Birdies...

Oh just look what I received in the post this morning...

Don't you think they are adorable, they are handmade by my lovely friend Laurie, she is so talented! She even painted a rose on the packaging, something I will cut out and keep.

It really did feel like Christmas receiving them and she even put in a little gift for Ella. The funniest thing was that Ella got really excited about the large bubble wrap, she instantly pleaded me to let her jump on it, yet another thing I love about children, their effortless ability to enjoy the most simplest of things in life.

Just time for a quick post... I have spent the last few days surrounded by cardboard boxes in some mad attempt to organise the stock room, but as of yet it still looks like I have yet to achieve anything... groan! I'm still suffering from the greatest need ever to declutter but as Jeremy quite calmly said when I was having a 'moment', its all stuff we need or has some sort of sentimental value, which is true (apart from business stock.) I hope other people are like me, I'm simply no good at outing anything that has any remote emotional value attached to it, this includes receipts for special days out, cards and worst of all any of Ella's things, this is partly because we do plan to have another baby in the future but also because each thing holds a memory... I just look at her little socks and can't bare to part with them. How sad am I..lol.

Well I best get back to the giant cardboard castle I made for Ella earlier (cardboard boxes were the only thing that I have managed to get rid of and now Ella is pleading that we keep them!)

xFaye

Making, doing and having lots of fun!


Well I'm feeling a bit better at last... yippee

I really do love blogging, and just wanted to say a big thank you everyone for all your lovely comments, they really did help loads :)

Now this one is a long post, so get comfy

Making

I made this for my holiday, its made from Cabbages and Roses blue podge fabric. I never like carrying my normal purse around on holiday so I decided to make my own and I love it

I have finally got around to finishing my lavender birds for the website

Doing


I have been really busy this week focusing on the business, this always makes me feel better as I am then tackling all the things that have to be done, instead of constantly thinking about what needs doing. It really is never ending, plus three weeks holiday never help. So I have been very busy making way for the new stock and ordering yet more stock, this time from one of my favourite companies Maileg, I have a lovely selection of Maileg toys that I have kept for Ella for Christmas, which I know she will just love.


I have also been planning and re designing the business, I have decided to add a Handmade section to our website, I have been toying with the idea for quite a long time now, more to come on that front later.


We are going to turn our stock room into a 'real' room, after seeing so many bloggers lovely work rooms I decided on holiday that I want to do mine too. The stock room is simply full to breaking point, so I have decided to buy less larger items and make way for a sewing room, this currently happens in the dinning room which is not really a good thing as I constantly have to clear it all away. Plus Jeremy is in the process of doing more training (computer stuff) so will be using the computer a lot during the Autumn months, while he is busy typing away I will be busy making things for the business... well that's the plan.


Having lots of fun

I really wanted to share with you some of the fun things that we did on holiday, so here are a couple...

Kite flying, I can never remember it being so difficult, we decided after a few goes, make that 20 goes with the kite pictured below that we would just have to buy a normal kite from a shop, shame really as we had a great time colouring it in with Ella, but as you will see by the second picture she became a little pro...

Shopping in Holt was great fun, there is a fantastic antique shop there that is filled to the brim with lovely stuff.

I was very good though and only bought this vintage cardigan.. its made from cashmere which I adore.

Then I found these lovely Crocs, perfect for the beach

and then on the way home we stopped at a gorgeous little tea shop that makes the most delicious cakes, so we sat in the sun and had afternoon tea which was lovely.

I want some cake

Now 8 random things about me (I was tagged by the lovely Sophie before the Holiday but never had chance to write them.)

Well here goes...

1\ I absolutely adore French interiors, I could happily spend hours looking at my favourite French interior books and blogs. The funny thing is I have never even been there. But I will go one day.

2\ If I find an item of clothing that I love the cut of and it fits really well I will often buy two of them or buy it in every colour I like, it wasn't until I looked in my wardrobe while packing away my holiday clothes that I noticed how much I do it.

3\This one is strange... Every time I see an animal that has been killed on the road, any road that is, I will say 'ah poor rabbit, bird etc rest in peace'. This is something that I do under my breath and have done ever since I was a child. I only just admitted this to Jeremy to which his response was a strange stare, yep you must be thinking the same as him lol.

4\I have yet to marry the love of my life Jeremy. We did start planning it before Ella was born then once I knew I was pregnant we put it off. And the funny thing was that when I was in my early twenties I didn't want to be married (even though I have been with Jeremy since I was 17.) or have children until I was in my mid thirties, I was 27 when I had Ella. Oh and I am 30 now.


5\I absolutely love my childhood fantasy films, let me watch Labyrinth , Legend or Never ending story and I'm a happy girl. Ella actually watched Never ending story with me a few months ago and loved it:)


6\ I have had lactose intolerance since I was a baby, basically I can only consume a small quantity of milk each day. Fortunately I hate it, even the smell makes me feel sick. Having this when I was young was not much fun though, any chocolate would make me really ill. That is why I have an addiction to sweets. Now that Im an adult I know what I can get away with.. such as the chocolate cake above in small quantities.


Am I boring you yet?


7\ I love Monsoon clothes for my daughter, I just love dressing her in traditional little girls clothes, she is often complimented on her clothes and her politeness... something I am very proud of, please and thank you are always nice to hear.


8\ I have never been abroad, I was always brought up with family holidays to Norfolk, so have never been that bothered about it. We want to get married in Italy in a few years and have a holiday in the Maldives, not sure how that one will work, but I have too much on to even think about it at the moment though.

xFaye

Feeling a little blue

Hello...

I'm back at last from a truly relaxing three week holiday, camping in the beautiful village of West Runton in Norfolk. We have been so lucky to of had the best weather possible, it only rained on one day. The problem is I don't want to be home!!!... We have all grown accustom to the pleasures a holiday brings. I'm longing for real fresh air, lush green fields, the sea, wildlife and no clutter. I cant believe how relaxing this holiday has been for us all. Ella has loved every second of it and has already asked to go to the beach. In fact we were so loathed to leave that when we finished packing the tent away ( Oh my god I cant believe how much I bought, but more on that later.) We decided to head for the beach for one last afternoon of escapism. Now I hope its not just me who feels like this when they return from holiday, but since I have come home all I want to do is de clutter and organise. I loved the simplicity that came from camping, washing pots only once a day, very little tidying to be done and the most important... freedom of the outdoors. I am longing for the sea and the countryside. I don't like living in a town at the moment. I'm having to stop myself from going a little crazy.. I have a mad urge to throw away anything I don't really like including furniture, clothes and well pretty much anything. I have never experienced this before so I'm a little shocked by how I feel. I normally love coming home to all our creature comforts but something has changed. I suppose it has a little to do with the fact that my fantastic mum and dad will be moving to live in Norfolk next year but sadly there is no chance that we can move too (work etc all the usual boring stuff.) The other thing that is really bothering me is the fact that we don't have a garden only a courtyard. It is very pretty and we have filled it with all our favourite things but there simply just isn't room for Ella to play properly let alone have a swing etc or a vegetable patch. Playing outside is one thing that Ella loved the most, she was like a different little girl, here she is discovering the joys of a space hopper for the first time... pure pleasure!

Sorry this post is not on a lighter note but I really thought I should do one, plus I'm hoping by writing down how I feel it may help me to move on and get a little more positive. Bye for now, lets hope I will be back to my normal self soon... ha I know its bad because I didn't want to go to the car boot today. Now back to de cluttering.

xFaye

Oh just remembered I will need to add 8 random things about me... sorry they will have to come another day:)

Vintage Finds

We managed to get to our local car boot on Sunday (not had a chance for weeks due to all the retched rain we are having at the moment.) I had a feeling that it could be a good one and it didn't disappoint! And the best bit was, that there were actually two on. I was so excited...

I couldn't believe my luck when I spotted this basket, then five minutes later I came across some lovely old lace, and there down on the floor were these vintage cotton sheets and monogram pillowcase. Well I just had to snap those up. Next was this old watering can, I have been after one of these for a while.

I have a bit of a thing for collecting old glass jars, the vintage glass buttons were a great find too.

But best of all was this old sowing box from the second car boot. When I opened the lid I had to stop myself from squealing with delight. Inside were lots of sowing goodies, pretty vintage buttons, old wooden cotton reels and some nice metal pin tins. These were all hidden below a mass of old zips and little paper bags. When the man from the stall said £2.00 for the lot plus the box, well I just couldn't believe my luck, it had to be mine :) This is going to be another project to do up, I will show pics once finished.

Then to complement my sowing box I found this old needlecraft book. I cant believe what a great book it is, and the pictures are hysterical!!!

Well not these two obviously, but this...

This is the one that really made me giggle, unfortunately you cant really see her manic expression... lol

On a creative note I have actually been very busy, lots of unfinished projects though. I still haven't got around to adding the finishing touches to the birds show on my previous post but I have made two :). I have also started knitting Ella a lovely fairy, but have decided to continue this when on holiday. I promise I will get around to showing you all my unfinished projects, I'm not normally this erratic.

On a blogging note...

I have just been tagged by the lovely Sophie, so I'm now off to think of 8 random things about me, I don't think it will be too hard.

Bye for now

xFaye

Rambling

I finally got around to finishing my bedroom today. We are really lucky to have a large bedroom. This still didn't stop me using poor Ella's room as our dressing room. Before Ella was born we bought huge fitted wardrobes for one entire length of her room. I don't know what I was thinking really, I've put it down to 'being pregnant' lol.

I love waking up to this view....

My French antique chairs are one of my favourite things, but unfortunately they are commonly used as a dumping ground for clothes.

Well this week has just flown by, it's been very busy yet very unproductive. I have now come to the conclusion that I need a new sowing machine (so I can make all those cushion covers for my day bed.) This is by far a simple task, I thought to myself.. right I want one that I can do embroidery with, plus it needs be able to over lock seams. I have so many ideas of things I want to create but my lovely old singer sowing machine is starting to protest. The last time I used it, it got completely stuck and I had to wait until Jeremy came home to fix it. If anyone can offer some advice of which model/brand to by it would be really appreciated. Not too expensive though. I thought I had found one the other day, only to discover the price £699.99, and this was one of the cheaper models, If I was going to pay that much I would want to be able to tell it what I needed to do, then leave it to get on and do it, ah if only.

You have probably noticed that I swap from one thing to another when I'm writing, I have come to realise that this is just the way my brain works. Jeremy is constantly amazed at the random things I come out with, I then have to explain my thought process and how it lead to the comment I made, to which I always get a puzzled look, I think it must be a female thing. If I say to Jeremy what are you thinking about, he will often say nothing, and he really does mean nothing. I cant imagine being able to sit and not have a list of to do, make, decorate etc going on. I often have my best creative spurts when I'm relaxing or just going to sleep. I hope I'm not the only one?

I have just started writing a new 'list', after much panic realising that we have only two weeks until we go on our family camping holiday. I have started the tedious task of writing down all the things we need. If the weather carries on as it is at the moment. We will need full water proofs and a blow up dingy, just in case we get washed away. The place that we got to in Norfolk is beautiful, Ella just loves it there and they have some beautiful beaches. The car boots are amazing too! just full of old linen, vintage pottery and unusual bits... I cant wait. Back to basics, I loved this kind of holiday as a child so was keen for Ella to experience it also ;)

Well I need to get back to my list now... x Faye

Goodies

I have spent today moving my bedroom around. I have been planning to do this for four plus weeks now, but for some reason today was the day. In my bedroom I have fitted in as many bits of furniture as possible, but had decided to add my vintage French day bed... I really really love it (hence the move around.) It had been in Ella's room for a while but now that we have redecorated her room, (it's now a little girls room not a nursery) there was unfortunately no room left (I will show you pictures of her room soon.)

Room planned, check! Furniture measured to ensure it fits, check! Willing partner to lift furniture, erm unchecked. Poor Jeremy had been on a night out with his work colleagues and didn't return home until 2.30am. Yesterday we had discussed that we were doing the room tomorrow and his famous last words were "I won't drink too much". Ha ha that didn't go to plan, hence him feeling very poorly today, and sporting a green tinge! I decided that I was going to have to get on and do the room on my own, while he sat downstairs with Ella, nursing his hangover.

Well after three hours, I had managed to move the furniture around, that was hard going but when I'm determined to do something there's no stopping me (after 13 years together Jeremy knows its better to just let me get on.) After dusting and cleaning all those places that get missed, I had got to my favourite part which was styling the room. That was when I thought ooh I can get all my cushion pads for the day bed. Please note these are packed away in the deepest hard to reach area of our attic bedroom aah. Whilst hunting through my boxes of pictures, books and stock, I found the box I was looking for and guess what? Inside was a selection of gorgeous goodies that I had squirreled away. Look what I found...

and

please excuse the lack or ironing, and

I'm so pleased with what I found, especially the Au Maison rosebud fleece (this is one of the things I had stocked), I had completely forgotten I had this. I just love the ceramic rose draw knobs too, but the best bit was the vintage linen, I love it! I had forgotten what I had collected.

Now back to the room. As I'd got side tracked after finding these things and sorting away all the mess I had created in the Attic room, I have yet to finish the bedroom. I need to make some/lots of cushion covers for the day bed. I have collected a variety of different shaped/sized pads over the years, but never got around to making the cushion covers as I wasn't sure what colour scheme to go with, erm I still cant. I will post you some picture of the room once finished :) Other than this our weekend has been very relaxed! Oh and its still raining constantly.

You made me smile...

I just had to write a little thank you to all the lovely people who have left messages. It really is a fantastic feeling reading your kind comments. Now that I have my own blog I have come to realise how much you really do feel part of a very friendly and creative community. I cant believe I have waited so long to do it. I thought I would include this picture as a little thank you, from me to you, its just a shame you can't smell them as there sent is divine. I took the picture of the flowers just after I rescued them from the dreaded rain, in fact every time my poor roses come into bloom it rains.

:)