The Perfect Weekend

Honest no Stepford Wife stuff - just the truth - this has been the most perfect weekend. The sun has shone, the family have all got on (no arguments) and I've be lucky to spend time doing things I like (selling, making and meeting new friends);

I shall do the weekend in reverse as I know lots will want to know about today & the meet up in Southwold.

Its was great - there were 5 of us (Me, Dawn, Viv, Tracey and Shirl (plus Shirl's husband, daughter & dog). We met as planned near the Pier - Viv was first, followed by Dawn & I, then Tracey and Shirl. A quick lot of introductions and then we headed over to the Boating Lake Cafe - no boats today but plenty of ducks and their babies.

This is a lovely little place - quite hidden and even people who have been to Southwold lots aren't always aware that it exists. I only did to start with because it gets mentioned in Coast magazine on a couple of occasions.  It is a bloggers/shabby chic lovers dream - bunting, vintage china and lots of wicker chairs with cushions :)

I only had a cuppa but Tracey had a cream tea - it looked gorgeous - very pretty - watch out for a picture of that on her blog ;)

The sun continued to shine and we carried on chatty about our lives, families, crafting and blogging. A good mention was made of the Glastonbury festival and whether the cameraman filming the Scissor Sisters set last night was going to recover from his trauma ;)

Oh of course - you're all waiting for the group photo aren't you? Of course one was taken - here goes;

left to right - Viv, me, Dawn, Tracey & Shirl

Just before we said our goodbyes, Tracey handed out little tissue wrapped parcels - we were all to keen to open them (so no before photos) - inside were the most gorgeous crocheted dollies - I've seen these on her blog and have been impressed - crochet is still not liking me & I've currently given up trying to learn!! Thank you Tracey very much :)

Thanks girls for a great afternoon - there shall definitely be another meetup - Snape Maltings in the Autumn seemed a popular suggestion. More tea, cakes and nattering :) More details when they are decided - all welcome of course.

Right, re-wind just over 24 hours and we get to Saturday morning and the school fete at Little Son's school. I'd booked a table to share with a couple of sisters.  Wasn't sure what to expect but decided for the price it was worth a punt. It was definitely worth it - I sold quite a few items and most brilliantly of all came away with orders for more campervan cushions :)

As they had a few spare tables we got 2 for the price of 1 - good job we'd got a spare cloth in the bag;

Best I go and start on those orders - should get a good hours sewing in whilst the menfolk celebrate the return of Messrs Clarkson, Hammond & May.

I shall celebrate the end of a good weekend with one or two of these;

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Flowery Friday

Few words - lots of pictures

Another dress finished

Now I know some gardeners hate these but I was so pleased to find a small patch finally growing in our back garden.

Today's bargain - for sale on a tabletop outside a nearby house - just £1 - would have been rude to leave it there ;)

Have a good weekend.

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Bargains, Lunch & the First Strawberry

Good evening

Been warm enough for you? Its been lovely here the past few days - have spent time outside weeding and occasionally sitting in the shade with a glass or 2 of something scrummy.

A quick hunt through the strawberry bed the other day revealed the first ripe one;

It was scrummy - still warm from the sunshine - am hoping lots of its little friends will ripen over the next few days - the dilemma, whether to tell the menfolk or not?

Sometime I think myself lucky - MrVV works from home and though he's often out & about too, several days a week its just the 2 of us for lunch. Most often its just a quick sandwich for lunch, occasionally chips on the seawall @ Aldeburgh and other times I find something nice in the shops in town.  The other day was one of those days;

Sourdough bread still warm from the bakers oven with local smoked salmon pate.

Followed by local strawberries - just plain, no sugar or cream.

Washed down with my homemade elderflower cordial - this is gorgeous and definitely something that I shall be making again. Hopefully next time I'll have found some nicer bottles - had to pinch these ones from MrVV's home brewing stash.

I forgot to show you last weekend the spoils of Sunday's bootsale;

A very shabby chic little cupboard - currently holding my vintage cotton reel collection.

Another Ladybird book - thought I might learn something ;)

Just checked the weekend forecast and so far its looking good for the school fete, brass engagement and of course the meet up on Sunday. Of course if it is too warm for some (Karen ;) ) - they can always have a paddle in the North Sea - that will cool you down ;)

See you soon

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Swapsies & Natures Bounty

Good evening

Hurrah the sun came out today - I spent time in the garden this afternoon - weeding my veggies & planting out my tomatoes.

Postie has been again - actually it was the end of last week but I'm behind on my blogging at the moment.

Over on the SCC the lovely Lalabibaby asked if anyone had some spare black fabric in their stash - as it happened I did and we arrange to do swapsies :) Here's what she sent me;

Yep - you can see fabric squares towards my next patchwork project, some lovely fabric & lots of buttons too :)

I've signed up for another swap - I tried so hard to resist but in the end temptation & the lure of getting a parcel through the post proved too strong. Its the Vintage Shabby Swap organised by my friend Karen over at Tilly Rose - go on sign up - you know you want too ;)

I've entered another giveaway too - so many lovely ones about at the moment - here's hoping I get lucky somewhere.  This one is over at JuicyFig to celebrate 100 blog posts.

On lots of blogs over the past week, I've seen posts referring to making Elderflower Champagne or Cordial.  I'd noticed elderflowers growing in my neighbours garden and this morning I went and asked her if she planned to do anything with them.  The answer was no, so I asked if I could help myself to some of the creamy flowers - no problem came the reply.  Armed with 20 flower heads and a receipe (which I doubled)copied from Jayne at Country Cottage Chic I set to work;

From this

to this - bottling tomorrow - so far so good - it smells delicious & the sneaky taste I had suggests its going to be gorgeous - summer in a bottle :)

Lastly for tonight - whilst I was out in the garden, I needed to rummage in the shed for some canes. I noticed this little nest being built in the shed eaves - as much as I like nature, I don't want to share my shed with wasps - so I took it down.  Little son was very impressed with it when I showed him - I am too - now wasps aren't my favourite things but they do produce the most amazing nests;

You can see that it was so tiny - just slightly bigger than one of the dots on my oilcloth!!

See you soon - off to cut out another dress!!

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Crafty Sunday

Have seen this is on lots of blogs and have been meaning to join in for weeks but today's the first time I've been organised enough!!

Good evening - good weekend?

Not to bad here - weather could have been kinder - here's hoping next weekend is much kinder, warmer and drier.

Managed quite a bit of crafting this week as well as lots of other stuff. Plenty of knitting still happening - the pile of squares is growing again.

I've also - finished another dress;

Made a couple of cushions to add to my stall next weekend;

Run up a couple of strings of pretty bunting;

Right as its Sunday evening its the usual find the school stuff thing and a quick double check that any homework has been finished and packed for the morning.

See you soon

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Bloggy Meet-up @ Southwold - Just over a week to go :)

Morning all from sunny/showery Suffolk - am sure next weekend it will be so much nicer ;)

Just over a a week to go now till the bloggy meetup in Southwold - details as follows;

Date : Sunday 27th June

Time : 2pm

Where : The picnic benches by the entrance to Southwold Pier - then onto the cafe by the boating lake.

Who : leave a message below, or email me. Also do that if you want my mobile number too.

Go on - be brave - Southwold is lovely and so are all the ladies that did say they wanted to come too.

****************************

Have been busy this week - sewing, stitching knitted things together and also family stuff. Hopefully today I'll get some pictures taken to share with you all.

Have also noticed several new swaps appearing in blogland so I need to have a think about whether I want to do those too. I must also contact my Strawberry Swap partner to arrange to do that swap - everything almost ready to send.

Best I have another coffee and kick myself into action!!

xxxx Vicki xxxx

A stitch in time........

Not sure what it does actually!!!

Went to see my Grandma today and she set me on a little mission - somewhere in the house was a bag of knitted toys she'd started to make (many years ago) - she wanted me to find them, finish making them up and then I could either sell them on a stall or give them away. Now this isn't a little house nor is it one that is sparsely furnished or uncluttered (must run in the family then!!).

Off I set - hunted high & low, rummaged in cupboards, drawers and behind things too.

Eventually the bag was located and inside was a jumble of wool, both knitted into shapes and also loose.

I took it home and inside I found;

2 bunnies & a chick which are partially made up & stuffed.

3 dollies - amazingly all parts have been located.

Every nice girl loves a sailor ;)

A teddy bear in the softest wool - the boys had a jumper made of this wool in a different colour when they were small - made them even more snuggly!!

So for tonight's S&B I've packed the bunnies & chick and am going to sew together what I've got and then work out what wool I need to finish the faces etc off.

Should keep me out of trouble for a few weeks!!

Have a good night

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Poppies, poppies everywhere :)

Isn't that the most beautiful sight?

Its a field just into the next village from me (Country Girl will know exactly where I mean ;)). Its been left unploughed this year and its just a sea of red at the moment. Every time we have driven by I have commented that I must take a picture. Today I managed that!

The reason was I have spent the day at an Open House event. I was asked to come along at the Craft Fair I did with my sisters last month. I was kind, I took some items from my sisters to sell too. Couldn't take too much as I only have pedal power;

However I had enough to fill the little table I borrowed;

I had a very pleasant day - a couple of the girls from the S&B group were there selling their wares. So we've stitched, nattered and been looked after rather well. We were provided with a lovely lunch and plenty of teas & coffees.

The garden of the house backs onto the poppy field so of course we had to sneak out there to take photos;

Me (on the left) with a couple of my friends - wish I'd put my lippy on ;)

We did ok - sold a few bits & pieces - made a profit as today didn't cost me anything :)  I've also booked a table at little son's school summer fayre & the sisters & I are going to go 1/4 shares on it so hopefully we'll all recoup our £1.75 each outlay!!

I shall leave you with another view of the poppies;

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Vintage Fair Saturday

Good evening

Bit quiet everywhere tonight - guess lots are watching ITV for some reason ;)

Not here - no-one is interested. We've watched Doctor Who & the boys have watched the Confidential programme too.  I was going to sew this evening - have another dress ready for the machine but instead I've been taking pictures of some of the items I got in Woodbridge today.

Country Girl & I headed there this afternoon - for the Vintage Fair but also to have a good look in all the wonderful shops that Woodbridge has.  It didn't disappoint - one or several items came home with us;

Four reels of vintage cotton on gorgeous wooden reels - one of the many CS's - just £1 :)

Another ladybird book - again the CS's - just 50p

Totally gorgeous oversized rose ring from one of the little boutiquey shops in Woodbridge.

UJ wrapping paper - far too posh for pressie wrapping - fits the frame in the summerhouse perfectly.

We did have a good look around the vintage fair - saw lots of lovely items but I didn't buy anything - mainly coz the things I coveted most were beyond my budget :(

We did have a good afternoon - weather was kind to us and its nice to have a good natter without children/husbands/dogs etc getting in the way!!

Got home late afternoon - just in time to catch MrVV cutting the grass - Dawn he says he won't forget you making him jump out of his skin when you beeped at him - apparently 'heffalumps don't forget' whatever that means!!

Tomorrow we're off to a belated 60th birthday party for my Mum - a big family gathering - I think almost 30 of us! My littlest sister has offered to host it in her garden - between us sisters (all 6 of us) we're doing the cooking, so I shall be up earlyish in the morning.

See you soon

xxxx Vicki xxxx

The Great Apron Swap 2010 - The Big Show & Tell :)

This swap definitely deserves lots of posts in its honour - was great fun and a swap that I really enjoyed being a committed pinny wearer.  Aprons have zig-zagged the globe and new friendships have been formed.

I was partnered with the lovely & slightly mad ;)  Tracey @ My Handmadehappiness - here's what I sent her (better pics on her blog);

Just a hint of red gingham to keep the link to Sarah going ;)

This is what Tracey sent me;

Right - its Saturday morning - slightly sunny - so I'd best go and do some work as I'm off out this afternoon with my mate Country Girl to the Vintage Fair in Woodbridge :)

Back tomorrow night - lots I need to photograph and share with you all.

xxxx Vicki xxxx