Strawberry Fever

So the strawberry season is well and truly among us, and the kids have been happily munching their way through our crop so quickly in fact that I have failed to get a photo of our best crop ever to show you or even to eat one myself!

All this 'strawberry' fever has had an effect on my latest choice of fabrics. I couldn't resist this fun berry print when I saw it and I have enjoyed teaming it with a dark pink gingham fabric to make this bib and burp cloth set which is available here and here.

I've also been making some girls tote bags for the fairs I have been doing. There size makes them ideal for a young girl to fill with her toys, hair clips or books and to carry them around with her just like her mummy!

I can't believe how quickly girls get into their bags my 19mth old already loves filling hers up with what ever she can find and I do mean 'whatever'! I have added one to my on-line shop and one to my folksy shop a crafty hen   

As for our crop of strawberries, I think the kids have eaten most of our crop and have now started on our raspberries and loganberries. I wonder if I'll manage to get to eat a few myself or even better to get some into the kitchen to do some cooking with them?

Yes it is the summer

We have spent the last few weeks trying to convince #2 (our 3 yr old) that it is indeed the summer. On a daily basis he asks the question "Is it the summer now?" and however hard I try to explain that yes it is even though it may be a tad cold and wet it is the season we call summer he looks at me through very disbelieving eyes and smiles rather patronisingly and shakes his head! Well finally yesterday with temperatures suddenly soaring into the mid twenties he announced to us all that 

"Today, it is summer", 

so with that we headed up onto the moors to do a bit of paddling!

 

 

I think we forget sometimes what is on our door step.

 

And with views like this we all enjoyed our 'day' of summer very much.

And today, well as it gets darker and darker and looks like it's about to rain, #2 has just asked me what season is it today! When will I finally convince him that it is the summer it's just the British summertime weather that he needs to come to terms with!

At Home With The Blues

I love the colour blue, especially when found on this Cathrineholm coffee pot that Mr D spotted at a vintage fair on Saturday for the ghastly sum of £6! 

 

 

I'm hoping this means that our thrifting drought has ended! 

It's now taking pride of place in our kitchen. And taking centre stage in our garden is my new blue hydrangea. The photo does not do the vibrancy of the colour justice. It is such a gorgeous blue and a welcome splash of colour in the garden especially under the grey skies we have been having lately.

And on my work table this small fat quarter makes my heart jump, every time I catch a glimpse of it. It is such an attractive blue and being voile it is so silky to the touch.

My regret is that I only managed to buy such a small amount off Kate from misformake. It is such a powerful blue and I am having to stop myself from getting too distracted by it's charm. 

Vintage Solution

I got some very strange looks as I carted my newly bought vintage suitcases home this week. There we were youngest in double pushchair sat next to 3 suitcases piled on top of one another in the seat next to her, with #2 walking alongside. Not only did we get some puzzled glances we also got some odd comments! I couldn't decide in the end if people thought it was cruel that my 3 year old was having to walk whilst the suitcases travelled in style or if they thought I was a gypsy travelling alone with two young kids either way, I couldn't help but laugh!

And here they are safely at home with the other two I bought a few weeks ago. I must say I am totally in love with there usefulness and charm. Each one is so different, in size, colour and in condition, and even the most scruffiest one tells a story. The large suitcase on the bottom fascinates me with its stickers of countries visited.

To me , they conjure up some fantastic images and stories in my mind!

They work so well storing all my excess fabric and are great for transporting my handmade goods to the fairs, it was an ingenious idea of Mr D, though at the time of suggesting it I don't think he was expecting five to appear in our bedroom! He is beginning to think a studio would be a very good idea, I wish!!

For now I will be grateful for my new found storage solution, at least they stack neatly away on top of my wardrobe and I can spend my nights dreaming of where they have travelled and what they have seen.

I can imagine they have a tale or too to tell!

Just one more day!

I'm trying to ignore the fact that today is Monday and Mr D has just gone off to work, and tomorrow my two boys return to school and nursery. We've had a lovely week off and had our first camping trip of the year, made even more exciting as we met up with my Brother in law and family which meant the kids had two older cousins to play with, or should I say to keep entertained!

There was plenty of 'follow my leader' going on! 

And plenty of new places to visit even though we never left the county of Devon!

Bicton Botanical Gardens did not disappoint and there was so much to see and do that it was impossible to explore it all in a day.

Though I know there will be no complaints from the kids when we say we want to go back, they loved it!

And with memories of days like this it is so difficult to contemplate the thought of returning to our normal routine tomorrow. So the plan for today is a morning spent in pjs and an afternoon for the boys spent at the park with Grandparents, and for me time on the sewing machine, a great end to the holiday then!