What we did last summer

Blimey, it's been so long since I last posted anything, I literally could not remember how to create a new post in Blogger. How mad is that!

So, we went on holiday to Holland for a week, came back for a few days then onto Portugal for a week, came back and then onto the Lake District for another week.  I'm not complaining but all that packing and unpacking was a little, how can I put it, boring.  The holidays were great though.

Before we went on holiday we ate Ramadam bread:

Yes, that's two loaves of delicious Turkish Ramadam bread

In Holland:  we snickered foolishly at "bastard" sugar:

Drooled over these beach cabins:

Marvelled at this shop which sold only sheep pillows:

Snuggled with an actual real live sheep:

Put on too much sun cream *raises eyes to heaven*:

In Portugal, we admired its many cute pastry shops:

Errrr.  Not so cute.  Yes, they really are meringue penises and boobies.  Gawd help us....

Windsurfed:

Took, what I thought were, arty schm-arty photos:

In the Lake District, some of our party climbed Scafell Pike - the highest mountain in England:

Grandpappy and Little Miss at the top

Grandpappy looking rather fetching in his knotted hanky.

Good old Grandpappy:  he's a mere 86 you know!  And need you ask where I was?  Charity shopping.  Of course I was!

Cumberland wrestling was the best ever this year with contingents from Brittany, Scotland and Iceland:

Kilt action

We found ourselves driving behind the Boogie Bus:

Blimey.  Perhaps we could get our car kitted out this way.....

It's curtains for my vintage linens

I've been collecting embroidered tray cloths for a while now.  The plan was to make a patchwork cushion cover with them a la Cath Kidston:

Only I realised I had far too many for one little cushion.  I even had two embroidered tablecloths to play with.  I never used the tablecloths, pretty though they were.  I'm far too much of a domestic slattern to spend time ironing the buggers.

Sooooooooooo, I laid out all the cloths, pinned them together in a pleasing stylee and sewed them up.

Lo and behold I've only gone and made a curtain panel:

Mr Fusspot J and P complained that it was a bit dark with the panel closed:

So I found a bit of lace, tied it like so

and voila! Let there be light (sort of):

Little Miss J and P thinks it looks "odd".  There's nothing like your beloved family to poo-poo one's creative leanings.....

Oh well, perhaps a holiday might put the J and Ps in a better mood.  Yes, we're off to Holland to camp for a few days and then we'll visit our friends in the south.  Yay.  Cannot wait.  See you anon. xx

If a picture paints a thousand words then these don't count at all

The art of photography has always alluded me.

And, so it seems, Mr J and P.

Mr J and P has many talents.  His runner beano vino (see here) may not taste the best but it sure hits the spot (as I know to my cost....er hem...).  His raspberry jam is delish:

 and as for his jar of Rhubarb Love....

Rhubarb Love?  What the heck is that about?  Mr J and P tells me it should be rhubarb jam but he was thinking of me when he wrote it.  Yeah right.

Anyway, here are some pics, courtesy of Mr J and P, of our exciting Saturday at the Rolling Stones (as mentioned in my previous post).

Photo warning:  they're not very good.

This is Temper Trap

These were Palma Violets.  We liked them.

The Stones!

That would be Keith

That's Ron Wood

In the midst of all the lights and bluriness, Mick is wearing a little white dress.  Yes!  He donned one for a couple of numbers.  A little white dress just like the one he wore at Hyde Park in 1969. 

I told you they were rubbish.  Could it have been something to do with the fact that every time Mr J and P went to the bar he kept coming back with 4 pints?....There were just the two of us.....(poor Mr J and P - must have been seeing double).

We both had terrible headaches in the morning.....

Well you have to don't you?

xx

Resistance is futile

Some of you may remember that I've got a ridiculous amount of jars cluttering up our kitchen worktop (see here and here for evidence!).  So, when I saw a set of three 1960s Crown Devon sugar, tea and coffee jars in Oxfam recently for a reasonable £9.99 (I've seen them for sale elsewhere for at least double that), I said to myself sternly  "Loo, you do not need yet another tea, coffee, sugar receptacle.  Walk away.  Walk away now before you do something you may later regret." 

Or words to that effect.

The design is "Carnaby Daisy" and was inspired by Mary Quant

So, I walked away. 

Later, Mr J and P, who had a half day off, rang me from the station to ask whether we needed anything from the supermarket.  I told him that we didn't but could he pop into Oxfam and buy the three vintage looking jars for £9.99 please. 

He did. 

I know, I'm a very bad person indeed. 

In other news, I was very lucky to win Emma-Kate's giveaway recently.  Just look at this beautiful wooden crate that she painted especially for Little Miss J and P. 

Isn't she clever?  Emma-Kate I mean.  You are too, Little Miss J and P, but you are "easily distracted"  (just like your parents) and need to focus more.  Plus you need to spend less time on social media.  Just saying.....

Where the heck was I?  (Perhaps, you could tell that we've recently been to parents' evening..).  Aaah yes, back to Emma-Kate.  I also got these glorious tea towels and fabby nail varnish. 

Thank you Emma-Kate, I love everything and Little Miss has declared the wooden crate "sick" which is high praise indeed.

Before I toddle off, just letting you know that this Saturday, Mr J and P and myself are off to see:

Too excited for words.....

Hope y'all have a fabulous weekend too. xx

What would William Morris say

I like a bit of paper bunting.  Not only is it super easy to do and a perfect craft for the craftily challenged amongst us but it's quick too.  I made this little fella in minutes using off-cuts of vintage wallpaper from Jane at Teawagon Tales. 

Jane uses strips of vintage fabric to wrap her goodies with and I re-used the strip to thread the bunting together.  Genius.  Even if I say so myself.

I'm like that you know.  No, not a genius.  I like to keep things just in case they come in handy one day.  I know, I know, it's classic hoarding behaviour.  I mean, what would William Morris, with his  abhorrence of clutter, say...

I'm mentioning William Morris because we recently went to the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow, east London:

The Gallery was the finalist and subsequently the winner of the Art Fund Prize
for the Museum of the Year 2013

Like the rubbish blogger I am,  I can't find most of the photos I took to show you *raises eyes to heaven* but it's definitely worth a visit if you're ever in Walthamstow.

Well, we all know that Morris and his cohorts weren't keen on clutter.  His most famous quote being:  "Have nothing in your house which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful".  But he also said this:

Blimey!  What the heck would he say if he saw my clutter-filled home.  I dread to think.

Anyway, opposite the gallery was this: 

A Sally Army "thrift store".  Woo hoo!  A bit of culture followed by charity shopping never goes amiss particularly when the charity shop has a cafe attached.  80p for beans on toast.  Not half bad for London prices.  And even better, I actually struck lucky for the first time in ages.  Hallelujah!

I bought several metres of this lovely blue fabric with red polka dots for £4.99:

This double duvet cover for £2.50 which has become our camping duvet cover:

And KERCHIIIIING!!!  My new skirt.  One whole pound.  Yes, you read right.  One whole pound for this little beauty:

Before I toddle off, if you see this halfwitted individual on top of the London O2 (see my previous post), approach with caution:


I am pulling this face on purpose you know 

 It's an extra small pic and a bit blurry.  I wouldn't want to frighten anyone unnecessarily..... xx