Perhaps that's it?

Oh my, I've been a little lazy on updating this little ol' blog here over the last couple of weeks and I really can't pinpoint why that is.  I've not been uber busy, just the opposite really and plodding along with everyday life.  Perhaps that's it? Perhaps I've just got nothing to say (now there's a first!)

With my cooker problems I've not really got back into the baking challenge as yet, could that be because I don't like failure and need to get familiar with my new oven?  Perhap's that's it?

I've got many knitting projects that I could be starting now the weather has taken a turn and the nights are drawing in, or should I be finishing my crotchet cushion project before starting another?  Perhaps that's it?

I've recently located a crop in my area so I could start scrapbooking again, but then I've not been taking photo's of Jack on a regular basis to do any layouts of any worth so why create something out of a necessity rather than for the love of the art?  Perhap's that's it?

It'll be my birthday in a couple of weeks and I'm being asked for ideas for a present but I really really cannot say what I would like, have I got to the age where I've got everything that I need?  Perhaps that's it?

But one thing for sure I'm happy plodding along in my little life, I'm happy having a routine, I'm happy having simple uncomplicated days so why try and change something that isn't broken?

Yes that's it! I'm happy :-)

TTFN

Lynetta Xx

Something old!.....................

When Jack was very little and I first started to read to him I always thought of my very first book, you know the one where you can choose and buy with your own hard earned pocket money, well my first book was Little Miss Rivers and Little Miss Bridges by Caroline Symons.  I adored this book and I'm sure it gave me the interest in Victorian/Georgian era's, one which I am very fond of today. This got me thinking that I would love to read it again so with nothing better to do I sourced myself a copy. Oh my, when I received the book memories came flooding back.  The cover was as I remembered and it felt just right to hold and read it again.  I surprised myself that I read this book when I was about 9 and realised I was quite a good reader for my age.

Since then I've been adding my childhood books to my little library.  Some second hand when I see them at fayres or fetes and some that I've purchased new copies of.  One book being Mandy.  This book was written by Julie Andrews under her real name of Edwards.  I have since learnt that my mum still has my original copy in the loft back home so one day I will retrieve it. 

Another book which I totally lost myself in when I was little was any MillyMollyMandy stories.  I loved the first page of the books as they always had a map of the village. I used to very carefully colour it in in pencils (shock horror).  To my surprise when in Lyme Regis the other year my friend Neil spotted one in the flea market and I really had to laugh as the little girl who owned this book also coloured in MillyMollyMandy's dress, so I wasn't the only one then.

I'm sure over the coming years I'll remember even more books that I read in my childhood and add to my little collection which is coming along nicely. 

I'm also  thinking I should look out for Blue Peter Albums as I loved getting one of these for my Christmas present every year, but I'm sure they are more of a collectors item so maybe a little too much for what I am prepared to pay for, but then on the other hand!  I think I better get on ebay and have a look, don't you?

Toodle Pip

Lynetta Xx

this baking malarky.......

It seems as though my challenge is taking me over. For some reason I'm all enthused again and am constantly looking at my books to find my next bake.  I think I may have procrastinated too long as I've been looking for a nice recipe using bananas and in the time it had taken me to find one they had over rippened, they had gone really black and were so squidgy squashy they could not be used. Oh well, I'll ear mark that page ready for when I have some more in the fruit bowl to be used but I had a good time snuggled on the sofa reading my baking books.  A good time is not a waste of time I say.

As you'll notice from the picture I've tried my hand at a pastry dish again this week.  I felt more confident making it again and the result was fab but I'll tell you all about that soon.

Other news this week...........................I've been asked to make my great nephews birthday cake.  He will be 2 this week and we are visiting at the weekend.  I'm no cake decorator by any means and so I've come up with a cunning plan to make some bunting and flags to go on the top, well no use having the skills in making things with paper and scissors if I'm not going to put them to good use, don't you think?  Keeping fingers crossed it all goes to plan.

OK I'm off now to watch Great British Bake semi final....

Toodle pip

Lynetta Xx

Do I? or Don't I?....

We may not have had much of a summer, and may have been spoilt at the beginning of September with some warm and dry weather but boy has it turned cold over the last week. I'm now wondering whether we will have an Autumn as the leaves have yet to turn golden but keeping fingers crossed we do as I love the colourful trees this time of year.

So the big question is do I or don't I put the heating on yet.....it seems like a big question out there in the facebook world at the moment as all I see on peoples status is all about putting on the heating!

I'm going to hold off as long as possible but I know if it becomes too damp I will have no hesitation to switch it on but in the meantime I'm happy to be snuggled up under one of the many fleece blankets I seem to have lying around and drinking hot chocolate to keep me warm.

Have a happy Friday and keep smiling :-)

Lynetta Xx

Eye catching

Do you ever get a glimpse of something, double take, turn around and have another look.  Well that's what happened when I was out shopping the other week with this canvas.  We've been looking for some wall art for Jack's room and at last we've found something that's not too young (as he's now 14), not too grungy/graffitti (as that's not his style) and not to girly (I'll leave the comment blank here ha ha ha).  

I've always said that pictures are a real personal taste so we took the chance of picking it up hoping it would suit and I'm pleased to say it did.

I think it's brilliant and love looking at how creative the design is and will now be on the hunt for something similiar for my hallway.

See you soon.

Lynetta Xx

Happy 1st Blog Birthday!

One year ago today I started this blog.  One year ago I had this mad idea to document a little of my life and now here we are over 137 posts and over 2450 views later (hello to all of you who read my blog - please say hello) I'm celebrating my 1st Blog-aversary (I think I've just made this word up). 

I am so happy I've kept up to date with my posts, I really enjoy just looking back at previous entries and often have a little smile to myself when reading all about my jolly jaunts and happenings.  It's a great reminder of my life :-)

So I am raising a cup and saucer to myself and saying 'Well done girlie, you've been writing your history'

Toot toot :-)

Lynetta Xx

Teenagers!

For the life of me I cannot remember sleeping in later than 9:00am during the summer holidays when I was a teenager.  If you look closely at the photo you will find Jack fast asleep at 10:30am.

I vowed when Jack was a baby that I would go into his room at 7:30am every morning and wake him up as he was a very early riser and for his first 4 years of his life he woke up at 5:30am, every morning! 

BUT, I just cannot do it.  You see Jack is suffering from the Teenage Hormone syndrome where he needs to reserve all his energy just to function for at least 9 hours a day.  I have been reading that during the ages of 13-16 it's a tough life for boys and their hormones so I've cut him some slack and I'll let him sleep, but only until 10:45am then he is getting out of that bed, washed dressed and fed.

I'm a thoughtful and considerate mum don't you think?

Have a lovely Thursday.

Lynetta Xx

How does your garden grow?

Do you like my new sign?  A little bargain in the sale for £5,  I love a bargain :-)  I've only a little postage stamp of a garden.  The back is no more than 20ft x 35ft and I've been working on it for a few years now.  A couple of years ago the neighbour at the end of our garden finally chopped down their mahooossive willow tree and finally it let some light into my little patch and my plants have been able to bloom and grow.

We just need to tend to the fence now and it'll look 20 times better.  I'll put that on my list of things to try and achieve over the summer holidays. 

I've always wanted a garden of herbaceous plants where you cut them right back in autumn and watch the garden come back to life in spring.  It's amazing to watch over a 4 week time frame how quickly it all comes back to life.  Mother Nature :-)

Last year our adjoining neighbour decided to pave 75% of her front garden.  This was such a shame as the front gardens were planted to compliment one another with a border running under the windows and a lovely green lawn.  Since she paved her driveway my front garden just didn't feel right so I decided to cut more of a border going up the side of the lawn to meet their swooping planted 25%.  I'm pretty pleased how it's growing.  I've been taking cuttings from the back garden, my mum's garden and another neighbours garden to fill in the border.

This is the view as soon as you step out the front door. I know it's not as professional as some of my neighbours gardens as I'm no expert gardener by any means and lose quite a few plants year after year but secretly I'm chuffed it's turning out OK.

Even my jubilee plant pots are still happily blooming and yes I'm still flying the flag. 

Blooming marvellous.

Lynetta Xx

This is my garden......

You see this pot of flowers? they have all been cut from my garden on Sunday afternoon.  This makes me very happy.

I've only got a postage stamp of a garden and with the wet weather it is struggling to get going this year but a few plants I do have are blooming away to give me this wonderful small pot of flowers.  Thank you Mother Nature, you have a wonderful way of cheering me up.

Have a happy day

Lynetta Xx

Pom Poms

Since going to Peggy Porschen's Parlour the other week I have been wanting to make myself some pom poms.  Finding an easy tutorial on the web urged me to go and buy some tissue paper and I made these beauties to hang with my bunting Nut sent me in my little craft room.  I know some people will think I'm a little loopy hanging pom poms at my age but I really don't care as I know I'm a little loopy anyway :-).

Love to all

Lynetta Xx

Jubliee Afternoon Tea....

We've had such a wonderful weekend celebrating the Jubilee. Ok so we didn't go to a street party, and we didn't go into London to join the crowds but we've watched everything possible on the TV to join in the celebrations.  There have been some wonderful programs about the Queen, my favourite one being with Prince Charles watching childhood footage of his mum, it really bought home how human and down to earth she really is, and what a wonderful parent she has been to all her children. 

Another programme I really enjoyed was with Rolf Harris where he invited artists of all capabilities into his pop-up art studio at The Old Vic Tunnels in Waterloo (see the amazing work HERE ), sadly it is only open until this weekend and we will not be able to get there to view it. 

I loved this idea.  It's all photographs that have been collaged together.

I would love to learn how to do this.

I'm also posting this link -  Jubilee - in hope that in years to come it will still link in as it gives great coverage of all the events that happened over the weekend and I would love to look back and reminisce.

Do you like my Afternoon Tea?  It was a lovely spread :-)  and guess what? I forgot to make the tea I purchased at Fortnum & Mason's, what a numpty.  I will keep it safe and have another afternoon tea on the lawn in the summer and toast The Queen once again.

I was mighty impressed with my Victoria Sponge, and as this is my weekly challenge I will tell you all about it in another post.

The weather has been pretty lousey all over the weekend with heavy downpours with more forecasted over the coming days.  I'm on half term at the moment, it's a good job we didn't plan to get the tent out which we normally do at this time of year, we wouldn't of been happy chappies but I am missing being in Lyme Regis.  I really need to make a visit soon, I need my seaside fix!

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend celebrations.

Toot toot

Lynetta Xx

Patriotic Packaging

Oh yes, the supermarkets have got me this time!  I'm a sucker for patriotic packaging and this week whilst shopping the shelves were full to the brim with Jubilee and Olympic goodies. I could of spent a lot more on cakes as Mr Kipling's are all packaged Red, White and Blue but I was a good girl and decided that I would only buy things that I could keep as momentoes after.  The tin of biscuits from M&S is by far my favourite (well so far anyway), I'm also loving the fact that the syrup tin is huge and once I've used it all up baking I will clean it out and use as a planter for my kitchen windowsill. Do you like my t-towel? (Primarni special £1.20)  I've a few more ready for the big day along with these

all at a bargain in Asda for £1 each, and cannot wait to make the paper chains, oh how that will bring back childhood memories :-)

and whilst in the garden centre at the weekend they too have gone all patriotic with The Best of British plants - I've always yearned to have a traditional English Cottage Garden but alas my little patch is too small so in honour of the Red, White and Blue I decided to plant up my newly sprayed pots for my front door - do you like them?

a lovely Red Geranium, White Oestor something or other? and Blue Violas.  I will place a few flags to decorate on the day but I am so happy my front doorstep is all Patriotic.

Toot Toot

Lynetta Xx

Renovate & Re-new

When you wake up to a beautiful morning like this the last thing you want to do is to be indoors baking.  So after all my chores for the day I decided to get on with a project I've had in mind for simply ages. 

 

I've had this lurking in my garage for over a year now and decided today was the day it came out to play.  I practiced a little on some pots (which I'll show you in another post) but it was this little baby that I wanted to have a go at renovating:

You see my friend Sarah recently underwent some major renovating in her house and needed to slim down all the tat she had liying around. I've always admired this hurricane lamp when visiting and was really surprised to see it in her skip one day.  Excuse me Mrs Maybury, never throw anything away that can be given to a good home, and home it came with me.

I've always loved to renovate or change things to give them a new lease of life and was really really pleased with how this project turned out.  Want to see?..........

beautiful don't you think?  She was a little fiddly to take apart so I could spray her but then that gave me the opportunity to give her glass and candle a good clean (yes I even recycled the candle).  So I am now the proud owner of a lovely hurricane lamp and it will be proudly hanging in my garden.

Make do and Mend, that's what I say.

Lynetta Xx

Idle hands

If you are anything like me your hands will be in constant use throughout the day.  At work they are permantly typing, writing or wiping away the tears and at home they are either baking, making or washing up!  I really cannot just sit down without doing something with my hands so this evening I thought I would make a little something for the upcoming Jubilee and Olympic Celebrations.

Off I went to my computer and found an image of a vintage Union Jack to print out, gathered some old string and 2 wooden skewers, cut the Union Jacks out, folded in half and placed the string inbetween (can you guess what it is yet?)

not forgetting to evenly space the flags, then glued down to secure

I then tied to the skewers et voila, some pretty little bunting. How easy and effective does this look?  I have high hopes and big plans for this little project and I even have another little something in my mind to keep my idle hands happy.

Love to all

Lynetta Xx

Oh what a beautiful morning...

Oh what a beautiful day,

I've got a wonderful feeling,everything's going my way :-)

At last a little Spring sunshine morning.  Off to the garden centre with Mum to get some plants.  I have a little project I've been wanting to do for over a year and I may just get time this weekend to make that happen.

Toodle Pip

Lynetta

Xx

Spring Clean

There is nothing I like more than giving the house a really good spring clean.  Some people say that a tidy house is a sign of wasted time but I for one like to walk through my front door to a tidy home.  Everything having a place and everything in it's place.  I love to have my cupboards all neatly arranged so it's easier to find things and it makes the shopping list easier to do as you can see what you need immediatley.  Now don't get me wrong, I do have the untidy drawer in the kitchen, you know the one that the junks gets thrown into and you sort it out once a year, I've also got one of these drawers in the bedroom and also in my scrapbook room. 

So where is this blog post going I hear you ask? Well, the last 2 weeks off work I made my list of things to do and one was to give the house a really good spring clean and would like to recommend the following product to all you cleaning freaks out there,  this stuff is amazing........

And yes, it certainly gives an all round clean, from wood work to mirrors to worksurfaces (however, if like me you  like to disinfect worktops I give them a quick blast with an anitbacterial after).  I've cleaned my oven to my skirtings and can now proudly say my house has had it's Stardrops Spring clean.  And if you are a bit of a thrifty person like me, get rid of all those expensive cleaners and buy this product, you'll love it. 

For the record, the first picture is of my scrapbook room desk, it's never looked so empty, I think I may have to start a new project with paper and scissors to make it feel at home.

Laters my lovely's

Lynetta Xx

Easter Celebrations

I've been having a few thoughts about food recently and how particular foods relate to certain holiday celebrations.  It's funny that we only eat certain foods at certain times of the year even though it is available 365 - 24/7.  Take the humble Fish and Chips. It's a tradition to eat on Good Friday, Why?  It's a religous rule with Catholics abstaining from eating meat on this day(or if anyone wants to put me right I would be interested to know). Sad to say I am unable to eat fish due to an allergy that I suddenly contracted about 2 years ago - it even ruined one of my New Years Eve celebrations - I vomit within 2 hours of eating fish but the strange thing is I can eat tinned tuna!  So for our first feast of Easter the boys had Fish and Chips and I had a battered sausage (I'm not a catholic).

Saturday afternoon I decided to bake my first Hot Cross Buns.  A Facebook friend posted the recipe and so I whipped these up in a flash. and the tradition to Hot Cross Buns? The cross on the buns symbolises and reminds Christians of the cross that Jesus was cruicified on - another religous meaning to food

and this morning I was greeted with a lovely Roses Easter egg and was even given a 'free' one in the newsagent when I went to collect the Sunday papers.  When I was little I couldn't fathom out the reason for chocolate eggs at Easter and later found out in ancient times an egg was the symbol of fertitily, new life and rebirth hence the egg symbolising Jesus' resurrection.  Here endeth the Humanities lesson :-)

And so back to my original thought of having food associated with celebrations, I guess having cake for Birthdays, Christmas and Easter suits me just fine (it gives me the opportunity to bake even more ) but I will not abstain from eating anything I fancy at any time during the year, I just love my food :-)

A very quiet Christmas....

He came, he went and he left us with a few delightful presents.  It seems as though year after year our Christmas's are getting more and more grown up and very quiet, oh I do miss the magic of Christmas when you have to pretend but not having a young 'un anymore the sparkle seems to have gone <sniff sniff>.  Jack was pleased as punch to get his own laptop plus alot of clothing from Hollisters and I just love his Primarni Jumper he bought himself to wear (Noel Edmonds eat your heart out!). 

I too was a lucky girl even though we decided not too spend more than £80 on each other this year I was given something that I have been coverting for a few months (how Ian knew I will never know).  So meet Barbie........

and why am I calling this little bit of gadgetry Barbie - because she likes to come out to play with Ken (my Kenwood Chef Premier), seems only right to give her this name.  I am looking forward to giving her a thorough workout soon.  And.... and.... and.... I got these.....

a girl can never have too many cookbooks, or baking books if you look at my window sill.  I spent Christmas afternoon flicking from one recipe to another and oohing and aahhing of the wonderful treats I can now attempt to bake.  I've got something special planned and will let you know about that in another post. Along with other little gifts of chocolate moulds, smellies, slippers and a naughty over the budget present - Tickets to see Mrs Brown's Boys in June - I think I done pretty well.

Our Christmas was relaxing, fun and everything that I hoped it to be in addition to it being very quiet, but I am not complaining after all the rush rush rush of present buying and food shopping I think it's what was secretly wanted.  Ian cooked a wonderful Christmas dinner as usual, we went to mum's and exchanged presents and spent the evening chillaxing watching Dowton Abbey. Perfect.

I'm off to hit the sales to see what bargains I can grab before we go on our traditional trip to London with friends.

See you soon.

Lynetta Xx

His wish was my command......

After Jack's cheeky post-it note the other day I thought it was only right to replace the fruit with sweets.  I found this lovely felt basket in Claus Olsen yesterday and immediatley went to the FabricLand to purchase the black felt and buckle to make it more festive.  The basket is just the right size I was looking for and I love it.  I think I may add some white fluffy stuff around the bottom for next year though.  Nothing like thinking ahead :-)

Off to stir Herman - I'm nearly at the point of where I divide into 4 and send to friends.  Good job I declared tomorrow as baking day as he is going in the oven.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow Let it Snow :-)

Lynetta Xx

Best Laid Plans.....

Oh Dear, I'm not very good at keeping up with this bloggin milarky am I?  Am I full of empty promises? Am I trying to do too much in one day?  Am I just plain silly? Who is to say I should be updating this blog every day and who is to say that I should be doing what I say I am going to do - no one, it's my blog and I'll party when I want too :-)

So quick update from me (so not too let myself down) .  My December daily is now looking like a December monthly so without further delay I'll report the Christmas decorations went up this weekend.  We re-decorated the front room/lounge (I say this with tongue in cheek as the Lounge is for when I want to be posh and front room when it's a casual thing) and removed the out of date fake fireplace so I had plently of decorations to play with.  I made this lovely arrangement to go on one of the side tables, the other one will have the sweeties on and I am currenlty thinking of a Santa pot for them to go into, will have to go and hunt something down.

I am rather pleased with the way it turned out considering it is made up with left over bits and pieces.

I also love this years decoration for Jack. 

We buy one every year and when he leaves home he will take all of them with him for his own tree.

And lastly a little Keep Calm...............

Nothing like a tin of Quality Street to share at Christmas.

TTFN

Lynetta Xx