Thursday 28 February 2013

FEBRUARY SCAVENGER HUNT

Oh what a short month February has been, at the end already, not a bit like January which dragged on and on...
Woke up in daylight this morning and actually felt a tiny bit of warmth from the sun as I walked through town at lunch time.


I am taking part in a photo scavenger hunt organised by GreenThumb over at Made with Love


Photo Scavenger Hunt 2013 

This month had to find red, 14, a kiss, Something Heart shaped, Something found nowhere else, frozen, park bench, glass, shopping trolley, a shadow, breakfast and a bus.  So here we go:

 RED:  I knitted and then felted this bowl for a birthday present for a friend 




14:  This has been a tricky one.  I live 14 miles from Clacton-on-sea, a traditional English seaside town.
A kiss: Ok, I have searched high and low for a kiss, could I find one?  No, so no photo!!



SOMETHING HEART SHAPED: my chopping board!




SOMETHING FOUND NOWHERE ELSE:  The Manningtree clock (can you see why!!)





FROZEN: the washing line.


A PARK BENCH: found this one on the playing field it doesn't look to comfortable?



GLASS: a glass house!  My greenhouse, you may notice some lengths of guttering hanging in mid air.  This is my peas, something ate the first ones I planted, but I don't think that they can get at these, unless they can climb up glass like spider man!



SHOPPING TROLLEY:  Here is my faithful companion, I take it to the market every Saturday

A SHADOW:  Mr HH posing for me


 BREAKFAST:  This is my usual porridge from my favourite bowl from Brixton Pottery, 2 teaspoons of demerera sugar and a mug (Cath Kidston) of weak milky tea
A BUS: Popped into Ipswich the other day and did the park and ride!

That is it for this month, what fun I have had looking for things, onto to next month:  Green, 3, a person in uniform. bubbles, shoes, toys, a gate, eggs, dessert, water, a bridge and empty.....  here goes then the hunt is on!

Sunday 17 February 2013

A BIT OF A TIDY UP

This is how my kitchen looked until recently: 

After 12 years it is looking a little worn out and a bit dark and I thought it was time for a tidy up. I have loved this kitchen, especially the tiles. The oven has just celebrated it's 21st birthday!  Has done very well, only had 3 new rings, a couple of seals and a few door catches, but I think it is on it's last legs.  I hate cleaning ovens, probably the worst job in the house, so I want my new oven to be one that cleans it's self.  BUT you can't get a free standing all in one cooker that is self cleaning, you need a "built in one"  which has led to:  
Taking out the drawers and one wall cupboard and fitting this one in.  The oven and microwave are on order and will fit in here.



These are some other work in progress photos.  Have taken off all the top cupboard doors and am painting them and the all the trim around the tops, bottoms and sides of the cupboards.  This is taking a bit longer than I first thought.  I imagined that I was just going to leave the doors up and give them all a couple of coats of paint, but no, both sides need to be done with an undercoat and then 3 coats.  I have doors all over the house in various stages of layer.
And this great thing is what we call the "wardrobe".  It is a very large store cupboard, but dominates the whole room, I think it will have to go............

To be updated!!..................
 


Thursday 14 February 2013

I LOVE HEARTS SWAP

I joined in the I Love Hearts swap organised by Shelley at All4meggymoo.
 

I was linked with Jill, who's blog is here: Stocki

we were to send each other 5 heart themed items, one to be made by us!  I spent some time pondering and looking.  Made and found some things and parceled it all up and popped it in the post on Saturday in time to arrive for Valentines day.  If you want to see what I sent click on Stocki's name and you will see the lovely photos that she has posted.
AND

here is what she sent me
a box of gifts all beautifully  wrapped in brown paper and red spotty tape
A heart shaped tin with Lindt chocolates inside.......mmmm delicious, and a very handy tin to use after, I wonder what I will keep in it.
A crocheted heart pin, I have worn it all day on my jumper.  should I wear it on my sleeve? (I am not sure what that means?)
I shall wait for a special occasion to sprinkle these little silver hearts on my table.
 
 Red bun cases with hearts on them.  I often make buns so will make very good use of these.  Do you remember when you could only buy plain white ones?
 
Red grosgrain ribbon, printed with white hearts.
 
This lovely white tin photo frame, will look beautiful on my kitchen dresser (when I buy it) more of this later (the great kitchen refurb ongoing as we speak). Just need to find the perfect photo to go in it.

AND...............


.


The most neatly crocheted candle holder.  It is so lovely and I wish I could make something like this.  A glass jar with a band of crochet around it, sitting on a mat. A lacy centre with a two layered flower around the edge.  All done in a fine red yarn.

Loved it all, Thank you so much Jill  and to Shelley for organising the swap 
Happy Valentines Day!

Tuesday 12 February 2013

PANCAKE DAY

Today is pancake day or Shrove Tuesday and like a lot of people we have just had some pancakes.
I make them properly just by mixing together one egg (from my girls) a couple of spoons of plain flour and some milk.  I popped into Tesco earlier and saw for £1 you could buy a bottle of mix, you just add milk, so I suppose it is flour and dried egg??  Hmmm...  How difficult can it be?




 Anyway, here I am tossing away!  Just me and Mr HH at home this year, so we shared them all between us.

 I like mine with banana and maple syrup, he likes golden syrup.  Yummy!
You may have noticed that there are no doors on my kitchen cupboard, that is because I am doing a spot of re-decorating - more of that another time!

Thursday 7 February 2013

WHEN WE WERE YOUNG........

26 Years ago today!  Where did it go?

Happy Anniversary to Mr HH!!!