Oh no!

I've inadvertently deleted my cushion cover post. Yip, yip. So here it is again.

Remember this post? Yip, yip. Well here's the first re-incarnation of the costume sewn on my little Singer machine.

 

Here's the envelope back.

And here's the front.

Repeat after me - never, ever do patchwork with fleece. Bits go everywhere. Yip, yip.

xx

To my playtime bloggy buddies

to everyone who took part in the Spring Fest. You are all bloggy billiant.

xx

Spring Fest in Blogland

Welcome to Mum's Spring Fest

Take a seat,

Back garden bench and table - bit of a cheat here
as it's a summer picture

sit back and read about our celebration of Spring in all its glory. May we offer you some refreshments before we start? How about this ice-cream chocolate sundae that my DS tackled this week? (If you eat this, you can't have any cake later! Decisions, decisions.)

Look around and be entertained with sights, sounds and signs of Spring.

The latest piece of artwork in our park is a statue of Charlie Cairoli who clowned around at Blackpool Tower Circus for over 40 years. His nose is gold here but I think that it should be red.

Visit Spring fairs and enjoy the open air with others. Look there's the bric-a-brac stall. Are there any good bargains to be had?

The definition of bric-a-brac from Wikipedia is this:

Bric-à-brac or Bric-a-brac (origin French),^[1] first used in the Victorian era,^[2] refers to lesser objets d'art forming collections of curiosity, such as elaborately decorated teacups and small vases, compositions of feathers or wax flowers under glass domes, decorated eggshells, porcelain figurines, painted miniatures or photographs in stand-up frames, and so on.

In middle-class homes bric-à-brac was used as ornament on mantelpieces, cluttered tables, and shelves, or was displayed in curio cabinets: sometimes these cabinets have glass doors to display the items within while protecting them from dust. "Bric-à-brac" nowadays refers to a selection of items of modest value, often sold in street markets.

Now what have we here? Perhaps some of my bric-a-brac should be on the stall.

On my dresser are some 'curiosities' - a box containing a gyroscope, a box containing glass 'medical' equipment, a glass blowing torch and an old telephone. There are old mincers, a coffee grinder and green bean slicer, a large mortar and pestle, an old jelly mould and decorated teacups and small vases (not that elaborate though). Can you spot the 70s soda syphon, the thirties vase, the old map and the old plates and bottles? Each item has a story to tell. I'm afraid they are not under glass and so are not protected from dust - oh dear, don't look too closely at the 'cluttered shelves'!

Here's another bit of clutter on the window sill - 30s again and a little bit of early Ditchfield.

The toy stall looks interesting. There are plenty of games that can now be played outside now that the weather is becoming warmer. What's there?

It's my collection of skipping ropes - a cheapy, an industrial and a vintage. I really must get into skipping 100 skips a day. (I'm already doing the 30 Day Challenge that I read about on Jane and Chris's blog.)

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I've just had a try. It's not a good idea to skip without a bra on. I'm a bit battered now!

The cake stall will nearly have sold out by now. Here's my cake for the stall.

Madeira Cake (from my recipe book)

Can you read it? I'll make it clearer for you.

175g (6oz) margarine
175g (6oz) castor sugar
225g (8oz) SR flour
1 teasp baking powder
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
3 eggs

1. Put in a mixer and process for about 40 seconds.
2. Turn into a greased and lined 18cm (7 inch c) cake tin.
3. Smooth top with the back of a hot wet spoon.
4. Bake at 160 degrees C or 325 degrees F for 1 to 11/4 hours.

Note the spring primulas in the background.

So many plants and flowers to see in Spring. What's your favourite?

Cowslips are one of my favourite flowers.

This picture of tulips and primulas was taken in my local park and below is blossom on the trees.

Decorations play a part in celebrating seasons. Pretty pastels reflect the colours of spring flowers and blossom.

Let's hang up the bunting for our celebration. This is not just a spring craft. Bunting can be hung at any time of year for many celebrations. This bunting was made out of old sheets and pillowcases.



What do you celebrate in the spring season? For us it's DH's birthday and the birthdays of several friends.

spring stories

I remember singing this song (OK it's not a story!) in infant Sunday School. It's from my Carey Bonner book.

Little brown seed, oh! little brown brother, Are you awake in the dark? Here we lie cozily, close to each other: Hark to the song of the lark— "Waken!" the lark says, "waken and dress you, Put on your green coats and gay, Blue sky will shine on you, sunshine caress you— Waken! 'tis morning—'tis May!" Little brown brother, oh! little brown brother, What kind of flower will you be? I'll be a poppy—all white, like my mother; Do be a poppy like me. What! you're a sunflower? How I shall miss you When you're grown golden and high! But I shall send all the bees up to kiss you; Little brown brother, good-by! —EDITH NESBIT.

Ahh!

The celebration continues on these blogs. If their Spring Fest post is not up yet please call again later. I hope I've listed everybody. If I've missed you off my list please say and I will link up with you.

Jane and Chris - Now only have one but come back again for more. Cheers!

Justjill - Jill is springing into action with a cultural take on this season

Dreamer - Stay here awhile and enjoy the views

Carol - Do have a cup of tea in the garden when you visit.

Cathy - Let's say it with flowers. This is a lovely, lovely post.

Lesley - Please enjoy the tour here

Sara - Feast your eyes on views, action, treats and thoughts of spring

Joy - double celebration here today. Go visit and wish her Happy Birthday!

Pam - Be prepared for an 'explosion'. Wow!

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If you wish to join in please click on the Sprig Fest label for more info.

See you tomorrow.

xx

Very deep

Vicky wanted to know what I thought of this book as it is one of her favourites by one of her favourite authors.

It took me a while to 'get into' this book, in fact it was nearer to the end than the beginning as I found it difficult to identify with, and really believe in, the characters. The writing was excellent and informative with deep analysis of different human emotions and situations. 

At the end of the story was an extract from her very first novel which I started to read and which I 'got into' straight away. So, Vicky, I'm afraid it was only 3/5 for this story but I'm sure it will be more for her first one.

xx

Link me up

Op Shop Mama loves collections and has been asking bloggers to post about their own collections and to link up to her blog via a 'Linky' so here's my 'two penn'orth'.

Baskets! I think I've more than my fair share of these and I use all of them, mainly for storage. Here's one which holds my wool for my lapghan.

These ones hold card making and sewing supplies, tapestry kits and books.

The picnic hamper holds 'crochet experiments' and the shopper holds my wool for my granny bedspread (and a DD throwout that makes a noise when you wave him around!).

This shopper (a different one, which needs dusting) holds photographs that need sorting into albums.

DS and me (aged 9)

 Here's another shopper (what more?) holding fabric pieces. Must quilt more, must quilt more.

The hen basket holds 'things that might come in useful for a Christmas or birthday present'. OPM - you'd like those ducks - all yellow and plastic!

A change of shape here but still a basket, holding more fabric scraps.

 Oh dear - these are on top of the shelves. I can't see what I've put in them - I'm sure whatever it is will come in handy sometime.

 Still more.

 And more!

 And here's a basket within a basket holding sewing supplies.

And last but probably not least the one's I've 'hidden' in the sun room.

Hope you enjoyed viewing my collection. If you want to see more (not baskets) click on the Collections label.

xx

Sorted!

May Day

Right, I've donned the head-dress of blossom and now I've just got to nip out and wash my face in the dew and that's the beauty routine sorted for another year!

I might even gather a few 'nuts' while I'm at it.

xx