Hanging on to Summer

Days spent exploring new Cornish coves, splashing in the sea, rock-pooling, and finding our first ever starfish. 

Evenings spent cooking outdoors, staying up late and watching the sun set.

Its been a good summer, and one we're all going to miss. Though as school beckons and the countdown really begins (boys go back to school on Friday, yes a 'Friday'), there is no denying that Autumn is here. It shows itself in the cooler mornings, the darker evenings and the hedgerows full of blackberries. Like many children I use to yearn for the summer, the longer days, endless sunshine but as I've got older I have begun to really enjoy the changing seasons, Spring full of expectations and Autumn full of colour, glorious light and the slowing down. So as we begin to wave a sad goodbye to what has been a very 'sunny' summer, there is already a part of me that is ready to embrace the next period of the year.

So what's for tea!

There is something very satisfying when you can walk in to your vegetable patch, and pick all the ingredients you need for tonight's tea!
Our allotment has turned into a jungle. Just having a fortnight away, a fortnight without picking, tidying and nurturing has turned our veg patch into a wild overgrown, mess - no that's not entirely fair, seen from our kids point of view our allotment has turned into an outdoor edible supermarket! They disappear down the rows, searching for the last peas, daring each other to see how much rocket they can eat that has turned quite 'hot' tasting and popping sweet cherry tomatoes into their mouths whole as if they were sweets.
And for tonight's tea, our first corn on the cob, light yellow in colour, its paleness making the kids wonder twice about them, until tasting them and all three declaring that it was the best sweetcorn they had ever tasted. Freshly dug up potatoes, a task done with the help of the kids, who squeal with delight when they find them hidden in the soil. Runner beans, which the kids now believe (thanks to their dad) that by eating them, they will run faster!! Tomatoes, in different shades of reds, yellows, and orange, some round, others the shape of strawberries, some the size of your hand, others so small they look like berries but all so tasty, and so fresh smelling. And then the courgettes, impossible for me to forget as while we where away, these lovely courgettes have grown into huge 'marrows'. And they are now part of our meal every evening in some manner. But I am not complaining, this time of the year, late summer is a time for a gardener (or his wife!) to indulge and feast upon the fruits of ones labour. To eat and enjoy and my word we all indulging in that!

End of Summer

Back from an incredible two weeks spent camping in Cornwall. I really felt like I was ready to come home, to be honest I really missed my sewing machine, crazy as it may sound, though I feel ok about this as I know my OH really missed his greenhouses! But as I sit now looking through the many holiday photos that I took (yes sorry many more to follow!) I feel a large tinge of sadness pass over me that it's all over, for another year. There's no doubt we will sneak in more visits to the seaside and yes hopefully have a break in October but as the nights draw in, and blimey haven't they, it really feels like putting the tent away is a sign that summer is passing and Autumn is just around the corner. It's been a good one and one that I could quite handle carrying on for that little bit longer!

Etsy Treasuries

'A good day to be happy' by leanan

Handmade Yellow and Grey Ori... ShopIndigoRock... $25	READY to SHIP out faster- La... EJbutik $46	Unique Minimalist Bubble Pen... JagnaB $55	Lemon Yellow and Gray Leathe... SmArtAnna $42
Lemongrass Tea Cold Process ... mojospa $8	Yellow and grey hand knitted... makneta $119	Happy pillow 16x16 Decorativ... MonochromeStud... $35	Rolled fabric beads - Hand r... SuppliesbyAyca $8.4
Yellow and gray Wedding Bea... DiAmoreDS $33	Nursing necklace Yellow grey... boorashka $22	Baby Bib Modern Organic acraftyhen $11.5	Felt Clutch Bag, Hand Bag, G... NIJICOLLECTION $24
resin earrings small grey st... KAZrobertson $20	Grey felted wool slippers fo... aureliaLT $78	Wall button in light grey - ... Beh1ndHome $28	Vintage German tea coffee cu... LeKosmosBerlin $22

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'Woodland Nursery' by valerieoutlet

Fox Bookend or Fox Softie Se... GandGPatterns $9	Luxurious Organic Woodland B... acraftyhen $22	Woodland Baby Mobile, Crib M... TheMemis $85	Squirrel Shelf - Gray Parent... MapleShadeKids $79
Nesting Dolls, Woodland Nurs... andralynn $50	Wood Owl Switchplate Kids Nu... graphicspacesw... $28	Woodland Nursery Art Print S... DeliveredByDan... $30	Personalized Baby Blanket, W... TheCherryCheet... $34.99
Vinyl Nursery Wall Decal For... wallartdesign $165	Woodland Baby Toss Newborn A... CatandWolfDesi... $18	Woodland Animal Toy Box - Cu... BirchTreeKids $399.99	Woodland Animals Monthly One... BuddhaBellies $9
Rustic coat rack -- wood, ru... RusticBabyBout... $30	Modern Woodland Fabric Tote ... tanneicasey $45	Curtain TIebacks-Drape Hold ... SwagMags $13.99	Wooden Hedgehogs and Toadsto... Imaginationkid... $25

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I have been lucky enough to have items from my Etsy shop included in quite a few treasuries of late. I have also been very busy with sales lately so I do wonder whether the two are linked! So I thought I'd show you my favourite two treasuries. The first is a wonderfully named treasury called 'A good day to be happy' which includes my Baby Bib Modern Organic  and the other treasury is called a 'Woodland Nursery' and includes my Luxurious Organic Woodland Baby Gift Set . I do think the ability to create treasuries like this is one of the great tools that Etsy has to offer. From a sellers point of view it acts as publicity and brings new traffic to your shop, and as a buyer it shows you glimpses of items that you may not have seen before. I have found some of my favourite shops through other peoples treasuries. I often get asked what my thoughts are regarding selling on Etsy v Folksy and I have to say that this is a reason why I feel Etsy is a better platform than Folksy.


I am closing my Etsy shop tonight and also my other two shops as we are heading to Cornwall on Saturday for a few nights camping. Fingers crossed that we have some sunshine!