Posy

Holidays

Aww..sigh..this view is from Park Walk in Shaftesbury, Dorset. This was the place we were taken daily as little children as the hotel we lived in did not have a garden. Not that I feel sorry for myself. Far from it - I thought that this was the loveliest playground a child could wish for. It's so typically 'English' - Thomas Hardy country. I think it has been burnt deep into my very being as I so appreciate the British countryside. I love to think that my first experiences of the world were in such a special place.

The Green Gate shop - I have been asked a few times about it. It is owned by a lady called Sophie Perks Ward. I have been sent the new Winter catalogue and I have seen a lovely quilt and a floor mat (watch this space!). Whilst we were there I bought some new fabrics

and this was one of them - in the GG sale! Thank goodness for sales! I use my fabrics as tablecloths until I decide what to do with them. Have you noticed I have been more 'brush happy'? Yeah, it was the turn of the lamp base this time. I think you appreciate the lovely carved bits now that it has been painted - though it does need a little more distressing.

Next on our travels, after we dropped off the children, was lovely Bath.

We stayed with my brother Steven & Annie. It was lovely to see them and also to enjoy looking around Bath. It really has the most beautiful architecture and Abbey. More photos here, here and here. My favourite has to be the little angels climbing up to heaven and God who is at the very top. Some have fallen if you look carefully.

I will post more later - the ironing has almost taken over the house and I have bought some old linen in my travels which I am actually looking forward to ironing. Something can't be right!!

Fourteen

When did my little, difficult, strong-willed, noisy daughter turn into such a self-contained, quietly strong, extremely modest but beautiful, young lady?

Today is Lucy's 14th birthday which she chose to spend quietly at home with us. Granny and Poppa joined us at a local pizza restaurant for dinner. Between you and me I was rather glad that we didn't have to do the usual sleep-over for 6! She got some lovely presents - mainly green clothes and some lovely cards - mainly cat cards..but I think the card we gave her has to be the best, ever for serious cute factor! It has to come with a health warning because when I look at it it makes my head hurt! Are you ready...?

Awwh - don't you just want to squidge it and cover it's little head with kisses?! I'm desperate for another cat but that's another story for another day..

Anyway it's getting very late so I must finish. We have had a lovely time in Ludlow and I managed to find some wonderful treasures which I will post over the next few days.

I'll leave you with a few pictures of the birthday girl  - especially for our much missed family in NZ.

Happy Birthday, darling girl - you are such a sweet, wonderful person and the whole family is so very proud of you.

Never change..

August so far

Hee hee..this picture never fails to make me laugh though I know I shouldn't! Here are my poor, neglected,bored children waiting for me to finish browsing (or should I say, drooling!) in a shop in Shaftesbury that sells mostly Green Gate. Just look at Tom's face - what a poor chap sitting amidst all that loveliness!

I hasten to add that no children were harmed in the taking of this photograph and very soon we were on our way to Granny & Poppa's where the above children were spoilt rotten. They stayed in Salisbury for 5 nights (the longest A & I have ever been without them!) and Anth and I went home via Bath to do the rest of the painting.

I will post my pictures later next week as I should be packing now to go to Ludlow for a few days. I have spent all day making curtains for the dining room.

You may have noticed that they are the same as our bedroom -- Laura Ashley were having a huge sale so they were the cheapest option (which appeases Anth somewhat..phew!).

Well, here are the painted floorboards -- a long time in the thinking, planning, sanding and painting. I think the house looks good, it has certainly 'opened up' the rooms; but time will tell I suppose as to whether this was a good idea. I'm not sure if I should paint the doors now! Gee it never stops!

Stop, I must. We will be back on Sunday or Monday and then I promise more posting, more frequently and fingers crossed for more treasures to share with you too.

Cousins

This week we had some very special visitors -- the cousins! I should actually state that it was the English variety and not our much missed New Zealand cousins. My mother and Rob brought them down to spend part of the week with us and to do all the things you do at an English seaside town. You know, shelter from the brisk wind blowing from the sea...eat sandwiches..dodge the seagulls..get lost in the vast crowd of tourists with their 'Kiss me quick' hats! No - we did have fun and yes there was much frolicking to be had by young and old. It was lovely to see the cousins together again. I am the eldest (and only girl) and have 3 younger brothers and it is my middle brother William who has the other grandchildren. They have the whitest hair and are 4, 6 and 8 years old. We stopped all painting and instead enjoyed McDonald's, the beach, open topped bus rides, and the funfair at night! Though I think the biggest hit by far was little Posy who endured being brushed every couple of minutes and her vintage mouse stuffed under her nose at all times!

The painting is s l o w l y coming along. We (or should I say I!!) am having to do 2 coats and we have the diningroom, hall, kitchen, Tom's room,and landing still to do but the children are going to go and stay with Mum and Rob on Tuesday so Anth and I can crack on with it then...that is after we have done a bit of shopping in Shaftesbury where there is a shop who sells a little Green Gate, Ikea, and an overnight stay in Bath (whoo hoo!) where my brother Steven lives with his lovely lady Annie. There is, in Bath, a shop called Susannah's which is out of this world..vintage floral heaven (very seriously pricey though) which is good for inspiration and hopefully photos - if nothing else! Thank you for all your comments - I do so love reading them and am grateful that you take the time to read my blog. I have been so bad about reading all my friends' blogs these last few weeks, but hey, the holidays will be over soon and it will be back to school and then on to CHRISTMAS! I must admit my thoughts have already been dwelling on cards, presents..but more about that later!

I will leave you with some pictures of the 6 grandchildren on our frolicks.

 

Sanding

I can't quite believe that it has been so long since I have last posted - I hope you will forgive me because the time to paint the floorboards has arrived! It has been a week of sanding, sleeping where we can, painting and dust! Have I mentioned the word stress? No, well take it from me we have seemed to lurch from one thing to the other. It started last weekend with the hiring of an industrial sander and edger. The last words the hireman said to me when I went to pick up the machines was, "Good luck, you're going to need it!" It took hours to cover everything and empty the rooms. We were going quite well until I heard the light fitting fall down in the hall ..Anth then said calmly that he had had an accident...I went upstairs to find that he had sucked up a large dust sheet into the drum of the sander which then had wrapped around so much that it was completely jammed and unable to move at all. Lucy then came to tell me that the telephone wasn't working and that meant no internet too, plus Justine was in labour and I wanted to be contactable....Urghhh!!

To cut (huh!) a long story short..it took 90 minutes and my best sewing scissors to cut and cut through the dust sheet..terrified that we would have to pay a few hundred pounds to replace the machine..finally I cut it free and we were able to carry on. I can't tell you the relief -- even now a week later I still feel traumatized by that! The telephone needed a new cable which I replaced but we have so many extensions it took ages trying to find the right one. The dust was not as bad as I thought it was going to be but when I took the machines back on Monday morning I had to agree that I was glad to see the back of them but so grateful I wasn't taking back a sander wrapped in a dust sheet!

So, now starts the painting part. I have painted the dresser in the same green as it was before but this time in a gloss finish. Yesterday I started the floor in our bedroom. As I put the first strokes of the white floor paint on the floorboards the white was suddenly streaked with a yellow colour - it looked just like someone had done a wee in the snow!! I just didn't know what to do so rang the paint company and they told me that because we had left small traces of wood stain still on the boards (I thought it would be ok as we were painting them after all) it probably had creosote in it and that was why it was turning yellow. We had sanded the entire house, apart from 2 rooms, and the only solution was to sand again and this time take every last bit off. I was so upset to say the least. So yesterday I found myself at the hire man's shop and the only thing available was a small belt sander. This stupid machine kept slipping and making the sand paper move out of position every few seconds. In the end we have just sanded by hand and if the paint turns yellow we found that we just do 2 coats.

Here is our bedroom awaiting a second coat which I will do next. I think it looks absolutely wonderful..I so love the painted floor thing and am so excited that it finally looks like it will be ok. Sorry this has been such a long post, devoid of loveliness -- but wait. What's that? Yes, I did do some sewing before this sanding milarky and I made a peg bag for my clothes pegs. I had seen a lovely Green Gate peg bag but wasn't going to spend £15 so with a £5 tea towel I made a similar one. What do you think?

It's a beautiful boy!

He has arrived! Baby Joshua is here! Our dearest friends,Mike and Justine, have had their baby last Sunday. So all painting and sanding (more about that later!) came to a halt and out came my sewing machine - even though I literally had no space to put it down! I made him a cushion 'Caroline Zoob' style which we gave him when Anth and I drove down to Plymouth on Wednesday evening to meet him and give his proud Mama a big kiss.

Isn't he beautiful...a true miracle.

Here is his cushion -- I did the front in gingham and the back in ticking and did the little boat on some linen which I edged in tiny rick-rack. I just love rick-rack! I'll leave you with a little peek at his tiny toes - could they be more perfect..I don't think so!