A Quickie Before...

Just a quickie to show you some furniture that I'm intending to attack...

a mid century modern kitchenette cabinet

the inside with formica work surface and pie shelves

etching detail to glazed doors

Nobody can quite understand why I've bought this but I can visualise how amazing it will look when finished.  AAAaaand I've seen how much the restored versions of these go for on Ebay... Its all about Mid Century Modern furniture at the moment.

I've also picked up this lovely little display cabinet which will also be subjected to a coat of paint.  But I think I'll keep this one - its already been awarded a spot in our bedroom. 

sweet little display cabinet

I love the detail on the little door handle

I dont think its worth an awful lot - but its just perfect for me to store fabric or bed linen in - its not too big and its not to small.  As Goldilocks would say - its just right!  Its sitting in my bedroom right now with my patchwork quilt and my clean bed linen in it. 

In other news....When I moved the little cabinet upstairs... somebody followed me up and took advantage of the fact that I was distracted AND moved in on my lovely freshly made bed...

see my beautifully made bed?

see how its being unmade?

Ah the joys of jumping on your mum and dad's bed... It just never gets old does it...

tata for now ducks XxshellxX

ready..steady..TOAST!!

Today has been a strange day.. There was a reasonable amount of anticipation and its fair to say that there was a measure of the anticlimax about it too.

We had signed up with a local toddler walking group and were due to meet today with a view to visiting Folly Dolly Falls - a local beauty spot with more than a touch of geological significance and (its fair to say) a slightly comical name.

We got up bright and early with a view to partaking of a hearty breakfast to see us on our way.  One of us entered into the active spirit a little more than the rest - approaching his breakfast as if he were settling into the starting blocks...

On your marks....

get set...

TOAST! No oh wait a minute - biscuits...

Anyroad... we broke our fast in glorious sunshine (you cant tell from the pictures but let me assure you - it was there)  and then donned our most serious walking garb at which point it started to rain... so we changed into crocodile and blue and pink floral wellies and one of us wore a giant waterproof frog poncho... It wasnt me..

They dont make them big enough...(probably)
We rushed out of the house because although we'd initially had plenty of time we still managed to be late.  In rushing out of the house we forgot our camera - I blame Alex - he was supposed to be reminding me.  Yes he might only be two years old but still...  So we have no photos of aforementioned Folly Dolly Falls.  Here are some pictures of the Bluebells in our garden until normal service resumes... (that might be a while...}

*elevator muzak*

Bluebells are rampant in our garden *more elevator muzak*

 

*Do  Do Do Dooooo Dudoodoooo Dudoo doodoo doo Dadadada Dooo Dudoo Dooo Dudoo Doodoo doo*

Theyre spanish and theyre rampant so I'm allowed to pick them and put them in a vase on my windowsill ok?

The walking group consisted of two Surestart Playworkers and a group of about six other mums with tiny babies in prams - no other toddlers.  Consequently the pram brigade walked at a chatting Mummy pace - I walked at Alex pace.  'Alex Pace' "alehks pås" speed of walking which allows perpetrator (yes perpetrator) to examine every pebble, fallen leaf, indentation, puddle in, on or by footpath.  As an approximate measurement 500 yards covered in a  LIFETIME!! 


This meant we were left behind... no matter... even though we were walking at a snail's limping pace - Alex was very excited to see the Falls and to paddle in the stream.  
Only.. 
the group didnt stop at the falls - they walked past them - at a distance...  Walked a little way further then turned around and walked past them again.  At which point I told one of the Playworkers that I'd promised Alex a look at the falls and so I was going to take him down to the stream for a paddle and a better look.  Aforementioned Playworker said that it wasn't a problem and that he would head back with the group but wait for us at the original meeting place to make sure that we got back ok.  The falls were lovely.  We were able to wade right into the stream and take a good luck up at them.  On the way back it was a matter of national import that we jumped in every puddle (it was a rainy day - there were hundreds) and picked up every leaf, catkin, pussy willow bud that we encountered along the way.  The meeting place was probably about 20 mins walk away from where we broke off from the group... an hour and a half later... we met back up with the playworker again.  He was very nice about it but it cant have been fun waiting around for an hour plus just for us to to appear.  Also Alex, being tired, wailed pretty much the whole way home.  So to recap: Walk = Rained on, Left behind, and Wailed at.  Not quite the fun day I'd had planned originally - No MATTER!.... I had been invited to a twitter party for Mums that involved Chocolate, Wine, and Doodling online.  I would get home, get tea on, get Alex bathed and into bed and settle in for a relaxing evening chatting, chomping chocolate, quaffing vino and drawing. What could be better?? 

The turkey fillets for tea didn't defrost in the time that the microwave assured me they would, Tea itself didnt cook in the time that the recipe assured me it would (the fillets were still raw) so I was half an hour behind schedule... 

NO MATTER!! I still had allowed plenty of time - Twitter party started at 8.30pm - Alex was in the bath by 7pm.  In bed by 7.45 and David (my husband) said he would tuck Alex in and read him a story.  Done and dusted by 8.05pm - I asked David to light me a fire in the living room, poured my wine and broke out some chocolate and marshmallows onto a plate - I found scrap paper and a selection of pens and pencils - 8.10pm. 

 Alex started to shout down that he needed the potty.  Dave was busy with a match in his hand - 8.12pm - still time.  I ran upstairs and helped him into the potty.  We sang some songs, discussed his stuffed animal display, reminisced...still no wee.  Everytime I asked him if he'd finished he would say:- "Mr Wee will be along in a minute"  Finally Mr Wee showed up and I tucked him into bed. Alex, not Mr Wee.  I flushed him down the toilet.  Mr Wee, not Alex.  
Came downstairs - 8.34pm.  Rushed to switch on the p.c.  Said my hello s and tried to settle in only it was all so fast - looked to see if my camera was ready - looked back - 8 more tweets had been submitted.  Tried to read through 8 tweets and view all their doodles online - 17 more tweets in the intervening period.  did a doodle about it all going too fast, took a photo, had a fight with the camera, won fight, uploaded photo. 

 117 tweets in the intervening... WHAT?? 117 TWEETS!  Tried to do another doodle.  Camera unresponsive.  Bitch slapped camera, camera woke up.  Camera refused to upload images.  Switched off then switched on camera several times.  Read tweet saying "thanks for joining in see you next time" 

oh right

Not quite the relaxing, indulgent evening I had planned...  

Good thing I decided to put my (super hero) cape on this morning - it may or may not have had any effect on the outcome of the day at all but I like it anyway and it only cost me 20p! 

Cape - may or may not have supernatural properties - lets be honest I'm almost 67% sure it doesn't.. but ... you never know..

Anyway tata for now peepholios 
Love XxshellxX

Gifts that you dont want to give away...

Hello to you all!  What an amazing bank holiday we are having!  There has been sun - real, live sun, shining on things and making them warm.. Who'd have thought! 

Made for my niece Sian who was 23 yesterday

The sun shone on the party that we went to yesterday - to celebrate my niece's 23rd birthday.  I made bags for my niece and her older sister who had her birthday in March.  I didn't want to give them away!  In fact I may have had a fixed smile on my face and my hand might have clutched on to them rather a little too tightly as I handed them over... Might have...

made for my niece Claire who's birthday was in March

I also made the brooches that I pinned on them

I also made a bag for my son's girlfriend - who's birthday was this week.

An improvised tote made from a vintage pillowslip

I like mismatched buttons and clashing florals

It was my first foray into making bags and I'm so pleased with the way that it turned out.  I suppose that I can always make another for myself... We shall see - I may be onto the next thing by then - I'm easily distracted... Wooo Shiny Thing!  Must go! xx

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Story Of Mum - Happy Weekend Y'all

Hello me dears.  Well I'm a little bit late.  I did say that I would check in on Wednesday and I didn't.   Then I said that I would check in on Thursday but I still didn't.  Now its saturday and here I am.  I'm sorry - forgive me.  I promise that I'll try to not never do it again.  I know, I know.  That last there sentence was badder english than what you might not never heard before.. but it was from the heart folks.  From the heart. 

Well lets get the rubbish stuff out of the way first...  The holiday is still up for grabs and will be until monday when it will just be an empty caravan.  And so ends the worlds most unsuccessful blog giveaway... nevermind... I have another giveaway on the cards for next week - one that doesn't require packing a suitcase, organising transport or being free on specific dates... Watch this space.

In other news this week - I started twittering, tweeting, twooting or whatever it is. I'm @doodlyalltheday so look me up..  I started doing it anyway and although I'm still a hopelessly challenged twit - I am making some progress.  I now have some peeps that I'm following (I believe the kids on the street call them "Tweeps") and amongst those I have discovered a communal blog called "Story of Mum"  which is brill.  Its by and for Mums and Grandmas and it has lots of lovely,  crazy projects for you to participate in - like 'Buntify Your Life' where you can go to your most unfavourite part of your house and stick some bunting on it - then take a picture.  Or 'Pack a Pocket' where you get to be like a secret, mummy, all-year-santa and slip a little uplifting gift into another mummies pocket - without her knowing.  Of course these are things that you can do on your own but the main fun is in the sharing and that is what's best about this blog - its just about mums sharing: sentiments, fun, doubts and reassurance.  I'm dead pleased that I came across it.  Check it out - you wont be sorry...

this is a section of a doodle that I did for their twitter doodle or twidoodle party that's going on in May... check it out xx

So far this weekend - we've been on an ultimately unsuccessful but not altogether unpleasant journey to the outer reaches of Huddersfield in search of some mid century modern furniture that I've bought on Ebay with a view to p(r)imping.  We had car trouble and by the time we arrived at our destination the seller was no longer there - so I will have to wait to get my hands on them.  But the sun was shining and it was some precious alone time for my husband and I so it wasn't all bad.  When we got back to Grandma and Grandad's Alex had picked some beautiful flowers for me....

Alex was here :- the beautiful yellow flowers he always picks for me - and an ambulance.. just in case...

He always stops to pick Dandelions for me - and I must admit that he has great taste - I dont think I ever appreciated how beautiful they are before he pointed it out.

I've been a baking demon this week and I'm about to break out the flour et al. once again.. its my niece's birthday tomorrow and so I'm intending to take some lemon and poppy seed muffins with me with which to buy her love.  

my husband despatched of this lot pretty much single handedly within about 24 hours

I've also been drawing.  Mainly late at night which means I've been staying up much longer than I should but it feels good to be able to flex my creative muscles again.

this was a marathon doodle over about 3 days

I shall leave you with a picture of my breakfast this morning... "Whaa....??"  Yes its a bit mad but when I set it out on the table I was just so taken with the sunny yellow colours and it made me sing "happy weekend to me..." in my head - so I decided to take a pic.

Happy weekend to you all.  Bye for now xx