Hello cosy

I’ve decided to make more effort to decorate the house to reflect the seasons, well the dining room at least. It’s the perfect room as it’s a bit of a blank canvas and has a very relaxed, calm feel about it.

My first idea was to do something with the leaves I collected the other week, here’s my post about it. I wanted the leaves to stay their gorgeous colours for as long as possible so I decided to run them through the laminator and see what happened.

There, not too bad. They stayed like this for a couple of weeks until I decided what my plan was for them. Last week I decided I really must do something with them so I cut around each leaf.

The colours haven’t really changed much since laminating them so I guess it worked.

I went for a walk in the park the other day on the hunt for the perfect branch. The park was very pretty indeed.

It was good to get out of the house and see a bit of nature, we’d had a poorly house for quite a while and we hadn’t ventured out apart from to the shops. It was much needed to lift my spirits. Anyway, with perfect branch (covered in moss which was a bonus) in hand, I was finally able to finish my little project. I punched a hole in the leaves and threaded them onto some string tied to the branch. Ta-Dah!

I’m quite pleased with that. A little bit of outdoors brought indoors and some great Autumn colours too.

The area I wanted to focus on mainly was the fireplace as its the focal point of the room. I bought some artificial leaves from eBay and threaded them onto some yarn to make a garland. I then hung it together with my fairy lights which are a permanent fixture.

I got some lovely looking squashes, the young girl on the till in Aldi said to her colleague “how much are the funky looking pumpkins?” Ha ha!

And from our local wholesalers for all things lovely, I got some other autumnal bits for dressing the room. Some faux hay bales, leaves, acorns and berries.

I love how it’s all come together, it feels very homely and cosy. Along with our new comfy chairs so we can sit (and I can crochet) by the roaring fire.

I feel like we’re the old couple from the movie ‘Up’ with his and hers chairs!

I’d also planned on doing some crochet decorations but it just hasn’t happened.  I made about 5 little leaves which look rather pathetic on their own.  I might make a nice wreath ready for next autumn, who knows?

This year was my first ever time carving pumpkins, I can’t believe I’ve never done it till now. I got a bit carried away and got 6 but I think they look great all together. The kids helped with these and thoroughly enjoyed getting their craft on.

Although they look good outside, I am rather worried they might go walkies so indoors is where they’ll live.

Once the log fire and a few candles are lit, it’s super cosy. Add some gentle music, a mug of tea and some nibbles and there you have a perfect evening right before you.

It also fits in well with a concept I’m very interested in called Hygge. It’s a Danish word with no direct translation but it basically means, cosyness. I’ve asked for a book on Hygge for my upcoming birthday so I’ll maybe do a post all about it sometime. But for now, this is my Autumn set-up, and it shall stay this way until December when Christmas will come and sprinkle festive cheer around.

Thanks as always for stopping by.

Vicki xxx

Red, gold and green

Autumn’s definitely made an appearance now, I confess I’ve had the heating on a couple of times already. I’m actually really looking forward to it though, at least you can be sure of the weather. Summer was such a let down this year, as it inevitably is every year. We hardly got to do any of the nice beach/picnic/park trips I had planned.

Yesterday I decided to go for a walk to go foraging for autumnal inspiration. I managed to find quite a bit although felt rather silly as people walked past and saw me dithering over which leaves to pick up. I kind of hoped they’d think it was for Jude’s benefit, not mummy’s!

By the time we got home, little man was fast asleep so I took advantage and got my harvest out to have a play.

I had great fun I can tell you. Little things and all that! Aren’t the colours just beautiful though?

I have B I G plans for decorating the house this Autumn. I’ve never done it before but think it’ll really be nice. Last year I made these so I might do a few again this year.

I’d best get busy, lots to do! Xx

Happy campers – part two

There was lots to do where we stayed in Gatehouse of Fleet, near Castle Douglas. Although it was tricky finding things that we could take the dog to as well. Everywhere we went there were signs for castles, but we didn’t visit any as to certain members of our family, that would be a fate worse than death! We did find a perfect place for the older kids though and it was just a twenty minute drive.

This place was brilliant. You could book the kids in to a workshop where they learn how to make their own chocolate. I thought it was great value. For £14.00 each they got their own apron and hairnet, they made a big slab of chocolate, a chocolate animal in a reusable mould and a marvellous creation with marshmallows. All to take home with them. 

There was also a huge indoor soft play area and a massive outdoor play area with a dinosaur that was about 30ft high. Sadly, Jude had fallen asleep in the car so he missed out. We waited in the car while the kids were in chocolate heaven, but luckily I’d brought my yarn along.

It looks like an advertisement for Cath Kidston doesn’t it? This project is very mobile so it’s really easy to just do a little bit as and when I can. On the way back to the site, we stopped to say hello to some cows. 

I’ve never seen so many cows than in Scotland. Every field was full of them, and sheep. There were animals everywhere. The campsite was surrounded by rabbits. It was like a scene straight out of Watership Down. It was lovely but the poor things were so scared that they ran off if you got within 20 metres. So no photographs, although I did try my hardest.

The next day we took the kids to a local activity centre. There were some very brave souls there trying some very scary things. Ours stuck to grass sledging, lots safer!

While they were busy I took Jude to the huge sandpit to play. He thought this was the best thing ever and didn’t want to leave.

The following day we planned a lovely day  in the Scottish mountains. Otters Pool had been recommended to us by a friend. On the drive up there my hubby kept pulling over for me to take photos. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking.

We passed Loch Dee just further on from here.

After a bit of an unplanned detour down a never ending dirt track through the wilderness, we found Otters Pool. We sat and ate our picnic lunch with the water to one side of us and woodland to the other. It was such a beautiful place, so peaceful.

Flip flops on and towels at the ready, we headed into the water for a paddle with the best view ever.

The scenery was just stunning. It’s like you’re in a whole other world just for a short while. Everyone had such a nice time. Real good, honest, wholesome family time. 

Pepper loved it too, she’s always enjoyed a paddle. I spotted these toadstools in amongst the trees and just had to take a picture. They looked so magical, like they’re from an enchanted forest or fairy glen.

We were nearing the end of our holiday and I’d say it was a very successful one. Many happy memories made. Although we all love going abroad on holiday and living in a bit of luxury, there’s something really special about holidaying closer to home and closer to nature. We have some absolutely beautiful places in the UK that we often overlook. Especially on our doorstep. Perhaps we all need to pretend we’re tourists in our own towns occasionally and go see all the lovely places around us.  

As for my holiday crochet, I’m pretty pleased with what I achieved.

I wasn’t expecting to get this far. I’m looking forward to showing you the finished product cos I haven’t been able to put this down since we got home.

Vicki xx



Happy campers – part one

For this years camping holiday, we decided to try somewhere new that none of us had tried before. We usually go to Wales which is lovely, but for a change, we chose Scotland. It was a little bit further afield but it was a whole new adventure for us. After losing our lovely dog Amber just the week before, we couldn’t bear to put Pepper into kennels as planned. She’s really missing her sister and would’ve been so sad and lonely on her own. The campsite is dog friendly so we squished her in the footwell of the car along with our ever growing collection of camping gear.

We don’t travel light when it comes to camping. We like to have quite a few little   gadgets to make life that bit easier. Things like electric hook-up, a fridge, kettle, toaster and fan heater. Not quite glamping but not too far off!

The weather was awful when we set off. I was driving along the motorway gripping onto the steering wheel so hard my knuckles were white. We stopped half way to change drivers and the weather was still grey but improving. By the time we reached the campsite it was all blue skies and sunshine. Perfect conditions for pitching a tent.

It was a lovely location, we pitched right at the far end of the field so we didn’t have people walking past us constantly. The site was surprisingly quiet, I kept wondering what the catch was. We discovered what it was on the first night. The main road runs alongside the field and at nighttime, just as soon as your head hits your inflatable pillow, about a thousand lorries it seemed, come thundering past heading for the docks. We’d seen comments about road noise on the reviews before we booked, but had kind of hoped they were exaggerating. Sadly they weren’t. It was quite loud but you kind of got used to it. That was really the only negative though. It was a very carefree site, you pitched up where you liked and were just left to get on with your holiday with no interference. 

The first evening, we treated ourselves to fish & chips from an award winning chippy in nearby Castle Douglas. It was really yummy and the sweet girl who served us insisted on buying Pepper a sausage out of her own money. She’d been off her food for a bit but she managed to woof it down with no trouble. The next morning, we awoke to rain and grey skies which had been forecast for the majority of our stay. I’d packed for the chilly weather too. We spent the day in the tent mostly being lazy campers. Which gave me the perfect excuse to crack out my camping crochet. I’d dithered over what to bring with me. I didn’t want to bring too many balls of yarn so that ruled out my blooming flower cushion. I’m loving the colours in it so much though that I decided to make a second cushion to go with it. I picked just 6 of the colours to bring. 

These looked better than I’d imagined, and quick to do too. A perfect holiday project.

The following morning, we awoke to glorious sunshine. This was our view from the tent…

I couldn’t resist pulling my wellies on with my pyjamas and going for a little wander.

There was an abundance of blackberry bushes around so I decided to pick my own breakfast.

 
Lovely! We went for a little explore around the site later on. It’s a very well kept site. Just a five minute walk from our field you’ll find the entertainment areas. There’s a bar, bistro, swimming pool, gym and of course arcades. They were a hit with the big kids. Well actually Jude loved it there too, he discovered the 2p machines and demanded a constant supply of ‘pennies’. While they were all in the arcades, I sneaked off to take a few photos of the beautiful coastline that we were lucky enough to call home for a few days.

The sunsets here were pretty amazing too.

There’s something about being close to natural beauty that leaves you feeling very calm and content with the world. Sights like this were not made by any man, they’ve always been there and always will. Nothing can ever spoil it. It’s very good for the soul to take a few moments every now and again to appreciate these little things in life.

Another thing I appreciate in life is being cooked for. Camping cooking usually falls to the hubby and I thoroughly enjoyed having a break from having to prepare the meals. He’s also an excellent cook so win win! My job was to lay the table and in true Vicki style, I gathered some pretty flowers from the hedgerows to dress it.

I think I’ll leave it there for part one.  Back in a couple of days with the second half. Xxx

My first and last amigurumi

Hello! I finally bring to you a post completely dedicated to crafting. Now I always said to myself from the start of my crochet journey that I’d never attempt amigurumi. It just looked too fiddly and complicated and well, just way beyond my capabilities. Well, with the little fellas latest obsession being Bing Bunny from CBeebies and discussions with some hooky friends, they convinced me to have a go. Even downloaded and printed out a pattern for me. I couldn’t really worm my way out of that could I? Besides, I secretly wanted to challenge myself and just see if I could do it. 

If I was a fantastic mummy I’d have tried to make the Bing (the bunny & main character) but I chickened out and went for Flop (Bings carer/responsible creature) He looked far easier, plus I already had some leftover yarn in the perfect colour.

Flop started to take shape round about here. I was so relieved.

And stuffing now, go me!

When the instructions finished for the body, I had a massive gaping hole at the top still, you could have operated on his brain quite easily. I just kept going round and round, decreasing and decreasing until it finally met at the top. Where did I go wrong?

There’s his body. Well, not quite the body he was meant to have but honestly, who does?

Making his limbs wasn’t straight forward either, I very much winged it here. The ones the pattern produced looked nothing like the ones on the tv. So I made my own up.

The sewing on part which I’d been dreading actually turned out to be the fun bit. I loved watching him come to life.

Now for a freehand face.

Not too bad for a newbie. I think it just about resembles him.

Jude couldn’t wait to get his hands on him.

He came out with us too..

And got to play in the park.

I think he likes him, and he seems to be standing up ok so far to being thrown around and carried by his ears.

I don’t think I’ll be rushing to do it again though, there was a bit too much concentration required for my liking. I’m very glad I managed this one though 😊

Family time

We had one full day left of our trip and I’d planned to take my mum, nan and sister-in-law out for afternoon tea. All ladies lunching. It was a nice little tea rooms in a place called Sandhurst, just down the road from my nans.

My nan is a lovely lady and doing good for her 91 years. She’s getting a bit frail these days which is expected but still sad. Earlier this year she gave up her allotment which she’s had ever since I can remember. Her passion has always been gardening and growing her own produce. 

She lit up whenever I used to ask how her allotments were doing. At one point a few years back she had 3 plots on the go! Anyway, she reluctantly decided that she could no longer manage it. It was a huge deal for her.

We had a lovely time there, the food was great and the service excellent. 

I do wish I could sometimes transport myself down there to pop in for a quick cuppa and a chat. I know she gets a bit lonely and can’t get out as much as she used to. I can at least make an effort to call her more.

The next morning we got up early and went to Hythe for a boot fair. We don’t get many round our way. Jude did very well, tons of trains and cars for about 20p each. 

There was a vintage fair on here too, some gorgeous things. A lovely cast iron chair which would have been perfect for our garden by the water feature but it was very pricey. We found a couple of great records though.

We walked past the canal into the high street to the shops. This one was lovely, we added to our record collection again!

We stopped off for an early lunch in here.

Well, that was us done, time to pack up and get back on the road. We weren’t looking forward to the journey but after the dreaded M25 it wasn’t too bad. It was sad to say goodbye, the time always flies by so quickly. It was however, lovely to get back to our home, and our beds. And some crafting……

Vicki xx

Rye ❤️

Our trip down south would not be complete without a day in Rye, East Sussex. It’s a very special place to us. It’s where the hubby and I used to go for a rare child free day out when we first started dating, we had some lovely times here. We loved the place so much that we chose to get married there. 

First stop was to the little old fashioned sweet shop on the high street for a quarter of chocolate nibbles and peppermint creams. It’s like the law that we have to come here every time. The shopkeeper is usually very chatty with a story about Paul McCartney to tell. Not this time though, maybe he was all talked out.

Just along the High St and up the hill is Simon the Pieman’s. It’s often full when we come but today we were lucky and got a table.

We’ve been here in the winter before and it’s so cosy with the open fire burning.

Rye has an awful lot of history, I’m not going to bore you with it now but Google it if you’re interested. After lunch we walked just up the hill about 30 yards to the church. It’s beautiful inside. You can go up the tower and take in the view but we’ll do that another time when we’re without a buggy.

Just around the back of the church you’ll find Rye Castle and the gun gardens.

We had a lot of our wedding pictures taken here. 

Walking around Rye can be a little challenging depending on your choice of footwear. It’s worth it though as the cobbled streets are so pretty and full of character.

Some of the houses are a bit quirky , look at this one…

It’s the house with two front doors! There’s another road where a couple of the doors are numbered 44 and 44 1/2!

It’s the little things like that, that make this town so charming.

East Sussex is relatively flat but Rye is perched up on a hill and has wonderful views.

I think it looks a bit like a model village here. Down by the harbour there are some gorgeous antique shops.

I could pootle around these shops for hours if a certain little person wasn’t around. They’re crammed full of some really unusual pieces. The only person who came away with anything though was the above mentioned little person.

He found a little vintage London bus with Carnaby Street on funnily enough. It kept him busy for hours.

Back up the hill towards the town, we found a national trust property. It’s called Lamb House and was the home of authors Henry James and E.F.Benson.

There were only 3 rooms open which were  nice, but it was the walled garden I was really looking forward to seeing. It didn’t disappoint.

You can have a nice cream tea sat under the trees, how lovely would that be? It was a very typical English country garden, so pretty.

Just a few minutes walk back into the town and we stopped into Grammar School Records.

It’s been there for donkeys years. It’s a proper old fashioned shop full to the rafters with vinyl records. We’ve recently purchased a record player so can now start our own little record collection.

Directly opposite is The George In Rye. It’s the most beautiful, elegant, Boutique hotel I’ve ever seen.

On the first floor there is a Georgian ballroom which is where we said our wedding vows and danced the night away.

So, six years on, we paid the garden a little visit for a drink in the sunshine.

The weather was pretty much as it was on our wedding day, just gorgeous.

All in all, a perfect day. I do believe a little piece of my heart will always be here in Rye ❤️

Six, sand and sunshine

We’re having a mini heatwave here in the UK at the moment. I’m not expecting it to last long but it is ridiculously hot right now. I had the heating on and ugg boots last week, why can’t Great Britain sort it’s weather out? Anyway, we’ve been getting out and following the herds to our gorgeous beaches. We are so very lucky to have a huge choice of lovely places to visit.

On Sunday afternoon the sun just surprised us so we didn’t want to waste it sitting indoors. We grabbed our beach bag and headed to Hoylake. If you’re not from these parts then you may still have heard of it as they sometimes hold the golf open there. It becomes a hive of excitement, the schools close early and people even rent their homes out for a small fortune to accommodate the thousands of fans.

They must have known I was coming as they’d hung yards and yards of bunting up! I was expecting it to be really busy but there was hardly anyone. I left the lads playing football in one of the pitches you can see above. The rest of us headed along the prom.

It looks like a desert here. I love the fact that there’s still lush greenery growing in the sand.

We found ourselves a lovely little spot on the golden, soft sand. A bucket and spade and Jude was in his element. Which meant I could snap a few photos of the beautiful surroundings.

We were only here for about an hour but it’s all you need to feel like you’ve been at one with nature.

Jude had a great time, he didn’t want to leave.

That evening the hubster and I went out to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary. We had a lovely meal at our new favourite tapas restaurant, Lunya. The food was amazing along with the service and surroundings. We finished the evening off with a drink in The Cavern Club. It’s a brilliant atmosphere in there, especially when there’s a Beatles band playing.

More date nights are definitely in order, it’s the only time we get to spend together alone as a couple. It’s nice to escape the house and kids occasionally, reminds me I’m not just a mother and housewife.

Back soon with some hooky happenings. Stay cool xx

Rose garden

We don’t have roses in our garden and I’ve just this year begun to take a liking to them. It’s okay though, as just a short walk from our house is The Arno. 

It has, as you can see from the sign, been around for quite some time. Here’s a really old picture of it.

But this is it today..

It’s really pretty, especially in the warm sunshine that surprised us today. I’ve probably come a little late as some of the flowers are just finishing. But I did manage to get a few photos of some rosy loveliness.

The smell is just beautiful, so delicate. 

These aren’t roses but they take me back to my childhood. I always remember seeing these and I seem to recall they were Victoria Plums favourite flower. Maybe I’m making that bit up, but that’s what they remind me of anyway!

The Arno has a Green Flag Award too. Although it’s a council maintained area, it still needs a lot of looking after and regularly needs volunteers to come along and help out. They formed a group called The Friends of The Arno who do a fantastic job. We’re very lucky to have people who care about where we live.

So, what else has been happening this week? Not much really. Quite a few trips with the little man to the park.

We spent a lovely hour by the sea the other morning. 

And as for crafting, well I’ve been working on a new project, completely unplanned. Sometimes I think those work out the best.

And it’s almost finished too so I’ll show you properly very soon.

Have a crafty weekend all xx

A West Kirby walk

The weather was unexpectedly bootiful this morning, so quick on my feet, I decided a visit to the coast was in order. Just me and my little man. I got sorted, did the school run, and headed towards the sea. The drive was enjoyable too, through some lush countryside, with the sun shining, birds singing, windows down and a nice breeze keeping us cool. It seemed like everyone was out and about walking their dogs or going for a jog.

I got to West Kirby and parked up right by the marina. As soon as I stepped out of the car and looked across the lake, I was just amazed. The water looked like a pane of glass. It was so still.

The pictures don’t really do it justice, it was very sunny and warm.

West Kirby marine lake is the perfect length for a walk. It takes around 40 minutes to get round it at a slowish pace. Just enough exercise before you get too tired!

There’s a really nice atmosphere here, whenever you go. Everyone smiles and says hello.

Can you see the hills in the background in the picture above? That’s Wales. It looks close enough to walk to but I bet it’s a lot further than you think.

Last time me and my hubby came here together, I sneaked through the chains to get a close up photo of this…

I’m a sucker for anything that says the word ‘love’. Such a bizarre place to see it though, I’d love to know the story behind it.

I get such a feel-good feeling from being by the sea. I think it’s all that fresh, sea air. I love it in any weather but summertime is the best.

We saw this lonely seagull paddling along all by himself.

Almost round to the beginning.

These jetties look so inviting. It’d be heaven on a hot day like today to sit on the very end and dangle your feet in the cool water.

We finished our little jolly with a sit down in the park just opposite the lake. We had a drink and a snack with the whole park to ourselves, and Jude picked me these pretty daisies. Bless him.

I should start the day this way more often, it puts a real spring in my step.