This Weeks Happenings.......

For a change its been quite a busy week.
I seem to have packed quite a bit in, although working 40 hours a week does mean that I should be a bit more organised than I actually am!

OK, so we started the week with out 20th Wedding Anniversary, really cant quite believe that its been that long - where did the time go!

Garden wise, things have been a bit quiet, mainly due to the rotten weather. Weve had our first crop of lettuce this week, but most of my efforts have been centred on keeping the cats from using my front garden as the local public convenience. There seems to be one rather persistant cat who is really starting to annoy me. Dont get me wrong, I love cats, but I dont like them crapping on my garden and scrathcing up my flower bulbs in the process!!!!!

On the craft front, I got another 10 owls done this week.......

and have now got to give some thought as to how we are gonna display them on my stall. Phil has got his thinking cap on. :O)

Ive also been having a go at some crochet. I learnt over 30 years ago, but Mum only ever taught me the basic stitches, (double and treble), so I got a book and have been trying a few stitches. Im not sure what(or if) Im gonna make anything yet, but brushing up on the skill means I can add it to my repitoire.

Then on Friday it was Phils Birthday. :O) I worked Saturday morning (I dont usually if I can help it, but was so far behind with no chance of catching up next week as the part timer in the office is on her hols), we went and looked round a few 'Antique' (and I use the trem very loosely) shops. We are on the hunt for bits we can 'punk'.  As I mentioned before, as the Camera Repair industry has ground to a halt, Phil has lots of skills and spare parts that arent doing anything. He has spent a while looking into Steampunk and reckons it could be a way for him to earn a bit of a wage. Up until now hes been making prototypes and brushing up on his skills, but we are looking round for bits and bobs we can buy cheaply, punk, and then sell on Etsy (the craft version of Ebay). The main principle for Steampunk, is to start with something Victorian and then add to it.
So, we came home with a few interesting bits........

These binocluars are actually Opera glasses and they are chrome, so me being the helpful wife that I am has got the interesting task of stripping them down.......

and cleaning all the muck (and laquer) off them before Phil gets to put them back together and 'punk' them.
Its gonna take me a while, but we will hopefully they will look fabulous when weve done.

So, thats been my week, and we are off to another 'Antique/Craft' place today before I get the lovely job of  cooking a hunk of good old New Zealand Lamb for a rare Sunday Roast which I know Phil is already looking forward to.

Till next time.
Jojo
:O)

What Ive Been Up To

Wow, is it really 6 weeks since I blogged!
I thought I hadnt really been doing much (apart from work), but when was looking for some pics to go on here I found I havent been as idle as I  thought.

Craftwise, the majority of my time is still being spent on building up the stock of owls for the Music Festival in August. This would go a lot faster if I didnt keep selling them! :O)
Ive now got 24 completed and another 5 under way, no two are the same. Am aiming for 40, but may keep going and see just how many I can get done.
 I think there are about 19 or so in the pic below.......

Ive also completed (and sent)  two knitted blankets for Battersea Dogs Home as part of their appeal.

Also, I found an interesting link on Twitter a few weeks ago for making paper flowers using the Japanese art of Kusudama. Turns out it was really easy, I made a flower ball for my office at  work....

and some flowers for my sister in law

I have got a few ideas lined up for when my life isnt dominated by making owls! OH is trying his hand a Steampunk bits and Im gonna have a dabble also. And I am gathering ideas for Xmas as well - we have a huge family and cant afford to spend much so I tend to craft most of the pressies (so usually have to start as early as I can!).

In the Garden,  things are moving quite slowly. Ive had a few radishes so far, but as its been wet and not too warm, things are only now just starting to get going (apart from my sweetpeas and carrots which arent doing well at all).
My potatoes are finally starting to look like they are doing something

and my lettuce are doing well also

Flowerwise, Im a bit puzzled with my giant poppies this year. I have had these two plants for years and they have always had the same colour and size flowers. This year Ive got pale larger flowers on one and smaller, darker flowers on the other!

The only thing I can think of is that the wall at the side of the darker ones was put in the year before last when our neighbours dug their garden out (and left a whacking great hole the length of my garden which was 5 foot deep at the front and 8 foot deep at the back)! They left this for a year before putting the wall up so Im wondering if this has had some kind of effect on the soil.

We havent had much of a Summer so far , apart from a weeks or so of decent weather in May. The Mother in Law went away for a week with one of her Grandsons and his family and, as we live next door, we got the joyful (!) job of looking after her animals. Luckily we could leave her back door open as well as ours (we share a back yard) so the 'girls' could pretty much chill out where they wanted.

I even did the decent thing and took the bombhead dog out for a trundle through the local woods

Ive also managed to find myself a few bargins over the last few weeks.
A friend at work told me about everything5pounds.com so I decided to give it a go. None of the clothes would fit me (as I have curves) but OMG the shoes!!!!!!!! I decided to try a few pairs

and I doubt I will buy shoes anywhere else ever again! I couldnt believe the quality, all of these have got leather insoles and are beautifully made and finished, and comfy. Im usually a 4 1/2, but these are all 5s and fit beautifully. I loathe having to spend money on shoes for work and up until now have usually made do with Primark £6 ones which only last a season or so. These are MUCH better quality and will last longer. Can you tell Im impressed! Admittedly you pay P&P by weight. paid £32 for 6 pair, but have sent a pr back (no fuss returns and they also refund postage by weight). So its certainly worth a look. :O)

Ive also topped up my book collection courtesy of thebookpeople.co.uk .

 Ive always dabbled in making a few sweets for family birthdays and Xmas etc, but have usually stuck to the same ones. I also make a few homemade beauty products as Im am very into growing and using my own herbs, (Ihave a Diploma in Herbal Medicine). I like the idea of foraging but so far have only been brave enough to pick Wild Garlic and Rosehips, so Im hoping Alys Fowlers book will help me be a bit more adventurous.

Other bargins have included some lovely small  glass bottles from T K Maxx which I will use for herb oils of vinegars,

and an unusual bowl from a junk shop which OH doesnt like but I think its quite funky and it will look fab as a fruit bowl on my Welsh dresser.

So, there we have it, a quick update about whats been happening over the last few weeks.
It may not be the most exciting blog, but its mine!

Till next time.
Jo
xxx