smug :o)

well, that 30 posts in 30 days thing didn't go too well did it? but i do have good reasons, the cold and snuffly fairies came to visit for a a week or so and then i had to put in lots of time to make up lost hours at work which resulted in a super tired catey :o( but hopefully i'll get back on track now.....

So, why am i feeling so supery smug today? well.........sorry to say it, but.......... i've finished my christmas shopping!!!! well i say finished, i do still have a few bitsy bobs to get and lots of things to make, but the shopping nightmares are behind me ;o) *smug beam*

so this weekend i took a girly trip to London, we stayed here (bliss!) and visited this and this, we're already planning next years trip! i took a few pictures, they're not brilliant, and the CL pics don't even show the tip of the iceberg of talented artists and craft people or other amazing stalls, but here we go....

The gorgeous jewellery above is by michael michaud which i'll be posting more about after christmas (lucky me) and the cute fairy christmas baubles are by stephanie ponsard and i'll show you mine a bit closer to crimbo, and look, look, it's john and greg :o)

now i'm off to watch some gosip girl on the v+ box and do a little knitting ;o)

red and blue...

just a little more button love today.....

i just love these buttons, the crinkly, shiney surface, the bright colours, the shape of the holes, i have a few maybe-one-day plans for them, but for now i'm quite happy just to fondle them :o)

bought for 19p each at ring-a-rosie from the lovely barbara :o)

my i q a........

oh dear, i've got a horrible sore throaty, runny nosey, achey bones kinda cold at the moment, i came home yesterday and just crashed on the sofa for a while before dragging myself in to bed for a very early night, so no post, but.....

i had the afternoon off today and oooh, i am excited...... i've been wanting to blog about this for a while but i was waiting for the right time to organise my thoughts, take good pictures and let ordered things arrive, and now the time has come.....

so back in January i thought to myself.... 'hmmm, yes, i think i'll do fabric now thanks very much, something else to add to the craft stash, lovely!'

so slowly slowly, bit by bit a a collection of things started to appear in the spare room, thick colourful Ikea fabrics, scraps from old clothes and fancy dress costumes, Cath Kidson and Amy Butler fabric from John Lewis, a small collection of Kaffe Fasset fabrics from Liberty *beam* sewing books and magazines, fabric scissors, pins and cotton.

come the summer and i still hadn't made anything..... but then in August i stumbled across a few beautiful blogs and flickr groups and my crafty cogs started turning......i knew the birthday fairies were going to be bringing me a sewing machine in October, but i wanted to start something then, there and then......so.......soon my coffee table was covered with these....

little paper hexagons :o)

yup, i've started a hand sewn hexagon quilt..... this is my Incredible Quilting Adventure!

more updates to come, i can see this being a long-running adventure.....

girly girl.....

things making me smile today, one tree hill, one of my frivolous and dirty little tv secrets, and this gorgeous girly pink fabric, which is for an exciting new project......

i'm tired again :o(

so just a few pictures from last night...

the table decoration, an ever changing collection of old drift wood, rope, sea glass and sea pottery, shells and pebbles in a glass dish, a few star shaped candles stuck in and ta-dah!

the delicious southern sausage stew that Timmy made from the new Jamie-does-America book, which i highly recommend, no picture of my peach cobbler though, we were too excited to eat it to bother taking a picture :o)

and finally the beautiful flowers Timmy brought back from his food shopping extravaganza, I'm loving those bright colours.

hmmm, by the way, i realise that not all my posts lately have been very crafty, but i didn't realise how hard it was going to be to post every day, but as long as there's a little colour, beauty, creativity or just some button love in there then I'll be happy, hope you will be too, x x x

Tynemouth Flea Market....

well, i didn't manage to post yesterday, Tim had been away with work all week and it was so good to have him home yesterday that i totally forgot, ;o)

any hoo, i went to my favourite flea market this morning which is based in the metro station at Tynemouth, i thought a picture was in order as I've talked about it the wonder of the flea market quite a bit.....

you can find all sorts there depending on which day you go, vintage clothes, hand bags and jewelry, crockery, glass, fabric, buttons, memorabilia, second hand books, local produce, original art and photography, even a new Dyson. and...... treats to munch on the wander round.....

so other than that yummy minty cupcake, i got Tim a book about Jimmy Doherty only £3.50, 2m of this 100% cotton pink and white fabric, a bargain at £6 and two beautiful teacups with saucers.....

now the stallholder did say they were made by Hidchin and Sons c.1835, whether they are or not, and what that even means, I'm not sure, but i like them, and i think they will go well with the rest of my mish mash tea service, so well worth the £4 i paid :o)

well that's it for today, we're having people over tonight and I've got to go and create a Jamie Oliver peach cobbler for tea, Tim's busy making a southern sausage stew right now, and it smells yummy!

hope you have a good Saturday night, x

a wander around the garden......

today I'm tired, very tired, so back to the photo archives.....

i was just looking at Lucy's post over at Attic 24 and was inspired by her photos of beautiful autumn colours, but since i spent the whole 9 hours of daylight today in the office I'm going to rely on some pictures i took in the bright July sunshine.......

pictures from the out law's garden, which is chock full of gorgeous flora and quirky focal points....

a stack of tiles from the old kitchen roof, crystals hanging from the trees....

windmills and old fishing net strung like bunting above an old bench....

old buoys and pirate flags, beachcomber sculptures....

moon gazing hares in the wet bed and peaceful little zen corners.....

I love this garden and i feel privileged to be able to enjoy it, i hope you've enjoyed this little glimpse too.....

cate, x x x