~ First Giveaway Soon ~

Thought I would have my first giveaway soon,to celebrate my 1st year of blogging.
Can't believe how quickly It's gone,now what to do?? I have a few Ideas so hope to be doing this in the next couple of weeks....I will keep you posted xx Manda xx

~ Looking forward to Halloween ~

I just had to share this poem that my 9yr old daughter wrote all by herself,we lovee Halloween in this house hold and whilst finishing off my Halloween swap goodies ,well it must have put her in the mood for Halloween, this is what she wrote:



What do you think????? I think It's great !!!but then I would would'nt I ,being the Proud mammy that I am



~ Crunching Leaves,Conkers,Crumble ~

What a really lovely day It's been  today,compared to the past couple of days of rain and yes that awful wind.I think most people in England seem to have had a taste of it,the only good thing about the wind.was the amount of conkers that had being blown out the tree's the kids loved collecting them .... I don't mind a bit of wind now and again (the weather kind and nothing else,I can here that snicker ,just clarifying that sentence).

This morning on our walk to school,when I say walk there was only me walking well sort of half  walking / running trying to keep up with the kids on bikes and scooters,the sun was shining brightly through the trees and the leaves just felt so good as I was crunching my way up the road, ....I decided  that I really Love this time of year ,I was still in this kind of embracing Autumn and all that this month brings type of mood ,when I decided to do a spot of baking.And make a bramble and apple crumble yum ,yum,

I'd already had the ingredients,I didn't pick the brambles,I cheated and bought them from the fruit and veg shop in the village and the apples,I must admit if I could bottle the smell when It was cooking I would..... When the kids came home from school, they couldn't wait to get stuck into there ''afters'' and it didn't last long at all.I think I will be making a few more things and taking advantage of what fruit & veg is available, DIET is a taboo word this month.

Conkers......My daughter took this photo :)















My shoes match the green leaves.



yum!!

Pinterest

Hello ladies,just a question for all of you out there,Is it just me that is totally addicted to my new found toy  PINTEREST,I know that a few of you are already on there,but for some reason ,I never really bothered. I finally decided to see what all of the fuss was about.I took up the challenge of a virtual pin board a wish list of all your most desired and favourite things and guess what I'm hooked.

If you are already a pinterest devotee ,I will see you over there,amongst my pins of treasures and if you don't know what I'm talking about (I doubt there will be anyone who has not heard of pinterest!) give it a whirl,I'm sure you will be as addicted as me ,Bye for the now X Manda X

P.S ..I'm currently trying to work out ,how to put a pinterest button on my blog,you should know by now I'm not very technical :)

~ Today's Treasures ~

Just a quick post this sunny afternoon,I came across these little beauty's In my local charity shop and just had to share :),First I came across this white Jug It was only £1.49 total bargain.You can never have to many jugs you know flowers ,kitchen utensils ,pretty's  the list is endless !! Or is that just me ??
And then these two plates another bargain at only £1.99 for both aren't they pretty ?what do you think? I'm sure I will find a place for them ,I'll let you know .

White jug,with roses from my garden

........X Manda X ........

~Things I've made~

~ More things I've made ~

Some of my goodies that Iv'e made,cinamon,&dried fruit garlands,dried rose hearts,dried fruit wreaths.

 Iittle cotton teddy's

Heart garland

Shabby chic tag

~ The Art of Not Growing vegetables!! ~

Well here we are in September, can't believe how quickly this Summer and I use that word loosely !! has gone.I thought I would tell you about my  experiment this year, a little vegetable patch as I am a total novice at veggie growing ,I mean how hard can it be ?.

So I set about carving out a little space In the garden and prepared it with veggie grow compost and other additives (The stinky kind) and away I went sowing my lovely seeds,I planted broccoli,green beans ,broad beans,beetroot,aubergines, peppers butternut squash and my  pumpkins,I had big Ideas for these pumpkins ,I spend a small fortune on pumpkins to decorate the house at Halloween,so I was feeling rather pleased with myself at this brain wave idea of growing my own.

My lovely hubby finds it amusing that Ive got another obsession ,because that's what happens when I decide I like something I go a bit over the top ha ha he's took to calling me Barbara you know felicity Kendal character in 70'S show The Good Life  which I don't mind at all he keeps saying when are the chickens arriving ? little does he know Ive been looking into the notion of having a few chicky's !!Anyway back to the veggies,I have had a hard lesson I've realised a few weeks down the line that It isn't as easy as I had thought ,I have a war going on in my veggie plot between slugs ,snails,caterpillars and little ole me .I have tried everything to keep the little blighters of my greens but so far Slugs/snails 1 ..Me 0.



And has for the pumpkins and butternut squash ,plenty of flowers but no signs of even a little itty bit one yet at this rate I might have one at Xmas,can you have Xmas pumpkins ??

As and when any vegetables actually decide to make an appearance ,you can bet I'm gunner post about it

Bye for now Barbara (Manda) xx

pumpkin

Beans ,I think

Please grow into a pumpkin...Please!!

This is what it should look like...This photo and the one's underneath are courtesy of the internet 

 <><><><><><><><>

<>Tom & Barbara ,The Good Life 

<><><><><><><><>

How fab does this look??



 







My arch enemy's have been at it again ..my poor brocolli!!









My veggy plot







~ Bunnies ~

These little lovelies are what Ive been working on this past week, what do you think ? so cute aren't they,the boy bunnies little dungarees are made with vintage Laura Ashley nursery rhyme fabric,  I think its so pretty and the little girlie bunnies dress is also vintage,found on my travels :) These bunnies were made with calico,but next time I think I might use Linen.Any way there's a Que forming to use my laptop,so I'd better go the daughter is asking when is it her turn !!!! tata!! for now x Manda x

~ Bargain Finds ~

Just remembered about my lovely new finds,thought I would post about them quickly as It's nearly midnight and I seem to need a bit more beauty sleep than I used to.My hubby's saying I don't ha-ha what's he after,I'm still not good with compliments,anyway back to the new crocks ,new to me if you know what I mean.I managed to find TWELVE trio's of the lovely cottage design all for a bargain price,and four trio's of a really pretty pink floral design ,what do you think ??pretty aren't they .Ive put them on a painted  wooden tray in my kitchen till I find them a permanent place.