An End To The Summer

Autumn is definitely on its way, but we have been lucky in that we have had another week of nice dry and warm weather.  I have also been lucky in the garden and we are still reaping the benefits.  We have had an abundance of tomatoes this year and green beans that I pick most days and have been putting some in the freezer for a taste of summer later.

Before we come to the end  of the harvest I thought I would share a beautiful supper with you.  I used tomatoes, courgettes, green beans,  pepper and fried them with some minced beef adding some chopped basil and a garlic clove.  Add some tomato puree if needed and simmer until the pasta is cooked.  A very quick, tasty and easy supper.

 

It won't be long before we are thinking winter stews and casseroles so its nice to still have a taste of summer for a little longer. 

 

I have also squirrelled away some rhubarb for the freezer for a tasty warming pudding, rhubarb and ginger crumble.

As the end of the summer draws to an end so does the car boot season so we had a stroll around one this morning.  My car boot treasure this week was an old chair picked up for the bargain price of 50p.   An ideal project to do outside before the weather breaks.

Finally I am still working on the wedding every day as well as trying to get as much done for Christmas as I can.  I have made more washcloths this time tying them with ribbon and adding a poinsettia they look quite effective.

I have also completed some mini wreaths that will be lovely tied to a bottle of wine.

All in all a productive couple of days.  A warm welcome to new followers and a big thank you for all your wonderful comments, it always makes my day reading them.

 

See you soon.

Yarn Along

I have started a new project, making a couple of cushion covers to replace two in the lounge chairs that are looking a little tatty.  I decided to use yarn from my stash to save a trip out and to save money so they are not the exact colour I would have chosen but they are growing on me.

I have also been working on the flowers for the wedding putting together the components of the flowers.  It is quite time consuming and rather tiresome so with hind sight I would have put them together as I went along.  I do love the overall finish of them and the luxurious pearl buttons so well worth all the effort.

I have been reading Mummy doesn't love you by Alexander Sinclair, a true story of a mother's campaign to destroy the mind of her own child.  It is a shocking and heart breaking read that will have you in tears all the way through but it also a gripping book that is so hard to put down because it is so shocking that a mother could do this to her young son.  It needs to be read so that we can see for ourselves how easy it is to destroy and in gaining some knowledge ensure things like this never ever happen again.  Not an easy read for the faint hearted.

Not as much on the hook as I would have liked but I have had a busy week with other things.

 

Once again joining Ginny over at Small Things for the Yarn Along.www.gsheller.com/2014/09/yarn-along-193.

 

See you soon.

Weekend Shananikins

What a weekend!  It started with a dress trial, there were tears...she looks beautiful, a fairytale princess.  Then came the hair trial and a hair do for the hen party.  I couldn't possibly say what  is going to look like.

We had a wonderful afternoon tea at a vintage tea shop.  A feast for the eyes as well as the palette and finally a stroll around a couple of craft shops and an antique shop.  All of my favourite things to do.

An early rise with tea and pastries and off to Brighton.  Let the party begin...

 

My three beautiful daughters Snow White, Cruella and Minnie Mouse.

 

Lunch...

 

Beautiful party bags were put together and distributed by my eldest daughter with lots of hen party goodies, toiletries for the evening and a shot glass as a wonderful memento.

 

Next was the art class at a beautiful studio.

 

A cocktail mixing course which was great fun.

 

This was followed by a beautiful Italian meal and then I left them to it.  The next morning I had a chance to catch up with my daughters with a stroll along the sea front and breakfast before meeting up with everyone else.

 

A trip to Brighton wouldn't be complete without a stroll around the lanes and a look around the infamous Choccy Woccy Doodah shop.

 

An amazing place and of course a few purchases for the train journey back and maybe a few  little gifts.

 

Sorry about the poor quality of picture they all have reflections from the windows but I wanted to share the delight.

 

An amazing weekend had by one and all, a wonderful send off to married life.

 

See you soon.

 

 



Weekend Plans and The Chest Revealed

Another busy few days renovating a chest of drawers with my husband and getting ready for a trip to visit my daughter.  There is a dress fitting and hair rehearsal tomorrow.  Then we are travelling down to Brighton to meet up with my other 2 daughters and lots of friends for a hen party.  It is starting off as a fancy dress party the theme being DISNEY as that is where Matt proposed to her so I am going as Mickey Mouse.  We are having an art class, a lesson in cocktail making an Italian meal and then priority passes to a night club.  I think I will be giving the night club a miss but the rest sounds like fun.

Do you remember the £5 car boot find??

Well we have stripped it back, sanded it and finally painted it and replaced the knobs.  Drum roll please....

 

All ready to be lifted up into its new home, my bedroom.

 

Hope you have a wonderful weekend, I will catch up with everyone when I get back.

 

See you soon.

Busy Times

I have had a busy few days continuing to prepare for Christmas, early I  know but with the wedding and other commitments I don't want to be in a panic and put myself under pressure.  My husband is making a fort for Bertie and we have bought him a lot of figures and props so I have made him a bag to put them into.

Wilbur is having a castle made for him and again we have bought lots of figures and props, so again I have made him a bag to store them in.  This time I made the family crest and his surname, quite effective I thought.

 

Lily's wooden gift is a farm and we have bought her a wide collection of animals so to keep them all together I have made her a bag.

 

Last but not least Daisy is having stables made for her and again a wide selection of horses have been bought , to keep them altogether a storage bag has been made.

 

The letters still need to be stitched on but I think this gives you a good idea of what they will look like.  I made the mistake of making the bags before stitching the things on so making it harder for myself.  Not to worry you do learn from your mistakes, so they say.

 

I have also made storage bags for cars to hold birthday gifts for the two boys.  I am looking for frozen fabric for the girls.

 

I have also been making throws and crocheting washcloths so as I have said previously a busy few days, but a lot of things ticked off the list.

 

Finally a rag wreath for my neighbour, I make them a gift every year and I thought that this was something different.

 

I feel quite organized and in control at the moment, no pressure at all.  However the list does seem to be getting longer so time will tell.

 

See you soon.

 

September

Where did August go?  September came in a blaze of sunshine and feels like a balmy summer day...Lets hope we are going to have an Indian summer after all.  My summer wreath has been taken down and packed away until next time and replaced with Autumn.  I love the Autumnal colours, rich with nature at its finest.

September according to The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady was the seventh month of the Roman calendar, but is the ninth according to our reckoning.  The Anglo-Saxons called it @gesrt-monath' Barley month. 

 

Some of the illustrations for September are delightful, the House Sparrows and oats is a particular favourite of mine.

There is also a beautiful illustration of a Goldfinch feeding on thistle seed.

The Country Diary Book of Crafts shows the same House Sparrow illustration stating:

     "September blows soft,-

     Till the fruits' in the loft."

 

It also shows a delightful knitted lacy sweater, Sundew.

There is also an embroidered picture, a tapestry drum stool and a crochet cushion cover and shelf edgings.

The patterns are a little old fashioned for todays tastes but the illustrations are still a real delight.

 

What a wonderful month...A big thank you for all your lovely comments, its wonderful to get to know you all.

 

See you soon.