Cheers Harry......

Hello everyone, as you all know I have a passion for WW1 & I've have done a few post about it.
Well today I could only post about one thing.....

Don't worry I will be announcing the winner of my giveaway later in the post so read on.

So back to the point..... I was so surprised when I got the text from OH on Saturday to tell me the news. Only last Saturday we lost Henry Allingham (below right) & in January we lost Bill Stone (left).
So that's it.... we don't have any WW1 veterans left.
So it's down to us to make sure we pass this information on to future generations.

It's unbelievable that back in November we were all taking about these heros being together at the Cenotaph..... I did wonder if it could every happen again.

So enough doom & gloom.......

Thanks for leaving me a comment on my giveaway post...... I think that was the most comments I've every had! Which I'm happy about as it means I can pop & say hello to you all.....if I got too many comments I'd have to spend all day on here!!!

So I did the random number thing....... and the winner is.......


Comment number 12 who is........ Jackie
Congratulations!!!
Now I have to get moving with the prize..... please can you email me your address & your favourite colour.

It was really nice to hear from some new people as well & my followers have gone up... so as the etiquette goes I'll be doing another giveaway when I hit 50 followers....... only 5 to go!!!

Hope you all have a good week, long one for me I'm afraid as I'm going to London at the weekend. Hope I feel better as I must confess to still be feeling terrible & I've been being sick most of the weekend & today..... rubbish :(

Back soon

I did it.......

Yes this is my 100th post!!!

Who would have thought I would make it..... on my first post here you can read why I started blogging.... I never thought I would be still posting nearly a year later.

I love reading back on my posts...the happy things, the bad times & everything in between. I also love looking at the photo's, the changing of the seasons.... Christmas, snow, spring & the hope for a long hot summer..lol!! The pictures of how my garden has changed & of course my crafting.
I've always enjoyed crafting but had no one to share this with...until now.... I've made some great friends along the way. Some I've been lucky enough to meet.
So thank you all for taking time out to read my blog.

So to celebrate I've decided to do a giveaway, I've only done one before so I think it's about time.
Not sure what the giveaway will be but I'm sure it will include one of these....

Maybe one of these.....

and one of these...

And maybe something that will look a bit like this....

I will do the random number thingy so leave a comment before the end of Sunday 26th July if you would like to be included.

Hope you're all having a good week.

Strange week....

Well my holiday is over & what a strange week it's been..... I've been feeling odd all week but can't put my finger on what it is. I've done nothing, some days not even getting dress!!!
Yesterday I was home alone & felt like I was going to pass out every time I moved.... I've been sleeping loads but not doing anything to get tried. I've gone right off food...... which for me is a good things.... & had to force down toast some days just so I was eating.

Today I tried to pull myself together & I must admit I feel a bit better. I went to the shop this morning to get some proper food & I think the fresh air did me good. I also spent some time in the garden. Running in & out between the heavy showers :(

What do you think of my harvest???
Not much is it!!! I've never grown beetroot so I've been looking in my 'cook your own veg' book to find out how to cook it. I was planning on making my fave pasta dish this week with the courgettes but some how I don't think it's worth it. I've been checking them everyday & they keep on going slimy.... what gone wrong??? The flower at the end dies but doesn't drop off, it just goes to mush & rots the courgettes.
I'm just grateful to have any peas as this is my 3rd year of trying but I think I may need to mix them in a stir fry.

I'm wondering what's going wrong this year as I'm not having a good time with my veg.... as I said before my lettuces just keeps dying & even radishes aren't growing any more!

I was going through my photo's from last summer.......

My grapes..... I think they're doing better this year.

My main bed last year.....beans, courgettes & tomatoes. I try to improve every year but I'm still making mistakes.... like what do I grow courgettes in??? They get so big the block everything. Any ideas for next year.

This is the garden this year..... it's all a bit wind swept as the weather has been terrible this week. My arch is now broken so it sways in the breeze!!! The cat mint is now flatten & all & all it's looking a sorry state! I'm trying to keep on top of weeding but they come up so fast.

Brownies has now finished for the summer & I'm thinking should I return..... I want to join the WI, is anyone a member?
I'm also launching my web site in the next week..... hope I can get myself motivated to do this! I can even be bothered to crochet.

Hope to be back soon with some thing a little bit more interesting & my 100th post giveaway.

Catching up.......

Hello everyone, I can't believe it's been a week since I last posted.... where has it gone?
I had a very stressful week at work with staff phoning in sick, customers complaining & the till system crashing!! But hey it's all over because once again I'm off this week.... It's not a proper holiday as I had to work 6 days last week so it's just a few days added on. You'll be pleased to know this will be the last one until the end of August which so happens to be my birthday!!!

I'm not sure if I'm going to have to go back at some point this week as we now have one confirmed case of swine flu & 2 more people who's family etc have it. Did you hear about Exeter uni?? It was all over the news that they had lots of confirmed cases...well I work with a number of students! Brownies has also been cancelled due to it & I've also found out today that Olivia has it.... my friends little girl.... I was at their house on Friday. Yesterday I woke with a really bad sore throat & felt really hot but it disappeared by lunch time..... I'm hoping it stays away but I have been told by my company that it's only a matter of time before we all get it!

I haven't really be doing very much which I guess is why I haven't felt the need to blog.... I've been feeling really lazy & not up to doing anything.
I had my first fete on Saturday at Olivia's school. I only made a few things as I was sharing her mum's table. I received a text on Saturday evening saying it hadn't gone very well because it was so wet & lots of people had stayed home, she said I sold a few things but not much. However when she dropped it over today it turns out I've sold loads...they wanted to surprise me.... the most popular was the crocheted hair slide & Cath Kidston badges...... I have made more badges for the next fete I'm doing & I've popped then on my blog shop if you fancy treating yourselves take a look. I will be putting some hair slides on soon.

So things are looking up, ok so I haven't made my millions but it's a start... I have a few more local shops who would like to stock my things...... just working out the prices. The local florist has now sold out..... it seems people are buying the corsages for teachers gift...what a good idea!

Do you like the sun flowers???
Bargain from Lidl..... now only £1.99, well I had to treat myself!

One more thing before I go....have you seen the £8 dresses from Asda???
I was really lucky to get this one...
The problem was I haven't worn a dress for 3 years so I brought that size completely forgetting I've lost 3 stone since then! My friend at work got it & she's now on holiday so I couldn't take it back.... I wore it to my sisters birthday drinks & had it pinned at the back!!! You couldn't see it under my cardigan but I think I need Penny to help me take it in.

Think that's all I have to tell you... ooohhh nearly forgot that I'm very close to my 100th post, look out for a giveaway to celebrate.

Gardening & gifts

Hello everyone, thanks for your comments on my last post, I wasn't sure how you all felt about the celebrity death thing but I think it's pretty clear we all agree!!!

Last week was my friends birthday.... why is there so many birthdays at this time of year??I'm trying really hard to make most of my gifts but it's hard work!!

So what's in the bag???

The union jack hanging was the first one I've made & I was quite happy with it.... as was Helen. The bag is made from CK cowboy fabric, I made this for her to take camping.

Couldn't resist the socks, I brought some for myself a few months ago!

I thought I'd share some more gardening photo's.

First up Hollyhocks....

I planted theses a few years ago & I've also tried to grow them in my last garden but didn't have any luck. Every morning I've been checking them, waiting for them to flower & here it is... beautiful!

I brought theses at the farmers market...

I think they're old ladies plants but I'm liking them... they match my swollen ankles..lol!! Not sure where they can go, at the moment they're on my potting bench with some cat mint I'm trying to bring back to life

At last I have some sweet peas!!!

Mummy's little helper....

We have been weeding this afternoon, can you see the pile behind him? I finished at 3.30 today...yippee!! But I have to work 2 long days to make up for it.

Now on to my vegetables...

My salad bar is doing rubbish this year.....

Last year I was giving it away.... not sure what went wrong but I live in hope.

My giant courgettes....

I think they're taking over! Spot the peas?? At last... this is my 3rd year of trying!

The only tomatoes that are doing well....

Tumblers..... I've never tried them before.

Runner beans..............

My they have grown, I love runner beans, they make you feel so good as they always grow! This year I have red & white flowers..... never seen that before.

Butternut squash.......

A customer brought this in for me along with some kale but that's not doing so well. She grows all her squashes in pots & trains them to grow up a cane.... it really does work... fingers crossed!!!

I'm having problems keeping up with all your post so if you haven't heard from me in a while I'm sorry..... not enough hours in the day!

Be thankful.......

Today is July 1st which can only mean one thing........

93 years ago today thousands of men were forced over the top of their trenches to sacrifice themselves for our freedom in the battle of the Somme. It's a day that not many people remember but when you hear about how many young men lost their lives, around 60,000 on the first day alone, it makes you wonder how we would cope now ..... national out pouring of grief for someone you don't know??? Flowers laid on the spot where they died??? Books of condolences???

No these brave people just got on with it.

Sorry rant over but it does make me angry!!

And so on such a hot sunny day I decided to be thankful for what I have.

I dashed up the stairs this morning & saw this.....

My bed..... how welcoming it looks & maybe a bit OOT with CK!!! The lovely red glow is from my red blinds.

Roses from my garden.....

I'm a lucky girl!!!

Last week I was rushing around making birthday presents. Theses are for my friend Kim....

I meet Kim every Thursday for Frappuccino & crochet in Starbucks. 5 weeks ago she didn't know any stitches but now she's made about 15 squares for her granny blanket & loads of flowers. She arrives every week with her crochet in a plastic bag...oh no that won't do!! So I made her this bag. The pot holder is made from left overs of cowboy fabric from my other friend's gift.



I must go out & sort out my vegetables now it's cooled down a little, unfortunately I can't go in the garden on my day off.... I did this last year & the following day I was so ill at work with sun stroke that I don't want to risk it again!!! I must get some shade sorted so I can sit out in the sun.



BTW..... I have really swollen ankles again, like Pat Butcher but I haven't been dancing!!! They've been like this since Sunday.....any ideas??? I thought water retention? Or maybe I'm just getting old!!!