Adopt a Panda....?

...I might as well, judging by the amount of bamboo I have dug up today. A tip for you; No matter what the label says, bamboo will invade every square centimetre of your garden. It is a evil thing and must be destroyed. Forget 'slow growing dwarf variety', the damn stuff pops up everywhere. Even through your industrial strength weed suppressing membrane.

So, today was warm and sunny, so I started the chore of clearing the garden. The bed I can see from the kitchen window is always a good place to start. It spurs you on to do the rest when you see one area neat and tidy.



Just the box hedging to trim into a neat little hedge and a few more plants to get and then it is done!

We spent last weekend at a lovely house in Kent, not far from the coast. It was a friends 40th birthday and his sister and Other half arranged a great weekend. On Friday evening we visited Chapeldown Restaurant and had a truly wonderful meal. I started with wild mushrooms on toasted brioche and a fried duck egg, then pollock in wine batter with 3 fried chips (that is fried 3 times, not 3 chips - as if frying them once wasn't bad enough)!! with cheese and biscuits for dessert.

Saturday daytime, we headed across the border to Rye for a wander around the antique shops.


Being as poor as a church mouse at the moment, I of course found loads of things to tempt me. The temptation proved to be too great -



I love vintage tins and these were a steal at a little ram shackle antique shop. My bartering skills were on form! We also picked up two miniatures wooden chairs, a wooden coat rack for the utility room and a large clock for the kitchen!

I saw this cute little bone china jug and couldn't resist -


The daffs are tiny, no idea what type they are as tete a tete are much larger than these. The flowers are only a cm or so across. The jug is hand made by a local potter. I have no problem paying a little extra for something that is hand made and beautiful.

Saturday evening was spent playing a murder mystery game, set in the 1960's. Jase and I were given the roles of woman, which proved to be interesting. Full costumes were expected. Make up was optional, but in for a penny........Lets just say I cannot go to Primark in Manchester for a while. The black dress, shoes, padded vest and bolero jacket are going to charity now. I will keep the wig. *wink* A really fun evening!

Jase left for work around 1.30 today, so I dug over the beds, and managed to get my first veggies in the ground. The hens helped dig over a couple of raised beds, searching for worms and slug eggs. Planted some leaf spinach around the strawberry plants as well.

Broad beans are now in!


Our plum tree is laden with blossom again, but I am secretly hoping that we don't get as many plums as last year. We had buckets full! Stunning to look at though -


The hens are laying well, 2-3-4 eggs a day, nice to fill up the egg boxes. They are loving the sun as well and will all lie down with wings out-stretched to soak up the rays.

Tired now and my back is sore. Spending 2 days at the Ideal home exhibition for Omlet hasn't helped. Lovely to talk chickens for 2 solid days though. Even popped to the stall next door and ducked my feet in a tank of Dr Fish. Strange experience, but lovely smooth feet now!

Bye for now!

C x x

Bundles of fun!

Morning All! Yes, for once I have time during the day to write my blog. You see I am in Oslo with work and have 3 hours to count down until pick up from the hotel. So here I am, swigging tea from a ridiculously small hotel mug.

It has been a weird week. Late starts, arriving at hotels at 11pm. Felt like I have been in a permanent state of fuzziness since Friday. Can't get my head around getting up at 8am, I am more used to 3-4am starts. Will swap any more lates if I get them next month.

So, I managed to get a few more crafty things done. I finished off some bunting for the shop last week. The flags were cut out ages ago, but just need some spare time to sew the whole lot together.

Vintage garden floral bunting -






Jase and I visited Southampton to get my new Iphone replacement. Unfortunately, I have lost all my numbers and several pictures as I hadn't backed up the info. Have now learnt how to do it and am religiously plugging it into to my laptop to store things. It is becoming an obsession. Just one more to add to the list. We also bought a new desk lamp for the office/craft room/my oasis of calm. The light in there is bad, so I needed something to make night time sewing a bit easier. The new chunky chrome lamp looks great.

I would still really like to convert our brick outbuilding to a craft room. It has power and light in there (along with numerous empty boxes, lawn mower, hundreds of jam jars, fridge/freezer and more junk that I am prepared to admit) and would make an ideal room for me. Too much money to sort out at the moment, but one day maybe. Just a bit of insulation, a few new power sockets and some shelves. Perfect.
In the meantime, I will make do with the office and desk. which is slowly getting more organised. One end of my desk -





...and the other with unfinished projects - Lots more bunting to sew together!



...and my inspiration on the chimney breast wall!




Spent yesterday in Stockholm, so doing a bit of a Scandi -tour this week. Managed to pick up some Christmas red fleece from a fabric shop, for a project I am working on. More of that later, nearer the festivities....! Also saw these cute little bundles of embroidery thread in a basket and had to have them. At 80p each it would have been rude not to.


Not a bad picture from my phone.

One flight home later today and then tomorrow is my last day before my Part time week off! Have a few plans for next week, including helping out at the Ideal home show, a friends 40th murder mystery party and a chicken course. Need to crack on with a few things craft wise next week to keep me happy.

We are having the utility room refitted this week. Jase has been lumbered with the massive task of emptying the room ready for the new worktops and cupboards. I will crack on with the new curtain to cover the boiler when I get back.

Just realised the time. I am leaving here in just over an hour, so better get a wiggle on! That's what happens when you get sidetracked with Facebook!

C x x x

How much longer?

6 days of work now done. Not the hardest working block I have done, but getting up between 3-4am every day took it's toll. I got home around 11am this morning, checked the hens, cleaned them out and headed upstairs. Such a waste as it was a stunning day, blue skies and quite warm, but my bed beckoned. Nothing like sleeping in your own bed. I crave it when away. Woke up at nearly 3pm and felt bleary eyed, hair standing on end and fuzzy. Must have slept well.

3 days off now and heading to the Apple store in Southampton tomorrow, to get my iphone fixed. We will pop into IKEA on the way and see what delights they have to offer. Need some pillar candles and that's about it, but we'll see what we come home with.

A laptop genius friend is coming down on Wednesday and Jase has a kidney scan on Thursday - after a bout of suspected kidney stones a couple of weeks ago. So that is the next few days off planned! Back to work on Friday for 6 days. Can't wait.

I have made several more felt number and stitched extra large safety pins to the back, will post pictures when I get a chance.

I haven't seen Jase since Tuesday, nearly a week now. He will be home tonight and we both have days off together. Plans are underway for the utility room, when next door get back from holiday. Looking forward to seeing the back of the work tops that have been residing in the lounge for months. It will mean stacking the contents of the room in the lounge, but should only be for a couple of days.

I am now doing 3 days at the Ideal Home Show in Earls Court. The 22-24 March on The Omlet stand, so pop in and say hello if you are there. I will be the one sucking a Strepsil - always get a sore throat from talking too much. Not usually a big talker......! *wink*

I got my new laptop this week after the ibook really started to play up. This new MacBook is lovely, slightly bigger but very moochy to the touch. I won't go into details about setting it up and trying to 'migrate' all the info from my old laptop, lets just say there is reason my Mac wizard friend is visiting on Wednesday.

Jase flew to Larnaca this week and came home with a huge bag of Seville oranges and grapefruit-sized lemons. Marmalade and lemon curd are in order I think. When I get 2 spare seconds.......

No eggs from our hens today, but 3 from next doors'. We have a couple of boxes now, so will take those to Mum & Dad's later this week. Looking forward to my part time week on the 17.........counting down the days.

Country Living magazine has landed on the mat, so time to light the fire and chill out.

C x x x

Count to ten....

After a week off, it is nearly time for me to return to work. Couldn't tell you what I have done all week, but managed to fill my days with pottering, cooking, cleaning and general bits and bobs.

A few weeks ago I went to the Opticians, for an eye test and contact lens check up. My contacts are not due to vanity. I prefer my glasses, as they make me feel more comfortable and less exposed to the World. Sorry, that is baring my soul somewhat,isn't it? Should I be lying down on a couch somewhere chatting to a therapist holding a clipboard? Anyway, I digress, so unlike me. I was diagnosed a few years ago, ahem, at 16 with Kerataconus, Which means that I have to wear lenses to protect my corneas. To be honest, I haven't really worn them in over a year and the sight test confirmed it! The vision in my left eye is worse, so back to the lenses! Just a pain with work as it means taking so many little bottles of cleaner and saline etc with me.

Had to go into Town as we had run out of toothpaste, what a bad house Husband I am. Had a bimble around the charity shops, but obviously February is a bad month for people decluttering. I did pick up a small pot of tete a tete daffodils from the market. My favourite little flower.



Jase has been away for what seems like weeks, but in reality only a few days. He came home last night, but left again at the crack of dawn. Actually, it was 4am, so Dawn was nowhere to be seen.

I've been playing around with felt all week. My new wonder material. Bought some from The Felt Fairy - her website, not a real fairy - and have been making badges for children. You know the tacky plastic ones with a number on? I've come up with a neat idea which I love!

Cut out felt numbers -





Using a blanket stitch, my new favourite way of hand sewing, sew the raw edges together and stuff with wadding.


A giant safety pin on the back and ta-daaa, a wonderful birthday badge! Will put a few in my shop later. See how they do.

The bantinies next door are still laying so well, I have so many eggs. Lucky as mine aren't really that bothered! Elsbeth is laying a couple every week, Pru likes to keep her company when she is on the nest and lays the odd egg when she feels like it. All are now crouching when you get close to them, so a good sign. They are stuffing their faces with pellets and I seem to be topping up their feeders every other day. I think it is time to add a couple more hens.........*whistles*

When next door are back, our neighbour Rob is going to refit the utility room. The work tops have been sat in the lounge for weeks, units in the garage along with the new sink. Can't wait. New wall units will mean the end to the current work top being covered in cluttered Le Parfait jars. I have a problem with Le Parfait jars. According to Jase. Wall units will mean more storage for bakeware too! Might need to go to Lakeland.

The next job on the list is to make a curtain to hide the boiler. Already have some sage and cream checked fabric from Laura Ashley that will be perfect for the job. Just hope I am away when the building work starts! Rob very kindly made me 12 wooden hearts that I want to turn into blackboards. The plan was to sell them at the Garden fair in May, but that being cancelled I will take them to the Michaelmas fair in September. Just need a dry day to paint them.


Life in the garden is springing up everywhere. I still haven't tackled most of it. The weather this week hasn't been great and it is fair to say that I am not happy gardening in a waterproof poncho. Back trouble has also meant no digging. Excuses, excuses I know. The broad beans are coming along nicely though.


After plodding on with my old Ibook, it is getting too much. Things keep shutting down, I lost all my pictures for a few hours and couldn't log onto the t'interweb yesterday. Jase fixed it, but the time has come for a new laptop. Jase is getting me one today at the airport and bringing it home tomorrow. I haven't got any money for a new one, but it is never a good time. A couple of months of paying interest on it via the evil credit card is my only option. I never buy things that I can't afford, but needs must. Dreading copying over all my book marked pages - that'll take me a day!

Time to make lasagne and chilli for the freezer. Another banana cake to bake as the 'nanas are past their best.


Bye for now

C x x x

Up and running.....

...Well not me, obviously! I don't run. Unless a bus is about to hit me. Or there is only one sausage roll left on the plate.

MY ONLINE SHOP!!!!!

Not the kind of website I would like, but cannot afford to spend hundreds on one like the gorgeous online shops I browse through. All my items for sale will be on the above blog from now on. *smiles* Had my first order within an hour! Thanks Hazel.


In other news, I managed to lose all my pictures from iphoto. One minute they were there, next, iphoto was empty. The language was blue and just glad the chickens were tucked in bed. I have found them, but not in iphoto anymore. No idea what happened.....so I quickly plugged in the back up hard drive I got for Christmas and downloaded them all to be safe. Wish I had done it sooner. You know when that panic starts to build in your throat?

Just back from a lovely 3 day trip to Madrid and Copenhagen. Fabulous crew and a real pleasure to work with. Lots of fun and a real laugh. Went out in Madrid to TGI Fridays, I know, not really absorbing the local culture, but sometimes it is nice to stagger 3 yards to the nearest place. No one went out in Copenhagen, but I sat at the desk and munched my way through an Itsu veggie salad and a Galaxy smooth bar! Figuring I deserved it after the low cal salad.

Next door's bantams laid very well while I was away and I have collected 6 eggs. Tiny little toy eggs, but they are very welcome here in the barren egg kitchen. 4 more weeks of looking after them, so should have a good stash! Having said that, I was stunned to find that Miss Pru had laid. More torpedo than egg shaped, but will taste great. 3 out of 4 had bright red combs, so fingers crossed they will all start again soon.

Took a couple of pictures before I left for work, just before the laptop crashed! The snowdrops and daffs are coming up really quickly.


...And the vintage coloured felt I ordered arrived. The colours seem very bright in this picture, but they are more muted.



After someone mentioning chocolate fudge brownies on Facebook, I couldn't resist making a batch! Mum & Dad took some home and I planned to take some in to work for my crew. I did take a few in, but scoffed the lot in my room. *Hangs head in shame*

I had run out of walnuts, so used chopped nuts instead and they tasted great.


Feeling tired now after getting up around 4am for the past 2 days. Have a cracking book at the moment - see 'currently reading' on the right........ - think I will light the fire early and snuggle down to a good read.

Bye for now!

C x x x

Disappointed

Just had an email to say the Vintage and Garden fair is cancelled. No reason given! 'We hope to see you at the Michaelmas fair in September.....'.

Grumpy now. Glad I made sausage rolls earlier.

Eggs on the way?

I know, I know, I have been really bad at updating my blog, Just don't seem to have any time for anything at the mo. Having a laptop that has decided to shut down at the drop of a hat isn't helping. I need to remember to keep saving as I type, as I have lost this post twice already!!

After a 5 day block at work, my lips are cracked and I have a sore throat. Thank goodness I am off for a couple of days. Shame I have a 7 day block to return to on Sunday. Sigh.

The hens got a rather large handful of corn this evening. I haven't been around much this week and they have been missing their bed time treat. Unsure if it was the sun setting, but their combs were looking a brighter shade of red tonight. I am hoping that means they will all start laying soon.

Sat here munching a small plate of cheese straws that I baked earlier. It was peeing down all day, so felt like doing a spot of baking. Ran out of milk, so headed off to the shops for basic supplies and picked up some lovely sausages from the butchers. Plan to make sausage rolls tomorrow.



On my last day off, I spent the day sewing 48 double sided bunting flags. That's something you don't hear very often! Rather than making 9 and sewing up the bunting, I realised that I need to do things on a larger scale. All country cottage style fabric, they look really good. Now most of the work is done, it won't take long to make up the bunting. I did make one special set though.......Jason's Sister is due to give birth any day now (well, she was due on the 5th), so I made some especially for the Baby's room. She has rubber duck thing going on and I managed to find some cute fabric, along with something babyish.




Not the best picture, but how lovely are the little ducks??


Jase flew up to Scotland tonight as his friend's Mum passed away. He will be back on Sunday, ready for work on Monday morning.

Feeling a bit run down tonight. Lips are cracked and throat sore. Just glad I am off for a couple of days. Lip balm at the ready (it is never too far away from me) and had berocca to wash down the cheese straws. In a moment of weakness in Co op today, I relented and bought a Cadburys creme egg. It has been chilling in the fridge all day. It is calling me now.

Will try and update my blog more often, but as I have a new blog to update, I might not be as good as I usually am. Yes, a new blog! I have been asked if I sell the things i make and having set up a dreadful website, that I now can't seem to update, I have decided to use Blogger to start a selling blog. So much easier as I use it already.

Time for my chocolate egg and then bed.

Night night!

C x x x

**new blog details on the right hand side now, Hazel**

Answers on a postcard please.....

OOOh, what to do?? I have just received an email from the Weyhill fairground craft and design centre, asking if I would be interested in doing their Garden Fair in May??

Linky thing, click here

What do you think?? I would need to come up with ideas of things to make that are more outdoorsy (is that a word)? Flowery, picnics? Bunting etc? Seed kits? Any ideas you crafty lot? What would you expect to see at a Garden fair?

I am really excited as they must like me to keep asking me back......I think. I would love to do this full time, but mortgage will not allow at present (or in the foreseeable future *wipes tear from eye*)

Please help!! Any suggestions, email me at Christianscottage@btinternet.com or leave a comment please.

Hope you can help!

C x x x

Happy Wednesday

Finally some time to write. I have no idea where my time goes, but, like my hairline, is just does!

Am off now until the beginning of February. My next roster is ok, not the destinations i requested, but all in all, not bad at all.

On Monday night, we drove over to Woking to see Hairspray at the theatre. I had no idea what it was about, just knew that Michael Ball had played a part in the West End show. I have to say it was fantastic! A really lively, feel good, show. It made me want to start singing again. Very much recommended (the show, not my singing).

Spent yesterday, scraping out the soiled muck from the chicken runs and topping up with nice fluffy bedding, that will be covered in poop in a matter of days. The girls seemed to be enjoying themselves, scratching around the veggie garden to stop them getting under my feet. Pru hasn't laid any eggs since the 3 at the beginning of the month. Bright red comb, but still no sign of eggs. Elsbeth crouched down in front of me yesterday, a sure sign that she is thinking of laying again soon. Fingers crossed.

I also managed to get a bit of gardening done. Nothing like getting your hands in fresh compost and planting some seeds. I have decided to plan my garden more carefully this year (time permitting)......We always end up with a glut of something or other, so successional planting is the term this year! Just remembering to plant a few seeds every few weeks. I went to the local garden centre to get a new broom and some netting (to stop the cat that has moved in behind our house) and couldn't resist some seeds!


Broad beans, pak choi, purple beans, swiss chard and curly kale - lots of which will be for the hens. I have to plant it early or by August I have forgotten. I am after large established plants that will survive the winter this year. Daft, but packets of seeds make me smile. Dried up little things, that burst into life and feed us. Amazing really.


I found my little wooden plant pot maker in the shed, dusted it off and got to work. I found The Independent makes superb pots, but any paper will do *wink*




Broad beans are now sown and in the green house.


The green house hasn't faired to well over winter and the zip is broken. It won't cost much to replace, but it annoys me as I only bought it last year. I still have the fleece cover, so might make do with that this year. I need to rebuild the cold frame (I say rebuild, it is only stacked up bricks), as I have used most of the bricks as supports for the hens' drinkers and a few other jobs.

After many hours of sewing (and unpicking)!!, the table runner is done! I really like it and think it brightens up the wooden coffee table. I think Jase is worried that the house will turn into a gingham patchwork nightmare, but it looks good where it is.


Been quite a good week so far. Apart from my newly discovered Ritz cracker addiction. To add to the other addictions......just something about them, They are so tempting. Especially with Waitrose crab pate......

Jase celebrated his birthday last week and got the Wagamama cookbook. I have been to the restaurant a couple of times and love it, so today I went shopping and bought all the ingredients for my favourite meal. Amai Udon noodles. Took minutes to prepare and was absolutely delish. I am not one for following recipe books, always adding a few bits and pieces, but it tasted exactly like the restaurant.


Loads of pak choi, mange tout, savoy cabbage (instead of the leeks as per the recipe), with tofu pieces and king prawns. Topped with a handful of dry roasted peanuts and a squeeze of lime.....mmmmm nom nom nom. Reasonably healthy too I think*.


*Not including the Ritz crackers I had as a starter.

The temperature has dropped again and we are due a ground frost overnight. Hens are locked up tight in their eglu and happy. I plan to start worming them tomorrow, as I haven't done it for nearly 4 months. They don't seem to be affected but that could explain the lack of eggs. A week of medicated pellets and they will be done for a while.

Fire is lit, The Day After Tomorrow on the dvd player, you can't beat a good disaster movie. A small bar of Green & Blacks extra dark chocolate consumed, for health reasons you understand.

A mega list of jobs to do this week, as always, but nothing too pressing. I want to start on my next patchwork quilt for the spare room, but am patchworked out. Something else will pop into my head no doubt and I'll crack on with that.

Time to get back to the dvd and the end of the world as we know it......

TTFN,

C x x x

Lunatic asylum

You know you get that feeling sometimes that you should have stayed in bed? Today is one of those days. I popped to the post box with 2 letters in hand and as I dropped them through the slot, I saw my shopping list disappear too!! I do worry about my sanity sometimes. Like the time I couldn't find my wallet. Turned the house upside down and it was no where to be seen. Decided to chill for 5 minutes and make a cuppa. Lo and behold, wallet sitting in the fridge. Obvious really. Anyway, I disgress, so unlike me!!, shop from memory I thought. Bad move.

Decided to go to Quilters dream first, as I needed some curved safely pins, as you do, and some red fabric for binding the table runner that I am yet to make. £24 later, I left and headed to Sainsburys. I am usually a Waitrose shopper, just because their fruit and veg is better quality and owing to the fact that I refuse to shop in Tesco due to their ever increasing greed to dominate the planet. Walked into Sainburys to be confronted with hundreds of Hot Cross buns! I am still getting over the excesses of Christmas, waistline wise as well as with the Mastercard. Do they think us stupid?? Packets upon packets of buns stacked up, next to Cadburys Creme eggs!! Easter is months away. I hate supermarkets and the way they program our minds into purchasing certain items. I won't stand for it. No way. In protest I only bought one packet of 4. *wink* Toasted two when I got home and smothered them in butter, the sort of thickness that you leave teeth marks when you take a bite. Delish.

Funny how everything really important on your list is forgotten the second you drop it into the post box. Will need to go out again tomorrow.

The big news this week is that Pru started laying again. Her comb has been looking rather red this week, but I didn't think for a second that she would lay until February. 2 eggs so far this week and whoopers too. She is a good girl. Hopefully the others will get the hint. The 6 eggs I bought today will have to last as I don't want to buy anymore. Even free range, pampered, naturally roaming in woodland, apple eating from organic orchard, hens' eggs cannot compare to our own.

Their run is decidedly filthy by my standards. I am sure they have no issue with it. Waiting for a dry day to shovel the soiled mess out and give it a hose down. Weather forecast doesn't look promising for the next week, so might have to wait until my week off.

Jase got the results of his latest MRI scan and it showed that his tumour is shrinking!! It really is the best news we could have hoped for and a wonderful start to the New Year.

I think it is veg planning time again! I love this time of year when it is dark outside, I can light the fire and sit with my seed catalogues, a Yankee candle burning and pour over pictures of vegetables. Strange that my veg never looks as good as the catalogues promise, but I still enjoy growing them.

I did plan to start off broad beans and sweetpeas in the autumn, but didn't get 'round to it. The mini plastic greenhouse has taken a battering over winter with one of the zips broken, will need to fix that before I start sowing. The hens were allowed another few hours in the veg garden to help dig over the beds. Please ignore the heaving breathing at the start!! I am not a pervert.



Am making bubble and squeak for dinner, as have loads of left over sprouts and tatties. Jase won't be back until late this evening, so cooking for one! Girls are tucked up in bed, fire is ready to light and 2 loads of washing are hanging up drying. A good day so far, with loads of jobs ticked off.

C x x