if i had a hama

The last few days of the school holidays have been spent getting up late, snuggling, drinking hot chocolate, a trip to the cinema and lots of fun making and doing. 

Having now taken down the Christmas decorations, Flora and I decided to make some pretty dangly things from the bumper tub of Hama beads that Father Christmas had brought her. Partly inspired by Lou's lovely Hama window decorations, and partly inspired by Tiff's tremendous Happy Hangers of Joyfulness, we made some cheerful little mobiles to brighten up this dull, dismal January.

I started off by making this little woodland-style mobile to hang in the girls' window. I'm hoping it will shine chirpiness into their room, even when it's wet and windy outside, as it is today.

Meanwhile, Flora set about creating hers, which features a random assortment of brightly coloured bits and bobs to hang over her bed.

I especially like this  cute little face (me apparently!) because she patiently sat designing and making it entirely independently.

I found myself feeling a little envious of the sunny little dangly things and promptly decided to create a few of my own in the shape of some of my favourite things- can you tell what they're meant to be?

This one is my personal favourite....

OK, so you know you must be ready to go back to work when you start making Pyrex dishes out of children's craft materials!

What are you doing to keep the January blues away?

car booty

I woke up with a tingling feeling in my fingers in my toes this morning- I just knew we were going to be in for some luck at a little village bootsale we were heading off to. And my thrifting instincts did not let me down- just look what we picked up! 

An Agfa camera & a Super 8 for £2 each...

Two bright yellow camping mugs for 20p the pair...

A Stylophone for £3 (Steve's wanted one of these forever)...

and he also picked up a mountain of records at 50p each...

 

I picked up two house leeks at 80p each- I've been meaning to get some for ages to pop in these vintage sugar bowls...

 

and I also came away with this jolly vintage vanity case for £1...

Even with the inevitable bags of plastic tat and stuffed animals the girls picked up along the way (including a rather noisy rollerskating Dalmation)- we all came away very happy with change for a £20 note- hurrah! I'm off to admire all your car booty treasure now, before I tuck into Sunday lunch! x

saturday morning

This morning I caught a half-dressed Flora reading the back of the record we were listening to. I love the fact that she will read ordinary things around the house now, not just her school books.

Thank you for all your kind comments about my fancy dress costumes, I did have a lot of fun making them. I really enjoyed working with felt- so colourful and easy to use, so I'm looking for inspiration for a few other cute felt-based makes. Watch this space.

Happy weekend x

apusskiduski

Another sunny Sunday morning of car-booting, and while I didn't pick anything up for myself, Flora chose some wonderful Ladybird books, which I will enjoy reading with her.

Steve picked up quite a few records- I especially liked these BBC birdsong LPs which I might end up claiming as my own...


We then went to a garden centre with my dad, who recently had his fish pond pilfered by a neighbourhood cat, so the girls helped him choose some replacements.

They then set them free from their tiny polythene bag into the big wide-world of his pond...

ready to make it their comfy new watery home.


Let's hope these ones look less appetising to felines!

My dad also made the girls a makeshift swing in his garden to keep them occupied, which proved very popular, despite the scrapes and bruises which were incurred during it's trial.

When we got home I planted out my Moneymaker tomatoes in this ingenious grow-bag hider, who'd have thought there was a garish plastic grow-bag underneath?


I'm now off to finish off some bits of knitting I owe to a few friends' new babies and I plan to slump on the sofa having a nosey through this free magazine I picked up at the garden centre.

Rock 'n' roll!!

shake your booty

Spring is the season for car boot sales and we all got lucky when we ventured out early to a local one this morning. Pearl came away with a talking Iggle Piggle (which already needs a wash after being flung in a puddle), Flora chose some usual lumps of plastic tat and a whoopee cushion, Steve got some records and I claimed booty victory with a real wool crocheted granny blanket for only three pounds! Quite what would posses anybody to sell such finery is a mystery!

Back home I 'potted on' some courgette plants and then, while Pearl took a nap, Flora and I entertained ourselves by making pets from Hama beads. The afternoon was spent sunning ourselves in the garden and indulging in our second barbecue of the month, washing down marinated chicken and Mediterranean veg kebabs with Somerset cider. It's been so warm and I'm hopeful we may be able to enjoy another al fresco scrabble-athon this evening, may as well make the most of the nice weather while it lasts. Flora will be back to school in the morning, after the Easter holiday and her brand new summer uniform dress is hanging over the back of her chair, ironed and ready for the new Summer term ahead.

isn't it a lovely day. my patio's on fire.

It's been a truly wonderful warm and sunny Saturday and my shoulders are looking unexpectedly pinkish, having spent nearly the entire day outside. Ever since I woke up this morning, I've been playing summery albums that take me back to the sunny festivals of my misspent youth.

We had the in-laws round for the first barbeque of the year and my diet went completely out of the window (but it was worth it!). The girls enjoyed spending so much time in the garden and helped me plant up some strawberry plants and a few lettuce seedlings.

This evening was warm enough to stay out until late and I got our little chiminea going to add some extra warmth. Steve beat me at Scrabble (only just, though) and we drank wine and ate Ben & Jerry's from the tub. Heaven.

I also just got chatting to our neighbours in a slightly intoxicated state and found out some very exciting information... more will be revealed tomorrow when I have had time to investigate...