Dress Making

Morning, morning, well I think it's actually the afternoon now, but who's counting anyway?

I did start this post this the morning, but other stuff kind of got in the way like having to make a batch of fairy cakes because my sweet tooth told me to and having to go for a stroll down to the sea front to walk off said fairy cakes! That's a good enough excuse for me so it must be OK.

So anyway, how are you feeling on this bright and chilly autumnal morning/afternoon/day?

Saying that, I do hope it is lovely and sunny where you are - it is here, but I fear it is a fleeting thing and all will pass and change come tomorrow.


Anyway, back to my dress making - sorry.

Now that I've got this (finally - sorry sis) firmly wrapped up and on it's way to the post office for my adorable little niece who's second birthday is Monday - I know my sister doesn't read my blog often anyway - I thought I would share with you the crafty thing (s) that have been dominating my life at the moment.


Even though it may appear crafting has been on a low front around here recently on my little blog with Autumn kind of taking over my head space, I have in fact been beavering away in the background whipping up lots of little dresses for all the lovely little ladies in my life and who's birthdays all fall at this time of the year - lucky me!


So this year I thought I would whip them all up a custom made dress - a one off with some of the fabric I've had stashed away 'forever' and never seem to find any time to transform into something utterly gorgeous and want some these days - crochet has seemed to of taken over my life this past year!



Anyhow, may I present to you this gorgeous little dress I rustled up the other evening. I do hope the littlest niece (and sis) like it.

And do you want to see the fabric I've bought for the littlest Boo to make her dress out of??


All the way from America. Little red riding hood and mushrooms, doesn't it look scrummy?

Though I'll let you have a better peek when I'm almost finished - for at the moment, I'm keeping stum!

Have a fabulous day.

xXx

It's Raining...

...it's pouring

the spiderwebs are weighed down with raindrops.

Like glimmering pearls - perfectly symmetrical and completely poised on every little strand of web.


I couldn't resist dashing outside in between one drizzly downpour and another to snap these pictures of the webs in our garden all glistening and sparking with raindrops.



Although I was cursing this morning (more then usual may I add) because as in my everyday mad dash out of the house a handsome eight legged fellow had spun his web right across the pathway.

I think we both got more than a face full of each other then we were expecting - certainly at that hour of the morning!!


I did a silly little aaagggghhhhhh 'get it off me' jig whilst madly brushing myself down - much to the amusement of the whole street - in case the said fellow had landed upon my person - anywhere!

I think though he must of done a quick think spidey swing from his web upon impact and scuttled behind a leaf for safety as I couldn't find him on me - at all!!!


I'm still having shivers running down my spine when I recall this over (and over, and over) again in my minds eye and probably - tonight - nightmares.

Spiders - I love observing and taking pictures, but please do not cross my path!!


I hope the rain has stopped with you now and you're not too soggy?

xXx

ps. I hope I haven't bored you too much with yet more spider web pictures??

Domestic Goddess

Well not quite -

This was my attempt at Chocolate Banana Muffins from Nigella's new book 'Kitchen'


Aesthetically pleasing they didn't quite come out as beautifully looking and tempting to the eye as they do in the book, but on the whole these are very moist, very quick and very very easy to make - whipped up on the back end of dinner in between finishing and 'what's for pudding mum I'm still hungry!'



A winner with the kids and at the moment a lunchbox favourite and OK you may be thinking chocolate and cakes in a lunchbox 'that's not very healthy' but the banana content (I feel) is high which I guess gives them their moistness and the chocolate is powder so not really chocolaty at all, it's just there to turn the flour a nice dark brown colour - so I can't really complain can I.

Though maybe brown cupcake/muffin liners next time might help to conceal all my messy cake mixture spooning.


And as promised, if you haven't already heard, seen, sky plus 'ed' - her new series starts this Thursday evening 8pm on BBC 2 - I'll be there curled up with my cookbook taking notes!

Here's to guilt free cooking - and eating!

xXx

In the Woods

Good morning -

did you have a lovely 'little bit of this and a little bit of that' kind of weekend?

Just sitting here thinking, it's such a strange feeling - Monday morning.

Like so many other weekends the house has been full of different activities, friends, baking, dancing and singing, laughing, story telling, drinking and chatting, but come Monday morning, after the frenzied rush to get everyone out of the door I come home and sit for a minute or ten and just drink it all in - the quiet, peace and calm.

The house is still.

Tis a very strange feeling - Monday morning.

Anyhow, the woods. The beautiful, gorgeous, wildlife filled, smell of damp earth and leafy things - woods.






If you are a regular to my blog then you will know just how much I love the woods.

Walking in the woods, climbing in the woods, finding faeries and bears in the woods, sitting and day dreaming in the woods, drawing sketching and taking pictures of 'the' woods!!




So what perfect way to spend a perfect weekend mid morning then a little jaunt to the woods. Blean to be precise near Canterbury.



We've been visiting these woods since well, the eldest Boo was the littlest and only Boo.

They are easy and familiar and ever so child friendly and if we ever move away then I will miss these woods, but I'm sure I will find my fix somewhere else.




We didn't find any faeries or bears this time and all the blackberries were either sour or pretty much gone, but at this time of the year if you want to go looking for Boo's then I think you have a fairly good idea where you can find them.




Have a fabulous day and a wonderful week - I have a week of decorating lined up. I will share all soon.

xXx

Knowing Me

~ Seven Things ~

Good morning -

It's Sunday morning and I'm thinking 'oh my - what to say and where to begin?' ..........at the beginning I guess!

The problem is I'm not very good at the weekends - in the mornings that is and especially when I've had two really late nights on the trot - no alcohol involved I promise, but late ones (for me) nonetheless.


OK, so back to the matter in hand.

You see I've been given an award by the lovely Coco Rose whose blog I absolutely love and completely adore, but now I have to 'kiss and tell' seven things about myself that you don't already know.

Here's my dilemma.

For you see after blogging for almost two years (nearly every day) I'm not too sure if there is anything new you guys don't know about little old me plus many, many moons again I did do a kind of reveal all here.


But I will try - though it may just be a bit of 'and I'm sat here in my nightie at this very moment in time eating porridge with soya milk and raisins!!'

Number One ::

I am named after my grandmother's best friend (from her childhood) and in my entire lifetime have only ever come across two other Nina's.

Number Two ::

I hate parsnips - it's one of those marmite things. Either you love them or hate them and I absolutely (gag) hate them. But to be fair, I have tried them every which way you can and they still taste 'yuk' - to me.

Number Three ::

I'm not shy I'm just quiet!!

Number Four ::

I'm a listener not a talker and really cannot do all that nervous fill every gap with a word kind of chatter. Though given the right person/situation/topic I can gab on with the best of them.

Number Five ::

I people watch. Now I know this can make a person very very nervous, but it's more day dream watching, like being in my own little place just watching the world go by rather than staring and stalking.

Number Six ::

I'm sat here at the moment in my nightie eating...........! Sorry a bit of a cop out I know - how about 'ooooohhhhh I know' I'm a Hampshire lass born and bred. We moved here in '97 with Mr Boo's job and I am desperately seeking to escape back to the countryside.

Slap me I know I'm sooooooo ungrateful - living by the sea and all that, but the dawn chorus of a group of squawking seagulls does not substitute at all for trees full of song birds.

Number Seven ::

Last and (probably) by no means least. I do not..........smoke or eat McDonald's, drive a fast car, listen to rave music, wear high heels (only on very special occasions) drink lots of alcohol - well not anymore, play computer games or watch daytime TV. In fact I don't watch anything soap related at all like Corrie or Eastenders and to be honest, I haven't even got a clue if they are still going.

Blimey, I think I've just made myself out to sound a lot older then I actually am - I feel old and I'm not even forty.....yet! Not long though - eeeeeeekkkkkk!!!!!

Well that's all about me - not very interesting I know, but I guess it's difficult to get a real feel for a person when it's not face to face.

Now I have to pass this on to to five other bloggers which is a toughie as I love you all, but this time I thought I would do things right and do exactly as it says on the tin - pass it on.


So being only fair I would love to pass this on to the the ladies that have supported me and my little bit of blogging space - right from the very beginning, through thick and thin.

And even though I don't always have the time to stop by and comment on there blogs on a regular basis I would like to think they know I am always here.

Tess at Driftwood

Lisa at Periwinkle

Lou at Poppy

Louise at Vintage Pink

Bertie at Bertie Meadows

Well I guess I'm all done. I'm still sat here in my nightie, but I have finished my porridge with soya milk and raisins and really do need to get in to the shower and get dressed now.

So until next time 'toodle pip' have a lovely Sunday - I think we are either going to head out for a very blustery walk or huddle up and light the fire, eat popcorn, read books, crochet and watch some old movies.

Happy Sundaying.

xXx

ps. all these images are completely random ones I have taken on my phone and have played around with them in one way or another and thought them only fitting to publish today as I guess I am just that - a random kind of gal..........in some ways!

In our Garden

Down where the mushrooms grow and the magical travelling faeries live -


...you will find a most enchanting place where the spiders weave misshapen webs that glisten with dew drops in the early morning sun and sway in the breeze on a fine autumnal day.


I know for I have to keep ducking and diving where ever I tread as not to break their most precious of webs.


Fat tomatoes spend their days lazing in the sun hoping to ripen before the first cold snap takes them unawares and leaves them damaged beyond all repair.



Grape vines still twist and turn, clinging, climbing, reaching for the sky - alas no grapes though to turn into wine!


And where finest, tallest, pure white anemone's bob up and down in time with the (still) warm current.



You can find all of these things in our garden (and more) at this very moment in time.

Have a fabulous weekend.

xXx