1st Bloggy Birthday & Giveaway

Evening all, so sorry it's been a while, I have been planning an update for over a week but I just haven't found the time to sit down and write it.


The past two weeks have flown by in a whirl of sorting, decorating and general everyday life things. I managed to make my roman blind for the bathroom, cleaned the bathroom tiles from floor to ceiling and Mr P painted the ceiling and replaced the rather yellowing down lighters for some nice new brushed chrome ones. The bathroom is now ticked of the to do list. Do you think the blind looks OK? It's a CK boat print, I think it looks nice and fresh and just adds a bit of colour to a rather bland creamy/beige tiled room. I found some wooden boat bunting and some little wooden boats on holiday in Cornwall last Summer to adorn the window sill.





The closed look followed by the open look!



I also shelved my bottom of the stairs cupboard as promised (well Mr P did) and I have finally got a dedicated space for my craft stuff and fabric. A trip to Ikea did the job, their storage solutions are fab and so reasonably priced. I now have some lidded storage boxes for all of my fabric. I have also dug out my sewing machine and placed that on the craft shelves. Its fab as everything is now so accessible. No more trying to sew things on Daisy's little mini sewing machine, I can use my own from now on!


Our front porch has also been repainted along with the lounge which is now a nice chalky cream colour as opposed to the very yellow cream it was previously. I was very silly a few months ago and left a teacup candle burning overnight in the lounge. I am normally very careful with candles, I am not really sure how or why I left it burning. Anyway, Mr P got up to find the flame on the candle burning at around four inches high. We were very lucky it never caused a fire. It did however turn the paintwork in the lounge very sooty in places. All the pictures had a very fetching black soot mark around them and there was a very odd shaped mark above the radiator that looked like a pair of breasts or a set of bum cheeks! Last weekend was spent redecorating and thankfully it's all looking nice and clean and bright once again.




We have decided that we are definitely putting our house up for sale in the Spring, so the plan is to get it ready over the next month or so. We have a lot of tidying up in the garden to do, Winter is never a good time for gardens is it? Ours look such a mess at the moment, I have however started to notice the signs that Spring is very much on its way. Lots of greenery poking through the ground with the promise of things to come. This is what I saw when I looked out of Alex's bedroom window the other afternoon! What a naughty girl, she really is a menace at times.






Tomorrow is my first blog anniversary and as promised I will be hosting a little giveaway to celebrate the end of the first year. I have gathered together a few bits and bobs, a few of my favourite sort of things to send to the winner. There may be a hand made item but it rather depends on whether I have time to finish it or not. If not then don't despair there are still lots of lovely bits and pieces for you to enjoy. Please leave a comment if you want to be included and I will draw the winner next Sunday evening. I have really enjoyed blogging this past year, it is such a lovely way to make a record of my every day life. I love reading the comments that you leave and its is so lovely to be part of the blogging community. Long may it continue.


This coming week is half term and I am really looking forward to a week of no school, lie ins and chilling out - well that's the plan anyway. We are hosting a belated Valentines tea tomorrow for my friend Julia and her girls, which should be fun. I need to make some heart shaped biscuits and some fairy cakes in the morning. Mr P came up trumps on Valentines Day and gave me this lovely tea cup and saucer. I bought Mr P some Hotel Chocolate hearts and some bubbly which we shared, the chocs were delicious.






I received this lovely bouquet on Friday from my neighbour. I always pass on Daisy and Alex's outgrown toys and books to her two little ones, so it was her way of saying thanks. Very unexpected but very much appreciated. Don't they look lovely, spring blooms of anemones, tulips, pale pink roses and blue hyacinths.






My quilted cushion cover is going well, I am now at the quilting stage and only have one quarter left to quilt. I will do a taa daa post once it's all finished. I have been rather neglectful of my crocheting at the moment. The decorating has taken up lots of time, so this week I want to concentrate on getting the big ripple finished off. I have decided to crochet three more double rows ending the blanket with the same three colours that I started with. I still have the joy of sewing in all of those end to look forward to.

I have managed to find another couple of Carltonware pieces to add to my collection. Two little pin dishes, one from Ebay and the other from a local magpies nest sale. I think they are very sweet and have a horrible feeling a small collection my be the end result. I can't wait to move to a bigger house where I can have a dresser to display all of my treasures!

Well I shall love you and leave you, please don't forget to leave a comment in order to be included in the giveaway.

Till next time.

Alison X

PS did anyone watch the Brits last week? I was blown away by Adele's performance, the way she sang actually made me cry which has never happened before. One talented lady.