it is growing.

OHH it looks like I was inspired by the colours of the beach huts, maybe I was..

Taking The plunge!!

Well this is it I am starting a blog and going to stick with it. I am on the internet enough looking at all other people and their crafty lifes so I have taken the plunge. Hope I am interesting enough for someone to read this!

I live in Essex in a small cottage with my husband and little 18mth old 'LOB'. We also have 11 chickens, a ragdoll cat and a tag along moggy with two little 8 week old kittens squeezed in with us. Its getting cramped.

Well in the spirit of other blogs here's what I have been up to so far this week. We had planned a family day out today to Brightlingsea to try out the lido and the icecream but the rain put paid to that so I finished off some teeny tiny projects. I made some crocheted flower squares months ago to make into a flowery cushion but other things got in the way and quicker granny squares won. So I decided to make them into small lavender cushions and backed them with some vintage fabrics from my ever expanding stash.

I stuffed them with polyfil and dried lavender and popped them in my etsy shop. I thought I would give etsy and folksy a go to see if I could sell things I make.

I only started crocheting in January. My friend booked me on a crochet course in John Lewis for my christmas present. I was useless in the class and felt like the class dunce but I was determined so when I got home I practised and practised until I got it and had a eureka moment and then I was off.

I have made lots of granny square cushions and have started a hexagon blanket to complete the look of my cath kidston bedding. Lots of bright colours it could take years for me to finish.

I have also found a new book this week for more crafty ideas ''The Homemade Home''. LOB and me went to have a quick look around Hyde Hall RHS gardens this week and found it in their shop. I haven't heard of it before and it has lots of good ideas for thifty projects around the home. I loved the china transfer idea, taking children's drawings and using a special transfer paper to put it on plain china to spruce it up, really cute. There is other good stuff too, nice cushion ideas and other bits and pieces too. When I get around to trying it out I' ll show you.

Well that's it for now, have fun.