New computer...

I have a new lap top....well I got a free lap top in January with AOL and I didn't set it up because I thought it would take ages and the old laptop worked and I really couldn't be ar..., bothered!!!
Anyhoo....I set it up as the big boys were starting to get snippy when I wanted to look at pretty blogs and etsy shops and chat with the shabby girls when they needed to do homework, it took....3 minutes...yes 3 whole easy minutes!! Now I'm cross that I procrastinated and had to listen to whingy boys when all I needed was 3 little minutes!!!!
But new computer means adding all my faves back on, transferring photos over and adding all software for camera....
So I can't show you pics of my fab new table (sanded today by my step dad), or my new dining chairs (painted and upholstered with my own fair hands) or even of the very successful result of my 1st ever attempt at soda bread as posted by rachelle....(thank you rachelle for the recipe ).
So pictures of makeovers to follow soon - I am sure I won't wait 6 months to get round to it!!!

Red Arrows

It's the airshow in town today (and yesterday), I chose not to battle down the seafront amongst the noise and the thousands of people and sit in my garden and see what I could see.

Now as my dad was in the RAF, I have had no shortage of planes in my life, and I do struggle to muster up much enthusiasm!!!

But...the red arrows flew over my house, and I mean over the house and garden!! And low....low as in I could almost see the pilot smiling at me low!!!

Wow!! It was a bit of a rush!! I watched them at tea time last night and purposely went in the garden for them starting this lunchtime...I am in awe..those guys are amazing!!!

Pics are courtesy of google image - sadly not me!!!!

Schools Out....

..for summer!!

And summer it has been today on the east coast - fabulous - long let it continue please!!!

The school hols go much quicker when the weather is at least dry. I don't mind the school hols - no clock watching - no mad morning rush (I'm not a morning person and I get up with the bare minimum of time!) but I suppose I'm fortunate that the eldest go to their dads for part of the break so I do get a breather!!!

Today my 3yr old went to the kindergarten he will be attending in September, he stayed all afternoon - without mummy! After the initial hissy fit - he had a great time and can't wait to go back! (Good job says I....I'm looking forward to the peace lol!!)

So I made myself busy...

In the last 24 hours I have started painting stools....

lacey the 1st one is dedicated to you xxx

This one is F&B breakfast room green- and I painted one in pale pink for my workroom which I may or may not decorate....

I also found the time to pick up a couple of chairs for my new dining table....

£2.50 each !!!! There were 3 but I just got the pair (now I'm fretting that the other one is left behind and I could use it in...well somewhere....!!)

As I type they look like this..

All primed and ready to rock!!! (Note:- using quick drying primer in blazing afternoon sun is not wise!!!) Please excuse the weeds :)

By Friday I want them to look splendid in breakfast room green - round my table as a surprise for my other half!!! I figure if they are complete before he gets home from work he can't be annoyed with yet more furniture turning up!!

I have to recover the seats too so here's hoping I don't run out of time.....

I seem to have my painting mojo back so perhaps I can do the other 24 stools this weekend!!!

An award....

....from the lovely lace threads...THANK YOU!!

I suppose this means at least 1 person reads my waffle lol!

Now there are a list of to do's...

1 . Put the piccy on my blog....check!!
2. Put a link/or mention ....check!!

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.......this is hard as I am curently enjoying many (WAY too many!!!!) blogs.....but I shall pass on the award to:

Raspberry Grace - - Curlew Country --Creating something out of chaos - - A more green and simple life - - Mary Poppins - - All things shabby chic - -country heart and home

4.Link to these blogs.....all can be found on the sidebar so...check!!

5. Leave a message on their blog.....check!!

I feel rather embarrassed about receiving this - how sad is that!!!!!

My sewing machine has had a few outings this week (I've broken 4 needles - please tell me if my machine needs looking at or if I need to be gentler or perhaps I need to read the instruction book again and play with the settings!!??!!?? ) - I'll leave you with a pic of my reuble booble sitting on his new floor mat made from a cut up old lightweight duvet and a thrifted paddington cot duvet cover.....7 months worth of gorgeousness :)

work in progress...

....the spare room - back bedroom - workroom...call it what you will it still isn't finished!!!

But something is....this shelf..

now looks like this,

this is after 2 coats of primer and undercoat and 2 coats of Laura Ashley eggshell in Duck Egg. I love the colour and the paint was a dream to work with but I think it needs another coat as in some lights it looks patchy!! But on the whole I am pleased with it. But man its big....its well over a metre wide and tall!! Should be able to fit lots of my treasures on!!Once I'm 'in' the room properly I can play about with the shelves a bit!! I just grabbed the nearest things - it won't ever look as empty as this again!!

The rest of the room has 2 days this weekend to get finished - I have booked the carpet to be laid on Monday so a certain somebody has to pull his finger out lol!!

Jobs outstanding are curtain pole to be bought and put up, blind to be put up, missing skirting to be painted and fixed in place, boiler cupboard needs wooden trim round door and the door needs hanging!!

I have every faith in him - he has worked very hard as this room was a shell, it was my eldest's bedroom when we first moved in and all building work we have had done has intruded into and altered this room - it was a mess!!

I'll come back and show you when its done - hopefully won't be long!!

Table Talk!

I have long disliked my dining room table and chairs - it was a bit modern for our house and I bought it on a whim when we first moved here 3 years ago.

So I have been looking for a pine table that was both big enough and cheap enough to keep everybody in the house happy!

I won this on ebay his week.....

It needs a bit of work.....and it has been scrubbed and sprayed tonight to get rid of the remains of its previous owners dinner (yikes - I suppose it comes with the territory with vintage previously loved things??)

But look how lovely those legs are....

Be even better with a light colour paint on the legs and frame - distressed I thought. Then a good sanding and rewax on the top.....

We like this table...

But even in the sale its still nearly £500 more than ours cost!!!!

We still need chairs for it but I suppose I could raid our loft for a few of these......

pinny power!

Son number 3 has a birthday party to attend today - a little girl whose mum I know from booby group - so I decided to be creative!

I am very creative and talented....in my head!!! Sadly something goes amiss between head and fingers!

First I made her a card...

Now I think this is actually only the 3rd card I have ever made...(I have a few supplies snaffled from my mum) and to be honest I'm not sure cardmaking is my thing....but it looks pretty enough and has encouraged me to perhaps make more if the need arises!

So then I thought, pressie!! I thought every little girl needs a pinny for baking...

And if it has your initial on...even better....

I used a pinny my mum had made one of my bigger boys (now handed down to a younger brother) as a template, and although I have not got my mums sewing skills, I'm quite pleased with it. It was a move out of my comfort zone, I was going to make it easy for myself but then thought no, do it properly..so I made it with a lining at the top of the pinny...I could be super critical...its far from perfect...the lining is not quite long enough - some of the stitching is..erm..rough!! And the tailors chalk I drew the initial on the fabric with shows through, but on the whole I'm chuffed...

Now I know what little girls will be getting for their birthdays!!

Workroom curtains

Thank You everyone for your kind words of support - I'm having a better week and my little treasure has been better behaved so onwards and upwards!! Its strangely reassuring to know that others go through the same thing with their little ones, so thank you again for your comments :)

I want to start utilising my time better - I have so many projects and so little time. We have decided to stop putting pressure on ourselves with the renovations/decorating at home too...we are almost there so we are going to be taking it 1 room at a time instead of saying 'I want it all finished by Christmas!!'.

Latest room is the back bedroom aka workroom - my OH built a cupboard round the boiler last weekend (well half of one, but I have every reason to believe it will be done this weekend!!)

This fabric will become my workroom (slash guest room) curtains.

They will be the first curtains I have ever made, my mother in law is the business at soft furnishings so I trust her with my Laura Ashley fabrics rather than attempting myself!! So I have browsed ebay, found this stripey stuff that is cheap enough to not make me weep if I mess up!!

Wish me Luck!!!

Fed Up....

Thats me!
I have absolutely no reason to be fed up. The sun is shining, I have a nice life, good health, well mannered (mostly!) children and a partner who works very hard to provide for us and who loves me almost as much as I love him! Which just makes me more fed up at being fed up!!
I'm having a bad week...my 3 year old is being rather challenging (!!) and I am not coping. Put that with a half finished house that would be difficult enough to keep clean if I could find the time to attempt it, a teenager who thinks he's an only child, a 10 yr old with school 'issues' at the moment and a breastfed baby who need just as much attention as the 3 year old, and a partner who goes away monday to work and comes home saturday morning most weeks.....and I feel completely out of my depth.
I'm not writing about this for sympathy !!! I decided to have 4 children, all were planned - and most weeks I thrive on the chaos... I reassure myself that most of you out there have felt like this at times........
I think the problem is I have spent the week losing my patience with, or shouting at a little boy who, yes is acting totally spoilt at the moment, but is well, just being 3, and I feel inadequate for not coping. As being a mum is my only role in life at the moment (as well as chief cook and bottlewasher!!) , it feels poo to be failing at it!
I wish my 'they are only little for a short time' mantra would work for me this week!
I need more me time (a rationed luxury these days!), so in order to free up some evenings next week, I have paid someone to do my holiday ironing! Even this makes me feel inadequate, if I worked I could justify it!!
So hopefully next time I post I may be a bit more positive.
Apologies for a moany pictureless post, I'm off to bed in clean sheets.....that may raise a small smile!!!

I'm back...

Back from holiday - very overwhelmed by my ironing pile right now but I'm having a breather to put some of my pics up in case you are interested!!!! Didn't take as many as I thought I had though!

We stayed not far from Newquay (which didn't impress me - sorry!! more on that another time!!) and my new favourite places in the world are Port Isaac and Padstow.

Truly fabulous part of the country - I totally get now why artists of all descriptions end up there for inspiration - only downside is it is such a long way away!!Are we there yet? times loads on both journeys!!! Will definately go back again when little boys are bigger unless someone works out how to move Cornwall to the East Coast!!!

St Ives beach - the sea was too cold for us softies though!!Fishing with Grandad...I was stood on the verandah of our lodge taking this.Newquay surfers -Port Isaac - fell in love with nearly every house here!