Hip hip hurray for Friday........x

You guys!!!!!! Your words have helped me through this tough old week. Thank you for being such a lovely lot!

I am pleased to announce it's FRIDAY........hurrah, this is just what's needed, and in this fine English weather as well....too kind.

SO apart from running around the village like a crazy country bumpkin lady, chasing after our Sethy dog , who regularly  decides the garden is far too boring for him, and so needs an adventure on the other side of the gate. Labrador's are so annoying. I could call him a thousand times ( and I think I may have )....he can hear me alright, he would just rather be rolling in a DEAD ANIMAL...yep that's right....gross. He was given a cold shower, a very stern telling off, and is now sulking in his bed.

Woah....I digress.....

I have also been sewing. Anyone who visits us at the cottage knows that the arm chairs belong to the doggies. Long have I wished for lovely plump pretty arm chairs, but it would just be wasted on them.

When I was given some old Ikea gingham curtains, I thought I might keep them for the bumblebee's room once they are a bit bigger and have grown out of pink. But the urge to cover the stinky doggy chairs was too much I tell you.....

B.T.W ...this is Aggie dog, not Sethy dog......he is still in his bed.

I'm not finished yet, a "loose cover".....is in the making......very loose I would say...

There's a reason you can't see the bottom part......winky wonky ahoy....

But you get the idea.....

Right now though......I fancy a sit down, drinking tea, in the sunshine with my book.

Happy friday.

Hold on......can I just say if you are finding it difficult to follow me, refresh the page, or click on the followers bit in the side bar.....it's a little temperamental...not sure why....perhaps I have pixies in my computer.

xxx 

Sun, germs, books, fabric and a pew.......x

I'm not quite sure how we have managed it, but somehow the Q and I breed sick children. The bumblebee's are forever ill, they don't just save it for the winter months either, it's all year round....how sharing and caring eh?

Cos' we all go down with it....in the end....we always do. Someone told me a while ago, that once they get through pre-school, then their first year at school, they become more immune to the school bugs...Pah I tell you....what a load of toffee apple ( as my Dad would say )..........

So basically as you can probably tell by now.....I have eldest bumblebee off school with a variety of illnesses, bless her, I know I am a little bit over motherly of her. And she does get fed up with me asking how she is feeling, do you need anything, more cushions, water, milk, are you hungry, do you fancy some fresh air, let me just take your temperature again........LEAVE THE POOR KID ALONE YOU CRY!!!!!!

You see her Asthma worries me, it comes about at the oddest times, usually accompanied by a cold.....a few more weeks we have to wait for her flu jab......her little lifeline. 

So we headed off for a charity shop this sunny afternoon....( yup I kept checking, can you manage the walk, are you ok, tell me if you are too tired ).....she had some pennies she wanted to buy some books with...it's amazing how far £1.60 can go in these places.......

She found books, I found fabric......

A cheerful fabric, quite Autumney I thought, perfect for a few projects, I'm delighted with it.

As I am a bit sleep deprived ( poorly kiddies...thanks ) it's probably not the best time to tell you what a week it's been. I won't go into details, as there is no need. But sometimes things are not always rosey, they don't go to plan, I guess we just have to get on with it.

A job came up, there I said it.....that felt good. I applied, and didn't even get an interview. That's not all, but hey.....who gives a monkey's.....I have two beautiful bumblebee's who are well behaved, loving and caring, and such good fun. The extra money would have been a huge help, BUT I am happy with my little lot.

The sun has come out, and rumour has it it's staying for a while. Once sleep has returned I plan on pottering out in that sunshine....plant a few bulbs, fiddle with the veg, sip tea and just be.

Thank you for listening to my moaning today....if you are still there.....thankyou!

P.S Do you like this pew? I discovered at at Q's work, apparently one of his "men" left it at work to store it when they moved house over 10 years ago...and it's still there...I'm trying to get my hands on it. I do love it.

xx

Drum roll.............................

And the winner of the first Florence And Rose giveaway is........

Quick big bumblebee, the suspense is killing me......

Go, go, go........

Ta daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa......

WELL DONE MUMMY BOO BEAR!!!!!!!

Wrapped and ready for the postman to deliver to you very soon........

Thank you sooo much everyone for entering, I will definably do another in the future, honestly I think I was more excited than anyone!!!

I love a bit of blogging you know. It's nice to know you are all there.....just the other side of the screen....

T.T.F.N xx

PSSSSSSSTTT..........

........can I just remind you all of my GIVEAWAY purlease???????

The bumblebee's will pick a winner tomorrow sometime, we are all so excited as this is my FIRST give away...EVER, ever, ever.....although, I think I might have to make doubles of the bunting and brooch, I'm becoming far too fond of them.....

How can the weekend be nearly done with me? Our list of jobs that needed doing before winter- is still as long as an arm and a leg, and Q's arms and legs....can I borrow a magic wand please, to wave over everything? I know the jobs will never end in an old house, but it would be nice if I can actually tick just one off every now and then.

I don't know, a cup of tea, and seconds of apple and pear crumble will just have to do for now!!!

Pssssttt...don't forget...enter the giveaway!!! xxxx

Hobbit love..................x

 So often when listening to the news, there are too many sad, bad, horrible stories going on in the world. Why can't we just BE NICE to one another? WHY is there always conflict and suffering.......I go through feeling angry that as people and human beings, we don't look after each other like we should, to sadness......are my children really going to grow up in such a harsh place, a place we have all contributed to????

Don't worry, I'm not on a quest, I'm not on a soapbox professing my thoughts and ideals......it's just some times....in all the rotten shallow media/entertainment nonsense ( NO I don't care what colour Cheryl Cole has died her hair, or who is dating who where and when ) a little gem of a story is discovered.

I have HUGE hobbit house envy. I'm sure you've all heard by now, about the hobbit house in Wales.

It is quite an amazing creation, a little piece of magic and perfect fairytale living......

Simon Dale has made this fantastic home, using sustainable sources, nature, traditional crafts, all low impact and all beautiful in their own way...It gets you thinking doesn't it?

From a girly, perhaps materialistic point of view, I just love this, the look, the atmosphere, just IT. Think of all those lovely childhood memories his children will have.........I bet that staircase creaks, and I bet Bilbo Baggins goes round for tea too.

So go and be inspired, have a look at the website perhaps we could all get together, make our own little hobbit house community, stitching and making, knitting and crocheting, keeping pigs, chickens, and sheep...letting our children run bare foot in the woods giggling and happy.

Sorry if this post is too boho for you.................she says, drinking her green tea..... cheerio folks xxx

A non day..............................x

Sometimes, I don't bake, I don't make, and I like that........

No amount of mascara could hide my tired eyes on the school run this morning. Last night I was up and down to littlest bumblebee who is feel a little under the weather.

So we are snuggling on the sofa, dozing, watching The Sound Of Music, napping, and cuddling hot water bottles.

Today I was going to zoom down to Exeter for a jolly little craft exhibition with a pal.......not to worry, I am happy to look after my bumblebee, bless her.........

Oooh this does give me the chance to tell you about a book I have begun reading.

It was a friends recommendation......The Help, Kathryn Stockett and so far so good. It is set in Jackson, Mississippi 1962.......and from the first page it had me hooked. Aibileen, the main character is a housekeeper, and she is quite fabulous, we connected immediately.......give it a go!

Oooh PLEASE don't forget to enter my giveaway here, it will be drawn early next week........!!!

xx

We are having a give-away.........xxxx

....of the seasonal kind. The reason????? Well, firstly...this is my favourite time of year...so why not? Secondly I have been so happy to receive some lovely comments of late, from all you lovely Florence and Rose readers, it absolutely makes my day to hear from you all......and we have a few new followers in the pack too......so I have made you some bunting, and a brooch.

Acorns and poppy heads, hand stitched onto vintage fabric and Japanese linen, using a vintage lace too, makes up the bunting.

The brooch is a felt acorn, perfect for this time of year, I imagine it adorning a coat at a harvest festival!!

The give away is my FIRST ever.......and all I ask?????

As this is my favourite time of year, and we are talking about acorns and poppy heads, and Autumnal colours, please tell me what your favourite thing about this time of year is?......

Mine has to be the obvious, cosy nights in, slippers on, a hot cup of something, a blanket, snuggling Mr.Q and the doggies on the sofa in an evening...a book might be involved, or a good telly programme ( Downtown Abbey anyone? )......or the radio,  It does seem even more special if the wind is howling and rattling the windows, or it's pouring with rain too...........anyway.......that's mine.

You need to be a follower of the blog, leave me a way of contacting you too please.

And it's worth mentioning I will post ANYWHERE...........

Ooooh it's all very exciting isn't it?!!!!!

The bumblebee's will pick the winner out of a hat ( or any other suitable object, it might be a jam jar, or a bag, or a bowl, or a shoe...we don't JUST favour hats ).....ready for next week.

Good luck, I will keep my fingers crossed for you all.....and look forward to reading your seasonal comments.

Happy Monday to you all xxx

And thank you again for reading my blog. x

Apron Magic.........................x

These past few days I have been creating kiddies aprons for littlest bumblebee's school class. They asked if I would make some to replace the old falling apart ones...."yipeee" I said, I love choosing fabric.

So using one of the bumblebee's aprons from home as a template.....I have been sewing away....so easy...and I thought....what a lovely gift idea? Can you imagine a little tinker opening the present to receive a home-made apron, and perhaps a jar full of dry ingredients for cookies, with a cutter?

Ewwww look at my grotty wall...yuck.

Anyway, I am please with the results and have handed the apron bundle in this morning to the teacher. Of course I would have loved to personalized each apron, added ribbons and trims, BUT I had a vision in my head. 4/5/6 yr olds bickering over who gets which apron...hummmmm plain they had to be!!!

I am also making a few little somethings for y'all. For now, you will have to wait. But it won't be long....

Happy Friday x

P.S Sorry about the piccies, it was late last night, and I needed to get them wrapped up.

P.P.S.....On a Friday I don't have to pick the bumblebee's up from school till 4pm!!!!.....Gosh all day for me....what shall I do? I feel like cartwheeling around the lounge......but I might pull something...and can I even cartwheel anymore???........I do love the girls, but mummy time is thin on the ground...( although Mr.Q is working from home, so I fear I will be a waitress all day).....ramble, ramble, ramble.

xx

It's all in the enamel....x

You could bake me anything, anything if it's in enamel........it will look amazing.

Building up a collection of enamelware right now....... doesn't have to be vintage with chips, new will do....I just love it. And secretly in the depths of my heart somewhere, I dream of a camper full of the stuff.

I love free food, and the best thing about living down our lane is, there are always happy neighbours ( and a few grumpy ones, but there always are arnt there? ) giving away raspberries, damsons, and apples....or rather that's what was being given away this week......Cue an Apple And Raspberry Crumble....

And perhaps I might have crept sneakily into the kitchen to finish it off ALONE!!! But how do children always know? They can smell it! Littlest bumblebee pricked up her ears as I entered the lounge......." what's that? I can smell crumble Mummy, have you been eating our pudding?"........." absolutely not darling ".......a little white lie every now and then does no harm.....All mummies do it.......but I warn you, do not do it with chocolate, I repeat, not with chocolate, they can sniff the stuff out a mile away, there's no hope.

Autumnal colours..................................that's what was on my mind this morning as I shopped in our local town...can you tell?

P.S.........Amy Butler wool..................my heart skips a beat. It was mine. It had me at the door.

xxxx

Cupboard makeover....................x

As I sit here today, this lovely sunshine Sunday in Somerset...( how long this will last who knows...there are gales on their way...look out sunflowers)...the bumblebee's instead of enjoying perhaps one of the last bright days of the year, are huddled and cuddled up on the sofa, watching Home Alone................but they are happy, so who cares?

I have been busy painting, and sanding these past few days. Before we moved into the cottage, to keep myself from insanity ( was a most stressful house move...........we were told a few days before exchanging that we would not be able to get any insurance on the house! Needless to say, it was all sorted out by Mr.Q and everything went ahead ) getting all the loose end projects done for the new house was my saving grace....... I do feel I didn't always get it right.

This little antique pine cupboard for instance..............

Was given to me oooh many years ago by my lovely Dad, infact, it was prob. one of the first pieces of furniture I ever owned ( having an antiques dealer as a Dad did have it's perks )......So I set to painting it green, my favourite colour, finishing with a layer or two of wax........it wasn't quite right, and I haven't been happy with it since.

With the bumblebee's back at school. Half a pot of tallow ( swoon ) my sander, and a brush...I set to it....once again.

I quite liked the sanded/hugely distressed look mid way.......but my heart lies with tallow ( swoon ).

A few coats later, a sand here, a rub there........clear wax for the top and knobs ( which are in great condition, and such nice pine, I couldn't face covering them up....plus a bit of owed to Dad was going on )

I am super happy. Really pleased. Just what I had in mind.....finally.

Happy weekend x

P.S Welcome to my new followers, it's lovely to have you here.....I really mean that xxx

Another Obsession.............x

Another Obsession.........................

Seriously though, how good is the The Great British Bake Off????????????????????????????

I love cooking and baking, but I also have huge kitchen envy...yes, yes I know the kitchen isn't real, it's in a tent for goodness sake I hear you cry. BUT my dream kitchen would have to be of a pastel colour, with an island in the middle for teas and chats with pals, a HUGE fridge....in a contrasting pastel colour, and perhaps Mary Berry living in it.....to make all the yummy treats she makes so well.

Last night was biscuit night, macaroons, brandy snaps ( these, though for me are yuck ).....uh it's like a granny in her cottage on redbull. I love it.

Ok, ok, there just so happens to be a nice young looking chap on it too, that I might just have a pervy-he's younger than me-I love his hair- and he bakes!-crush on him......But this show is fab, if you've miss out so far, then try and catch up with it on the i-player....you must.

How many "but"'s can I fit into this post?! But, but, but, but,butt.

So with homemakin' an' a bakin' on my mind, some jams just had to be made. Actually it was Mr.Q's idea to go foraging for blackberries, and stock up the pantry.....Autumn does that doesn't it? As soon as the temperature drops, I feel like I need to start squirrelling things away.

Behind the camera........................is a mess of a pantry. Just so you know. I regularly have bags of sugar and flour drop at my feet as I open the door.......................and there is always a rogue clove of garlic that I find on every shelf....how did it get there? I have no idea.....

xxxx