Buttons & Flowers

A few of my favourite things...

2011-08-16T15:28:00.003+01:00

Rain drops on roses...

whiskers on kittens...

strawberries and knitting!

One of my daughter's friends had seen this gorgeous tea cosy in a magazine and wondered if I could knit one for her. It just so happens that I was drawn to Nicki Trench's book Homemade Gifts a few months ago by this very pattern!

I didn't mean to be away from here for so long, but sometimes life has a habit of getting in the way of things like blogging. It's good to be back!

Just popping in...

2011-05-28T16:16:00.011+01:00

Just popping in..for a bit of grumble:

Today, with husband and son ensconced in front of the television watching the Premiership Rugby Final, I thought I would use the car to pop into town. I didn't want to be long...I just wanted to go to the market to look for buttons, buy some fish for dinner tonight, go to the market deli for olives and spicy nuts, and pop into the wool shop. These places are all in close proximity to one another and I could be done and home in less than an hour...or so I thought!

Town was chaos and all my usual parking places were completely jammed up! I only wanted to pop...it was starting to rain...I was getting fed up and rapidly going off the idea: I went home! It makes me so cross because it is small businesses that have suffered here, not big companies. I'm sure I was not alone today...I wonder how many other people went home or decided to shop elsewhere...somewhere where they could park conveniently, cheaply?

Something needs to be done about parking if town centres are to survive and if small businesses are to prosper because they are the ones that are suffering when people are forced out of town to shopping centres with easy parking. Yes, I could (and I do) use the bus, but I do not have any sort of concessionary pass like so many of the passengers and have to pay full fare, which from the stop closest to my home to town and back costs £4. Sorry, but £4 is a little too expensive for popping!

Hopefully, Mary Portas can give the government the help it has asked for sort out our town centres...parking and bus fares would be a good place to start!

My town is looking to become a city: in my mind it can become whatever it likes, but if you can't park or get there conveniently and cheaply, what's the point?

I'm done...time to pour a glass of wine and rustle up something other than fish for dinner!

Back soon,
Rebecca
x

Raining, cats and frogs

2011-05-27T13:33:00.012+01:00

Yesterday brought us rain...something that farmers and gardeners have been praying for over the past few weeks. However, it doesn't seem to have made much difference to the water level in the pond at the bottom of our garden, which is 7 or 8" down, lower than we usually see it at the end of summer.
Each year we have lots of froggy visitors who return to the garden to lay their spawn in the pond...they often arrive two by two, like this pair!

We take pleasure in hearing their froggy noises and checking on their progress as spring progresses each year, but this year the pond has not been so busy and we were quite distressed to discover at least six dead frogs a few weeks back. At first we wondered if it was some sort of disease that had affected them but, on doing more research, it seems possible that these were frogs that had hibernated at the bottom of the pond over the winter and had not been able to survive the long period of extremely cold weather that we had. Apparently, the dead frogs float to the surface as the temperature rises.

It's such a shame, but I am not surprised. It was so cold for so long here. We had no end of problems with burst pipes and pipes that were blocked with ice. Here's the ice that my dad and son removed from the pipe that drains from the bathroom sink:
The pond was frozen solid too.

The dead leaves, twigs and bits have been removed from the water and there are several live frogs in the pond at the moment. We are also saving any rainwater (when it comes!) in buckets and containers to help raise the water level in the pond. The buckets are empty again at the moment...apart from when Audrey cat decides that they are for playing in!

Of course, rain is also much appreciated to keep things going in the raised beds, especially now that we have started to enjoy the taste of our labours! Rocket, cut-and-come again lettuce, and spinach all doing well
...except when sabbotaged by this shy one, Daisy, who has decided that these raised beds might just have been placed as giant outdoor litter trays!

Bring out the wire netting, twiggy sticks...

Back soon,

Rebecca

Making

2011-05-16T11:45:00.008+01:00

I am so glad to have finally managed to get my hands of a copy of this new magazine,

which includes a pattern for these gorgeous crocheted apple jackets...I love them! A lovely lady that came to a workshop a while ago mentioned that she had seen these on the internet and they had inspired her to Learn to Crochet! I shall definitely be making some of these!

I've still not had chance to sit down and read the magazine, but I am loving just flicking through the pages as I pass the table, where it is patiently waiting for me! How can I resist when there are so many gorgeous things to look at! Mollie Makes are loving this crocheted frock protector...and so am I...makes me want to dust off my bicycle!So, if you love making...or just looking at gorgeous things that other people have made, you need Mollie Makes, which can be found in most W H Smith stores, Sainsbury's and other outlets, but don't delay because it's selling fast!

I just have to mention something quite unusual that happened to me last week! I came across a pretty Emma Bridgewater mug in a charity shop for £1, which meant that it was coming home with me...or so I thought! When I stepped out of the shop and turned to walk home, a man called to me and asked if I would sell him the mug that I had just bought! I was quite taken aback and asked why did he want it? His story was a lovely one, about his wife and how she collects Emma Bridgewater mugs...I liked his story and returned home without the mug, but with a £5 note in my purse! I shall probably find out that it was a rare item and worth much more, but I am happy with my own spongeware creation from some years ago...

and I have £5, which will fund the great subscription offer for the next three issues of Mollie Makes magazine!

Back soon,

Rebecca

A garden coffee break

2011-05-06T11:49:00.022+01:00

Whenever possible I like to have one of these in the garden:
and take time to look around at what's happening and enjoy things,

like the fragrant wisteria blooms that are almost coming to end.

I like to see how plants are coming along, like this bay, which is a new addition to the garden. I shall be keeping a close eye on this one as we've never had any success with growing bay, but love to have it around as we use it so often in the kitchen. Hopefully, this one will survive!

I'm also excitedly checking the new raised beds daily for any signs of activity from all the seed planting that went on a few weeks ago. So far we have spinach, various salad leaves, including rocket, which is a real favourite of mine, spring onions, beetroot and, I think, a glimpse of a carrot seedling or two. Oh, the anticipation...I am so looking forward to abandoning the supermarket salad leaves and picking my own fresh from the garden again.
I also check up on the various plants and pots that are being taken in and out at the moment so as to avoid any sneaky overnight frosts. Can you see a glimpse of a yellow bean?
These seedlings are doing very well...

and, if they continue to do so, the garden will be full of these, which is no bad thing as we love tomatoes! After all, who can resist a plate of gorgeous homegrown tomatoes with basil and mozzarella drizzled with delicious extra virgin olive oil served with some crusty bread!

As I sit, or wander around, I am not alone...Audrey, or Audrey Hepburn as she is known when she is misbehaving, is at my feet. Here she is, having one of her funny moments, hence the blurriness: She has been a great addition to the household and has brought smiles and laughter to some very unhappy times this year.

When my 7 year old niece was staying with us in February, she could not get to grips with the name Audrey and kept calling her 'Ordinary'! She certainly is no 'ordinary' cat...I've never known one to lay like this:

Here she is beside me while I work...oh, what a life!

Bye for now,

Rebecca

BCTF

2011-04-09T16:19:00.007+01:00

Last Saturday morning hubby and I arrived in Harrogate to set up for rebeccamaryjane's very first trade fair, a prospect that had been filling me with excitement and fear all at the same time! Here's rebeccamaryjane's stand at the British Craft Trade Fair, small and white...very white infact! I had underestimated how white, and did not imagine that there would be a white carpet as well! However, by mid-afternoon my lovely hubby, aided by 'S' hooks, fishing line and Velcro hook and loop, had helped me turn it into this:

I was pleased with the simplicity of it and how I had managed to display my products, but I learnt a lot and there are definitely things that I would do differently next time.

I had some lovely neighbours in the Newcomers' Gallery, including Stephanie and her gorgeous porcelain and glass made using vintage lace:

and Sarah with her striking display of contemporary jewellery.

It was a very tiring four days, but it was well worth it as I have come away with so much. I have made some new friends, I have put faces to names of Twitter friends, I have orders, enquiries to follow up, ideas to work upon, and lots and lots to think about. It was a very inspiring place to be and I thoroughly enjoyed it...so much so that I have booked to do it all again next year!

Meanwhile, back at home, the jobs have mounted up a little and, now that the sun has started to shine, the garden is calling me! There's so much to do out there, especially as we've been bold by digging up some of the lawn for two large raised beds, which will give us the vegetable growing space that we need. I'd better get on...

Back soon,

Rebecca

Nic Noc's

2011-03-10T22:36:00.007Z

A couple of weekends ago I visited Nic Noc's in Grimethorpe...

I love this old bicycle!

A warm welcome awaits you in this little shop that is full to the brim with gifts for all occasions.

There is so much to look at...

I'm so glad I took the time to visit Tina to deliver her order of rebeccamaryjane's goodies, which included more knitted flower brooches...

and more Liberty Fabric Handbag Mirrors.

Why not pop along and take a look...I'm glad I did!

Finally, I'd just like to say a huge thank you for all your comments and kind words...they mean so much to me. We are okay.

I am slowly finding my social network groove again and I hope to be blogging more regularly from now on...I've been away a while and I've lots to tell you!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Things will never be the same again

2011-02-17T12:29:00.005Z

My lovely brother-in-law lost his battle against cancer on 21st January, having just had his 49th birthday earlier that week. Words cannot begin to express our sadness...things will never be the same again.

We said goodbye to Kevin last Thursday. It was a cold, wet and windy day, but Kevin is now at rest in a beautiful churchyard, where I noticed that snowdrops and daffodils were starting to push their way through. Spring is on its way.

My husband spoke about his brother at the service and concluded with this anonymous poem:

Feel no guilt in laughter, he'd know how much you care.
Feel no sorrow in a smile that he is not here to share.
You cannot grieve forever; he would not want you to.
He'd hope that you could carry on the way you always do.
So, talk about the good times and the way you showed you cared,
The days you spent together, all the happiness you shared.
Let memories surround you, a word someone may say
Will suddenly recapture a time, an hour, a day,
That brings him back as clearly as though he were still here,
And fills you with the feeling that he is always near.
For if you keep those moments, you will never be apart
And he will live forever locked safely within your heart.

We are trying to carry on the way we always do.

Back soon,

Rebecca
x

Tosca 1998-2011

2011-01-14T10:22:00.007Z

Our lovely cat, Tosca, died this morning...

we will miss him so much!

xxxx

Distracted

2010-11-07T11:58:00.016Z

I didn't mean to be away for so long, but I have been distracted...

by Audrey Hepburn, my daughter's new kitten, who likes to be at the centre of all that we do;

knitting and crocheting for rebeccamaryjane's

and making and creating with the children at my after school art and craft clubs.

It's been a busy time.

It has also been a very stressful and emotional time: my husband's brother has cancer and it has shaken us all to the very core. He is battling hard...and we are all trying to carry on as best we can.

Back soon,

Rebecca

Back to School...and a sparkly sink!

2010-09-09T11:20:00.013+01:00

Both my youngsters returned to school this week, my lovely daughter to Sixth Form (I still don't know quite how that's happened so quickly!) and my teenage boy to Year 9! Next week, it's back to school for me too as my after school art & craft clubs begin! Once all four clubs are up and running, I shall be making and creating with up to 80 children each week...and I am so looking forward to it!

I love to hear the children's ideas and to see what designs they come up with! Last term, we made coasters using old CDs and DVDs and, as the World Cup was underway, I had made a football-themed example and mosaic example for those that were not into football.

Without exception, the boys all made football coasters and the girls made mosaic ones!
I have always been fascinated by the "nature versus nuture" debate...are boys and girls conditioned to have different tastes or are they just born that way? What do you think?

I am a keen recycler and this crosses over into my after school art & craft clubs, not only because it is eco-friendly, but because I aim to show the children that you don't need a lot of expensive materials and equipment to be creative and have fun!

We made football trophies and goblets using plastic bottles, recycled cardboard, masking tape and papier mache - they looked fantastic once they had been painted gold and silver!

The children did some observed drawing using a charcoal pencil: apple and banana in a striped bowl. I found the end results very interesting:

These are some of the drawings from the Foundation & Key Stage 1 group - children aged 3-7. I love the different interpretations...the way that some children have drawn the fruit and bowl as separate pieces and how, for some, the fruit was hovering above the bowl rather than in it! I was most fascinated by the drawings produced by twin girls who are the youngest in the group, which can be seen at the bottom of this photo. The drawings are so similar, even though they didn't draw them together - they didn't even see each others drawings until they took them home!

So my sink will be sparkling again next week as I wash the empty pots, sticky spreaders and dirty brushes...in fact, it's not just the sink that sparkles during term time...glitter seems to get everywhere!

I'm really looking forward to going back to school!

Bye for now,

Rebecca

Chuffed

2010-09-04T12:35:00.004+01:00

As you know, I love old books so I always have to have a good rummage through all the boxes of books whenever I'm in a charity shop, or at a jumble sale or flea market!

Just over a year ago I bought a 1949 edition of Dorothy Whipple's Because of the Lockwoods - you might remember me blogging about here. It's taken me a while to read it, not because it's a difficult read, but mainly because the only time I read is at bedtime and I tend to fall asleep, which is most annoying! Anyway, such was my enjoyment of this book from the outset that I vowed to look out for more of Dorothy Whipple's work. I have since purchased the Persephone edition of Someone at a Distance, but I really like to get my hands on old editions...there's just something about the old ones! So you can imagine how chuffed I was to come across this one recently at a local fleamarket:

No dust jacket and a little bit of damage to the spine, but I'm not bothered about that...I'm a book lover, not a book dealer! It has an inscription inside the front cover: "To Dad, With Best Wishes from John - Christmas 1941", which just makes me love it all the more! And, at 50p, I was even more chuffed!

I couldn't resist bringing home the needlework and dressmaking book - again 50p! It was a text book at Bingley Grammar School for Joan, Kathleen, Mary and Barbara, girls of Form 5A - I cannot be sure when, but the book is the 1937 edition. It is full of useful information, as well as snippets that make me smile, such as the advice when choosing the style and colour of a garment: "The Stout should always avoid bouffon style. Taffeta, for instance, is never a suitable material for a stout woman"!

I'm home alone today so, if I finish this now and speed through all my chores, I must just have time to read a little without nodding off!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Goodies from France

2010-08-31T14:52:00.008+01:00

When my daughter's boyfriend asked if there was anything that I would like him to bring back from France, I couldn't resist asking for a copy of Marie Claire Idées, which is always inspirational, and some soap...I love French soap, particularly the handmade lavender variety!

The shea butter soap (at the bottom of the picture) is in the bathroom at the moment and it smells gorgeous! I have had a quick flick through the magazine, but I'm saving a proper look in the hope that, by doing so, I can hang on to 'été' a little longer! Despite today's blue sky and sunshine, there's certainly been an autumnal feel to the last couple of days, particularly the evenings, which have found us reaching for our blankets to keep our flip-flop feet warm as we relax on the sofa!

Bye for now,

Rebecca
x

Muddy delights!

2010-08-28T11:49:00.008+01:00

Thanks to our allotment-keeping friends, whose son plays rugby with ours, this is what came home from rugby training on Thursday evening:

Crates of mud-covered beetroot, courgettes, squashes and spinach...a very pleasant change indeed from the muddy boots and dirty washing that usually lands in the kitchen after training!

Spinach and potato soup is simmering away as I type, the beetroot is ready for the oven and I've been consulting my Women's Institute Book of Preserves and Pickles for chutney recipe ideas as the courgettes are more of marrow proportions! I love pottering around in the kitchen...the simple things make me so happy!

Back soon,

Rebecca
x

I've fallen in love

2010-08-25T14:28:00.013+01:00

...with Italy! Hubby and I have just had a fantastic weekend away in Milan!

The weather was hot!

The architecture was amazing:

La Scala

and Il Duomo, which was beautiful inside too!

We discovered a market just minutes from our hotel on Saturday morning with stalls brimming with delicious, fresh produce:

and how about this for a shopping centre?

Gorgeous food, wine, ice creams...just the two of us! It was a real treat and the first time that we've been abroad, child-free, since before they were born! We were sad to leave...

but our post-wonderful weekend blues were soon lifted by news of our daughter's GCSE results yesterday: a total of 7 A*s and 5 As - we are so proud of her!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Beetroot & Being Bold

2010-08-05T13:34:00.011+01:00

I enjoyed watching Alys Fowler's TV series so thought I would borrow The Edible Garden from the library. It's great to dip in and out of with its lovely photos, tips and recipes.

This, along with eating delicious vegetables from other people's gardens and allotments, has made me think about changes that could make in our garden. To have a good, regular supply of veg, rather than the dribs and drabs we have at the moment, we need more growing space. We also need to be more organised, which means that 'I' need to be more organised as, once the rugby season starts, hubby's weekend gardening time will disappear! We need to be bolder: we need to sow and plant more so that we are not caught out by pests (as we have been this year!) and so that we are able keep our plates full of fresh, home grown produce!

We bought beetroot from the market this week as ours, what the pests left of it, is not ready yet. Since buying Sophie Grigson's Eat Your Greens, I always cook it slowly in the oven,

which doesn't look too good at first,

but its skins just slip off

to reveal these beauties:

I can never resist popping one of the slightly warm, earthy beets into my mouth as I peel them! I love beetroot!

So we are going to be bold: we are going to dig up some lawn to give us the veg growing space that we need!

I could do with being a little bolder in other areas of my life too: I need to stop letting little niggling doubts and fears hold me back. Perhaps digging up the lawn will prove to be a catalyst!

Back soon,

Rebecca

What can you make out of England, France, Ireland, South Africa and Italy?

2010-08-04T14:17:00.008+01:00

These labels were left over from something that my husband did at the rugby club a while ago and, not being one to throw things away, I have been using the plain white pieces to label the children's work at the after school art and craft clubs that I run. Today, I found another use for them.
I made labels for some of the tins that I am re-using to store bits and pieces that I use at the art and craft clubs - 'lids & corks etc.', 'card scraps' and 'felt and fleece' - I used 'l' and a 'y' to make the 'k' in corks and wrote the amphisand!

This week I have been having a huge sort out of all my art and craft club materials and equipment to make better use the space that I have available in the cellar and so that I can assess what I need to buy ready for September. I am pleased with how it's going so far:

these clear plastic storage boxes fit perfectly beside the freezer and, as you will see, from the photo of the tins, I even space left on my shelves too! However, that is not the end of Operation Sort Out...I need more, even bigger storage boxes for these:

lots of boxes, tubs and cartons,

bag loads of milk bottle tops,

and bags of plastic bottles!

I do keep a lot of junk but, as you can see, I can always find a use for it...the main problem is finding somewhere to store it all in the meantime! With four after school clubs running in September, I shall need all the junk I can get! I shall do a post soon showing some of the children's work from last term...it was such a busy time and we had so much fun making and creating!

Time for a much needed cup of tea...

Back soon,

Rebecca

Home Grown Produce

2010-08-02T13:28:00.006+01:00

We have had the house to ourselves this weekend, a situation that is becoming all the more frequent now that the children have grown and have busy calendars full of social events! Our daughter is jamboreeing in Norfolk for the week - camping is not really her thing and the weather has not been too good, but I do hope that she's enjoying the experience! We have no way of finding out until she comes home as, much to her disgust, mobile phones were not permitted! Our son is away in Wales with one of his friends and, despite the rain, we know that he has been having a good time from the texts that he has sent us!

We dug the first potatoes from the garden yesterday...well, hubby dug and I held the bowl! We must have looked a sight...both of us grinning with sheer delight as each little potato was revealed! It was very exciting indeed, especially as these have grown from a supermarket potato that we chitted! And, of course, nothing beats home grown produce! We had to remember when to stop digging as we are only cooking for 2 at the moment and not 4! On the way back to the kitchen I collected the few sugar snap peas that were ready - not enough for 2 helpings, but delicious to crunch on while preparing dinner!

We were also able to collect up the seed pods from the old purple sprouting broccoli plants, which had been left at the side of house to dry. We probably have enough seeds to keep us in purple sprouting broccoli for the rest of our lives! Now that we know what to expect, we'll probably give growing it another go next year as it was delicious!

We've also been enjoying home grown produce from some friends of ours: spinach and courgettes - long ones and round ones! We've not grown spinach before so, when we spotted some packs of seeds reduced to 19p each when we were out yesterday, we couldn't resist! I am going to plant some this week and see what happens!

I hope the spinach is a success as we've really enjoyed eating it torn into warm, griddled courgettes, peppers and red onions with some basil leaves, as pictured below alongside the home grown potatoes, which have been tossed in butter with mint from the garden...accompanied by a glass of something of course!

Over this weekend I have realised who makes all the noise, all the mess, all the washing and eats all the food! It is lovely having the house to ourselves, but I do miss them...they make this house a home!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Summer

2010-07-02T10:21:00.005+01:00

One of the things I love about summer is watching the garden come alive with colour. I love the vibrant shades of orange of this gorgeous lily that has come into bloom this week. It was gift from a good friend of mine some years ago and I am always amazed when it bursts back to life from its seemingly empty, weathered terracotta pot that stands on the patio all through winter. This winter its pot was even piled high with snow and ice for days on end, but it's still grown back...the wonders of nature!

Another thing that I love about summer is being able to have breakfast in the garden...I sit on the bench and just watch for while...bliss! Ooh, and another thing I love about summer...the fruit: the other morning I had muesli with yoghurt and nectarine, which was delicious! I know you can buy so many summer fruits all year round now, but I tend not to: I prefer to keep to the seasons. It might be all in my mind, but I think the fruit just tastes better that way!

I do hope the summer weather continues as I shall be at Hooton Pagnell Summer Fete on Sunday and I've been soaked there too many times before! Hooton Pagnell is a gorgeous South Yorkshire village with a fascinating history and the Fete is always good fun...even in the rain!

I've lots to do to get ready so I had better go...

Back soon,

Rebecca
x

Where's the sunshine?

2010-06-19T12:44:00.005+01:00

As there a is distinct lack of sunshine outside today, I thought I would post a couple of sunshiney, yellow photos to brighten things up a little! After lots of delicious purple sprouting broccoli, we have enjoyed these pretty yellow broccoli flowers, which are almost at an end now:

The bees have loved them, but I think any remaining flowers will be gone by the end of today because it's so windy...and it's chilly too! However, that's not a bad thing, as it means that we shall be able to pull up the rather large broccoli plants to make way for some more salad, which seems to be coming along nicely now in other parts of our small veg plot.

I shall definitely be planting some more rocket, which we've used lots of this week in salads... and I love it in an egg mayo sandwich as an alternative to watercress!

Time for lunch...

Back soon,

Rebecca
x

Proud & Smiling

2010-06-15T12:44:00.009+01:00

At the beginning of May I taught my 9 year old niece, who lives on the Sussex coast, how to knit. We began with my very simple egg cosy topped with a pom pom - she seemed to grasp it really well and has been knitting ever since!

This morning I received such a lovely surprise in the post...a knitted lavender pillow accompanied by a handwritten letter from my niece! I am so touched, especially as it is her own adaptation of the egg cosy pattern...I shall treasure it!

I think that her knitting has come on beautifully and I love receiving handwritten letters because, as you know, I'm an old-fashioned kind of girl!

Back soon,

Rebecca
(proud & smiling auntie!)
x

The Devil Makes...gorgeous scarves!

2010-06-11T12:23:00.005+01:00

Just before the bank holiday, I was lucky enough to be the winner of a giveaway on Facebook...and this week, a pretty pink parcel arrived, making a delightful change from the all the boring brown envelopes and bills!

Inside was a pale blue tissue paper parcel from the lovely Woo of The Devil Makes Work...

inside which was this beautiful Hand Felted Mohair, Merino & Cotswold Lock scarf!

The Devil Makes...gorgeous scarves - I love its emeraldy green colour (although it looks more turquoise in the photo!), which suits my auburn complexion perfectly! Thank you so much Woo!

The Devil Makes Work is one of many small businesses that are using social media to promote their work. If you like my gorgeous scarf, you might 'Like' The Devil Makes Work's page on Facebook...who knows, it could be you that is the next winner of one of the giveaways!

Speaking of giveaways, I am having a monthly giveaway for people that 'Like' my rebeccamaryjane's page on Facebook...June's giveaway is a Vintage Embroidery Handbag Mirror.

I do hope the sun shines this weekend...it is June after all! If it gets any colder, I might be needing my new scarf!

Bye for now,

Rebecca

Gifts from a handsome, young man...

2010-06-04T12:29:00.005+01:00

my 4 year old next door neighbour gave me a love heart that he had painted and a bunch of radishes from the garden!

I was so touched!

Bye for now,

Rebecca
x

Quick catch up & I'm off to Wentworth

2010-05-28T09:32:00.008+01:00

It's been a busy few weeks...

I've been rummaging for vintage bits and pieces in charity shops, where I found, amongst other things, a delightful pattern booklet entitled "Senior Knitteds - For the rich in years", which includes this pattern for knitted kneecaps!

I've been making hearts using vintage linens, lace, mother of pearl buttons and filled with lavender from my neighbour's garden

I've been preparing for some new workshops and working on my website

My school art clubs have been keeping me out of mischief...

we had lots of fun with salt dough a couple of weeks ago!

I've been enjoying time in the garden...planting, pruning, relaxing, sewing, crocheting...

and picking a few of my favourite flowers for the mantelpiece...buttercups, bluebells, lily of the valley and some of the pink hardy geranium that is beginning to flower near the pond. I am always amazed at the wonderful scent that comes from those tiny, almost ball-like lily of the valley flowers - gorgeous!

And, at the moment, I am preparing for a craft fair in Wentworth on Bank Holiday Monday - more details of which can be found here - I shall be in The Rockingham Arms Barn. I'm looking forward to it and hoping that it will be more successful than the Saltaire fair, where I only just about covered my stall fee! If you're nearby, why not pop along and say "hello" - it would be lovely to see you!

Back soon,

Rebecca

It's all happening in the garden...and I'm off to Saltaire

2010-04-30T11:48:00.010+01:00

I always get very excited at the first sign of growth in our little veggie garden. With the warmth of this week and a few April showers the mangetout peas have started to show in their pots

and the rocket has shot up nicely!

You will see that I have a piece of netting over the seeds (and other obstacles and contraptions that you cannot see) - not to stop birds or wild animals, but to stop this pesky critter...

...naughty cat no.1, who seems to think that any freshly dug piece of soil in his garden is for his purposes! The netting alone proved insufficient as he was caught in the act, hunched under it doing his business - I was not a happy gardener! But, he really is the most adorable, loving cat I have ever known and it is so very difficult to stay cross with him for long! Just stay off my veg patch!

On Sunday (2nd May) I shall be having a stall at the Saltaire Charity Craft Market, which is being held to raise funds for the Bradford City Burns Unit Appeal. There will be two rooms of craft stalls with "everything from bangles and beads to food and drink and everything in between!" There's also going to be café selling drinks, homemade cakes and snacks with all proceeds from the café being shared between The Burns Unit and Cancer Research UK - the latter being a charity that is very close to my heart at the moment. It is a new event and I am hoping that it will be a good one! Victoria Hall is a lovely location and Saltaire is a UNESCO World Heritage village - it's definitely worth a visit if you never been there. The Craft Market is open from 11am to 4pm with free entry to the public but, of course, any donations to the Burns Unit Appeal will be very gratefully received. If you're nearby, please do stop by and say "hello"!

On that note, I had better finish this post and get on with making some more brooches, mirrors....

Back soon,

Rebecca

And the winner is...

2010-04-24T09:49:00.012+01:00

Congratulations Becca! I shall be sending the parcel of goodies to you next week. Thank you so much to everyone that took the time to leave a comment - I have thoroughly enjoyed reading them all!

This week I've been making these with the children at art club...

...we've called them "squidgies" and I now have around 35 of the creatures waiting for me in the kitchen! Job for today: to give the Squidgies their squidgy filling and stitch them up!

I don't normally buy craft magazines, but I just had to get a copy of May's Knitting magazine as my Flower Hair Grips are featured in the 'Get Inspired' section (top right hand corner!).

I have to say it is a lovely magazine - I'm particularly looking forward to reading the 'WI Controversial: The Changing Face of the Women's Institute' article and I love this Strawberries and Cream Tea Cosy pattern by Patti di Cagli.

As it's another sunny day outside, I shall be doing a little more weeding, sorting and planning in the garden later. Lettuce, rocket, beetroot and mangetout seeds went in last weekend - a little late, but we always get there in the end! I am planning a good sort out at the bottom of the garden by the pond so that I can scatter some wild flower seeds and just wait to see what happens! Hopefully, a colourful display in late summer! Watch this space...

Back soon,

Rebecca

Last chance...

2010-04-23T14:04:00.002+01:00

Just dropping in to say that I shall be making the draw for my giveaway at 9pm this evening, and I shall announce the winner in a blog post over the weekend.

Thank you & good luck!

Back soon,

Rebecca
x

Giveaway Goodies

2010-04-17T15:54:00.006+01:00

As promised, here are some photos showing some of the goodies that will be included in my giveaway parcel:

Some Lettuce Seeds for the garden, a Vintage Embroidery Handbag Mirror

...some Buttons & Threads...and one of my Flower Brooches

and some Baking Cases and these colourful Jam/Chutney Pot Covers & Labels

- altogether a parcel which, I think, sums up the kind of things that I blog about quite nicely - I do hope that you will think so too!

There is still time to enter the giveaway by leaving a comment on this post, or 1 today, in response to this question:

What do you enjoy about blogging/reading blogs?

I have loved reading the responses so far! The lucky winner's name will be drawn on Friday 23rd April. Good luck!

Time now to sit in the garden with a nice cup of tea and make the most of the glorious sunshine - hope the sun is shining wherever you are!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Pink & Purple

2010-04-12T15:47:00.007+01:00

I've been busy working on some pretty brooches for spring/summer - here they are drying after felting slightly in the washing machine:

You can see the finished results on my website, which is also almost finished too!

The gorgeous weather we've had over the last few days is bringing things along nicely in the garden. The flowering currant is looking particularly good this year...I love its flowers just before they open as they always remind me of raspberries and summer's delights yet to come!

This bee seemed to like it too!

Some of you might remember me asking the question: "When will there be broccoli?" . Well, the answer is: About 18 months after planting out! As you know, we have been eating the leaves so that it has not seemed like a total waste of time giving over so much of our veg plot to the plants. Just as I was collecting what was going to be one of our last helpings of leaves before pulling up the plants, I discovered that broccoli was sprouting at last! Gorgeous, purple broccoli...a delight to my eyes and, hopefully, to our taste buds very soon!

Please don't forget my First Anniversary Giveaway - I will post some pictures soon, but the package will definitely include one of my Vintage Embroidery Handbag Mirrors, some seeds for the garden (unless the winner lives overseas, in which case I will need to check with HM Customs as I know they can be funny about these kinds of things!), baking cases and more that I have yet to decide upon! Thank so much to those of you that have commented so far - I have loved reading your responses!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T15:13:00.004+01:00

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter!

Back soon with more details of the giveaway goodies,

Rebecca

1 today!

2010-04-03T12:17:00.009+01:00

It's been a year since my children persuaded me to start blogging and what fun it has been!

I have loved taking photos of little things that I would never have bothered with before (like these Easter chicks waiting to go to one of my craft workshops!) and, looking back through my posts, blogging is such a wonderful way of keeping a record of happenings and life's simple pleasures that I might otherwise have forgotten about!

I have also enjoyed discovering other people's blogs over the last year...there are so many wonderful, funny, thought provoking, interesting and inspiring blogs out there - thank you all!

Some might call it being nosey, but I think we are all a little curious about what other people get up to and blogging gives us a peek!

So, to celebrate a year of blogging, I thought I would have a giveaway! I'm not sure exactly what it will be yet, but it will be a collection of goodies that relate to things I have blogged about over the last year - more details will be revealed in future posts! As it's Easter and the children are at home, I shall make the draw on St George's Day, 23rd April, which gives everyone plenty of time to enter.

To be in with a chance of winning, just leave a comment in response to this question:

What do you enjoy about blogging/reading blogs?

I look forward to reading your comments...

Back soon,

Rebecca

Positivity=Creativity

2010-04-02T17:06:00.009+01:00

Despite all the not so cheery things that are going on in our lives here at the moment, I have decided that I am going to keep my blog as a place of positivity and creativity...or at least I shall try to!

I was back with the Brownies this week to finish off the egg cosies and here are some of the end results:

I was delighted when one of the girls told me that her dad had bought her some knitting needles this week and when another was excited to tell me that she had started to knit a scarf. All the girls seemed to really enjoy themselves, knitting and nattering, with a few exclamations of "I can knit!" along the way - so pleasing bearing in mind the "I can't do it" and "It's too hard" from the first week's session! How sweet too that one Brownie asked Brown Owl if I could join them on Pack Holiday next week!

The lovely Calico Kate asked me for the pattern for the little egg cosies, so here it is:

Most of the Brownies used 7mm needles and DK yarn, which gives quite a loose knit, but grows quickly!

Cast on around 20 sts - needs to measure at least 12cm when stretched across your needle.
Knit until your work measures approx. 7cm.
Cut yarn, leaving an end of approx. 30cm and, using a wool needle, thread this through all the stitches on your knitting needle.
Remove knitting needle and pull yarn to gather the top. Then, with right sides facing, stitch the side seam. Fasten off and darn in loose end at beginning of cast on edge.
Make a small pom-pom and stitch it to the top of your egg cosy!

Well, as my boy is pleading starvation, it would seem that it is time to go into the kitchen, but I shall be back tomorrow with a First Anniversary post - it's hard to believe that I have been blogging for a year already!

Bye for now,

Rebecca
x

Oh, for the life of a cat!

2010-03-26T13:40:00.004Z

How can it be Friday again? It's been a week full of children's activities for me - starting Easter projects with my school-based art clubs and back to knitting egg cosies with the Brownies! The egg cosies are coming along nicely and we've begun making the pom-poms for the top. I've been invited back for a third week, which is really good because it means that all of the girls should be able to finish their work to take home for the Easter holidays.

I've also been working hard on my website - www.rebeccamaryjanes.co.uk. Not being a very technical person, I'm quite pleased with what I have achieved - perhaps you'd like to take a look and let me know what you think?

All in all it's been a busy week...oh, for the life of a cat, eh?

Back soon,

Rebecca
x

Springing back

2010-03-19T12:12:00.008Z

The garden is 'springing' back to life...these 'Dorothy' crocuses have begun to flower this week:

There's some froggy business going on in the borders:

Fortunately, I heard these two rustling around as I hate being surprised by frogs when I'm hanging out the washing! We have a pond at the bottom of the garden and each Spring we see lots of frogs springing their way back there - it's quite amusing to watch. There's always one that wants to come into the house, which completely freaks me out! I refuse to open the back door until I know that it's gone, especially after having a frog join me in the kitchen a few years ago! Of course, the children think it's hilarious - "look out Mum, there's a frog!"

It's such a glorious day here today - the sun is shining, froggy noises are coming from the pond, Spring flowers are beginning to colour the garden, washing is drying on the line...and all's well! The arrival of Spring may have been delayed, but there's no holding it back now.

Back soon,

Rebecca

I'd forgotten...

2010-03-18T12:28:00.008Z

how difficult it is to learn to knit! Trying to teach sixteen Brownies how to do it soon reminded me though! Most of them seemed to enjoy it and were keen to learn but, of course, there were also some "I can't do it" and "It's too hard" girlies! I am hoping to have them all knitting away by the end of next week's session!

Pink was a popular choice!

So...I now have 16 balls of wool attached to 16 pairs of knitting needles, each with a row of cast on stitches (or not!/or knots!) that, by the end of next week's session...

will become one of these:

Looks like I have a bit of untangling and knitting to do this week so that each of the Brownies will be able to take home a little knitted egg cosy in time for Easter!

In the meantime, I've been inspired to have a boiled egg for lunch!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Let mum eat cake...and chocolate

2010-03-14T09:21:00.014Z

It all began on Friday evening when my lovely daughter came home and presented me with a bunch of freesias (love them!) - "Happy Mother's Day! I won't see you much this weekend, so I'm giving you these today and I'm going to make you a cake tonight!"

A coffee and walnut sponge...my favourite...and very yummy it is too! I hasten to add that I've not eaten all the missing sponge myself!

This morning my teenage son gave me this choccie bar onto which he'd iced 'Love you mum' - apparently, it had all "gone a bit wrong", "it got stuck to the cellophane", but none of that matters to me - I love it!

Thank you my lovely children!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Time

2010-03-09T14:39:00.009Z

Blue sky...such a welcome sight after so many cold, dark, wintry days!

On Sunday, I decided to move the garden bench into the sunshine and sit for a while with a cup of coffee and a piece of flapjack...and just enjoy! Oooh, it was so lovely to feel the warmth of the sun on my face - the last time was so long ago! It was not sunbathing weather by any means as I was wearing my thick cardi and fleece for warmth elsewhere, but it lifted my spirits no end!

It was lovely to see signs of spring around the garden, to watch the birds come and go, and hear them twittering from the tree tops. It reminded me of one of my favourite poems, 'Leisure' by William Henry Davies (1871-1940):

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

I am so looking forward to spring and more opportunities to sit and stare...it didn't take long and made me feel very happy indeed!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Something old, something new, something...green!

2010-03-05T14:07:00.009Z

I had chance to pop into the charity shop on the way back from the supermarket this morning and found something old - well, quite a few things! There were lots of crochet patterns for doilies and mats, some which had to come home with me - I quite fancy trying out some of the flower motifs! And, of course, to do that I'm going to need some fine crochet cotton, so I couldn't resist these balls of yellow, green and purple yarn at 25p each! I also picked up some more knitting needles to add to my collection in readiness for my knitting sessions with a group of Brownies in a couple of weeks' time.

I was pleased to find the Learn Tatting book as it has lots of diagrams - perhaps my daughter will give it another go! I wonder if this book came from the same home as the Tatting Designs book and shuttle that we bought there the other week? The Learn to Crochet book will come in very useful at my workshops as it has lots of pictures and guidance for left-handed learners.

This week I have been working on something new...

I've have called them "broodges" as they are a cross between a brooch and a badge! I am really pleased with how they've turned out...they are buttons and flowers...very me!

And, finally, for something green! I have given up on ever having broccoli from the plants in the garden - after all, they've been in the ground for 16 months now! However, in order to gain something from these enormous plants that have taken up so much of our little veg patch for all that time, I decided that we should eat the leaves!

They are very tasty indeed, especially added to stir-fried chicken, vegetables and noodles, as enjoyed last night! We won't be growing broccoli again, but we're really looking forward to making a start on this year's veg patch.

I'm also looking forward to relaxing with a cuppa, or maybe a glass of something, and catching up on some of my favourite blogs this weekend. Hope you have a lovely weekend whatever you're planning to do!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Things that make me cheerful:

2010-02-27T17:22:00.009Z

1. Making and creating with the children at my art and craft workshops

I had a lovely time with a small group during half term making fridge magnets out of old CDs, bottle top bugs and fish mobiles. This week I have been asked to run a twice weekly after school arts and crafts club at a primary school nearby, which is very exciting. I start on 8th March and I am so looking forward to it!

2. Vintage embroidery

I received this pretty embroidered table cloth in the post from my mum and it makes me feel very cheerful indeed! Such pretty colours to brighten these dull, damp and cold days that we've been having. Oh, how I am looking forward to Spring, its flowers and, hopefully, some sunshine - I'm sure that would make us all feel a lot more cheerful!

Hope you're having a lovely weekend (whatever the weather!).

Back soon,

Rebecca
x

Tips for Tat

2010-02-18T13:16:00.006Z

It's not very often that my 16 year old daugher and I have the chance to go charity shop browsing together so that in itself has been a real treat during this half term week. I've not had much luck in charity shops recently so I was delighted to find these:

Vintage pattern books and some old spoons...they're only EPNS but I love them, especially the small one from Harrods!

My daughter loves vintage clothes and has promised herself that, once her GCSEs are over, she is going to have a go at making herself a dress with some vintage fabric that she bought a year or so ago. These vintage patterns at 10p each were right up her street! The green dress in the centre is her favourite!

A bag of delights...well, to me anyway...full of embroidery threads and tapisserie wools for 50p!

Looking through our finds when we arrived home, we were both amazed at the intricacy of the gorgeous lace in the 'Tatting Designs' booklet and my daughter wondered how it was done. I had never tried tatting, but I knew that it involved a shuttle and that I didn't have one amongst all my bits and bobs, which meant that we would remain unenlightened! Imagine our surprise when, as I continued pulling different coloured skeins of embroidery thread from my 50p bag of delights, I found a shuttle complete with small piece of tatting (shown in the foreground of the photo below)! There was no longer any excuse not to tat! So we consulted YouTube for video demonstrations...the ladies there make it look so easy! I was all fingers and thumbs with it - lefthandedness, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it! My daughter had slightly more success!

Hers is the piece that looks slightly more like knotting than tatting, but she has improved since and can 'double' and make a 'picot'! I think it could be a while before we have this gorgeous lace collar and cuffs set from 'Tatting Design' though!

Such skill, such patience and such beautiful end results! Any tips on how to tat?

Back soon,

Rebecca

Bringing me sunshine

2010-02-14T22:13:00.017Z

Over the last couple of weeks the lovely ladies behind Life of Cattoo, SparklePetal, Hand Knitted Things and Mrs Mac have all sent me a:

How wonderful to hear that my words/pictures brighten somebody's day...thank you very much indeed!

I'm going to break all the rules by not passing it on in the "official" way...after all, how could I possibly choose 12 blogs that bring me sunshine? There are so many wonderful, cheerful, entertaining, uplifting and inspiring blogs out there...so I'm am going to unofficially award it to all of the blogs I follow and to all my followers - thank you all so much for brightening my day!

I had intended to publish this post on Sunday evening, but...

Naughty cat No.1 took up position in front of the keyboard and in front of the monitor...he always likes to be at the centre of things!

When you have a moment why not take a quick look at some of the 'Blogs that brighten my day' listed in the sidebar...that's if the cat will let you, of course!

Back soon,

Rebecca
x

Nostalgia, Flowers & Romance

2010-02-14T10:26:00.014Z

A few weeks ago I read a blog post that brought back so many wonderful childhood memories, especially of my fondness for Holly Hobbie in the late 1970s. This rush of nostalgia meant that I simply had to find the cushion cover I remembered making and that I referred to in my comments on the lovely Sarah's blog! And I found it...it was neatly folded inside a Woolworths bag inside an old suitcase, which also contains things like my school recorder, stamp albums, scrap books and newspaper cuttings.

So, here it is...my Holly Hobbie cushion cover, made with help from my mum, to whom I owe so much for teaching me how to knit, sew, crochet and create! Oh how I loved Holly Hobbie...and I have to admit that I do still love this cushion cover, despite some rather bad stitching and its gentle padding with old tights (used as stuffing in so many of my childhood creations!).

I remembered the cushion cover, but had not remembered that the fabric I had used was that which I am now using to make these!

I have a received a gorgeous basket of flowers...not from my Valentine, but as a 'thank you' from my lovely neighbour B. They are so pretty...

and are arranged in this very useful, floral fabric-lined basket!

I have the house to myself today, which might not seem a romantic way to spend Valentine's Day. However, hubby is out rugbying with our son and I shall spend the day pottering, sewing and crocheting, so we are both doing things that we love to do! Everyone will return home this evening and my day's pottering will be undone once more...piles of muddy washing will be deposited by the machine, the hall will be re-cluttered with shoes and kit, and the house will once more be filled with the voices of those that I love..no doubt enquiring what there is to eat! The romance of family life - I love it!

In the meantime, before I potter, I think it's time for coffee and cake!

Hope you're having a lovely day whatever you're doing!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Patterns

2010-02-11T10:31:00.006Z

I couldn't resist rushing back indoors to grab the camera to take some photos of the amazing ice patterns on the car windscreen the other morning. Such wonderful patterns...like nature's own cut glass!

Neither can I resist a floral pattern when I see one...so these had to come home from the charity shop with me on Tuesday. I think they are supposed to be table mats, but I propose to use for small hand cloths in the kitchen. I'm not sure if they're vintage, but they're unused and of a lovely, thick, barkcloth type fabric and I just love those vintagey roses!

And more gorgeous, vintagey roses to look at on the cover of March's Country Living magazine, which has just arrived...a recurring pattern it seems!

Time for coffee and quick browse through the pages....

Back soon,

Rebecca

Doing well!

2010-02-09T12:19:00.008Z

I am so pleased to say that my lovely neighbour B is home from hospital now and doing well. Needless to say, I am checking on her all the time to make sure that she is alright...I just cannot help it! I don't think she minds though...not yet anyway! It's so good to have her back and, of course, the pussies were delighted to see her!

I am also pleased to report that Amaryllis is doing well...

despite having suffered the further trauma of losing a flower bud as a result of the antics of a couple of high spirited teenagers!

I don't whether the broken off flower will do well, but the flower in the pot is just beginning to open today...

and it is so beautiful...I love those colours!

I have been making lots more vintage embroidery handbag mirrors this week...

as they've been extremely popular since they were featured in the Telegraph Magazine! It was lovely to receive this pretty 'thank you' card from a customer saying that she was "thrilled to bits" with her mirrors.

I would also like to say thank you...thank you to everyone who has commented on my blog over the last couple of weeks...I appreciate it so much and I've not forgotten you! I hope to find the time to catch up on what all you lovely people have been up to very soon but, at the moment, it seems that doing well at one thing means not doing quite so well at others!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Pretty, exciting things

2010-01-30T20:07:00.019Z

It was an exciting start to the day when my son, who is a paper boy, brought home our copy of the Daily Telegraph...my vintage embroidery handbag mirrors that I am selling via http://www.notmassproduced.com/ are featured on page 19 of the Telegraph Magazine! I still cannot quite believe it! The orders have been flooding in! Some of these mirrors have been quietly waiting to be bought for a couple of months or so...the power of the press is amazing!

As I have rushed about in my work area (also my dining room, office and library!) today sorting orders and making more mirrors, I have caught the gorgeous scent of this pretty, creamy white hyacinth as it emerges. It was given to me by W (aged 4, who lives next door) as a birthday present and I love it!

All in all, a pretty, exciting day!

Back soon,

Rebecca

My Lovely Neighbour B

2010-01-27T13:21:00.008Z

I know I said I would be more organised and that I would blog more regularly, but all those good intentions were swiftly overtaken by last week's events. On Thursday I found my lovely neighbour B collapsed on her kitchen floor.

I have to say that I am not usually very good in a crisis as I tend to panic and cry...I'm not really sure what happened to me that afternoon, but I really surprised myself! Poor B had a nasty cut on her head and the side of her face was all swollen and purple. There was a lot of blood, B was vomiting and choking due to the bad chest that she suffers from and, despite her injuries, she kept trying to get up, while I struggled to keep her on side, hold a cloth over her head wound and follow instructions from the lady on the receiving end of my 999 call.

B is still hospital. Miraculously, she has no broken bones, despite falling onto a stone floor (good going for a lady who's just turned 70), but has a nasty cut above her eye and bruises that are working their way through the colour spectrum! She's undergoing various tests to try and establish what caused her to fall - B doesn't remember anything of what happened, which, in some ways, is a good thing. She is in good spirits, but missing her two pussy cats very much indeed!

I have visited B in hospital each day, taking her the things that she needs from home, offering reassurance about the well-being of these two much-loved moggies...

and, generally, keeping her company during the long days that stretch ahead of anyone in hospital.

I just did what I had to do last Thursday afternoon and I didn't panic and cry. It was only when my husband said "you realise you probably saved B's life" that a tear rolled down my cheek.

Back soon,

Rebecca

A Returned Gift

2010-01-16T15:32:00.008Z

We had sent Auntie Sylvia a neatly potted amaryllis bulb, boxed and well-packaged, on the 18th December. As I saw the postman walking towards the front door, I recognised the parcel in his hands...Auntie Sylvia's Christmas present had been returned!

It was not that Auntie Sylvia had been disappointed with our choice of gift - the parcel never even reached her on the South Coast because it had, somehow, lost its address label! I always tape over self adhesive address labels to avoid this kind of thing, so I cannot understand what happened, but I am so glad that my address, as the sender of the parcel, was still firmly attached, meaning that it found its way back here!

Unfortunately, whatever had happened to the parcel on its travels up and down the country meant that the amaryllis was no longer neatly potted, the soil having found its way out of all the packaging, and the poor, water-deprived bulb had started to grow! Just look at its pale, white shoots!

We are going to choose another gift for Auntie Sylvia - the amaryllis will be convalescing here in Yorkshire, rather than on the South Coast! I am hoping it will make a full recovery!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Crocheted Hearts Pattern

2010-01-15T16:29:00.010Z

I used Fine Filz-It yarn and a 4mm crochet hook.

Abbreviations

ch = chain

htr = half treble

crochet 2htr tog. in a cl. to dec. – crochet two half trebles together in a cluster to decrease.

Starting position: yarn in your left hand and hook with one loop on in your right hand.
To decrease: put the yarn over your hook (make sure the yarn comes from behind the hook and over), insert hook into htr, catch the yarn with the hook and draw through. You should now have 3 loops on your hook. Put the yarn over your hook, as before, insert hook into the next htr, catch the yarn with the hook and draw through. You should now have 5 loops on your hook. Put the yarn over your hook (as before) and draw it through all 5 loops on your hook.
You should now have just 1 loop on your hook

To begin:

Ch. 3
Row 1: 2htr in 3rd ch. away from hook (2htrs)
Row 2: Ch.2, 2htr in each htr (4htrs)
Row 3: Ch.2, 2htr in 1st htr, 2htr, 2htr in last htr (6htrs)
Row 4: Ch.2, 2htr in 1st htr, 4htr, 2htr in last htr (8htrs)

Continue, increasing at the beginning and end of each row until you have the size heart you would like (remember, if you are felting your heart, the end result will be smaller).
I crocheted 10 rows (20htrs)

To shape the top of the heart (based on a row of 20htrs):
Row 11: *Ch.2, crochet 2htr tog. in a cl. to dec., 6htr, crochet 2htr tog. in a cl. to dec., and turn your work
Row 12: Ch.2, crochet 2htr tog. in a cl. to dec., 4htr, crochet 2htr tog. in a cl. to dec.
Row 13: Ch.2, crochet 2htr tog. in a cl. to dec., 2htr, crochet 2htr tog. in a cl. to dec.*

Check your work to see if you are happy with the shape of the top of your heart & fasten off. If you require a more pointed top, complete another decrease row as follows:

Row 14: Ch.2, crochet 2htr tog. in a cl, crochet 2htr tog. in a cl.
Fasten off.

With wrong side facing, rejoin yarn to continue shaping the other side of your heart and repeat from * to *.

Darn in the loose ends, but remember not to trim them if you intend to felt the heart.

Happy Crocheting!

Rebecca
x

Knitted Hearts Pattern

2010-01-15T16:26:00.010Z

Here's my pattern, as promised.

I used chunky Filz-It yarn and 7mm needles and felted the finished hearts in the washing machine before using them for my final project.

Abbreviations

k = knit

inc 1 = increase 1 by knitting into the front and back of the stitch. Knit into the front of the stitch as normal and, before slipping it off the needle, knit into the back of the same stitch, then slip it off (2sts).

k2tog tbl = knit 2 together through back loops (produces a left hand slope)

k2tog = knit 2 together (produces a right hand slope)

To begin:

Cast on 1st.
Row 1: K1
Row 2: Inc 1 as above (2sts)
Row 3: K
Row 4: Inc 1 twice (4sts)
Row 5: K
Row 6: Inc 1, k2, inc 1 (6sts)
Row 7: K
Row 8: Inc 1, k4, inc 1 (8sts)
Row 9: K

Continue to inc 1 at each side of the heart until you have 16sts (or the size you require)

Rows 17-20 inclusive: K

Row 21: K2togtbl, k4, k2tog, k2togtbl, k4, k2tog (12sts)
Row 22 (working on one side of heart shaping): K6
Row 23: *k2togtbl, k2, k2tog (4 sts)
Row 24: K
Row 25: k2togtbl, k2tog (2 sts). Pass one stitch over the other & fasten off.*

With the wrong side facing, rejoin yarn to complete the shaping of the other side of the heart, k6 and repeat from * to *

Darn in loose ends and, if felting your heart, do not trim until after it has been in the washing machine.

Happy Knitting!

Rebecca
x

Hearts and Plans

2010-01-15T13:08:00.018Z

How is it Friday again already? Where has this week of being 'back to normal' disappeared to? It's been a strange kind of week really...one filled with odd jobs and catching up!

I've finished the felted hearts for the wool shop workshop at the end of the month.

I used a yarn called Wash+Filz-it!. It comes in gorgeous colours and it felts beautifully in the washing machine, giving a sumptuously thick end result.

I made two of the knitted red hearts into a little pin cushion and stitched the pretty, multi-coloured crocheted heart onto a small calico bag. I have had quite a few enquiries about the patterns so I am going to post them here and here for you. Both patterns are my own, so I hope you will be able to make sense of them - please do let me know if you cannot understand what on earth I'm talking about and I'll try to help! Of course, you could always book a place on the workshop at Knit & Stitch in Maltby (Tel: 01709 817944) on Saturday 30th January (1.30-3.30pm)! It would be lovely to meet you there!

This week I've thinking a lot about my little business, rebeccamaryjane's, and where it will be heading in 2010. I've started work on my own website, and there are couple of exciting things in the pipeline that could turn out to be very exciting! I've been thinking about new colours and designs...I've been thinking about organising some more workshops...oh, the possibilities...I have so much spinning around in my head! So, just sometimes, it is nice (and necessary) to take a break and sit down with a cuppa and a good book...

My selection from the library this week...'good books' don't have to be fiction do they? I quite fancy squeezing in knitting or crocheting myself a hat...I will find the time somewhere!

Back soon,

Rebecca
x

Warming up

2010-01-11T13:23:00.008Z

The temperature has risen slightly here overnight, leading to a slow thaw of the thick blanket of snow that has had us all snuggled indoors for the last few days. I much prefer the snow to this cold and slushy Monday morning! However, looking on the bright side, it has meant that everyone has been able to carry on as normal this morning - hubby has gone to work and both children are at school, which has meant that I have had the house to myself for the first time since before the Christmas holidays.

I've made up patterns for these crocheted and knitted hearts, which are felting in the washing machine as I type. These will be part of a heart themed workshop at the end of this month.

It's been very quiet this morning and I've missed having everyone here! But, there's only a little of yesterday's homemade roasted carrot soup leftover...just enough for lunch for one with some of the bread that's just come out of the oven! Yummy!

Time to warm up the soup!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Garden Visitors

2010-01-09T12:36:00.005Z

A fieldfare has been visiting the garden this morning and enjoying the soft pears on the bird table. He seems to prefer eating alone...here he is waiting for a clear run at the bird table, which has been very busy of late!

Back soon,

Rebecca
x

Back to normal...or so I thought!

2010-01-05T15:35:00.012Z

The decorations are down and the house looks so bare! This beautiful poinsettia is all the remains of the festivities.

I've never managed to keep a poinsettia alive from one Christmas to the next - how do you do it?

Back to school, back to work - everything would return to normal today after a very enjoyable festive break...or so I thought!

It started snowing at around 7am...and snowed...and snowed.....

I just love the way the snow has piled up on the garden table!

The bird table, looking more festive than Sunday's photo, and providing a much needed pitstop for these birds that scattered to the trees.

The children's school closed at around 11 o'clock and hubby made back home at about 12 o'clock, having spent 5 hours in the car!

We went for a walk in the snow this afternoon and everywhere looks so pretty, especially the trees.

The house might look bare, but things are looking very festive outside...and it's still snowing so I guess getting back to normal will have to wait!

Back soon,

Rebecca

2010-01-03T17:22:00.012Z

We've been having a rather lazy Sunday, making the most of the last day of the holidays, with breakfast at 11 o'clock - scrummy smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. This afternoon I ventured no further than the back garden to top up the bird table...

and then I had a little walk around. Despite bright sunshine, the temperature has hovered around 0 degrees all day...

leaving gorgeous frost patterns and icy droplets on the broccoli.

I love the rich, russet stems of the philadelphus against the green conifer and blue sky.

There are signs of life as the daffodils begin to push their way through the solid ground.

I was being followed as I wandered around...

and, just as I was about the take the 'Christmas card' photo of the robin on the holly, he popped through the trellis and onto next door's bird table!

Back in the warm, the mission to return the house to normal mode continues - all the boxes are down from the loft and piles of Christmassy things wait to be packed away for another year.

I've made a start on the ironing that had begun to take over a corner of the kitchen. As I ironed...and ironed...and ironed a little more, I was able to look out onto the garden and watch the birds visit the freshly stocked bird table and drink from and splash around in the bird baths that I had defrosted.

The ironing's not over yet...but Christmas is definitely over for another year in this house - hubby's just poured the last of the sherry and turkey curry bubbles away on the stove as I type!
Back soon,

Rebecca

Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T10:57:00.016Z

The festive season has passed so quickly! It was a fairly quiet one here, with visits from family and friends just before Christmas, and just one extra for Christmas dinner - our lovely neighbour B. We've all had a turn at being poorly over the holidays with a horrible throaty, virussy thing that's made each one of us feel utterly rotten so it was just as well that it was a quiet time!

Feeling under the weather made me stop...made me take time out to just sit, watch old films, enjoy time with my family...and I have to say it's been a real treat! I've been able to catch up on some reading, to browse through some magazines before they are months out of date, and managed to do some non-rebeccamaryjane's knitting! I made each of the children a pair of wrist warmers.

Today, I am starting to put the house back into normal mode...I've made a neat pile of all the cards we received and have taken a couple of decorations down in the kitchen...I shall do a little more tomorrow, after all there's still another couple of days before hubby returns to work and the children are back at school! So, for now, I can tell myself it's still the holidays...time for a cup of tea and a chunk of the delicious, homemade Christmas cake that was part of the delightful foodie Christmas present we received from our neighbours...mmm!

I tend not to make "resolutions" as such, but I have told myself that I am going to be more organised in 2010, part of which involves updating this blog more often - so watch this space to see how I get on! It also involves doing ironing on a more regular basis! I hope that the coming year is kind to us all and, above all, I hope that it is a year of good health and happiness.

Happy New Year!

Rebecca

Happy Day!

2009-12-15T11:29:00.006Z

It is my birthday today...and my wedding anniversary!

I am having a lovely day so far...I received this beautifully wrapped present from my daughter - I still do not know what's inside it! I am going to save it until later & just admire its wrapping for a little longer! I also received Michael Bublé's latest CD from my son, which I am so pleased with, especially as this is the first year that he has taken charge of his own birthday and Christmas shopping, using money that he has earned from his paper round, and without the intervention of his older and, of course, much wiser sister!!

On my wedding day, 19 years ago, the weather was not dissimilar to today's - damp, dark and cold! I was hoping that today would be drier and brighter as I have a stall at Auckley Christmas Street Market later today (4pm-9pm) - I shall try to remember to take some pictures of my stall this time!

Hubby has taken the day off work today and it's been a real treat to spend some time together, just the two of us, as weekends are usually so busy with us all going in different directions to rugby, craft fairs etc. We've been to the market this morning to buy some mackerel, which hubby will turn into a delightful anniversary supper for us both when I return cold and weary tonight! He's preparing baked potatoes for lunch as I type so not much of a "day-off" for him really, but lovely to have him around on our special day!

I had better check that I have everything packed for this afternoon...warm woollies, thick socks, gloves, scarf, flask...and, of course, lots and lots of rebeccamaryjane's goodies...Christmassy things, flower brooches, stocking fillers.......

Bye for now,

Rebecca
x

Festive Cheer

2009-12-08T12:57:00.007Z

I love this re-mixed version of Kay Starr's "I've got my love to keep me warm".

I love the dancing from "It's a Wonderful Life".

I think I was born in the wrong era!

Back to my long list of jobs....

Bye for now,

Rebecca

December traditions

2009-12-04T15:50:00.007Z

The month of December always seems to bring illness in this house - just when there is so little time to be poorly! I've been feeling under the weather this week so I've been taking things easy...well, when I say easy I mean sewing and knitting on the sofa in front of the tv and not rushing around as much as usual! I've managed to finish some new things for my Folksy shop, including some of these little snowman brooches...

and these Christmas pudding napkin rings.

I've also made a start on unwrapping all the Christmassy bits and pieces from the loft, which always cheers me up!

In 3 weeks' time it will be Christmas Day so let the preparations begin...and the illnesses go (and stay) away!

Bye for now,

Rebecca

A Visit to The Christmas Shop

2009-11-27T13:45:00.016Z

It's that time again...the time of year when the small village hall at Hooton Pagnell is transformed into the most wonderful Christmas Shop for just four days, thanks to a lady called Angela Durdy.

This morning I met up with Carol, one of the lovely ladies from my Learn to Crochet Workshop last week, who had not heard about the Christmas Shop before. First, we visited the yard...

where pieces of vintage garden furniture are displayed alongside beautifully planted pots and containers...primulas and hyacinths....

decorative garden pieces too, like this star...

...gorgeous cyclamen, wire baskets, trugs planted with hyacinths and, of course, Christmas trees!

To complete the festive scene, a pair of robins arrived to join us...the small speck on the ridge tiles between the tree tops is one of the robins!

Next, we crossed over the road to visit the indoors part of The Christmas Shop.

Although it was a lovely, bright morning, it was far too chilly to sit outside! The entrance looked so inviting with its gorgeous display of Christmas trees, holly and door wreaths...

Past this beautiful rose door wreath hanging on the big, open door...

and we're in!

Welcome to The Christmas Shop brimming with wonderful things to see, buy and inspire...like these delicate, crocheted bird decorations for the tree and a festive fireplace with vintage finds and goodies on the hearth...

...stitched hearts and stockings on the tree...

wintery, frosty, sparkly baubles and decorations...

alongside vintage pieces of pressed glass!

We sat down for a little while for a cup of coffee and a delicious homemade mince pie (the pastry was superb!) and then had another look around...vanilla candles alongside wreaths and garlands made with cinnamon sticks, chillies and orange slices...

and then, after a couple of purchases, it was time to go home! What a lovely morning and how lovely it was to meet up with Carol again.

The Christmas Shop at Hooton Pagnell is open for two more days if you are lucky enough to live nearby - Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th November, 10am-6pm.

Bye for now,

Rebecca

Christmassy Parcel

2009-11-24T10:06:00.006Z

Now that I know it has arrived safely, I thought I would share a photo of the goodies that were in the Christmasy parcel that I sent to Laura in New York, whose name was drawn out of the hat for my Facebook page giveaway.

I am so glad that Laura was pleased with it!

Bye for now,

Rebecca
x

Learn to Crochet Workshop

2009-11-22T15:07:00.010Z

I had such an enjoyable day yesterday in the company of five lovely ladies who attended the Learn to Crochet Day Workshop that I first blogged about back in September (where has all that time gone?).

What could be better on a dull and damp Saturday than to spend the day crocheting!

I took plenty of wool...

We had coffee, flapjack and choc chip cookies...learning to crochet is such thirsty work!

I am annoyed with myself that, having remembered to take the camera, I did not take any photos of the workshop in progress...I was far too busy! The leftover homemade choc chip cookies disappeared very quickly when I returned home last night - thanks to my hubby and a teenage son who is always on the look out for food!

I made roasted root vegetable soup with homemade bread (wholemeal, granary and tomato & herb) for lunch. I had some of the leftover soup for my lunch today...mmm, yummy!

I took a selection of English cheeses (Somerset Camembert, Stilton, Cheddar & Wensleydale) with apples, bananas and grapes. We all sat down together around a large table that had been beautifully set by my dear daughter, who did all the kitcheny things, which allowed me to spend the maximum amount of time teaching the lovely ladies how to crochet. She looked after us all very well indeed.

We had tea and cakes in the afternoon - chocolate sponge, fruit cake and lemon drizzle buns!

I am so pleased with how things went, especially as it was the first time that I have organised my own workshop day, and I was delighted with the feedback I received from the five lovely ladies that attended. One of those lovely ladies was Carol, who had found out about the workshop through my blog, and you can read her very kind comments about yesterday here. It was such a pleasure to meet Carol and the other ladies, who are all keen to hear about future workshops and sessions. My mind is spinning with all the exciting possibilities....so watch this space to find out what is next!

Bye for now,

Rebecca

It feels like Christmas...

2009-11-19T14:08:00.008Z

I've received the most amazing Christmassy present...from somebody that I hardly know! A lady from church has given me some vintage Christmas decorations...lots of vintage Christmas decorations! I am such a lucky girl!

Beautiful glass baubles, some decorated, some plain...mini Christmas crackers, a wooden reel of wire...
Father Christmas, bells...

...a cute little cottage...

...and these delicate glass and, what looks and feels like, mother of pearl decorations - a butterfly, watering can and chandelier!

It seems that nobody in the lady's family wanted these old decorations and she was concerned that, when something happens to her, they would just end up in a skip somewhere. She found out about my love of 'old things' and thought they would have a good home here. Oh yes, they most certainly will...I love them!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Sponge

2009-11-15T12:35:00.008Z

No, this is not a post about baking, but bath sponges!

My rugby-playing teenage son asked me to buy him a new sponge - understandably so, as his existing one was falling apart and a rather unattractive shade of brown, despite having been in the washing machine!

Once at the supermarket, I have a choice of small, round white sponge or small, round pale blue sponge - neither of which are going to last five minutes with the amount soil he brings home on his body after each of his many rugby sessions throughout the week! A couple of aisles along, I stumble upon these:

...ideal for the car, boat, caravan, home...and rugby playing son! 2 for 50p - bargain!

Has nobody thought of making a "man sponge"...something that comes in a shade of brown or black?

Oh, yes...and a self-cleaning bath, please!

Bye for now,

Rebecca

Edible Delights....or not?

2009-11-13T11:15:00.012Z

Last weekend, when I was staying at my parents' house, I tried Dragon Fruit for the first time. I have often admired its vibrant pink skin on the supermarket shelves and was expecting some kind of luscious pink flesh with tropical fruit flavours...

but the flesh inside is a pale greyish colour with black seeds...

and, as my niece said "it doesn't really taste of very much, does it?" Edible, but not delightful!

I came across this growing under one of the buddleias in the garden...

and it looks delicious, like it would be perfectly at home alongside a crisp rasher of bacon and a poached egg on toast for breakfast! Delightful, but is it edible?

On Wednesday it was time for my Felt, Fabric & Crochet Christmas Decorations Workshop and, as I always take homemade cakes with me, I decided that it was time for the first batch of mince pies...

...edible and delightful!

Bye for now,

Rebecca

Finding my feet on Facebook...slowly!

2009-11-01T15:57:00.011Z

As you may have noticed from the side bar, my little business, rebeccamaryjane's, is on Facebook! To promote my page a little, I am having a Christmassy-themed giveaway - why not take a look http://www.facebook.com/pages/rebeccamaryjanes/166961191015. Everyone who becomes a fan by 15th November will be entered into a draw to receive a small Christmassy parcel, which will include one of these:

Christmas Pudding Brooch

Well, I really must go now...more Christmas Puddings to finish and then I must return to the kitchen to add candles to the chocolate cake I've made for my lovely hubby, whose birthday it is today, and begin preparations for our small celebratory dinner tonight!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Spooky Afternoon

2009-10-29T08:48:00.010Z

I had spooky afternoon yesterday making Halloweeny things with a small group of arty, crafty children at one of my workshops. We did tile painting...

made coasters and scary things to hang in our windows out of old CDs...bottle top bugs...

...a stop watch and compass!!

And I really liked this football tile!!

Bye for now,

Rebecca

It's beginning to look...and smell...a lot like Christmas!

2009-10-26T10:47:00.008Z

Over the weekend I have been working on Christmassy things!

These crocheted Christmas pudding earrings will end up here. I am pleased with how they've turned out so shall be making some more to take to Christmas fairs and markets.

On Saturday the house was full of the spicy, vinegary aromas of this apple chutney bubbling away on the stove. By Christmas time, it'll be ready for a chunk of mature cheddar and a slice of home cooked ham...delicious!

And, yesterday, cinnamon and spice wafted from the kitchen as the mincemeat cooked in the oven - mmm, I love Christmassy smells...in fact, I love Christmas!

Back soon,

Rebecca

When will there be broccoli?

2009-10-23T16:13:00.011+01:00

Oh, my poor, neglected blog! Where has all the time gone - it's been over 2 weeks since my last post! Well, I am here now...for a few minutes, anyway!

I've been busy finishing off a large wholesale order, which included kilt pins and brooches like these:

Having had quite a good run of sales over the last few weeks, I am busy making more stock and trying to update my various online shops, including a new outlet here. November is going to be quite a busy month with various fairs & markets and, of course, my Learn to Crochet Workshop (see side bar for details - there are still some places left), not to mention thinking about Christmas on a personal level! But I do like to be busy, so I am not complaining!

The nights are drawing in, which I quite like...curtains closed to the world, lamps on...time to snuggle down on the sofa with a hot drink and some crochet or knitting! I love he colours of Autumn! I can see this miniature apple tree from the kitchen window and have watched its leaves change from green to gold to this vibrant russet shade that brightens some the dull days we have been having of late!
There is no doubt that it is easy to see the seasons progressing at a pace by looking at all the changes in the garden and around abouts. However, while some things are changing quickly, others are taking rather longer! Each day I go to the bottom of the garden to our small veg patch and search...and always return to the house asking myself the same question: when will there be broccoli? Despite massive leaves and careful nurturing (you might remember this), there is no sign of any broccoli! It's been in the ground for a year...how long does getting broccoli take? Are we nearly there yet?

Bye for now,

Rebecca
x

Pushing the right buttons

2009-10-06T13:27:00.015+01:00

I use lots of vintage buttons and, in my various tins, jars and boxes, there are lots that have special memories attached to them...memories of people, occasions, and outfits...and I could never part with those.

I made this knitted flower brooch a while ago as a special order for a lady's 60th birthday. Its centre is filled with special buttons that her daughter had secretly taken from the button box...one with memories of her father, one from her first nurse's uniform, one from a cardigan that the children had worn as babies. So many people that I meet at fairs and markets reminisce about button tins and boxes that they used to play with as children...and I'm lucky enough to still be playing with buttons making things like this Ladybird Flower Corsage:

"Is that a Ladybird ladybird?" I was asked. You can imagine my delight...someone had spotted it! My Ladybird Flower Corsage had pushed all the right buttons with this lady! It is a button from a Ladybird dressing gown from many years ago...and the lady remembered how she had had that dressing gown...and how she just had to have my Ladybird Flower Corsage! Powerful things, buttons!

What's in your button tin?

Back soon,

Rebecca
x

Busy making...

2009-09-29T14:32:00.013+01:00

...new friends, contacts and sales at the weekend at the Wool & Textiles Craft Fair in Sheffield which, combined with a large wholesale order, has meant that I've also been busy making more of these:

Meanwhile, bags of these gorgeous apples and plums are waiting for me in the kitchen so it looks like I shall be busy making jams, chutneys and mincemeat over the next few days too!

My husband returned home from work with a box full of these jars, which were given to him by a work colleague on the proviso that she receives one back full of something!! - I don't think that will be a problem, do you?

I've just been busy making way around the Big Apple...no, not New York...this beauty:

A scrumptious 12oz apple...yes, it really is a standard sized mug in the photo! Delicious and yet another example of fabulous home grown produce that would never make it to the supermarket shelves because of its size!

Well, I should really be busy making more lovely brooches and Christmassy things so I had better sign off for today.....

Back soon,

Rebecca

Joy

2009-09-17T09:44:00.018+01:00

My little bundle of joy....

is 16 years old today! 16 - how did that happen? It reminds me how much truth there is in the words of a poem that I used to keep on the fridge door when the children were small:

I hope that my children look back on today
And remember a mother who had time to play.
Children grow up while you're not looking;
There will be years and years for cleaning and cooking.
So hush now cobwebs, dust go to sleep,
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

Little did I realise 16 years ago what a wonderful daughter, friend, young woman she would become - I am very lucky indeed. Happy Birthday D! xxxxx

Jammy

2009-09-16T11:52:00.015+01:00

There was a distinct autumnal chill in the air yesterday morning, so I decided that the time had come to clear the rhubarb patch before the first frost takes us by surprise and ruins what is left.

Time to dig out one of my favourite books:

This year, instead of my usual rhubarb and vanilla or rhubarb and ginger jam, I thought I would try Mrs B's simple recipe:

I love the colour of rhubarb and the way it changes as it cooks!

While the rhubarb bubbles away...time to browse my much-loved, but very tatty, copy of Mrs B's Cookery Book that I picked up for a couple of pounds at The Needlemakers in Lewes a few years ago.

I love to read Mrs B's advice and I am often intrigued and amused by her recipes, such as this one: a Bengal recipe for making mango chetney [sic] .....with no mango!! It is made with sour apples and once blended and in its bottles, Mrs B recommends that you 'tie a piece of wet bladder over the mouths of the bottles' - lovely!

What I also love about my copy of Mrs B is that it has lots of newspaper cuttings and hand written notes and recipes glued into the back....

A recipe for nettle tea, notes on how to clean marble, and Mrs Edward's recipe for sandwich cake...

and how about a recipe for Semolina Snow or Flunnery!!

Based on a lick of the spoon, Mrs Beeton's rhubarb jam gets the thumbs up - deliciously jammy!!

Also very jammy - 7 balls of wool, 100% british wool, at 10p a ball at the charity shop on Tuesday! I'm sure I leave that shop with a huge smile on my face when I've been so lucky with my thrifty finds!

Before I go, I would just like to welcome my new followers and say a huge thank you to everyone who leaves comments for me here. I've not been very good at keeping up with everyone else's blogs over the last couple of weeks, but I've not forgotten you!!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Something New

2009-09-09T12:31:00.028+01:00

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, the start of the autumn term means time to catch up and move forward...and, maybe try something new!

I am really pleased with these brooches:

I cannot decide which colour to wear myself - perhaps I should have one of each! I hope you like them too!

Back soon,
Rebecca
x

Catching up & moving forward

2009-09-09T10:57:00.014+01:00

Those apples were delicious...their gorgeous pinkiness inside reminded me of the lovely hank of Araucania wool that I bought from Coldspring Mill in early summer...and that I had planned to use it to knit myself some hand warmers for this winter! This is quite a draughty house in winter and once my hands are cold, that's it...I can't knit, sew or crochet and they take forever to warm up again - hence the need for some new hand warmers, which do the job perfectly!! Although the weather is glorious today, I'd better get knitting!!

Now that the children have gone back to school, it is time for me to catch up on everything that slips by the wayside during the holidays - some household chores, lots to do with 'rebeccamaryjane's' and exciting new ventures, some of which I shall share here and now, some of which I shall save for another time when I know a little more!!

I have been teaching workshops at a local wool shop since the spring and have always loved the idea of running my own workshop. So here it is:

I am so excited about it !! I am pleased to have found such a lovely venue and to have the opportunity to combine two of my favourite things - crochet and cooking! I've had some enquiries already, which I'm pleased about as I've only really started promoting the workshop this week. I was quite surprised to discover that I would not be able to have a poster in my local library without paying £13 for 1 poster in 1 library, or £26 to have 1 poster in all the local library branches!! For the time being, I'm keeping with the offers of free poster display!! It's all a new, steep learning curve...but lots of fun! In case you're having trouble reading the poster picture, the Learn to Crochet workshop is on Saturday 21st November (10am-4pm) at The Old School, Barnby Dun, South Yorkshire - the cost is £45, which includes workshop materials, morning coffee, homemade lunch, and afternoon tea. If you'd like more details, please get in touch - rebeccamjm@hotmail.com

Time for a cup of coffee and then off to distribute some more posters!

Back soon,

Rebecca
x

Nowt as funny (or kind) as folk!

2009-09-03T07:59:00.016+01:00

Thursday again...the last week has just flown by!

Where has all the time gone...well, I've had a bit of a de-junk around here, which culminated in hubby and I attending a car boot sale on Sunday. It was a busy boot sale full of , what I call, "real booters", and bustling with people. We managed to shift quite a bit, but also brought quite a bit home, which now sits in various places awaiting its fate...charity shop, recycling, eBay...or back in the loft!! People are funny aren't they...I just love it when somebody asks how much you're charging for something that cost a fortune to buy new and is in immaculate condition...and, when you tell them you'd like £1 for it, they almost drop the item and step back from your stall in horror!!

Back to school for my two on Monday and, I have to say, it definitely feels like the start of the autumn term here this morning! Much, much cooler, dark, wet and windy...but autumn does have its good points....

gorgeous plums brought round to us by our lovely neighbour B, and, not long after B had left, I had a little person at my door thrusting a bag of these lovely apples at me! The little boy (W, aged 3) from next door was given an apple tree by one of his godparents when he was born - it's really small but produces lots and lots of crispy, tasty apples! W reported that they had picked all the apples because the blackbirds were starting to eat them! Such kind neighbours!

Time to get dressed...I toughed it out yesterday, but I think there will have to be socks involved in today's outfit!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Bags & Boxes

2009-08-27T11:18:00.013+01:00

My daughter has finished making a bag this week from chunky wool knitting that she has felted, blanket stitched, appliquéd and finished with stitched ribbon handles.

I was out for most of the day yesterday and, when I got home, found that she had made this cute little bird charm for it too!

She's really pleased with the end result, but says that none of her friends will like it because it does not come from a shop and they think that, because it is handmade, it is not as good as something bought!! Oh, what a shame!!

There was plenty of creativity going on at the arts and crafts workshop yesterday! With a recycling theme, I had decided on junk models for one of the activities - after all there are only so many cereal boxes, washing powder boxes, cardboard tubes, plastic milk bottle tops etc., that my cellar can accommodate and it was time for a good sort out down there! As many of the youngsters that attend these workshops have either learning or physical disabilities, I usually make some examples of whatever it is that we're doing so that they have something to work from. However, I thought I would just see what they could do when left to their own imaginations this time. The junk models seemed to be a real hit with the boys...rockets, robots, money boxes, treasure chest to mention but a few of the creations! Meanwhile, the girls were happily gluing brightly coloured tissue paper onto jars (more space in the cellar!) to create a stained glass effect, with a liberal application of glitter and sequins to complete the look!

Lots of paint and glue everywhere (thank heavens for aprons and old newspapers!), but lots and lots of fun for all, and smiley, happy faces! Thanks children for a lovely afternoon...and for clearing some of my cellar stash! But, of course, it will be looking like back stage at Blue Peter again very soon because I need more bits and pieces for next time!!

Time for lunch.

Back soon,

Rebecca

Meat, Two Veg & Tea

2009-08-25T16:16:00.007+01:00

Despite having left home over 20 years ago, I still have bits and pieces in my mum and dad's loft!! Slowly but surely everything is making its way here - mum asks if I'd like to look through a box when we visit, or brings things with her when she comes up to Yorkshire! Whilst having a sort out here yesterday, I came across a couple of those things...

my school cookery apron (that mum made for me!) and my school cookery book, which makes entertaining reading - I sound like a 1950s housewife throughout most of it, despite writing it in the 80s!

I had to write a little piece about a local food shop and I chose the local butchers, which, rather confusingly, was called 'Bakers'. Goodness, meat prices have certainly shot up - leg of lamb for £1.54 per pound anybody?

My neighbour (on the other side of us from the lovely B) brought round some lovely looking beetroot this morning, along with a not so perfect looking courgette! It certainly wouldn't make the supermarket shelves! But, I'm looking forward to it as part of roasted veg with some ham from the joint I roasted yesterday. Why do vegetables have to look a certain way? Is it us that want it that way, or are we being dictated to by supermarkets?

Mmm...a nice refreshing cup of tea ! I've gone back to using loose leaf tea - well, it happened out of necessity last week when we had run out of tea bags (disaster!!) and I've decided to stick with it because I think it tastes better! It doesn't really take too much longer to make a small pot and there's something slightly comforting about warming the pot and covering it with a lovely vintage embroidered tea cosy while the tea brews!

Back soon,

Rebecca

Red and Green

2009-08-22T17:15:00.027+01:00

Although I dislike seeing hot cross buns in January, back to school promotions in June, and Christmas decorations in September, I've been seeing red and green here this week as I have made a start on Christmassy things!!

A rustic, red rag heart...

A little green felt stocking...

made up and photographed ready for a November workshop! As I did not have a Christmas tree to hang them from, I thought that the holly bush in the garden was the next best, almost festive, thing! I have also been cutting out reindeers!! I don't like doing it in the summer, but last year I left it way too late so I am trying to be more organised this year!

Ripe red tomatoes...

Gorgeous green salad from the garden...

A little bit of seasonal red and green to remind me that summer is still here...and long may it continue!

Bye for now,

Rebecca

Twittering about at Home

2009-08-17T12:26:00.016+01:00

The plus side of not going away this weekend was that some things got done around the house!

Hubby made a start on the much needed painting of the outside of the house and managed to complete the sanding and undercoating. DIY is his least favourite pursuit of all, so I'm quite pleased that this job is now a work in progress! Of course, it probably means that it will rain every weekend so that it takes forever to finish the job, but at least it's a start!!

I finished a cushion for the sofa...I know, it has a button and a flower...sometimes I just can't help myself!!

I also listed a few more things in my Folksy and Etsy shops, and found time to explore Twitter! I have to say that I'm still a little unsure about the whole twittering thing...what should I tweet about? Obviously, I would like to use it to promote 'rebeccamaryjane's', but I don't want it to turn into a 'look what I made, buy it here' kind of thing. However, I do need to find a way to increase my sales and I'm finding that a lot of people have never even heard of Folksy and Etsy!! Any tips?

Poorly boy is feeling much better, thank you - indicated by the return of his favourtie words, "I'm hungry" and "What's for lunch?" So, I guess that my cue to go and butter some rolls...

Back soon,

Rebecca
x

Lemony Cheer

2009-08-15T19:50:00.009+01:00

I love the look of luscious lemons in a bowl...

and the taste of homemade, luscious lemon drizzle buns with a nice cup of tea!

We've all been feeling a little down in the dumps today as we should be have been in Norfolk this weekend to celebrate a friend's 40th birthday and my niece's 6th birthday, but we had to put off our visit due to my son not being well for the second time this holiday! Poor lad - terrible headache, raging temperature and generally feeling awful! My husband keeps asking if he's "craving truffles" in an attempt to make light of the possibility of it being swine flu! Needless to say, he's not impressed!

Thank heavens for lemons!

Rebecca

Books at 10p each...

2009-08-11T11:13:00.024+01:00

...well, I couldn't just leave them there, could I?
I love this one from 1975, which ties in nicely with my love of the Regency period and anything Jane Austenish!

Brigadier, Compagnie D'élite, French 2e Hussars 1808

Oooh, Officers....British Officer, 15th Light Dragoons (King's Hussars) 1813!

This one, from 1969, appealed to me because of its simple black and white/black and red/black and yellow pictures of folk costumes

This old Danish fisherwoman might be wearing her festival dress, but she certainly doesn't look too happy about it!

Meanwhile, it's good to know who's in charge around here...!

Bye for now,

Rebecca

Butterflies, crochet & scarecrows!

2009-08-10T08:51:00.003+01:00

What a lovely weekend it has been! The weather here was glorious, which meant that all those gardening jobs got done, washing dried nicely on the line and, best of all, we managed to have breakfast and lunch outside on both days!

The garden has been aflutter with butterflies (and not just Cabbage Whites, which have no doubt hatched from all the hungry caterpillars that have been eating my broccoli plants!).

As an alternative to one of the many buddleia flower spikes, this Peacock butterfly took a liking to a crochet flower on the shawl that was drying on the washing line!

My lovely neighbour, B, popped her head over the fence on Sunday morning to give us one of these:

A little something she had picked up during her visit to Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival on Saturday!

I managed to finish this cushion, which will go to the wool shop to promote the granny square workshop that I'm doing in September:

Here's the finished rag ruggy wall hanging piece, which will also go to the wool shop.

This is only a small (6" x 6") piece to demonstrate the technique but I'm really pleased with the finished result! I made it by prodding small strips of old t-shirt fabric into hessian, using a whittled down wooden peg, which is how I was taught to do it as a child growing up in Norfolk. It is so soft and plump- a bath mat made this way would be fabulous! It would be time consuming to make, but is a brilliant way of recycling old clothes and, with a bigger project, the design can be more detailed.

I also managed to complete one side of a circular crochet cushion cover for the living room, which I shall photograph when it's finished.

So, a good 'at home' kind of weekend was had...pottering about doing some of the things I love best...crocheting, gardening...oh, and a little bit of baking - blueberry muffin cake and lemon drizzle buns! Time for a cuppa I think.....

Back soon,

Rebecca

Home again

2009-08-08T11:10:00.016+01:00

We've just returned from a trip 'down South', where we enjoyed this:

One of many trips to Birling Gap, our favourite beach, with its amazing white chalk cliffs, pebbles, rocks, waves and, when we were there, glorious blue skies!

The Seven Sisters (the chalk cliffs in the distance) - you can find out a little bit more about them here .

We only had one afternoon of this:

...but we went prepared!

Lovely views of the South Downs, including this one from a little side street in Alfriston (home of Much Ado Books)

I wish my Post Office looked like this one!!

We caught up with family and friends that we don't get to see very often and it just felt so good to be by the sea. We had such a lovely time and were thoroughly spoilt - good weather, good company, good food and wine - who could ask for more!

Now we are home again...time to catch up with gardening, washing, ironing......and all the blog posts I've missed!

Hope you're enjoying a sunny weekend where you are.

Back soon,

Rebecca
x

Look what arrived with the weekend's paper...

2009-07-22T20:23:00.015+01:00

My lovely neighbour, B, always pops the weekend's Yorkshire Post through our letter box when she has finished with it so that we can take a look and then I can use it to cover tables when I'm running children's art and craft workshops. This morning it arrived with this lovely bundle - a large piece of pretty, floral cotton tana lawn fabric and some bright, flowery, silky remnants!

Quite often the paper arrives with little extras, and it's not unusual for me to come home to find that B has left goodies by the front door! It really is a treat! I have had some lovely fabrics, vouchers for schools, cat food, fresh fruit and veg...and if I'm collecting bits and pieces, like jars and plastic milk bottle tops to use at workshops, I only have to mention it to B and it is sorted!

Thank you, B, for being such a lovely neighbour...not to mention putting up with naughty cat no.1, who just pops next door whenever he feels like it to eat, sleep and make a nuisance of himself! Thankfully, B adores cats!

Back soon,

Rebecca x

Buttons and Flowers

2009-07-21T10:29:00.025+01:00

When I'm busy making and creating I do tend to make rather a mess and spread myself far and wide all over the house!! So this week, as we're taking it easy, I've started sorting out my work space - no room of one's own here, I'm afraid, just an area of the dining room!!

My son says that his bedroom and the bathroom are the only rooms without any of "mum's stuff" in them! The sewing machine and badge making machine are set up and ready for action on the kitchen table, there are knitting needles, crochet hooks and baskets of wool in the lounge (well, I can't have idle hands when my legs stop moving, can I?), boxes of stock and materials are stored in our bedroom, lots of bits and bobs are stored in the top cupboards in my daughter's bedroom (well, she wouldn't have been able to reach them when I started using them!), I keep all my materials for children's craft workshops in the cellar, and...I can't even begin to say what I might have stashed away in the loft over the years!! So, hang on...that means the hall and the upstairs landing are free from my "stuff" too!

I'd love to hear where you work at home? Messy or tidy?

When I was tidying my boxes and tins, I came across...

these pretty terracotta buttons (with flowers on!) that I bought from the V&A Museum shop on a trip to London with my daughter just before Christmas! These are"for me" buttons, not to be used on bits and pieces to sell! Now I just need to think how I shall use them. I've decided that, during the summer holidays, I am going to try to do a bit of making and creating for just for me and for my home, which is something that I hardly ever get around to doing, always being too busy preparing for workshops, fairs, and making for other people and my little online shops.

I am working on a small wall hanging piece (a flower) using rag rugging techniques, which will be used to promote a rag rugging workshop that I'm doing later in the year. I'd not done any rag rugging for a while and had forgotten how much fabric it uses - this small piece, which measures 6" x 6" has used almost two t-shirts!! I put it down by this month's Country Living magazine...the colours are perfect!

Today is wet and miserable...quite cool too!... but I took this yesterday...

The gorgeous white buddleia with its enormous flower spikes is attracting all kinds of insects and quite a few butterflies - unfortunately, they always seem to flutter off before I've managed to capture them on camera!
Buttons and flowers...see...I just can't get away from them! And that's just how I like it!

Bye for now,

Rebecca
x

It's official...

2009-07-20T11:14:00.020+01:00

it's the holidays! Although the soggy school uniforms were kicked off with joy on Friday afternoon, the first Monday of the holidays is when the holidays really begin here!! The weekend feels just like any other...then on Sunday evening that holiday feeling begins - no shirts to iron ready for the morning, no packed lunches to make, no last minute homework panics!! By the time Monday morning arrives, it's official - the holidays have begun!

A lovely 7 week break from ironing 15 of these each week!!

So this morning, we are quite at our leisure! We should have been going out to the dentist and then for a browse around Sheffield, but my son has come down with a sore throat and is feeling a little out of sorts so we thought we had better cancel the appointment. I shall be keeping a watchful eye on him as there have been a couple of cases of swine flu at his school! He's still in his dressing gown and has just gone back to bed with his book! My daughter and her friend are yet to emerge!! It is a lazy start to the holidays but they deserve it - they've worked really hard at school this year and we are so proud of them!

Here's my absolute favourite from the lovely old craft books I found at the charity shop last week - it's a Family Circle book from 1967 promising "Toys your children will adore...Exciting home ideas to copy...and Gay Accessories for you and the family"!

There are lots of these black and white "arty shots" - this one made me smile!

So did this one...especially as, when I first flicked through the book, I thought it said "Mr and Mrs Numpty Greenfinger"!!!

Well, time for a cup of coffee...back soon!

Rebecca
x

Memories

2009-07-15T23:22:00.027+01:00

My 'Peace' rose (a wonderful, thoughtful gift from hubby a few years ago following a bit of a tiff!) has come into flower this week and I managed to photograph it in between the very heavy downpours of rain we've been having. Its yellowy, pinky tones always remind me of the little fruit salad chewy sweets I used to buy from the village shop as a child!!

Isn't it funny how different things bring back our memories...smells, sights, sounds!! The smell of Guerlain's Samsara perfume always reminds me of being in labour...a midwife that came and went during the long and protracted time I had with my son was rather heavily doused in the stuff!! I also find that music stirs so many memories, which is one of the reasons I'm sad that Playlist.com is no longer available - it's so quiet in blogland too!!

Talking of memories, there's something about these:

Apparently, they are also available in a dark chocolate, blue and gold wrapped, version, but I've not seen those around here!!

Yesterday, I took a trip to my favourite charity shop...wow, a new manager...and boy is she making changes, although she assures me that she will not be increasing the prices!! Quite often, I breeze in... and then out again, just as quickly...but yesterday it was hard to drag myself away...lots of vintage craft books and balls of wool...!!!

I love these from "The Soft Toy Book" from the 70s!!!

The charity shop manager said her main aim was to clear out all the "stuff" from the upstairs storage room...keep on bringing it out into the shop I say, especially after yesterday's fabulous finds!! I'll share some more pictures in another post as this has turned into a longer one than I expected!!

Back soon,

Rebecca x

Nancy's Hankies

2009-07-10T12:52:00.024+01:00

I came across this little bag a couple of months ago and fell in love with it straight away...

I say 'little' - it's about 8" square! It's falling apart a bit at the seams and the embroidery is not the neatest I've ever seen but I love it! I love its little handmade button, the traces of blue embroidery transfer that can be seen between the flowers and that there can be no doubt of its purpose: "Nancy's Hankies". Inside there is a small, white embroidered name tape that confirms Nancy's surname - it is here that my imagination runs away with itself...did Nancy go to boarding school, I wonder? Were Nancy's hankies as pretty as the little bag in which she kept them? I could never part with it!

Well...I guess I need to head back to the kitchen now to tidy up a bit more, make a bit of lunch and then mop the floor!! Boring stuff...but it has to be done! Anyway, I have a nice day to look forward to tomorrow as I shall be teaching one of my workshops, where we shall be making some of these:

and having a natter over tea and cake! Oh, yes...I always take pretty tea cups, saucers and homemade cake!!

Have a lovely weekend!

Rebecca
x

Pretty Onion

2009-07-09T14:43:00.023+01:00

Of all the red onions we have growing in our garden this one...just this one...has been putting on a little display over the last couple of weeks:

I've been watching it .....nearly there....

until

we have a pretty little onion flower towering above all the other onions, whose tops have started to wither a little!

Fabulous! Onions - a pretty and practical addition to the garden!!

Bye for now,

Rebecca

Flowers everywhere...

2009-07-07T12:02:00.036+01:00

Here are some of the flower brooches, earrings and corsages I took to the village fete on Sunday.

This morning I've been busy taking flowery photos - some potted flower brooches, like this one, for my Folksy shop,

and these cheery little summer flower brooches too!

I'm all flowered out now...time for a cup of coffee!

Back soon,

Rebecca x

Blue skies...

2009-07-06T13:02:00.014+01:00

I was awake bright and early on Saturday morning with lists of things to do whizzing around in my head! It was such a gorgeous morning!

Glorious blue skies at 5.30am while everybody else was sleeping !!

So, I took full advantage - I hung out the washing and then sat on the garden bench to look, listen and enjoy for a while! Just me, the birds and naughty cat no.2 licking the heavy dew from the grass!

For a while, there were only patches of blue in the sky at the village fete on Sunday morning...

...from the stall covering and our umbrella! Here's my daughter, still smiling despite being very wet and regretting the decision to wear her canvas pumps! Yes, the sky darkened, the wind got up and the rain bucketed down, causing quite a few problems for stallholders!! Lots of us got soaked through trying to re-secure tarpaulins, keeping stock dry and removing the water that was pooling fast on the stall coverings above us! Fortunately, it only lasted about 30 minutes or so and the weather turned out really nice for the rest of the day!

Once the sun returned, so did the visitors and a good time was had by all!

Bye for now,

Rebecca x

It's so dark...

2009-07-03T10:52:00.026+01:00

Yes... summer could well be over here in Yorkshire! It's raining, about 10 degrees cooler than at this time yesterday and it's so dark that I need the light on to see my sewing this morning!!

Here's a little taster of some of things I've been making for the village fete I'm attending on Sunday:

A range of sewing accessories - with a bit of a patriotic theme!

Flower brooches...lots of them...all different!!

I had hoped to take some more photos today... hopefully, it will brighten up later!

For Sunday, I'm not asking much...just that it is DRY, please! Last year, the fete was ruined by heavy rain and the year before it was cancelled completely because of the floods.

Well...must go now to finish making, labelling, organising, as well as squeezing in a bit of baking (empty tins again!!) and general tidying before everyone comes home this afternoon!

Have a lovely weekend!

Rebecca
x

Rhubarb & Custard

2009-06-30T12:46:00.025+01:00

From this (in February)....

to this (in June).....

Yummy rhubarb crumble!!!

and custard...mmm...that's the idea!!

I came across this gorgeous ad on the back of a 1946 Women's Illustrated magazine - it's good to see that some good old British brands are still with us!!

Rebecca

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

2009-06-26T12:23:00.011+01:00

We have lots and lots of very, very hungry caterpillars!!

I wish they would go and find some cherry pie and salami and leave my once rain-bejewelled broccoli leaves alone!! Apologies, but Eric Carle's book was a firm favourite with my children and has left a lasting impression! I think that my daughter, who'll be 16 this year, would still list it amongst her favourite books, alongside The Tiger that came to Tea and Jill Murphy's stories about the Large family!! Oh, how we loved sharing those books!

On the opposite side of the garden...

the pretty, light-scented ballerina rose gives its best performance! Every year, despite our best soapy water efforts, it is absolutely riddled with greenfly but always flowers its little heart out! My parents gave the rose to my daughter around 11 years ago to celebrate the opening night of her very first ballet show - I always think what a lovely idea it was and such a perfect example of how to give flowers that last!!

Bye for now,

Rebecca

Wow! An award .....

2009-06-24T12:26:00.020+01:00

for me...really...I have received this 'One Lovely Blog Award' - thank you so much Helen, I am delighted to accept!! Helen has an Etsy shop called Cattoo, and you can find her here: http://www.justalittlepeek-justalittlepeek.blogspot.com/ - do take a look!

Mmmm...now, I need to choose 15 blogs that I think are lovely and deserve this award...where to begin? Here goes:

Dream Acres

Attic 24

Snapdragon's Garden

Tales from our cottage

Jane and the happy crow

I love all these blogs for lots of different reasons - please take a look and see what you think!

Right, I must stop looking at lovely blogs and get on with some preparation for the village fete I'm attending on 5th July - I still have stock to make, labelling and pricing to do....oooh, the list goes on... and it always take so much longer than I think it will!!

Back soon,

Rebecca x

Good Books

2009-06-16T13:55:00.014+01:00

I simply adore books and could quite happily spend hours in a book shop - a secondhand book shop that is, not somewhere like Waterstones! One of my favourite places is Much Ado Books in Alfriston, which is always on the "Must Visit" list when we travel south to visit my in-laws. Alfriston is gorgeous and the bookshop, well ... I could spend the day there! It has such a lovely atmosphere, places to sit, even bookcases in the garden where chickens roam around, oooh... and lavender shortbread, if you're lucky! There was an article in February's Country Living magazine about the shop and its lovely American owners - you can find out a bit more about it (and the shop!) here http://www.muchadobooks.com/.

Anyway, getting to the point of today's post - Good Books - or should I say Good Buy Books! I am so happy to have stumbled upon this 1949 edition of Dorothy Whipple's Because of the Lockwoods for less than the price of a paperback - just looking at it brings me so much joy (sad, I know!). I've nearly finished reading Winifred Watson's Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day and cannot wait to get started on this one!

I wonder if the lady that lived here in 1949 read Mrs Whipple's novels?

Rebecca x

Bread

2009-06-12T10:50:00.009+01:00

Since my breadmaker stopped working a little while ago, I have been buying bread because the thought of making bread by hand just seemed all too much bother. However, the other evening I decided to get down to it and it really didn't take long at all. There was something just so satisfying about it too - all that stress-busting kneading, not to mention the lovely smell as it rose in the kitchen and baked in the oven! Here's the resulting wholemeal loaf with butter at the ready...
After Wednesday evening's storm and heavy rainfall, I had to smile at the cover of the Country Living magazine that dropped through the letterbox this morning ... "The great BRITISH SUMMER" !!

Something lovely to look at while enjoying an egg mayo sandwich (with the remains of the homemade loaf!) in the garden! I spotted Naughty Cat No.1 catching some lunchtime sunshine too!

"Oh, that's spoilt my sunbathing!"

"It's so bright out here!"

Naughty Cat No.2 is not quite such a show off! In fact, she is very shy indeed and, usually, very difficult to photograph, but I caught her..... on the garden table!

Hope the weather holds for the weekend!

Rebecca

After the rain...

2009-06-11T11:02:00.020+01:00

We had thunderstorms and heavy rain here last night so this morning's sunshine is a very welcome sight! After hanging the washing on the line, I did my usual tour of the garden to see how things are coming along:

My poor, defenceless, little veg plants (mangetout, rocket and radishes) look a little flattened and sorry for themselves,

but I love the way the rain just sits, jewel-like, on the leaves of the broccoli plants - quite stunning, or I think so anyway!!

I am looking forward to these...

Purple basil seedlings have been joined by purple petals this morning!

and Mr Bee goes about his business so all's well!

Hope the sun is shining where you are!

Rebecca

Carpe Diem!

2009-06-03T12:15:00.018+01:00

Oh, how I love peonies ...

... and honeysuckle!

I am so glad I took every opportunity to work in the garden over the last few days! Today is much, much cooler and slightly grey so I am sewing indoors!

Rebecca

Time for a nice sit down ...

2009-05-13T11:02:00.008+01:00

I've been busy making these:

and these

... time for a nice sit down, a cup of tea and one of these

Back soon ......

Rebecca