More long stories kept short.....

Hello my dears,

Hope this post finds you all well and happy?

Well, what a week this has been...phewie... I'll be glad to see the back of February I can tell you!

I'll list it to get it over quickly, then on to my thrifty finds from several weeks back that I still haven't got round to showing you 'till now :o)

Ok. here goes.....

It all started a week ago Friday evening....

Friday :The boiler stopped working.

Saturday: british gas came out and said the fan didn't work we need a new one..

Monday 5am : Take son to school to get a coach to the airport as he is off to spain for the week..

Monday am.: They bring the fan but unfortunately it doesn't come with the gaskets so they try and order the gaskets (the bits that stop carbon monoxide escaping intot he air!!) but alas, the gaskets are now obselete as my boiler is over 20 years old at least!

Monday am continued:  Britsh Gas condemn my boiler :o(

The nice man from british gas rings my lovely estate agent lady and tells her he has condemned my boiler (we currently have to rent...)

Monday noon: My landlord rings me up to have a go at me for the boiler breaking. He also has a go at me as the dishwasher broke before Christmas and he had to get us a new one in January, he also had a go as the 'brushes' went in the washing machine in January and he had to replace them. He also had a go as last July time he employed a man to look at the fencing in the garden and the man told him he needed new fencing (it would have lasted a few years yet..) so the landlord bought new fencing.

I did explain to him that I had not done a thing to the boiler etcc, and did it occur to him that the boiler and dishwasher had gone roughly at the same time as they were both as old as the kitchen?!

Then....He asked me if I would like to rent the property direct from him rather than go through the Estate Agent!!

No chance sunshine!!

He's not even supposed to phone me up as the agent had to warn him against it when I first moved in as he was ringing every few days!!

Monday pm: have texted son 13 times now and no response. Even put extra credit on his phone in case he's run out... getting a tad worried as he was supposed to text me when he got to the airport, and when he landed in Spain...

Tuesday am: In response to my now 17texts son texts back..and I quote "yeah I'm ok :o)"  That's it!

Tuesday noonish: I see that Honey hamster is poorly. I take her to the vets, but alas we lose her :o(  This is because it got too cold in the house for her, and in all honesty my dears, i didn't think to give them both extra bedding or anything because we had no heating! I was just trying to keep the girls warm...

Tuesday pm. Me and Mr LTS chicken out of telling the girls about Honey, and hatch a plan to bring in an imposter... We just couldn't deal with the loss at the moment :o(

Wednesday am...I go and get said imposter -Honey mark 2..

Wednesday pm: Big daughter has horrendous seizures at school so ambulance is called.. But the school dealt with it very well..

Thursday through to Saturday: Big daughter is very poorly indeed, but much better now thankyou :o)

Friday am : british gas come round to price up for a boiler. The man that turns up doesn't like my landlord....we will say no more..

Friday pm: Son arrives home from Spain. It was hot and sunny out there, and I am all huffy as he didn't text me.... (OOOooh, mean sulky Mummy.) I wouldn't mind but behind my back the girls had been texting him to tell him to text me as I was worrried that he wasn't having a good time, and he was texting 'em back to say he didn't have time....doh...

Saturday pm: The thermostat goes in the hot water tank. As the tank runs on electric, it has been our only form of hot water all week, and as it's the same age as the boiler etc..it couldn't cope..

Sunday pm: British gas (who do electric as well!) come and replace the thermostat.

This morning..I rang my estate agent to tell about said hot water tank, they tell me that the landlord has made everyone in the office cross by ringing up at least 4 times a day asking silly questions..and reminding them silly things for the boiler replacement men to look out for..

Today noonish.. The nice man from British gas comes round and said that he can put a new boiler in on Wednesday and Thursday..whilst here, my phone rang he quickly says "if that's your landlord please don't tell him I'm here.." LOL

I ask him why and he says he's been ringing him costantly saying things like "what happens if the boiler arrives broken.?"     

Oh my goodness. Well that was my week in *quick* notes LOL :D

If you've got this far, then you are lovely my dearies ;o)

Now, here are some thrifty finds and makes for you to take a gander at ....

I adore this little cup! It's so precious. I've had it a while as I liked it too much to pop straight in my Teapot Lane shop, but I need to make way for other finds soon...

It's Ba ba black sheep from the 60's I think...

And this little pair of pictures are made from plaster! They are from 1961..aren't they so cute?

I found this Biggles book. I don't think it's worth much money, but I so like the picture. I thought someone might like it for 'staging'...

And these two little birdie dishes from Axevale pottery I found on different days and in different shops...

I made this brooch aagggeeesss ago, and still haven't got around to listing it on Little Tiny Stitches!

I made it in the style of my teapots and tags.

And, I've started quilting again! D'you remember I made my eldest daughters quilt last year? Well I've been inspired by a lovely lady in blog land to make some little quilts (just enough sewing to relax me I reckon! ;o)

I'd better not say the lovely lady's name as I haven't asked permission, and she has rather a beautiful blog, and a large blog following!

But you may know who I'm on about?  She is such an inspiration!

I love doing the applique and the embroidery....

This is just a sneeky peek, and I so enjoy doing it :o) I'll show you the whole thing during the week..

Well, that's it for now lovely people. I'm off to get a nice hot shower!

Have a happy week people, and thankyou so much for reading and all your lovely comments. Believe me, they so cheer me up when things get you down!! :o)

Take care now,

Love Donna xxx

 



Thrifts, makes and a spot of bovver :)

Well, Good afternoon lovely bloggy friends! 
How are you this fine, sunny but chilly Monday?  Hmm?  World treating you ok is it?

Most things are ok here at Little Tiny Towers!   Things are settling down after the stress of Christmas and the New Year.... Takes a while though doesn't it?
I've still been knitting away. Persevering as it were LOL

The only thing I've actually finished is a new knitted pouch that I keep in my handbag at all times with my eldest daughters emergency medication in and a syringe to administer it..

I have previously always had crocheted ones, as I prefer the yarny feel than fabric.

I must say though, I think I prefer my knitted one...

I think I have a kinda love/hate relationship with knitting (Goodness I keep on about it don't I? LOL)

I mean I love, love, love the fabric that stocking stitch produces. I love looking at the little tiny stitches (no pun intended) that the needles produce. But I find the 'getting there' bit tedious in the extreme!!

Honestly, it took me hours to produce that pouch above!

If I'd had a hook in my hand, it would have been about 20 minutes!

Still, as I say, I'm carrying on, and hoping I get faster ;0)

~~**~~

Now, I thought you may like to hear this conversation I had with my darling husband..

It may ring a few bells with a few of you ;O)

Just picture this.....

There's me coming in the front door with my hands full of thrifty finds..

The Mr says to me "What on earth have you got there?"

Me "Oh just look at these two beautiful lamps I got in the charity shop! They were only £2.99".

The Mr " £2.99? What the pair?"

Me " No, each, aren't they just gorgeous?"

The Mr " What on earth did you buy that old crap for? You'll electricute yourself!"

Me "They're not crap, they're reproduction lamps, and they've even been safety checked!"

The Mr "Where? Let me have a look at them".

Me " Can't you just see why I had to get them? Little Miss will love them and one of them will be ideal for her bedroom!"

At this point he takes them off me, and puts them on the dining room table...

He then plugs 'em in and hey presto they work....

The Mr "Reproduction you say?"

Me "Yep, aren't they gorgous" (again)

"Look at the lines and the simple way the leaves are standing, and those lovely pink roses"

The Mr "Well, if you like that type of thing.."

Me "Oh I do! You know I do"

The Mr " Reproduction? Well, you'd think they would just reproduce the good bits. Why on earth have they reproduced that crappy coloured lead as well? !!"

Honestly folks, what could I say? He is kinda right, but how do I explain what I love about them?

Or do you all agree with him ? LOL

(Just so's you know, the little Miss loved them too :o))

***~~~***

Unfortunately we only have views of houses round here, but the sun rise the other morning was so beautiful I just had to show you. ..

***~~~***

OOoo, I forgot....I'm half way through knitting a tea cozy now... LOL :o)

I'll show you when I'm finished.. :o)

***~~~***

As you may remember, I've been planning a new Etsy shop.

Well, I actually got around to opening one yesterday. I've yet to stack the shelves though, as I haven't finished photographing them, but here's the first brooch I made....

It was my practice one...

I've made a few more now which should be in my new shop later in the week..

I've had a real problem starting my new blog though. I wanted to make a new blog to log all my makes, and new shop inventry etc., but for some reason I'm having a spot of bovver with blogger. He won't let me design the blog? It's just all going weird. I've done a practise post, so it'll let me post, but not let me decorate. Oh well, maybe I'll have to put some stuff on here for now.

We'll have to see....

Anyway, that's it for me this week lovely people. 

I hope you all have a fab week, and the sun shines for you all.

I'll be back in the week to tell you all when I've stacked my new shelves!!!

Have a great week, and take care all,

 Love Donna xx

P.s. Don't forget to do your snow dances this week! I am so missing our real cold weather and the snow!! 



Strange goings on :o)

Good Morning dear bloggy people :o)

I hope this post finds you all fine n dandy this Sunday morning :o)

Autumns here at last!   I love the crisp, cool, frosty mornings, but again this weekend is an extemely strange, warm morning for late October.

Just take a look at the contents of these photos for October in East Dorset..

Ok, ok, only joking!  ;o)

The above photo is from last year, but i just thought I'd remind you all of the gorgeous snow we had last December before we go on...;o)

Now, the one below is real! Taken this week in my garden..

It's my native hazel bush that I've grown from a nut..

See it's dying leaves..just a few left..?

Well, look closer, and you'll also see on the bush at the same time

some new buds, and catkins!  -Along with the dying leaves!

What's going on? These catkins aren't supposed to appear before next spring. Does this mean we will have no buds next spring?  As the frost will soon kill them off.. :o(

And also in my garden last week..

Look, my forsythia with it's autumnal leaves, and it's January flowers!!

Forsythia flowers normally appear in January *before* the leaves come on the branches, but as my leaves are curently dying, so my flowers are appearing!

I also have strawberries coming out now..

These type of strawberries are usually out in July/August.

But my dahlias are just pretties..

and they can come out until November apparently if the frosts aren't too bad :o)

~~~~^^^^^^~~~~~

Remember my half finished hand warmers from my last post? Well, I finished them,

and have crocheted 3 more pairs since then, but unfortunately I haven't photographed them.

I've been busy making more bits for my Etsy shop too.

*Pin wheel brooches*

*Christmas cake picks*  I've made all sorts of these..snowflakes, butterflies etc..

*Pentagon christmas crochet bunting*

And *zip brooches and hair grips*

Although I have to say I've been somewhat of a 'slacker'  (as Jennie would say;o))

in the listing of products in my shop.

I mean I *still* haven't listed the makes I made during the summer holidays!

And in a couple of weeks my eldest daughter is going for a short stay in Kings College hospital London, so I'm not sure whether to list now, or now wait until we come out!

Honestly, sometimes I do make life hard for myself :o)

I also haven't forgotten my recipe from my last post for the quiche/tart.

I've taken some lovely photos for it, and I shall get the recipe up on a 'stand alone' page as soon as I have time.

***********

This weekend has been all about tidying. As I'm staying at the hospital with my daughter I need to get everything ship shape at home so that hubby and the other two children don't have to do much whilst I'm gone.

And I have some custom bunting to make for a 40th birthday too, which needs to be done before I go.  But I'll tell you more about that in a few weeks.

Well, anyway, that's it for me today.

I have loads to write about, as I haven't had the heart to blog these past couple of weeks ..I don't know why. I mean I've been about, just didn't feel much like posting. And I think sometimes when blogger is going wrong and you can't comment and stuff, it all gets a bit frustrating!  Maybe I just give up too easily lol.     Do you ever get like that?

Well, have a lovely Sunday everyone. And if your children are off school this week for half term like mine are, have a gorgeous autumny time won't you?

Take care all of you,

Love Donna xx



Granny goodness.......:o)

Well, Good evening people :o)

Hope this post finds you all fine and dandy this fine Thursday.

I can't believe that it's been more than a week since I last posted. I thought I was getting good at posting more often too ;o)

Anyway, I thought I'd show you a few recent makes and thrifty finds today.

Here's my first make....

Some Granny Goodness pentagons!

Below is a picture of the exact replica of my little car.

My husband bought me this when we got my little car so that when I'm driving along, I can see what I look like ..LOL

He stuck it on the top of my dash for me....

Well, I love my little car dearly, and I even name my cars, (but I won't tell you, 'cos it really is a bit laughable....'specially when I phone our local garage man and say "it's me, can i book 'so and so' in for this, that and the other please... :o)"

Well, I've been thinking for a while that my car could do with a liitle bit of Granny Goodness to cheer up her lovely turquoise looks...

See through the window ?...

Look, five little pentagons to cheer up the boot ;o)

I needed a squarish type bunting to match the squarish shape of my car.

I love looking in my rearview mirror at this cheerful bunting..

It makes me smile....I'm just thinking what to do with her next..

I've already planned a towbar cover for our big family car......   :o)

Which I will show you when it's done.

Thrifting tales this week saw me grinning from ear to ear when I spied this set of rosey curtains...

Aren't they gorgeous?

There were three curtains in all, and I bought to lot.

All in really good condition, these will be finding their way to my Etsy store sometime over the next week or two.

Aren't those little rose buds so sweet?

And I found metres and metres of this really gaudy, granny goodness fabric from the 60's early 70's. It even still had it's original order labels on it which are so cool, and I forgot to photograph them for you.

So if you'd like any of this fabric it too, will be in my shop over the next couple of weeks ;o)

I was busy crocheting my fabric bowls in the hols too...

And my crocheted ric rac for my shop...

Told you I was sweeping my shelves, and filling 'em up :o)

And below is the cushion I made my lovely husband...

OOOooo, it's really soft and scrumptious...

Crocheted from several strands of similar colours on one of my chunky hooks..

It turned out gorgeous and chunky..

I'm thinking of making a few in this chunky way for my shop..

What do you think?

Anyway, that's it for me tonight.

You all take care now,

and I'll speak to you soon.

Love Donna xx

EDIT ::     I thought I'd just better say that if you do make the pentagon bunting, hang it the way i have, and not with the point down, otherwise it looks like Granny's bloomers rather than granny goodness ;o)

Have a great weekend everyone. xx



Wild Wednesday....

Well, hello lovely people :o)

Hope this post finds you all fine n dandy this Wednesday evening :o)

I thought I'd take the opportunity of my internet working properly to introduce you all to Henry :o)

I bought him in the spring, and just never got around to blogging him :o(

And today when I was taking some dodgy, fuzzy photos of my lovely gladiolis I realised that you hadn't met him yet!

AAaaaw....Isn't he gorgeous?

Now, as I said, I got him in the spring...

I went into my local Charity shop, and the lady behind the jump had him in her hand...

I said "Oh my" (or something similar :o)  "isn't he gorgeous?" (Yes, I probably did say that)

And she said "Yes he is. D'you want him?"

And I said (thinking of my girls..) "Eerm, how much is he?"

And she said with a smile " £1.00" !!

Yes, lovelies, one whole pound!  

I promptly got my quid out of my purse, and left before she changed her mind!

'Cept now comes the bit where by I show my true nature :o)

I won't hardly let anyone touch him!  Let alone give him to my girls!!!

"No No!" I said when they both clamoured for him ('specially my youngest-she's got enough cuddly critters to fill a shop that one :o)

"He's mine!  he's called Henry, and he's going to guard the fireplace :o) "

He is rather special though. he appears to be made exactly like a polar bear's body, with super soft fur which I think may even be real.  I've looked all over for a label, but alas there isn't one.

But still, label or no he's a beauty. Don't you agree?

He guards the fire place along with our cheshire cat..

(yes I know my geraniums have a few yellow leaves...)

Something I find very strange to do, (and if truth be told, a bit 'naughty' even) is to just go out and pick flowers, then just 'bung 'em' in a vase!

You see for several years in my youth (haha!) I trained and worked as a florist. And rigid flower arranging was the order of the day in the 80's and early nineties.

none of this just 'bunging 'em in' lark.

I arranged everything. I used to go round friends houses and they'd get me to arrange the flowers I bought with me, till in the end I started taking chocolates!

So just out of habit, whenever I buy or pick flowers I have always 'arranged' 'em.

So I feel like I'm living a bit on the wild side lately by just nipping out into the garden, picking what ever I like, and just bunging it in :o)

D'you ever break out of a routine/habit and feel a bit wild?  :o)

And these pretty jars (if I do say so myself :o) will be hitting my newly cleaned Etsy shelves sometime soon  too.  I've been busy working on jars all summer along with other bits and bobs, and as soon as I've got the correct packaging, on the shelf they're gonna go :o)

Well, that's it for me tonight.

You take it easy, and keep safe.

Love Donna xx

LOL. PS.  I just read back through my post to check spelling etc...and I noticed my nicely arranged gladioli in their vase on the fireplace....  lol   :o)