Ta-Dah Tuesday In The Garden

Well hello! How the devil are you? On this sunny Tuesday morning, I once again find myself linking up with the Lovely Lakota at Faith, Hope and Charity Shopping for Ta, Dah Tuesday.
This week, it's not actually a Ta Dah of my own doing. I had to Get A Man In for this one. Getting A Man In is something we have to do quite often in Edith Florence Towers, due to Mr EF's reluctance and quite frankly pantsness at anything to do with DIY. Or in this case gardening. Cutting the grass is fine, but anything beyond that, unless he sees me heading off out there with a saw and decides he wants a piece of the action, is not his bag.
On the whole, I keep on top of the the garden. I don't mean I float above it like the Heavenly Host, I mean I keep it under control. Almost. Up to a point. This year, however, due to the Nasty Neck of Badness and The Hurty Arm of Pain, it had gone a bit wild. I will tell you a bit about my garden. It is about 100 foot long and about 42 foot wide. (I still remember this from the Estate Agent's blurb Next time I move shout the word COURTYARD  to me at the top of your voices please.) There is a fairly large garage near the back door, a tumbledown greenhouse behind that and a wall, which I pretend looks French about 50 odd foot down, which separates it into two parts. Behind the wall is a summerhouse that I blogged about here. Since then, surprise, surprise, not been touched. Also behind this French wall and sort of next to the summerhouse is another little outbuilding that I have never set foot into. Behind that and on the back of the summerhouse is a log store thingy that is full of branches and rubbish that we have cut down in previous years. There are about twelve or so trees out there (I'm guessing this) and just lately they had started to resemble a rain forest canopy. Also the borders (and I use that term loosely) had started to look a right old mess. So, as I can't even pick up a crochet hook without squealing in pain and we already know that Mr EF doesn't care much for gardening, I decided it was time to Get In The Man.
They came on Saturday and I very much regret now only thinking of before and after pictures and not actually getting any durings. The tools alone were worthy of a mention. They actually lined them up on the grass (I hesitate to call it a lawn) and set down petrol cans next to them. Very impressive array of cutting down instruments I can tell you.
Anyway, I will do some photos of before and after.



This is a sort of mini patio. Not that you can actually see it...



Scalped, I tells ya



Garage before and after. At least this bench is clear enough to sit on now! They took the rose bush right down to give it a chance to come back and went at the winter jasmine with a chain saw thingy that looked like it belonged in a horror movie!

When we moved here, I was quite relieved in a way that it was a 'mature garden.' In our previous two houses we  (for that read I) have done the garden from scratch. Had it turfed then put every single plant in. Although I enjoyed that, it's hard work and costs a lot of money. The difference in this garden is that there is hardly room to shoehorn a plant in, which sounds stupid given the size of it, but believe me, I've tried. Every year I've trotted happily back from the nursery with pots of lupins, foxgloves, acquiligas and other cottagey loveliness and have found places to put them in. Do they ever grow? Nah. Do they come up the next year? Nah. Am I bothering again. Yeah, course.

Anyway back to the men with the power tools. I gave them free reign to a degree. I said I wanted a very brutal haircut of everything they could manage to get to in one day. They got as far as French wall and then had to be convinced by Mr EF to just do the little path behind it. Fair play, they did loads and had the cuts and sweat to prove it.  By the time they'd done there was a mountain (oh why didn't I go out with my camera?) in the middle of the grass and another Man had to be called to dispose of it all in his truck.

Some more photos.

As you can see, they were a tad gung ho with their chain saws and have left this side a bit bare looking.  A lot of what was there was half dead or being strangled by ivy anway and I'm telling myself that this is a good thing as it gives me space to put a few flowering shrubs in. Problem being that it needs digging over, lots of bits of old root taking out, and planted up. And we know that Mr EF isn't up for much of that. I may be Getting The Man In again before long. (When I have saved up, or sold one of my kids on Ebay to pay for it.)
All in all, I'm happy with it. I would still like a chunk taken off some of the trees down behind the wall and behind the garage as I think this will let in more light, but the rain forest canopy effect isn't so bad now and I can see some space to play with. I do miss that romantic, overgrown look, I don't like a garden to look too tidy but at least now I can see the sky, I don't have to turn lights on in the day time and there are different areas to sit other than directly outside the back doors.
So that's my ta da for today. Carried out by someone else but enjoyed by me! Do hop over to Lakota's to see her lovely recipe, it's very retro! Her post made me laugh out loud!
Laters!

Normal Service Resumed

Phew. I don't know how I did but I sorted the blog disaster. I shall stick with this grey now. (Probably for ever, too dangerous to try and change it...)

What a shambles!

State of this blog. Too much time on my hands I reckon. I can't make it go normal now. Blimming thing.

Ta -Dah Tuesday Again!

Hello, chaps!  Has a week really gone by already? How fast was that? Just want to say thanks for all your lovely comments on my last post. I'm still faffing a bit with that dresser and have re-foofed the other one, (the one just in the background of the picture below) and might make that another post. By the way, I don't have a dresser in every room. Just some of them. And I don't live in a mansion. If I buy any more furniture I will have to use a shoe horn and a packet of butter to oil it in with.
 Anyway, today I am linking up with Lakota at Faith, Hope and Charity Shopping for Ta- Dah Tuesday. Do pop over and say hello and have a look at her fab picture.

Right, I am unvieling the new blanket, tantalising glimpses of which could be seen on the shelf of the table in my last post!

Rubbish picture, but hey, what's new?

It was hard to take photos today as the light is so bad, (yeah right...) but you get the gist of it anyway. I made this from mainly wool I had knocking about with just a couple of extra balls thrown in. I have tons left and really would have liked to make this bigger but I ran out of that duck egg bluey green that I used to edge and join with and couldn't get any more. As it was I had to do the edging (I'll come back to that,) in a different colour. It's all double knit, mainly acrylic, picked up from here there and everywhere based on colour. I wanted this one to be a bit girlier and prettier than the last one and to feature a few more pinks and greens. In real life, it reminds of a garden. (That's my attempt at being arty farty.)



From the other end of the table.



Foldy Uppiness

I've spread it out on the dining room table, mainly because the bed isn't made. It's 2.21pm and I have unmade beds. What a slob! My excuse is that I returned to work today. The hurty arm of pain has made a bit of improvement, probably not enough to be back at work but I feel guilty. And I want to see the year 6s before they leave. I'm doing a phased return so it's gently does it.

As I'm doing this, the photos are all coming out in the wrong places and any minute now I am going to throw the laptop across the room.

In the wrong place but hey ho!

Right, trying again...

Wahay!



I will do a bit of writing to see if the next photos come out right!

Could do bettererer

Right, the edging. Not happy with it and will be ripping it out and starting again. I can't yet because I have had to step away from the crochet again for a bit as it wasn't doing the arm much good at all. I sort of wanted something a little bit fancy on this but whenever I try to do that the edges and corners curl up. I thought I'd be satisfied to leave it but I won't. I bought a book last week chock full of the prettiest edgings ever so I will use one of those when I get round to changing it.

Kurly Korners

Blimey, these photos are going where they fancy, so this post is all over the shop. I might try one more just before the end. I might sneak it in while Blogger isn't looking.

So, The Garden Blanket, I might call it that. Happy with it, apart from the edging and wish it was a row or two bigger!

I had plans and made three squares of the next one but I've left it now and will go back to it another time.

Last week I bought the Cath Kidston, Stitch! book. It's ages since I've done cross stitch but I might have another little bash at that.

Hope you're not getting too fed up with all this rain. I may write to The Queen soon and request some sunshine.

Happy Tuesday!

xx

Ha ha- foiled you, Blogger!

Ta... Da...Tuesday!

Well hello! How have your Jubilee celebrations been? We met some friends down the pub on Sunday and had a thoroughly good old catch up. I was the designated driver because I'm still rattling with tablets, which was good because it meant yesterday I was up bright and early and had an afternoon mooching round Leigh Broadway with Miss Edith Florence The Younger. We had a lovely lunch and made a few purchases. and we both came home smiling.
Anyway, today I am linking up with Lakota over at Faith Hope and Charity Shopping to take part in Ta.. Da.. Tuesday.
Here is my Ta...Da...
I am going to apologise in advance for the photos. Regular readers will be aware that photography is not my strong point (an understatement, believe me...) but these are taken in my hallway where this photographer is relying solely on artificial light. One lightbulb in fact. That's my excuse anyway.
I give to you... My Mum's Dresser...

Bought from Argos about 17 years ago and made of pine. There are a couple of photos of it in an earlier post, it has been in my garage for a while waiting to be tarted up.

Bit of a close up. This is after I foofed and faffed with it for about an hour. I 'shopped my own house,' which is good fun. Found stuff I had, in the garage, nicked from the other dresser (which now looks rather carnagy and needs re-foofing) and had a little play. There are also a fair few bits of my mum's on there which seems quite fitting although I'm not making it into a shrine!

Right, about the paint. I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint for the first time. I liked it. I reserved judgement after the first coat. I was expecting some sort of miracle to occur but it looked rather patchy and very, very chalky. After the second coat I liked it and after waxing I liked it even more. It is easy to use because there is no prep whatsover. I did give the dresser a good old wash down with fairy liquid before I started but apart from that zilch. The paint goes on well and I would use it again. The only problem for me is that I had to pay about seven nicker postage and packing because I can't get it anywhere near here. It hasn't quite reached my bit of Essex yet! The colour is Old White.

Just to give an idea on how the distressing looks. I don't like things toooooo distressed because I know it's a fake effect anyway but I think if it's overdone it looks too fake. (I know what I mean!) Whatever I paint, my first rule of distessing is Look For The Drips. Anywhere the paint has dripped I rub it off, or even pick it off. On this piece and with this paint it looks ok I think. After that I sort of look at the corners and edges and just rub a bit of paint off and try not to overdo it. This was easy to distress. I waxed first, not with Annie Sloan wax but with what I had in the garage. On with one old t-shirt and then buffed up with another. After that I rubbed paint off. I did go over some of the rubbed off bits with a spot more wax just to darken them a bit.

All in all I liked this paint and found it easy to use. I might try using two colours next time. (After I have taken out a mortgage for postage and packing.) It's worth it not to do all that boring rubbing down and priming. I have bored my kids to death by keep asking them if it looks good enough to sell and if I'm good enough at painting stuff to do it for a living. I have to say I'm happier than that geezer Larry when I have a paintbrush in my grubby little mitt.



A plethora of china!



Great home for the Ladybird books!

I'm still debating whether to put another row of hooks on that bottom shelf and I am also going to change the knobs when I see some I like. I tried to get Miss EF The Younger to come in B&Q with me yesterday but she had had enough, she was tired. Fifteen years old and gets tired going round a few shops. I fear for that girl where shopping's concerned I really do. No stamina.

More photos...

Please note that the contents of this dresser keep changing. It is getting fuller and fuller where I keep on finding things to put on it!

Another good thing is it is a handy bit of storage in the hall. It will soon be full of junk!

Anyway chaps, that's my Ta.. Da...

Do hop over to Lakota's for a butchers if you get a chance!

Oh yes, a tantalising glimpse of another Ta Da.. one of the crochet kind...

Check out the pink edging!

I will save it for another post!

Enjoy the holiday today, chaps.

Laters.

xx

Flowery Friday

In my garden.

I love this rose. We inherited it and I didn't like it at first but now I like the way the colours change as the buds open. I also like the blowsiness of it. When the petals are about to fall the flowers look all wanton and as if they're throwing off their underwear!  It is rather spiteful, the thorns are huge and at the moment, due to my poorly armage and the non-gardening nature of my old man it is a health hazard as it is hanging right off the trellis and tries to attack anyone who dares to get past it.
In complete contrast, this pretty geranium. I love their simplicity, so cottagy and without frills but effective in a big clump.

LIke smiley little faces!
On my kitchen windowsill.

Please excuse the most attractive big black damp patch on the laundry room ceiling. Due to subsidence (that's another less cheerful post...) we are in limbo where repairs and redecoration are concerned. Bought these lovely stocks yesterday at Tescos for 70p a bunch. Obv bought three, bargainstastic! The begonia was a present from my friend and I'm sort of waiting for it to die, I'm not struck to be honest. I do water it, but only when I feel sorry for it.

On the tea towels I purchased in J Sainsbury Esq yesterday. I almost broke into a light sweat when I spotted these. How Cathish! And for far less money! A fiver the pack. Well chuffed. Actually they had some quite good stuff in there. I had to force myself not to buy a sign with Summerhouse on it and a china apple with green polka dots. Not sure if these tea towels are going to be for using or for admiring and shouting at people for using.

In the living room. On the new table. Well ok, the fiver from Ebay table that I painted last week. Same stocks, 70p  a pop.They smell lovely and I love the look of them even if it means no one can see the telly.

In the fireplace. Ok, ok, they're not real. Spot the imposter in this post. I still love them though and they won't die! £8 each from a shop in Leigh on Sea. I think it's called Scape, but it might not be. Most of the stuff is a bit mod for my taste but they do, now and then, have some great fake flowers and I bought a mirror in there that looks like a window. I'll take a photo of that another day. These hydrangeas are in my boney fidey Thrench milk bottle that I bought for 1 euro in a flea market in Thrance.

So that's the flowers in my manor today.

Happy Jubilee Weekend chaps. God Save The Queen.

Laters.

xx

I'd like to thank my agent...

Before I start, welcome to new followers. Even more people reading this drivel! Hello!

Blige me... the very funny Gem from http://treasuresfromthecherrytree.blogspot.co.uk/ has given me an award! The Sunshine Award, which is quite apt now it has stopped blimming well raining and spring has really sprung. Thanks, luv! Most honoured indeed.
Apparently I have to answer some questions and then pass it on. I'll answer the questions but I'm bottling out of passing it on because it's tooooooooo haaaaaaaaaaard and I can't choooooooooooooose. So if anyone fancies it, please take it and pass it on if you wish.
Right, the questions. (I warn you, I am a bit boring.)

Favourite colour
Erm.. grey. (See, told you I was boring.) That's my favourite colour at the moment. This changes on a weekly, if not daily basis.

Favourite Number
Very strange question! I don't have a favourite number but I am more drawn to even numbers. They're more neat and tidy with no messy bits on the end.

Favourite animal
Dog. Hands down. Preferably my own, Manny. He's naughty, thinks he's human and is the best looking dog that ever lived.

Favourite non alcoholic drink.
Tea, all day long. Twinings Everyday thank you. If it's good enough for Stevie Fry it's good enough for me.

Facebook or Twitter?
Facebook, but in a small way, just to be nosy.
 I don't tweet, I honestly don't get it and my phone is not one of those fancy shmancy ones. I like computers but I can't do phones and I don't want to know when someone hangs out their washing or goes up Tescos.

What is my passion?
This changes. Sometimes it's clothes, sometimes it's crochet, sometimes it's reading etc etc. I tend to be very over enthusiastic about whatever I'm into in the moment. This might last a few weeks then I go onto the next thing. I do love a book though.

(While I'm typing this Embarrassing Bodies is on telly. O.M.G. So far I've seen moobs, poo, sweaty boobs and varicose veins of the fanjita. Is it me? Who wants to see a lady garden and a most unattractive one at that at 9.26 of a Tuesday night? I've just eaten my tea...)

Do I prefer giving or receiving?
A bit of both really. I love giving my kids stuff but I also love it when they get me a present and they've thought about it a bit.

Favourite patterns.
I like spots, some florals, a bit of gingham, paisley. Lots really.

Favourite day of the week.
Friday. Hands down. My day off and everyone else is at work or school so my day, all to myself!

Favourite flower
Lupins and hollyhocks. Neither of which I've managed to grow in any of the gardens I've owned. Three houses I've lived in and I've spent £££££££s on Lupins and they never come back. Now and then I get one flower and lay in front of it salivating and stroking the stem until it dies. Hardy perennial my arse. I've never seen one twice. They hate me.

So that's me. Thanks Gem!
Been loving this sunshine!
Laters chaps.
xx

The Off Sick Blanket

Well hello! How the devil are you?
Today I am parading my new blanket. Crocheted with the hurty arm of pain during moments when it wasn't so hurty.

Spread almost right out in it's colourful glory. I was meant to be using up all the odds and sods of wool I had knocking about but obv I had to buy a couple of new balls to add to it. Any excuse, eh?
Despite leaving the taking of pictures until the sunniest day this year they have still come out dark, but any regular readers of this blog will know that photography isn't my strong point.
I'll stick another couple on even though it looks like a completely different blanket.

The edging, which I am really happy with. I wish I'd gone round a few more times with the beigey colour but got bored with it and stopped. I like the picot though, although I didn't enjoy doing it much.
Anyway, that's the blanket. It's standing on a table that I painted at the weekend. It's been living in the garage, rubbed down and primed since last summer. I got Mr Me to bring it indoors and just gave it a quick coat of grey with a bit of white mixed in and distressed it slightly by rubbing down the drips. No wax because I couldn't be bothered. Here's a picture of it without blanket.

So that's what I've been up to. Crocheting and painting. I like the table as a home for the blankets and I knew it wouldn't be long before the dog took up residence on the shelf. He did it today, but jumped off sharpish when I hollered at him. I love him and all that but I don't want my blankets smelling like dog thank you very glad.
Anyway that's me. Last week the lovely and very funny Gem from Treasures at The Cherry Tree gave me the Sunshine Award. Thanks, Luv! I will get round to doing it later this week, maybe even tomorrow. Which reminds me that a while ago I was given another award by Mum and also Magie from Teacups and Bunting. Sorry that I never got round to doing what I had to on that but thank you very much anyway.
Enjoy the sunshine!
Laters, chaps.
xx
PS.
You wouldn't want to cross this geezer would you?

Peter and The Mice

Meet Peter.

He's smiling in this one, having just been rescued and washed after an adventure in a mouse's nest. I know he has a gammy eye but give him a break, he's knocking on 50. His moobs are looking pretty good aren't they? I had to throw his clothes away as they had been half eaten by said mice. My nan had knitted him a rather dashing all in one with a zip up the front in about 1962 and I was more upset than I should have been at having to throw it away. This is really for Gem at The Cherry Tree who keeps coming across weird and wonderful dolls whilst on her travels. I only had to go into my own garage to find this one...

Another picture of him.

He looks a bit more sinister here and even more boss eyed. I'm debating whether he's safe to keep indoors actually.
Anyway, poor Peter was my first doll and was living quite happily, alongside my Sindy furniture, a collection of gonks (you have to be of a certain age...) and a couple teddy bears, in a box in the garage. Last Sunday, Manny the dog, spent a lovely hour barking at this box until we pulled it out and very gingerly emptied it. In the bottom, after pulling out half eaten teddies, we found a nest of mouse babies. I'm not going to go into what we did with them, but let's just say they are no longer with us.
I was straight on the phone to my sister to tell her that I had joined the ranks of Professional Hoarders because my hoard had acquired vermin. I could be off the telly.
My first reaction was to lob the lot and indeed we did. But I had to get my Sindy out of the bin and give her a wash and brush up.

Sindy taking a bath in the kitchen sink and giving me a dirty look for throwing her in the bin. Her hair isn't green (it's jolly matted though) that's washing up liquid. Looking good for 42, Girlfriend! I gave her a good soaking and a scrub with Cif and she's come up like new. Except the hair. Sadly her clothes are gone. The leather look skirt and red sleeveless polo neck are in the bin. The only thing she has is her drawers and a pair of cords. Poor mare.
I saved the Sindy wardrobe and chest of drawers, they are still in the garden awaiting a scrub.
So let this be a tale of caution to you all. If you value something, don't leave it in a box in your garage or the rodents will find it and make a home in it. Mind you, if your garage looks anything like this...

then you deserve everything you get. The dresser is from my mum's and I have the Annie Sloan just waiting for my arm to get a bit better. Behind it are the crates of 'vintage' stuff that my sister and I are saving for when we do a fair or something. Ha ha.

On a lighter and non vermin related note, last week in the charity shop I found this.

I know, I know, I said I wasn't going to buy nuffink else. But I LOVE IT, so it's staying. There is more. (I'm blushing a bit now) but I haven't taken pictures yet.
Also have some crocheting on the go and in an effort to de-clutter have put some wool up for sale on Ebay today. I will take photos of the crocheting wip later in the week.
Anyway chaps, Happy Tuesday and laters.
xx