Getting plastered...................

Getting plastered here.......   No, I'm not hitting the mulled wine (yet) - the plasterers are here, starting to plaster the extension. Oh, yes, the end is (sort of) nigh.... Having to wait in just now, as IKEA are supposed to be delivering the kitchen. I really want to get out there and take photos - snow here!   We had a light sprinkling yesterday -

Snowy patterns -

But, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do - so I braved the elements and hit the charity shops! Bargains don't find themselves!  Some good finds -

Love this ceramic lemon squeezer :) -

and this cup is huge! -

Some candlesticks -

and a plain jug -

So worth getting wet feet!!

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And this fellow and his friends - 

are getting so bored (he looks bored, doesn't he?!) waiting for grand-daughter - 

(mind you if I was in somewhere warm and cosy, I wouldn't want to come out into this cold world!). Daughter to be induced on Thursday.....

Have a good week; keep safe in the snow!

Red sky at night, shepherds delight................

Lovely red sky tonight, as I walked back from town -

( A flurry of snow here, but no deep drifts..........)

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To cheer myself up, living with the building work that's going on (no kitchen currently...), I bought a couple of things (retail therapy - always works for me - I'm easily pleased!).  A new duvet cover - pretty embroidered paisley pattern on it - 

and some mugs from Morrisons - 

and - er - two tea-cosies.....I know, I know......two! - couldn't make my mind up - 

(I actually really liked the cardboard teapot shape they came with!)

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re the building work - still lots to do inside, but the outside is nearly done (think New England) - 

View out of the extension / down the garden / across the meadows (taken a few months ago) -

Current view of the garden! - 

And STILL no grand-daughter!

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Sunday morning now : Tried to post this yesterday, but Mr Blog seemed to be on strike - going to try again now. Up at this ridiculous hour on a Sunday morning, as I'm doing a stall at the Hereford Castle Green Christmas Fair, which is OUTSIDE!!! - in a marquee, admittedly (oh, that'll be good then, a thin flap of fabric between me and Siberia!). Should be jolly in fact - lots of good stalls / music / food......come along if you're anywhere near (10-4).

Christmas Carols..........and help the homeless

Do you usually buy The Big Issue?   I don't always buy it, if I'm honest - but I bought this week's.  Apart from helping the vendor (a mother of two from Eastern Europe in our area), this issue is a good read.  Interesting article on Annie Lennox, who's always had a well developed social conscience.

She's just released a new album - 'A Christmas Cornucopia'.   "One of the most iconic women in music, Annie Lennox turns her hand to 11 traditional festive songs. A Christmas Cornucopia sees Lennox reinterpret songs like "The Holly and the Ivy", "Silent Night" and "The First Noel", alongside a brand new Lennox composition: "Universal Child". The music on the album was mostly played by Lennox, in collaboration with co producer Mike Stevens, and recorded in his southwest London studio. The pair also worked with a 30-piece orchestra at Pinewood Studios and travelled to South Africa to record with the African Children’s Choir, a remarkable organization with which impassioned campaigner and activist Lennox has long had a relationship."

You can hear some of the tracks on Amazon - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0043A0PXU?ie=UTF8&tag=island2-  All proceeds from the single 'Universal Child' will be donated to the Annie Lennox Foundation, raising money for projects supporting and educating women and children in Africa with HIV / Aids.

Interview with Coldplay's Chris Martin too, re their support of Crisis -

Worth getting then, for all sorts of reasons..........

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Slightly envious of people who've got thick snow - only slightly.....  I love snow and the magical effect it has on the landscape, but...I don't like being stuck in because it's difficult to travel, don't like getting too cold and wet, etc..... 

Lovely misty morning view from the bedroom window today - 

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Got some little violas today. They're pretty, aren't they?

And still no grand-daughter!  Daughter getting quite fed up!    Any tips?

You feel so daft, don't you?..........

Had a pretty rubbish day yesterday.  I had a stall at Ludlow market and it was bitterly cold - as I was setting up, I somehow managed to fall over on to my left knee. It was really painful, but also very embarrassing!  People were very kind, but I felt so daft! I managed to get some arnica later, and I've been slathering that on - I had a lump on my knee the size of a goose egg!!   The day carried on being a bit rubbish as days go - not many folks buying / really cold, etc.   Ho hum.......

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On a cheerier note, I've been making some childrens bags recently -

A while ago, I made this one for one of my daughters -

This was from a tutorial online - I keep trying to post a link, but it won't seem to work. It's a 'basic messenger bag' from mmm crafts- 2009 / 06

And this one is for a friend - (made from a 'thrifted' duvet cover!)

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Just been on a quick charity shop trawl.  Got some lovely cups -

 

and a pretty jug -

A lovely old butter dish - 

and a pretty jug and plate - 

and some cherubs (I love cherubs!!) -

Thanks for popping by - have a good week!

(No grand-daughter yet!)

Busy, busy..............and waiting.....

Busy the last couple of days putting old clay flower pots, oasis flower foam (oooh, I hate the squeaky sensation when you cut it....), candles and thrifted, artificial - sorry! - foliage together -

I made them to sell on my stall, but then woke up early the other morning and started panicking about someone's house burning down (over Christmas, small children, etc..... do you have those sort of half-awake nightmares? or is it just me!) and it being my fault ('the fire started with a Christmas candle decoration which consisted of highly flammable artificial materials.....police are seeking a stall-holder in the Ludlow area....).  So I've put some tags on saying 'decoration only' - duh, that'll help.

(please ignore un-hoovered carpet)

Got a plain wreath too - and jazzed it up -

I found these pretty dangly decorations in a charity shop too - 

They're about 6 inches long - I've got a glam friend who'd wear them as ear-rings!

Got round to painting a plain shelf I got last week too - 

(in our hall, or on the stall.....not sure yet!)

And made some stuffed birds from IKEA fabric (£1.99 a metre!!!!!!) - 

I've also been admiring my two (TWO) new kettles - I don't know how this happened (;0 ) , but we needed a new kettle for the (as yet half-built) new kitchen. This lovely (well, I love it) one was 25% off in Debenhams sale online -

 

and this one was reduced in TK Maxx (rude not to buy, I thought....) -

(Of course, one's electric and one's for a gas cooker........does that justify the purchases?   No, thought not!)

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Found this lovely notice-board today too - amongst the chaos that is our cellar! Bought it ages ago from a shop that was closing down. The pins are like little birds' eggs - very cute!

 

And the dolls and teddies are waiting for new grand-daughter (due a week today!) -

Have a good day :)