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My work has gone unusually quiet these last couple of months. I put it down to the economic climate. Although I am slightly worried, I have decided to focus on other things and make the most of the free time I have. Money is tight so it forces me to re-use, recycle and restore, which is good! I have loved this image above which I found in Tumblr, so I have been making some of these little paper hearts to decorate the place for Valentine's day. I made some from tissue paper and they feel like little packets of sugar, which gave me the idea to make larger ones for place settings, and to fill them with an individual love message and sweets. I will let you see the pics in a day or two. I have also been knitting dishcloths in the shape of houses, they are really cute. I will let you see the pics of those in a day or two! You will think I am spoofing, and haven't done anything at all...honest I have. Remember my biscuit disaster, well I couldn't let a batch of biscuits get the be...

It was a very cold but lovely morning in Antrim today. I decided to take a walk and take my camera with me, so that you can see where I live. I love to see where people live, so that I can picture them there, in my mind's eye. First things first though! I would like to thank you all so much for your kind and thoughtful comments on yesterdays post. You really are the most uplifting bunch of people to be around, and I love you for it! Things didn't turn out too badly for Lois, her best friend's granny took Lois under her wing, which was lovely and made her feel included. As for my being a 'domestic goddess'.....it went sadly wrong! I decided to make biscuits (which I have made many times before), and something made them spread out in the tin and all join together to make one very large, very crisp biscuit! At least we got a laugh out of it. Just as well I had the malteser bunnies in reserve! (Have you tried these, by the way?) Oh I must tell you too, that Santa was a ...

and my song is a little sad today. Why? Because my little chick is sad. And when her little heart is blue, then mine is too. Today is Grandparents day, and in her school they hold a special mass for the Grandparents, who get to go. Unfortunately for Lois she has only one living grandparent left, her granny Cassie, who she loves to bits, but she has Dementia. It is too difficult to get her granny up and ready in time for mass so Lois has no-one to represent her. It is difficult at nine years of age to cope with being different from the rest of your class, so we have had a few teary nights this week. Needless to say it has made me think of my lost loved ones and of the passing of time. So I am sorry I am not my usual cheery self. However, I won't stay sad, because at 3 o'clock, my daughter needs me . So I am off to bake something lovely for her coming out of school, to have the house tidy and warm, to get ready to wrap my arms around her and let her know ....THAT SHE IS LOVED!! T...

picture from  Graphics Fairy Vignette is a word that Bloggers seem to like, to describe a little still-life area in a room or on  a table. I rather like the word myself so I looked it up in the dictionary. Mine is quite old so it didn't refer at all to the modern meaning of it, but rather talked about art or decorative illustration on a page, and this bit appealed to me ' to make a vignette of, by softening away the edges'. I thought I would soften away the edges by making a little display under my stairs, on top of a chest of drawers with a 'secret garden' theme. It is really a bit too wet and miserable to go out into the garden at the moment, so I thought a little display would keep me going until I can get out. I have a lovely pop-up book of 'The Secret Garden', illustrated by the Artist and Muralist Graham Rust, the detail in it is superb and it is a joy to look at. The  magnetic calendar at the back was a present from a friend as was the little bird in ...

My bathroom has recently had a slight makeover. I had previously painted the walls 'slate grey' and I loved the colour but when I made the roman blind (which was black) it did make the room quite dark.Mr.O.K. wasn't happy, he couldn't see to his ablutions properly! He doesn't usually complain about my paint choices, so I rather reluctantly set out to rectify it. I remembered that I had a tin of 'Persian Rose' by Craig and Rose. Having previously had a bold colour on the walls I was quite confident that this colour would look well. However it was still a little nerve wrecking until the slate grey was totally obliterated. I had some old Laura Ashley curtains belonging to my mum, that I was able to recycle into a blind and a cover for the side of the bath and the shower. The room feels several degrees warmer now, and everyone is happy. Oh, and it didn't cost any money, just a little time! I even managed to fit in a drawing of our daughter, that was done by ...

Carry moonbeams home in a jar, and be better off than what you are? You guessed it, I've been daydreaming again, it is such fun......do join me. I have left the fancy Paris apartment and have moved here..... Gorgeous isn't it? Don't worry I have plenty of room for you to stay, in the Guest Cottage. The gardens are looking particularly lovely at the moment, perhaps we can have lunch out there?  Drinks anyone? The local baker delivers bread daily, so it's always so fresh. If it is a bit chilly we can come inside for something to eat, or a nice hot cup of tea. If you are tired after your travelling perhaps you would like to take a little nap or have a long hot soak in the bath? Now that's better isn't it. The fire is lit and I have lots of good books. So why don't you stay a while? So whether you believe in magic or not, thankyou for taking the time to read my fairytale nonsense, and I hope you have enjoyed my little story? Love Linda x pictures taken from  her...