Lucky me!

It was a beautiful sunny day in Derbyshire yesterday and my day just got better when the postman knocked at my door with my heart swap goodies from Molly Cupcakes who also organised the heart swap. Just look at all this Miss Cupcakes has spoilt me rotten with not 6 but 13 beautifully wrapped parcels well I could barely contain my excitement!!!!

There was lots of oohing and awing going on believe me whilst opening this lot! Here's what I got a handmade pincushion you can't see in the photo it has the teenyest tiniest cutest buttons pinned loose on that you ever did see! I love the heart tumbler can't wait to start using that! A vintage cotton reel with heart ribbon and card with a lovely message inside from Catherine.
Look at this lot, by this time I was really excited everything is just so pretty can't wait to start putting things here and there around the house..... Above is a handmade picture with painted frame. A Mollycupcakes wooden spoon which I LOVE! It had the recipe for the heart dessert wrapped around it and a lovely heart card which I will be keeping for one self far too nice to giveaway me thinks!

And there's more!!!!! I was dancing a little jig at this point! A painted polka dot heart photo frame, a painted peg for notes will be very handy that! Heart stickers and heart cinnamon flavoured biscuits baked by Catherine decorated with hundred and thousands which taste yummy!

No that's not it! Look at these all handmade, a hanging heart, a heart brooch and two wooden heart gift tags is there no end to this girls talents?!!

Everything is sooooooo gorgeous it's like you know me just the sort of thing I love THANK YOU SO MUCH Catherine I really appreciate all the love and effort you put into making my swap and everything will be treasured and much loved. I really hope you liked mine!

And also thank you for organising this heart swap I think you've done a superb job of it all and I've really enjoyed taking part this being the first swap I've done! Looking forward to seeing everyone elses swaps!

7 things I love and an award

I 've been given this award from 4 different blogs this week:-

Catherine at Molly Cupcakes

Happy at Happy Loves Rosie

Jackie at Button Tree Crafts

Gem at Deravelled

Thank you ladies it's nice to know that you enjoy my blog and think I deserve an award there are so many fabulous blogs out there and sometimes I think I am a bit critical of mine. I'd love to have more time to blog much more regularly but being given a award now and again reminds me that I'm doing ok and it's alright to blog only when I have time and have something to say. I blog for me and hopefully it will be something that my children will enjoy reading when their older and it's a huge bonus and compliment that anyone else enjoys it.

The rules of the award are to link the people who gave you the award and then you have to name 7 things you love then pass the award on to 7 other blogs that you love to read.

So here are 7 things that I love in no particular order!

1. My beautiful children Emily and Elliott



2.My Home

3. My husband Steven

4. Spring

5. My Mum and Dad

6. Staying in beautiful cottages

7. Greengate

And the list could go on and on forever there are countless things that I love in my life!

Now for 7 blogs that I love to read there are also countless blogs out there that I love to read I could go on and on with that one too so if your not in my list it doesn't mean I don't love your blog!

In no particular order!

Lesley at Notes From My Days

Surfer Rosa

Lou at Ludabelle

Lissy Lou at LissyLou and the two little boys

Dev at The Fairy Glade

Mel at Country In The Town

Beki Marie The Ramblings Of An Every Day Mummy

Have a great Sunday everyone!

My new little job, Mothers Day and a Heart Swap.

Been feeling so busy lately as if life is running ahead of me do you ever feel like that? Looking forward to the Easter break so that we can slow down a bit, no playgroups, no nursery just me and my two at home doing as we please sigh bliss.

As if I wasn't busy enough at the moment I've gone and volunteered my self to organise the craft activity each week, at the playgroup I take Elliot to on a Tuesday.

Here are my first two efforts Mothers Day cards - Elliot made the one above and Spring bunting below.

This involved cutting 120 diamond shapes and punching out I don't know how many various coloured flower shapes. All this organising is very time consuming and takes place on a Monday night down my little house. I am quite enjoying my new responsibility though after all the effort it's so nice to see the looks on their proud little faces when they toddle back to their mums with their latest creation. Also Emilys loving the fact that I have suddenly got all this craft stuff around the house and ready to make projects on command after shes finished pre - school.

I had a lovely day on Mothers Day it was spent with Stevens mum and my very pregnant sister law who laid on some lovely food for us all. I didn't see my mum as she is away on a cruise hopefully having a wonderful time we all miss you and I want to thank you on here for everything you do for us all love you mum!

Look at my gorgeous Mother's day card below it is actually the card I had last year from Emily. Elliot sent me the same card in a different design last year too. Theyve been sat in a drawer all year I think their so beautiful that I wanted to do something special with them so I've decided that instead of buying me a card each year they can give me these same two cards every year so that I can treasure their handwriting as it changes each year and enjoy their little messages. Who knows maybe they will be sending me the same card in 20 years time!

I also got the present I wanted this Emma Bridgewater heart mug. I did give a little bit of assistence there in the choosing of my gift !

Yesterday I posted off this parcel to MollyCupcakes for the heart swap organised by MollyCupcakes! I've really enjoyed putting this parcel together it's the first swap I've done I just love anything with hearts on so this was a good one for me to do.

Hope she likes the contents and hope the postman doesn't take to long delivering it.

Thanks for all your nice comments on our new path we did get it finished. Tommorrow we are hoping for sunshine so that we can make a start on the back of the garden and the water feature oo exciting stuff eh theres no pics as theres nothing very exciting to show but when weve done some more I will put some pics on.

Lovely Pretty Things

A pink parcel landed on my doormat last week. What's this I thought it can only be something from one of you wonderful ladies in blog land. As it happened it was addressed to Emily, straight away I realised what it must be. I impatiently wait for 2 hrs and stop myself from having a peek inside and save it for Emily to open after pre school. She is just as excited as me to open her parcel and she ripped open the pink bag and tissue paper to find this............

a gorgeous mini quilt that I won in Sara's giveaway! I love Sara's work she makes all sorts of lovely things which you can find here at her blog All About Eden just look at the beautiful detail on her name and the pretty fabrics! Thank you Sara Emily love's it and so do I it has been all over the place in Emily's bedroom looking for the right spot to display it and we've settled for the wall above her bed.

These are my beautiful roses that Steven surprised my with on Valentines day I really wasn't expecting anything so they meant even more.


On Monday our back garden was awash with sunshine it felt wonderful it was warm enough for the kid's to play outside in the garden with no coat's and me and Steven sat and had our lunch outside, it felt good, really good, it gave us a taste of what's to come roll on Spring can't wait Just look at our first snowdrops so dainty and pretty. Keep catching a glimpse of them just outside the window don't you just love snowdrops?!


I've finally got my copy of this months Country Living I always see it first on blogs at those of who subscribe and think 'ooh that front cover does look good' and then I have to impatiently wait for my copy to appear on the shop shelf I really should get it on subscription as I have it every month anyway. I'm lovin this months copy mostly because of the article about having a home studio if you follow my blog you'll know that I've just completed mine down the garden and love the glimpse into Caroline Zoobs work space article.

Sorry the above photo is blurred the pink mug warmer is from another very talented lady at Pink- Petal-Designs I think she still sells them in her shop if you fancy one. I love mine it's only takes about 20 seconds to get from the house back door down to my garden studio but when it's freezing outside having my hands wrapped around my mug warmer with a mug of hot chocolate makes it much less of a bind!

The chocolate chip cookies I made this are from a recipe at the ever fabulous blog Attic 24 thanks you Lucy you said my family would thank you wholeheartedly for them and we do they are delicious and were very popular in our household made mine with some white chocolate chunks I had in. Tempted? Their seriously good! You can find the recipe here.

It is coming up to my blog being 1 yrs old in March so do pop back as I will be putting some goodies together and having a giveaway.

January planning and shopping

We are 17 days into 2009 and I do believe I am a little late in wishing everyone who visits my blog a Happy New Year, I really appreciate every comment that is left on here they so brighten up my days so to everyone who has visited my blog I wish you all the most wonderful 2009!

I do like the start of the year, all those empty boxes on the calender waiting ready to be filled with what you choose. I like to take time in January to plan what I want to get out of the year and what a would like to achieve. It's all buzzing around in my head at the moment but I am planning to make lists and write it all down in my dream book there's all sorts I want to do this year including a lot of sewing. I intend to be a slimmer me in 2009 as the weight really has crept on in 2008, the diet hasn't started yet but it will do soon I like to plan what I'm going to cook prepare and myself and get in the right frame of mind first!

I've also felt an enormous urge to de clutter our house this month. So every cupboard, box, drawer in the house is being tidied things we no longer need being recycled. We seem to of accumulated I huge amount of stuff for 2 adults and 2 little people, it's giving me great satisfaction this organising. I do believe that in a small house it is good to have a place for everything and to keep possessions to a minimal so I'm being ruthless and getting rid of quite a bit of stuff that never sees the light of day that we have no use for.

I have also been shopping when I'm in the old part of town I always have to pop in my favourite shop. Now usually I visit this shop just to browse not really to spend anything I just love to eye up all their wonderful stock and sometimes buy a card or something small. I wonder upstairs as it's upstairs where I especially love their lovely displays of Emma Bridgewater, Suzie Watson and Greengate. But on this particular visit their large display of Greengate is all half price or more as they are not stocking it anymore. Oh wow I LOVE GREENGATE I'm excited and would love to make lots and lots of purchases but it's January and I have little money after Christmas but I can't resist these tins for only £2.50 each yes just £2.50 and this lovely cushion. I am sad that their not going to have it anymore such a shame the shop assistant said it was due to it being hard to get being a Danish company.

My lovely mum and dad gave me my birthday money early, my birthday is not until May!!!!!! So I went back to buy myself a Greengate jug, candlestick, salt and pepper set, tube of pretty pencils and mug which is all wrapped up in tissue paper at my mums waiting for my birthday in May!!!!!!! Oooh I can hardly wait!

After my little splurge I had no intention of spending anymore money this month but when I came across this bedspread in Dunelm I had to have it. I've been looking for the perfect bedspread or eiderdown for our bed for quite a while.

I wanted something that would go well with these pictures above my bed and this faded red and cream toil bedspread fits the bill perfectly at £30 I think it's really good value it's king size and has ticking on the back I have seen a similar one before and been tempted but it was £80.

I'm really pleased with it and it's french style goes really well with our french style furniture. It's making me want to paint those awful peach walls a grey/blue and looking at our pine bed I think that is going to have a makeover and be painted cream to blend in with our other furniture another couple of jobs to add to my dream book! Our bedside tables are not usually that bare I've just nicked the lamps for the side table downstairs!

As I type the wind is howling around our house and the rain pelting against our windows they have given 80 mile an hour winds out tonight I'm a bit worried about the dead tree across the lane lets hope it's still there in the morning!!

Bags of style

Look what arrived for me today a new bag I'd been eyeing this bag up for a while from here http://jojomamambebe.co.uk/

Isn't it lovely I think it's very Cath Kidston I just love the red with white polka dot's. I love red it's such a happy, vibrant. bold make a statement colour. Although my favourite colour is blue I think red is a close second. Anyway back to the bag it was a very reasonable £5 with free postage it's huge and has a zip. I'm going to use it as a laundry bag as my old pop up net thingy ma jig is broken. Or you could use it for storage or for your supermarket shopping. Just thought I'd share some bag love with you.

My other new love is this

Yes I've fallen head over heels in love with http://joulesclothing.com/ clothing. For ages their little catalogue kept arriving on my doormat and I would flick through it admiring their gorgeous clothes and put it to one side I never spend a lot on clothes if I spend it's always something for the house.

Whilst on holiday in St Ives I came across a boutique selling Joules clothes well I had to try some on and temptation got the better of me and I brought this dress for a just £30 I was surprised at the price thought it was quite reasonable.

Isn't it pretty I just love those seaside stripes and it's so flattering on. It's the same dress on the front of their catalogue I'd love the yellow cardie but I already have got a pink cardie that looks nice with it.

Back from hols I had a big sort out of my wardrobe and realised that I don't actually like any of my clothes. I don't know about you but I'm actually rubbish at clothes shopping I'm always on the lookout for pretty little tops but can never find what I'm after so end up buying something that is totally not me. Usually it's is from the supermarket as this is the easy convenient place to shop for clothes with the little ones. It's usually something that's in one season out the next, throw away fashion! That's exactly what I've done with some of my clothes they have either gone off to the charity shop or gone on EBay to raise fund's for more Joules clothes!

I since purchased another three tops from the little catalogue and it's left me wanting more I just feel so much better wearing these clothes I have a smile on my face deciding which to wear instead of just grabbing some t-shirt. I just love their attention to detail little different coloured buttons, some embroidery here a bow there. Pretty tea dresses and lot's of 50's inspired clothes I love that style and their descriptions in the catalogue. For my Jo Jo dress ' you'll look perfect in this dress as you don the bunting out around the village green'! I know I won't be exactly doing that more like pegging the washing out on the line with Elliott tugging at my dress! But it's the lifestyle concept that they paint that's so appealing! Even the labels are nice!

Yes I am smitten I've never been interested in clothes shopping much I don't know what's come over me but I think it's worth spending a little bit extra on something that is going to last a lot longer in the long run and they have a 50% sale on at the moment if your tempted! Go on go look I know you want too!

Sarahx

Driving lessons, days out and antiques in the park

Finally I've got round to updating my blog. It's been on my mind- must do a post but time's been passing me by. Lots of things have been happening here since I last posted, amongst them the most positive thing that's happened is I'm now officially a learner driver and I've had 3 driving lessons to date! I've been putting it off for ages and it feels really good to have started and get over that initial fear. I'm determined to see this through to the end now. I did have a few lessons when I was 18 but that was 16 years ago so it's like starting from scratch. It really will change my life for the better being able to take the kids out wherever whenever instead of being stuck at home. I'll be able to go somewhere different instead of our usual walk to the village round the same old shops and back and this is a BIG incentive. I'll be able to zoom off to those car boots at the crack of dawn without feeling guilty for dragging Steven out of bed on his only proper day off!!

Other things that have happened are playgroup outings as we approach the summer hols, the playgroups all have a little outing before they break up for 6 weeks. Oh no what are we going to do with ourselves for six weeks? I like the usual routine of our get togethers I like to keep busy I'm going to have to find some other activities for us. We've just started swimming with them so that's a start. So far we've had a trip to the Monkey Forest this is the only place in Britain where you can walk amongst 140 barbary macaques roaming free in 70 acres of beautiful forest.

It was quite worrying at first to have a bunch of overly excited 3 yr olds to have monkeys come right up to them but luckily the monkeys were very laid back and not at all bothered by our presence and the whole place is overlooked by keepers to make sure there's no monkey business going on!

The second trip was to Happy Hens. We've been there a few times and Emily and Elliott love it there. It's a child friendly farm- they had a tractor trailer ride and fed the animals. This week I'm meeting with another group for a picnic in the park weather permitting!

On the thrifting front I spent a lovely morning at Kedleston Hall Antiques in the park this is a large antiques fair held in the grounds of the hall. I could have filled a car full with all the things I wanted but lots of things were quite expensive. I just got a few things including a wooden trug for the garden, some vintage wooden cotton reels with pretty labels. This £3 tray, I really like the decorative handles.

It's now been painted in Farrow and Ball Parma Grey. The tea towel was £3.50 in the Cath Kidston sale.

Some blue and white china, I love it's almost faded pattern the dish was £4 and the little jug a pricey £8 but I thought it was worth it as it's so pretty.

Two deckchairs one £5 from the fair and one £2 off ebay the following week, modelled by Emily and Elliott! I ordered some lovely deckchair canvas from Ian Mankin and set to work on painting them.

Mmm notice a bit of a blue theme going on with my purchases can you tell it's my fav colour! I've not quite got used to the deckchairs yet I keep gingerly sitting down thinking they're going to collapse on me, but they seem to be very sturdy I'm sure I'll get used to them if I ever get the chance to sit outside for more than five minutes without it raining!!

I've also been busy painting shelves for my kitchen but they're not quite finished yet. Not a lot of sewing going on in fact zero but I have lots of plans of things I want to make for an etsy shop so hopefully I'll be making a start on them soon when I put down my paintbrush! Bye for now,

Sarahx

I've been tagged.......

It was nice to find out I've been tagged twice this week first be Anne at Fabric and Bags and secondly by Vannessa at Just Original thankyou ladies! Ok let's give it a go:

The rules are:-

I have to answer 6 questions about myself. At the end of the post I then get to tag 6 other people and post their names, then go to their blogs and leave them a comment, letting them know they've been tagged and asking them to read my blog. Then let the person know who tagged me know I've posted my answers.

1) What was I doing ten years ago?

I was 23 and had been seeing Steven for 5 years. I was working away from home as a dancer believe it or not in a show which was touring all over the country doing theatres,hotels,weddings,business conferences etc..we covered everything from the musicals to what was in the charts!

2)What are 5 things in your to do list today?

Today I have a child free day so will be doing-

-cleaning the house which looks like a bombsite and restoring some calm and order!

-potting up some plants in the garden

- having a coffee break and reading some of my Country Living Magazine

-Buying some fabric off ebay with knights and princesses on which I'm going to make cushions out of for the twosomes castle themed room!

- make pasta for tea

3)Snacks I enjoy

I love chocolate Im into twix's and Dairy Milk bars the bigger the better at the moment

Marmite and butter on toast

Dorset cereal with natural yogurt and honey drizzled on top really nice you should try it!

4)Things I would do if I was a billionaire

Pay off the mortgage and extend this house adding a big kitchen with a aga and an extra bedroom and keep it for Emily or Elliott.

Buy a house for the other one and make sure they both had a comfortable future and good schooling.

Buy a beautiful old house with views in the countryside and one by the sea probably in Cornwall and have lot's of fun decorating them spending huge amounts of money at Cath kidston, green gate and Kate forman!

Give some money to friends and family making sure they were comfortable.

Give some money to a charity.

We'd own our own gift shop/cafe selling beautiful country inspired handmade items from our blogging friends including me!

Buy a VW Campervan and Steven would no doubt buy a couple of top of the range cars

5)Places I have lived

I grew up in Ambergate a small villiage in Derbyshire I've also lived in London and the Isle Of Wight and but mostly Derby.

6) Six peeps I want to know more about:-

Suzie Sews

My life and other beads

Periwinkle

Katherines Dream

Sarah's House

Lucykate Crafts

Sorry bloggers doing that dodgy gap thing to me again how annoying!! I'm off to clean the house now BORRING oh well have a good Saturday everyone.

Sarahx

Birthday treats!

I wanted to post this much earlier in the week but I've been to busy doing mummy jobs, Emily has chicken pox and the itchiness has been driving her mad at night and she has hardly slept I was up with her watching Mickey Mouse's clubhouse downstairs at 3.00am last night and having to cover her in calamine lotion to ease the itching bless her. Oh the joys of being a mother! I didn't think it would effect her to badly as it's supposed to be kinder to younger children but she's been in a pretty bad way with it. It will be Elliotts turn next I'm sure!


This week I've won another giveaway I could quite get used to this! It was a very pleasant surprise. This time I've won this lovely eco bag the one in the middle with the heart on from Sian at Diary Of A Tinyholder thank you Sian I love it it's very pretty. It will be used on a regular basis as you can see I have a little collection of bags hanging up opposite the front door they all have their uses. My fav Cath Kidston bag, a CK eco bag and a nice plain jute bag behind. It will be very useful to have two eco bags as I find that one is often not enough and then I end up using a carrier bag anyway which spoils the point.
For my birthday outing last week I went to this place http://www.thebottlekiln.co.uk/ It's my fav place to shop around here it has a gorgeous home accessories shop that sells Greengate, Emma Bridgewater,Susie Watson and lots more. It also has a really nice cafe and a beautiful Japanese tea garden which Emily and Elliott ran round with mum and dad while I spent! To our horror we didn't notice the sign till 30 mins later that said 'no children, please help to keep this garden peaceful' whoops! Their must of been some harsh looks and tutting from the people sitting there drinking their tea!
Here's what I spent my birthday money on from my Steven's brother and my sister in law. A Susie Watson jug, a pretty button heart and a East of India hanging sign. Thank you if your reading this!!x I also treated myself to these bit's and pieces for my bathroom shelf's.

For my main present from Steven and my mum and dad I'm having some cushion covers commissioned fromhttp://www.stores.ebay.co.uk/theenglishhome . We've recently won a second hand white corner sofa off ebay and my old cushions just didn't look right. I know I could probably make them myself but I need seven of them and they would take me forever to make with the lack of time I have at the moment I can only manage small projects. Anyway I'm very impatient and want the instant look it's my birthday treat!!

I went to visit Abby to choose the materials. I was overwhelmed with the choice of fabrics, her studio shelf's were stacked from floor to ceiling in the most gorgeous 'Kate Forman', 'Cabbages and Roses' and another company I had not heard of 'Ernest and Matilda' (all in my side bar). It took me ages to make my mind up as I loved them all Steven kept popping his head round the door voicing his opinion and saying no pom pom trim what a meany!!! Mind you I did squeeze in some pleated frills without him knowing! I shouldn't complain he is very open about my style of decorating and says yes to nearly everything. But he does like to voice his opinion on everything at least he's interested I suppose! Elliott would probably pull the pom poms off anyway. In the end I went for some beautiful Ernest and Matilda and Kate Forman fabrics in blues and pinks!

I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I keep getting big gaps appear between text and photos, so I've closed the gaps and now have a big gap at the bottom of my post it's driving me mad is it blogger or me?!