Brought to you by the colour red

Early summer magic.

Circus style lettering on a puppet box.

Layering transparent layers.

Red tin.

Promises to myself

Promises that I make to myself are the hardest to keep I find. It is so easy to just give up and not do the thing I have been meaning to do for so long. I gave up smoking at least six times before the final time three years ago. Now it is time to sort out the other things that are bugging me-namely eating badly a lot of the time, and not exercising, with the inevitable result of feeling fat and tired. I have put on about three stone in the last four years I think-the combination of stopping smoking and starting to drive are what did it I think. Hence the promise to go for a walk daily and eat more healthily. I have been reading 'You Are What You Eat' tonight, and I have bought a blender so I can have smoothies. I have eaten muesli, apples, bananas, salad , raspberries and blackberries over the last two days. I am writing it all down here so I can look back and be inspired to carry on. I am going to get my hair cut tomorrow-long overdue-I lost touch with the lovely Bianca, so am going to try a salon with such a great name that I can't resist. The Curious Comb. I hope they can make my hair magically much better than it is today! Here is Snowball-at least I think that is the name of this cat. I met it on this road a few years back, and that is what a helpful passer by told me. Snowball looked a bit perturbed when I stroked him, then moved round the bins for a photo, then back again for more stroking. He was just peacefully sleeping before that!

I was trying to think of some kind of theme to my walks as I can't always go to the shops. I thought of walking to and photographing the various churches in the area. This is one of my favourite ones, St George's in Kirkside road. It is my favourite as it has regular, and always interesting, jumble sales. The kind with home made cakes and jams, knitted goods for pennies, and lots and lots of great old books. I missed the last one-kind of on purpose as I did not want to buy more suff, and once I get in there I can't resist. This church was built in 1890-92, I found out tonight here. It had its roof lifted and dropped four inches out of place by a bomb in the second world war. I didn't know any of these things till tonight, so I shall be learning about the local area on my walks!

This is a recently constructed Methodist church which I have posted about before-as they had the cross lying around wrapped in plastic for ages before it finally went up. I love the bird detail on this window, which I have not noticed before.

Incidental cat photos. I like the multiple occupancy demonstrated here.

Cassie has been very helpful in my work today.

A Walk In The Woods

We are doing home visits for the children due to start in September. So we get to look around the local area a bit. I have found one really good potential Forest School site, and one other piece of woodland on Plumstead Common which has a sign saying it is a nature reserve. I dragged my colleague Linda up and down muddy hills-we were quite adventurous! There were birds singing, it was damp and fresh and really very pleasant! This tree is so gnarled and old-and looks like it could come alive at any minute and walk away! Like an Ent from Lord of the Rings.

Beautiful blossom. Not sure what-is it hawthorn? Is that May? Oh I really need to improve my woodland knowledge. Talking of that-I had a woodpecker in my garden on Friday-I was really excited!

This path is much steeper than it looks! And the mud was slippery. Great fun!

Un-woods related, but cute! Lily is fascinated with this dolls house, and often peers in the windows. Maybe she knows something I don't! I found her sitting on it this morning looking very pleased with herself.

Bye Little Car and Other Bits and Pieces

Here is Antony, about to drive away in my little Nissan Micra. His car, which I now own, is the black one on the left. I had a terrible hangover this morning (birthday drinks for my friend Clare last night), so was later than I intended setting off to my Mum's house to do the swap. Then, having arrived safely I was recovering before having some lunch, when I swore out loud, inadvertently, because I had left the log book, my cheque book etc in the hall at home-it was all ready to go, but I forgot to pick it up! So, about an hour and a half later, I drove my car back to London, followed by my brother and we did the exchange here! We had a drive around tonight in the new car, and I am getting the feel of it, but driving very slowly while I do so. It is slightly wider and slightly longer than the micra so I want to get to work early tomorrow to secure a parking space requiring no skills to get into!

I kept my little bear keyring. He is so old his stuffing is coming out.

I love this wrapping paper I bought for Clare's present-I have a piece left and might frame it.

Tulips from a lovely shop just up the road from here. It has beautiful flowers, plants, candles, soaps, flower lights, little hand made things, and does beautiful seasonal displays. It smells gorgeous too and has great cards and wrapping paper(see above) It is called Passion Flower-so if you are in the area of Blackheath Standard ever-go and visit!

Tulips displayed in lovely dark green charity shop vase, on the free trunk in the hall! I have never had somewhere to put flowers in the hall before-how exciting!

The painting is from Greenwich market-years ago. It is of a courtyard somewhere hot-I love the mysterious feel to it and the chipped and battered edges. It is on a piece of hardboard. As I think about it, I have quite a number of (bargain) original works of art, bought over the years, mainly in Greenwich. I shall do a post one day on them.

The thing next to the girl is some kind of dog, but looks odd. An odd dog.

Here is a 2 second snippet of my car leaving home today! Hope your weekends were good and

your week is even better!

Nelly The Elephant

Nelly is who I feel like this week due to much packing of trunks. On Friday we had a delivery of some furniture, two large packing boxes full of china and six pictures of varying sizes. Andy's Mum has moved into a smaller flat and has distributed lovely items amongst the family.
Our flat is not large and is already filled to bursting with stuff-mainly mine I have to say. I am pretty good at fitting things into spaces efficiently I think, but this week has been a challenge! I am nearly done now, except the clearing up of the inevitable debris of a large sort out. This lovely sea chest and its equally lovely contents-beautiful books and a rug, is stowed (it is familiar with this I feel), in a cosy space behind the tv, replacing piles of old videos. The leafy china above has found a spot on top of the microwave, replacing boxes of old cereals

A work in progress. The mess got much worse before it got better.

One of the pieces of furniture has fitted into the back room, to replace my old cupboard-now in the shed. I had a problem as to what to do with the china and the pictures, as there really is no room for them anywhere. Then, on the way home tonight I drove past a skip-just round the corner. In it were two large old trunks. I stopped to look but decided to be sensible and leave them where they were. By the time Andy got home I had changed my mind and realised they would be the perfect storage for the china and pictures. I am so pleased with them! One will go in the shed to be stored until we get our large country home(!) The other is next to an existing trunk in the hallway, making a lovely table type of thing! This one is my favourite-it is made of wood with leather trims, is really battered, lined with old fabric and has distressed labels saying things such 'Charing Cross to Westgate'. It is from Selfridges, and I think is at least fifties if not older. This makes us a five trunk household. Very useful things trunks!

I am not getting much time to visit blogs or to write on this one so I am looking forward to catching up at the weekend!

Shelf Life

Dr Scops makes friends.

These girls find life very hard. They have to sit around a lot, contemplating things.

Jesus is getting back to nature.

Small pile of circles which are in a box of other similar things. The box is on the shelf.

The Brockley Jack.

P.S. Dr Scops, Gothic Lolita, (left of the three girls), tiny doll, (on her lap)-are by Beth Robinson(blog) of strangedolls.

Violet-(right) is from Nicole Johnson of Mealy Monster Land. Her Blog is here. Dr Scops' friend is from Greenwich Market. She looks like china but is plastic. I don't normally go for the Victorian type of doll but I liked her.

Weekend Events

Finding this article about Rachel Whiteread and her dolls houses. Thinking that two is quite enough for me unless I win the lottery. Finding this magazine on the hall floor on Friday evening. Having a look at the work of Jane Cather-absolutely beautiful.

Seeing Edna's little smiling face among all the other beautiful cloth and clay dolls. This is a group submission by Jane Des Rosier-who teaches doll making using cloth and clay techniques. Edna has been gone a long time now but I hope to see her back here one day!

Seeing my name in print-really exciting! Deciding on a whim (a whim born out of long pondering and purchasing large items such as dolls houses when I HAVE NO SPACE!) to completely reorganise all of my shelves, including painting my ebay shelves white. I was not sure about this but am so glad I did it, as everything looks much better displayed on them now. ( I will take pictures to show you!)

Giving a woman and her son a lift to the woods two miles away to find their runaway dogs. She was asking anyone she saw if they had seen them. She asked me just after I got home from buying paint, then asked a van driver and he had seen them. I felt so sorry for her as she was so worried-I hope she found them.Enjoying putting all of these things back on the shelves in different arrangements. This is one of my favourite things to do. Also enjoying rediscovering books I had forgotten, putting my Penguin books on my Penguin bookcase-bought second hand many years ago-complete with Penguin label.

Catching up with our ex-neighbours who called round unexpectedly today. We made a date to have a proper evening together in a couple of weeks.

Enjoying two late nights and two long lie ins.

Eating a delicious roast chicken dinner this evening cooked by Andy-thanks Andy!

Talking about what we want to do for our summer holidays.

Watching Antiques Road Show.

I will tell you the name of the pub tomorrow or Tuesday and announce the winner of the prize! Funny that one person has been there but they were kind and didn't give it away!

Friday Meanderings

Snow continues to dominate. I have been dreaming about it each night (proper in my sleep dreams-not just day ones!), the news is full of it, grit is running out, past years snowy winters are recalled and people express strong opinions on whether schools should be closed or not. Yesterday the two closest schools to us were shut but we were open. The buses are running ok so people can still get in. Our head did thank us all for getting in this week despite it being difficult.
In nursery we have interviewed parents of new children until today, when the older ones returned. This morning nursery had 10 children and this afternoon 8! It was lovely-quiet, and with time to really get into what we were doing. Some built a snowman, then later a snow castle. We rearranged an area of the classroom that is not working well, and this afternoon I worked with Ronnie and Michael as they made junk modelling castles. We had hot chocolate and biscuits too (not healthy I know, but cosy-and left over from the party last term!) Is it a salt? Is it a sugar? No it is a snow. (silly Ali G film about science on my mind here!)

Cute isn't she with her little multilink eyes.

Wondering which fabric to use for a doll, and also wondering whether to take part in One World One Heart this year. I would love to but it is coming up very soon and I don't know if I can fit in making something for it. Hmmm.

This is the door to the hall. I have fixed two hooks into the frame and hung up this fleecy fabric curtain to cut out the draft from the front door. It has made such a difference already! We should probably get an actual door there, but I like this solution for now.

I made another little lantern using stick on tape-it took about five minutes and looks pretty I think. I stapled a doodle into a cylinder too to make another one. So quick-suits my impatient nature. The third one is just plain.

My trusty sewing machine in action. I have had it for about twenty five years I think, though it went for a long time not being used. I am making two more tall skinny cloth dolls to keep this one company. If I get on with it quickly enough I will do OWOH. If not then so be it.

View of the shelf in my, what shall I call it?-studio-ha ha!, spare room, junk room, guest room-again ha ha! Back room. Sewing room. Box room. (I have an oil painting of boxes hanging on the outside of the door-from a charity shop years ago. So maybe box room is the best-it does have a lot of boxes in it) Crafty stuff storage room. Who knows, but if I didn't have it I suppose I would have to store the crafty stuff elswhere so I am grateful! I love these see through boxes. They stack, are pretty sturdy, and can be crammed quite full. I do dream of storage such as that found in this catalogue though.