still sewing

I have been a busy bee, I have started for the first time in my life to look forward to Christmas, I think it is because this year is going to be a handmade one and the pressure to please others comes from the heart not from some idealistic idea we should spend, spend, spend money on crap that nobody actually benefits from.

I have been making things for the Christmas craft fair (6th Dec, Cedar square, Blackpool, 10am - 4pm) I have been invited to join. I am excited and nervous too, I haven't dealt with the public in such a long time but I'm sure all will be okay. I will upload some photos when I have some camera batteries!!

Our Halloween was spent inside being cosy in front of the coal fire and watching a film, ignoring the constant tapping on the door after the popcorn treat bags we made had ran out. For bonfire night we did...nothing, how liberating it was too. We watched neighbours fireworks out of the window but that was all. Not because we are mean or scrooge like, I just don't see the point, when we go to see the annual firework championships on the prom and the boys just play a game, they are not interested at all how great China's entry was or how France's rockets were bigger than last time, so they wouldn't be impressed with a Catherine wheel tied to our fence!!
Plus on the the money I would of spent on fireworks will be going to buy this new Jamie Oliver book the recipes are awesome, I borrowed it from the library and so far I have made the BBQ sauce and its the best one I have ever tasted, so smoky and yummy. The cinnamon swirls went down a treat and tonight we had peach cobbler - sticky, zingy goodness. I found it less arty, farty with the ingredients than his other books and the stories in it are interesting too.

Now the nights are drawing in I love turning on the fairy lights, lighting the fire and sitting in my wonderful art deco armchair that I discovered last week in a second hand furniture shop, its covered in velvet and has big sweeping arms, perfect for relaxing and doing some embroidery in which is what I'm off to do now.

sew long......

Its been a long time...well over a month since i last blogged, sometimes I find it a bit of a chore to finish a post but I will spend hours reading other peoples blogs, and sometimes it's a case of I'm actually living in the real world and cyber land has to wait, but I feel on this bitterly cold and very windy Sunday whilst I'm still in bed using my BFs laptop and drinking barley cup I will carry on and finally finish this post!!

A while ago I got the new vertbaudet catalogue in the post and am in awe of the duvet covers, especially this deer one, how cute, I really want it for my bed even if it's meant for little people.

This is the interior of a girls room and if I was ever blessed with a girl this is what my dream room would be like for her, I especially love the rug.

We have been gathering the last of the blackberries from the garden and having delicious muffins with them in, I also have made some jam with them and even though the kids wont eat it because of the seeds I think its lovely lashed on toast. I used some of it in an eves pudding with some lovely strawberries but that went down so well I didn't have time to take a photo, I was surprised too as we made custard but with rice milk and it worked out surprisingly well, my BF also made curry using oat cream and that was yummy, this dairy free thing is pretty good now!!

We had a bit of sad news too, our little ratty Peanut died not long after this was taken, he was poorly and Chris wanted to read a Mr men book to him to make him better, he wrapped him up all snugly in a pillowcase and spent well over an hour just reading and stroking him.

He was an old ratty though and had enjoyed his time with us, it has made me think though I don't want anymore indoor type pets, we will just stick with our lovely ladies and eventually when I get my dreamy cottage, a pig and a goat!!

Let me introduce you to Molly, Lucy and Sunflower boy...... still not finished yet but so far I have enjoyed making them, I'm trying to get on with Christmas making early this year, I have made some stuff for my mum but can't really put them on here in case she sees.

all sewn up.....

This past couple of weeks I have been sewing crazy, I would love to have one of those big dressers with perfectly stacked fabric, all colour co-ordinated but alas I'm a very messy girl so in the mean time I shall carry on rooting through my cluttered corner for lovely fabric and make things like this heart, its red wool felt on the back and has some of the best stitching I have done in a long time, it has dried lavender from my garden inside to smell dreamy, its so pretty and pink and I think that's why I like it. I will make some more if anyone wants to buy one or two or three!!!

I have also been making tooth fairy pillows, an embroidered flower one with a pink pocket on the back for the tooth, polka dot ribbon so it can be hung on the bed or door handle and flowers made with french knots and knitted stitches.

These Jan Constantine inspired flag/banners have also been cheering up my dining room, I saw them in the catalogue and although very lovely at £37 was a bit pricey for me at the moment
so I took to making some and some dreamy cushions too - I will take pics when I get new camera batteries!!

More of the tooth fairy pillows, these cheeky chappies are so fun to make and really kind of sweet too, I make them for a lovely fairy lady in town who has the best fairy/magical/mystic shop ever, its called The secret garden, 9 Cedar Square in Blackpool, if your ever around do pop in, her natural soaps and potions are lovely and smell heavenly, my fairy pictures are also on sale in there too, I do take commission's though and sell privately. If you are interested in any of my things just leave me a message ruby_coupe@hotmail.com.

The other things that have been going on is, I am doing some illustrations for the lovely Claire for her fantastic children's story, cooking up a veggie feast of yummy pizzas and stir fries - not on the same day, baking lovely snickerdoodles (cinnamon coated biscuits) and enjoying being dairy free because I have lost about an inch on my waist!! Yippee.

I went to the hospital today to have a lump removed off my thigh and the consultant was lovely to me even though he gave me 3 injections - ouch and stitches, I'm all patched up and the numbness is just wearing off so my leg is feeling sore but it means for the next few days I have to rest it so I can do lots more sewing and reading and having dinner cooked for me!!

I Love cooking and cooking loves me!

Argh summer's nearly over....did it ever really begin?, I'm not sure about anyone else but I'm sure summers used to be longer and hotter and dryer!, it seems to speed past and before you know it your back to ordering coal and dreading Christmas! I have had some nice warm outings but the weather is pretty rubbish now all thanks to chemtrails, I'm sure you have seen the planes criss crossing the sky with the polluted gases for weather modification....anyway enough of that, I thought I would post a pic of a sunny day for me to look back on next summer when its snowing in June! I went to a fab charity shop in Lytham the other day after our home school meet and was so pleased with these two tops I found......

Excuse the mucky mirror and the flash but I had to capture how bloody cute it is, it's all embroidered and covers my rather ample bosom perfectly, only £1-yep I couldn't believe it either so I quickly grabbed this....



this was also £1! its a Marks and Spencer's lace/embroidered shirt, its sooo lovely, not worn it yet as it's been too cold.

Our lovely girls have all started to lay now and I am a pleased mother hen, the yolks are so golden it's fab, I have been baking, making breakfast muffins, pancakes, omelette's etc everyday....not all of them at once-that's too greedy even for a cake lovin' lady like me!!

Eye-eye said Francesca as I got out the camera, I think she was bothered her wattle and comb had not been set!

Talking of cooking, since going to the local allotments and getting a free recipe sheet I have gone ratatouille mad, it's delicious and so easy to make in bulk. I had, had a bad morning and was making another pan full and Adam was moaning about me making it agaaaaaiiinnnn, when I cut open this pepper......

It made me feel much better and loved! I had to get the camera to capture it, yes I love cooking!!

This week I have mostly been doing lots of things but finishing none, having tons of ideas in the morning and by night time done none of them..... this happens to me a lot! I find myself frustrated with my lack of sticking to just one thing at a time, does anyone else feel this way?, maybe it's a creative thing, ideas going round and round. I would like to hear if you lovely ladies get this way too.

Castles big and small

I got up a few mornings ago and decided we was going out for the day - this was at 7.30ish - not sure why I woke that early without the help of a little person but I rallied everyone up - much to the disgust of the teen "eurghh what DO YOU want mummmm" and we got on the bus to Lancaster. Ive always liked it there as the buildings are so different to Blackpool and the cute little shops and quirky structural designs everywhere.

I took this one of the boys on the bridge because about 6 years ago I took a picture in the same spot and we compared how they have grown when we came home, much to little ones disappointment, he doesn't want to get older, he cries sometimes because he "wants to be a small boy for always", bless him.

Lancaster Castle, we had a great tour with a great guide, he answered loads of questions and was very passionate talking with the children about the gruesome history, the boys found Henry 8th shield on the wall and thought the weapons were awesome.


The tour lasted about an hour and was worth the price of a family ticket, we all learned a lot and found it very interesting.

Opposite the castle is the Priory church, we went in to be nosy and the inside was spectacular, I took some photos but they came out too dark, the pic above is just one of loads of tapestry's adorning the back of hand carved chairs, the work that has gone into them was amazing.

We went for a cuppa in the church cafe and I asked the lady if it was OK that I had brought my own rice milk for our tea, she smiled and an even older lady pulled a face like I was a hippy nutter and said "ohh whatever dear", I had a hard time keeping a straight face as I paid and walked back to the table smirking!

It started to rain so we headed to the museum and the boys had large smiles on there faces as it was full of war memorabilia, there was so much to see and read, costumes, weapons, diary's and letters, its a fantastic place, they had info sheets to take for free too - great for home school.


They have there own site too with history, pictures etc on.

Tom has been making a castle out of wood for Chris, we got the instructions out of a 1970's book of my dads, we got some offcuts for a couple of pounds and some carpet inner tubes for free, Chris helped to cut it (no goggles, masks etc - sorry Mr Badman ) and paint it.....

then he waited patiently for the glue to stick and Tom to cut out the other bits, he used his pocket money on knights and we used a curtain for a moat and voila...

it still needs a coat of paint on the wood and a base but he loves it! Its pretty big and has taken over the table so we've been sharing dinners with archers and dragons.

A new discovery.....

We went on the bus to Lytham the other day and although I have been there a few times I don't know it very well so I missed our stop and the driver carried on past the town and the shops and dropped us off outside a fantastic park, what luck! I never knew it existed, its really big and has loads to do for tiny ones through to teens, there is different areas including a skate park, a wooden magical picnic area, exercise machines from Sweden and loads of other cool stuff to do.

Look at the carved entrance, how lovely with poems engraved in the wood, there is a different poem on each side.
How cool is this fort/castle, the boys played for hours whilst we sat and people watched and chatted. Its actually much bigger than it looks in this picture.

Lift off in this excellent rocket, this is sooo high and looks loads of fun, I can't wait for the kids to go back to school and we can have a home school meet so I can go down the slide!

This is one of the Swedish contraptions, there is a massage roller thing too which works great for mums aching shoulders, these air walker things left me feeling sickish though.

There is also a zip wire but the batteries on the camera had run out so I couldn't take anymore photos.

After dragging the kids away from the park we started walking to the shopping area, now as sad as this may sound I don't care I have to share just how fantastic Booths building is, its round and modern but in a cool arty way, the staircase inside is round too and oh my the loos are so posh! I was very impressed with the range of alternative food stuffs too and ended up buying bagels, croissants and scones for breakfast!

Next I came to an upmarket junk shop, think more Cath Kidston than sally army, very nice vintage items, a gorgeous hall stand I so want even though I have absolutely no room or cash for it! I ended up buying a book instead!

I discovered a pop art shop with retro items and paintings in, I'm going to see if they will accept my Kitschy pink pop painting and some others I have done.

Had a lovely day somewhere different, will make sure I get new camera batteries for next time!

great friends and a great day

We went to our home school meet yesterday but this time we went up to Beacon Fell, luckily it was there sports day so there was lots to do!. After missing 2 buses we got to our friends house and my boys went with my friends boys to look for eggs, this is still a novelty to us as our girls are not laying yet. I enjoyed a lovely coffee ( I remembered to take rice milk with me - we have quit dairy) and we set off, there was an orienteering map we could follow and the men was in charge whilst the mums ambled at the back chatting and taking in the view, the boys all ran on looking for marker flags. It was a nice day for a change and after getting to the summit we sat for a rest......

there are many sculptures dotted around the woods and we came across this stick hut someone had built - how great with a little work we could live here!
Part of the sports day was arranged activities, we tried welly wanging, my throw was OK, its surprisingly hard chucking wellies the furthest! One of the home school boys said he had watched it on telly where they fill the wellies with custard before they throw them!!

All the boys got to try archery, they had a blast and all did really well, all got a bulls eye! its all the soldier playing practise I guess! I would of liked to have a go but it was children only. The archers ( Bowmen of Pendle and Samlesbury )had loads of patience with the children and were really friendly. We think we might try and go sometime and try it out, would be great for a party event.

After leaving Beacon fell we went to Holly Farm, we petted the animals, they have a horse, a pony, 2 big smelly pigs, never seen pigs as big in my life, rabbits, chicks, calves, cows and my favourite goats!, I named them Lilith and billy, Lilith a white cutie kept eating my skirt and Billy was so naughty headbutting stuff and jumping, they are so adorable, I can't wait to get some of my own.

The boys had an ice cream whilst we waited to see the cows being milked, in my honest opinion it wasn't worth the wait, the window where you look out to see them is tiny, if there is more then 2 families in there you have no chance, really when you do look the cows are all packed in like sardines and you can't really see whats going on.

Then we went back to our friends house, she lives in a big old farmhouse and has a lovely garden and orchard for the boys to play in, all the boys played at gladiator training in the orchard whilst we had a cuppa and a lovely chat. She made us all dinner which was another wonderful treat for me and then we came home.

Arriving home I had a faith in nature parcel - Mmmm yummy hair stuffs and an adorable thank you card with little baby feet on the front off Claire over at The green queen . Reflecting on the day when I went to bed I realised how lovely my life is and how lucky I am to know such wonderful people.