What a week!

It's been quite a week so far in the Bramble Household!

Eldest Boy was assaulted, and although the attacker has been caught it has still left EB with stitches, a fractured jaw and the prospect of almost certainly losing three of his top front teeth (at 18!). It's been a traumatic experience for us all but at least he is 'walking wounded' and when I think of what could have happened I feel grateful for that.
 

 My lovely work colleague, Lucy is off to pastures new. Things are changing in libraries and self-service is being put in place meaning less staff are needed, so Lucy is off to the 'Big Library'.  Today we had lunch to say our goodbyes, I'll certainly miss her.

Yesterday I received the first of my Amazon Christmas book pre-orders (does that make sense? I can't decide!), Mollie Makes Christmas. I have to confess to being a little disappointed, I love the layout and pictures but the projects just didn't really inspire me on the whole. Have you seen it - what do you think?
I have lots to share with you so I'll be back soon, when I am in a more positive frame of mind!

Thanks for visiting.

I hope you are having a good week.

xXx

 

 

A little bit random...

Hello All,

Just an update as to why I've not been blogging much recently. Organising the Craft Fair is taking up a lot of my time at the moment, I've been doing a lot of designing (and that has been a steep learning curve!). It's fun but at this rate I'm going to have nothing to sell!!

Tomorrow myself and a couple of friends are having a  Meet and Eat (thank you Ian for that title!) get together to try and encourage us to get making! I'm also planning a photo shoot (with Youngest Boys point and shoot camera - not as grand as it sounds!) for our My Favourite Things blog and Facebook page.

Here are a couple of my designs to prove that I have been working!

I am very excited to be signed up for Hookin' with Laa Laa's

advent swap and sad that it will be the last swap she organises. My swap partner is Emma, I've already started collecting - I love Christmas!!.

I joined in with the Jubilee swap previously which was great fun and I met the lovely Aija. I've not received anything from my All Things British swap partner but as it was some time ago that I sent mine, and I know she received it, I'll show you a piccie of what I sent.

A memo pad, some Montezuma's chocolate (not only British but also local to us), some UJ coasters, a British Seaside mug, a gorgeous notebook (that I really wanted to keep!), some British sweets and paper craft bits, badge and a brooch made from a British and Vintage blanket and mother of pearl buttons all went to my swap partner. I did enjoy putting the swap parcel together!

Anyway, I'm now off to create a booking form for the craft fair!

I hope you've not had too wet a weekend if you're in the UK.

Thanks for visiting

xXx

 

Feeling a Little Green...

A little while ago I bought some Annie Sloan paint, I'd been reading about how great it is and how, what really sold it to me, it needs no preparation!

I have to admit my first attempt was a disaster - I decided to paint outside on a fine but breezy day. I really wondered what all the fuss was about.

Today I decided to give it another go, this time painting inside. It made a huge difference and I had to force myself to stop before I'd painted everything in sight! It's so easy to use!

My favourite colour is green and I chose Antibes from the AS range.

I love this colour! I painted the frames and box with it and used a dark wax on top of the paint, the drawers are painted in the same colour but with clear wax on top. I think I prefer the dark wax on this colour.

clear wax 

dark wax

A mirror, thimble shelves and another frame were also painted before I could bring myself to stop but they've not been finished yet so I'll show those some other time.

 

 I also bought Paris Grey and Old White coloured paint so I need to try those soon...

My paint came from Bon Ami in Lewes, they are going to be running courses soon on how to use the AS paint. Although Lewes is 20 miles from us I'll go back there to get my next lot of paint (I'm thinking about Emperor's Silk next) as they are so friendly and helpful.

So, much as I still love my old favourite Farrow and Ball colours I have to say I'm a convert to Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

Do you have a favourite range?

 

Thanks for visiting.

Have a great weekend.

xXx

 

 

A New and Exciting Venture

It would be silly wouldn't it, for the first craft fair I sell at to also be the first (and possibly last) craft fair I organise? Why am I doing just that then?! Only one word for it really M*A*D, but exciting too.

Luckily for me, my partner in crime has sold at CFs before so has some knowledge, and I'm sure we'll make up in enthusiasm what we may lack in expertise!

The hall is booked, the flyer designed after many, many hours trying to get the sizing right (I'm no computer expert!). We even have a blog! With a beautiful, magical introduction to the C******s fair written by the talented Mrs Snippet - thank you Mrs S! Please blog soon - we miss you!!

Today was spent trying to come up with ideas for things to sell, here are a few things I've made so far...

 

I'm not great at making things more than once, I itch to try something new, so I need to be organised and disciplined!

I know some of you sell at CFs so any advice will be gratefully received.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend and have a great week.

Thanks for visiting

xXx

 

 

Eye, eye...

Well, the boys have gone up to London for the day and I have the house to myself for the first time in what seems like a long time, I'm hoping they are not getting too wet as it's raining, pouring here on the South Coast.

I thought I'd take the opportunity to have another go at some sewing after my failed attempt on Sunday.

This is what I made,

a glasses case

front

back

lining

 

Unfortunately, I forgot it had wadding in (I know...!) so I ironed it and flattened it, because of that it also ended up a little misshapen.

I stamped the image onto the fabric (pale grey linen/cotton mix), made sure it was waterproof and then finished with a mother of pearl button on the front and a vintage button on the back. It's lined with a limited edition Liberty print that I got from the V and A a couple of years ago.

In November I will be selling at my first craft fair, glasses cases were one of the things I thought I'd make. I won't be selling this one though - too wonky and too flat!

Apart from that I'm happy to be able to combine some of my crafty loves - sewing, stamping, mother of pearl and vintage buttons.

 

Thanks for visiting

xXx

 

 



Delizioso

As a birthday gift my work colleague, Lucy made this biscotti for me.



I only recently tried biscotti for the first time and I have to say I think it's delicious, very moreish. The idea is to dunk it but I like it dry (it is a little hard on the teeth!). Lucy also introduced me to crema di limoncello. My custard glasses are just the right size for this drink as you only need (although not necessarily want!) a small amount.

I'd like to have a go at making both someday soon.

Have any of you lovely people tried making either, I'd welcome any advice if so.

 

Thanks for visiting.

xXx

 

 

Today...

for the first time in many weeks, I had the urge to do some sewing. My sewing supplies cupboard was in a frightful state, though so a pre sewing tidy was required.

It took me so long to tidy and fit it all back in that I lost my motivation for sewing!

I do have a lovely tidy cupboard though...

Hopefully, it won't be too long before the urge strikes again, although not doing any sewing is the way to keep the cupboard tidy, I suppose!!

Does this ever happen to you?

I hope you've all had a lovely weekend.

Thanks for visiting

xXx

 

 

And the moral is...

Don't try to be a clever clogs and try to get ahead!

You may have noticed a Christmas post appearing if you are one of my followers - as my plan is to blog  every day of December until the 25th (that's 24 posts in 24 days you know!!!)  I thought I'd start in plenty of time. Of course, it backfired and I published by mistake and tried to get rid of it by deleting, only to find that it's still in the blogger listing but I've now lost the original post!!!!

Aaaagh.....!

I think I'll just go back to my usual last minute ways.

Apologies for mentioning the C word in August and to make up for it here is a summery picture!!

Thanks for visiting.

Will you come back if I promise not to show anymore Christmas posts until at least November? Oh please, go on....

 

xXx

 



Will you be watching?

Whilst browsing on Amazon (again!) I found this

As someone who enjoyed 'Tales from the Green Valley' and loved 'Victorian Farm' I will be, for sure. I wasn't as captivated by 'Edwardian Farm', I thought I would enjoy it most of all as I love the Edwardian style but I think it was too similar to 'Victorian Farm', and too soon.

I'm pretty certain I'm going to love this, since reading 'Carrie's War'

as a child I've had a fascination with WWII social history.

Thursday 6th September at 8pm I shall be sat in front of the TV in anticipation of a great hour of entertainment!

 

This reminded me of a DVD I watched a couple of years ago and really enjoyed.

'The Coal House at War' was set in Wales, several families lived as they would have done during the war years. Very entertaining - I'd like to watch it again, I think!
 

 

Will you be watching on the 6th Sept?

 

Thanks for visiting my blog.

xXx

 

 



So many candles, so little cake...

Yes, I've had a birthday!

It's not entirely true about the cake - I did have rather a lot of cake.

Youngest boy made me my cake of choice, this was a lemon buttercream sponge. Mr B and the boys gave me a birthday tea party at home. (Mother-in-law is visiting and not very steady on her feet so my birthday day out will be next week).
The boys did well and here is a picture of the table...

 

and styling by Youngest Boy...

 

There were clear themes to my presents...

 

Vintage

Gorgeous childs wooden shoe lasts given to me by Mr B (guided by moi!).

A beautiful tin that I love, love, love (and keep gazing at and opening!) and even better, it included lots of other bits including a drop from a vintage chandelier (thank you Mrs Snippet), a custard cup (I collect) found for me by Youngest Boy and two tiny scent bottles from Eldest Boy.

 

Books

For me a birthday or Christmas is not complete without new books, they are a big part of my day! Is that really sad?! In defence of the present giver who gave me the Hairy Dieters cookbook, I have to say it was at my suggestion, they were not rude enough to suggest I needed to lose a few pounds (OK, stones!), and I surely do!! Also, note the beautiful brooch handmade for me by Seaside Girl and the only perfume I ever wear.

 

Buttons and craft bits and bobs 

 

Button soap! Whether I'll be able to use this is debatable (too lovely) but it will look super displayed in a jar in the bathroom, a perfect find for me by Karen and her family. I love buttons so this and the three lots of buttons I received were a big hit. Lucky me, I received lots of crafty bits which I shall thoroughly enjoy using. I even got some Christmas papers, buttons and ribbons - you know me so well Debbie!!

 

Birds

 

Another love of mine is anything bird themed and I did well here with beautiful magnets, I am very fussy about what I put on my fridge (!) but these are perfect and I will enjoy looking at them everyday. I was also lucky enough to receive a bird garden ornament and book with a gorgeous bird design on (I am rather addicted to notebooks!).

Cath

A red spotty umbrella - red AND spots - perfect, keyring, brooch, vouchers, pin tin and hankie are all mine, mine,
mine.

 

Thank you to everyone who made my birthday week so special. I am so fortunate to know such lovely people who 'get' me and chose such perfect gifts.
 

 Thanks for visiting.
Have a lovely BH weekend if you are in the UK, and a lovely non BH weekend if you're not!
xXx