A bit way laid.......

In my search for demi johns I found this pyrex dish;

couldn't believe my luck at finding these vintage sheets

got more than a little distracted by these rather special vintage curtains

and then found myself at my local scrap store where you just have to have a rummage

but my quest wasn't in vain as I did manage to find Mr D his demi johns, 9 for £5 the best bargain of the day,

so in Mr D's excitement my bags of yet more thrifted fabric managed to go unnoticed!

Heads Spinning

The last week has seen Mr D and myself both engrossed in our own projects. Every evening we have been beavering away.
We haven't had the best success with our veg plot this year. We struggled to keep things watered enough in the heat of June and quite a lot of plants either wilted or bolted! As for the legumes which take over the majority of our plot they just seemed to stand still. The mangetout, which are usually rampant started to produce distorted  pods so after some research we discovered that we had pea thrips which explained why we weren't getting a yield of  sugar snaps and peas. So we decided to take the plants out. It wasn't an easy decision and it certainly was a frustrating one as its too late to do another sowing but we are hoping that we have caught it in time before it spreads to the broad beans.

On a cheerier note our soft fruit harvest has been amazing.

With a bountiful picking of these summer jewels,

With the kitchen full of baskets brimming with gooseberries, redcurrants and loganberries a decision had to be reached on what we are going to do with them. We still have so much jam and chutney from previous years that I can't imagine making any more for a while. And then whilst sampling our elderflower champagne a eureka moment happened, why not try our hand at fruit wines. Well let's just say Mr D has got rather engrossed in this new project.

 With our first batch of redcurrant wine happily bubbling and gurgling away in our under stairs cupboard and the faint smell of a brewery lingering in the air you could say we have been just a little distracted. So the fact that today is the last day of #1's first year of school seems to have just sprung up on us. The change in him both physically and emotionally is incredible,
he is incredible.
Without realising it he is paving the way for his brother and sister and he is doing a damn good job of it. A little shaky at times, and a wee bit stressful. But we got through this "major" event and watching him this morning run off with his friends happily giggling away brought one very proud mummy to shed a tear and to come to the conclusion "aren't children amazing!"

Show and Tell!

Buying fabric in the UK is definitely on the up, with some great new on-line shops appearing giving us much more choice. Many of the shops have blogs or newsletters which are a great way of keeping up to date with new products, sales and give-aways and  The Fabric Loft is no exception.

 I stumbled across the site a few weeks ago and couldn't resist the above print. It's the first time I've seen the Leanika range and I love this mod circles. It doesn't show up too well on the photos but the circles are a pale blue. I'm hoping one day soon to find the time to turn it into a piece of clothing for myself. One has to dream!! While I was on the site I found Lizzet's blog and she was having a giveaway with the chance of winning 4 fat quarters of your choice, well it would have been rude not to enter!

So 4 fat quarters later!
Yes I was one of the lucky winners, remember me saying I never win anything, well it seems my luck has changed!

It was a tough decision choosing just 4!

I finally decided on Nicey Jane Hop Dot in olive and sky, Leanika mod circles in pink and mingle rings in leaf. Four geometrics prints that I can imagine using for many different projects. So a big thank you to Lizzet at the Fabric Loft for such a generous giveaway, and for such a great service, I have a sneaky feeling I'll be a returning customer!

Simples!

The garden was prepared

 

Ailen cakes were made

Party bags were sewn and filled

and the kids came, played and ate

and our oldest boy turned 5, and all of a sudden our little boy seems, well very old and grown up.

Duplo has been replaced by lego star wars in fact we are now surrounded by star wars. It's no longer Postman Pat or Bob the Builder being watched but Star Wars "A New Hope". I've been a stormtrooper, Princess Leia, I've even been allowed to play at being Darth Vader! It really feels like we are entering a new phrase with #1. And it's exciting, if not a little scary!

We've had a weekend of parties and cake, seeing family and friends, tigers and leopards,

But for me the highlight of our trip to the zoo was the meekats.

It wouldn't have surprised me in the slightest if one had turned around and said  "simples"!

But unfortunately through it all #3 has being suffering with conjunctivitis, an upset stomach, and teething pains as her third tooth pokes through, we've had unsettled days, taken it in turns to pace the house in the middle of the night just holding her, praying that she'll settle and eventually have some sleep. So for my birthday next weekend I'm not hoping for a day out, not even a meal out just Mr D and myself but for a good nights sleep as I'm starting to feel my age!!

Birthday treats

There are many benefits of having a birthday in July, 

the sales are definitely one of them!

 50% off on Orla Kiely bags is too hard to resist!

A girl can never have enough bags!! 

Especially when the inside is as gorgeous as the outside!

And as for notebooks,

 Am I the only one who finds it difficult to use notebooks when they are this pretty! So thank you Grandma and to think it's not even my birthday yet for another week!

Whose that Girl?

It's been a bit of a disjointed day today.

#3 fell asleep just as it turned 12 o'clock so rather than eating lunch, I grabbed the opportunity to go and do some weeding on the veg plot. We had an incredible amount of rain last night which has turned a rather yellow patch of vegetables into a green oasis over night. It has also turned the weeds into monsters! Huge things, towering over the peas and the struggling sugar snap seedlings. Well at least you can now see the plants and #2 was happy to occupy himself, munching his way through our peas and the last lot of strawberries. Talk about eating alfresco! The rain really was needed not only does everything now look so lovely and lush our water butts are full to the brim which means watering won't be so much of a chore.

Talking of all things bright and wonderful! I do believe the thrifting gods have been looking down on me lately as our thrifty finds have been coming thick and fast and if they continue to happen as often as they are, I fear that we may not have room to move in our small "cosy" home! At this point you probably are thinking that all I need to do is show some restraint or in fact don't enter an emporium of delights for then the vintage treasures would stay hidden from view, but having self-control when it comes to thrifting or indeed fabric buying is something I am yet to gain!

Out of all our new purchases the vintage hanging shoe organiser has got to be the most perfect find. For I knew exactly where I wanted to hang it the moment I saw it, in fact the nail was already there in the right position waiting patiently for such a find. So it now takes pride of place in my daughter's room. But as I sit on the chair at night feeding her I can't help but get myself all confused! For I keep asking myself who is she?

As my sister said the first time she saw it 

"didn't we have a doll like that" 

well yes I think we did but what was she called? It has Daisy printed on the top of the organiser and at the bottom it's marked 1974 Kirby Martin Associates. I think she was called Holly Hobbie or I know their was a doll by that name. 

Is this her?!!

So please if anyone has any idea can you let me know, as it's one of those small niggling questions that I can't get out of my mind!
And in the night when I sit facing her it would be great to address her by her name!!