Tea Time

Dear Friend...
I have been very, very busy crocheting these past few weeks...
And did think it was time to just relax and sit for a day...
A quite time to just take it all in and have a tea...and bicscuit...
Oh well the truth a few biscuits...But I know you aren't counting so that's ok...

and planning of course what is to come...
Yes some very big news soon...
I am so excited I will burst but all will be told by the end of May...
and I know you will just be as thrilled as me...

We are starting to clear a little area for a outside spot...
To sit in the mornings and read the paper and chat and relax...
It just so happens to be the very spot where I take most of my pics so I am begin
very careful to instruct "digging Husband" just where to dig and where not to dig...
as I really love the ivy on this wall and would hate it to be chopped up...
and he does have a tendency to dig willy nilly...
and all of a sudden I end up with something total different to what I had planned in my mind...
Oh those husbands have to be watched closely...don't they...


and I did manage a fabby thrifty trip this week too...
The outfit was completed all in on op shopping trip...
Tights...just kind of like Tif's...less the pretty lace...
Wrap dress...
Singlet underneath...to keep me warm...
and shrug that although mass produced it has a lovely crocheted panel in the back
and is a very sweet colour...
Shoes from previous op shopping trip but still from the same place...
I get so chuffed when an outfit just falls into place...So I don't have to think too hard
about it all...
as I really hate spending ages wondering what to put with what...
And my sea of clothes seems to be a mile high as I think the amount I can get from
op shopping and the price I can manage to get more for my money than buying new...
and find lovely things that I know I would never be able to afford new...
Which also means that "penny watching Husband" doesn't mind either...
Well I think we both like putting our spare change into projects for around the house...
so it works out quite well...

But I really couldn't go past a thrifty find that is just amazing...above...LOVE!!!
Really needs a wash but I am rather worried about doing it myself...
That might get put aside for the dry cleaners...
I have only ever been to the dry cleaner twice in my life so I will be waiting
for the time when I have a few things to take...and that way when they all come back clean and smelling just lovely I will be able to tell myself that,"that wasn't so bad"...
and maybe not leave it so long the next time...
I do hope that your week is as thrifty as mine...
But if not maybe sitting with a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits in a pretty spot
will be just sweet and lovely...
Regards my dear...
Michelle...
Loving The Vintage...

Holiday mode

Dear Friend...
The school holidays seem to have gone so slowly this time...
Maybe now that all of them are at school I actually miss the time I have to myself when they are there...
We went to Nundle for the Chinese new year festival...and it was just the most amazing thing...Great street performances and so many stalls...and yummy food...
It was just lovely to now have weekends off to do that sought of thing...We missed so much when we had the pub...
We have been to the movies twice this holiday...and at the start of the first movie we realised that this was the first time "little miss" had been...Now that's just sad....I hadn't really thought about things like that until now...Like going places together as a family...It was always so much of a rush or just too hard when you have a business that was 7 days a week...
We all now know the importance of just saying...Make time!!!


We have also managed to finish of "my shadows"room, which was a huge job as the walls were horrid and the whole thing needed gaping and well cleaning...
He had to share with "little miss" until it was finished so we were all keen to get it done...
as "little miss" has so much "clutter" in her room there was really only room for a spare bed and all of his things were boxed up while it was getting finished...
Now he has a very spacious room and he "loves" it...
And to finish...I have been crocheting away in my spare time!!!lol...
yes I have spare time...amazing really...I think that is the spare time that I really should be cleaning up the house...folding the washing...or even making beds...
But crocheting seems to relax me...and that just helps!!!

and remember...crocheting can just make it all a little bit brighter...
Regards dear friend...
Michelle...

Loving the Vintage...

Bark Cloth Skirts

Dear Friend...
I just adore bark cloth fabric!!!
But always stumble when it come to knowing what to do with it....
I like it but I really can't seem to find the right time to use it...
They are always bright-flowery or just not big enough to do the job...
I know there are a few friends who would be waving their arms about screaming....WHAT!!!
"I can think of heaps to do with it"...
But for me my little stash of ex curtain bark cloth has sat idle in my pile...until now...

Thanks to a crafty friend...
I have decided to have another go at making some clothes...
And the fact that my wardrobe is looking sadder by the day helped spur me on...
So after my first attempt...above...
I made another... top picture...I know quiet game of me...
And I even wore it out in public...
Yes to me sisters birthday...

So glad she made her own cupcake bouquet...
For I am certain my attempt at this would be disastrous...
Give me a hook and yarn any day over a piping bag and icing...

I have also started to repaint the kitchen walls...
I am not loving the all white so I have tried a very dark french blue...
I hope to have enough painted to take some pics soon...

So till next chat...
Regards dear friend and thanks for listening....
Michelle...

Spend My Days

Dear Friend...
I feel like my days are flying by so fast....
Now that all my little munchkins are off to school I jam as much as possible into my day...
That they just whiz by....
I am still packing things and cleaning things up at the pub...
Busily crocheting some projects that are for a very big surprise!!!
and doing the usual...
Just now I think of one more job I was going to squeeze into today...
Wash the dog...
Oh I am sure little "Millie" will be thrilled that I forgot that job!!!

So even though I seem to be everywhere at the moment I seem to be not going very far...
From home that is...
Yes River Cottage has the charm of begin the place I want to spend my day...
And that feels so nice for a change!!!

Regards Dear Friend...
Thanks for listening
Michelle...

Loving The Vintage...

Thinking of Other Things

Dear Friend...
I thought I should really catch up with some pics of my new adventures at River Cottage...
I have found lots of treasure since sifting through the copious amount of boxes
and cleaning up what was left here......
These 70's style beads were left behind by the previous owners...
Now why would anyone leave these behind...
Even though they are not in my most favorite colour...They are just gorgeous!!!

Now the most amazing amount of ivy is growing over the back part of the cottage...
Don't get me wrong I love it but I don't love the fact that slippery snakes
could love it as well...
So I have been clearing it from the bottom part and trimming back the top
which seems to be growing out of the gutters...
It is about a foot thick...
It will keep me busy, for a while!!!
But I am looking forward to finding some really pretty low covering plants to make it
less stark...and yes I will let my husband look after them as I know I can't be trusted with such responsibility...
I do well with children and pets...Not plants...
And seeing as though my husband losses thing (all the time) it is probably better that he looks after the plants...I don't think they can up and walk away!!!

Now the "Chook"collection that my husband collected years ago was found...
I know a very dear friend who has some of these...
It was hiding above the coolroom at the pub of all places...
Not mentioning any names of who could have "lost" them...

Yes I think I can safely now let you know the "PUB" is sold...
It has been a very emotional 7 years working and owning it...
So at this point all I will say is that now we as a family can move on...
To brighter fresher times!!!

So I have been cooking up a storm after coming across lots of old favorites...
I never realized I had so may electrical appliances...
I really don't know if this is good! But without a stove until winter when the fuel stove will be fired up on a daily basic, I have to be content with what I have...

The Slow Cooker....

A Pie Maker...
And even a Bread Maker...
The sandwich press, fry pan and rice cooker were begin a tad shy and didn't want their picture taken, so I let them off the hook this time...

I am trying to keep myself occupied as you can see...

and this helps me move on with things...
And I do hope that you too are looking at this year positively and with a purpose
I know this year has been a bit up and down as well for you...
But together we can lift the fog and clear our minds
for all the good things to come shining in,
while still having time to remember......

Regards sweetie...
Michelle...

Loving The Vintage...

Speedie

Dear Friend...
This is Speedie...
He is a electric BBQ that was found in the shed of River Cottage...
Just adorable!!!
I think I will need a bit of CLR or something to clean the bottom tray as it is a tad rusty...
But just so kitschy cute...

I was going to write to you sooner but my nointernetitis came back again...
I think my modem has see better days as when I gently tapped it
it decided to start up this morning...After only just getting it back working too...
and then two days down again...Oh well

So if the letters are here and there at the moment I will apologize now...

So much has been happening my head is in a bit of a spin...
But most of which I will leave to tell you a little later as I don't want to
jinks myself in anyway...

The cottage is in disarray with more stuff than I really thought I had...
and it is a very slow process to sought through it all...
But getting there...
At least the lounge room is tidy and for me that is saying something...
I have been very hard and banned toys in this room...
Sometimes this doesn't always work but at least the little munchkins are trying...
And with no kids at home during the day I can seem to get on top of some of the clutter...
Which is really saying something...For me!!!

It has been raining here and everything is so green and pretty...
It looks like spring, instead it is the middle of summer which would normally mean water restrictions and brown lawns...
and I love our little valley looking so healthy...
I do hope the weather is begin kind to you and your family...

so till next chat...Stay well...
and I hope the lurgy nointernetitis doesn't sneeze it's way to you...

Regards Dear friend...I have missed you...

Loving The Vintage...

River Cottage So Far...

Dear Friend...
Oh my can you believe it...
I have a lounge room...
The floor has taken a week...
Lots of blasting with the heat gun....Lots of sanding...By hand...
And yes it is at a very rustic stage...But I am really happy...
I haven't moved in yet...But hope to next week...
I have hung up my Black Apple prints...
and they look fantastic!!!
I have had these for quite a while and I am so glad that I now have
the perfect place to hang them...
and even better I have great natural light...
This is the first house that I have been able to take good photo's of inside...
And I am looking forward to taking a lot...

Oh yes I will miss the green weatherboard wall I always use...
Hmmmm but not for long...

I have a great place to put my Grandma cushions...
Well as long as no one wants to sit on the couch...lol...
I do have a mile of other goodness to go up on the little shelves but
I am trying to take my time so I don't hammer in nails and have to re-arrange later...

And now I am getting excited that for once I will have a nice space to sit and relax
and not be surrounded by toys...
Yes the kids have their own rooms and are big enough to keep their mess there...
Well I am ever hopeful...
So dear friend I am just a little thrilled to show you...
and hope that in between all of my crocheting...renovating...and de-cluttering
we get to keep chatting and keeping in touch...
Hugs...Michelle...

Loving The Vintage...

Surrounding Me

Dear Friend....
Oh what to do!!!
How do you make 70 timber laminate walls "trendy"
Is it possible?
Am I asking to much?


It seems to be everywhere I look...
Surrounding me like a ikea store...
Not knowing which way is the right and getting lost at every turn...

I need some help!!!
Has anyone seem a pic of a room or house that has this in it and it worked...
Or do I just hold out and paint, paint, paint!!!

The lounge room has now had 3 coats of paint and the Hmmmm
and the stained yellow colour still seems to be coming through...
I think at some point I may have to add a tint of colour...
But not right now as I am painting the kitchen which I do think is coming up a bit better than the lounge room...
But don't you just love the wall thingy....
It is attached and I wasn't really into ripping it off the walls
It could have been a tad out from the wall...
But I can live with weird stuff so it's OK...
I am thinking some nice prints in the little nooks
and some crocheted do hickeys...

We are ripping up the carpet soon...
Don't you just Love the swirls of brown and orange....
And it's rubber backed as well and glued to the old floor boards....
Oh the shame...
Now that's going to take a bit of work....
I think that's a husband job!!!

And last pic is of the louvred windows...
There is quiet a few in the house and while
not good for keeping out the cold they are gorgeous....in my book...
very very cute...
But a pain to clean...and I do have quite a few to still get to...

So dear friend I was going to ask...
How was your holiday...
Did Santa come...do you have a cold snap...
Well believe it or not we did...
Ever since Christmas Day it has been raining and really really chilly..
I have been extra careful not to slip thou...
But today while moving a couch over I did manage to pull something in my back...
and next minute I was on the floor...
I would now like to apologize to all in my family who have suffered with
back pain and I have been a bit
Hmmmm ignorant to say the least...
So sorry...I now know what it is like and I don't like it one bit...
So I have lots of "deep heat" rubbed on it and all I can say
is it better be gone by tomorrow...
I just have too much to do...
So till next installment...
Wherever you are Dear Friend
Take care...
Regards Michelle...

Loving The Vintage...

River Cottage...

Dear Friend...
Yes it has all started...
Only one day after I got the keys, I have enlisted all to help me get started...
Little Miss loves painting...

I did say I was ripping of all the old 70's timber panelling
but that was until some disappointment set in....
The walls behind it were crumbling beyond repair...
Really bad even for me...Who is very big on the whole
"It will be alright,We just need to slap some paint on"...
Oh well maybe down the track I can put up some plasterboard...
Now I have a few more pics...
The laundry a bit tidier than the last photo...
The well...
Yes you did hear right!!!
We have a well...
Mind you covering it up properly was the first job before anything
It is really deep and all hand laid...
How amazing...
But my stress levels can not cope very well with the idea
of very deep holes and kids safety...
So it is now all covered and I feel much better about it...
And now for the stove...
Oh I really can't wait for winter...
To have this going and a huge pot of stew boiling away...

Now I do know it all looks a bit scary just now...
Lots of work and really not enough
kids free time to do it...
But that is life and things like that will never change...
So I just let them try and help out as much as possible
and make them feel like it is all a great adventure...
I do worry that I really took on more than I can manage...
and hope that it is all for the best...
Do you feel like that too some days, dear friend...
I am sure you do...
So for now you will be finding me up a ladder most days...
But know that I am still thinking of you and hope your
Christmas Holidays are full of happiness and maybe a few new adventures just like me...

Loving The Vintage...

Sorting out

Dear Friend...
I know I have gone and left you and had you wondering where and what I have been up to...
But as like me I am sure your week has been filled up with all the same things...
Christmas is the time of year when everything seems to snow ball...
There has been Christmas concerts...carol singing and driving around in circles looking at all the pretty Christmas lights...
Well I will admit to secretly loving looking at the fairy lights...
and now for me lots of sorting out and packing and even having a garage sale...
Yes I did decide that I have way too much crap to take with me...
and had to cut the amount of it down...
But only the really crappy stuff, not the oh I might just need that in the next 5 years or so
so that will cut the amount of boxes to be moved to about 50...lol...
But I did manage to unearth a few treasures in all that sorting...


The picture enclosed are of a couple of paintings by "Mary gold"
I am finding it had to research as there doesn't seem to be a lot written about the artist...
Apparently they are around 1920-1930...They are watercolours and most of the time they do have names...
But I really don't know what mine are called...
But they are delightful and very pretty and I do think they will look rather nice in the new house...
Only 5 more sleeps till I get to take over and I am starting to feel the excitement building...
and hoping that this new chapter in my life will be fulled with lots of happiness and joy...
And if there is a right time for this to happen it should be at Christmas because Christmas is just such a wonderful time of year full of love and giving...
and that's just what the new house needs...to be filled with happy kids, great friends and lots of cheer...
Till next letter stay safe my dear friend and will write soon with lots of lovely photo's of my new
"River Cottage"...
Michelle...

Loving The Vintage...