Happiness Is

Each evening, once theres a bit of quiet time to write a post, I fall asleep. Staying up late for days on end has finally caught up with me. Seems I just can't stay up until 2am knitting anymore and then get up at 7am to do a full days teaching. I do struggle so keeping the same hours as everyone else.

I was planning to write a post with a bit of a history show and tell about it. Being as it's something we got all excited about, I've decided it'll have to wait a few more days. It needs a head that's less fluffy than mine is tonight to get written properly.

 Instead I thought I'd share with you a few Happy Things from the last week or so. 

Well a parcel plopped  through the door one day, full of the most lovely things from Mrs Bertimus.

 We'd decided to send a wee parcel of bits and bobs to one another just because. What a lot of happy things there are in that.

 Our older rescue cat Pip sleeping at home more has made me very happy too. Pip really hates Lily our 1 year old cat. Lily endlessly trails after Pip when she's home so Pip avoids coming home so often. I just wish Pip would give her a wallop and then Lily would leave her alone. Aahhh well, you can't tell them anything.

 Third Happy thing was finding the delightful Daisy Bee Necklines on Instagram. Her place is full of the most delightful colour and felty makes. 

Now I loved a brooch of hers a lot. In fact her style is divine, colourful and kooky I'd say. It's been a while since I got out the felt for a play. I couldn't stop thinking about one of her brooches so I decided I'd make one for myself. In fact I had so much fun, I made a couple and I don't think I've finished with these two alone. I really hope she doesn't mind me making them just for me.

I can't find a link to her in blogworld so if you want to see more of her fabulous makes then just have a peek on Instagram.

 

Another Happy Thing last week was having the most lovely day on my mum's birthday.

We found an old fashioned waterside pub for lunch, ate so much we though we'd burst and then went home to repeat it all for birthday tea.

Alongside all the half-term shenanigins I was as Happy as a Lark having lots of making time.

I was thrilled to stitch up a couple of custom Annual Top orders. While I was at it I cut out patterns for a few new things for me. 

The most amazing Happy thing though was to actually finish knitting the cardigan I started making last year. It's the first clothing thing I've knitted for myself as I usually get bored halfway through. I've always stuck to small stuff and things for the girls when they were younger. This time I made myself keep going because I loved the yarn and colour so much.

 

If you look back to the beginning of this post you'll see my Pink Stinks Regan cardi from the Soft knit Cotton collection by Rowan. This yarn is chain spun so there's no splitting at all and it lives up to it's name, being the softest yarn to knit with. I'll definately be getting more of this when the pennies are flowing once more. 

Next time I'll share Tales from the Grave with you. Ta Ta for now.

Florally Weeks End

Knowing I had a whole two weeks just to myself I foolishly thought I'd get so much done. That's two weeks squished in between school runs of course which means I don't have as much time as I'd thought. Then add in all the unforseens that popped up in the week and I'm left with the same list of things I wanted to get done as before. Ah well I've had a grand week all the same and I'm sure one fine day soon I'll break that list. 

Yesterday was a blissful day as the sun shone from the start, I slipped on my new dress all finished late the night before. When you're running badly late on the school run (we should have left at 7.30 and I was still getting petrol in the next village gone 8) then you love those days when you only need to chuck a dress on. Somehow, by a great big blooming miracle I managed to get into the city just in time for Miss Rosey to get into school and then hacked back to get Little Bun in just as the bell was ringing. Pheeew such a relaxing start to the day. Sadly I had to turn down an invite to coffee at the farm shop as I needed to be in the next town good and early.

When I got there I treated myself to a coffee and put the finishing touches to a few anenome brooches I was delivering. Always there by the skin of my teeth me, but it does get done in the end.

Brooches done, no photos stupidly which is annoying as I was thrilled with them, but I have a whole pile more to make up for my etsy shop (that list of things again) and for Little Vintage Lover Fair in August so I will share then. Off to the wool and bits shop for supplies and a lovely chat with the ladies in there who always ask after the girls. We lived here when Miss Rosey was a babe and Little Bun was born at home, so even though we've moved on they're well remembered from our walks out and about.

At Vintage Mischief I delivered my brooches and then just had to have a look around. It's a fabulous place to visit if you ever happen to be in Beccles. An old dairy on a couple of floors with rooms and outbuildings sprawling here and there filled with so many things you wish you had the pennies for. With the nagging knowledge of no pay until the end of September I stayed in window shopping mode (I was proud of myself as I normally have no willpower whatsoever).

I did get tempted by a few lupins and other plants on the market before I headed home to my man who was working at home that day. 

I ordered (or is that asked?) him to take a few pictures of me in said new dress so I could show you as promised.

Now as much as I love my new dress I'm not too sure I like seeing myself in it. I'm thinking either the camera does add a few pounds or perhaps my mum's right and I do need to shift a bit of excess me. I've never ever dieted and always eaten what I wanted, but I've obviously hit that age when what you eat no longer burns off and I need to face facts as I don't like what I see.

The afternoon ended with the best news ever, I will share when I get a letter confirming all as I don't want to tempt fate, but just to say after months of worry a huge weight has been lifted.

Later my man and I headed off to collect the girlies and hear tales of their days. Little Bun at an adventure climbing place as it was activities week and Miss Rosey with only one week left of her first year at high school.

I even managed to chop up the shapes for a new dress for Little Bun from the top fabric and pot up my plants when we got back before we collapsed in a drink sodden haze of shandy. This sunny weather really does make you feel like on top of the world doesn't it.

Today we're off for the Lord Mayor's parade and celebrations and Sunday there's a fabulous street market, street theatre and so much more besides or the perhaps the beach to get away from it all. Too much choice at this time of year. 

Wishing you a lovely weekend whatever you get up to too.

Here & Now

Not being able to blog for a while has given me bloggers block. I'm hoping that as I write the words will start to flow and my brain will become blogging fit once more.

The reason I blog is made up of so many things. I read an interesting post recently written by Annie about why we blog. I wanted to comment as like so many of her posts it got me thinking and I wanted to chat back. The moment was lost though as I was reading it on my phone waiting outside the school for Miss Rosey. The usual round of rushing to collect Miss Millie next, buying food, sorting out life when we get in at 6 so we can get through the next day means any intention I had to catch up with a comment is lost. Having to grab time here and there, coupled with failing pooters at home has forced me to step outside of blogging world. That's led to me questioning more why I really do it, what spurs me on to take photos and try to order my thoughts into something enjoyable to read. Essentially why keep on, when it would be so much easier to stop?

To be absolutely honest I can't imagine not writing here. It's a place where I order my life into some of the more cheery elements and reflect on all that I love the most in life. When I feel truly moany it's nigh on impossible to write a post as I don't want to share all of my innermost feelings and I can't imagine anyone else would want to read that kind of thing. Blogging is a two-way thing. I write and take pictures to record my creative life for myself, but to be really enjoyable I chose to share it with a whole host of people. Some are friends who catch up with my news, some are people who are blogging pals - people who I've met through this lark, then there are people who are kind enough to leave comments and share a bit of themselves, lastly there are all the unknown people who stop by have a read (and I hope enjoy it as I do all the blogs I pop into), but leave no trace of their visit.

When I write a post I have in mind different bloggers who I think will find something interesting. In essence it then becomes a bit of a chat in my head with them. There are so many wonderful women that I have chatted with through comments or emails that I sometimes wish I could literally pop over for a cuppa and say hello. Instead through blogging I pop into their edited worlds as they do mine.

Because I've been unable to visit many blogs lately I feel like a party's been going on and I'm behind with all the news. I'm going to cut a big slab of the cherry cake Little Bun made for Father's Day and pop on over this morning if my pooter lets me.

Around some horrible jobs that need doing too I'm hoping to squeeze in a spot of sewing, knitting or crochet. I haven't quite decided yet what mood I'm in.  Having this one day off before the working week gets going is fabulous, but it also means I want to achieve so much in it and then end up doing little. This morning I thought I could clear the garden, garage, make a dress, do the weeks food shop and fly to the moon. Now I realise I might have to settle for washing up and fiddling about as major achievements for my day as we have a new tiny furry distraction. 

Lily is three months old and arrived here on Friday morning. Little Bun's schoolfriends cat had a few kittens and it turned out the people who were having Lily changed their minds. Well we didn't even hesitate. A perfect kitten, small cheeky and loving who is toilet trained already, the ideal package. Olly is banned from seeing her as he has gone pretty feral (only turning up for meals and grumping at everyone), Pip our older cat is pretending she doesn't exist and Alfie Blue would like to be friends, but clearly Lily's mum told her dogs were bad. She'll soon learn this one is the bestest boy ever.

Around all of this we've seen Little Bun's end of year dance school show which was a great evening. rounded off perfectly by a man in the tightest skinny jeans and very high heeled boots singing Ring of Fire. My man has visited No 10 and had a chat with Dave himself. Ironically he got in with his British Library card as he couldn't find his driving licence. I think they'd checked him out for any dodgy aspects beforehand anyways. Miss Rosey has been going great guns in her sport and so we've been invited to a sports prize dinner with her on Friday. Me - well I've just been being me, no fancy achievements other than ticking along and discovering on Saturday night just how much I like cocktails.

In two weeks I'll be off work for six whole weeks. Scary and lovely at the same time as it means no pay until September so I'll be trying to fit in a few fairs to up the pennies. Two whole weeks on my own before Miss Rosey breaks up and then another week and a half for Little Bun. Sadly I'll only have two weeks off with the pair of them before I head back to work as we've changed all of our term dates at work.

Well it's been great getting back into the swing of things. I'll try and make it a more regular thing again as I think blogging does my head good. See you soon as I'm now off to go visiting.

Weebles make for Happy Days

A snippet of a tune floats around in my head "Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down". A girly weeble saved from my childhood sits happily beside ginger bear on our bedroom mantlepiece. I'm reminded of how I wished and wished for the weebles playset where I could sit my eggy pals in the roundabout or push them on a swing shaped just for their round bums.

Our home is filled with bits and bobs from our childhoods, things from our parents lives and memories added from our family life.  Shells, flowers and stones are collected up on our outings and stuffed into pockets for pouring over later when we return. New things are made to add to the collections as an when the urge demands.

Sometimes we head off to carboots, charity shops, fleamarkets and emporiums of old stuff in the hope of finding some of those things we have on the lists in our heads. Miss Rosey wishes for a 1950's picnic set, Little Bun loves dresses, toys and books, Mr Bun has wanted for so many years one of those collecting boys you used to see outside shops. You know the wee lad with his leg in callipers. God knows why, but he loves the design of these - I've said if we ever ever come across one then the boy can live in the garden. Me - well my list is endless, but I always know when I've seen just the thing that is on it.

This afternoon we headed off in search of treasure after Little Bun had some of her Rapunzel locks shorn at the hairdressers. It's all very well wanting hair down to your bum, but it's a swine to brush out. She feels very swish with her hair a bit shorter.

At the emporium we saw lots to take our fancy and had a fabulous browse. I collected up a jolly tin and a few more buttons before I saw the wee weather house Little Bun had had her eye on waiting in the corner.

I had one of these when I was small and loved it so. At the till I spied this most perfect plastic kitty and so I quickly added that to my things. More new things that have already found their places in our home and remind us of good days together. 

This week we've had a wonderful half-term, just gone at our own pace and made the most of our days. We had a fabulous day in Cambridge mooching, eating and then ending up at the Fitzwilliam. I adored seeing the pre-Raphaelites and then moving on to the world of Stanley Spencer. I also treated myself to a wee bit of fabric because it was irresistible.

On Thursday the girls and I had a home day. I found time in the afternoon to make up a brooch that's been kicking around in my head for far too long now. My wedding bouquet was made up of anenomes which contrasted with my deep blue velvet dress, I've wanted some lasting anenomes ever since. I'm so thrilled with how it's turned out, in fact I've worn it ever since. Today at the emporium it was the first thing Daniella the owner noticed. I was thrilled when she asked if I'd be happy to have a few for sale in the shop.

Now finally in memory of that rare blast of sunshine that appeared again at the end of the week I'll show you where we went for a wander with picnic in hand. Fairhaven Gardens is a magical place where fairies most definately live set within the Broads. Alongside the inland waterways are masses of these Candleabra plants.

After walking through paths made into tunnels by the trees overhead we came out onto the Broad where we ate our lunch.

We waited awhile to see this beautiful boat sail past before heading back into the woods in search of bluebells.

Tommorow Miss Rosey and I will be in Hatfield while she plays in a netball tournament. I'm filling my bag with knitting, hexies, books and memories as it's going to be a long old day. Please lets have some more of this here sun as it won't be much fun out in the rain for seven hours will it.

See you soon.

Shelf Filling

Mr Bun gave me this postcard a while back now after a trip to the big smoke. It's from the Children in War collection by Cecil Beaton and sits on one of the mantlepieces. The little girl in it is three year old Eileen Dunne who was a blitz victim. It's taken in 1940 in the Hospital for Sick Children. 

Every time I look at it I have so many questions to ask about little Eileen. I wonder if she's been orphaned and that's why she looks so wary, is it because she's in pain or is it just the strange surroundings and the strange man taking a photo of her? Perhaps it's all of them.  She clutches her rescued doll to her for comfort and is safe for now in her cosy bed. As a mum I find this postcard incredibly touching and want to snatch her out of the photo and give her a cuddle. I often wonder what became of little Eileen and hope it was a happy ending.

The reason for mentioning Eileen is that she ended up being the perfect backdrop to some photos I was taking the other day and I thought you might like to know a bit more about her too.

Before I got my camera out I was busy stitching. Do you remember that fabric I bought on Saturday? Well on Sunday I cut a bag shape from some of it and on Monday I stitched it into a Happy Shopping Trip Bag. Little Bun was poorly which rescued me from having to help out Mr Bun at work. Extra time with my lovely girl and stolen back making time aswell.

I lined the top half with a pink polka-dot. Ever since I was a teen I've loved polka-dots and always use them in my sewing when I can.

 

Rather than making just one bag, I made two. As I've a fair sized pile of my favourite ever (at the moment of course) fabric, I decided that some of it should become another Happy Shopper.

 

This one got the orange polka-dot treatment inside.

 

I got such wonderful comments from you all about the Happy Shopper I made for myself that it gave me the kick up the bum to make some more to share. I used to make all sorts of bags to commission, but haven't done so for years now. I really enjoyed getting back into bag making again and think a few more will be making their way off my sewing machine very soon.

To be honest that kick up the bum, combined with the fact that the daft rain cleared off on Monday, meant the light was perfect to take photos of my makes. For an age now I've been trying to update my etsy shop and last night I beavered away filling the shelves and having a good old tidy up. 

If you fancy a peek around my spic and span shelves you can find my etsy shop  here:

Bobo Bun

Thank you all for giving me the ooommmphh to get on with things. Sometimes it's just what's needed.

Production Line

Hello there to my new followers, thanks for coming along. I'm sorry I haven't popped by to visit you, but for some reason my blog is refusing to show me any links to followers.

Now what a great day I've just had.

A lovely lovely lady who is opening a shop this summer in Norwich called Glory Days asked me a wee while ago if she could buy some of my work to sell there. She came to see me today and placed a pretty large order with me. We managed to talk the hind legs of a donkey or two as well.

It's all very exciting stuff as it is so lovely knowing you aren't fooling yourself by following this urge to make. I knew the shop would be great as she's stocking Hope & Greenwood's sweeties, Kind Hearts Clothing, Acorn & Will and a couple of other makers from our Pick 'n' Mix Market. I'll let you know the opening date and how to find it very soon.

Before she visited I got into full production mode to have enough to show.

At the start of the line.

I was hooking and stitching until I was happy and it ended up in one of those baskets further down the line.

Now I've sold to shops before and I've never felt happy with the whole deal. It was either a 40% cut of my profit or sale or return. The whole nature of handmade is that it's time consumming. Anything made with passion and care takes time. This makes it very hard to give over a huge chunk of your hard earned profit to someone else, but then they are getting your work out there for you. Now the best and ideal deal is when an order is placed, paid for up front and the prices paid are agreed between maker and buyer so everyone's happy.

Now I've got quite a few things to get making as well as having enough stock for the summer markets and to get my shops shelves filled. Busy busy as always.

I seem to have finally got my head around production line working too. I've always made each piece and finished it in one go and then moved onto something else as I get distracted easily. Now I've figured out how cutting out and making up all the bits and bobs I need really is a much quicker way of working.

After all this hard work there's always a reward.

At the end of the line Pretty fizz, followed by grown up fizz later on.