Mixed Bags

Thats the new name for my craft group! because well, we are a group of girls with mixed bags of crafts of course!
Today was craft day we have such a fun time and I love how different we all are with our crafts
This month was a little different, I got my lovely friend Trudi from Glittering Prize to demonstrate how to create a shamballa bracelet, we had fun as usual and this is what I came up with in group

Whilst there the lovely Clare from Jumbleberries was creating a pretty teal brooch to which I had the perfect button for, which I purchased from my market at the stall Hodge Podge Arts, I love the outcome, thank you Clare

Heres some other creations from the girls

As usual I had a belly full of food which consisted of leek and potato soup, homemade savoury muffins and lemon cake and the lovely Lianne brought in a chocolate guiness cake which was divine!
I love my group x

Market

A couple of weeks ago saw our April market, the weather brightened up a little and we had a lovely amount of visitors pass through to look at the wonderful stalls on offer and of course to sit down in our vintage tea area and take time out to eat a slice of homebaked cake and drink tea from our vintage china

Heres a peek into the stalls we had this month, check out their links to see their designs in more detail

Firstly there is the lovely Shabby Polka Dots, Nightingale Chutneys, The Cookie Box, Clearly Potty

and Wall Envy Art, Hodge Podge Arts, Sure Jewellery, Bizzie Lizzie

and lastly good ole me with a very colourful table of goodies

I'm restructuring what I create so my table over time is going to change, I'm simplifying my display as much as I can so that the colours of my makes stand out only.
My table cloth! See those doiles they were painfully sewn on by myself! didnt take too long but it was painful as I kept getting stabbed by the pins!

Running a market isnt easy but its so pleasurable, look out for a write up on how Michelle and I create such a lovely market x

This weather is so miserable at the moment, I'd much prefer it to be snowing I'd appreciate and enjoy it alot more, rather than these downpours we're getting
In the evenings I've been sitting next to my lamp, have a smelly candle lit and i've been crocheting away on the many projects I have on the go

Wish me luck, after school its hair cut time for the boys! hope we dont get rained on and hope my little one behaves!

Tea!

Suffering with anxiety can be a total nightmare! Comes along whenever it pleases and decides to ruin a few of my hours or my sleep if I let it.
If I can control it in time then I'm okay but if I cant then I struggle for hours with horrid pangs of negativity and shakes along with, if really bad, a night of sickness!

I try alot to help myself with reducing any attacks but after speaking to a friend recently I've decided to try something new!
Generally I always have a cup of tea or decaff coffee before bed, its just the norm, but to be honest it can sometimes set an attack off. So after talks with a friend I've changed to peppermint tea before bed

To make it seem even nicer I'm using my super pretty tea cup and saucer
I have to say I do feel better, I'm not bloated when I go to bed, I drift off to sleep quicker than normal and wake up feeling 'well awake'!

Have you had to make changes to a routine to help you!

How do you mash yours!

We love mash in our house, but ssssh I didnt like it when I was growing up as Mum only used butter which in my mind is one hell of a dry mash.
Once I was out of home and living it up by myself I experimented with different ways of creating the best mash using yogurt, creme fraiche, melted butter, milk and so on

Guess what I settled, plain old milk with a pinch of pepper, mash until super super creamy and voila

Now thats what I call mash

Quite Simply

so much is on hold due to this

 its constant rain rain rain... its stops then it quite literally hammers it down
The garden is on hold, the planting of seeds are on hold, walks are on hold, I have one lazy pooch who doesnt care too much for this sort of weather!

Dreaming of dry days so I can plant my seeds and watch them grow, when I can stare at our pretty new koi without getting wet as a fish!

I've spent my days whilst the boys at school keeping up with orders and sorting out kitchen cupboards
Right i'm off to move my studio around - again!!!

The pile!

I have a pile of goodies at home waiting to be upcycled, things I've been collecting over a little bit of time, I thought I'd share my goodies with you, some are for the home and some will be for sale as in September I'm attending a vintage and handmade market in Milton Keynes so I'm building up my 'upcycled' stock for then

this is one of the piles in my studio (which i'm currently resorting again and again and again)
the printers tray is going to be for our bedroom, the dolls house is going to be all done up and I cant quite decide whether to keep or sell it yet, the gplan unit is on the list to be painted in some funky colours

I've already ripped all the fabric off this vintage handmade sewing box! the plan is a gorgeous purple vintage fabric with a quilted design on the top :) I'm quite excited about this one

 this is going to be for my studio, it has a little water damage but nothing too bad, its going to look very different once its completed

 this gorgeous vintage vegetable rack is going to be painted I have two choices at the moment, vintage green or yellow chalk paints, I cant quite decide, this is going into my studio though and will be taken to events to hold my goodies

 these wooden bowls were a bargain and are shouting out to be decoupatched

 

this old picnic basket is good condition but the inside is a little on the dirty side so i've ripped out all the fabric and will be replaced very soon with some new oil cloth as we have a picnic idea for our market in the summer hence i'm collecting picnic baskets

I also have a gorgeous vintage folding book case in the garage, I cant decide whether to keep or sell it, but its going to be painted then I'll make my decision from there

Have you got a pile of goodies ready to be upcycled too!

Changes

Changes are afoot - This blog is not just about my Quirky Boots store and it was never meant to be just about that, more of an online diary for myself to go back on over time to see my children develop and see what I have and havent achieved yet!

Its quite a wordy post hopefully you'll make it to the end!

After reading another blog recently I realised that I can make changes on here so it doesnt just feel like a journal of what I make by changing names and pointing myself in the direction that I want to go. What I generally do with my days is a mixture of allsorts, its a busy household to upkeep especially with so many projects running around in my mind that I want to attempt

My craft group that I run each month is a huge relief as I get a whole day to giggle with the girls and possibly finish a project that I may have started sometime ago
My craft market that I co - run with my lovely friend Michelle is another relief where I get to share my passion of handmade and teacups with people who care for these things also
My shop of which I'll be opening in May with my lovely friend Rona is the start of a dream that I've had for so long, its exciting and scary all at the same time

These things keep me going as a person, as the person commonly known as the boys Mum!

I realise that to be a blogger you dont have to be a perfect photographer everytime and that really there are no rules only ones that you set yourself, as a blogger I shouldnt worry if no one is reading my babble, as long as it makes sense to me surely thats the whole point, but what a bonus if someone reads along with you and you get a connection with that
I've made so many friends through this thing we call the web and I cannot thank it enough for that

Blogging is for me! for what I choose!  Do continue to read along with me if you already do and waves to followers who are new

My blog is about my life and how I try to live it - be it a Mum, Partner, Cook, Cleaner, Gardener, Animal Lover and Creative Designer Maker (or whatever it is that I should call myself)

So thats where the name came from! Did you see it! the new name! *new blog header coming soon*

*Always Dream BIG*

I'm making a statement that its not just about me creating its about me in general and I kinda like it, scary decision to make but I like it... it kind of sums me up, I always try my best at everything I do and have held on to many dreams over the past years and they do eventually come true...

Currently I'm saving up for this - my total dream bike!

Keep on popping by I love it when you do xxx

well...

I havent been around for a number of reasons really

• I've had a car accident - nothing too serious thankfully but really shocked and scared me and i've got terrible pains in my shoulder blade and leg, whilst that was happening to me my friend who is opening the shop with me was also in hospital poorly for a week too
• My partner has had a week off work so we spent some time together whilst the boys have been at school and we've managed to do a few jobs around the house, well he has thanks to me and my aching shoulder 
• and to be fair i've been so busy with my head full of things to be done I dont know whether I'm coming or going! lots of structuring going on with everything I do

I'll be back very soon with more updates, hope everyone is well x

School Break

The boys have been off school for two weeks and I say as nicely as I can, they go back tomorrow! They sooo need to go back and have their heads filled with more knowledge and to see and hang out with their friends that they've missed
We've had a normalish break, no holiday just hanging around and getting bits done here and there!
We went to my nieces 13th birthday! I cannot believe she is 13!!!

My secret project has been unleashed over on this here facebook page!

A rare photo of me and my eldest x

We picked up some ebay goodies and got to have a peek at the ladies gorgeous horses too!

We had an easter tea party for some friends

and I made a pretty easter wreath too which is currently hanging from our fridge

Tonight I'll be packing away all the easter goodies ready to bring out again next year :)

I've been working on some pretty craft home areas too which I'll share later and lots of other fun quirky boots projects as I have a stall at the craft market that I run this saturday too x

Other than that not much else to report really, back to the daily grindstone that is the school run, and if you have a peek at my secret project you'll see that i'll be super busy with that too x

woyww

I rarely join in with 'whats on your workdesk wednesday' now, its not because I dont want too, its because I forget!
Heres a peek into my room at the moment! Its quite messy but I'll try to explain why

Other than daily orders I'm also builing up stock and doing my 'use up my stash promise'

Currently on my desk is a white cabinet that repainting with white chalk paint and lining with paper to use at events, theres some cute little wooden spool dolls I bought years ago that I'm decopatching too!
In the corner which you cant see I'm working on bird houses which is why the vintage doilies are on the floor as I was figuring out which ones to use!
The vintage yellow fabric was been cut into strips for a skeleton lamp project!
The wool! well the wool is a never ending list of projects from grannie blankies to cushions to fathers day gifts to decorative gifts!

See mickey mouse! well my little boy loves him, but that there mickey was mine when i was very much younger so is quite vintage now himself lol its a pj case an i love him

I'll try to pop round as many blogs as I can but we're super excited as my secret project is taking off this week (i'll share more soon I promise) x

veg quiche

Some may be aware that I'm doing Slimming World
I bought one of their new books 'extra easy all in one' the first recipe I tried was 'crustless vegetable quiche' and it was delicious so I thought I'd share it

oven 180c/gas 4

Spray a large pan with fry lite and saute 1 finely chopped pepper, 1 200g broccoli chopped roughly and 1 diced courgette for 6-8 mins over a meium heat or until just tender.

remove from the heat add 4 chopped spring onions and set aside

beat 6 eggs with 1 crushed garlic clove and 1tsp of dried herbs

add half of the 110g of reduced fat cheese and season well

lightly spray a pie dish with fry lite and add the vegetables. Pour over the egg mixture and sprinkle with the remaining cheese

Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until set

Serve at room temperature

and enjoy x

I'm pretty camera shy to be honest, always taking them never in them.
I was playing around yesterday taking photos for a pretty crafty home blog post and snapped this
I think I look tired but doesnt help I get up super early with the little guys :)

 

Are you camera shy! How do you overcome it!