Anniversary

Today is mine and my husbands first wedding anniversary. We have had a lovely day remembering our wedding last year and all the adventures in between. Here is to another exciting year ahead and more adventures to come.

I am so lucky to have Mr H as my husband, I have really learn't to listen and talk things through although we have our moments we are the No 1 team.

Love you lots Sean xx

Derby Days

Way back in the calendar.....last Christmas in fact myself and Mr H were delighted to receive a mini break voucher as one of our Christmas gifts. We are VERY LUCKY big thanks to my Dad and Stepmom. XX

We stayed here in Hilton Derbyshire.
The property was a farm with a lavender garden.

We were able to pick fresh lavender flowers.


The room where we stayed was beautiful, the food facilities and welcome are well worth a visit.
Check out the website here, The Lavender Patch

We visited Calke Abbey. NT property.

The gardens were beautiful.

We then journeyed on to the Ferrers Craft Centre.

Where we caught up with what we thought was an old friend.

Sadly it was not Betty though.

There were occasional blue skys......

&

fantastic sunsets.

The pekin's were my new friends.

My favourite was the Lavender one.

We even cycled along the Tissington Trail.

Where there were miles of Derbyshires hillsides to see.

Now the decorating will resume.

Thanks again for the mini break. X

Summer's Here

It starts the summer holiday......lots planned, hopefully I will get lots completed. But its already 9.30am and I am still in my Pj's. Yikes................. stay tuned.

Whimsical whitecompany pj's I wish......

......................mines more washed out M&S!

Have fun.

X

Call me a snob but...........

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Its nicer united........more calming than the sea of mass produced red and white ones.

Sunday Catch up..............

On Monday i just knew it would be ONE of THOSE WEEKS.

We got up Monday morning to find poor Ethel lying very still, she was very sick and Mr H had to take her to the animal hospital quickly that morning. As you can probably imagine I was a hopeless case. I was so upset, Mr H did me proud though and sorted everything out. It is still hard to know what ws the matter with Ethel but she was very sick and wouldn't drink or eat. It was already bad enough as this Tues she was booked in to have her front incisor teeth removed as she has been suffering with maloclussion where her jaw is not aligned and her front teeth do not wear down. Luckily for Ethel she pulled through and she had her operation. Tues night I was up every few hours feeding her with a syringe making sure she had anough fluids. Poor Ethel!!

You will all be glad to hear that she is doing well. She is currently curled up on my lap whilst the laptop is perched on my knees. Bless.

Luckily this Tues the discounted (Thank you Country Living) Cath order came it cheered me up a little enclosed were some lovely glasses ready for alfresco dining outside this summer.

I was also a lucky lady as I received the cutest packaged sweet treats, good old Elsie left in on my desk at school to cheer me up. Trouble is as soon as I saw it, it imade me think of Ethel and so the other textiles teacher found me crying at my desk. I said it was tough week!! Its funny how attached we are to Ethel ..................life would not be the same without her.
Ethel today resting in her new buny bed and yes for all you hawk eyes out there it is yet another Cath item!! I just could not resist, my mom thinks Ethel is treated like a princess!

So today we have enjoyed the sun's warming rays whilst eating a very delicious salad outside in the garden, I do not make a habit of photographing my lunch but I am particularly proud of the salad leaves which were born and raised in the back garden!!

Alium snapshot it is HUGE!!

The veg patch is slowly coming to life!

Managed to finish the commision for the

two cushions for a colleagues MGA car I hope she like them!!

Back breaking week!

HaLf TeRm

In the Pic and Bloss house.......there was a list. I say WAS because I scribbled it the last day of term and I looked at it then erm totally misplaced it. I know I have not achieved everything this week. I am not sure my brain will realise the fact that the week only has a regular amount of hours in it and does not turn into some Dr Who stylee time warp.

Anyhow I feel pleasantly refreshed in most ways and thought I would write a line or two for fellow blogsters to check out.

So on my list was four unfinished knitting projects.....I completed erm just the one!

But better than none I think??? RIGHT!?

A la slipper pour Elsie.....late Birthday present! Pattern courtesy of Ysolda Teague and her whimsical little knits. I picked it up in Loop when I went to London back in Spring. I did attempt a pair for moi first. I could post a photo with me wearing the single rather LARGE slipper just for laughs but I fear you will all need to seek medical attention later maybe like Uncle Albert in Mary Poppins!!!

Moving swiftly on!

THE GARDEN

Paradise....... well after 10hours last Sunday and another 12 hours throughout this week the garden is looking somewhat more polished. Slightly dull today after the small downpour, but hey.

Novice veg gardeners we have planted up salad potatoes/carrots/beetroot/peppers/chilli peppers/garlic/tomatoes and courgettes.

Move over Alys Fowler!!

Well we shall see.

CROP UPDATE TO FOLLOW (when it grows)

I painted the shed again and the new bird table which has been home to countless pigeons, magpies grrr, a small unidentified bird oh and a squirrel who pinched the fat balls!

Finally I move on to the new craft on the block! Wet felting ..... two weeks ago myself and Elsie went on a felt course with teh great GILLIAN GLADRAG and we learn't how to mke a seamless bag. OOOOOOOOOOHH I hear you say.....it was much fun and we have swiftly signed up for more fun and felting antics for autumn mmmmmm yum!

Hard at work in Gillian's studio!!

We were rather pleased with our attempts...

So today I have been road testing my new kit and shall be making more felted paraphernalia over the coming weeks and the summer holiday.

My idea didn't go exactly to plan but I am getting to grips with the basics first, better walk before running, and its important to remember to only run when being chased anyhow!!

Meanwhile today Mr H and Ethel have been helping our electricity supplier gain more funds. It has been X-box Sunday here at Pic and Blos headquarters.

SIGH !

Off for a glass of something pink and a nice film to finish off the week I think!

Ciao x

Recycled horses and Mr Cullum

This week has mostly been about crafting small horses as a leaving present for my house captain at school who has worked really hard all year. Thanks Luci :)

A little horse crafted from a knee high sock!

Obviously he was very hungry.

Thursay evening we went to the Birmingham Symphony Hall to see the fab Mr Cullum, he was amazing. We were very close three rows from the front. Sadly I did not take my camera as I thought that pics would be a no no. I was gutted to find every man and his dog in the audience had a camera. In fact the guy next to me must have had some fab pics as he had a BIG digital camera!! Hey ho I grabbed my small Sony Ericsson and the pics can be seen below. I have only had the phone nearly 2 years and have just managed to upload pics from it. Very exciting for me.

My pics are below. he even came into the audience to perform a little number!!

It has been a busy busy week here in the Pic Blos household. Ethel's pose pretty much sums it all up really. Its a rabbits life!

Extended Easter

The second week of Easter we stayed in Amsterdam and visited lots of beautiful places, taking in lots of the Dutch architecture. Only problem was due to a mountainous mass of rock spewing ash etc we could not fly home! Now most people would probably jump for joy at this news being stuck abroad for me well it was a different story. WHY? I drove my poor husband barmy I will never really understand but for the four additional days and one travelling day I was away from beloved blighty I was not a happy chick. You could say this Easter I learn't a lot about myself. I am a self confessed control freak in the sense that I like to feel I am holding the reigns and during that week I certainly wasn't. But hey ho I thought I would share some moments we captured.

Keukenhof Gardens ......Tulip paradise!

Beautiful Blossom!

The theme this year at Keukenhof is 'From Russia with Love'

Great swathes of hyacinths and daffodils created carpets of colour.

I missed Ethel though and found this fella to make me smile.

Someone has been reading the handmade nation!

Every space is so thoughtful.

We visited Vondel Park I made .......

A daisy caterpillar, it reminded me of Primary School days.

There were lots of funny things like this man playing his music whilst travelling along the canal.

Henrietta Heron.....?

A visit to Marken

Back in the city....

But my heart was at home and I was glad to see Ethel once more!

For those that wondered we eventually got the very LAST cabin on an overnight ferry from Roterdam only 24hours and 10 modes of transport later we were back home.

Just shows how we all rely on technology and take it for granted!

Ciao X