Lovely Leigh

Thank you Miss sew and sew for my award. I won't pass it on again as i did so last week, but here's an extra 7 things that i love:

Pasta, with pesto, mushrooms and halloumi.

Eating lemons.

Finding bargains.

Dancing with my husband and the boys.

Candles that smell of vanilla or shortbread/cookies(not the fake cheap ones though).

When Winter turns to Spring and when Summer turns to Autumn.

Walking around Cambridge with my husband.

So, to today. I went shopping in Leigh on sea with my mum and my youngest. I love it in Leigh, the shops are fabulous. Here is what i bought:

My husband said i could treat myself because i drove on the motorway at the weekend to his parents house which i have never done before as it scares the life out of me!! I was terrified, i even cried as i was driving, how silly is that!?! But i did it so i'm pleased. I made myself drive back too and it was fine.

The Flower fairy books were my greatest find, i saw them in a window of a charity shop. In the front there was a note that said 'To Rhoda, love from Aunty Vera 25.03.66'
They were £2 each.

The bee is to add to out easter tree, and the flower was something that my youngest spotted and liked.

I love fairies, but i very rarely find ones with nice faces. This one is lovely. I got one for me and one for my mum.

I'm going to put the believe sigh above my bedside table to remind me everyday, that life is good and to believe in myself and my dreams.

Another notebook!!!

This lovely little dollface purse which i am going to keep in my bag for makeup and bits. I saw it a couple of months ago but thought it was a little pricy. As i was rewarding myself i just grabbed it quick and bought it. I'm glad i did, i love it.

xx

And the winner is........

Here are the namesHere is the bag holding the names
Good luck ladies. The eldest boy pulled out...........................................................






(Just to stop confusion, i'm afraid my wedding bag isn't the prize)


Well done http://bettyandviolet.blogspot.com/.

xx

Food, glorious food!!

I have loads of cookbooks. These are the ones in the kitchen, then i have folders of recipes and more books on the bookshelves on the landing. I have so many you would think i'd be cooking all the time.....but i don't. I have the dream of being in the kitchen making wonderful cakes and biscuits, but it rarely happens. I think it will happen more when my youngest starts school.....we'll see.
I do love to look through them though, my mouth watering and planning that i will someday make my way through the delicious recipes.

Let me share with you my favourite cookbooks:

This lovely book is from Urban Outfitters and is my most recent buy. I love it because it looks so traditional.....


......and has some lovely yummy biscuits to make.

I've had this book about as long as i've been veggie. It has some really simple recipes in it, written by children and adults. I have lots of books that aren't veggie, as i just adapt them. I don't eat eggs either but i use an egg replacer from health food shops which is great.

These books are brilliant. Our favourite restaurant ever is Demuths in Bath. It is a veggie restaurant and i'd recommend you go there even if your not veggie. My husband eats meat, but this is his favourite restaurant. It is quite small, and make sure you eat upstairs. It has lovely chidrens food, but i think it's better for just adults than children as it's quiet and intimate. We bought these two books on our first visit, they are great. I love butternut squash and hallumi salad and the wonderful chocolate fudge cake.

This book is great, and my most used. I love it because you can read it from cover to cover.

My best friend is a pampered chef representative. I have lots of the bits. It is quite pricy but the stoneware is brilliant and will last forever. Some of the recipes are really lovely. I let my friend tell me all the recipes she really likes and then have a go myself. Or more often than not eat the ones shes made!!

Have you got ant recipe books you can recommend to add to my collection?? I love books with lots of pictures and if they can be read like a book, thats an added bonus!

P.s Thank you so much for your lovely messages to me and my Grandad. I'm off to see him later.

Have a good weekend ladies!

xx

Fashion show, buys and memories

Last night i went to our House of colour fashion show at the lady who did my colours home. She has a fabulous big house and a huge barn where she holds free events for her clients. We were greeted by men in tux's with trays of champagne. We watched the show and then had a chance to buy bits. Here is what i got: All bargains i might add. The necklaces were £5 each and the bag and scarves £10 each. I had seen this bag in a shop for£35 so i am a happy girl.
If you haven't had your colours done yet then why not?? i really recommend it. If you live in Essex or Hertfordshire go and see Mandy, she is so lovely and how wonderful to go to events, pretty much monthly, at her barn.

The daffs i got from church on mothers day are still doing well.

There is a lovely shop in Rayleigh called Daisy Lanes. I bought these hearts for £1 each. I want to hang them in the hall once i have got new white doors to replace the horrible ones below.

I also got these lovely magnetic butterflies. I've actually stuck them on with bluetac as i wanted them to brighten up the playroom/conservatory wall.

Lovey pictures:

My Nan

My Nan centre

Various - My Nan, Grandad, Great Nans and my mum bottom right as a girl.

My Nan and Grandad on their wedding day.

My Great Nans.

Me!!!!

My dear Grandads condition has worsened. We are going to see him tomorrow. I think i am taking this the hardest as i have realised that he is my last grandparent alive.

My mind has gone blank, not sure what else to say............

xx

Joules, notes and P.S

The Summer Joules Catalogue has arrived - much the same as spring but with a few extras:

I love everything on this page!!

And i know it's ment for kids, but how cute are these bags!?!
Here is my wish list: Jamboree pumps in navy/ coolbag in fierenze/ sunseeker hat in white and fierenze/ Missmollybrolly umbrella in firenze and the clutterbag/ dizzy scarf in sorrel and the cute jnr dip dap bag above in yellow and blue. I hope the hubby reads this!!!!

I have decided to take out one of my many notebooks and start a bloggy ideas book - i love writing down ideas that i find from magazines and books. This one is going to be filled with places i like and want to visit, things i want to make/buy and inspirational quotes etc all from YOU lovely bloggers.


P.s don't forget to enter my giveaway on the previous post!!!!!!

xx

bit, bobs and a giveaway

I thought i'd show some pics i've taken this last week: Firstly the yummiest thing to put on toast!! Destruction: How do kids manage it in the space of just 5 mins????

All whilst i did some washing up, finally thinking the house was in some sort of order!!

The littlest decided to 'hoover' the washing machine!

My eldest made the boys christening invites. The last year has been so difficult for me that my views on god and the church has changed. I now feel i need to get my boys christened.

The Timberlands don't fit anymore!! I can't get rid of them, they are too cute, so i'm going to sit them here in the playroom.

How cute!.........waiting for Daddy.

A summery purchase.

Another set of bedware. How could i not get it?!?!

A lovely new necklace.

The littlest is a bif Fifi fan. I love this house, it is so pretty!! Whilst he is young and likes girly things i'm going to revel in it.

This was such a lovely find from my local garden centre, filled with 24 beautiful cards all for £3.99!!

And now for my giveaway!!!

I reached 40 followers today so i have decided to have my first giveaway.

I won't say what it will be, but it will have a spring theme.

If you want to enter just leave me a message on this post and i will pop your name in my lovely wedding bag. If you link to me on your blog i will pop you in twice! (make sure you let me know if you do this).

On Saturday i will get the boys to choose a winner.

Good luck!!

xx

Update!!!!!!

I'll be choosing a winner on Monday morning now.

xx

Mothers day and Swaps!!!

I had such a lovely Mothers Day yesterday. I had my mum over for breakfast.

I got some lovely cards from the boys
And i got the Emma Bridgewater mug i asked for!!
The red envelope has vouchers for painting pottery.

I got lots of lovely daffs.

After breakfast we went to church parade (my eldest is a Beaver Scout) Me and my mum got given more flowers. We then called into Costa for a quick drink and cake. In the afternoon we met up with my In laws for dinner at Grahams on the green in Writtle.

SWAPS

I like this swapping buisness!! This was my first swap. So when i got my parcel from Rachel, i ripped open the paper like a child at christmas!! Thank you Rachel. x

The pieces are so well made. I really need to start making more things!! The purple heart is a brooch - isn't it lovely, just my colour!! I am going to alternate wearing it on a coat/cardi, putting it on bags and maybe even pining it to a cushion.

Funnily enough we both got/gave love hearts and the same chocolate hearts!!

He is my parcel to her. I loved doing this:

The finished products ready to go and below is the first heart/thing i have made on a sewing machine since i was a teen making a baby playmat for a college project. I am quite proud of it, although i did make a mistake of not leaving a gap until i reached the top. I found it really tricky to hand sew it up on the heart curve. Oh well, practise makes perfect as they say!!

xx