Long time no see ....

I have been swept away by time yet again - reading back at this time last year I seemed to have the same issue with time running away.  Mind you I do seem to feel it all of the time at the moment :-(

I have good excuses though, honest!  Not only have I been in the garden with my camera (dreaming of the days I can walk/bike for miles, just me and my camera :-)) taking photos of my beloved Hellebores but I have also been searching for vintage floral fabric.  And look what I found ....

Oh my goodness I had childhood flashbacks when I saw these in separate shops.  In fact I did talk myself out of the purple one whilst out shopping with BearsFootprints.  I had only got the pink one days before so decided I didn't NEED another one ..... boy was I wrong!  I couldn't sleep with ideas for the left behind sheet swirling in my head .... I went to work and told my work mate all about it (luckily she knows me very well now and humours my mad chats :-)) .... then first thing Monday morning I had to go back and buy it as I did NEED it afterall :-)   I have dreams of them being turned into a vintage teepee for the children - only time will tell !

Little Sweetpea just keeps growing so I had to create her a new skirt as she had outgrown the other two I made her.  She loves it and I had an order for one to make for another little girl which was lovely to do.

Bunny had a new dress made for her.  After lots of cutting and making of mock up dresses she now has her perfect little outfit :-)  I have also been making some new hairclips but as my tendonitis is still playing up I am trying to stick to either machine stitching or other creative outlets so I created this out of a lovely antique brass bobby pin and a pebble from our favourite beach in Mallorca.

I love wearing it as it reminds me if here ....

We have also been busy in the garden , the chickens have started to lay well again, we never tire of the excitement of finding eggs in the chicken run :-)

I have also been helping at the pre-school allotment every other week - the children are really enjoying going there.  In fact I enjoyed it down there so much we have moved our allotment to the same plot.  This one seems to have so much more life, there are chickens, turkeys, ducks and a horse there plus you usually get to have a chat with a fellow allotment holder each time you go there.  Our other allotment just seemed a bit lifeless and always had issues with water but this one has a bore water well :-)

My birthday was whilst I was away and of course that called for me to make a meringue :-)  The children made me some lovely handmade gifts, Mr Sweetpea got me a diamond ring which was lovely (nothing too huge but perfect for my dainty fingers) and my sis got me a 'Keep calm and have a cupcake' sign and a lovely box to hold buttons or threads in.  The lovely Bearsfootprints made me a wonderful Bee keyring, she machine embroidered it herself - it is adorable (I will post a piccy next time).  I was also given some money from everyone else to spend at some point - my Mother-in-Law joked that I may have spent it by my next birthday :-)  I think after years of saving and paying our mortgage I am not really sure how to spend properly any more.

Ooh and before I go, here is Nibbles.  This was middle Sweetpeas Christmas present.  She was so happy to get him and is now even more happy as he has finally let her hold him and cuddle him!  He is such a cutie.