An English Summer's Day

The weather is totally marvellous today in Hampshire - like a proper English summer's day should be! Not only is it sunny and warm, but there is a blustery breeze, making it what my mother would call a perfect drying day. So, being a lady who loves her vintage linens, today should have been the day for getting them washed and dried. But, have I been doing that?

...well, I have a little bit - as you can see, but the distractions in the garden are difficult to resist. So rather than show you some more vintage glassware and china which are destined for the shop soon, I thought it might be nice to have a look at today's distractions?

...you can't beat an English garden in June, can you?

I love, love, love peonies...

...and geraniums en masse (please don't see the bindweed on the left - I make a point to never take any notice of it)

and, did I tell you that I love, love, love peonies - Ooooh I do!

...so much colour...

And, you know, I do love peonies.....

.

Those busy bees amongst the alliums.

And here are the stars of the show - Doreen and Beryl (above) and I could only manage an action shot of Sybil (below)! Being a legbar, she doesn't really like to stand still - especially if there is a camera around (or a person looking distracted). But she does look beautiful, don't you think? If only our Gladys would get out of her broody mood and join in the fun of the summer garden - any suggestions from you knowledgable hen lovers would be very welcome.

And the biggest distraction today has been the nice smell coming from the kitchen. What could be a better pudding on a lovely summer's day than...... pavlova... the perfect way to end the day! We've had a quick cooking lesson on making meringue today, and it looks like there is a little something missing...

...shouldn't there be another meringue where that knife is? Has someone found the temptation too much?

That is just the sort of sneaky thing that someone who has been a bit distracted today would do - isn't it?

Mmmmm, and delicious it was too!

Hope you've all enjoyed your day today - where ever you are!

Some new stock

New stock is arriving soon at the Gorgeous Things Flagship Store! And I thought you might like a sneak preview. The theme seems to be country kitchen - I have such a soft spot for these homely pieces.

The first is this gorgeous kitchen side table with pot board. I've always wanted one of these. It has taken me an age to prepare and paint it - but really worth all the work I think. Here it is whilst I was finishing the top - which I have since sealed with Colron Finishing Oil (which looks and smells delicious).

Sorry about the funny angle, but it was the best I could do through the kitchen door. It is already in the shop, and is fabulous for displaying some of my larger linens, vintage Welsh blankets, vintage bedspreads and my vintage crochet blankets etc - I must take some photos of it loaded up (another time, I guess).

Another country kitchen piece which is newly finished is this sideboard. I have decoupaged the whole interior in a fresh blue check. This is one of several pieces where I have decoupaged the interior - I love this look! I think that the piece looks great anyway, but then , you open the cupboard and you get this blast of gorgeous colour - it's like a lovely, cheery surprise! It took me a lot longer than I thought to do this decoupaging - typical of me to underestimate the job - and two whole rolls of craft paper! I still can't believe it took so much paper (although, I suppose I did do the drawers as well)

Now I have the decoupage bug, I just have keep going - I added a bit of pizazz to this little shelf - I hope you like it...

These are just a couple of the things I remembered to take photos of, there is plenty more in the Gorgeous Things shop. But all this painting has made me a bit slow in restocking with those lovely hand embroidered tablecloths and linens. I have so much stock to get sorted out and into the shop. I will post soon with some pretty pictures of the vintage linens, I'm sure you'll love them!

If you like any of my things, they are for sale in the Gorgeous Things Flagship Store (as I like to call it!) just visit Bourne Mill, Farnham. Or drop me an email if you're too far away to visit.

Meanwhile, here's a quick update on the lovely hens from my last post. Well.... here's naughty Doreen having a look in the kitchen this morning, as I was fiddling around with my camera.

Cheeky madam!!!! I'm not sure chickens should get too close to ovens.

Now back to sorting out some stock for tomorrow - would you like to have a look in the next boxes of goodies I have to go through? Oh, ok then...

Nice enamelware bowl at the bottom there, oh, and a sweet pink jug, and is that a bit of 70s kitchen storage there ? - not sure about the straw hat, I'd love to do something with it, but I'll have to see if I get any inspiration Otherwise it'll be off to the car boot. I'll let you know how it goes.

A Grand Day Out

The girls and I had a lovely trip out to the farm supplies shop.

Never been here before, but it looks really interesting - look at the size of those wheelbarrows! It looks like there could be a "retail opportunity" here! I really hope they have what we're looking for.

How about these little fluffballs......?

No?

How about these ....... ?

Blimey - not once you see the price tag! But I love the fluffy feet and the multi-colours - very cute.

So how about these lovely looking young ladies.......?

These look more like the sort of thing.

So we went to have a chat with the chap in the shop who knew all about them. Apparently, they keep one of each breed which they are able to supply on display here, so I can choose which type I like, and place an order. Great idea.....

....so, I returned outside to let the kids know what we were supposed to do. A discussion then took place for about two minutes. The problem was that we thought we were going to get two ordinary brown chickens that day - and we had brought the cat baskets because we wanted to get them and take them home that day. Such disappointment - until we "hatched" a new plan:-

I explained the situation to the man. "Any chance we could take two of these chickens?" I asked the man. (Always worth asking, isn't it?)

"Yes, shouldn't be a problem. I can get some replacements from the supplier tomorrow. Which ones do you want?" he replied.

Well - that was a difficult question - as there was a gorgeous white one, and a lovely speckled one, oooooooooh, and one with a neat hairdo like a quiff over the top. Oh, and this browny one is sooooo friendly..... another discussion between the kids and me takes place, and before you know it .... into the basket ....

... FOUR hens are caught and put into the cat baskets (amid lots of squawking, which reduces me into a complete fit of giggles!!)

Oooops, sorry ladies, it's a bit of a squeeze in these cat baskets! Hope you don't mind too much!

Then, just as we are about to leave the hen pen (looking somewhat depleted) I saw a lovely little fully speckled lady who seemed a bit shy ...... No, I couldn't leave her - do you think she'll fit in the basket? I ask the man. Of course, he replies. Well, it was a bit of a squeeze....

They are sooooo helpful here - and he has all the bits and pieces I need to feed and look after them.

The car is now fully laden with huge bags of sawdust, pellets, corn, oyster shells, pellet feeder, water feeder, a pram, a baby (in baby seat), two baskets full of five chickens, two teenagers and two adults. Yup, it's a tight squeeze. But just look how happy we all are - yes, these kids cannot quite believe their luck!

Let's just hope that Dad's finished the final touches on their run by the time we get home. It's Dad's birthday today, so when he says "How many chickens have you got there? .... I thought we were getting two......" grumble..... grumble..... bah humbug....... etc.

We say "Happy birthday, Dad! Look this little speckled one is yours - isn't she lovely?"

And, let's face it, they are all totally gorgeous. And where's the fun in just keeping one breed of hen when you can have them all different? (I know I am just trying to convince myself here!) The kids have still not got over the fact that we came away with so many - normally I'm a very sensible person, who plans these things very carefully - I don't think they've ever seen me act so impulsively before!

And, as for Dad, well he just loves them too now - every time he goes out the back door to the greenhouse he takes a quick handful of corn to scatter on the way, and when the chickens see him they run after him clucking happily! I know, it's only cupboard love, but who's telling? They are sooooooo cute!

~

Many thanks to L and C for all your help, we really couldn't have done it without you.

A Big Garden Project

*** waves magic wand *** ... and... *** puff of magic smoke ***

Ta Da!

The hen house has been magically transformed into a Gorgeous Thing. And, yes, in case you were wondering, it IS in Farrow and Ball Lichen (sorry, I can't help myself - I just love that Farrow & Ball paint!) Although it was really tempting to make some little Kate Forman curtains for the ventilation window and a couple of bolster cushions for the nesting box, I have resisted, and have tried to focus on getting this project properly finished!

So what next? Ah yes, it needs a safe haven in the garden - we don't want any visits from that nasty Mr. Fox. So it's over to Hubby, with help from friends and family!

Just need to knock in a few posts ...


.....looks like hard work, boys!

The kids measure how deep to whack in the posts ....



then stretch the wire between the posts - but make sure it's level!


Now, just add a bit of chicken wire...


Yup, looking good! Now just one or two things missing. Can you guess what that might be?

Oooh! I can hardly wait.

Next installment will follow very soon!!!!

The Hen House

Well, so much for having all my projects in one room. Already my project room isn't big enough to hold all my stuff, so I have overspilled into the dining room again.

This time it's the arrival of the hen house - Yippee! - great excitement at The Old Village Hall. But, of course, I don't want just an ordinary browny/orange stained wood hen house - nope, I want a cutesy, gorgeous painted one.

We've often talked about getting some hens, but it has never seemed to be the right time. But somehow it just happened that we noticed some cute hen houses on ebay, and before we knew it a bid had been made, and the house was won.

So, Lovely Hubby's done his big, strong, he-man thing and cleared a space for it to go....


... well I never liked that shrub anyway!

And then Lovely Hubby got out his tool kit and put it together.


... Hmm! What's going on in there? ...

And now it's sat on my dining room table...

... ready to be transformed into a Gorgeous Thing. How about Farrow and Ball's Lichen? Yes, I think that'll be it.

I really hope I can update you with the finished house VERY soon!