Vintage at the village hall...

Hello lovely people :0)

I had a rare treat today, I can tell ya..

I've been looking forward to this day for a long while:0)

I went here.

It's not often I get to go out during a school day, as I generally have to stay near abouts the school in case my eldest daughter has a big seizure.

But today I had it all planned out :)

There were some lovely people and goods there. It was really, really busy when I turned up, people were already in line waiting to go in, and at one point, I got so 'hemmed in' in front of one of the stalls, that  I literally couldn't move!

I think I asked nearly all the stallholders before I took photo's if I could do so, but there were several stall holders that I couldn't see for looking! (due to the customers!)

So here's just a few photos of all the goodies...

These two lovely dressed mannies greeted me as I came through the door.

I love the embroidery on this chair, it must have taken real patience to get this done!

The shoes below were made from card, and filled with sweets..

I thought these vintage pomanders looked so pretty all mixed together in the basket they were in...they really made me smile!

And this beautiful tea cup arrangement belonged to Miss Dolly's vintage tea parties!

What a fabulous idea!

This beautiful bottle cap jewellry was made by a lady called Joanne Jacobs

I 'dabbled' (I think would be the right word) in bottlecap jewellry a few years ago, and it really does take such a huge amount of patience, and obviously mine was nothing like as good as this ladies!

 Sorry if I haven't mentioned everyones name, but they are all on the vintage at the village blog if you want to go and have a look.

It was Elaines first vintage fair that she had organised, and I have to say I think she did an absolutely brilliant job!

Maybe I'll get around to selling at one next spring...you never know!

Have a great week everyone :)

Take care,

Donna x



O.K. Are you ready for this?.....

Here are the pictures of ALL the snow that we got on Friday night...

Here is the first one...

Our snow capped evergreen... lol

Have you got a magnifying glass, 'cos here's a close up....

 Here's our back garden...

And here's our front  garden....

Now, when you've picked yourself up off the floor from laughing....

I have to say that when I wrote my last blog post, it was snowing quite alot for us here on the coast. I was most horribly surprised when I got up early Saturday morning to see just this measly offering! LOL

Still, we do live in the uk!

Anyway, I'm off now to do some posting onto feeBay, (extra Christmas money hopefully), and my first postings on Etsy....that's if I don't run out of time or courage by the time I get round to doing it.

Speak soon,

Take care,

Donna x



YES, YES YES......

YES, YES, YES....

Its SNOWING, SNOWING, SNOWING!!

OOOoooh Happy snow everyone!

;0)   :0)

If it's still there in the morning, I'll take some pics. :0)

Etsy

Well evening lovely people :)

"What's happening?" I hear you say. Donna's posting on her blog twice in one week.

Yes, don't faint lovely people.

Yet again I ask for your help.

"Can't she do anything on her own?" I hear you say.

Well, No is the straight forward answer, I can't! LOL.

So what help do I want today?

It's about ETSY.

I've decided to open the shop on Etsy as opposed to DaWanda and Folksy.

The only trouble is, I'm nervous about doing it.

Yes, I know I'm a full grown woman (in more ways than one ;0) )with three children and a very patient husband...... but the thought of listing my few odd supplies, and my little crochet and fabric makes in such a humungous place full of gorgeous artists work such as this one and this one  makes my tummy do summersaults.

I'm also struggling a bit with knowing what to say about myself and my little shop.

I've made my first shop banner . (Yes I know, a miracle isn't it?).

This one will keep me going to begin with. A bit clunky I know, but still, it is all handmade isn't it?

Then I figured if I sell anything, next year I could get one made.

I mean, I list things on feebay sometimes, and I'm ok with that, but that's quite a bit different now isn't it?

I mean you haven't lined your work up against someone elses beautiful work have you?

Still, I suppose I've just got to 'take the bit between the teeth' as they say, and get on with it.

If any lovely people have any advice, it would be much appreciated.

(Even if you're not lovely, your advice would be appreciated LOL).

But I know you all are really. :0)

***

Changing the subject here.

Has anyone in England actually got any of the snow that they keep saying we're getting?

None here (south/south west by the coast) :(

I do love snow.

Take it easy everyone, and Happy Thanksgiving to Jennie, Victoria and Clara (I think to Clara? I may be showing my ignorance here, do you have Thabksgiving in Canada the same as the USA?

If you don't, still Happy Thanksgiving anyway! :0)

Have a great weekend everyone.

Love Donna x

Bizzy again...

Evening all :)

Hope you're all fine and dandy this cold November evening. Brrrrr.

I've been off Christmas shopping today. No, I didn't get much...  because a, I am not very technical (ok, ok, nuff said), and b, I ran out of time after all my questioning of the sales lad who was unlucky enough to come up to me and ask "Can I help you at all Madam?" LOL . At least he'll probably leave the next shopper who comes into his shop to browse in peace ;0)

****

I've been very busy here at home. (not sure why my writings gone all small, but hey ho, it's nearly Christmas, so we'll leave it shall we...)

BUT, I need your help. Yes, YOU!!

Now, I've been making my own banners for my Etsy/DaWanda/Folksy shop -still not sure which one to go with :) Maybe I should make it a New Years resolution  to make a DECISION!-

Yes, I did work it all out by myself with only a small bit of help from my son... ;)

The problem is, I just don't know what name to use for my shop, or my blog come to think of it.

I mean, I was all gung-ho for changing my blogs the other day -you know when I thought of Hooky Harry,- but I like Bizzydays (a thought of |Harry Hill the comedian came in there, you know when he does the fight bit...lol)

So, I'd like a bit of imput please (if anyones out there! LOL)

Please can you leave a comment with which name you think would be best.

I shall use the one with the most votes .....Yes, even if I only get one!

****

I've been making these...

I know you can't see the colours properly, but they are luminous yellow, green and orange.

Just plain at the moment, from simple treble crochet in the rounds.

See the skull and flame fabric?

Well......erm......I'm actually going to stitch some thin strips of these fabrics around the rims of the hats to make them more 'teenage' appealing.

I know this does sound dodgy, but I've got to try it, cos' it the type of thing my eldest daughter and her friend love, so I thought there must be more teenagers out there who will love them. So I'm popping them in my shop when they're done.

Obviously I'll show you first!

Yes, I know it's grungy, but honest to God, I didn't plan on having a grungy daughter, it just happened :0) 

***

Next up, I'm making some cute little owls for Christmas..

These ones are going to hang on my traditional tree.

D'you like 'em?

I think they're ugly in a way, but that's part of the cuteness....

****

Then, I've been (my writings changed again...I must be pressing something wrong...)

making these trees...

And I've been playing on the computer with the banners too.

Which I'll show you when you've ALL voted :)

Oh, and when I popped in on Clara, she'd given me this award..Thankyou Clara.

I've never had one of these before, so I'm well chuffed.

Thankyou Clara.

Here's ten things that you don't yet know about me (if I can think of ten that is..)

1. I am very much a loner, and I'm happy with my own company which my two beautiful girls can't yet understand. ( I don't mean the 'my own company' bit LOL)
2. I listen to Harry Potter films when I'm in the kitchen on my sons portable DVD player. So now, I'm a bit of an expert on him!  (sad I know!)
3. I would also love, love, love a dog (like my youngest daughter) .
4. My hair is very curly, and it takes me aaaagggeess to straighten.
5. My eldest daughter was breech delivery and I was so fit during my pregnancy that when I pushed her out (is this too gruesome for a fact? ...) the placenta came out straight after her feet (her feet were tucked over her head in the breech position) as my muscles were so strong..
6. I haven't eaten any animal meat/products for 20years, and when my son buys a meat product for his lunch at school (the children have always been brought up on fish and veggies ) I have to hide my feeling of nausea.... (He's allowed to eat what he wants out of the house although he is quite sensible..)
7. You know how long video recorders have been out? Well, we swapped ours a few months ago for a dvd recorder, I still couldn't work it......
8. I have known my husband since I was four. We used to live next door to each other when we were very little, then he moved away... Then I met him again .... AAaawww
9. I used to have a pet racing pigeon called snowy...-when I was 8yrs..- That used to stay on my head all the time, and peck corn from between my lips.

I was an Aunty the second I was born as my eldest sister had already had two children by that time

Anyway, it's a good job it was only ten, as I don't think I could think of 11!

Maybe that's why my girls can't understand why I'm happy in my 'own' company!

Anyway, nuff chatting. Don't you forget to leave a comment with either Bizzydays, or HookyHarry now.

Take it easy lovely people and have a great week.

Donna x

Meet my family.....

Well, goodness me, two blog posts in five days.

What's going on?.....

I'm trying to be more organised, that's what. LoL.

As you may or may not have seen when I've done my bloggy rounds, I'm starting a new blog.

Hooky~Harry

Yes, I know that I don't even write in this one regularly, but when I start the Hooky Harry one, it's going to be purely about my makes. (well that's the idea anyway lol)

I shall also be listing in an etsy or folksy shop under Hooky-Harry.

This one I'm keeping for everyday (or in my case every month ! ) stuff.

I've probably just confused matters, but there you go.

As soon as I've got some decent sunshine in the days, I'm going to be taking photos, blogging, and listing my makes and goodies.

You never know, I might even get a post or two done before Christmas. :0)

***

Anyway, 'nuff of that.

Meet my lovely family ;0)

My 13 year old son is on the left, then my lovely husband (the big furry one :) ) then, my youngest (11yrs) daughter, then my eldest daughter (15yrs).

Aren't they lovely?

For size comparison, my husband is 6ft (I'm 5ft 2" ).

I was taking the photo, and also dressed up - as a furry rabbit! (I know that's not halloween 'e', but it's the only suit I've got, I used to do runs for charity in it, so I knew I'd be quite warm on halloween! LOL)

We don't usually go out dressed like this, but on Halloween they have free entry to Monkey World if you are all dressed up, and we love going there anyway, but on Halloween it's extra fun 'cos all the monkeys,   gibbons and apes are so intrigued by all  the different outfits. They are so cute!

They particularly love my sons purple face mask!

This is a young woolly monkey looking at my son.

How cute is he?

*****

Oh, and I keep forgetting to show you this :

This is Tuna pie. And yes it has got purple mashed potato on the top!

I bought these potatoes called 'Purple Majesty' as I loved the colour of the outside, they were a gorgeous 'aubergine 'e' colour. I thought that they would be your usual creamy/white colour inside, but they weren't, they were purple.

So I thought ok, they'll probably go white when they're cooked, but no, to my utmost surprise, they stayed purple, so I dished up purple Tuna pie to everyone. (in the photo above, it's not cooked yet :))

My son thought I'd dyed the potato! He said "Mum, next time can we have normal colour potato as it kinda looks weird having purple potato on my plate" !

And there's me thinking the children would love the novelty of it!

(I think it was just me that liked that :0))

Still, I forget how old they are sometimes. I could have done with purple mash when they were being fussy toddlers LOL.

Oh, and in case your interested, (or have even read to this far without sleeping !) the mash was lovely.

Well, I hope you're all having a fabby week so far, lets hope for some sunshine soon :)

Take care everyone.

Love Donna x



It's been a while!.........

Well, hello lovely people.

I hope as I'm writing this you're all fine and dandy.

I've haven't posted for ages have I?

But, I have been up to loads and loads.

Thankyou for all your lovely comments and support from my previous post. It was so lovely of you all, and I do so appreciate them all :)

Now, what have I been up to?

Well, I've been bizzy, bizzy, bizzy making things..

I'm also trying hard to lose all the extra weight I've piled on over the past few years - stress I think, comfort eating!

No excuses, I've just been trying to move more and eat less, maybe I'll get there one day ;0)

Anyway, over to all my makes..

First up is a real granny shawl that I crocheted.

Just an easy granny stitch all the way through..

It's being modelled by me eldest daughter..
Notice the gorgeous, scrummy shawl pin to match my new hooks?
Oh, I forgot to tell you didn't I? I went back and got two more of those

scrummy, handmade wood hooks.....naughty me :)

Yes, my beautiful daughter is only 15yrs and she's already 3 inches taller than me :)
But I am only 5ft.2" !

***

We also had a guest staying with us for a few days...

Meet Charlie..

She is a very podgy guinea pig. We loved having her to stay.

***

I'm also half way through my Christmas tree skirt, but I have seen much nicer

patterns for them on Ravelry, so maybe I shouldn't have made up

my own one, and gone for a pattern to do a star one instead?

What do you think?

I mean, I haven't got very far have I? But can you see where I'm going with it?

****

I've also started making beanie hats and owls for christmas, but I forgot to photograph them, so I will show them next time:)

***

I've also started this round cushion cover..

I know they're dodgy colours (lol), but I just wanted to try out the pattern and that 'stripey sock' wool that you can now buy for 'knitters' :)

I'm just showing you all that I haven't been entirely lazy while I've not been posting :0)

Oh, and I've been making these sweet picture frames too..

I forgot to show you a close up of the aran yarn I used to make my shawl..

I just love the aubergine 'e', pinky colours of it.

AND, altogether it must have only cost me about £4.00 maximum to make.

(not including my gorgeous shawl pin which was £3.45, but worth every penny ;) )

Heres some eye candy just for you lovely bloggers

I was bought these for looking after Charlie.
They're lovely aren't they?

The pink rose below is for Jennie

That's because she has helped me so much with my blog, been so supportive AND I totally envy her style, imagination, artistic sense, and beautiful blog and business :0)

Thankyou Jennie.

I'm getting good at this 'linking to other blogs' lark aren't I?  LOL.

Anyway, I've got loads more things to tell you and pictures to show, but I think I've yacked enough for one day!

Be back again soon though :)

Have a lovely week bloggers.

Take care.

Donna  xxx