Summer Holiday

It has been a fantastic long week. Playing on beaches, swimming in the pool, exploring little villages, rock pooling, eating, riding, reading, late nights... oh the list could go on with all of the busy things we have been up to!

Now I have returned home, Mr Bee is still in the South West with his Nana and Grandad and looking back on all of my photographs, it has been a beautiful week. 

Green Fingers

Call me a broken record as I am posting a lot about my little garden at the moment! I am so pleased and incredibly proud that I am actually managing to grow things in my garden!

This week I have noticed pea pods forming and growing nicely, strawberries turning red and a flood of marigolds blooming in my little basket.

Yesterday I noted three rose buds forming on my little bush, the start of some flowers on the lobelia, and the dahlias are starting to shoot up. There is nothing I like more these days than to potter in the garden pinching out the tomato shoots and making sure the peas and the sweet peas are growing nicely up their frames.

I never thought that I would be able to put my hand to a garden after the bad luck that I have had in the past but I am so pleased at my new little hobby. Maybe next year will be even more organised, who knows!

Catching Up

 As usual, the week after a holiday is a busy one. Catching up on washing and settling back in a home. Unfortunately, back to school and work too. Camilla (the camera...!) has been firmly rooted in her camera bag, but I have been snapping on instagram, so here's what we have been up to.

The new, 'emergency' boots I bought on holiday have become a great pair of garden boots! Easy on and off when the lawn is a litle damp! The basket was giving me a helping hand too, as usual ;) It was so nice to come back to my little (and I mean little) garden empire. It has come on so much from starting out with nothing at all. I can't wait to show you how it looks in a few weeks!!!

We returned from our holiday late Friday evening and Saturday was a fine day, so we decided to have a barbeque, the first outdoor meal in our new house, very exciting! We had yummy (and healthy!) kebabs with a range of salads followed by marshmallows, of course!

Sunday featured a last minute nip in to the city, I was treated to some goodies from lush. A lavender scented bubble bar, very fitting for our wedding anniversary.

And in the evening, we went to a local restaurant to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. They even had wheat and lavender in jars and bottles on the tables. It was far too perfect. 

 And then when we were home, we snuggled up and watched The History Boys, brilliant film!

 Tuesday we made fajitas. Mr Bee was very excited to assemble his own dinner. It was glorious.

 Breakfast on the go. A strawberry and oatmeal smoothie from my new breakfast recipe book. YUM!

Soup Wednesdays. I made roasted tomato and basil soup for dinner and baked a delicious pesto swirl loaf to accompany. It was divine!

Nicer weather! Our afternoons after school have been blessed with a little bit of sun! Three evenings this week we have been able to sit and play in the garden. We have been dreaming about days like these. 

And lastly, a beautiful bit of cow parsley on the school run. Beautiful!

So that is a little snippet of our week. What have you been up to?

26

This year I celebrated my birthday from my sofa, piled high with cushions and the duvet from the bed. I know this must sound like a fabulous way to spend your birthday, but for me, it really isn't! I am still recovering from the dreaded lurgy, whose full force has rendered me useless for two whole weeks (and to any of you who know me, know that I don't DO poorly!).Which also explains my distinct lack of posting here....

However yucky and sore I have been feeling, I was suitably spoilt by my loving friends and family. Dan made me breakfast in bed and couldn't wait to give me my amazing gifts before bouncing off to work. A beautiful, smart new coat and a William Morris handbag, what wonderful surprises! And the blow torch I've been wanting for a while (creme brulee and meringue toppings here I come!). Later, Mother Hen dropped Mr Bee home after his sleepover, he had chosen me some pink sparkly roses and paid for them all by himself and Mom gave me some of my favourite things, a joules top, a wicker shopping basket and some lavender plants! Oh and an ostrich feather duster which is utterly adorable!

I also had some lovely books, skincare and kitchen goodies from my lovely friends. They are keepers ;)

Hot off the Production Line!

This morning I got up bright and early and visited the Vintage Treasures shop in Hinckley. It is truly amazing in there, there were so many things I wanted to buy but was very restrained. I did bring home this gorgeous Denby china tea cup with mismatched saucer...

 and this lovely vintage cutlery caddy. I have stacked it full of threads and buttons but will use it for displaying things at my craft fairs. I can not wait to go back to get some more beautiful things.

 Once I got home and got Mr Bee to sleep, I got stuck in making some more bits and bobs. I have been very naughty since my last craft fair and have not made any thing for some time. This week I have been preparing some lavender bags so I got those finished off. This was how my afternoon looked!

 When Mr Bee woke up, he came to help me. When I say help, I mean open my button jars all over the place, but he didn't half look cute.

The fruits of my labour! Lots of very beautiful, Liberty print lavender hearts (plus two polka dot ones) and a Moustache gadget case. My fingers are numb this evening!

If you are interested in purchasing any of my products, please get in touch with me via the contact me page above, drop me an email and we can arrange payment and postage. I am also happy to do commissions so please do not hesitate to get in touch!

Christmas Presents, Part Five

I got a bit of time to craft yesterday and managed to make a lavender bag. I used some old muslin to make a little pouch of lavender. Not to be confused with a tea bag!!!! Anyway, I got the whole thing finished in about an hour. I was very pleased. Got a few more of these to make now, at least I know they don't take long.

The finished article

Louie decided to help me. He loves playing with my little sewing pouch. Its just got bits of ribbon and lace in it but Louie thinks its the best. He also LOVES playing with the sewing machine (in its box, in the corner) he has tonnes of fun flipping the handle!