Back with an Orchestral bang!..................x

Have you missed me?  Have you, have you, have you???????

It feels odd, having been away from here for so long, but I'm back, after a nice rest...... ready for our chatterings. Thank you too, for the lovely messages you sent  ( you lovely lot ) seeing if all was well.  All WAS well, nothing awful has happened.

I just lost my voice for a while back there, things got a bit busy, one day blurred into the next...you know?

So I thought it only right that I should share a few of our busyings with you.

We were lucky enough to go to "orchestra in a field"....set in the Abby grounds in Glastonbury, big bumblebee wanted to go so, so much. She had done a little workshop thingy with Charles Hazelwood with her violin. The man is incredible. Such an inspiring character, his musical brilliance and energy for music is catching. 

He was conducting the orchestra, and we managed to get there in time to listen / watch  the rehearsals taking place. The girls were captured by the old fashioned children's area and skipped from one ride to the next.

In fact it was such a safe environment , we let them explore together whilst we sipped tea and scoffed cream teas listening to the music.

The weather held until the evening, when in time with a rousing piece of orchestral wonderfulness, the heavens opened.....We stayed though, it was just too brilliant not to.

The bumblebee's also found these fellows THE FLYING SEAGULLS have you heard of them? They travel through the summer months across the country from one festival to the next, treating our little people to adventures of pure imagination, joys and many many belly giggles! Yes, indeed ....they rolled up in their rather fine gypsy painted truck, popped the back down to make the stage, and that was it...........everyone, and I mean EVERYONE was absorbed. Never have I seen such enthusiastic storytellers.

Not only that, but these dapper chaps don't take a wage. they travel to deprived parts of Europe....and beyond, to help children from those place smile.......open up.....and have fun.

PLEASE visit their website and support them in anyway you possibly can......fabby dooooo da x

You know those days, where you get home. You are all exhausted, but smiling still, reliving the day in your memory, happy to have experienced what you have........Just perfection.

xxxx

Four reasons for enjoying today......x

There are four things around the cottage, that are making me smile today.

1. My new peachy/pink/coral nail varnish. I'm in LUUURVE with it.

A good book. THE SNOW CHILD try it, if you are partial to whimsical grown up fairytales and fables.

Big bumblebee had an after school weaving club. Every time I walk past her colourful weave...I smile.

The sun.......it's shining today, did you see it?

My four happy smiley things...........xxx

This weekend....x

......we visited the old cinema in Lyme ( should have dressed a la 1920's for the day )

Beached it, with the bumblebee's and Q, lazing in the sun wiggling my toes, slurping my take away tea, and eating cheese and onion pasties for supper......

And taking long warm walks when the sun is setting, being humbled and comforted by our surroundings and the people we love........I find the weekends, if you let them, can run away from you. They can be all consuming, busy busy spent in the car....going here there and everywhere.

This weekend has been just for us. For the bumblebee's, for the Q, and for me. Didn't the sun this weekend make you excited for the summer? Forget the washout today, my mind is on long summer days, sandals and painted toe nails, hair up and sunglasses, ice-creams and holidays, beach days, happy days, perfect days.

Happy Monday xxx

The tale of a sink...................x

Bank holidays...... we expect wet weather and D.I.Y........

At the cottage we had both of those things, sprinkled with a bike ride, a walk, swimming, games, and The Voice ( such a good show, the bumblebee's LOVE it )

Since, ummm errr forever I have wanted to get rid of our awful stainless steel sink. But you know, a good sink seems really expensive. So the kitchen had to make do with a splosh of pink paint, and some cheap Ikea door handles. However, never underestimate the power of a woman!

The washer on the kitchen taps has been being naughty for some time. A man would replace the washer for 50p right? A woman, will drags her children and husband to three different stores, proclaiming to NEEDING a new kitchen, and while we are at it a kitchen conservatory is really whats called for.

She knew what she was doing. Because her real reason for wandering around so many stores, walking round the kitchens, asking where the nearest conservatory shop is this.......

A new sink would seem a bargain compared to an extension. 

That was her aim.

A new sink. New taps.

Mission accomplished.

If I've lost you on this post, I'm so sorry....I know a new sink isn't the height of excitement for most. But this is my blog, about me and the fam, and stuff we do and stuff we see and stuff we make.

Including a sink.

And taps.

So anyway what a difference a sink makes......

We did have some fun this weekend though, it wasn't all about the sink.

I had booked the bumlebee's into a make and bake session at a local cafe, which just happens to be an old railway carriage! Superb........they made cheese and onion pasties, whilst the grown ups sat, drank tea, and gobbled up savory muffins.

These are what childhood memories are about. Sitting in a carriage, making pasties, slurping juice, and playing in the vegetable garden. Well worth the £8.50....as we grown ups actually had an unbroken conversation.

Have a super Tuesday xxx

Style icons......I wanna be you x

Most evenings, before I go to bed....I sort my outfit for the next day. I suppose I've always quite liked this aspect of being a girl. Mixing colours, textures, adding necklaces, shoes, hairbands..........

The men, just don't get it......how could they, why would they?! Though I do have friends too that think I'm mad loving fashion, craving a cardigan/blouse/pair of shoes. And that's ok too........though please don't frown upon my jumpsuit, because the next time I see you....I will just wear a brighter one....hehe.

Over the years I have come across many famous women I think just have my style sooooo right. I love them for it, wanna be them so much and actively seek out a similar dress or bag......sad? I don't know about that, BUT I know what I like, and here are some of the women I think are my fashion icons. ...Though, I know they carry off outfits far better than I ever could, there's no harm in dreaming of having Kate Moss's legs or her suede knee boots.

I think right now, at 30 years old, I am comfortable with how I look, what I wear, perhaps I just don't give a s**t anymore, about what people think. Actually I think that's it, I don't care. Each to their own I say.   

But I do love a pair of wellingtons. oooh I do. Stomping about  in them, it makes me feel all homey house wifey like I'm just doing some good putting them on my feet.

Who are your style icons, male or female infact, I'd love to know....

xx

    

A rainy day activity...............x

I bet, like many parents, this weekend we were looking for things to do. We played board games, we watched a film, and then we made mice.....like you do.

Cardboard boxes ( teabag and smoothie ones ).....check.

Old fabric odds and ends.......check.

Mod Podge....check.

Felt, needles, stuffing, and threads......check.

The bumblebee's picked out their favourite fabrics, chose their mousey colours, ( big bumblebee thought hard about this, contrasting her pink mouse with a pretty house is ever so tricky.......or so she found. )

To be truthful, I could have sat there all day and made a little mouse town, but the bumblebee's are old enough now, that they don't really need mummy hovering over their crafts anymore. They can cope, and I should stop interfering. ( they didn't say this, oh no not at all, they just simply announced " mummy we are fine, you can go and cook dinner"....great. Thanks for that....I'd love to.......)........though of course ever now and then...." mummy can you just un- knot my thread pleeeeeease?"....and I run to their aid.

These mice do like an adventure, they really do. Riding on toy cars and lorries, is their preferred method of transport at the weekends.

You know I found them scampering about the bumblebee's bedroom last night, in the dark, squeaking excited squeaks, playing hider and seek in the girls hair......

And falling asleep on my cake stand, they look like they need a blanket don't they?

 I saw a mouse...where? There on the stair....where on the stair, right there.....

I think little bumblebee has sneaked her mouse into school, as she;s not in her house....or is she being a bad mouse? Hummm.......

*Sorry for the blurry pictures folks, still dealing with camera issues....makes me wanna sweeaaaam.

Guess I should toddle off, I've got moshi monster cupcakes to make before work this afternoon.......yes you heard right, MOSHI MONSTER CUPCAKES......I may have overstepped the simple make a few cakes for the cake sale mark. Who cares, I'll me one coooool mum hehe xxxx

Plant pot sponging......x

Firstly thank you so much for all your lovely words of wisdom r.e big bumblebee's trip. Update....she's on her way home, and I might just pop with excitement!

Secondly today, what does one do on a rainy day? WHY Get the paint brushes out and change a plant pot, that's what, tis obvious non?

You Need:

One faded plant pot.

Two paint colours. ( I used some old Annie Sloan and Farrow and Ball )

Brushes.

An old sponge.

Scissors. 

Paint pot in desired background colour. I used my Annie Sloan white, as no prep needed....

Two good coats will do it. Meanwhile cut out a circle ( I used a prit stik lid as a template ) from an old sponge...try to make it as neat as possible. 

Using your next paint colour dip your circle of sponge, and add in a random fashion to your pot.....easy?

Peasy?..............................

One cheerful plant pot, especially on rainy days like these.xxxxx