Long time - No see!!!

Hello ladies, how are you all, well I hope. I know I haven't blogged for simply ages - 3 months to be exact. I really don't know where the time goes, hours turn into days which turn into weeks - maybe it's an age thing.

It's been very busy here, work is progressing well on the barn. Holly's bedroom is nearer the finish than the beginning which is great. I've had a brief trip back to the UK to visit some friends. My oldest has taken his BacS and (bear with me for a proud mother moment) done really exceptionally well, 15.50 which is a Mention Bien and in the top four of his year for the Science Bac. We've had some friends to visit which was great and we've all broken up for the summer hols, since the beginning of June in fact. It's been baking hot with the odd drop of rain in between.

I've made some enormous linen curtains for a french lady which looked stunning when hung, I was so relieved. I've made a baby changing bag for a friend along with her name embroidered on the front in amongst other things. I'm pursuing the jewellery making aspect, using fabric, lace, painted wood anything I fancy really, so I'll let you know how that goes. I really need to knuckle down and organise my days so that I can timetable in time for making things, tidying the mess which regularly occurs in the barn, at the moment plaster walked from one end to other and all the other motherly, house wifey duties.

Anyway I sincerely hope this finds you all well, and I will timetable in time for blogging too.
Take care and enjoy your summer holiday.
Nickyx

Quick Update!

Hi Ladies, sorry I haven't been on the blogging scene much lately, have had loads going on here hopefully things will be back to normal next week. Hope you all are enjoying a great Easter weekend.
Take care and I hope the Easter rabbit is kind to you all.
Nickyx

Pressie in the post and bits and bobs

Hi ladies hope you're all well. I've not been blogging for a couple of days felt a bit out of sorts over the weekend so thought I'd just do nothing.
The picture above is of my lovely giveaway pressie I received from Bex at Bexs Buttons . I was so chuffed to get this pretty purse, in the post on Friday. One of Bex's purses with button detail in a grey pin stripe and pretty pink fabric, this will go really well with my new grey handbag. Also some pretty pink button earrings , some other beautiful pearly buttons to add to my collection and a very pretty card, which I'm going to look for an old frame I can paint and put it in. Thanks so much Bex, this little parcel really cheered me up.


This is a little note for Mel at Country in the Town ....guess who forgot to get her washing in last night Mel? Luckily we had no rain so it was nice and dry when I got it in just now.

It is lovely and bright here today although there is a very cold wind. This picture is looking out of our gateway, I took this as I was leaving to take Holly to school this morning.


This is Holly going into school, you can just see her behind the grill I hope. It's a lovely school, a huge victorian ex-miliatry building. Holly loves school and always has. Some days she wants to go in early to go to the guarderie, this is like a school club where children can go before and after school.


These are some of my favourite mirrors. They are all old and made of carved wood with gesso and gilding. I love old mirrors and think they look great together on a wall, not necessarily for looking in but for decoration. Whenever I go to a vide grenier or antiques market I always keep a look out for a pretty mirror. These pictures are a bit dark and probably don't show them at their best.


I thought I'd show you this. I bought this at the antiques market in Limoges. I just loved it. It is an old black and white photo of two ladies sitting in an aeroplane, not a real one, probably from the 1930's. It is behind glass and the frame is although a little shabby very pretty, it is made up of coloured thread with a ribbon to hang it. I looked at it and wondered who these ladies were! Do you do this when you look at old photos, try and imagine who they were and their lifestyle. I do love the 1920's and 30's, the fashion, accessories etc. Do click on the photo to enlarge it.

Enjoy your day ladies.
Take care.
Nickyx

Finally..................!

The little bear at the front is Holly's favourite 'sleepybear'. She's had him since she was a baby he's very loved and could probably do with a bit of re-stuffing. I have already patched his body once with one of her first babygrows and that's worn out too now.


This is just a quickie. I've finally been to the doctor today after having a cough for three weeks, he says it's viral and has given me stuff to take 4 times a day which will also make me sleep to kill the cough (as he put it). I really don't need to be going to sleep in the day so we'll see, also the blood pressure is a bit low and even lower when I stand up hence the dizziness today apparently something to do with said virus. Anyway I won't bore you with all my medical symptons, just to say I'm feeling a little light headed and a glass of wine hasn't passed my lips! - not since Wednesday anyway.

This is just to let you know I have FINALLY finished my first ever crochet project - the blanket which became a cushion for Holly.

I used the fabric I bought at the antiques market for the back and added a pretty dark pink button to finish off. I made the inner myself, ideally it could do with a bit more stuffing but I think Holly will like it because it's all soft and squishy.

I also added a few little crochet flowers (my first attempts also) to the middle of four of the squares just for a bit more prettiness. I've put it on her bed for her to find when she comes home from school. I hope she's pleased with it.

Enjoy your weekend. I'll have to do a post about the fab giveaway I received today from Bex at Bexs Buttons over the weekend when I'm feeling a bit more with it.
Take care all.
Nickyx

Bloggers' Block!!!

Hi ladies, hope you're all well and enjoyed a great Mother's Day. It's not on the same day here in France, but nonetheless I was taken out for a lovely meal on Saturday evening. On Sunday we went over to my mother-in-laws and took her some daffodils and a card, where we had tea and lovely homemade cake. Chocolate victoria sandwich with chocolate butter cream filling - my favourite.

I thought I'd share some photos with you of what will be our bedroom. This will be the top floor, up in the eaves, there will be our bedroom, another room probably for sewing and my other half's fitness stuff, the light is great up here. There will also be a shower room for us. I think this room will be lovely with the old beams showing, the cupboard you can see on the left is the wardrobe Mr. H. has built in under the beam, we bought some old doors from a depot vente, but it will all be painted as you can see. We have painted the walls with Ringwold Ground from Farrow & Ball and the wardrobe will be the same.

I am looking forward to being able to move into this room, it's such a long process also because Mr. H has to work as well, so things have slowed down a lot. We have to put the stairs in to this level, at the moment we use a tall step-ladder to get up there.

Above is looking out through the bedroom door to the rest of this level. Mr.H. has to make a door. The windows have leaded glass in them. We have a few internal windows for borrowed light.

Do any of you ever get bloggers' block. This week has passed very quickly and I have done lots of stuff, but can't think what to write about. I think it's probably because I'm thinking about lots of things at the same time, I have started an Etsy shop so I'm trying to organise that, I've decided that this year I'm going to get my little business off the ground. I'm still making things for my friends' living room, doing the final dog bed cover this morning, and trying to find time to make things for me as well. On Thursday I'm going up to Limoges with a friend and a french friend who would like me to make some curtains for her, so we going to look at fabric. I have to go and measure up for that tomorrow. The weather has been lovely here for the last week probably, so you then feel you need to go outdoors and do things too, I put some seeds into trays the other day so am now waiting patiently for them to pop up.

Do any of you ever have times where you feel so dis-organised, perhaps it's trying to juggle too many things at once, what do you think?
Take care.
Nickyx

A Pouffe!

I went up to the city with Lucy on Friday to buy some more material for the bits and pieces I've been doing for her sitting room. I'll take some photos of the window seat and curtain but every time I go round I forget my camera. This is howI spent Sunday. She asked me to cover a pouffe for her and this is how it came out. I'm pretty pleased with it. Before it had a very frilly floral cover. I should have taken a before and after photo, but wasn't that organised.
I did this yesterday as Lucy has her elderly mum-in-law coming to stay today and wanted it for her to put her feet on.

We had a fun day out at the shops, looking at fabric, trying on clothes, lunch was very nice - great homemade quiche and salad with a bread roll in a boulangerie/café , with an expresso to finish off. I have to say I was very good and only window shopped.


It's been a lovely day here today warm, sun shining, birds singing, daffodils out in flower - all very springlike. By the way we're forecast snow next week apparently, so I won't put my winter woollies away just yet. I've hung the washing on the line and it's dried, how satisfying is that. I really do need to get out more, getting excited because the washing has dried outside - I don't know! I've just baked a cake ready for when Holly and Olly get home from school, it was going to be chocolate but turned into lemon, fancied a change.

Right, I'm off to get the washing in.
Take care.
Nickyx

An Award - thanks Pixiedust

Hi all, just would like to say huge thank you to Pixiedust at Faerienuff for my award. I have to list 7 things I love and pass it on to 7 other bloggers .... so here goes - not in any particular order...

1. I love chocolate victoria sandwich with chocolate butter cream (on the top and in the middle).
2. I love lilies and their smell.
3. I love the self satisfied feeling you get when you're making something and it all comes together well in the end.
4. I love fairy lights.
5. I love getting up in the morning when the sky is blue and the sun is warm and shining.
6. I love the wonder of a huge full moon.
7. I love my children and family.

I'm going to pass this on to:-

Mel at Country in the Town
Rosey at Agapanthas and Goldsworthy
Bex at Bexs Buttons
Isabelle at Suzy's Vintage Attic
Ali at Message in a teacup tales from Betty & Violet
Gemma at Deravelled
Sam at SilkieSue

Enjoy your day.
Take care.
Nickyx