Floyd again!...

Thank you all for your lovely comments!! And especially for the dog-sitting offers - you're all welcome to come and hang out with us any time - even if it means flying from Holland, Chantal!  Sorry I haven't had time to reply individually, as you can imagine my day has been totally full of boy and puppy related mayhem.  I have a feeling I'm not going to achieve much over the next few months!

Our first night went really well, we had taken a fleece blanket with us when we went to visit a few weeks ago, and we brought it back, smelling of his brother and sisters, to put in his bed - he got in and snuggled up to sleep all by himself!  F slept downstairs where Floyd could see him, he only woke once and started to howl but as soon as he saw that F was there he went back to sleep.  We'll do that for a couple more days until he's settled in and knows he's loved and safe. 

 

The boys are just delighted with him, and for me and F it feels like the start of a new chapter in our life together - our family is complete.

By the way, thank you all so much for your concerned comments about my Dad's illness.  He got out of hospital yesterday, feeling older and weaker - he's pretty young and active, so it's been a shock to him - and he'll need to take it easy for a few weeks, but he's doing well.  It was lovely to feel supported by you all while I was worrying about him, you're great!

Happy Sunday to you, hope you're having a fun and relaxing day.

Rachel xx

family of 5....

Yes, our boy has arrived!! And oh my goodness, so far we couldn't have asked for a smoother and easier settling in.  It was a long drive to collect him, so I stayed at home with the boys and F took his brother, our dog-sitter in waiting, to cuddle Floyd on the way home.  

When they got back I gave him a cuddle and he sat on my lap while the boys came to say hello...and then he had a quick sniff about, climbed into M's lap, and fell asleep!! A totally amazing, gorgeous little pup.

 

 

He has spent all day playing, and napping, and eating, and napping, and a bit of pooing, and napping...we've still got his first night to get through, there may be some whining, maybe even howling...we will see.  It will take us a while to adjust to our new family member, but it's safe to say we are all totally smitten. 

I hope that whatever you are getting up to, you are having a lovely Saturday.

Rachel xx

this moment...

 

 

 {this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Via Soulemama.

Have a lovely weekend.

Rachel x

I did some sewing, yay!!

Hello lovelies, how are you today?  

I have had a bit of a rollercoaster week, my Dad has been ill and urgently needed major surgery, which was really nerve wracking.  He is recovering and his health should be improved after a period of recuperation, so in the long run it's a good thing...scary though.  And then just when I was having trouble sleeping cause I was worrying about him, the rain started dripping through the ceiling...

But!  This Saturday we are collecting our new baby, Floyd the Miniature Schnauzer.  The excitement level in our house is reaching fever pitch - only 2 sleeps to go - it's like an early Christmas present for our whole family. 

In the meantime, before I bombard you all with pictures of Floyd, I thought I'd show you something I managed to make...yes, I made time for some sewing, and it felt good!   I've been playing with these bits of fabric for a while...

 

I love these fabrics so much, and some of them I've only got a little bit of - there are barkcloths, and collectible fabrics from Heals, and Scandinavian fabrics.  I wanted to try something a tad more ambitious than my usual squares or strips, so I went for a rectangular log cabin type of arrangement...and as with most things I make, I planned it carefully, but I still got to the end and saw things I might do differently if I could make it again.  But that is ok, that is how we learn...and now instead of having to open my cupboard to look at all these gorgeous patterns and colours, I get to enjoy them every day, which makes me really happy.   

Before I go I'd just like to welcome my new followers, and anyone who has popped in to read or comment...it still amazes me that people spend time here, reading my ramblings...thank you, you're all totally gorgeous. I just have to give a special welcome to my newest follower, Donna Flower(!) who if you love vintage fabric (and if you don't, what are you doing here?!) you will surely know of - she sells the most fabulous vintage fabrics and haberdashery, both online and on her stall at various vintage fairs.  I actually bought the top bit of the cushion cover above from her, and now she's following my blog! Sorry, I'll stop now...just had to get a bit excited about that!

I hope you're all having a good week, and haven't been ill, or flooded, and have maybe managed a moment or two of creative fun...

Rachel xx

I feel lucky, oh so lucky...

Hello, and happy Saturday!  The sun is shining, the sky is blue; I love these bright, crisp autumn mornings.  We're off for a walk along the harbourside in a bit, it'll be lovely to get out in the fresh air.

It's been a funny week, lots of busyness getting ready for the arrival of Floyd next weekend, and lots of germs being brought home from school...R has a rotten cold and M hasn't been feeling great either,  though I think he's mainly just tired from getting back into the school routine. 

One of the most lovely things that happened to me this week was the arrival of a parcel for me...I won another giveaway, over at The Custards...

Jenny had made 3 beautiful purses, and I had put my name 'in the hat' for this one...and I won, yippee!!  Isn't it gorgeous?!

And being the lovely person that she is, she had put a few extra goodies inside....

It took superhuman effort to take photos before unwrapping the parcel...

to reveal such fabulous vintage goodness inside....

2 lovely hankies, a lovely soft linen place mat, a gorgeous pillowcase, and a vintage children's book!  That Jenny knows how to do a giveaway, it felt like Christmas!  

So huge thanks to her for cheering up my week no end, if you're not familiar with her blog (but surely you must be?!) do pop over and have a look, but please don't 'pin' any of her images onto Pinterest if you're a 'pinner', she very politely requests that her images stay just on her blog where she chose to put them.

I hope you have a lovely weekend, wherever you are and whatever you're doing!

Rachel x

this moment...

 {this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Via Soulemama.

Have a lovely weekend.

Rachel x

a treasury of green goodness...

Hello lovelies, how are you?  I hope today is treating you well.  

I have just put together my 2nd ever Etsy treasury, hooray - why do I always think I haven't got time, it didn't take me that long!  I suppose it's just a question of what I'm in the mood for...

I'm gradually building a collection of rather lovely vintage crockery and kitchen bits,  I really must take some photos to share with you.  Most of my pieces are in my favourite palette of greens and blues, and I've been browsing Etsy for a few treats that would not look out of place in my cupboard;  here they are for your delectation and delight....

I actually already own one of these pieces, can you guess which one?  It was a favourite Pinterest pic a few months ago...and when my birthday rolled around my lovely F treated me, it was a tad extravagant but it gets used every day and I love it a lot!

Having said that curating the treasury didn't take that long, it just took me ages to figure out how to actually get it to appear here...but I did it!  A small achievement, but it has made me feel like not working for the last 8 years hasn't completely robbed me of my ability to figure out technical IT stuff.  That gives me a bit of confidence that I will be capable of setting up and maintaining my Etsy shop when R goes to nursery.  I have had to relucantly admit to myself that until I have some childcare I really can't spare the time, I don't want to look back on the years when he was small and realise I spent them staring at the computer! 

Wishing you a bright sunny day full of simple joys,

Rachel x

a new member of the family....

No, I'm not pregnant...2 kids is enough for me. But as an alternative to a 3rd child, we have decided to get a puppy!  We thought long and hard about breeds, and did a lot of research about how to choose a puppy, and then we went and met this little fellow....

This was taken when we met him at 2 weeks old, we saw him with his Mum, Dad and 7 siblings, and something about him just melted our hearts.  Last Sunday we went back to visit him, and take him a toy which we can bring with him when he comes home.  He is now 6 weeks old....

Yikes, is it possible to be any cuter?!  We have named him Floyd.  As you can probably see, F is totally smitten.  Well, we all are!  People keep telling me it's basically as much work as having a baby, which is quite daunting, but after seeing a house with 8 puppies, 2 adult dogs and 2 cats, I think 1 puppy will seem like a doddle!  We'll see if I'm right in 2 weeks, when we bring him home...

Hope you're having a great week!

Rachel x

this moment....

 {this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Via Soulemama.

Have a lovely weekend.

Rachel x

blog catch up...

Hello, I'm back from a much needed break from the PC, having been getting on with lots of busy life stuff!  The summer seems to be drawing to a close, the evenings are darkening, the air is cooling, and M has started Year 3!  

We made the most of the last days of the summer break, with lots of lovely day trips out to Bath, Glastonbury, Bristol Harbourside, parks, woods, anywhere but home really. 

 

 

The long months of winter will be here soon enough, and then we can snuggle up and draw the curtains....

talking of curtains, one of the jobs we finally got around to over the summer was putting up vintage curtains in EVERY ROOM of the house - Yay!!  I bought them all on Ebay, and they have been lurking in my fabric cupboard, waiting for F to be in the mood for putting up proper old fashioned curtain track.  I can't take nice, styled pictures because all the windows desperately need cleaning, so here are some close ups...

...oh dear, as well as never cleaning my windows, I don't iron!

not a great photo, but it'll be nice to remember the summer light when winter is here...

the boys' room now has vintage Conran robots, yay!

 

  

I'm enjoying having some mid-century loveliness in our bedroom...

So, maybe all the rooms need repainting, and the whole house is in dire need of decluttering, but at least when I shut the curtains in the evenings I have some more lovely vintage patterns to look at! 

Hope you're having a good week, whatever you're up to.

Rachel x

this moment...

 

 

 {this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Via Soulemama.

Have a lovely weekend.

Rachel x