Quick catch up & I'm off to Wentworth

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

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

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

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And the winner is...

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

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Last chance...

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
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Giveaway Goodies

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

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Pink & Purple

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

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Happy Easter

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter!

Back soon with more details of the giveaway goodies,

Rebecca

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