Apology!!!

When I said better late than never yesterday, I meant my posting NOT receiving my parcel

DD asked me to point this out as she felt my post was ambiguous, which I certainly never intended.

Good enough to eat swap

Better later than never, here are the photos of my fab package from sewjustinesew

I'm afraid to say that I didn't get a photo of anything wrapped, DD and I just tore into it. I was excited to receive a beautiful parcel, and DD had been sitting at home looking at it all day waiting for me to come back to give her the go-ahead.

Justine spent so much time hand-making such wonderful things for me. I will admit to wussing out of making anything for her as I had seen the quality of her things on her blog, and I know the quality of mine, so I took an easier option and picked up some fab hand-made items for her. I was absolutely delighted with what I found for her, and I hope she is too (and compared to what I would have produced...well.....enough said).

So in the piccie above there is a beautiful hand-made card, a fridge magnet, a little note book which is now living in my CK bag (where else??) and some lovely buttons covered in cupcake fabric. I think these need to go onto a brooch :-)

2 lollies and a pack of milk chocolate beanies, sadly now all gone, but they were very nice!

A lovely soap (I just love the embellishment - I would never have thought of that!), and some yummy hand cream. In the background you can see the cupcake paper my parcel was lovingly wrapped in. And everything is lying in and on the tissue paper and ribbons that each gift was wrapped in.

A hand crafted book mark which is already in use on my OU books, and a scrummy pin cushion.

"A coffee cozy for my favourite take-out!"

How fab is this????? I am off next week, so this will get a few trips out I am sure. Look at the fabrics and the work that has gone into this. I absolutely love it.

And, look at this pot holder and tea towel - far too nice to use!!

Justine, thank you so much. I am absolutely overwhelmed with the gifts you sent me. I feel like it is christmas in the middle of summer.

Thank you so much for your generosity and creativity x

Let me tell you how wonderful...

this lady is! sewjustinesew

Today I recceived the most fabulous parcel from her for the "Good Enough to Eat Swap".

What a gorgeous box to be sent - thank you so much.

I haven't got any time at the mo to do it justice, but I wanted to say a huge heartfelt thank you to a very generous person, and let you allknow how lucky you will be to ever have Justine as a swap partner.

photos and gushing descriptions will follow later this week x

Still here!!

Assignment has got to be in onThursday -so I am planning on Wednesday as the latest. I will celebrate the small milestone with a new bead for my bracelet and catching up with everyone's blogs, and maybe putting a worthwhile posting on here too.

Just as a quick question - did you see Ashes on Friday???? OMG, what a fab end of series..I am SO going to miss it though.



Justine - Parcel went out yesterday, I really hope it is with you in the morning (and that you like it) x

Colouring....

Look what I bought.....

These babies are fab and very very very strong.....

This was just opening the tops and after lots and lots of handwashing. They are still blue now, oh well guess it a hazard of the task!

I didn't realise they were so strong when I was making my icing......

They are a little more vibrant than I expected....scarily vibrant!! But they taste good, and next time I will be very sparing...at this rate these colours will out live me!

Anyway, after vibrant cupcake making and 5 hours of study, questioning my VirginMedia bill (do I really spend THAT much a year just to watch Maury!!), I am going to cook dinner, and then this....

Have a lovely evening x

Sometimes...

only this guy will do!

I may need more depending as to how our wonderful nation wakes up tomorrow............



off to clean the computer, macro can be good for so many things, but my keyboard, I think not!

x

Another day off work....

9.20am and so much done already!!

Dinner has been made

Quiche Lorraine - I haven't made one of these for years, and I even baked the case blind!!

The sun is trying to shine and Topsey can't decided whether to go out or stay in - so she is having a case of the "inny/outys"

Ideal situation for a cat who can't commit!!

I have hung my bunting from the Fair

I am really pleased with it, great quality, double sided and the colours are so rich.

On another note I had forgotten to post a photo of the bracelet DH bought me on Saturday

I have loved the Troll bead bracelets for ages, and was going to treat myself to one, but DH said he would buy it and bought me an extra charm too - the ball of yarn, very appropriate!

I love the colours, though DD was surprised I hadn't gone red, but that is the joy of these. You collect beads and charms and then interchange however your mood takes you.

The shop we bought them from keeps a list of the ones you have so you shouldn't get any duplicates, and after every 10 you buy you have a free one - the persn who served us put me down as having 5 as he included the bracelet and the clasp, so I am half way there already.

Can't believe how well this has photographed!

Anyway, must dash, more studying to do to stay on top of this course.

Have a good day x

Vintage and Handmade Fair

Didn't we have a lovely day, it was all I hoped for and more. The weather held off and was quite warm, and we had a beautiful meandering drive through the Cotswold countryside to get to Chipping Sodbury.

Was it worth the drive to get there?

Oh yes! Not just for the Fair but to see the countryside shining in the May sunshine.

The Fair was fab, so many lovely things and so many lovely people.

A few weeks ago I said to DH that I fancied a day full of loveliness, and yesterday I got my wish.

We arrived at 9.55am and joined the excited queue that had already gathered. The town bells chimed 10am, and the queue shuffled expectantly, and then the doors opened.

DH and I headed straight to the main hall as the entrance hall was already crowded. We walked around looking at the beautiful items displayed, and I spotted Niki's gorgeous stand and discussed the fab cushions with a keen customer who wasn't sure which one to buy. Both were beautiful and luckily it wasn't a choice I had to make as having 4 cats, cushions that beautiful aren't coming into my house. The work was so intricate and quite took my breath away. I imagine the lady I was talking to is sitting gazing at hers right now.

We wandered round and found these lovely people Henhouse and their beautiful stand. I treated DH to this

which he is very happy with, and I now fear I have started a collecting bug for these books.

And I also bought these

My photos really don't do the colours any justice. They are absolutely gorgeous and I couldn't resist them, and could easily have cleared all of her stock. We chatted about their recent holiday, though it is strange to know about people I have never met because I follow their blog.

DH treated himself to these

and a vintage school room poster of the building of the Wear Bridge in Sunderland.

These were from Country Cottage Chic.

We grabbed ourselves a cuppa and some very tasty cakes, and took stock, and walked around again, and again, and once again.

I also bought these lovely smellies pictured below from Slimbridge Soaps. The lady I spoke to was very knowledgeable and has created some wonderful products that smell gorgeous. Some soaps, bathbombs and lip glosses - the hyacinth bathbombs are mine!!!

I managed not to take any photos, but to be honest it was so busy the photos wouldn't have been very successful. All stands were about 4 deep at most times. Everyone was very friendly, and the atmosphere was electric. There was so much to see, and an awful lot of "do you remember that...", "I had one of those when I was little...", "goodness me, I haven't seen one of those for years...."

Will DH and I being going back on November 28th?

Most definitely...hopefully then I will spot some people whose blogs I read, as yesterday I didn't see anyone but having said that it was so busy, even if I had arranged to meet anyone I probably wouldn't have found them. And if I had been looking out for someone carrying a CK bag, well I guess that was all of us there. It was almost like a CK convention lol.

What really made my day. We popped into Poppies for a bite of lunch (the cafe across the road from the Townhall), and a couple of older ladies came in dressed in very spring-like pastel shaded macs. They placed their order and when I looked up again they were both sucking strawberry milkshakes through pink straws, with very satisfied expressions on their faces. On the way out I stopped for a quick chat, and apparently they had moved onto milshakes as they were all "tea'd out".

Other things: today I have baked

These spotty cupcakes papers were bought in a great cake decorating shop just up the road from the Fair, and the red food colouring was from there too. She had a great range so I will be ready to stock up on bits for my Christmas cakes when we go back in November.

Thanks to everyone who attended the Fair, your stock was fabulous and your talents amazing. I am so looking forward to seeing what you have for Christmas.

x