Pro's and Con's

Good Morning.....

If you are reading this in the UK...I hope you are not being battered to badly by the stormy weather...its chucking it down here!!

its such a shock to the system after the lovely crispy, frosty mornings...and it got me thinking about the pro's and con's of the winter...as you know I adore the Autumn and Winter...but there are some not so nice bits!...the field which we play ball with Puppy Dog on twice every day...is at the moment like a muddy rugby pitch...she comes home covered in mud from head to toe...but is a very happy puppy as playing ball is everything!!! So she has to be showered each time...she's very good just jumps into the bath...but oh its back breaking, not to mention the muddy wet towels and the mud splashes up the walls when we've been unable to stop a shake....and that got me thinking how much I dislike this part of winter...but when I started thinking what else I didn't like...the list wasn't very long...it really was just dog showering, muddy wet towels and having to have the heating on and using too much power hahaha....the things I love...such as the cold (I quite like being cold and getting snuggly warm again) the frosty mornings, the clear crisp skies, candles lit in the house, a roaring fire, snuggly blankets and my favourite...Christmas on the horizon! I even quite like the trees this time of year...I know they are bare...but the branches are beautiful I think...and they stand so majestic against the wind...and you can see what's been hidden, they tell a little story of who as nested there this year :)

I have been having a little search through my photos and I don't think I shared with you one of favourite purchases during our holidays this year....

not the chicken egg cup you've seen those before...but the egg! I like to use the egg cups as display and used to put fresh eggs in them...but I always forgot to use them up...but whilst on holiday I spied these in the National Trust Shop...I think they were a toy, they are rubber and I think they bounce...but they are so realistic and look just the part on the kitchen counter :)

So what crafty things have I been up to since my last post...

I've finished off a lovely pullover/poncho for the lovely little Freya...I so enjoyed doing this as its the first ever garment I have made...crocheted with chunky wool so its so lovely and warm :)

I've got two blankets on the go at the moment...the one is very boring to do...lots of small squares but I'm getting there 😁

I found this in the charity shop...I wasn't sure what it was at first and they didn't know either...but it was cast iron and only £1.50...so home it came with me 😀 after a bit of an internet search it turns out that its a spice rack...easy to see once you know...it had a little facelift and I've used it as a little seasonal display piece...

My favourite thing I have been doing is this....

I have been so inspired by the pictures on Pinterest of little red trucks in the snow with a tree on the back that I thought I would make some decorations of my own...some trucks from the charity shop...a tin of enamel paint and mini bottle brush Christmas trees and this was the result...I even made some little mini wreaths from clay...

I've now got the bug though....this is the latest convoy in waiting....😆

I'm hopefully going to do something like this with some of them....

I found this image on Pinterest...isn't it just so cute!!

I have another half finished project also...

a pile of wood I hear you say...yep it is at the moment and it has had one coat of paint so far...this is what has inspired me....

I just loved this idea...and it will be perfect to use at Christmas...I have limited counter space for a buffet so this will be perfect! Just hope mine turns out a lovely as this one...

There's a couple more photos from Pinterest which have caught my eye this week...

love this idea...

and a little stocking tree for those who don't have a fireplace or mantle...

So my next post...will be very Christmassy....well I reckon come December Christmas is fair game hahaha...

I received a very lovely parcel in the post this week...my eagerly awaited book which I pre-ordered back in the Summer...

as you may already know I'm a HUGE fan of Chip and JoJo....so looking forward to getting stuck into this book and I'm eagerly awaiting the new season of Fixer Upper too 😁

So I will leave you with my choice of vintage photo for this post...very apt for todays weather...

the Gaberdine Mack! I had a navy blue one for school...did you have one of these??

And the quote for this post....

a good little life plan I think....💖

 Until next time...have a great time...enjoy everything you do xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jumping In...Feet First :)

Hello...(gives a little wave from the side lines)

It has been so long since I posted last...as some of you will know I have been battling against depression and anxiety....I am glad to say that the dark days are now behind me once again and life is getting pretty much back to how it was...I have been a little scared of coming back to blogging again...but have decided to jump in feet first!

I am not going to dwell on the battle I have been fighting...just to say a lot of people do it everyday and its so important to find a way to aid your 'Mind Health'...my way has sometimes been with the help of medicine but these days I can control it with yoga exercise and meditation and just being kind and listening to what I need...but I would urge anyone struggling to get professional help...you are important and very very worthy so don't ever think you are not!

During the Summer I didn't really get up to much...I took a step back from everything...I even put my crochet hooks away!!! I think my Mom gave me a little project just to get me back interested in crafting again...it was a cover for my Dads TV chair...we decided on a retro feel with the colours and a 'manly' colour palette haha :) this was the result....

I used a new stitch to me....its called Larksfoot...a really easy but striking pattern I will definitely use that stitch again....

Once Summer is coming towards its end we always go on holiday....this year we packed up and went to Devon...a beautiful log cabin in its own grounds was our little home for the week...just glorious...perfect for getting to visit places and a HOT TUB! Oh how I love a hot tub! The weather was splendid too....and Sidmouth has become my favourite place in the world...old fashioned...gorgeous shops...bliss!

Puppy dog even got to do a spot of paddling in the sea...

I have come to the conclusion that Summer is my least favourite season....I am always so glad when Autumn comes...that is my favourite season...I know it can feel a little sad when everything starts to die back...but it is the season of re-birth...seeds being sown...trees settling in for a winter nap...not to mention the glorious colours...all of my favourite colours...I truly am an Autumn girl :)

So back to crafting...I had an email come through from Hobbycraft and they had little faux pumpkins on sale for £1...I knew I had to have some of these...so 3 were purchased that same day...I wanted to use them for display...I like to change around the décor to suit the seasons so these would be perfect...I also knew that I wanted white pumpkins this year...so set about painting them with chalk paint and highlighting details with acrylic paint...this was the result...

and the best bit is that they are hollow so if you wanted to carve them they are nice and easy...I just took the top of mine and put a jar inside to hold flowers...

I used the others in a little Autumn display in the kitchen...I painted up a little wooden crate and stencilled the letters on...used the pumpkins, foliage and the last of hydrangea flowers which dried such beautiful colours and added in some feathers and pine cones...

and for Halloween...I used fresh flowers with an added cute little witch :))

It is a wonderful crisp cold day here today...blue skies and frost...my favourite kind of day! I've just got back from playing ball with Puppy Dog over the field...it was beautiful...

There are two things on my list of things I would really like to have from Pinterest this week...

isn't this just adorable? a little snow globe with a yarny Christmas Tree inside...they are on sale at TK Maxx...so Hubby I hope you are reading this! HaHa :)  The other is a this...

I just soooo want a vintage red truck...just like this...I would use it for Autumn and for Christmas I just love it!

So that's about it...all caught up with the little makes...I do have some more crochet stuff to share with you but will save that till next time....

I will leave you with a vintage photo...which is very much from my childhood...

I had one of these...exactly the same! Oh how I loved that trike...and the little boot on the back was so useful...in fact I would love to ride one of these now haha :)

and my quote for this week...

very much my 'To Do' list over the last few months....

Take care all...enjoy everything you do...until next time....lots of love xxxx