Wednesday 29 August 2012

In My Head...I'm Just Your Average Mum Of Two, Crafty Girl, With Her Vintage Ways.....

Then my body tells me different!!!

 

I am a Mum of Two, I am a Crafty Girl and I do have my Vintage Ways, but I'm not so 'average'. I need to manage a 'chronic health condition', well that's what They tell me at the hospital!

I've been having so much fun lately, taking the girls out, getting ready for my little Craft Fair and trying to be an 'average' Mum that I haven't been listening to my body. I haven't been taking heed of the lighthouse (hence the above picture!) and feel like I've crashed, ( only a little crash this time, I've had much bigger ones!), into the rocks!

My body is exhausted. Its like the toddler you take to the supermarket, at first they really enjoy all the sights, colours and sounds, then it all gets too much! They plonk themselves down on the floor, make lots of noise and refuse to move! My body has got slower and slower and Has Had Enough! It's plonked itself down!

I'm sorry I haven't been to visit your blogs, or leave you my little thoughts, and I promise I will do very soon but I need to rest a while. Those word verification thingies aren't half difficult when you are tired!

Thank you all for your comments on my suitcase! You are all so kind, it's great to share Crafty Stuff with you all!

I'm going to draw my Giveaway now on the 2nd of September as I need to try and concentrate on my little Craft Stall, my Big Sis is going to help me out on the day, thanks Big Sis!

Hope you have fun over the next few days and those of you getting ready to go back to school, hope you have the uniforms sorted! I will be back soon as I need to share with you the lovely 'Sister Day' we had!

 

Ada :) x

 

 

 

 

 

Monday 27 August 2012

Monday Make- Psychedelic Suitcase!!!

Well here it is..........





 
 
 
 
 
 

I've called her the Psychedelic Suitcase, and I promise you I wasn't under ANY influence whilst creating her! Unless of course we can blame Jenny!

The finish could be better, really I need a sharp craft knife, but I'm not good with sharp implements! I'm only just overcoming my fear of this......

 

I no longer break out in a cold sweat just looking at it!

At first I was going to make the suitcase pretty, but then threw 'caution to the wind' and thought 'what the heck' and just put the wallpaper on without thinking about it too much! As you can tell! I now have two more, so the next one might look a little bit calmer!

I've lined inside with a 1970 Playhour Annual, now this took ages because I had to read it as I went along! Even eldest Bea said "that's good Mum" and she doesn't do vintage! If I make another one then I will definitely pay more attention to the finishing touches, this is ok for a first attempt. I will use her as a prop for my fair next week. The rest of the time she will reside on the top of my wardrobe filled with all manner of crafty stuff!

I've also made some, much calmer, and prettier, bags this week, using some of my sheets and doilies my sister picked up from a charity shop for me.

 

Think these will make nice storage bags for toys, underwear etc.

I had a great day with my Sisters on Saturday, will show you the photos later in the week!

Thanks for all your 'scrappy' advice! I think I will make some cards with some of the scraps, now that's a whole new ball game for me!

Welcome to my new followers, that always sounds a bit pompous, but I don't mean it to be, I can't believe there are over 100 of you that are even the slightest bit interested in my life, but I'm very glad you are....Thank you!

 

 

Ada :) x

 

 

 

Friday 24 August 2012

Happy Holiday Weekend!

Hello Everyone!

Wishing all of you a Happy Weekend, and those in the UK hope you enjoy the Bank Holiday!

I have a Sister Day booked in for tomorrow, the day with my two lovely sisters, something nice to eat, bit of shopping and no children! (love them really!).

 

 

 

The house has been festooned with bunting! I am dreaming triangles at the moment!

 

I'm even contemplating, Bunting for Fairies! What do you think? Can't bare to throw any bits away! Seriously though, this did go in the bin, but I have a bag full of scrappy bits! What do you do with them?

I'm now tackling this beauty! A patchwork of vintage wallpaper is starting to grow all over her, in, I will add, a rather slapstick way! Hopefully she will be finished next week and not look too disheveled!

 

Hello to my new followers, I am working my way around to your blogs, slowly, if I miss anyone out, please let me know!

Have a great weekend, whatever you are planning!

Ada :) x

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Sneaky Peek!

I've been busy, busy......stitch, stitch!

Want a peek?

 

What, MORE cushions? Yes, but the pincushion kind!

 

I almost managed to square up my corners!

 

 

I got the enamel tub from TK Max a couple of months ago, I've got a lemon and pale green one too. Perfect for displaying Vintage Sheet Goodies!

 

I've also made some Suffolk Puff Brooches, using some of Mums' old buttons.

 

Triangles have been cut for bunting, fat quarters waiting to be pressed, and the wallpaper packs just need to be assembled.

Thank you all for all your suggestions. I fear I may have led some of you astray! The Craft Fair is only a very small affair! Just a group of friends and anyone they can drag along to the event really! Nothing Grand!

My friend did a small one in her home before Christmas last year, to raise money for charity, it was lovely, she really knows how to put on a good do! This time we will be using her Mothers lovely garden, there will only be about 8 stalls and we think about 200 people.

It's important to me because it's my first one! I've never, ever sold anything I've made before, always given them away! Not sure if anyone will want anything (although my sister will buy something, I'm sure!). If it goes well I might even ask for a stall at the schools Christmas Fair!

I know a lot of you have done lots of fairs, have Etsy shops, even featured in magazines, this is your 'bread and butter', so please ignore my anxieties!

I will be back later in the week, with I hope, pictures of bunting- what is it about bunting that immediately makes me smile!

Thanks again for your encouragement, you really are a fantastic lot!

 

Ada :) x

 

 

Sunday 19 August 2012

Do we really need MORE cushions?

I've just got back from a lovely weekend with a dear Aunt and Uncle, she's 91 and her Toy Boy husband is 87! My Aunt is very proud of her age and I know she won't mind me telling you! They are still only dependent on each other, and are quick to dismiss any offers of help! We spent lots of time looking through old photo albums and she had countless stories from when I was little, much to my girls delight!

Before we went I spent some time making yet more cushions for our conservatory! Do we really need more cushions I was asked! But of course we do! Really, my family just don't appreciate the delights of vintage sheets!


 
 
This little beauty decided to bloom in my garden this week, I put over 20 sunflowers in a few weeks ago. I had nurtured them carefully, watching them grow, new leaves appearing almost daily! I had visions of sunflowers peppered amongst the flower beds! It was to be my Van Gogh moment! I put them in, supporting each of them with a strong cane, tied them on, making sure I didn't crush their stems then gave each one a delicious drink of water.
 
The next morning I woke to find all but 3 had been stripped bare by the slugs and snails that are enjoying living at the 5 star hotel I have created for them!
Oh well! At least I have a few in my garden, not quite what I envisaged but life can be like that!
 
 
 
I only have 2 weeks left now to make things for my first craft fare! Help! When I agreed to do it I thought I had lots of time, but it's creeped up on me! So I will be busy, busy, stitch, stitch!
I've been making some vintage wallpaper craft packs up, and will also make some vintage sheet fat quarter packs up too. It's only going to be a small affair, to raise money for charity. Any suggestions about what would be good to make, would be gratefully appreciated!
 
I will be back later in the week to let you know how I'm getting on!
 
Welcome to my new followers, I will try and catch up with you soon!
 
Don't forget to enter my giveaway and you will be in with a chance of getting your hands on these.........
 
 
 

Have a lovely week everyone!

Ada :) x

Thursday 16 August 2012

Wonderful Whitby........and an Award!

Mr Bea is off this week so we took the opportunity to have a wonder up to the Wonderful Whitby.

 
 
 

It was a glorious day and I think the whole of Northern Britain was there! The parking was horrendous! It took us almost a hour to find a space, by then I was a very Grumpy Ada Bea! Anyway, having finally got a space we were all starving and headed, of course, for fish and chips!

 

 

The Magpie Cafe, has I think, the best fish and chips in England. I'm not really qualified to make that statement, as I haven't been to ALL the fish and chip shops in the land, but they are good! We sat by the quay and watched an assortment of boats go by, just lovely!

 

 

As many of you will know, Whitby is the home of Draculas' Abbey. So off we trekked up the cobbled streets, and many steps, to get to the top! I told the story of Dracula to Little Bea as we went up, I think I might of been a bit too dramatic, she looked rather scared as we approached the Abbey!

 

 

There's a great view of Whitby and surrounding coastline from the top, so we filled our lungs we Great Yorkshire Air, then the girls demanded a paddle, so back down the hill it was!

The streets are cobbled and very quaint, but no time for shopping, the girls after all wanted a paddle :(.......

 

 

But what's that I have spied?!......

 

Dotty About Vintage......I've got to go in there! Now my girls despair with me, any charity shop or vintage shop, well I'm like a child in a sweet shop! Just a little look.....I promise girls.......

 

 

 

Trudge, who owns the shop, was lovely, we talked, just a short while about all things vintage, and I came away with a great suitcase which I'm going to Custardify, more on that another day! ( Trudie does have a Facebook page and is hoping to sell online in the future!)

Back in the car and we headed off to Robin Hoods Bay.....MORE parking problems!

 





 

The rock pools are fantastic and we spent a few hours discovering all manner of weird and wonderful things!



 

We headed home across the the stunning Yorkshire Moors. Both my Grandparents came from Yorkshire, I love it there, it feels like its in my genes!

Now the Award bit....

 

This week I've also been given the Liebster Award from the lovely Alessandra at Homemade at my Place, thank you soooo much Alessandra!

The Award is given to Blogs that have less than 200 hundred followers, as a way, I believe, of raising its profile. Now as always this is the difficult bit! I need to pass it on......the Blogs I follow, I do so because I enjoy them, I appreciate each and everyone of them and all the comments you leave me on mine, so it's not easy to single out any of you really!

I will award to....

Bungalow Bliss

Muddle Puddle

The Happy Caravan

The Linen Cloud

The Crafty Nooke

Please check them out when you have a minute!

 

Welcome again to my new followers...and Thank You everyone for taking the time to leave me little messages....now I need to pack, we are off to visit family in Wales for a few days!

 

Ada :) x



Monday 13 August 2012

Me Time.......

I love my children very, very much, but half way through the holiday and I was feeling desperate for some me time! So off I popped into Nottingham to one of my favourite Vintage Emporiums, Hopkinson. I went only a few weeks ago, but this bark cloth kept calling me back!

 

It's just beautiful, looks much better in real life. Most of my fabric, as you know is very flowery and pretty, but I just fell in love with this! Not sure if it's because of the Olympics or the Jubilee, but I felt drawn to something very British. I'm not sure why I didn't buy it first time around but I'm glad it was still there!

Hopkinson is set in a great old building just across the road from the train station. It's full of little individual stalls selling all manner of vintage goodies from clothes to knick knacks to furniture. Heaven! Want to have a peek?



 

 







 
I love Bero Men, I used to have a baking set when I was a child, sadly it did nothing for my baking ability!
 
I brought a couple more goodies while I was there, some floral chintz and Feedsack. I think I am just a Fabric Addict!
 
 
 
 

 

When we got back of our Norfolk holiday, I also had a lovely parcel waiting for me from the lovely Rachel at Rainbow Vintage Home....

 

I did a wallpaper and fabric swap with her....she's now responsible for a new addiction of mine.....vintage childrens' prints....Rachel, stop it! I'm already in enough trouble!!!! But Thank You, they are beautiful!

 

I found this beauty in my local charity shop, a duvet cover in pristine condition! At a bargain price.....skipped home!

 

 

That's all for now...I've been given another award, which I will post about later in the week. That's 3 awards, I've never been so lucky, quick I'd better get a Lotto ticket!!

If you haven't already entered my giveaway, please do, details on my previous post, not worked out yet how to link to posts in my own blog!

Welcome to my new followers.....hope you enjoy the ride!

 

 

Ada :) x