tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39816312926621444182024-03-05T16:32:37.007+00:00So What's next then?A few Photos, A bit of Crafting and A little bit of Daily Life - Enjoying myself. No excuses, no apologies – blog has been completely abandoned by me for quite a while now. I can’t guarantee that it won’t happen again, in fact its highly likely that it will. I've pondered deleting and starting afresh but that seems a bit of a shame. If you’re new welcome (you have been warned) if you’re an old friend – it’s lovely to see you. And so, in my own consistently inconsistent manner, here we go again.WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.comBlogger306125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-20872493013515723212013-10-22T09:31:00.001+01:002013-10-22T09:32:45.857+01:00One Photo and Twenty words<p align="center"><font size="2" face="Georgia">Such a small photo for something big. Introducing Mr & Mrs B by a proud Mum and Mother in Law</font></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Vt4iHTsR4qg/UmY37SbE6kI/AAAAAAAAGUQ/YHos0yBHooE/s1600-h/Introducing%25255B14%25255D.jpg"><img title="" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqD_j6ZO1E3YhkZlmdI_MB_VMyzIJkEMReUADcoZdaX-lByp9_KVjRIPbDmtpz5Fe-bwq3VVjQEAFvuv_l6pj4gcT4OSwROLKanj-RaYXhLtCwcTo7fABygUtUo0MpUBh_pNTG7Dn8i2q/?imgmax=800" width="527" height="561"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Georgia">With many thanks to Abi over a </font><a href="http://creatingpaperdreams.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/one-photo-twenty-words.html" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Georgia">Creating Paper Dreams</font></a>.</p> <p align="center"><font color="#ff0080" size="5" face="Pristina"><strong>Wendy xx</strong></font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-55830626637111939722013-10-14T11:17:00.001+01:002013-10-15T10:43:46.813+01:00My first ‘simply a moment’<blockquote> <p><font color="#008040" size="3" face="Georgia">Simply A Moment - a chance to pause, connect with our outer and inner worlds and to share in some way, whether through a photo and a few words, a longer piece of journaling, a drawing ... limited only by your imagination!</font></p></blockquote> <p align="justify"><font color="#a5a5a5" size="2" face="Georgia">Those words belong to Alexa over at </font><a href="http://simplyalexa.typepad.com/trimmingthesails/" target="_blank"><font color="#a5a5a5" size="2" face="Georgia">Trimming the Sails</font></a><font color="#a5a5a5" size="2" face="Georgia">. A regular slot on the 15th of each month I think, I have often had a peek at some of the posts but never joined in. A couple of weeks ago I felt myself inclined to jot down my thoughts one morning whilst sat drinking coffee in the kitchen. I’d forgotten about them and really should have typed them up and posted well before now as they are now a little out of date. Not wanting to lose them though I’ve decided to just throw them into the mix – hopefully its something I can start to join in on a regular basis. Perhaps on time even!! For now though I’ll post it now and then link up to the next one.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#666666" size="2" face="Georgia">Monday 30th September - </font><font color="#666666" size="2" face="Georgia">It’s gone quiet, almost silent. The banging that’s still ringing in my ears has stopped. So too has the voice – a telephone call, he stepped out the front to take it but he has a large booming voice and so I could still hear it. I can hear ladders being manoeuvred out there now but I presume that’s the neighbours getting ready for their day – they’re window cleaners. Footsteps, he’s returned, just finishing up the sweeping he was part way through when the phone rang. It will be lovely when its done – a few hours time maybe? A whooshing noise now – my phone. That’ll be one of my children ‘whatsapping’ me. Yes it’s Grumpy – can’t ignore Grumpy, she only went away to uni a little over a week ago and I miss her – even more than I was expecting actually. I reply to her straight away. She’s bumped her recently pierced nose in the night, lots of pain and a slightly swollen nose now. We have a little ‘conversation’ about it and then she moves on with her day. I’m finding it a little difficult not knowing ALL about her days anymore. I use Instagram and Facebook to gather snippets – usually in the form of photos – but I feel a little like a stalker at times. It’ll lessen, I know it will – she’s not the first of my children to go off to uni. I suddenly remember she needs to make a phone call so I send her a message. I get a ‘I know’ back so I just send kisses and close down the conversation. A little banging has started up again, not as much as earlier. I think it will just be occasional now, and then I hear the sawing out front – oh yes I’d forgotten about that , there will be quite a lot of that today. It’ll be worth it though, a lovely new hall floor, hmm radiators – still not sorted those. I’d better get onto that now – I’ll just finish my coffee first.</font></p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qiniUzCbRW-0Q9Rt8a_WpY0IcDS6MRBvOhrfZLicGuaHcg0khMtaGaCtYc8FfB5Xm_SH1NRYWqqSUMKw7A_yB3vbcqdmu-9a-QZNkIdt2c4GMk6qxpdRz2Y0DLJ0esoFtsotBMSFpEnQ/s1600-h/Coffee%252520Bright%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Coffee Bright" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Coffee Bright" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GkrpgEsSUv0/UlvEmDIlXkI/AAAAAAAAGPk/GbHHRVSrhRs/Coffee%252520Bright_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="475" height="336"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Georgia"></font><font color="#666666" size="1">Light reflected in my coffee cup</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#666666" size="2" face="Georgia">Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0080" size="5" face="Scriptina"><strong>Wendy</strong></font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-67457381117225250612013-10-10T16:16:00.001+01:002013-10-15T10:48:34.336+01:00Take a peek into my hallway<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Georgia">Whilst my paper crafting is still very much on the back burner I love the creative feeling from completely revamping a room and so I thought I’d share with you our latest revamp. The hall, stairs and landing were long overdue some tlc and so whilst we were away on holiday we took the plunge. Half a wall was removed on the landing, giving us a much more open balcony landing. The whole kit and kaboodle was then re plastered from top to toe. Next came the decorating and we chose two paints from B&Q colours range, Grey Hints for most of the walls and Grey Slate to act as a feature wall.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8skc-ldcGyM/UlbEv8zlDeI/AAAAAAAAGMU/A-maPKgcBOQ/s1600-h/Part%2525201%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="Part 1" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Part 1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9gWLm7dyt8Vb4igum4sijF-ziPn2m9EgAbemCRuUWOth5qDAYWf6aLWBhk6yLUH9ChMTSEaoGgn04g5tORvUZIe-DBSAHzyKhcJRpGpcYKOLwOPF2wn9W_5-Jwlj1OIHNPy1eg5tCtiDJ/?imgmax=800" width="793" height="384"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Georgia">It’s not completely finished yet but most of it is done. I busied myself with the Annie Sloan paint again on a purchase from eBay for the landing and, although it didn’t turn out quite as good as the </font><a href="http://whatsnextthen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/last-to-jump-on-bandwagon.html" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Georgia">chest of drawers in the hall</font></a><font size="2" face="Georgia">, that’s more down to the style of furniture than anything else I think. The wooden flooring carries on through from the lounge and there’s a rug made from the leftover carpet. As you can see, Mad dog has already taken a liking to that particular spot.</font> </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD8LMQGV24iHV_x0D0kLez3ZyMNpxv0LSc3fV1NkKjtnRnhpSq6hntglbNxHPS4aWoTX1347vgUrJiJ45W-5lNoMH-k3yiQ0QVFZEuWOhkNI6RGZPNdZv1CIB2zY2gJ3_QbqeSxVJgatVj/s1600-h/Part%2525202%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Part 2" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Part 2" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-3JqnPlpXshs/UlbEyM2YOrI/AAAAAAAAGMs/XB-nk41NDwQ/Part%2525202_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="795" height="390"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Georgia">I’ve added a couple of hooks to the one side of the chest of drawers so that my handbag and the occasional jacket can be neatly stowed and, when the flowers have keeled over, there’s a wire ‘in’ tray that stores our daily post quite nicely. Just lately I can often be found sitting on the stairs in one place or another. I love the feel of the wool carpet and the padding of the underlay makes it feel really rather luxurious. This is also the best place to view my anniversary present from T’hubby, it’s a painting by the very talented </font><a href="http://kerrydarlington.co.uk/" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Georgia">Kerry Darlington</font></a><font size="2" face="Georgia"> and although this particular painting wouldn't have been my first choice (and yes there is a tale to tell there) it is growing on me all the time.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6GQQ4mJFZEo/UlbEy1bjSUI/AAAAAAAAGM0/ZbU1Cgb7rsU/s1600-h/Part%2525203%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Part 3" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Part 3" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWW431GUADXn8_1wnFJB9yl4CYNDMqzF6ncdlA8zn9lVe4GlQPSu1XGeFy0B4yND7nqBRa4xbU08kvhNDeFwKLfG1CRDOy_mrNKSQO4nk_sbaill-CVHw6zFQsy8chnWxBMgig_zCJ6lI6/?imgmax=800" width="796" height="390"></a></p> <p><font size="2" face="Georgia">I’m also loving the old school map of the British Isles that’s actually a sheet of wrapping paper from the British Museum fitting perfectly into an Ikea frame. The globe, lamp, deer head and the little key dish are finds from one of my favourite stores – Tk Maxx, and I think that pretty much rounds it up.</font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Georgia">So, I’ve a few more bits to do (we still need new radiators and lights) but I’m really pleased with how it now feels and I hope you’ve enjoyed taking a peek. Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.</font></p> <p><font color="#ff0080" size="5" face="Scriptina"><strong>Wendy xx</strong></font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-60174756179670633882013-09-02T19:17:00.001+01:002013-10-09T17:49:58.066+01:00Last to jump on the bandwagon …….<div align="justify">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Alois; font-size: small;">The Annie Sloan paint wagon that is. I’ve lurked in the background for a while now, wondering if it really was as good as it claimed to be. When I recently searched again and couldn’t find a bad word said about it, I took the plunge.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Alois; font-size: small;">Our hall stairs and landing are long overdue a revamp. First up the artex and pine had to go and so the whole space was re-plastered. Then came the decorating which has now thankfully been finished. Which just leaves the hall floor (wood to be laid) the stair carpet (a runner to be found) and carpet for the landing. We’re also still in need of new lights and window dressing but hey we’re heading in the right direction.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Alois; font-size: small;">An old pine chest of drawers has stood in the hall forever, but it is useful for housing all manner of things from warm scarves and mittens to lost and found knick knacks that we seem to have a constant supply of. I’d found something in Ikea that I quite liked the look of but at £250 I thought it might be worth my while to attempt a revamp instead. True to form (well my form anyway) I forgot to take complete ‘before’ photo so its a sort of half way through but I think you’ll get the picture.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Alois; font-size: small;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-51UYnwQ0qCk/UiTWE0KTdYI/AAAAAAAAFsc/COCWJ6xLY4k/s1600-h/IMG_20130902_190526%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130902_190526" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wCbZvsD6iIc/UiTWFR_VGdI/AAAAAAAAFsk/1IBnzghgkU4/IMG_20130902_190526_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20130902_190526" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Alois; font-size: small;">This paint is wonderful. I did zero prep and it really went on like a dream and dried quickly. I applied one straight from the tin coat of ‘Florence’ followed by a watered down coat when that was dry. I then applied clear wax all over, removing the excess with a cloth and ta da …. the finished product.</span></div>
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-TyEtsKCTubU/UiTWGPEgyBI/AAAAAAAAFss/OozGGnKJapI/s1600-h/IMG_20130902_175313%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130902_175313" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ff4o7wa5LS0/UiTWGy4P5cI/AAAAAAAAFs0/X2cX7ona5RM/IMG_20130902_175313_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20130902_175313" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Alois;">I so enjoyed it and its so easy and quick to achieve a nice result that I’m itching to do more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Alois;">Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.</span></div>
<span style="color: #9b00d3; font-family: Scriptina; font-size: large;"><strong>Wendy xx</strong></span>WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-45112934168993171962012-12-14T09:18:00.001+00:002012-12-14T09:18:33.321+00:00Hovel cake<p dir="ltr"><i>T'hubby</i><i> </i><i>surprised</i><i> </i><i>me</i><i> </i><i>on</i><i> </i><i>my</i><i> </i><i>recent</i><i> </i><i>birthday</i><i> </i><i>with</i><i> </i><i>a</i><i> </i><i>cake</i><i> </i><i>of</i><i> </i><i>The</i><i> </i><i>Hovel</i><i>. </i><i>How</i><i> </i><i>fantastic</i><i> </i><i>is</i><i> </i><i>this</i><i>.</i></p>
<p dir="ltr"><i>I</i><i> </i><i>must</i><i> </i><i>admit</i><i> </i><i>I'm</i><i> </i><i>thinking</i><i> </i><i>that</i><i> </i><i>posts</i><i> </i><i>from</i><i> </i><i>my</i><i> </i><i>phone</i><i> </i><i>only</i><i> </i><i>work</i><i> </i><i>when</i><i> </i><i>they're</i><i> </i><i>small</i><i> </i><i>and</i><i> </i><i>you're</i><i> </i><i>happy</i><i> </i><i>with</i><i> </i><i>just</i><i> </i><i>one</i><i> </i><i>photo</i><i> </i><i>at</i><i> </i><i>the</i><i> </i><i>bottom</i><i>.</i></p>
<p dir="ltr"><i>Thanks</i><i> </i><i>for</i><i> </i><i>dropping</i><i> </i><i>by</i><i> </i><i>and</i><i> </i><i>please</i><i> </i><i>feel</i><i> </i><i>free</i><i> </i><i>to</i><i> </i><i>leave</i><i> </i><i>me</i><i> </i><i>a</i><i> </i><i>comment</i><i>. </i><i>It</i><i> </i><i>would</i><i> </i><i>be </i><i>lovely</i><i> </i><i>to</i><i> </i><i>hear</i><i> </i><i>from</i><i> </i><i>folks</i><i> </i><i>again</i><i>.</i></p>
<p dir="ltr"><i>Wendy</i><i> </i><i>xx</i></p>
<div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-yjewOAoXxSbuqhSmvmZIDmnKs_6DesYgQdbAwyCP60gyg-OIpXgfspLa4k9ytJ09BWD1BRCaq0WTPhvrRqe5dERjEd9oNag4YITwKgsLcEpkMnSk4Xl1UTsaDl8O-91u_UXdksSVDaG/s1600/IMG_20121214_091140.JPG' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-yjewOAoXxSbuqhSmvmZIDmnKs_6DesYgQdbAwyCP60gyg-OIpXgfspLa4k9ytJ09BWD1BRCaq0WTPhvrRqe5dERjEd9oNag4YITwKgsLcEpkMnSk4Xl1UTsaDl8O-91u_UXdksSVDaG/s400/IMG_20121214_091140.JPG' /> </a> </div>WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-31270491549137336812012-12-13T08:30:00.001+00:002012-12-13T08:32:45.678+00:00Antwerp<p dir="ltr">A quick trial of blogging from my phone. I'm bound to dislike the font but hey ho.</p>
<p dir="ltr">For now I'll just share a few shots of a recent trip to Antwerp.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Thanks for dropping by</p>
<p dir="ltr">Wendy xx</p>
<div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKfAK1r-taVuN0Zqg3scLNZP0etLrIZlHvjdUnZq_OuscbEP9qaZFQ7y87hV6aTxV-d7WpSRXP6vieI7BzxiPneVgm9_zni3YNbJlIH-fxX0uahNrPEGvUKzd16ITc0fO3szcIWIfCafx/s1600/IMG_20121212_215734.JPG' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKfAK1r-taVuN0Zqg3scLNZP0etLrIZlHvjdUnZq_OuscbEP9qaZFQ7y87hV6aTxV-d7WpSRXP6vieI7BzxiPneVgm9_zni3YNbJlIH-fxX0uahNrPEGvUKzd16ITc0fO3szcIWIfCafx/s640/IMG_20121212_215734.JPG' /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPoaPXK9mbvrNyhMrgD337kr2FshSpqLuaLhg8UXeBiPSvy1k7khNcU5Za9H28KuMcvZgeuUgvgOtrgmthqJMJvxaz-gYT_QG2qfEgc46H5ATzTrwGSLdvML8HcdeXNY1TbK24_C1xmdU/s1600/IMG_20121208_165501.JPG' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPoaPXK9mbvrNyhMrgD337kr2FshSpqLuaLhg8UXeBiPSvy1k7khNcU5Za9H28KuMcvZgeuUgvgOtrgmthqJMJvxaz-gYT_QG2qfEgc46H5ATzTrwGSLdvML8HcdeXNY1TbK24_C1xmdU/s640/IMG_20121208_165501.JPG' /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIzgVq6YJ5bEHusB5U5mISSNFf4BDWLtRxxIZ7FHplIMSB1PF7E47QDRceCg2_ZP0ljEc9gyqZMnNGHRxrF6V573t4_Oj8f2Ty2m2c_Uq7NSoDYwXsGdCOoA9u2sc4gf4YK3nT2ITZ8ML/s1600/IMG_20121212_220327.JPG' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIzgVq6YJ5bEHusB5U5mISSNFf4BDWLtRxxIZ7FHplIMSB1PF7E47QDRceCg2_ZP0ljEc9gyqZMnNGHRxrF6V573t4_Oj8f2Ty2m2c_Uq7NSoDYwXsGdCOoA9u2sc4gf4YK3nT2ITZ8ML/s640/IMG_20121212_220327.JPG' /> </a> </div>WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-61413559382377569492012-07-16T15:26:00.001+01:002012-07-16T15:26:39.038+01:00Hello Monday<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Well hello to another week and the realisation that I’ve not posted since the last Hello Monday – I must get better at that.</font></p> <ul> <li> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Hello to a temporary working girl, Tattyhead is doing work experience this week in our nearest Debenhams store and went off to work this morning looking very grown up.</font></div></li> <li> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Hello to Grumpy’s new job, her words not mine – Her bid for head girl was successful and she’s off with the rest of the newly formed team (deputies and ambassadors) going through a lively ‘storming’ phase that I listen very dutifully to her account of each day.</font></div></li> <li> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Hello to visitors later in the week, one night here then we’re off to The Hovel with them for a weekend of eating drinking and chatting – lovely.</font></div></li> <li> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Hello to ordering sun cream, insect repellent and Euros, yay bring it on.</font></div></li> <li> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Hello to the ‘Next sale’ parcels arriving bit by bit. Of course the things I want for our hols won’t arrive before we go but hey ho.</font></div></li> <li> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Hello to having a go at making a skirt from a sundress later in the week.</font></div></li> <li> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Hello to this view, well soon anyway, I just cannot wait can you tell?</font></div></li></ul> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-wU1oOkC7b6c/UAQkcTSvnBI/AAAAAAAACcw/rMiZBQG8vIA/s1600-h/Windmill%2525201%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Windmill 1" border="0" alt="Windmill 1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfC4DeArpL80rXsiua_K95KzOGpmVINEBOGTog44bG0wuFNhG_BsivT5DBWigVqNkrd1qdY7sIGvxvbSxO23mewRMFPnnhXJQRpYOMoEIDe3O63qVQGQonBadYJy2r7bF5ejyjZkcofVC2/?imgmax=800" width="462" height="309"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">That’s pretty much my week ahead, what’s planned for your?</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment, its lovely to hear from you.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#f79646" size="5" face="Pristina">Wendy xx</font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-70256245817480090632012-07-09T12:26:00.001+01:002012-07-09T12:26:01.825+01:00Hello Monday<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Completely and utterly inspired by Alison’s post <a href="http://alisonslife-in-the-slow-lane.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/hello-monday.html" target="_blank">here</a> (she also links back to her inspiration too) these are the things I'm saying Hello to this week.</font></p> <ul> <li> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><u>Hello 17</u> – Grumpy has her birthday on Wednesday and yay, she’s at home for the day so that will be nice.</font></div></li> <li> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><u>Hello panic stations</u> – Grumpy again, interview for Head Girl and ever the drama queen has gone into overdrive.</font></div></li> <li> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><u>Hello holiday packing</u> – don’t really need to do it just yet but yay yay yay, three weeks time we’ll be in warm sunshine, what a change that will make.</font></div></li> <li> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><u>Hello to the orthodontist, again</u> – seems like we’ve making this trip for ever, first with Grumpy and now on-going with Tattyhead.</font></div></li> <li> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><u>Hello to The Old Vic, London</u> – Thursday night theatre trip with dinner at The Bangalore Express. A lastminute.com cheapie – I’ll report back.</font></div></li> <li> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><u>Hello to the V&A and Hyde Park</u> – two things I intend to do whilst in London Thursday/Friday</font></div></li> <li> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><u>Hello to MaMere</u> – very kindly dog sitting.</font></div></li> <li> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><u>Hello to the odd photo</u> – just because I can (and also because I have this hang up about posting without one lol)</font></div></li></ul> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6JqBjP04_SA/T_q_xMOWXhI/AAAAAAAACcc/6JMnXmLZIFk/s1600-h/Foxglove%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Foxglove" border="0" alt="Foxglove" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-T_1a1UrC-wY/T_q_yAFnwdI/AAAAAAAACck/GkPsCAlWuzc/Foxglove_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="386" height="386"></a></p> <p><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.</font></p> <p><font size="5" face="Pristina">Wendy xx</font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-38245993217288584532012-07-06T18:53:00.001+01:002012-07-06T18:53:01.931+01:00Instagram 365 (tennis spoiler at the bottom)<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Somehow it had passed me by for a little while but no longer, I have discovered Instagram – yay. I thought I might try it out by focussing upon a 365 theme with the hope that I can turn it into a piece of art for the wall next year. I’ve started on the 30th June, odd you may think, but that's when I downloaded Instagram and, because of the topic on that June day, I didn’t want to leave it out. Now I love capturing the day to day in photographic form but sometimes I need more than just photos to encompass my day so I thought I’d share here on my blog too where I can add words to my hearts content. Perhaps, just perhaps its a Blurb book in the making as well as wall art.</font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ho5hbshxm6k/T_clqC3gzHI/AAAAAAAACaY/uPdb4WerZFA/s1600-h/Day%2525201%252520copy%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Day 1 copy" border="0" alt="Day 1 copy" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJncEm0RnD2D-AXqmE74auDzr1Vh9hzfmW3elgywzyHDZikIh2j_iN4ziZ5SbV4ORtRW_yuYYF8GoKdRO2Gh_D15h2R5trSE7hUkCSL5ePb9ZtUudgJwIIq8BnAtaZFISP7ulxkEQD-Q4b/?imgmax=800" width="482" height="482"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">The Olympic flame was due to pass by not far from home and given that this was as close as we were ever likely to get to it, we decided to pop along and have a look. I was expecting an anti climax but it turned out to be quite a pleasant little outing. I understand that The Wanted were in one of the coaches that passed us by but if they were I didn’t spot them. Its great to have the photo above, we don't have many of all the girlies (with the exception of one cousin) but this entry wouldn’t be complete without the flame itself would it.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCYcfaKhQREyIdM1eNrOw5Z_olWdrW6W4DBpDCe75glrKC8BAqqcZE1Bs_9jTyjqHQ1r17XGeldjkXio7v2hAoAej6-p9hmn_JZot_iDIdvz97mHzXYVDLXpHxwMap-Q9S_TkPALWPSdy/s1600-h/Day%2525201%252520extra%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Day 1 extra" border="0" alt="Day 1 extra" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_xLnGvyC-JqPK_2SWB7-pTLYWkbN2ZldFErk7Um2yWg_fUPx9Ie-Dcm_du0gK__UwBjw6n1Z_SoSCGtc1ZUy6-6N7f5HjAnxpbA0Iz10orSxnLvXcP489P3VFPuCAbasnEgrX7qSwiRt/?imgmax=800" width="482" height="482"></a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">I don’t know the name of the lady that carried it at this point but I’m sure she won’t mind being included here given the number of photos that were probably taken of her.</font></p> <p align="center"><font style="background-color: #ffffff"></font>>>><<<<font style="background-color: #ffffff"></font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwGUDYHD3FXhCjo-wAJ9lYdNq64zGn4xKCSgzT9sfMA-EEu-H6nuHyrMV-qPKhyphenhyphenwLB68eqdERAksr3YGgXbc01YiyZ5ypeT8viT03A2pay87tQzqsV-mHwyv9fvYe98GWHS2TKmXhbkmG/s1600-h/Day%2525202%252520copy%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Day 2 copy" border="0" alt="Day 2 copy" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2m3eJTFG-7Rn2afBRH2DMUsP8_3f-H4Fp5Kubu6JT0dXIok-Rj2pSa1KQtDLxKTaSfUUiLTIJOtXArARFfDzTVLePh9cvIa174rY15Fj4ZrRnEvJnWL0UPrRrhR3MWTWIe-v4CRQEP01/?imgmax=800" width="480" height="480"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">The weather this summer has been atrocious apart from a few days back in May. None the less Maisy still gets to be taken for walkies by Tattyhead and The Footballer (Tattyheads boyfriend). Can you spot T’hubbys new (old) car in the background.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"></font>>>><<<</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUp5poCDNXTF6EL1eHguNR1ix9WGti_htgdQW0_tPmwibZEOZ3pJ4iCqqUMkSfn_-Zlaoh1aGmcEue8h0Q7yfPWgGBjelPTCoAfnOF3OXh23RFLLL3dpXAlBcBCa8o5_pjIs4I6aLtmEK/s1600-h/Day%2525203%25255B29%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Day 3" border="0" alt="Day 3" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--kYoysnYVrw/T_cl0dbmKVI/AAAAAAAACbQ/ARYi9pG4mQk/Day%2525203_thumb%25255B26%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="482" height="482"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Sometimes you just forget to take a photo until its bedtime lol. Given a little twist by using the Paper Camera app. I wonder how many more of my bedroom will feature?</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"></font>>>><<<</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6TJacR0okm0/T_cl13Q2v9I/AAAAAAAACbY/DezGKRXsN0s/s1600-h/Day%2525204%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Day 4" border="0" alt="Day 4" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Mc8407YrWAA/T_cl3KbvDQI/AAAAAAAACbg/u0U3ER264i4/Day%2525204_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="482" height="482"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Lunch with an old friend Tracey who flatly refused to have her photo taken. The teapot doesn’t tell the full story of course, we’d chatted, eaten, chatted some more, partaken of a little alcohol and were onto the tea and coffee when this was taken.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"></font>>>><<<</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-A6-fkVHNPEY/T_cl4fY-UcI/AAAAAAAACbo/r9BCSIuMfwk/s1600-h/Day%2525205%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Day 5" border="0" alt="Day 5" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2mA29AHWda7pq_pHAQqsG1bxFZMRwLXmf5LIME3Qy-f1dCoCdCKKga8WJI1G862JAZsVn68REDsIr2OGZYW-zLfHaQp6n_q4eCdowCw0sj4VY2yVYqtv4ed6uNNk80K1ugXoDCGidtcC2/?imgmax=800" width="482" height="482"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Quarter finals day at Wimbledon. Andy Murray, fantastic match. Murray played very well indeed and went on to win against David Ferrer, who gave a fabulous account of himself too. I love the selective blurring of this app.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"></font>>>><<<</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7fSOSRssfaM/T_cl62dyCjI/AAAAAAAACb4/l4LXpYGAFpI/s1600-h/Day%2525206%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Day 6" border="0" alt="Day 6" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwx4BbetaYkVcIPAyQ4U7OP-ZJdxhLJcQnHohfF-h0GI8E9WO4suvZpFFoqunlPlNyGc5OkkmRFE8MwKX6l9Pd9iQTb62diW7nLNNIpnx430m9Q7-W_xrrBEpW7MejKaPyuRqr64iFpSPu/?imgmax=800" width="480" height="480"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">A busy day at home, early evening awards ceremony where Grumpy received a much deserved excellence award. A quick curry and then a dash to The Hovel, arriving after 11pm. Electric blanket on (and its July!!) car unloaded, hot drink made and off to bed with it.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"></font>>>><<<</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UBevfJHqhwQWiTL82Kef1mAS0mHaGznvaZwLAS95bWLNocV1ruko8lcxYbhelfj8EqWenFrvqsLS9YwSdu1Z-zgSCZF-WampHjFZTodPiF3NewJ8U2lrga36SlaxrtP9cTJ4ARz5dr4Z/s1600-h/Day%2525207%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Day 7" border="0" alt="Day 7" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwlGF917GbtSm-EJO2fTGU0S0Wpjwfu7hrYA410s3Z4tZmLUy-BwBL2SG8kPCCc8o99T78FU0-vJEVGDnhE8glYYWnz1ecP6FtpkETvotwC-Xk-1aD2Mf8P7nflGDoximIODv-aF4Fc-35/?imgmax=800" width="482" height="482"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Semi finals day at Wimbledon. We have no TV at The Hovel and so the radio is stood in the window in order to get the best signal possible. Federer went through in fine form against Djokovik to make his record 8th final appearance, and then onto Murray versus Jo Wilfred Tsonga. Gosh he (Murray) was like a steam train and took the first two sets very quickly indeed. Tsonga suddenly starting playing like only he can in the third set – game on and the third set to Tsonga. In the background another Brit Johnny Marray is through to the Mens Doubles final with partner Nielson. Gosh, if Murray makes it he’ll be the first Brit into the Mens Singles final for 74 years! Fourth set and Murray breaks Tsongas serve in the 4th game. Tsonga desperately tries to break back immediately – and he does it. Tsongas serve and they’re all level again. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">4 games to 3 Murray,Tsonga to serve ... ... ... 0:15 ... 0:30 ... 15:30 ... 15:40 ... 2 break points for Murray ... 30:40 ... Deuce ... Advantage Tsonga ... Game Tsonga.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">4 games all and Murrays serve – he loses the first point, takes the second and loses the third ... ... 15:40. First break point saved, second break point saved. Advantage Murray ... Game Murray. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">5 games to 4 Murray, Tsonga to serve ... ... ... 15:0 ... 30:0 ... 40:0 ... 40:15 ... Tsonga wins</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">5 games all Murray to serve ... ... ... 15:0 ... 15:15 after a double fault Murray ... 15:30 ... 30 all ... 40:30 ... Game Murray</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">6 games to 5 for Murray, Tsonga to serve ... ... ... 0:15 ... 0:30 ... 15:30 ... 15:40 ... 2 match points for Murray ... Hawk eye is needed but its in </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Murray wins, he's through to the final</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Phew, I need to go lie down now, I’m not even a tennis fan lol</font></p> <p><font color="#4f81bd" size="6" face="Pristina"><em>Wendy xx</em></font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-22569868147312748662012-06-06T08:00:00.000+01:002012-06-06T08:00:00.252+01:00Crate expectations<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Over on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> I have a wonderful little <a href="http://pinterest.com/wendyjb/re-use-those-pallets-crates/" target="_blank">collection of ideas</a> for recycling pallets and crates, at one point I think it was becoming an obsession! Until recently that's all its been, an obsession - oops I mean a collection of ideas. And then I found Matey in Welshpool. You must forgive me, they all get called Matey by t'hubby and it can be rather confusing but that's off topic - Matey in Welshpool is a wood craftsman who has just made us some new windows for The Hovel but who also has a shed load of crates, quite literally. Ta da, oh how I drooled when I spotted them, oh the ideas that flew around my mind tumbling over each other in their haste to land uppermost. Somehow I managed to convince t'hubby that buying three was a good idea, my intention being to create some wall storage in the kitchen. Two were to be hung on the wall and the third would provide the wood needed for shelves inside the other two. At £15 for the three of them I was well pleased. These were no ordinary crates, they're bigger than your usual fruit crates and I did secretly suspect that they'd be too big for their stated purpose. I wasn't worried about that though, I knew I had a mountain of ideas. </font> <p align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdxKontZTC7EwsJMcgOVPjhyphenhyphen1LfCZobMz2r9DnCyChGlmkxbBYlackYIi4lhs0IpXkf2RmbcPOk_znHzfbCOldIGo0491jT5-nLBUGBRySb9cengUNDj6lDjZN7HMK66aw6x-4YDxrI0Q/s1600-h/Bookcase-of-crates9.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Bookcase of crates" border="0" alt="Bookcase of crates" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2JrjiYrPIfk/T858CwkPO2I/AAAAAAAACZ4/lOO9F95TFFs/Bookcase-of-crates_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" width="472" height="270"></a> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Back at The Hovel they were indeed too large to be hung on the wall, they were actually rather heavy, but they were also the perfect height to act as benches around the kitchen table. Voila it would seem. Whilst moving around, giving them a quick spruce up etc, I had them stacked for a little while and of course I remembered that they looked fantastic as bookcases too. Sucker. In all I made two further trips and bought four more crates. I used two in the bedroom in my little corner to create a bookcase/display stand and the rest make up the new kitchen benches. I'm not intending to paint them, I may later on make some cushion pads for them but for now they're actually quite comfortable as they are (we did have to remove a few nails first). </font> <p align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEH0AsKu_3kES_2s7C2R_MY1hwnBzJBTpzZE3wHQ0Sc0ziypzWSCvakMKhNp-bgKaUTe0FH1hKTMKSWthvzSx-v7tfDa3y3rLtuFST2_raVbfKZ259xn0eWiTCF6nb2UdpK47mZAg243ta/s1600-h/Crates-at-The-Hovel4.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Crates at The Hovel" border="0" alt="Crates at The Hovel" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ym-q2H-Cbhc/T858EUA1HuI/AAAAAAAACaI/odhDtOVZtdM/Crates-at-The-Hovel_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="309" height="411"></a> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">I am so very pleased that I have finally acted upon at least one of these ideas that whizz around my head. And the downside? Oh dear, I did have to buy a new table as the old round one didn't quite cut it but hey, at least my benches were cheap! </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.</font> <p align="justify"><font size="1">PS, breaking news, I’ve spotted yet another fab idea and will be buying one more crate next visit, I’m on a roll see.</font> <p><font color="#ff0080" size="5" face="Pristina"><em>Wendy xx</em></font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-67123317962489331232012-06-03T09:14:00.001+01:002012-06-03T10:49:17.954+01:00Story telling Sunday – Chatterbox and Giggles<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Today I have a little story</font><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"> to tell, its bought to you as part of <a href="http://fromhighinthesky.blogspot.co.uk/p/storytelling-sunday.html" target="_blank">Sian’s Story Telling Sunday</a>. This is the first time I’ve managed to join in but plenty of others play each month and so there are lots of tales out there just waiting to be read, please take a look at the others which you can find links to from <a href="http://fromhighinthesky.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/storytelling-sunday-2-words-pictures.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">When The Boy B was still very little, we’re talking in excess of twenty years ago, I myself was still only a strip of a thing. I’d always been thin, yes I’d managed to put weight on whilst pregnant but it had disappeared again as soon as I was back on my feet. I’d always hated being thin and had endured some horrible name calling in my time but post pregnancy I guess I was now ok with it.</font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4ztIdFrrqYS_cuIMhTXXgis92XOxyirMMYpnJMN_MLpHgYx8vC793jcDtdhDX6WGalgIWP17xSRevTkfydGda939FEmG0sGI_n2MbAsARDfB_ZPWBeorebrA8glQOgQFJflCP5rGxd1T/s1600-h/SCAN00044.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="SCAN0004" border="0" alt="SCAN0004" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PBElhssHzgs/T8sc4-VKjNI/AAAAAAAACZU/K8MHr-vvxAc/SCAN0004_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="259" height="378"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="1" face="Comic Sans MS">Ok with it? Actually looking at this photo now I think I should have just got on and ‘enjoyed’ it.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">At the same point in time, The Boy B was a prolific talker and would happily chatter away as we went about our daily business. There were a few hairy moments when he used words that he couldn’t quite say right and it sounded for all the world like he was saying very bad swear words but I’d smile sweetly and explain that he couldn’t say his ‘l’s’ right as he pointed to something that had caught his eye and tried to say “look,look”. His chattering continued as his speech refined and his lovely clear voice could be heard for some distance as we meandered along.</font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3Vfp9-zMcUeD5QnyH_YCDXR5Hr5CZfgqor8JtZ5qd3hcw8FusLzJLZ60LTOZZHxI2PNFmLS9B1bnXUi48x3KSmgUo7phc7Bk10u75XzvBpqNaAnAWUgQoO_nb_1K2m-Cn29e8x2b0NTl/s1600-h/Anthony-212.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Anthony (2)" border="0" alt="Anthony (2)" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tp7j77EQRyM/T8sc-XbDP5I/AAAAAAAACZk/ZaeoAIZZb0s/Anthony-2_thumb9.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="364"></a><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">One day The Boy B and I were shopping in town. I spotted something I liked in BHS and duly went into the changing rooms to try it on. Although a lot of the cubicles were occupied, it was quiet as we went in and, for once, The Boy B was also quiet as he sat there watching me undress – then he decided to speak – loudly and clearly he uttered these unforgettable words:</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">“Mommy, why haven’t you got very big boobies like all the others ladies”</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">My mouth dropped open as I looked at him and then I heard the giggles from the other cubicles. For long seconds there was silence in our cubicle as The Boy B and I stared at each other, and then I sniggered, and then he giggled and pretty soon we were laughing our socks off. Of course the downside of the decision to laugh with him rather than find a hole to swallow me was the fact that he thought it was great fun to repeat the exercise!</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Do you know, to this day, I have no idea what I took in to try on, but I didn’t buy it. We walked out with our heads held high with the cubicle curtains twitching as we passed.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Thanks for taking the time to read my little story, don’t forget to pop over to the others too.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff00ff" size="5" face="Pristina">Wendy xx</font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-22319808444254504602012-05-31T18:24:00.001+01:002012-05-31T18:24:32.230+01:00Friendship<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">It never fails to amaze me when I meet up with really old friends just how easily the intervening years are stripped away and once again we're reduced to the giggling girls we were when we trained together more than thirty years ago (and boy are there some tales to tell from those days - but I digress). I was all of sixteen when I first met these particular old friends and fresh out of school. So fresh in fact that I'd had my last exam on the Friday and had started work the following Monday, I couldn’t be any ‘fresher’ lol! Pam and Christine were both older & wiser than I and had definitely seen more of life than I had, no slur on them I was just so innocent or was it naive, probably both. We worked in a completely female environment and although you could get the inevitable nastiness that so often happens in these cases, it was here that friendships were formed that became an intrinsic part of your life and that would truly stand the test of time. </font> <p align="justify"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/217228381995969368/" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 10px 0px 0px 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title=" Old Friends taken from Pinterest" border="0" alt=" Old Friends taken from Pinterest" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-h4xjGf7Olmw/T8epTnR4oMI/AAAAAAAACZA/IXoMT1FQQ5U/Old%252520Friends.jpg?imgmax=800" width="267" height="392"></a><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Friendships that saw folk marry, have children, divorce. Friendships that saw Christmas parties, trips to Blackpool and Alton Towers. Friendships that experienced promotions AND redundancy and finally; friendships that saw folk from the wider group sadly pass away. Gradually over the years people move on, and I was perhaps one of the first to go. Our lives each going in very different directions and yet somehow never being THAT different to each others, but this you only realised when you finally manage to get back together.</font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">We've not been brilliant at keeping in touch, we've met up perhaps a handful of times over the years and more frequently very recently. The thing that strikes me most each time is that it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter how long since the last time. It doesn't matter that as one of us approaches 50, another is approaching 60 whilst the third (somewhere in between) has had both hips replaced! None of it matters and all of that giggling years ago, well, it could have been just yesterday. What truly wonderful gifts friendships are.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment if you’d like.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="1" face="Comic Sans MS">Disclaimer, this wonderful photo taken from Pinterest in no way is intended to represent anyone mentioned within this post lol, not yet anyway.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="5" face="Pristina"></font><font color="#ff00ff" size="5" face="Pristina"><em>Wendy xx</em></font><font size="5" face="Pristina"></font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-66917041131759152632012-05-18T17:31:00.001+01:002012-05-18T17:31:18.005+01:00Academia<h4 align="left"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal" color="#333333">As I mused the other day, contemplating what I might post about I received messages from two of my three children. One telling me how her maths exam had gone, the other telling me about a ‘published’ paper of his. Ah, the word - Academia:</font></font></font></h4> <blockquote> <h4 align="center"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font color="#4f81bd"><font size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal">The word comes from the </font><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy"><font color="#666666"><font style="font-weight: normal">akademeia</font></font></a></i><font style="font-weight: normal"> in </font></font></font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greece"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal">ancient Greece</font></font></font></a><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal">, which derives from the </font></font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athenian"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal">Athenian</font></font></font></a><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal"> </font></font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal">hero</font></font></font></a><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font color="#4f81bd"><font size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal">, </font><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akademos"><font color="#666666"><font style="font-weight: normal">Akademos</font></font></a></i><font style="font-weight: normal">. Outside the city walls of </font></font></font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athens"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal">Athens</font></font></font></a><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal">, the </font></font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnasium_(ancient_Greece)"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal">gymnasium</font></font></font></a><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal"> was made famous by </font></font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plato"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal">Plato</font></font></font></a><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal"> as a center of learning. The sacred space, dedicated to the goddess of wisdom, </font></font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athena"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal">Athena</font></font></font></a><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal">, had formerly been an </font></font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal">olive</font></font></font></a><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal"> </font></font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grove_(nature)"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal">grove</font></font></font></a><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal">, hence the expression "the groves of Academe."</font></font></font></h4> <h4 align="center"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="font-weight: normal">In these gardens, the philosopher </font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plato"><font style="" color="#666666" size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="font-weight: normal">Plato</font></font></a><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="font-weight: normal"> conversed with followers. </font><font color="#666666"><font style="font-weight: normal">Plato</font></font><font style="font-weight: normal"> developed his sessions into a method of teaching philosophy and in 387 BCE, established what is known today as the </font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Academy"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="font-weight: normal">Old Academy</font></font></a><font size="2"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="font-weight: normal">. </font></font><font style="" color="#4f81bd" face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="font-weight: normal">By extension </font><i><font color="#666666"><font style="font-weight: normal">Academia</font></font></i><font style="font-weight: normal"> has come to mean the cultural accumulation of </font></font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="font-weight: normal">knowledge</font></font></a><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="font-weight: normal">, its development and transmission across generations and its practitioners and transmitters. </font></font></h4> <h4 align="center"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="font-weight: normal">In the 17th century, </font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="font-weight: normal">British</font></font></a><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="font-weight: normal"> and </font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France"><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="font-weight: normal">French</font></font></a><font style="" color="#4f81bd" size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><font style="font-weight: normal"> scholars used the term to describe types of institutions of higher learning.</font></font></h4></blockquote> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Not a word I would ever expect to be using when referring to my family. I didn’t even do any A-Levels let alone attend University, in fact it was never even suggested. I’m clinging to the belief that this was due to it still being the province of those that could afford to go rather than the fact that I wasn’t capable lol. But somehow my children are in this space.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">My eldest, The Boy B, was adamant he would NOT be going to ANY University. Sadly I have to admit that I didn’t really present any resistance to his decision, so strong was his voice. Suddenly though a girl changed all that and I found myself rushing off up North, touring the halls with potential students all a year younger the The Boy B so late had he left his monumental decision. </font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-TS9etcCrHhs/T7Z5RN_WDiI/AAAAAAAACXU/6vDGXIsJipc/s1600-h/Ants%252520Grad%2525201%252520%252528Medium%252529%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 6px 0px 0px 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Ants Grad 1 (Medium)" border="0" alt="Ants Grad 1 (Medium)" align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Nkm1mEFVuHyao2x-iqYeu3C4ueya4ot-8WkNrCx03g7tARaZ-DAMYBUf_jkk38zID-DnX6sOvf678nSkT99tINk2WMzuZiuTNzlUs8akTDu_olhfx7ZZ7Zy9gqsLfGShi2f-1f3Uadn-/?imgmax=800" width="258" height="302"></a><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">But he went and I can still remember the day he moved into student halls and how I felt as I left him there. I can remember his little face as he sat on his bed in his little room as if it were yesterday rather than nearly 7 years ago. I can still remember the girls saying goodbye to their big brother, the oldest smiling though her eyes were full of tears and the youngest wailing and sobbing all of the journey home in the car. He never came back. Oh, he visited often (and still does, so all is well) but he made a life up there with his girlfriend (soon to be wife) and I think they’ll continue to live in that area, and I’m glad – it suits them. What’s more he seems to be continuing with the Academia as following his degree (4 years) he started a 3 year KTP with a PhD to boot and is now slowly switching to lecturing so that at the end of the 3 years he hopes to become a lecturer. Bit odd for someone so set against going to Uni don’t you think.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Then we have Grumpy, DD1 on the left, determined to do even better than her big brother. She’s in the middle of her AS exams and is really trying as hard as she can to get good grades. She plans her revision so that focus is placed on the areas that need more attention and so that she can re-cap in a timely manner just before each exam. She worries about which subject to drop as she still can’t make her mind up about what she wants to study at Uni let alone what she wants to be ultimately - But the The Boy B has NEVER known what he wants to be so I tell her not to stress about that lol</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-SWGblcvSzEA/T7Z5TLkOVjI/AAAAAAAACXk/_2JE0140leA/s1600-h/the%252520girls%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 11px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="the girls" border="0" alt="the girls" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsyKcguGc6TTF0U3U2ts1m1aj-xQ3xUj5aFkCRwFwDwK9kjN8GBG2Z1y2FfBBB8NJV1QlD2x1HGCqJAMqmDFwxLbrYPVpyvY2thqqnxk-ihg-K8AIHebNEKLhwMSKMTOpIwAnvgX1QRIe/?imgmax=800" width="262" height="359"></a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Lastly we have Tattyhead, DD2 on the right, who wailed so much when we left her big brother all alone in that nasty place. Tattyhead will always do things her own way, and that may not coincide with what I might want but boy does she has a cast iron will. She’s year 10 and starts a few of her GCSE exams next week. Once again the rules have been changed and there will be NO re-sits allowed for the exams she takes now. Not that I advocate being able to re-sit endless times BUT she isn’t ready yet and I just hope it isn’t her undoing. She is revising (some) but I do worry that being the third she feels she has a lot to live up to and rather than being outwardly determined to do as well or better than the other two she’s setting the scene for doing the opposite. I don’t know how to counteract this, all I know is that she’s easily as bright, if not brighter, than the other two and she’s my baby. She too wants to go to University but has no idea to do what yet.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">So come the summer we’ll be doing the rounds of Uni’s (at the right time) for Grumpy and then once again two years later. Hopefully by the time Grumpy goes The Boy B will be secured as a lecturer and then when Tattyhead goes all three will be safely ensconced within the world (or is that word) of Academia – fancy that!</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Phew, is that (part 1) job done do you think? T’hubby and I will then sell up and run off while there’s no one home lol, only joking ………. But then I do quite fancy Crete !!</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment, it is lovely to hear from you.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff00ff" size="5" face="Pristina">Wendy xx</font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-10588999768308162162012-05-17T13:20:00.001+01:002012-05-17T13:20:03.051+01:00And we’re off<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Hmm, well we’re possibly off. Long time no blog – no excuses, just life. I’m back because I do get the urge to capture ‘stuff’ and just writing into a journal doesn’t feel quite enough, I like to add photos at the very least. Although that said I did try out another method recently whilst we were away for a long weekend. I bought myself a Pogo on eBay and took it off on our little trip with me. It worked really well, apart from the fact it ran out of battery and I didn't have the charger with me, but lesson learnt there. Each evening I wrote up the day in my holiday journal and added my choice of photo printed straight from my phone. Fab, bit of a grungy/instamatic type thing going on but that suits me just fine.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Been at The Hovel a lot lately, gradually starting to get things updated and the way we want them. We’ve just had it completely re-wired and with that comes the inevitable patching up afterwards. We needed to hide the new consumer unit and the cupboard that had been there previously just wasn’t up to the job. We found a man fairly local to build us one to match the floor standing units we inherited. I chose a range of paints, china blue, to use for the kitchen/downstairs from the <a href="http://www.littlegreene.com/">Little Greene</a> paint and wallpaper company. These have some lovely colours and fabulous wallpaper too, I’ll have to share some wall art made with samples from them at some point.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><a href="http://www.littlegreene.com"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="China Blues" border="0" alt="China Blues" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KLDJ-IAgElk/T7Ts2ynrsEI/AAAAAAAACVU/XFlokGmHtpU/China%252520Blues.jpg?imgmax=800" width="450" height="170"></a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Using the lightest colour I managed to get it finished last weekend. I’d decided to do something a little different on the inside and so when I’d visited B&Q recently I raided their bargain paint shelf. I bought three pots that folk had had mixed as testers then not liked, all for 50p each – I think they’re 200 or 250ml each so there’s plenty there too. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgYr_4xhnZWH3AtkcF9FXccpwR8xb0XfghnpYQWrX1_QgfFYC60_PpryCk-Q3hdUizusapVZVcf5mxadzHEMyM6PCmD9yHANtiQdRYqmZSKNjGfssKklBSFjRHYpoe4X9_x1WNyPtRVUk/s1600-h/Cupboard4.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Cupboard" border="0" alt="Cupboard" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mbR2frXQntg/T7Ts48BzORI/AAAAAAAACVk/REiUktqteJg/Cupboard_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="182" height="242"></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRw6ILvQxEKfLq933YKy-JJXSh-O4r4Sc4SUEYgfNGUjtgLfy8gC9E953lIQhQs4pvFWI-Iu_xNTPvs290W558UqUQonfNs4LpzaMWCuLtd__Ey63Ekd1mp9sSXAIrgPxVvDpG-OQviNEB/s1600-h/Cupboard%2525202%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Cupboard 2" border="0" alt="Cupboard 2" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-d953e4jnSEs/T7Ts7cZs6QI/AAAAAAAACVw/Fz8pjWOZFj4/Cupboard%2525202_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="327" height="240"></a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">The first has been used on the inside of our new wall cupboard and as we paint the old units I’ll use the others on the interior of those. I like the fact that all is serene and grown up on the outside and then as you open the cupboard there’s this loud injection of colour. At the very least it will detract from any untidy jumble one finds inside lol. </font><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Last, but not least, I added a couple of pretty little knobs I had in my collection for the finishing touch. Voila, all done.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">I think that’ll be all for now, lets see if I can visit again and report on the update to our stairs shall we – now who won’t be holding their breath lol. Just before I go though I’ll think I’ll share the tune that is currently blasting out as I type.</font></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; width: 448px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:e7af1f1e-ebb4-44a5-b4a5-b480abdc8275" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="818083d6-69e2-4fab-9b93-68948e7d1f4b" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc-P8oDuS0Q&feature=youtube_gdata_player" target="_new"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-i2fV5eDNnnc/T7Ts8Nc-XDI/AAAAAAAACV4/ZMQz6Lzb6eM/videof96ddf2500a4%25255B10%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('818083d6-69e2-4fab-9b93-68948e7d1f4b'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"448\" height=\"252\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/oc-P8oDuS0Q?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/oc-P8oDuS0Q?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"448\" height=\"252\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">I hope it doesn’t play unless you want it to–Enjoy xx</div></div> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS">Thanks to anyone that does drop by and please feel free to leave me a comment if you’d like.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff00ff" size="5" face="Pristina">Wendy xx</font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-30917392696740375732011-10-18T10:34:00.001+01:002011-10-18T11:50:00.444+01:00Good Mail Day<p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Yesterday I received a wonderful piece of mail art from the lovely Alison over at <a href="http://alisonslife-in-the-slow-lane.blogspot.com/">Life in the Slow Lane</a>. I love the colours and the stamping on the envelope and even the postage stamps added to the overall colour combo – just lovely. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xgvzUJRSjoQ/Tp1ILZMeERI/AAAAAAAACRM/XVk--qNZpVQ/s1600-h/Good%252520mail%252520Spain%2525202%252520copy%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Good mail Spain 2 copy" border="0" alt="Good mail Spain 2 copy" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-hpyv9cacmxY/Tp1IMIKvoII/AAAAAAAACRU/OBaJX80L8bM/Good%252520mail%252520Spain%2525202%252520copy_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="415" height="289"></a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbzqTqNJHo4ID0DMNQ_t2ib1ePzJDTbgSPtOeo8B2AJkulntX9S0YI7Zu1VFPwI1g-a897kRY019pCe7ODK3KqCBRW52Rfws0lttXNwXmdI-axK5QU9UTbMsnaLNofCxtlMqgcedL9i4kI/s1600-h/Good%252520mail%252520Spain%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Good mail Spain" border="0" alt="Good mail Spain" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oA9AqfKmWgs/Tp1IOKlvHvI/AAAAAAAACRk/MraLFleu5xc/Good%252520mail%252520Spain_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="405" height="484"></a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Inside I found a beautifully handmade notecard and a lovely fridge magnet quote. Thank you so much Alison, it really made my day.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">In other news, I have signed up for Shimelle’s latest class.</font></p><a href="http://www.shimelle.com/paper/1258/pretty-paper-party-a-new-online-scrapbooking-class/"><img src="http://www.shimelle.com/images/2663.jpg" width="641" height="428"></a> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Just how much I manage to get done remains to be seen but, as always with Shimelle’s classes the pdf’s are all available long afterwards. Now I just need to get myself organised and get stuck in.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0080" size="5" face="Pristina">Wendy xx</font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-22628038408929415732011-10-10T07:58:00.001+01:002011-10-10T08:28:19.498+01:00Ten books awaiting<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-4Wn4HN1-QbI/TpKXjMXLpzI/AAAAAAAACP0/8hoJ-PDykjQ/s1600-h/Ten%252520books%252520awaiting%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Ten books awaiting" border="0" alt="Ten books awaiting" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-v2KfxTdzJoU/TpKXkD848JI/AAAAAAAACP4/kIsNRZ5IbsM/Ten%252520books%252520awaiting_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="376" height="451"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">I always have a pile (or ten) of books waiting for me to get around to them, this is the pile that awaits me in the conservatory. From top to bottom then:</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">1) & 2) Junk Style and Comfortable Country – I love these little books. I can’t say that I have actually read them as such but they’re packed full of gorgeous photos that every so often I drool over. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">3) Why does E=mc2? by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw – Hmm, I think it was the sound of Brian Cox’s voice that sold me on this one but I’ve yet to get around to reading it.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">4) Exit the Actress by Priya Parmar – I have actually already read this one and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Recommended by my favourite historical novelist and narrating the story of Nell Gwyn, the style was quite different I found but I really enjoyed it. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">5) & 6) The Queens Man & Cruel as the Grave by Sharon Penman – This is my favourite historical novelist herself but these two are a departure from what I’ve read thus far in as much as they are historical mysteries. I’ll have to wait and see.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">7) Lionheart by Sharon Penman – back to the format I love, this book is brand new as it has only just been published. Telling the story of Richard Lionheart it fits into the timeline of her other novels well and should be a fabulous read.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">8) 52 weekends by the Sea by Brigid Nelson and Craig Easton – I first picked this up at the library and loved it, hence the purchase. Featuring the coastline of Britain it winds it way around the country highlighting 52 fantastic weekend destinations. With some yummy photography it has me drooling over many a destination.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">9) Decorate by Holly Becker and Joanna Copestick. Another brand new book, Holly Becker is the author of the very popular <a href="http://decor8blog.com/">Decor8</a> blog and has applied her talents to this new book which I think came out in March. I’ve yet to dip into it, beyond a quick flick, but it promises to be a fantastic source.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">10) Living Rooms – love this book and it has my lounge on the front cover. Ok well not exactly ‘my’ lounge but my plans for my lounge lol.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">That’s all for now folks. I’ve been missing in action just lately, partly due to my disappointment over losing all the photos from my blog and partly due to ‘stuff’. You can see more 10 on the 10th over at <a href="http://www.shimelle.com/paper/1253/10-things-october-2011/">Shimelle’s.</a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0080" size="5" face="Pristina">Wendy xx</font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-30594855061127574152011-10-04T20:58:00.001+01:002011-10-04T20:58:44.907+01:00Disaster<p align="justify"><font face="Autumn">Just a very quick post to say that I have spotted that ALL of my photos on my posts have disappeared. I have re-instated the most recent but it going to take a fair bit of work to get them all back (in fact that may never happen). Please bear with me and normal service will be resumed as soon as possible. Sadly I think it’s all because of my new (replacement) phone!!</font></p> <p align="justify"><font face="Autumn">Thanks</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0080" size="5" face="Pristina">Wendy xx</font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-56828300588661900852011-09-29T09:43:00.001+01:002011-10-04T20:44:59.177+01:00Mail Art Exchange<p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Yay my package arrived safely at its destination in Spain on Tuesday, which is actually the estimate the post office gave me when I sent it off on its merry little way. The recipient was Alison over at <a href="http://alisonslife-in-the-slow-lane.blogspot.com/">'Life in the slow lane'</a> and she seems to like it.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">I’d decided to use a google map of the area Alison lives in Spain as with her address this was easy but I also wanted to use a page from an old road atlas I had stashed away for crafting purposes. This took a bit of detective work but I did track down a location prior to Spain and used that page as the basis for the front of the package. </font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GH24eI-AZc8/TotiBjFSLgI/AAAAAAAACOQ/XZJldbK2W7o/s1600-h/Good%252520mail%252520day%2525201%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Good mail day 1" border="0" alt="Good mail day 1" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-p5FI64T7BhM/TotiCswKBFI/AAAAAAAACOU/sJ11L-b8w7k/Good%252520mail%252520day%2525201_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="474" height="342"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="1" face="Autumn">Picture taken prior to posting so stamps were added but phew, they didn’t cover up anything critical.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">The mail exchange was arranged by Ginger at ‘<a href="http://gingerslifeofspice.blogspot.com/">Gingers life of spice’</a> and the theme was ‘earth’. I decided to try and use as much recycled stuff as possible for my take on ‘earth’ and so the package itself was an old one, the map page on the front was old and the patterned papers I used were from my scrap box etc etc. I did have to use ink to print the google map on the back <font size="1">(which you can’t see here because I lost those photos when my phone took its dive)</font> but I printed it onto paper from the scrap pile. Finally, the smiley earth was taken from the earth day campaign. I thoroughly enjoyed myself once I got going so thanks once again Ginger for arranging it all and roll on the next one.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">What Alison very kindly didn’t tell folks in her post was that I had written a little note to pop in the package and of course, said little note was still sat on my desk AFTER the package had been securely taped. So Alison received a rather boring little white envelope too lol</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0080" size="5" face="Pristina">Wendy xx</font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-53637673574797579412011-09-23T20:33:00.001+01:002011-10-04T20:47:37.990+01:00I don’t believe it<p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">You need to put on your best Victor Meldrew voice and re-read my title, that’s the clean version of what I yelled as my phone (the all singing, all dancing new one) leapt from the back pocket of my jeans and dived head first down the pan. Now, IF the last occupant of the bathroom had closed the toilet lid or IF I had been in any other room when my phone suddenly leapt into life I may not have uttered those words but they hadn’t and I wasn’t and I did so now my lovely new phone is kaput. I’ll not dwell on my sorry tale, I am insured and I still have a smidgen of hope that after a weekend of drying out it may end well – I know, I’m not holding my breath.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">In other news I have crafted! All please take a moment whilst this news sinks in but I have. I can’t show you a photo because, you guessed it, it was on my phone. Actually I think I do have a copy on the laptop but I can’t show you anyway because it was my contribution to Gingers <a href="http://gingerslifeofspice.blogspot.com/p/mail-art-exchange.html">Mail Art Exchange</a> and so I’ll not share until it has arrived safely at its destination. <a href="http://gingerslifeofspice.blogspot.com/">Ginger</a> – thank you. I’m so glad you spotted I was back and contacted me before your deadline, it was wonderful to sit and craft again, although I did struggle a little for inspiration. I am determined though to get back into it.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">As I can’t share my crafting at the moment I thought I’d share an odd little shot but one that shows another persons craft. Unfortunately I didn’t think to take a before shot and this is probably the oddest thing I have (publicly) enthused about but take a look at my pitch fork.</font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Qb0igmb_VQA/Toti1ibrg7I/AAAAAAAACOY/cxlRSTJt9z0/s1600-h/pitch%252520fork%2525202%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="" border="0" alt="" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RvylsxRpLss/Toti2VkbcJI/AAAAAAAACOc/tgdY6BfqeRE/pitch%252520fork%2525202_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="351" height="421"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">What about that then, and the spade too. Both of these items were inherited at the hovel and both had seen far better days. They were pitted, rusted and sporting stubby broken handles. A few weeks ago we happened across a market stall selling similar items and as we chatted it transpired that the owner ‘repaired’ these very implements. A few weeks and less than thirty pounds later and look at them now. I’ve never owned a pitch fork before lol.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">But now I guess with that I’ll leave you. Thursday saw the Victor moment, Friday saw me obtain a wasp sting as I’ll climbed over a farm gate (you can imagine where can’t you) but I did get a better harvest from the two remaining potato tubs and Saturday, well lets just wait and see shall we – bring it on! Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0080" size="5" face="Pristina">Wendy xx</font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-78220409824625776992011-09-18T07:00:00.000+01:002011-10-04T20:49:38.503+01:00Under pinning?<p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">After the really high winds over the last week or so we were slightly nervous about what we might find at The Hovel, especially given the number of large trees behind the property and most actually within reach of it! Thankfully, apart from the black bin wedged in the stream, there was nothing to report. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Our main aim this visit was to meet with the structural surveyor, queue ‘uh oh’ or similar cinematic effect please. Yes, after a year of owning the property we have now decided to consult an expert. Personally I would have done this way back, before we actually signed on the dotted line but t’hubby felt that there was every chance it would cause us enough concern that we would chicken out of buying it. Of course that was highly likely and because it had been love at first sight, especially for t’hubby – we went ahead.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">It wasn’t long after it was ours that we started to notice the cracks. They weren't new, they’d been there all along it was just that the rose tinted spectacles had hidden them. Now The Hovel was built in 1768 and as it is still standing we didn’t think it would be disappearing down the hill in a hurry but, at some point in the distant future we (or our children, maybe even grandchildren) will want to sell. And so now we needed to know, so that we can take whatever measures may be deemed necessary. My thoughts up to this point have been that if drastic measures were required e.g. <font color="#f79646">underpinning</font> then we’ll take the opportunity to extend, sympathetically of course but to me it makes sense to take advantage of the situation. Lol, my one daft concern was that if that WAS the case it would throw out our lovely new doors, but I guess in the scheme of things ……</font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Q9XjJpEQMok/TotjRrbF5HI/AAAAAAAACOg/rbnGum0eLl0/s1600-h/New%252520Door%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="New Door" border="0" alt="New Door" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CYGUzdnfhIM/TotjSQPrz7I/AAAAAAAACOk/kZ_-z8K9hMU/New%252520Door_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="327" height="436"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OSYgBfRFlFk/TotjToP4jWI/AAAAAAAACOo/0kgVKNNco48/s1600-h/Doors%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Doors" border="0" alt="Doors" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-STsVg93WkIE/TotjUdg3PMI/AAAAAAAACOs/hhlVQuLkk00/Doors_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="460" height="345"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">……… And so the man arrived.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">And he looked</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">And he walked around</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">And he looked</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">And he walked around some more</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">And he looked</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">And then he made his pronouncement ………..</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Nothing too severe, phew. There is obvious evidence of past movement and we need to take some remedial action to ‘tie’ the front wall to the back wall (not as bad as it sounds I’m told) as it has moved 25mm since the ceiling/floor was replaced – 41 years ago! Then we need to place ‘tell tales’ to both monitor for any further movement and to provide evidence when there is none (fingers crossed). That way we are also safeguarding a future sale. So all in all a reasonable outcome.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">And would we have chickened out if we’d had that done in advance. We’re not sure but we may have done. Because we didn’t ‘know’ the hovel then we may have thought it wasn’t worth the hassle. And so I guess t’hubby was right all along and as I sit here typing watching the sun start to burn off the cloud and rain and reveal our view</font><font size="3" face="Autumn">, I am glad, although had the answer been underpinning I might have been yelling at him, right here right now lol.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment, oh and yes, the campanulas survived on their house bricks.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0080" size="5" face="Pristina">Wendy xx</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#333333" size="1" face="Autumn">Please note this post was scheduled to upload after the time of writing</font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-78649406883864632462011-09-16T07:00:00.000+01:002011-09-16T07:00:08.994+01:00Happy Pinning<p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">I think I need to give myself a strict time allowance for Pinterest, otherwise one of these days I may never return. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">I thought Blogland and the internet were bad enough on their own but Pinterest beats them all. I suppose it does depend how you use it. If you browse then ‘repin and run’ you will probably be ok. It’s when you browse, open interesting stuff into new tabs, look at said new tabs, follow the link to the source, nosy around that source and open other interesting looking links into other new tabs – are you getting my drift? I sometimes emerge from one of these ‘I’ll just have a quick 5 minutes’ sessions to find I have lost yet another hour plus of my life.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">But I do have some delish piccies and new ideas to show for it. Here’s just a small selection of my latest, click on the picture to take you to Pinterest where you can follow the link to the source. Just remember – you have been warned.</font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/72180433/set-of-three-plank-frames-with-shades-of?ref=tre-688597672-11"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" border="0" src="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/188142757_i2UEnjnM_c.jpg" width="317" height="297"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Autumn">Aren’t these just the cutest, I think I could make some and colour co-ordinate to suit the room.</font></p> <p><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194463152/"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" border="0" src="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/194463152_w1UnjmbR_c.jpg" width="315" height="313"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Autumn">I want to give this a go, I’ve lots of blank canvas’ somewhere that would work just fine.</font></p> <p><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/185880852/"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/185880852_FXjwaZu0_c.jpg" width="315" height="421"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Autumn">Cannot wait to give these a go – need to keep my eyes open for proper pots</font></p> <p><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194595311/"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/194595311_Ouqj5xJ6_c.jpg" width="317" height="374"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Autumn">Sometimes it’s the simplest of ideas that are the most beautiful</font></p> <p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/186051886_C6pbltf3_c.jpg" width="316" height="438"></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Autumn">I so want to try this out at The Hovel, I’m sure I have that bottom set somewhere.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Well there you are, that’s just a few of the ones that have caught my eye recently. Now I have a question for you Pinners out there. Do you ever ‘pin’ to something you’ve posted about on your own blog or is it always to other folks or sites? I’d be really interested to know.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Thanks for dropping by and I do hope you’ve seen something you like. Please feel free to leave me a comment, I love to hear from you.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="1" face="Autumn">The small print - I take no responsibility whatsoever for any lost lifetime hours you may incur during the reading of this post.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0080" size="5" face="Pristina">Wendy xx</font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-14315394341264665332011-09-14T07:00:00.000+01:002011-10-04T20:50:58.554+01:00Spec Savers in Action<p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">I have no idea why I did this; I don’t know what possessed me, but for some strange reason I have taken a photo of myself, in my glasses, using the webcam on the laptop. I don’t DO photos of myself. So before I chicken out and before I get around to trying out the suggestions for improvement (my sincere thanks), I share with you the problem lol</font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ug3MjyeADkM/TotjnaGNVQI/AAAAAAAACOw/3DmqtUA00rc/s1600-h/Good%252520Times%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Good Times" border="0" alt="Good Times" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheEvPQ1Rrfl7R8lUW6ybLvr4F5AHSeo5igEwhvXvkTSJrI3aGNoEHY610qWs0jOodfqP0edgIj9YC3VXnJFjjLjKq8LMofLPVGH_8VK15YPHJQLfbbZrVP932u7kOort9dWhLv7UruHWXF/?imgmax=800" width="350" height="418"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">I seem to have a thing about Polaroid Frames going on lol. Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">PS, I guess this post is only going to make sense if you read the previous one, oops.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0080" size="5" face="Pristina">Wendy xx</font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-25393668805832028462011-09-13T11:12:00.001+01:002011-10-04T20:52:20.397+01:00Spec saver<p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Well we survived the weekend in one piece, the girls went ice-skating and slept in the tent overnight with no mishaps - to my knowledge at least. Although I did recall hearing the question ‘where’s the conditioner’ floating around the house as I drifted off to sleep. My enquiries the next morning resulted in giggles and an explanation of ‘we were doing a Jedward’. Hmm, and this from one girl who is studying hair and beauty, lol. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">After a late start to Sunday (and a round of bagels), Grumpy, T’hubby and I nearly lost the tent in a rather ferocious gust of wind as we dismantled it, but after a bit of a battle all was well and the tent was safely packed away until next time. I was then able to turn my attention to a little bit of crafting – well after a fashion anyway and then only really a smidgen.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">I’d spent last Wednesday afternoon in London. T’hubby was down there for a meeting and we were meeting up with some friends for a drink after work. I decided to spend my free time having a wander around Covent Garden. Now I’ve never been to Covent Garden before and I’m still not entirely sure what I was expecting but I was sadly disappointed for some reason. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I have a great time meandering through the streets, in and out of all the shops, watching the street performer and picking my way through the market stalls. But somehow it was still lacking in something or other. Knowing me I was probably in the wrong place entirely. Anyway, whilst there I happened upon a Bead shop. I’ve been looking for something to hang my reading glasses around my neck as I seem to be in need of them more and more these days – not a happy bunny at all about this point – and so I had found something I quite liked the look of on t’internet at £12 a time. Not bad I thought but given that I didn’t really know whether it would work for me or not I thought it could get expensive. And so when I happened upon the bead shop I thought ‘Why not’</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">About an hour later (I dithered a lot) I left with a little package that cost me all of £3.50, and then I think I was actually overcharged but as I had been in there sooooooooooo very long I thought it only fair lol. And so on Sunday I retrieved my little package and had a play. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Ta daa – Presenting my own version for your perusal.</font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2aKTA2Vvfy0/Totj8JzD-7I/AAAAAAAACO4/P6GwCoaJIqY/s1600-h/Spec%252520Savers%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Spec Savers" border="0" alt="Spec Savers" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9uslJSBSXE-cjUopf4z03FBykQh5FbKuujd0J98hdxNVAXRPjtwz6fW9DJoKFZpE0sg-Sl_Bo7mW8gR2AkSMEDw69nsfFfS3UFjXctmM3nw840Ea194ct0W7S8_CEIUQE4bSWd-2u-5i/?imgmax=800" width="338" height="406"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">How’s that saying go, oh yes – ‘Don’t give up the day job’ Lol. Jury is still out about whether I will use it or not as I do get slightly annoyed by the beads hanging down the side of my face when I am wearing my glasses (in addition to the snigger from T’hubby) but when they are folded, not in use, it is brilliant.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment, I love to hear from you.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0080" size="5" face="Pristina">Wendy xx</font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-39335055504365222972011-09-10T07:00:00.000+01:002011-10-10T10:14:09.381+01:00Ten on the tenth<p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Today is my baby’s 15th birthday and boy does that make me feel old. Those years have absolutely flown by with all the inevitable ups and downs of having children (now 15, 16 & 24). Tattyhead can drive me to distraction at times but without a shadow of a doubt, I love her very much – Happy Birthday Baby Girl xxx</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Because it’s her birthday and because it falls on the tenth, I thought I’d share ten layouts of my youngest with you today. None are recent as my scrapping inspiration has long been absent – OMG, its over a year I think! They’re a mixed bag (digi and traditional) and a couple are amongst my very first layouts so the styles differ greatly – you have been warned.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">And so, in no particular order, I give you….</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="5" face="Autumn"><strong>Tattyhead</strong></font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBS3DuQ73oqn2UeFuOpLC9D8-35oN971eizZdOVgJeosMv9r6lziquoghOeXoJ-6l2vkyz-bLXV4iSyn45ZqVbXIVwYIs9JHhZYTj8sk90O3Q8bwxoxiG21ZLuGxP5FM6nGSybpy0HrYq/s1600-h/Beccy%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Beccy" border="0" alt="Beccy" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwW_dy7bsDEjbMIRNao_xQ6kVMq4n3Jz5-r7xQZrXhGBlFbwOVB4Fr_i7bKmPMSVtAb6xn6SFSw_0WOmHBJUFkepk3eVN6g73i92B-FOHnsrUsQz9k4dN10grMu2kdeVyx2tLnSb-MrCsF/?imgmax=800" width="439" height="437"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Autumn">The photo used above was printed onto silk then mounted onto card.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1D5L90NKmKs/TpK3CgSe-aI/AAAAAAAACQE/gKu145PK57A/s1600-h/Bex%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="" border="0" alt="" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-a9XVef-q_5k/TpK3D2L_TDI/AAAAAAAACQI/6N06dJ8DG_c/Bex_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="431" height="559"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Autumn">Often in a world of her own</font></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-r-MzNYd0I2E/TpK3Fw7Uc7I/AAAAAAAACQM/nRlVjXXTvJs/s1600-h/Dirty%252520Feet%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Dirty Feet" border="0" alt="Dirty Feet" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip4OFPH8irpFs8n3LlO6IShUwYxm7t8fqTwt9YmN2X0Asr8JNMJ9aD8lAGIca0RjaW9lIZRqjd9czjxjDwZtoeqQvGzE3Zl55mFeMYSfCQo4HMkQ76sczoAfEDES-mlvFeFJU4iVKOX00X/?imgmax=800" width="429" height="429"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Autumn">Always sporty</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirpWtzPZZfKbiZ6sVlVR2eOG1ZawG0oINMX81bxCQ0IMcrlwYPFsTRBYxmmw2J7wSg3XlT0gnglAMbOP7hAUrLav8I3Gb1ciScZhWUxtGrLupJ3lVXKE7W5p5a01xmeU-FRPQC7Xh75Lr9/s1600-h/Fashion%252520Fades%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fashion Fades" border="0" alt="Fashion Fades" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_eNuwYAP8wWcKfYkFSzPW6PjqFReRGHHzSvppmxFieUuRiVJjSwqrCiOcIlpEtNN4EUXWEopP7RCMosqlBXeSxhDWxMvyyJ3_ZSTDVAcqWWeEDnaldinW3JwCkY14cL9Drktmmb_owYU/?imgmax=800" width="429" height="329"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Autumn">Always a poser</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-JmlVtU691qk/TpK3JmwBTVI/AAAAAAAACQc/qica-dY9y1U/s1600-h/You%252527re%252520Beautiful%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="You're Beautiful" border="0" alt="You're Beautiful" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoq9LSLFHLK16qxQx90egbdl0jmfvE7Te8bdsKOCciTYuu7bGnr7_fnrA5tE2GE0lkPsyVeUJdu-8hB94Iav-F3aqWYZBUOwTjDBcA35L7muf9pFQUIBQWOzgA07W9vzOcxfe6-o5eTKME/?imgmax=800" width="430" height="434"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Autumn">I’ve said it already</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZaCVrGi4J4w/TpK3MSQUBRI/AAAAAAAACQk/O-LGugDL3tk/s1600-h/The%252520Fairbourne%252520Ball%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="The Fairbourne Ball" border="0" alt="The Fairbourne Ball" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8K3vFcHpYZ7T181_XE8MpTd0tcgyNun6HU5puXYd2_ZvOkYssiisvwH53c-F8ZD9MXGQW5RQlPW0skES8wdizQfvY_M2R_LsbtscMXarW1mUNb_kspC8GzD09sFucQWuoM7ONyrAhp445/?imgmax=800" width="427" height="427"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Autumn">Will not wear a dress unless absolutely necessary</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-149NY3AWUS8/TpK3OlN6XcI/AAAAAAAACQs/iXqjpqMOrQ0/s1600-h/Sunshine%2525202%252520%252528Medium%252529%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Sunshine 2 (Medium)" border="0" alt="Sunshine 2 (Medium)" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFA29FsMd2mN8NOkVQCQpsk-6LLuTgbllkw3TuGbg6RZoR4jA6NGnARCLr_mEp09SPwshnxQrlFU2hZtxlRXN5bL-GJ0lnj4zECJ6vG4fC7Zm5iGQczpVcJ4HO3G4rnnfdKCu9yzlODKjy/?imgmax=800" width="488" height="407"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Autumn">Sunburst effect on the photo and numerous beads sown on</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9GTVGmawrwI/TpK3Q_I5zQI/AAAAAAAACQ0/UovpWhkrmEU/s1600-h/So%252520Sad%252520Sweetheart%2525201%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="So Sad Sweetheart 1" border="0" alt="So Sad Sweetheart 1" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-An3PBPSzMI4/TpK3SLyln8I/AAAAAAAACQ4/0iqS0mfQ6l8/So%252520Sad%252520Sweetheart%2525201_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="478"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Autumn">Completely and utterly devastated for such a long time when her Granddad died</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjez0S4Xqk8PE1ck_4kZeTDHK-gCj31oR2sbvt3HmFZLgLE4FWmtDTukLndRl-1RIeo-wedTu3wcrR_YlbAwMybdmjXKstmMlQspUt8IUw4RGZKZ56WYLnAWyc9-m3t0DxrMYzi9xXzELkT/s1600-h/Pretty%252520in%252520Punk%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Pretty in Punk" border="0" alt="Pretty in Punk" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-a0-iOgaIUt4/TpK3Ubg6E4I/AAAAAAAACRA/46_h1B2arFc/Pretty%252520in%252520Punk_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" height="481"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Autumn">Lol, You may not be able to read the journaling above but I know that I got the date of her birthday wrong on this lo. Couldn’t face the hassle of correcting it though.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ntor9szPlec/TpK3XDmZBlI/AAAAAAAACRE/esb4OYo0YW0/s1600-h/Lets%252520go%252520fly%252520a%252520kite%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Lets go fly a kite" border="0" alt="Lets go fly a kite" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xmyP1-osW6UWXlhxFFMfHUMd4viBcraL88KOUoyOZB7BVXVElrnLgHcIP_XbvokooDr5GqZi_P4EpKTsDMEZMk_HGpr-kL8UiT9MtYPmDdHMFcGpd-w7HsMnue6LG_eCiL-FEU2gZfpl/?imgmax=800" width="476" height="367"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Autumn">Bit of artistic licence on my part</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Well that’s all for now folks. Wish me luck, we have The Boy B home for his sisters birthday and 9 teenagers sleeping in a tent in the garden tonight, deep joy lol</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">You’ll find the links for more ten on the tenth over at <a href="http://www.shimelle.com/">Shimelle’s</a> so please take a look. In the meantime, thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0080" size="5" face="Pristina">Wendy xx</font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3981631292662144418.post-27998665461047892702011-09-07T08:00:00.000+01:002011-09-07T08:02:35.297+01:00Country Living<p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">I was really pleased with <a href="http://fromhighinthesky.blogspot.com/">Sian’s</a> comment on my last post where she referred to the photo of my poor potato harvest as a ‘country living’ shot lol. Daft I know, but I do like to make the shots I post as pleasing to the eye as possible. I don’t always manage it (often just don’t have the time) but I had secretly been rather pleased with this one even before the comments. And so I thought it might be a nice idea to share how it was achieved. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">The photo was taken on my phone in landscape. The original shot was fine but lacking in something.</font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YqtWp5AhMOw/TmYiaEIMhFI/AAAAAAAACIM/QjaG1pdaz6Y/s1600-h/Step%2525201%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Step 1" border="0" alt="Step 1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ctcN17fFT2I/TmYibosgXDI/AAAAAAAACIQ/Za8YxWzi-J8/Step%2525201_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="289" height="217"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">I then used a photo editor (Photoshop Express for android in my case) to apply the effect ‘vignette blur’ to the shot. Starting to feel a little better here.</font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QXJq6kWRnw8/TmYidktgntI/AAAAAAAACIU/6geCAjTv9lI/s1600-h/Step%2525202%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Step 2" border="0" alt="Step 2" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-R3iGg-TmhxU/TmYieTYzfgI/AAAAAAAACIY/jLwYGi0jAfI/Step%2525202_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="293" height="220"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">This was saved and loaded up to </font><a href="http://www.picnik.com/"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Picnik</font></a><font size="3" face="Autumn"> where I added the ‘polaroid’ frame (choosing to straighten it rather that leave at a slant), I also then added the text. You could add a frame in Photoshop or another editor but to be honest Picnik is so quick and easy to use its not worth it. The choice of the polaroid frame cuts the shot into a square which had the pleasing effect of reducing the ‘vignette blur’ in the bottom corners. Voila! My Country Living shot – now if only they would employ me ……..</font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tPj9x0wYnRU/TmYiilPnacI/AAAAAAAACIc/3eVemkSpYX4/s1600-h/Potato%252520harvest%252520Sep%25252011%252520The%252520Hovel%252520edit%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Potato harvest Sep 11 The Hovel edit" border="0" alt="Potato harvest Sep 11 The Hovel edit" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-12g-oACiEi4/TmYijZHsfpI/AAAAAAAACIg/nm8wIv1uF6U/Potato%252520harvest%252520Sep%25252011%252520The%252520Hovel%252520edit_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="302" height="361"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Do you like my flowers? This basket and pot set has sat, empty, on the windowsill at The Hovel for a few months now. I found it in TKMaxx at a fraction of the price I’d have paid elsewhere but I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to put in it. I had a vision of something like ‘mind your own business’ I think they’re called. A mass of tiny green leaves with little orange ball fruit. I think I may be confusing two different plants though and suffice to say, I didn’t find any. I did however, come across these campanula’s in Sainsbury's and I knew immediately that they would look good. What do you think? </font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FccIed-mLrU/TmYikVyyY1I/AAAAAAAACIk/QcbWlrXc2Ik/s1600-h/Flowers%252520in%252520the%252520widow%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Flowers in the widow" border="0" alt="Flowers in the widow" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-hT4vGsNlzZM/TmYilEJSpzI/AAAAAAAACIo/V0XYF0HfFlg/Flowers%252520in%252520the%252520widow_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="306" height="407"></a><font size="3" face="Autumn"></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Now I just need to see if my watering solution of house bricks in a bowl of water with the plants stood on top (apparently the house bricks will wick the water to the plant) works for the period we’re not there.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3" face="Autumn">Thanks for stopping by and please feel free to leave a comment, I love to hear from you.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0080" size="5" face="Pristina">Wendy xx</font></p> WendyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270967283269892653noreply@blogger.com4