landcuckoo

Handmade at Home

2011-11-22T12:01:00.000Z

The end of November is looming and that means it is time once again for Handmade at Home

For the past couple of years I have filled my home with handmade goodies from talented crafts folk from Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire and invited folk around to come and have a look and purchase at will!

Last month was the first event for this year and we are doing it all again this coming weekend.

This is a wine rack made with recycled wood by Roch Furniture I have mentioned some of their work before here and now, in addition to the painted furniture they are making their own pieces - tables, benches and these lovely shelves.

The hallway was sparkling with a table laden with beautiful jewellery from Sheena's Beads.

Karin from Kus Design takes lovely pieces of vintage china and displays them with floral arrangements and packed into boxes.

Set along the mantlepiece are four of Sharon Taverner's textile and mixed media art pieces. Fabulous colours. so rich.

The dresser was just the right place to show off cushions and quilts from RuthDesigns. The cushion at the top of this post is also one of Ruths.

I went all red white and blue on this table! Land Cuckoo goodies.

In case you are more of a crafter and want to have a go at making something of your own there was a selection of fabrics, patterns and kits from Maggie over at Sunflower Fabrics.

Set up next to the window where the sunshine can really show off the glorious colours are Linda Boys glass creations. Plates, cake stands, jewellery and decorations all in jewel like colours.

Who could resist this delightful angel, handcrafted by Sew Sonja she was perfect looking after the jam!

Wow, a dresser full of jam and chutney! All made locally by Vickie at Humber's Homemade

All together we had tables laden with handmade delights.

And this weekend we'll be doing it all again. There will be some new crafters with very different products that we have not had before and new fabrics, colours and products from those of us who have been before. Thats the beauty of handmade, no two collections will be the same, even if we try!

If you are in the area do come and see us.

Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th November

10am - 6pm

Wrestlingworth in Bedfordshire

Contact me for further directions and information if required

Hope you all have a good week and successful sales for those of you who are crafting like crazy for the Christmas season.

Take care all

Sarah x

Catching up

2011-11-10T10:08:00.000Z

Once again I have abandoned blogging for some time. Have been doing a lot more than George has! This is his favourite spot in the house, half way up the stairs next to the window where he can watch what is going on outside and in.

A couple of friends and I popped down to the Knitting and Stitching show at Ali Pali last month. Had a wonderful day out and found some great new fabrics and projects. Linda had a go with some rather large knitting needles!

Markets and events are in full swing now, just waiting for the customers to get into the Christmas shopping mindset, it seems that no-one is really getting started on the seasonal things yet. I know that may sound daft as it is really quite early still but usually I have noticed a marked difference in the things people purchase but not so this year. Maybe I am selling different stock this time!!

My dining room table currently looks like a Harvest Festival collection!

All the jars and tins are supporting my painted signs so that the wet edges don't stick to the table!

Lovely lovely sea of painted wood all ready to be stencilled. Need to be getting another batch made up today. I have to wait until we don't have any imminent visitors as they wont have anywhere to eat!!

Best get back to it, hope you are all well

Take care

Sarah x

Checking in

2011-09-30T16:01:00.000+01:00

Not been blogging much recently, as you can tell, but just thought I'd fly past and check in.

Got a lot of stock to make up for market this weekend, got lots in the pipline but waiting for paint to dry seems to be taking ages, even in this gorgeous late summer sun we are having.

So strange isn't it to be out in shorts and t shirts, kicking up the autumn leaves whilst looking at Christmas decorations in the shops!!

Have been making up some of these button fridge magnets ready for the weekend, just need a delivery of buttons to arrive so I can get the rest made now. I love buttons!!

Also rather like ribbon.

Not to mention fabric.

Hmm think I'll be off to indulge in more of the above now, apparently its called 'work'.

Take care all and have a lovely weekend in the sunshine

Sarah x

Question: Where does a chicken keep its brains?

2011-09-09T13:58:00.000+01:00

Answer: In her feathers!

How do I know this? Because my lovely 3 girls have started to moult and the quantity of feathers lost directly relates to the ability to remember how to do regular everyday tasks.

Now the delightful Gladys, Vera and Betty have never been top of the leaderboard when it comes to brains. They've never managed to complete the Daily Telegraph cryptic crossword (or any crossword really come to think of it, no thumbs you see, makes it difficult to hold the pen) but just their regular job of walking in and out of the enclosure to go to bed or to get food and water is all that is asked of them. I don't even expect any eggs now the feathers are coming out.

However, even the simplest thing eludes them this week. Corn didn't even work. Betty, ususally the first to come running when she hears the corn in jam jar shake couldn't figure out what she was to do and in what direction to go when I was clearly asking her to go and eat corn in the usual place!

So in conclusion, the brains must be in the feathers which are now strewn across the garden. Vera has no tail feathers and Gladys looks so shabby, bless her.

Not sure what tactics to employ at tea time tonight, who would have thought that rounding up just 3 birds in one garden could be so difficult! George Doggins and the cat sadly are no help whatsoever as they just come running to me as if to say 'I know what you want, look I'll go and show them!' which only succeeds in scattering the feathered ones even further across the garden.

No doubt the neighbours will soon be enlisted to help form a pincer movement towards the hen house!

Hope you are all ok, have a lovely weekend

Sarah x

A dogs life

2011-08-12T17:38:00.000+01:00

Afternoon! George here, Mum is busy getting ready for tomorrow's market so I'm taking over the keyboard.

Guess where I've been?

Back to Devon, I do like it there especially on the beaches. I played frisbee on this beach, even went in the sea just a little bit.

Played with someone elses frisbee that we found on the rocks on this beach, we left the frisbee there incase it's owner came back again.

Mum was busy eating a great big portion of fish and chips when she took this picture!

When we weren't eating out, we (that is the royal 'we') had a go at cooking on this - it was stinking hot but did make lovely bread!!

I played on this beach in the rock pools

I'm not interested in sheep, apparently I should be but they just smell funny and look very odd to me.

Now, this I was interested in.

Fish.

Not the sort Mum had in batter, although I do rather like those too. These move underneath the shiney wet stuff and are all different colours. When they disappeared then I met ducks too, not seen them before, well I don't remember them if I have.

Another one of Mum's culinary treats! We didn't eat at our home much this week! I mostly slept when we were at home because we walked and walked and walked out in the sunshine and the rain too all day every day! It was a lovely holiday and I hope I get to go away again soon.

Think Mum might be back next week when she has finished putting all the stuff away that she has to get out when she goes to markets.

Love from

George xx

Lavenders Blue

2011-08-09T11:48:00.000+01:00

Yesterday evening we went over to Hitchin Lavender for a tour around their lavender fields. We, being the Crafty Night In crowd that meet up at my house once a month for a catch up and a bit of a craft.

We set off up the field, gathering stems from the different varieties as we went.

You can see the rows on the right of the photo have been harvested. Sadly some of the crop has been lost this year to the drought and late frosts.

Nick, our guide showed us the different varieties of flower, insects and wildlife that thrive in the fields and the oils with their different fragrances that are produced from some of the varieties grown here.

When there is such a large amount of lavender all together the colours are amazing and so clearly different from variety to variety. I particularly liked the colour of the Ice Blue (I think that was it's name) so fresh and cool along the edge of the paddock.

As the sun moved, mainly behind the very threatening big black cloud above, the colour of the lavender changed with each photograph.

We finished up our tour in the grand barn, filled with the heady scent of lavender with plenty of lavender products to choose from to take away just a little of the scent and colour we had just been walking through.

I don't know about the rest of the ladies, but I slept very well last night, all that lavender and fresh air!!

Take care all

Sarah x

Too-in and Fro-in

2011-07-13T20:40:00.000+01:00

Going this way and

that way!

Been an odd time of late in my little world, lots going on in my head which has rather stunted all other activity! Hence the lack of blogging recently. Strangly though, I do still have plenty to catch you up on, nothing major but just stuff!

The birds have flown now. The two surviving Blue Tits took off a couple of weeks ago on a delightfully sunny afternoon. It was so wonderful to watch them fly off in to the big tree at the bottom of the garden where they busied themselves for a few hours getting used to the big new world! It was the same tree which they were born in, well where the nest box was but I don't expect they knew that!

Haven't seen either one of them since that afternoon! I do keep and ear out for the little blue tit call and maybe one day I'll get to see them out and about. They will be easily recognisable as one of them only stood on its right leg, the other only stood on it's left one!! They could still use the other legs but just didn't seem to want to!

Anyway, I better go and find food, nothing changes really!

Take care all

Sarah xx

All boxed up

2011-06-21T09:05:00.000+01:00

Very exciting news today. My treasure boxes have been selected to be in the We Make London Summer Boutique Pop Up Shop next month in Hampstead.

The shop is going to be held in Oak Studios which is a well established shop and gallery which regularly hosts workshops.

Throughout the week we are there, there will be more workshops available and late night shopping. It is promising to be a great week for shopping in Hampstead! And I am so thrilled that my humble treasure boxes will be there too.

This is a treasure box I was commissioned to make a few weeks ago. It has the blue dotty fabric lid and has been whitewashed and varnished.

And then inside I have made a lift out tray to maximise the amount of 'stuff' that can be kept in there!

This was made specifically to be a sewing box to hold a lot of cotton reels

I am very very pleased with how it has turned out, quite proud of myself to be honest! Nothing like singing your own praises is there!

Well I must go and make lots more boxes now and maybe try out a few new ideas I have.

Take care all, til tomorrow

Sarah x

That was the weekend

2011-06-20T11:44:00.000+01:00

I had a good old busy weekend this week, just putting things back to where they should be, tidying up and getting ready for the next week now.

Last Friday I went over to an exhibition being held at St Neots Museum in Cambridgshire. It is an exhibition of Textile and Mixed media Art by my friend Sharon. More of her work can be seen on her website

Sharon's work is so full of colour and I am really pleased for her that the private viewing evening went so very well and wish her all the best for the rest of the month, the exhibition is on until Saturday 16th July.

Linda who I went along with arrived in style - she travelled by boat! Ok so it was tipping it down and my little car nearly floated there instead of driving but she was on a proper boat. How lovely to be able to moor up and be right in the town centre with the swans swimming right past your window, sorry porthole!

Also exhibiting was Elizabeth Bruning with her stained glass work.

Saturday morning dawned, not so nice and bright and I was off to Welwyn for the Craft and Farmers market. Yes that big grey cloud above us did soak us too!

Here is Land Cuckoo all set up for the wet weather, ie, huddled in the middle/back of the gazebo with everything clamped down - just look at the table cloth blowing in the wind! Welwyn is a windy market anyway but on days like this we all stand on the weights and hug the gazebo legs just to help keep them on the ground!

We still had a full compliment of stalls even with the inclement weather. Karin from Kus Design was there with her pretty flower arrangements in antique china. One of those printers trays has found it's way home with me, oops!!

And Roz and Rachel were there with their lovely furniture, this bench was so comfy - I had to use my chair to keep things off the ground after the rains so had no space for me to park myself, so I demonstrated the furniture for them! This table and benches is from a range that they make themselves.

This picture is one I just took this morning on my way down to the workshop of one of the blue tit chicks basking in the sunshine in its aviary. The two that have been outside for the weekend have been doing very very well and are eating enough mealworms for a small army! Sadly Fidgit died yesterday, Hubby was there at the end and held him so he was not on his own. Fidgit was such a pluckly little bird and I am actually very very sad even though we never expected him to pull through the first 24 hours but clearly there was too much wrong with him and he was not developing like the others. I did what I could and he had the best little life that he could have had.

So now I have a bird free house as this morning I put the last little one out in the aviary. Three surviving chicks from five is not at all bad and they all seem to be happy in their new home. So once again I am off to chop up some worms although I don't think I'll be needing to do this for much longer either as they are all getting so good at fetching their own, but got to make sure they keep their strength up!!

I hope you all had lovely weekends

Take care, til tomorrow

Sarah xx

House move

2011-06-17T16:23:00.000+01:00

We now have a little bird house

Inside a big bird house!

I converted the back of the hen enclosure so that it was safe for the blue tit chicks to go in. It is kitted out with a little bird house (not that I think they'll use it but it may show them where they can nest when they're older!) a few branches and a couple of plants, seed and nut feeders and their bowls of worms and water.

One of the chicks found his way onto the pot plant

Shortly joined by it's mate.

Sadly there are only two chicks that have gone into the aviary, Fidgit and one other are still indoors as they are not flying at present. I don't know why, not sure if they have injured themselves or if it is more permanent, we'll have to see what happens over the next few days.

Hopefully the two that are in the aviary will take to it well and I'll take down the netting at the side so they can get out and about properly but I shall leave it so they can still get in!

Well I am off to market once again tomorrow, Welwyn Garden Craft market and I have a few orders just to package up ready for collection. Then I might get onto making some new stock! Never thought how much of my time these birds were going to take up!

Have a lovely weekend everyone

Sarah x

A hec of a weekend

2011-06-13T12:44:00.000+01:00

The past few days have been rather testing. Every time I have tried to do something, it has taken more than one attempt to get the job done, sometimes not achieving anything at all. Swimming in treacle is how someone put it and they are quite right.

Sadly one of the Blue Tit chicks died at the weekend, no idea why or how but it was fine first thing in the morning when I went off to market, but by the time Hubby came to feed them next, it was already dead. Not sure what happened on Saturday at all but the other 4 chicks managed to have a mad half hour the result of which is now that one has a poorly leg which means it has to modify the way it moves about and dear Fidgit has lost the ability to fly and is confined to the floor of the cage.

So all in all this weekend was pretty pants, market ok but yesterday's event was very cold and wet and not profitable although still enjoyable because of the lovely people there.

Took these pictures at the end of last week when we had the first rain for months. It greened everything up so quickly. The cows are back in the cow field and this time they all have calves with them, so definately not venturing in there with the dog!

Well I am off to see if I can build this aviary for the remaining 3 flying chicks, Fidgit will have to stay in the kitchen until he has regained the use of his wings and can get out of the way of danger.

Take care all

Sarah x

No comment

2011-06-08T10:23:00.000+01:00

I was going to post a non-chick post yesterday but have been having problems with my computer so wasn't able to do anything!!

Also on the subject of computer problems, I have been unable to leave comments on some blogs. Think I may be having the same issues as Gill (That British Woman) was having a while ago. Gill - by the way, I have changed things so hope that has helped! Sue (Our New Life in the Country) yours is another blog that I have been chatting away in the comments box to no avail, just going back and forth to the sign in page! I hope that what I have done this end on my computer may have fixed the problems but if not I just wanted tolet you know I am still reading and seeing what is going on, you'll just have to imagine what I am saying!

The chicks are doing well. This is one of them taking a dip in the bath. They have all figured that one out, have had to position the cage so they don't soak everything in sight.

Four out of the five chicks are happy to help themselves to the mealworms now. I have managed to move them onto the new bowls, this took a few days for them to get used to the new colour, shape and size of bowl, but it had to be done as this is what I plan on using to feed them when they are outside in the yet to be built aviary (plus the mealworms can't climb out of this one!!).

Fidgit (on the right) has not yet got him/herself down the the ground floor to feed, still prefering to have the food delivered! All the birds are still taking food from me, which is what they would be doing in the 'wild'. My plan is to get them into the aviary and once they get to the point where they are not coming to me for any food then that is the cue for them to be going.

Well I was going to add a couple of non-chick photos, but don't seem to be able to get back to upload any more, so I promise you a bird free post tomorrow!!

Take care all

Sarah x

New home

2011-06-01T08:51:00.000+01:00

These are a few of the new personalised products I've been working on here in Land Cuckoo.

This is something I have been meaning to do for ages but as happens so often, there is always something else that needs doing first and so new plans and ideas get put to one side. However, the best thing happened when a customer asked for a specific name on a treasure box so it focused the plan for me and now I have products made up.

These were so much fun to make with different fabrics to my normal collection and the boxes look so different with the whitewashed paint and varnish.

Now I am making up personalised name blocks too.

Must make some up for myself, I like doing these!

Sorry if you thought this was going to be a chick free posting! They are getting much much bigger now and are in full flight which makes taking photos a lot harder!

It's not often they sit still to pose and when they do they seem to have a cheeky look of one that has just done something they shouldn't have!

I have moved them into a new cage, an old parrot cage with extra netting around the outside as the bars are big enough for these little ones to fit through! It does give them room to fly and stretch their wings as well as learning how to hang onto things upside down as Blue Tits are often seen doing!

The last part of the growing up process for these guys will be to be able to feed themselves. Presently I am still having to feed them, although one or two of them are learning that they can help themselves and I am doing my best to encourage this. Once they are competent at getting their own food then my plan is to move them into an enclosure within the chicken's enclosure to aclimitise to outdoors (I don't have an aviary so this is my equivilent) and then I'll take some of the netting down so they can get out but also back in again incase they need to!!

Righto, back to the sewing machine, not been out in the workshop so much lately with all the feeding going on! Plenty of sewing to be catchin up on now......

Take care all

Sarah x

Birds on a perch

2011-05-26T11:38:00.000+01:00

More chick pics today once again! To be honest, apart from making stock in short burst there really isn't a lot else to tell you anyway! Apart from the fact that it has just rained! First time that I have seen it do so for 10 weeks!

Yesterday the chicks all started to be more active and one in particular was rather keen on climbing up the side of the towels so I put together a few perches for them. When I came down this morning all 5 of the chicks had hopped up and were still snoozing on the new perch. Very proud of them especially as I didn't have to demonstrate!

Fidgit was quite settled into the perch too.

So much so that after brekkie he just decided to stay there and sleep!

Now this is what happens when your mates show you how to get up but then don't stick around and show you how to get down again!

Ah well, nothing to be done but have a nap in this position!

To be honest, now that they are all filling out and moving about so much I don't really know which chick is which, apart from Fidgit who still looks different to the others.

Well I've probably chicked out this blog now!

Back to work I go, well after the next mealworm break anyway!

Take care all

Sarah x

Growing up fast

2011-05-25T11:18:00.000+01:00

I think I may be one of those who feels the need to show everyone photos at every opportunity! However, it is not every day that you get to watch blue tit chicks growing up so closely so I shall continue!

Needless to say, most other things in Land Cuckoo are being done in 1 hour segments between feeding the brood!

I am very happy to report that Fidgit (here in the centre of picture) who was the smallest chick and most likely not to survive, is continuing to grow along with the others, so much so that I now have to do a double take to pick him/her out from the others which is great news as I doubt he would have survived if left in the 'wild'.

It is a shame that these little ones are not able to be raised by their Mum and Dad and I do miss seeing the parents busying themselves in and out of the nest box during the day but on the other hand, you wouldn't get to see 5 full tummied chicks crash out after dinner time! Couldn't get a shot of all of them but they were stretched out and face down with their heads loloping to one side, dropping off cartoon style!

I did take a little video again today to compare to a few days ago but have not yet got it to upload! Will work on that in the next feeding break!

Hope you are all keeping well, take care

Sarah x

Chick update

2011-05-22T19:15:00.000+01:00

Just flying past (practicing you see for the Chicks) to let you know that all 5 of the chicks are doing very well, even Fidgit is making progress. No pics due to camera being in the house and me being here and on my way back there in a mo as they will be hungry again by now, as am I!

Thanks for all the tips, going to get the spare matress to pop on the floor for me to land on after flying practice......

Take care all

Sarah xx

Foster Mum

2011-05-20T21:31:00.000+01:00

This little bird came to stay today.

Along with its 4 brothers and sisters.

They are the 5 chicks from the Blue Tit brood that have been nesting in the big tree nest box. Sadly one of the parents was found dead this morning and after watching the bird box for hours all I could see were the beaks of the chicks desparate for food to arrive. Sometimes the remaining parent will abandon the brood as it is so difficult for just one bird to find food for all the chicks especially since it has been so dry lately and food is in short supply, or it could also have been killed, either way it was not apparently coming back to the nest.

After speaking to wild animal rescue centres in particular the Bournemouth Bird Rescue who specialise in garden birds it was apparent that the best thing to do was to take the chicks and see if they would adapt to being hand reared.

This little one is now called Fidget because that is what he or she does a lot! Having said that, it is also the smallest and will be the hardest to keep going, although so far he/she is feeding but just isn't quite up to speed with the rest of the brood.

There seems to be a game where one of the chicks has to get to the top of towel mountain. They are strong little creatures and now very full on meal worms!

Once at the top, the only thing to do is sleep!

So thats all the news for now, will keep you updated on the chicks progress. At some point I shall have to be showing them how to fly and feed themselves - any hints and tips in that department will be great! One day at a time for now though and I'll be off back indoors to see if anyone wants any more mealworms before bedtime.

Take care all

Sarah x

and the 5 Chicks xxxxx

Market day

2011-05-09T16:06:00.000+01:00

Along with the rain came Saturday morning. No rain for 7 weeks apparently, according to a gardening friend of mine, I knew it was a long time for us in the UK in April but that was a little longer than I thought.

We were very fortunate at market, having thought we were in for a thorough soaking, the rain came and went rather quickly and it wasn't long before we were gathering outside our gazeboes and basking in the sunshine!

Mama's cupcakes as usual were stunning!

I had to work very hard to resist the temptation, not only are there cupcakes, but fudge and brownies too, so triple the goodies and deliciousness!

This is one of the pretty bracelets made by Kathy from Busybeadz

Yet more temptation!

Pretty packaged tomato plants all ready to be popped in the ground

and pretty cups and saucers with pretty flowers, what a lovely gift. Made by Karin who is always on the lookout for some delightful china to add to her collections

I need a much bigger house so I can have all these great pieces of furniture! Every market Roz and Rachel of Roch Furniture bring more beautiful items.

And now they are making their own too. This is an example of one of the outside tables, the one in the background is for indoors.

Well it may not have rained enough for the gardeners this weekend but this market was most definately saturated with great handmade products! (Sorry bout that but felt the need for a weather related play on words!)

Hope you all had a lovely weekend, til tomorrow

Sarah x

Top Cat

2011-05-05T09:53:00.000+01:00

Did I not blog yesterday? Was sure that I had done so but clearly not! I wonder what else I think I have done but havn't, guess I'll find out as the day progresses.

What I did do yesterday was take some pictures of stock for the website out in the garden.

In my own little world planning what was going where and I hear a little meow which became louder and louder. For the life of me I couldn't see where it was coming from, then I looked up!

On the shed roof she was. Missy our daintly little fluffy black cat has developed a route to the highest point which doesn't involve jumping more than a foot off the ground, it is all very carefully mapped out.

First you go around the back of the shed and use the strategically place wood store to clamber up to the fence, then you use next doors fence and shed to get to the next level and then you are just a mini jump away from the big shed roof!

Once on the shed it is only a very small, although precise jump to the pergola

The perfect place to stretch out and relax in the sun! Although you must remember not to roll over or you will just roll off!

As for how she gets back to ground level, I am not sure as this is not ever seen, she just materialises in the kitchen demanding milk! I suspect it is the same route backwards.

Well now it is back to work for me, take care all, til tomorrow

Sarah x

Broad and Mini

2011-05-03T09:57:00.000+01:00

Yesterday we decided to take ourselves off to the Norfolk Broads. We were only just over at Great Yarmouth so it wasn't too far.

Along the side of the Broads we found the most delightful dwellings. Each and everyone was different, from the size of the plot to the colour and shape of the builiding.

What a peaceful place to sit and watch the boats go by!

Then I spied this tiny cottage in amongst the trees, a little bit away from the water's edge

with a balcony and a view! This has just gone top of my list of coveted places to live!

And it looks like the chooks went on holiday too!

this was the mini egg I retrieved from the hen house this morning!

Hope you have all been enjoying the long weekend once again, not long til the next one!

Take care all

Sarah x

Cooling off

2011-04-28T09:37:00.000+01:00

Last weekend we took ourselves out in the glorious sunshine for a wander round one of the nearby villages. It was a glorious day, thankfully we set of nice and early so we wern't walking in the heat of the day.

We found some beautiful bluebells just starting to show their glorious colours under the trees.

Someone had a particularly good time trotting backwards and forwards along the paths. Typical Collie, likes to be in front and up ahead but also likes to keep coming back to check up on us, so consequently walks twice as far as anyone else! Also found a great pub at the end of the walk for a welcome cooling drink and some lunch.

George, however, waiting until we got home before he had his cooling drink.

Woohoo! Garden hose, moving water (that isn't a river or the sea) my favourite!

Just have a little drink

And cool my face down

Phpweergh!

How do I look? Soggy? Let me just shake............

Right, now I am off to go and figure out what I am doing over the next couple of days and maybe get another jumper on, its gone cold all of a sudden!

Take care all

Sarah x

Making Home

2011-04-21T11:31:00.000+01:00

I am very lucky because my workshop is built underneath this tree. I have just watched a blue tit organising some soft furnishings for the birdhouse, looked like he had raided my bag of wadding!

My worry is that the birdhouse is very very rickety and only hanging onto the tree by, well hardly hanging onto the tree at all really! Now I can't go up the ladder and do anything about it because I would disturb them, I just hope that they don't put too much in or have too many heavy chicks!

Don't know too much about blue tits but I thought we were supposed to clean out the nest boxes each year, we havn't done so, yet for the past 2 years and now this one we have had a family of blue tits nesting so I figure to leave well alone. Although once the little ones have flown this year I think there will be some necessary maintenance to be carried out on this little home.

Missy was thoroughly enjoying the sunshine yesterday, she does the same as the chickens - sits in full sun and cooks then moves into the shade for a half hour before going back out for another baking session.

George came out for a break from building work, he has been 'helping' plumb in the new downstairs loo and sink!

Just a few more minutes in the sun............

Take care all, til tomorrow

Sarah x

Hang out the bunting

2011-04-20T09:54:00.000+01:00

Haven't really got anything to say today, well, that isn't strictly true! I have lots to say, just can't remember what it was I was planning on saying!

I've had a good tidy and sort out in the workshop. I can see the table again! Although I have now filled it back up with piles of fabric ready to make into 'stuff'

I can't decide which way to to with the decoration in the house. It's the Queen's birthday tomorrow so I'll be needing to hang out the flags

Then it is Easter so out come the eggs and all things springlike and pretty

Then the wedding, so back to the flags and buntings!

Going to be busy!

First things first though, I can't actually see my dining room table for pots of paint and signs being stencilled so maybe I need to take a little step back and start small!! Back to the tidying up I guess!

Take care all, hope you are having the same wonderful sunshine we are, makes such a difference to everything doesn't it.

Sarah x

Working Dog Tails

2011-04-19T15:31:00.000+01:00

My name is George and this is my working dog story from this weekend.

On Saturday morning I got up very very early and went out with Mum for my walk. All the boxes for market were in the hall ready for loading into the car so when we got back I went and sat down to watch Mum put them in the car like a big jigsaw puzzle. Funny how the 2 legged ones hold onto their heads when they are thinking, Mum seemed to be doing a lot of head holding but it was because she was making sure all the stock fitted in whilst leaving enough space for me to sit too.

On the way there I took the opportunity to go back to sleep for a while because I never know where I might end up when I go out in the car and I might need lots of energy for running on beaches and things. Didn't need running energy this time, I had my bed all laid out and I watch Mum unpack the jigsaw puzzle and set up her stall.

My lead was tied onto the middle gazebo leg so I could go and see 3 different stallholders whenever I wanted to. I went and got cuddles with Jean and she even found some dog biscuits in her pocket!

I did sit behind our own stall sometimes, when I wasn't busy socialising with everyone else.

We had some nice red white and blue stuff on the stall this week

and some new cushions too.

I had a lovely time catching up with everyone, it has been quite a while since I went to market. At the end of the day I hopped back in the car and watched Mum re-do the jigsaw puzzle ready for us to go home, fortunately it was much easier to pack up as we had sold stuff to people.

I wasn't needed for market on Sunday which was good because I did not want to get up at all!

Right now I am off to watch Dad cut up the wood for kindling.

Love from George xx

Little rant

2011-04-15T15:27:00.000+01:00

I am starting to get quite cross with buying fabrics only to find when I go to use them that they have dirty marks on them that have not got anything to do with me. Fabric is not cheap and if it is marked then I clearly cannot use it in products I sell either. Note to oneself - check check and double check as fabric is being cut in the shop because it is too late once you are at home and have cut it up yourself too.

Ggggrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!
Rant over
Thank you
x

The organist plays

2011-04-15T10:46:00.001+01:00

Took a picture of the church at the top of the lane when I was out for my walk with George yesterday because the organist was inside practicing. It sounded really lovely with the music, muffled but recognisable, coming from the building. It felt like one of those miniature village scenes you see in the shops at Christmas time with miniature people and lights twinkling in the houses. I don't know why it reminds me of a pretend church in a pretend village when it is quite clearly real but that's just the way it is! I am also quite sure that the organist was not playing Zippididoo dah zippidy day either but for the life of me I cannot think of the name of the song, although very familiar from childhood!

Not such good news for dog walking is that the cows are back in the cow field, still giving the death stare at anyone who even contemplates climbing the style and invading their lush meadow!

So Goerge and I stick to the spinney and the fields, still measuring the vegetation!

Continuing along the church theme - our pew, from the afore mentioned church has been relocated to cover up the dead trees on our side of the driveway! Yet to be painted, we need to get a wriggle on so as not to damage it any further from the elements. We have at least agreed on the colour! Potted up some little plants to add to the jepordy of reversing and turning vehicles round on the drive, well why not!!

It wasn't until we moved the pew we noticed that we have some grafiti - proper grafiti too, 200 years old! I wonder who IS was and what they were doing clearly sitting on the floor as this is written on the shelf under the seat! Will have to devise a way of preserving this when we paint it.

Must get on and make some more stuff, a full weekend of markets this week, Welwyn Garden tomorrow followed by Duck Pond in Ruislip on Sunday.

Take care all

Sarah x

Growing up

2011-04-11T11:28:00.000+01:00

Its getting longer!

The cow parsley in the spinney is George height now, soon the flowers will be out and we will return from our walk covered in the blossom, with soggy legs on the days that we have rain!

This was only a week or so ago

This weekend I was at Bedford market. I haven't had a stall here for a few years now but was looking forward to getting back into it. My spot outside Bhs was lovely in the sunshine. There were hundreds of folk out and about at the shops. I was really pleased because I sold one of my new chairs. Well I say new, they are old ones revamped!

Am just off into the garden to take pictures of various bits for the website, so lovely in the sunshine, even my messy garden looks inviting!

Take care, til tomorrow

Sarah x

Aromatherapy

2011-04-07T16:11:00.000+01:00

I survived the excercise!

It was actually great fun, we went to Zumba, which seems to be the latest aerobic class to be the 'in thing' to do at present. Ooo that last sentence makes me sound so old! Whatever it sounds like, we had a great time at the Zumba class, it is based on dance moves and is more like being at a party with a lot of other people who are not thinking about what they look like (sweaty and very red faced in an oversized t-shirt, leggins and thankfully matching shoes on my part!) but instead we are all just dancing our little hearts out to good loud music and excercising the face muscles with grinning into the bargin as well!

This morning I feel perfectly good with no aches either so I am booking my night out dancing again next week.

As I write I am sitting in the workshop with the smell of freshly painted creosote (or the new modern 'safe' equivalent) from my neighbours shed. Reminds me of summer from my childhood when my Dad used to paint the fence and gate, I love this smell!!

Closely followed by the earlier aroma in the house of my freshly baked bread. So pleased that we had run out of fresh bread or I might have taken the easy option of just having the shop bought variety, but not having a shop within walking distance and discovering some flour in the cupboard I decided to make my own. All kneaded by hand, not a machine in sight! Tasted good!

The animals are loving the sunshine too. George likes to use the little edge around the flower bed as his chin rest! Had to take this through the shrubbery picture because he would have moved if he heard me!

Even Missy is taking to the garden for her busy sleeping schedule.

I am unfortunately not getting out in the sunshine other than the dog walking and hanging out the washing, got a painting schedule to keep up for a pair of chairs and some more signs.

Hope you are all enjoying this weather if it is as good with you

Take care

Til tomorrow

Sarah x

Spring in my step

2011-04-06T17:32:00.000+01:00

You know it has been too long since you last did any serious excercise when you can only find one and a half pairs of trainers and you can't remember which ones are the 'workout ones' and which are the 'general wearing' ones!

You can't really see the blossom on the tree but it is such an odd but beautiful looking tree I had to take a picture in the sunshine earlier. It is just one single branch which comes from the trunk at right angles and branches out, well it would if there were any other branches there, into a burst of bright pink blossom!

Just a few weeks ago the fields were ploughed, great big clods of turned soil, still freezing cold and not looking as if anything would ever be able to grow in it.

Now in the sunshine the paddocks have been ploughed again ready for sowing. This day had a real proper spring scent about it, I was reading someone elses blog who was talking about the scent of the air at this time of year and it was very much happening the day I took this picture.

This is the 'before' shot of George in the spinny before the cow parsley grows further, will try to remember to take another when it is in full bloom in a few weeks time.

Well I am off to raid the larder in preparation for excercising later - ha! Will let you know how that goes!!

Take care

Sarah x

Is it Tuesday already?

2011-04-05T18:51:00.000+01:00

Ooops, what happened to Friday and Monday? Anyone know?

Hope you all had a good weekend. I have been off to market and have been finishing off a few new products for Land Cuckoo. Just because this is the order in which the pictures have uploaded on blogger here, I am going to start with the new things made.

These are my wooden blocks, at present I have just got these two options but will be making up more in due course.

I am thinking at some point I may get the whole alphabet so you can make up your own initials or names.

Now back to present time, or in actual fact, past times as this was taken at Welwyn Garden City market at the weekend. As you can tell, it was a little blustery!

Most of the stock stayed put most of the time! I didn't get out to take any pictures until I had sold quite a few items! Showing off my new (old) suitcase here, another treasure find from my favourite shop. It is a proper, made in England wooden suitcase and all the catches still work. Plus it is a really good size for transporting my cushions safely to market!

A little corner of lavender.

Last night was the monthly Crafty Night In at my house. This is a little gathering of like minded folk that I have started to keep us all enthusiastic and keen to try new projects as well as encourage eachother to finish off those longstanding projects we have all been holding onto!! We have been meeting up once a month and so far have been working on our own projects but last night we made chocolates, and a whole lot of mess!

The first choccies coming out of the mould successfully. We experimented with different chocolate, fillings and flavours. My favourite was the chocolate orange with dark chocolate, although the white chocolate cherry was rather scrummy too.

As most of the ladies all live in the village, we left some in the fridge to finish setting overnight. What a great fridge to find in the morning - full of wine and chocolate!

This is the ever diminishing selection of chocolate which has yet to be wrapped and packaged, although I suspect that there wont be that many to give away!

I'm off to get some more paint on the new signs, a few more to still add to the collection yet.

Take care all, til tomorrow

Sarah x

Quilts I can only dream of!

2011-03-31T12:55:00.000+01:00

Back in the land of Blogging?

I hope so! It has been too long since I last wrote, time to get back into a routine (routine? me? that'll be a first!) and get onto the computer on a daily basis to keep in touch with the outside world. I have been hiding away quite a lot this year but at the same time being very very busy. Just trying to find a happy medium right now - getting there!!

I visited the Chilford Quilt show a few weeks ago and took these pictures of my favourite quilts on display.

This was probably top of the favourite list. The fabrics had been hand dyed and painted to add even more vibrancy and depth of colur to the overall quilt. The picture really doesn't do it justice but I had to snap it quick before more people stepped in for a closer look.

Up close this quilt had little woodland creatures secreted in the greenery around the edges, so lovely.

And more beautiful pictures in quilts using such lovely colours.

This is the type of work I can only aspire to! My quilts (those which I have actually finished, well the one that I have finished!!) my quilts are very rustic and user friendly!!

Well I was planning on adding some more pictures but it seems that is not possible so will have to do it tomorrow. For today, I am heading back to the workshop to make up some more boards to be turned into signs then painting more blocks and will hope to be able to show you the pictures tomorrow!

Take care all, til tomorrow

Sarah x

All day and all of the night

2011-03-16T23:13:00.000Z

Have been fully intending to get onto here and actually write a blog post for the first time in ages today, but have been caught up with listening to the Radio One longest show. Especially hard to prise myself away as it is on the red button too so you can actually see the faces behind the oh so familiar voices! Strange how radio feels, well sounds, totally different when you can see it at the same time!

I have been working too I hasten to add!

Anyhoo am now tired and feel a little bad that I get to go to bed whilst Chris Moyles and Comedy Dave continue on through the night but I do want to be nice and awake to be able to listen to them all day again tomorrow!!

So night all, till next time (am hoping that will be tomorrow and normal blog service resuming)
Sarah x

What a difference a plan makes

2011-02-06T18:07:00.001Z

I have been so very impressed with myself these past few weeks whilst I have been working elsewhere full time because I have managed to be so much more efficient in the time that I have had at home.

It is very true that if you want something done then ask a busy person!

This weekend I have been considerably less efficient! Having two whole days stretching out in front of me I seem to have lost the ability to achieve!

Never mind, I guess I should put it down to 'time off' and be happy that I have done some things, just not all the great long list I had planned!

I did manage to get to one of my favourite places - Second Hand Alley. Set in a draughty old barn in the Bedfordshire countryside it is packed with furniture and things from house clearances and auctions. I was lucky it was open as I only went past on the off chance now that they are only open every other weekend. I was so pleased to find this watering can, it doesn't even stand up properly because the bottom is bowed outwards but I love it! I have some bulbs that should have been planted ages ago which I shall throw in there to see if they take!

This is the bulk of my haul. With the exception of the wooden hearts which I forgot I had put on the chair! The little white chair will be sanded down and painted as will the two brown chairs behind. They are rather comfy chairs too, didn't check the childs one as I didn't fancy getting stuck a la Goldilocks!

The picture, well certificate is from the Truman, Banbury and Buxton Brewery, given to a member of staff who had worked for them for 30 years back in 1956. I was initially drawn to it because of the striking colours and the pictures of the different breweries but the more I looked at it the more I just felt that I should have it. I didn't like to think of it being left in the damp and draughty barn just because it wasn't one of my relatives to whom it had been given to originally.

Hubby thinks I am completely mad of course, but I maintain that I like it and it is going up on the wall, regardless of who Mr Clarke was who had given the company 30 years of his working life!

Lets face it, I am never going to be getting a 30 year loyalty recognition from any company I work for so i'll enjoy this one instead!

Best get back to it, hoping to make a cushion before dinner!

Hope you have all had a lovely weekend

Take care

Sarah x

Just a note....

2011-02-02T19:51:00.000Z

I am still here!

Have been working full time for a temping agency since my last post and I have taken on some Pampered Chef work so it has been full steam ahead and not a lot of time to stop and write about it!

Plus there are a few things I am organising too, no doubt I'll be back with more about that soon.

As it is right now I am just about to go in to hunt and gather in the larder to find my tea which should give me just enough time to cook, eat, read for a bit then off up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire!

Hope you are all ok out there

Take care, til the next time

Sarah x

A little trip to Devon

2011-01-26T20:12:00.000Z

Aaaaaaarrrrrrrggghhhhhhhh!

Slow time down!

How can it be Janurary 26th already?

I had such great plans for doing so many of my so called January Jobs and once again I seem to be paralysed by my time management! Or have I? When I break it down - I was poorly, that took up way too much time for my liking and we have been away on holiday for 10 days, so that doesn't seem quite so bad.

So I shall not dwell on my apparent lack of achievements so far, I am going back to my holiday!

We returned to North Devon with fingers crossed that the snow wouldn't come this time. Last year we had the most lovely and relaxed but enforced staying in holiday due to the quantity of snow that fell. This time we were spared the snow and instead we had some fantastic days out in the sunshine.

It just was not possible to capture this amazing sunset on my camera whilst driving (Hubby driving, not me). The sky was golden, it was absolutely beautiful. At the same time, the moon was rising behind us so brightly too. At one point of the journey you could see both sun and moon and I did try to capture a panoramic video on my phone but as we were driving up and down the hills the views changed too quickly!

There was enough moonlight to go for a little walk just as the last of the sun was dipping out of sight behind the hills

We spent everyday outside in the fresh air, most of it at the beach or along the cliffs. Oh how much do I want to pack up and move to the coast now!!

Once we had made the final purchase of waterproof trousers (one soggy trip out was enough to remind us that these were very necessary) we were fully epuiped to picnic in all terrains. There is most definately an art to getting dressed when you have to layer up, making sure that if you do venture into one of the very friendly, dog friendly pubs, you have put your clothes on in the correct order so that you can dismantle your attire enough to sit down with other people and still look realatively civilised!

This was the main activity of the holiday - beach and ball!

We took this picture just a few days into the holiday as it had been quite dull and raining for those few days and we did think it may be the only patch of blue sky we were going to see. How wrong were we? From that point onwards we had cloudless blue skies every day for the rest of our holiday. I'd like to think that I may have even picked up a little suntan on my face - it was the only bit of skin that was not under thermals!

We came home with one very tired doggins! Plus two very happy and relaxed us's.

Now it is back to work, back to building, back to sorting out house and generally getting declutterd and just getting things done!

Take care all, til tomorrow

Sarah x

Space to fill

2011-01-06T11:16:00.000Z

Look - its my table!

And the only things on it are the pin cushions!

This is probably the only time for the rest of 2011 this will be the case. It has been cleared, sorted and thoroughly cleaned ready to be filled with all those projects that I am planning on finishing off.

An here are a few of those projects. Two wall hangings/quilts and a larger quilt to be finished with binding and bits!

If I get these done then I shall have made more in this year than I managed last year in total which is either very impressive or rather poor depending upon how you wish to look at it! I think I shall take it as a great achievement, after all, I did make a lot of other stuff last year that isn't photographed!

Well if you'll excuse me I have some more buttons to sew on that quilt so I can get an other progress picture for tomorrow!

Take care all

Sarah x

Onwards

2011-01-05T10:56:00.000Z

Happy New Year to you all!

I am a little late in my greeting but then I am playing catch up due to having spent over a week fighting the flu. I am now considerably behind in my consumption of turkey dinners and planning to rectify that throughout January (sorry Rosemary Conley but I'll do my best to make them low fat!).

Consequently I am also a little lacking in news and photos having only managed to read a book and drink lots of honey and lemon drinks! So I had a little look back over last year whilst I was sorting out my computer files and thought I'd just share a little with you and as I am back to almost normal now I can get on with all the January Jobs I have planned!

Last January we headed off to Devon and got snowed in! Planning to go back again this year so hopefully the weather will hold off for us this time, although it was beautiful.

Can never have enough buttons! Spring cleaning my button jars.

Feels like a lot longer but it was only last March that Maggie and I went off to the Country Living show in London.

The first of many trips to the beach! New frisby worked brilliantly and is the best thing to chase in the snow too!

Some my new cushions and hearts from Handmade at Home in the summertime

And plenty of villagers enjoying tea and cake in the glorious sunshine and open garden day (not my garden!)

Back at Scald End Farm this year for their summer fair and my lovely neighbours the donkeys!

The lovely Molly who had a lovely reportoire of tunes to wake us up in the morning!

All the way into October we were still having some fabulous weather, beautiful sunshine just perfect for a muddy walk! Clearly the previous weeks had been rather wet!

Racing into November and full swing into the Christmas craft fairs, this was my lovely view from my stand at Wrest Park this year.

And full circle back to December and it snowed again, as if we can forget!

So my January Jobs are kicking off with a jolly good tidy up in the workshop so I can get back to making things for the new year. Lots of planning to do and maybe this year I can maintain a tidy and organised workshop, hmmmmm we'll see!

Take care all

Sarah x

It's cold outside

2010-12-21T14:05:00.000Z

But inside it is roasting!

Guess who left the heater on overnight in the workshop?

You know what it is like when you go on holiday to sunnier climes and you step out of the plane into a wall of heat which we are so unused to in Blighty - well that is just what I walked into in here this morning!

Oops, I did try to just manage but had to open the window in the end as it was just too hot to work! How criminal is that? Opening a window and letting all that lovely lovely warmth out, mind you I think the tree above the workshop has now lost most of its snow on the branches and there seems to be a lot of birds on the roof, most likely having a little rest on their new found heated floor!

Most of the Christmas decorations are now up, seems to have taken me a while to get the house into some semblence of 'normality' after the markets and events over the past few weeks.

So here are the pics of the decor so far:

We have to have two trees in our house as both Hubby and I already had one each before we got together and we both think ours is the best!! This is the thinner of the two so it goes in the snug and dining room so we can still walk past it! Saying that, there will be quite a bare gap at the bottom by the time it is put away in January where George has wagged his way past and Missy has chased her catnip mouse underneath!

This year I decorated without using tinsel as apparently it is the way to do it this year! Still threw everything else at it mind you. This little mouse has been on my Christmas tree for more years than I can remember, it came from home, don't know what my Mum has in it's place now! The long legged angel was a present from my Auntie last year.

A ceramic tree made by another crafter and a woven heart from my Mum

Another pressie from my Mum, I like having gifts to hang on the tree, lots of nice memories to see.

This one was made by my Cousin in Australia

I bought this one for Hubby a few years ago, we had polar bears on our wedding cake!

Missy's stocking

Hubby's knitted Santa from his childhood and a cute little knitted mouse I bought from another fellow crafter who I had a stand next to last year.

The basket has 24 advent pressies which I put together for Hubby, feel like I have been buying presents for months!! Just hope I remembered to get him one to open on Christmas Day!

And this is the other tree in the Man Cave. This year I went for silver and blue and lots and lots of sparkles!

I know the snow is a pain for so many of people who are trying to get home or away at this time but it does look so very festive and has been included in this years decorations in the Land of Cuckoo.

I treated us to some outside lights seems as we have a tree which has grown into the perfect Christmas tree shape just outside our window.

It looked so pretty when the snow was coming down, glowing through the overladen branches.

I hope you are all in the right places you need to be, keeping warm and on track for your present shopping etc!

Take care

Sarah x

And there's more

2010-12-15T11:10:00.001Z

Ok so it is hardly the next day but here are the next frosty pictures!

It beats the scene this morning which is just grey and muddy with a nice helping of rain thrown in!

The ivy under the trees with it's dusting of frost, gleaming like jewels with the sun behind the leaves

Another picture of St Peters church at the top of the lane

I'm a little obsessed with big sky! Just find it amazing how some days it appears so much more imposing than others. Admitedly today it is so misty and bleak that you can't tell if there is any sky up there at all!

I am pleased the blue of the sky has come out in the pictures, it was so vivid

The frost appears to have been travelling in one particular direction as all the leaves and twigs were covered on one side only

The poplar trees behind the foreground were shining bright against the sky, not quite come out in the picture. I am so lucky as this is the view at the bottom of my garden. A couple of days ago there was a heron on the fence as there is a natural pond between the trees, a pretty magnificent bird to see.

I'm a little closer to getting the house decorated, the boxes are all out of the loft, hope to get on to the fun stuff later today.

Take care all, hope you are all keeping well and warm

Til next time

Sarah x

About time

2010-12-13T16:53:00.000Z

About time I got these pictures of the frosty morning we had last week. Actually this frost lasted a few days as the temperatures never rose enough to lose the white covering we found ourselves under.

The track that George and I usually take in the mornings, beware of very icy puddles that lurk under the snow (when we have some) as they don't half make you jump once you have regained your balance from the rather ungainly skid!

Our church at the top of the lane beautifully lit by the winter sun.

The red berries of the rosehips, like little rubies in the hedgerow

The frosted grasses along the edge of the brook

This is the wire on the chook run after Jack Frost has been at work

I guess that because it was a freezing fog during the night that would explain why there was even frost under the trees

George just demonstrating that he apparently feels no cold!

Only one more market to go til Christmas! Will be able to turn my attention to my own home this week and start to tidy up and decorate for Christmas. Looking forward to getting all the decorations out the loft, such a great box of memories. I try to buy just a couple of special new decorations each year to add to the collection, each with their own story.

Take care all, til next time

Sarah xx

Handmade at Home

2010-12-08T17:29:00.000Z

Last weekend was the second installment of Handmade at Home.

This year I held the event on two different dates as the general concensus from last year was that an earlier date would be good for those who are super organised with their Christmas shopping!

So these are the pictures from October.

The dining room was filled with tables laden with goodies

Linda had a lovely collection of beautiful glass decorations

The Deckchair collection of plates and coasters, squashed bottles and jewellery

Pushpa's beautiful paintings and cards were a big hit. Have a look at her website for more pictures of her work.

She also paints cats, using her own cat as a model in the picture on the left.

This is no model though - Missy found the catnip and made herself at home!

Ruth's bags added a delightful splash of colour along with her gorgeous quilts which I sadly did not get a photograph of.

For some it was just too much and a siesta had to be had!

And then it was December!

Sheena's jewellery, my favourite colours green and pink together

And blues and purples and sparkes!

Sue from Rustic Wreaths brought a delightful collection of wreaths and natural decorations which made my house look so beautiful and festive I was quite loathed to sell them!

The flash went off on this photo but it has shown up the sparkly berries brilliantly.

So this is how I am going to have to decorate my fireplace now!

I could have taken a lot more pictures on both Handmade events but was busy with customers which is the best distraction possible!

Not many markets and events now before the big day, so I am just finishing up making Christmas stock and finalising orders.

Hope you are all keeping well and warm.

Take care

Sarah x

Shhhhh we're in the library

2010-12-01T12:11:00.000Z

Nope, still don't know how all you busy folk out there manage to be busy and blog!

I suspect I need to get that time management book back out of the library, but I just wouldn't have the time to read it at present!

Last weekend I was over at Wrest Park for the Christmas Craft Fair. Fortunately we were inside the house. The weather did keep people away on the Saturday but they all came out on Sunday instead!

This is my version of a virtual tour for you!

This was my view infront of me (we were in the library)

The window and view down the formal gardens (behind me)

the ceiling above me

To the right..........

......... forgot to take one to the left!

And a little light reading! Was struggling all weekend against the need to turn round the two books that had been put on the shelf upside down! All manner of alarms would have gone off if I had so much as breathed on them! I was rather alarmed myself when the flash went off on my camera as I don't think flash photography is something that is 'done' in places like this!!!

No decent pictures of my stand as the sun was so bright behind that I didn't get a good picture other than one for my own records just to remember what can fit where!

Hope you are all keeping warm in these wintry days, am going to find some more hours in the day now.

Take care all

Sarah x

November.......really?

2010-11-19T20:44:00.000Z

November, are you sure? I didn't feel like it was this morning! Out with George and I was steaming hot, spring like weather it was.

This is a very atmospheric shot I took to show the correct berries on the hedgerow (confirming that it is actually November) with the glorious blue sky and sunshine in the background with a little George running back to me. I say atmospheric, I mean blurred due to the camera lens being smeary!

Once camera is cleaned then we can get a much better picture. Long shadows - must be the winter sun!

This afternoon I was over at Wimpole Hall setting up for this weekend's craft fair there. Still not finished so have to go back earlier than I wanted to in the morning. When I came out of the marquee to get a few more bits from the truck the mist was just starting to roll in across the fields and it looked magical. I only wish I had the time to walk around to see the house itself if the mist.

Here's my truck outside the stable block with the moon behind it. Could get used to seeing my vehicle outside a nice big place! I'm off to Wrest Park again next weekend so no doubt I'll be getting ideas above my station again with spending a weekend inside a stately home!!

Must go and make a few more bits before I let myself go and have dinner, will be sewing very very quickly coz I'm very very hungry!!

Take care all and have a great weekend

Sarah xx

Down on the farm

2010-11-16T13:03:00.000Z

Starting at the end of the day, this was the magnificent sunset we had on Saturday evening whilst at Standalone Farm in Letchworth.

The sky was full of a golden glow, it was beautiful.

We were in our usual place in the cow shed, which actually usually houses the sheep!

I was really pleased with how my new Christmas signs looked with my mug mats and room fragrances, all the colours just worked very well together.

As for our neighbours, next door were these three lovely goats. Don't tell my hubby, but I'd quite like a goat or two, fortunately we don't have room in our garden though!

Just getting a closer look to see if my jumper was worth eating!

And on the other side, a pair of docile cows who were more than happy to come to the gate for a scratch on the head.

All in all it was a lovely weekend, lots of people and good sales and lots of fun for everyone saying goodnight to the animals for the winter rest.

I'm going to get back to work now, getting stock ready for this weekend at Wimpole Hall.

Take care all

Sarah x

Chimchimenee

2010-11-12T11:07:00.000Z

Just as a follow on from yesterday's picture, this is the next shot on my camera after I took the poppies picture. It was a beautiful sunny September day out across the fields and I had remembered the camera, fortunately!

I had a lovely surprise yesterday, my book from Karon at Dream Acres arrived, it is lovely and I can't wait to get my herb garden planted in the new year. I have the space and all the soil etc ready to go and do it. I am going to put it in the front garden so the chickens cant get into it!! Now we have a proper door from the house to outside it makes life a lot easier to get in and out!!

Probably shouldn't put this picture on should I!! I am kidding myself that creativity isn't a neat process!! Thankfully you can't see the pile of stuff on the floor too!! All sorted and organised into different piles but still on the floor all the same!

These are my new stenciled wooden signs all packed up and ready to go off to the fair tomorrow

And this is a selection of the Christmas ones. I am just about to brave the outdoors again and finish taking the pictures of them for the website, wish me luck I fear I shall be blown across the garden with the low flying chooks (they are not intending to fly even if they are fully equiped to do so!!)

Right, must go for my Mary Poppins moment, am fully fortified with tea, carpet bag and brolly

Take care all

Sarah xx

Just a couple of minutes

2010-11-11T17:48:00.000Z

Even here in my workshop where there is just me and the animals it's amazing how powerful two minutes of silence can be.

Thoughts and prayers with our service men and women across the globe, those who are still fighting and those who have fallen.

Blue and Gold

2010-11-10T13:20:00.001Z

Its this time of year again, where the fire is lit before I've had my breakfast! Now I have to remember to run down to the workshop too so I can pop the heaters on down here or I wont be able to feel my fingers when I get down to work!

Outside the leaves have turned the dog walk into a glorious golden time, although to be honest, this is a picture from last year! Having said that, it does look just like this again this year, I just keep forgetting to take the camera out with me.

I have been a little 'blue' of late, have found myself looking inwards and getting caught up on that downward spiral which threatens to take you so far in that getting out seems just too hard a thing to do..... again. However, I think that is receeding now, no I don't think, it IS receeding and that spiral is not turning anymore, it is certainly not taking me with it any further and I am making my way back to the place where you can see out. So I am going to go and 'clean the windows' so I can see even better and I'll be back again tomorrow.

Take care all, I hope you are keeping well

Sarah x

Perfect Pumpkins

2010-10-30T10:50:00.000+01:00

A few weeks ago I went over to Wimpole Hall with my friend for a day out on the farm. We were so lucky to catch one of the last warm sunny days where we could wander or just sit without seizing up with the cold!

On the way back from the farm I stopped off at the walled garden for a quick nose to see what my veggie patches should be looking like!

I found the greenhouse full off these magnificent pumpkins and squashes.

So many different sizes and shapes and the colours are so beautiful.

I doubt many of these would pass the supermarket perfection in looks test but don't they just look fab and I'd be more than happy to do my pumpkin shopping here!

In actual fact maybe supermarkets should be making their displays like this!

So this is what my garden should look like!

Popping up in the veggie beds were various scarecrows all made by different local groups.

And this is the Wimpole cat, the very one who raided my catnip in the Mysterious Incident at Wimpole at the Christmas Fair last year! For such a handsome fella, he is rather camera shy!

I'm off to get ready for Harvest Crafts later today, take care all

Sarah x

Shameless self promotion

2010-10-27T12:24:00.001+01:00

Oooo busy morning getting pics online on website and general maintenance and updating!

Always surprises me how long things take to do like this, I'm sure I spend less and less time making stock!

This is one of the pictures we took in Devon earlier this year when we got snowed in on holiday!

And then on our return home this is the local church at the top of our lane. It is such a picturesque builiding I could probably make a calender of the church through the seasons......actually, maybe not a bad idea!!

I have turned these pictures along with some others into greetings cards (can be found on website, sorry for shameless plug)

These are my new lavender hearts.

I have used some beautiful antique-y fabric in a dusky blue colour which seems to be very popular at present (also available on the website!)

Just trying to think of better names for them but my head is being over-ruled by hunger right now so am going to have to go and hunt and gather some lunch!

Apologies for the self promoting post today but it is what I have been up to!

Take care all

Sarah x

And this picture snuk in at the end - insulated pot holders, guess what - they are available on the website!!

Time travel

2010-10-26T11:19:00.000+01:00

Wouldn't time travel be great? Right now I'd go back to when my cup of tea was hot and I'd drink it then and enjoy it rather than taking a big slurp of tepid yukkiness that I have just done!

Also I could go back to the last post and put this post in the following day rather than spread a story out over the course of a few weeks, this is not a cliff hanger of a tv series, just my musing and mumblings of day to day life, if doesn't need to drawn out for dramatic effect!!

So, the wellie washing - why did they need washing? It was the result of a lovely walk in the Norfolk countryside that we took whilst at the seaside the other week.

We set off down the track, clearly marked on the map and by the roadside as there were some building works which did mean that there was a diversion in place!! Even on foot, we are diverted!

I don't even remember there being that much rain! It doesn't hang around so much at the beach does it, easier to drain away somewhere I guess!

We splattered and sploshed, slipped and slid through this delightful mess. I did think at the time that I wasn't too keen on going on this way, it was more because I had a picture in my head as to how lovely this walk was going to be down by the broads watching the boats go by, and it wasn't quite like that at this point with the mud and the diversion! Having said that, it was a lot of fun really!

We found a very conveniently placed bird hide right at the point of the walk which fell about lunch time. Perfect place to pull up a bench and break open the sarnies. What a beautiful view and it was a glorious day too.

I love how it looks so different when you take a step back and look at the view through the hide window. We did see some birds, which we had to wait until they moved as we weren't too sure if they were bits of wood or in fact creatures! Plus we had no binoculars so I cannot tell you what they were, but they were a brownish grey colour!

The water at the edge of the broad was wonderfully calm and still

Unlike George who was having a lovely time!

Ready for my close up!

I'm going to turn around now and get back to the sewing machine, plenty of things to do here today. Take care all, til next time

Sarah x

Wellie Washing

2010-10-18T16:34:00.000+01:00

Last week, no it was the week before now, time has gone so quickly yet again!

So the week before last (as you can tell I am very up to date with the news and life in general at present!) we went off to Norfolk for a week. We were lucky enough to be staying right on the beach so only a quick jog up and down the sand dunes and we were out there on the edge of the country. I love the seaside, beach, ocean whatever you want to call it depending upon where you are.

Hubby and I are just big kids when on the beach, if we are not playing a game of pebble pertank (that is not the correct spelling but then we make up our own rules so it is probably a completely different game!) we are drawing pictures in the sand!

This is Hubby's idea of cocktails on the beach!

I decided that there had been a large canine visitor to the beach that day! Possibly something to do with the fact that I am reading the Twilight books - warewolves and vampires on the brain!! Saying that though, a couple of days later we were walking down the same part of the beach and saw some 'normal' human footprints which were so deep the maker of such prints must have either been running with a very heavy load or was incredibly heavy footed, we couldn't reproduce the prints at all no matter what we tried!

This is October and it was not a hot day on this occasion but I can't visit the sea and not paddle! So in with the wellies I went. The wellies did need a good wash anyway, will tell you about that another time.

Not bad, starting to see the original wellie from under all the dirt emerging.

Oooo oooo ooo noooo, that was a bit bigger wave than I was expecting, I am not wearing waders here!

Oh dear, ooops (that isn't actually what I said, this is the edited version)

Its all gone in my wellies!!!

Clean wellies, inside and out!

Soggy socks and rather damp trousers too.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend

Take care til tomorrow

Sarah x

What a tangled web we weave

2010-10-15T18:47:00.000+01:00

Or not so tangled in this case

This morning was perfect for spider web spotting. The dew glistened like silver thread making these clever creations stand out against the morning light across the fields.

Some just looked like the maker and inhabitant just wanted to make a warm place to curl up in rather than a beautiful lunch catching lair!

It doesn't really show up so well in the photograph but as I looked across the side of the field I could see hundreds of webs spun across the grass and hedgerow.

Off to market again tomorrow, Welwyn Garden City if you are in the area come and see us

Take care and have a lovely weekend

Sarah x

The Smell of Dirt

2010-10-14T16:29:00.000+01:00

These pictures were taken out across the fields late in the afternoon a few days ago.

The tractors had been out all day turning the soil ready for the next crop and the smell was fantastic - good earthy (literally) smell!

I did try to get a picture of the setting sun but the phone camera was having none of it and just had a bright blob in the middle of the screen instead!

Its busy here in the Land of Cuckoo getting ready for this weekends markets. I am off to Ruislip on Sunday to the Duck Pond Market for the first time, will let you know how that goes next week. Added to that are the preparations for Handmade at Home which I am holding here next Friday so will be posting flyers and making stock for that too!

Best get back to it, had my break by going up the road and playing badminton which I have been planning on doing for the past 4 years! Have a strong suspicion that I will not be able to walk tomorrow after such foreign exercise!

Take care all

Sarah x

My trousers are too short

2010-10-13T17:02:00.000+01:00

and that means I have cold ankles

Could go and change them but then my legs would be cold because these are my thick trousers.

Could put the heater on but am planning to hold out until November, no reason why, just set the target in my head and now I have to try to stick to it!

Could wrap up in a blanket or an unfinished quilt but I'd roll over it on my wheely chair.

Could type faster and hope the heat transfers to my opposite limbs.

Could get longer socks on, but I like my pink Union Jack ones.

Will go and get a cup of tea and keep working then I'll forget all about it!

Take care all, til tomorrow (I have no excuse not to be here tomorrow as I am back from mini hols, not temping for the rest of this week and shall be holed up in the workshop preparing for Handmade at Home next week and this weekend markets)

Sarah x

Pin up boy

2010-09-28T20:50:00.000+01:00

This post is for Sophie.

An overload of the Gorgeous George!

Curious George

With the very butch pink frisby which sadly is no more - Lilly ate it!

Control station - middle stair on the turn by the window so he can see out down the lane and midway between whoever is upstairs and whoever is downstairs, within sight of the front door too!

On the beach with the new frisby, not going to let Lilly play with this one!

Checking out rockpools

Clearly the model for this picture

There is a very good reason why George has pink balls and frisbys - they are easily found out on the beach and in the fields! Tried a yellow ball and then they grew oil seed rape - fields of yellow, it didn't help!

Must go, been called in for dinner!

Take care all

Sarah x

Fire and wine

2010-09-26T19:46:00.000+01:00

We came

We saw

We conquered.

We went

We ate

We've come home to defrost and dry out!

Just written this on my friend's blog in her comments section and it seemed very apt for the weekend I've just had!

More later, for now I'm just concentrating on the defrosting and relaxing with a roaring fire and a glass of red.

Take care all, hope your weekends have been good.

Sarah x

Stalls through the ages

2010-09-21T19:39:00.000+01:00

Before I disappeared off to Milton Keynes for the latest craft fair I thought that I would have the time to post quickly in the evenings when I returned home. Well, I forgot that it is quite a drive to MK from my house and after a 12 hour day at the fair with travelling added either side of the day, I wasn't up for much once I returned home! So here are the requested pics of my stalls, a little later than planned!

This is one of my very first craft fairs with only a couple of baskets of stock and my clever bath tap box that Hubby made to hang my aromatic bath bags from by way of demonstration. As it turns out, I could have sold the tap itself many times over!

Then I started out on the Biggleswade Farmers Markets. This is from the days when we were at the top end of the market square (or rather oblong) which I think worked better as the stall could be seen from the road as you were driving through the town. A bit of a windy day - arent there just so many of these when you work outside!!

Now we have Bedford craft market on a sunny Saturday morning. Right outside Marks and Spencers so we wern't allowed to put the back of the gazebos on so that people could still see through the stand to the shop windows, which is why it looks like I have a manequin on my stall!

At this time I discovered the use of wine boxes for shelves and getting height onto my stand.

This was taken at a nice event I did in a marquee with accompanying music and beautiful surroundings of a stately home. As I write I cannot remember the name of the place though! I sometimes use two tables together to give a deep space if I don't have the width to spread out either side.

This is my regular market now down in Welwyn Garden City in our easily spotted green and white gazeboes. I like this as I know the space I have to play with and each time I set up differently mostly depening upon the impending weather and more often than not I set up for wet weather!

Then at Christmas I get to spread out lots at Wimpole Hall and out come the fairy lights and tinsel! This is a great show as I still have oodles of space behind the stand too, can even fit two of us behind so I can have company for the weekend!

And now right up to date this was taken this last week at Milton Keynes. I have streamlined the colours a bit more for this time as I was getting concerned that things looked a little too muddly with summery colours and winter ones all together. I was pleased with how it looked and didn't change it over the 4 days which is most unusual for me!

This was my favourite little area of the stand with my new lavender hearts tucked in a lovely trug. See the tap has made a re-appearance too - could have sold that this weekend!

I think one show I shall just sell all my fixtures and fittings, maybe I need to think about stocking mainly fixtures and fittings and use my stock as little 'extras'!

That is only just a few pics of my stand through the past few years, I rarely do the same thing twice but I do like to take pictures so I can check different set ups in different spaces for future planning.

Right now I am off to catch up on what you have all been up to!

Take care

Sarah xx

All things green

2010-09-15T10:16:00.000+01:00

This little piece of green plastic was the reason behind nearly 36 hours of frustration, hair pulling, sitting on the floor in disbelief, a little (ok rather a lot of) blue language and a large glass of wine.

For it is a very clever little gadget that I use to neatly finish off my memo boards and having used it once yesterday, I then put it down.

Big mistake!

I should know by now that if there is something I would like to use again then I need to keep a hold of it because there are little piskies that live in our house and they love nothing more than to move things around.

So, having put it down, somewhere, it disappeared.

I turned the workshop upside down looking for it, even got Hubby to come and look too and nothing turned up.

I was last seen last night walking down the garden with a glass of wine, hugging a large bag of wadding. That is what it had driven me to!

So imagine how pleased I was later this morning when I found the little piece of green plastic - in it's proper place in the little bag with the little blue and little yellow pieces of plastic which make up the set!

Don't know how it got there because clearly it wasn't there when I checked half a dozen times yesterday!

I don't know about piskies but I do appear to have the makings of a couple of Leprechauns here.

The gorgeous George after mowing the lawn

And then I noticed that the pair of them had green paws/hands!

Aaahhh, bath time for two me thinks!

Now just to catch up, I thought I'd posted this yesterday but turns out I didn't so it is now Wednesday and that all happened yesterday! As for today, I am getting ready to go and set up at Milton Keynes for a 4 day craft fair in the shopping centre there.

As the next few days are going to be rather hectic, I may not get to post a lot so taking a leaf out of Sue's book (or should I say a screen shot of Sue's blog) over at Our New Life In the Country, I am going to ask if there is anything you would like to see pictures of - be that dog, cat, chickens etc and I'll raid the archives and see what I can reminisce about!
And so back to work, signs to make and table plans to change!

Take care all

Sarah x

One man went to mow

2010-09-13T12:58:00.001+01:00

Morning all, well not quite but I've not had lunch yet so therefore - still morning!

How were your weekends?

I'm being nosey, what did you do?

I took no pictures at all this weekend, not one!

So this is all I have to show you - my button magnets!

I have been busy making some Autumnal pot holders, treasure boxes and memo boards but not yet got the photos taken. I'll have to wait until Hubby has finished mowing the lawn.

Just ran out the workshop and snapped the washing dodging in progress!

Not easy to do especially when you have to entertain the dog at the same time too!

Right, I am back to it, plenty more to do and soon it will be the afternoon.

Note to oneself - take pictures!

Take care all, til tomorrow

Sarah xx

A problem aired........

2010-09-09T20:04:00.000+01:00

Sometimes when you share something with others they can actually help you.

This is something I am beginning to learn. Having spent many years trying to do things all on my own it is becoming very apparent that this doesn't always need to be the way forward.

Thank you to those who helped today.

There is no reason for this picture, other than the fact that I like it, and that is enough right now!

Take care all

Sarah x

New Feathers Please

2010-09-08T19:07:00.000+01:00

My lovely three ladies are beginning to lose their feathers for this year.

These aren't recent pictures as dear little Vera has only the one tail feather left she asked me not to show her in her disrobed state!

I'm feeling rather like moulting myself but not in the form of feathers.

My little Land Cuckoo is feeling very cluttered and jumbled. I don't seem to be able to get a clear picture of what I want to do or make which is a little concerning due to the amount of events I have coming up!

I'm fairly sure that it will all fall into place soon but that doesn't help with today.

I suppose I should just call it a day and head in, away from the fabric and spices. The thing is, I want to make this work but I just don't know how or what to do right now.

Maybe in the morning my feathers will have started to grow again and I'll get back into it.

Apologies for feeling very sorry for myself in this post but that is just the way it is today.

Usually I'd not post anything when feeling like this but maybe if I do I'll get it out of my system quicker - here's hoping! Not all is lost, I can still laugh at myself, its just that I'm not doing anything funny right now!

Hey ho

I'm going in for a cuppa

Take care all

Sarah x

Visitors from near and far

2010-09-07T17:02:00.000+01:00

Just recently we looked after our neighbours bird whilst they were away. I've never really seen the appeal of having a bird as a pet but was more than happy to help out with looking after one for a couple of weeks.

Well, what can I tell you - it was a pleasure looking after little Molly!

She is quite a character, can you tell!

If she was on this perch all you had to say was Molly Tickles? and she would come scurrying over to the side and tilt her head so you could scratch it.

On no account should you put your fingers inside if she hasn't said you can though! Fortunately we were told about this first and managed to keep all fingers intact throughout her visit!

So is this my best side?

No maybe this is.

Molly came to us fully equiped with the Laurel and Hardy and the Adams Family theme tunes not to mention the smoke alarm impersonation which she was rather too good at!

I had no problems being woken up to either of the first two, infact it did make me smile lots! Then each time you walked into the room where her cage was, she would kindly give you a wolf whistle!

When she first went back down the lane to her home, I really quite missed having her about, she had a running commentry from me everytime I was cooking! We did need to keep her just for another week in order to be able to have sent her home with the A Team theme tune properly rehearsed!

Last week I had a lovely visit from an Australian friend who is travelling over here at present. Many years ago when I was travelling I stayed with her on the farm where she lived and worked and I helped to look after her children. If it wasn't for the fact that those children are now grown ups we could kid ourselves that no time at all has passed, it was just like picking up where we left of last time we caught up!

Now it is back to work, lots to do for the next couple of weeks, will try to keep on top of blogging things here too!

Take care all

Sarah xx

Back to it

2010-09-02T17:04:00.000+01:00

I think I am just about recovered from an absolutely mammoth weekend! Trying to split Land Cuckoo between two shows in different counties was rather more hard work than I had bargained for!

Our first port of call was the lovely Wrest Park, these photos show it after the torrential rain that we had last week. So much for my comments to a friend earlier in the week which went along the lines of 'you never see waterlogged gardens in stately homes do you?'

Mind you, there was very little in the way of water logged areas where the craft event was taking place.

As I was busy on the stand all weekend (apart from my trip out on Sunday to the other event) I didn't get any other pictures but we did have blue sky and sunshine! This is the croquet lawn above, I would have liked a go myself having only ever played it as a child in my back garden.

Whilst Hubby kindly took over the stand on the Sunday I went over to Gransden to the air show.

Ok so taking photos into the sun is not recommended! Also you can't really see them but they did look a lot closer in real life - these two little planes were flinging themselves around in the sky and we managed to step out of our craft hanger for a while and have a watch.

This funny little contraption in the sky is a gyrocopter and it just looked like someone had attached a couple of rotary blades and a lawnmower engine to a dining room chair and taken off! It could do the most nimble of moves once it was up in the air though.

Along with gliders and spitfires, flypasts from big loud jet planes that I don't know the names of it was a great day out, oh yes, I was working wasn't I, still it is good to be entertained whilst you are working isn't it!

I am off to the kitchen to bake cakes now for the village show and sale this Saturday, unfortunately I cannot be there as I'll be off on the market again but will leave those fingers crossed for this lovely sunshine to continue all weekend!

Take care all

Sarah x

A jolly nice day

2010-08-26T18:57:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I went over to Maggies (of Sunflower Fabrics fame) for a sew and chatter day with a fabulous homecooked lunch to boot.

Mungo the cat wandering down the garden to be nosey and see what we are up to in the cabin.

This is what Ruth was up to, the beginnings of a quilt.

Ann was busy with some handquilting, white on white so simple yet it is going to look lovely when she has finished it.

Maggie was busy playing with some Liberty fabrics teamed with recycled cotton shirt fabrics, delicious colours and a few little Liberty fabric covered buttons which I made and have now got plans to make a lot more!

And whilst everyone was busy with beautiful fabrics, I was painting pegs!

A whole little army of dolly pegs in their finery, lined up and drying nicely on the shelf!

Right, back to it now, plenty to do ready for the weekend

Take care all, til tomorrow xx

Weekend preparations

2010-08-24T12:48:00.000+01:00

Oh my word, look at this - two blog posts in two days! This could be habit forming, lets hope!

I am busy getting ready for this bank holiday weekend which is going to be rather full on! For the three days I am going to be at Wrest Park in Silsoe, Bedfordshire with many other crafters and artists. I have not done this show before but I have only heard good reports about it from other traders and visitors alike. Plus the fact that Romor Exhibitions who organise us all are such a lovely family company I feel pretty sure that it will be a lovely weekend for all of us.

And then if that wasn't enough I am also going to be at the Gransden Air Show which is held in a village just a little way away from us here. It is to raise funds for Children in Need and for the two years that I have been there before it has been a great day out, for me that is, although I do assume that is is just as good for the customers too!

Clearly I can't be in both places at the same time so my Saturday lad (hubby!) will be taking up the reigns at Wrest Park on the Sunday whilst I am watching the aeroplanes.

In the meantime, I decided that it was about time that I finished off this chair that has been in various stages of completion for the past year or so!

Don't look too closely, it is for display only, I am not a master upholsterer by any stretch of the imagination and have not quite got the colours right but it was a good effort whilst using up the remnants and some spare paint!

I am pleased with how it looks and it will be just right for displaying cushions and quilts and maybe I will even rest a while on it at some point over the weekend!

Righto, must get back to work folks.

Take care all

Sarah xx

Pay it Forward

2010-08-23T10:10:00.000+01:00

Back in March I volunteered to be a part of a Pay it Forward with Sue at Our New Life in the Coutry.

What a lovely surprise it was on Saturday when I came home from a rather windy Welwyn Market to find a parcel waiting for me.

Well, it smelt lovely before I'd even got around to opening it.

Inside I found a little bear and some lavender scented drawer sachets

A lovely handmade heart filled with lavender

A handmade card with fabric and buttons (Sue you have chosen well!) and some fabulous handmade soap.

And the perfect addition for a relaxing night in - bath soak!

Thank you so much Sue for all my goodies, such a lovely collection, the heart is already hanging from my bed and it looks and smells lovely as I drift off to sleep.

Now, in order for me to Pay if Forward, I need 3 volunteers, just leave me a comment saying you would like to take part. If more than 3 people come forward then I'll pick names from a hat, then I'll get a little parcel of goodies together for you each. All you have to do then is to pay it forward to another 3 people once you have recieved your parcel.

You don't have to be a blogger to take part, nor do you have to make your own gifts. Click here to see the post from Sue's blog and you should be able to track back the PIF through other blogs too!

Sue's parcel certainly brightened my day, I look forward to sending a parcel of cheer to some of you too.

Take care all, til the next time,

Sarah x

That was then....

2010-08-20T15:56:00.000+01:00

It has been a while between blog posts again. No reason in particular other than I have just been feeling rather lacklustre recently and I've not had anything interesting to say to myself never mind going to the trouble of writing these nothing interesting goings on down!

Hopefuly my mojo is on it's way back, well even if it isn't planning on coming back of it's own accord, I intend to hold onto the little bit I do have at present and haul it back in to being present here everyday!

I was going to share these pics with you last week, so even though it is older news now, it is still all new to me as I have only just had a look through the photos.

These were taken at Scald End Farm near Thurleigh here in Bedfordshire. It was their annual Help for Heroes Food and Craft Fair, a good old fashioned country fair in a beautiful setting and a very British feel about the day.

My first customer!

OK so he was primarily after my lunch but all the same he was the first one to my stall!

This has to be the best spot I have had for a stall, I spent as long chatting to the furry ones over the fence as I did with the customers over the stock!

The Beer Barn!

Watching wool being spun is quite entrancing, this lady was using wool that was different shades so that as it was spun you could see the fibres taking shape.

The softest silk, beautifully dyed.

This stall was delightful, so colourful and inspiring, I just wanted to plant the entire stall in my garden!

As they don't have a website, here is the information for those of you who may be local enough to pay them a visit in person if you are after any plants and gardening advice!

A little wildlife garden

A pretty little oasis for pretty bugs.

Back to my companions for the day, taking a breather.

Just horsing around in the sunshine!

Right now it is back to the sewing machine, got a few hearts to sew amongst other things.

Take care all, til next time

Sarah x

These things take time

2010-08-12T10:30:00.000+01:00

What things?

Well at the moment it seems like everything!

Not least getting my pictures up online and blog posts written.

So here we are going back in time to Saturday. Welwyn market. Bit of a changeable day weather wise, unfortunately it changed for the worst in the middle of the day with a few good downpours, which whilst they are great for the garden were not a lot of help to us folk trying to sell our wares out in the elements!

So what is a girl to do - console yourself with a little sustinence from your market neighbour of course:

So much choice and each and every one of these delightful little treats has a different flavour of cake and icing, what a dilema!

So here we have the before and after shots of my choice - well a nearly before shot - I had already started tucking in when I thought to take it's picture! Chocolate and coffee and baileys...........

.....and nought but crumbs left.

Thanks Kevin! But it's not just cupcakes over at Mama's the sweetest fudge too, but I'll save that for next time as my 3pm treat!

Roz and Rachael from Roch Furniture were there too and I just had to take some pictures of their wonderful furniture.

This is how I'd like all my furniture to look. In fact there isn't a week that I could not find a home for all the pieces that Roz and Rachael bring to market.

This bench is just crying out to be next to my dining room table and I have mentally filled up those chest of drawers already!

Right, now, I must go and get on with a few bits and pieces. I'm back to Land Cuckoo this week as the temping assignment has finished for now, just going to catch up on things here at the bottom of the garden and then maybe I'll be heading back to an office somewhere out there!

Take care all, til tomorrow (hopfully I'll get back to computer then!)

Sarah xx

I'm a lucky blogger

2010-08-04T18:45:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I arrived home from work to find a little parcel on the door mat. No, it wasn't anything the cat had left me, it was a parcel from Sal over at Sal's Snippets

All tied up in a cheery bright ribbon.

A beautifully scented lavender sachet

a delightful piece of embroidery

and a pretty card, of which I have only succeeded in photographing the corner!

Thank you very much Sal, the lavender parcel is going straight to bed - so it can scent the room for sweet dreams!

Take care all

Sarah x

Lovely Day

2010-07-28T20:28:00.000+01:00

What a lovely day I have had, catching up with great friends and drinking plenty of this:

You can't beat a good cuppa and a natter over a pile of deliciousness like this:

Which, with a little bit of playing, turns into this:

Where was I? Over at Maggies and you can get your hands on these parcels of delightfulness at Sunflower Fabrics.

But this isn't meant to be a promotional blog post, it is just that I have had such a lovely day, and I even have time to get myself down to the workshop to write about it too! And I personally do love this range of fabrics, it is the same range I used to make my little lavender hearts.

So so lovely!

Here is Maggie, deep in conversation but absolutely flying with the needle and thread making a delightful cupcake hanging. I'll have to show you that properly another day.

And peeking out from behind the Liberty print is Ruth! Well, if you have great friends, you should share them shouldn't you!

Thank you Maggie and Ruth for a lovely day,yummy lunch, lots of laughs and conversation and plenty of tea. By the way, I am still pinging around due to the caffine overload ( I usually drink decaff but forgot my teabags today yet still drank just as many cups full as normal) - oops!

Now you could be mistaken, thinking my hand has shrunk but I have actually bought humoussive jars of all the essentials! Went to the cash and carry today - I think the carry part of the name is supposed to mean that you carry the goods away not get carried away with the size of the goods!! Never mind, we should be alright for sauce for the next year or so now.

Must go in and find something to make with the above ingredients, hmmm marie rose sauce anyone?

Take care all

Sarah xx

Still working

2010-07-27T19:36:00.000+01:00

Last night Hubby and I went off to the pictures to see Inception.

It was really good! By the end of it I had no idea how long we had been sat there, could have been days for all I knew. I wont say too much more as I don't want to be a spoiler but I can recommend the film if you like films like The Matrix (and no, I still don't undersatand the Matrix, didn't when I was watching it and still don't even after Hubby has tried to explain it to me!).

Must go and seek out some dinner for us and shut up the workshop as someone is having a bonfire!

Take care all
Sarah x

An English Country Garden

2010-07-22T20:15:00.001+01:00

What do you do on a Sunday afternoon in July?

Especially when the sun is shining and you have what feels like a rare moment of time when you don't have to be doing anything else! Well you do, but you can postpone that bit!

Go to the National Garden Scheme (otherwise known as the Nosey Garden Scheme) open garden in the village.

Across the fields the sky was big!

The cows were all sheltering from the sun, slightly disgruntled as they had been confined to just half of their normal paddock.

The current house was built on the site of an old cottage and although it is only about 20 years old it seems to be part of the landscape as if it has always been there.

Beautiful flowers with visiting bees

Hidden creatures around the pond

Trees that have grown so tall and straight

Here's some they grew earlier! Gav checking out the log pile and planning how he might get to own some woodland himself so he can aspire to a log pile like this one

Polos in the shrubbery!

And a giant urn, should have got someone in the picture to give you the idea of it's size.

Mr McGreggor's vegetable garden, if you look closely you might just be able to see Peter Rabbit.

Another hidden creature under the tree

And this is by far, in my opinion, the best use of a tennis court - trestle tables and chairs to sit and eat.......

A mahussive slab of the nicest chocolate cake! Accompanied by a good cuppa.

A cuppa, now there's a good idea, I'm off to go and get one of those now!

Take care all, til the next time

Sarah x

Smells like.......

2010-07-14T20:31:00.000+01:00

I do wish you could smell what I could smell as I came down to my workshop this evening.

Actually, those of you in Australia probably can!

The gum tree at the bottom of the garden which my workshop sits under smells wonderful after the cloud burst this afternoon.

Well, cloud burst maybe a little poetic for the quantity of rain that actually fell in a very short space of time! I needed to catch a ferry to get to the door of my car when I left work.

But now as dusk is falling the scent of fresh rain is becoming stronger and in the half light the colours of the flowers seem all that more intense.

These are some of the very few flowers that we have in our garden this year. Around the workshop I am planting evergreen shrubs so that there is different colour all year round. The yellow in the background is a bush that came with the house which we have managed to tame and trim so we get a good show each year and the pink ones in the foreground came from my auntie's house a few years ago, along with quite a few others in this part of the garden and they have all survived very well with very little help from me!

This is the non chook proof fence that works so long as I am here in the workshop so I can open the window and remind the girls that they are not supposed to be in this part of the garden, at least not until the newly planted plants have had a chance to get a hold on the ground! They might not be able to remember how to get into their own enclosure some times but they do know that this is a no-chook area now, just that they like to push the boundries when they can.

I'm off to finish a tea cosy now, take care all, will be back just as soon as I can be!

Sarah x

It's all very different

2010-07-08T19:48:00.000+01:00

This week is far from the norm. I am off to work for 9am every day, which I know is not unusual for many many people but it is for me!

I have no problem with getting up in the mornings, which I know some who have known me for a long time will double check I just said that, but it really isn't a problem! I am doing some temping work locally for a few months or however long I feel like it for the time being.

This is just very different for me as I have been used to working here at home or out on the markets and craft fairs for quite some time. Even before I started all that I was working a shift pattern so a Monday to Friday week is a thing of ancient history in my life!

There are a lovely lot of things in my workshop to be getting along with, some orders and some creations to finish playing with, but right now it is time for food! Sitting at a computer all day in an office is hungry work! I didn't realise quite how much I talk to myself when working though - very aware of it now I am in an office with other people!

Must go - hungry.
Take care
Sarah x

Flower Festival

2010-07-01T18:48:00.000+01:00

Not much writing today, mostly pictures! These are from the flower festival held in our village church last weekend.

The welcoming porch in dappled sunlight.

With it's basket of flowers.

Just inside you can see how wonky the walls are!

The church has just finished being refurbished, the pews have been removed (two of which reside in our garden now) and the floor restored. At the same time heating, toilet and kitchen were renovated too and now it is very bright, light and welcoming with it's new comfy chairs that can be moved to accommodate many more village activities and groups.

This is the History Society's arrangement, not the best photo as the sun was bright through the window.

There are even wild animals at the watering hole!

The flowers for the pre school arrangement have all been made by the children, great colours.

And finally this trio of jugs of the most striking blue filled with delightful cottage garden flowers were just lovely.

The whole church smelt wonderful with the scent from all the flowers, I have not managed to get photographs of all of the arrangements as I was distracted by Olive's shortbread - anyone who lives in our village will know that Olive's shortbread is heavenly so church is the right place to eat it!

I think that might just be the weekend caught up on now, not bad seems as it's Thursday already!

Got to get things ready for market on Saturday

Take care all, til tomorrow

Sarah x