Pottering...

I was so looking forward to having a weekend of pottering around doing very little, and that's exactly what I did! The furthest I went was to the herb nursery and Hobbycraft.

Then it was a weekend of a bit of planting, a bit of making and a bit of sorting through magazines for recycling (always takes a long time as I have to look at them again just to make sure it's OK to ditch them!)

This free motion embroidery is a trial run, just to see how it turned out. I'm pleased with the design but think I'll put a border on. This one is not good enough to sell so I'll display it in my craft room for a while.

Do you remember I showed you my decanter that I bought in the charity shop recently? 

This is what I did with it

I take no credit for this idea as I saw it somewhere on the internet (unfortunately I can't remember where). I'm waiting for Mr B to drill a hole in the glass for the wire to go through so that I can put the stopper back in. I spent more time watching this than the TV the other night as it looks so fab!!

Hope you all had a lovely and relaxing weekend.

Thanks for visiting

xXx

Catching up...

No crafting has come out of my craft room recently, but we have managed to relocate the two wardrobes, other assorted furniture and bits and bobs inherited from Mr. B's parents.

We are currently having work done in the house, repairs mainly (the joys of an older property!) and then it will be on to decorating the kitchen and our bedroom so it may be a while before I can get in a good crafting session!

And then, of course, there is the lure of the garden in summer! Inspired by Bobbie Lynn who writes one of my favourite blogs, I had to buy these two roses
 
Rosa Mundi, an old cottage garden rose
and

Peter Pan, a patio rose.

I'm not sure where I am going to put them in my rather full garden!
Do you have a favourite plant?

Friday Smiles

This week, for the first time, I am linking with Annie for Friday Smiles.

This is what has made me happiest

my beautiful, scented rambling rose,

that despite being blown down in recent high winds is flowering prolifically. It does make getting to the end of the garden a challenge but really, could you cut this back?!

Yes, there is a path in there somewhere!

And, a treat for today...

Raspberry Ripple Cupcake.

 Eaten with one of my new vintage cake forks.

Delicious.

What has made you smile this week?

Have a fab weekend.

The Unwanted Shelf (aaahhh!)

I bought this shelf unit with the intention of using it in the bathroom.

Mr B had other ideas and decided it was unsuitable for use in there as it would rust (he's probably right but don't tell him I said so!). I couldn't find anywhere else for it in the house and Youngest Boy was offered it and declined.

 So after a bit of thought I decided the garden was the place for it. 

Finding small plants suitable for a mostly shady spot was a bit of a challenge, and I did sneak in a pelargonium. However, I think it's worked well...

All I need now are some flowers on the plants!

Here are a couple of pics of my garden, it's looking a little worse for wear in some places but I am pleased that some of my plants that were sprayed with creosote are still alive, fingers crossed...

Thankyou to everyone who gave me advice on the wallpaper dilemma in the previous post. To those who left comments, told me their opinion verbally and to the two people (Marion and Victoria) who left comments that I inadvertantly deleted (sorry!), I appreciate you taking the time to tell me what you think. And the winner is....

Thanks, as always for visiting.

What did you get up to this weekend?

xXx



The sun is out, the sky is blue

...and fortunately it's not raining in my heart.

And this is why...

At last!

I'm planning to spend some time

here

a quiet, shady spot

and here

the sunny spot.

Yesterday the 'boys' had a trip to Amberley Museum near Arundel to go and look at classic cars and 'things'!

Mrs B (that's me, you know!!) stayed at home and pottered in the garden and read her book, which was lovely.

We may well go to the museum next weekend as there will be filming by the BBC for 'The Handmade Revolution'. The Bramble family will be staying well away from any cameras as we are a shy bunch, but it seems like fun. Entrance is free if you take along something you have made, Mr B is threatening to take his coracle and if that is the case he will be going alone!

Details are here if you are interested.

I've been waiting in for a parcel that has just arrived,

new (half price) shoes...

I have a thing about brightly coloured shoes!

Off to the garden now...

I hope you have got sunshine and blue skies where you are.

Thanks for visiting

xXx

NORMAL SERVICE RESUMED (probably)!

I'd like to say a big SORRY for being a bad bloggy friend/follower.

Last week, which should have been a lovely week, with time off work and gorgeous weather, turned out to be really grotty and I was a bit of a misery guts...

Firstly, I had a throat infection. Then I had some money stolen from me. I came home one day to find the landlords of the property next door had cut back the ivy on their garage that adjoins our garden. They were perfectly within their rights, but if only they'd asked I could have cut it back without causing soooo much damage to my plants.

The worst was still to come though. They creosoted OUR fence (their side) with a sprayer! The fence is completely on our property and doesn't even touch the boundary. This caused a lot of damage to our plants and I think we will lose them all - many mature and some slow growing, plants.

As it is the old oil based creosote it has also contaminated the soil.

To say I was devastated is an understatement!!

We've contacted the landlord and had no respsonse...

After days of gloom and worry (I have two dogs) I now realise that at least it's only plants (and paving), and much as I love them it could have been people or pets that I lost.

So, sorry for being a poor blogger and swap partner and for a miserable post today. I shall return with more cheerful posts very soon.

I am enjoying catching up with your blogs today.

Thanks for visiting

(and 'listening' to my woes.)

xXx

This 'n' That

Beautiful weather, time off work and... a throat infection! Determined to make the best of it though - who knows when we'll get the next lot of nice weather!

You may remember back in April when I came across this idea in a magazine and started collecting plates...

Well, here is my version.

Most of these plates cost 50p or less, only one cost over a pound.

Love the effect!

I must show you this fabulous tea towel given to me recently by Seaside Girl (who else?!), far too lovely to dry dishes with!

And finally, a picture of my gorgeous dogs enjoying the sunshine

Thanks for visiting. Here's hoping you too have sunshine!

xXx

Fancy a walk around the garden?

The sun is shining at last, the sky is blue, it's a little bit chilly and still windy. However, I have managed to spend a bit of time working in the garden this weekend. Would you care to look around?

This is the view you get walking out of the back door.

Turn right...

we are going in a clockwise direction!

This weekend I (with Mr. B's help) have re potted the mature jasmine and winter flowering clematis into this half barrel, the previous one fell apart!

Round the corner to the shed door...

bit messy, could be worse!

I forgot to take a photo of the border to the right of the door it seems!

Shall we go through here instead?

It leads to...

the second seating area, such a grand title for such a tiny space!

Mr Bramble REALLY dislikes this mirror and was rather cross when I attatched it to his shed (yes, we have his and hers sheds!).

The storage/dumping area.

We are still going in a clockwise direction and are now leaving the second seating area (!!)

The rose (Albertine) covered this fence last year. I had to cut it back though as it was so heavy it was pulling the fence down.

A quick look back...

Can you see the bunting on the washing line? I had this idea today!

And heading back inside...

A small but much loved garden!

I hope you all had some sunshine this weekend.

xXx

Magical Mystery Tour

My friend Mrs Snippet has been teasing myself and another friend for a few weeks now with the knowledge she had of a place we'd love and that she would take us to. Being the big tease she is she refused to give us any information or hints (despite me trying very hard!)

Today was the big day, and what a great day it was.

This is where we ended up...

Nothing that special from the outside apart from the gorgeous sign, definitely does not give much of an idea of the delights to come when you step through the door

Below is where we had our first break for tea and coffee, served in vintage tea pots with cups and saucers. Later on we had lunch, and finally cake and artisan bread to take away. The food is highly recommended as are the lovely ladies who run the tea room!

Could you have resisted, I ask?!

I brought home 2 very generous slices of the St. Clements cake to share with Mr Bramble, and probably the youngest boy too if I really have to!

I had a lovely day with Mrs Snippet and Seaside Girl (currently blogless but hopefully soon to be rectified, she's a great bargain hunter and keen photographer so the blog will be 'a sight for sore eyes' - love that expression!)

Here are some of the bits I bought, of course 'if money were no object' and payday wasn't a week away.....

(Mr Bramble and Youngest Boy both think this is uglier than the wall.)

I'll probably put this on the ugly bit of wall at the end of the garden next to my second seating area (I love calling it that, if you saw the size of my garden you'd understand why!!)

I also bought a printers tray but left it there. I was getting far too excitable talking to the lovely Miss Mabel...

(Click on the image to take you to the Facebook page)

If you can get there then do, it's well worth a visit.

A really lovely day, worth the suspense. Thanks to Mrs Snippet for the lovely experience - you spoil us Mrs S, and Seaside Girl for making it such a jolly, happy day.

Thanks for visiting

xXx