New Neighbours

We don't often get new neighbours in my part of the village so I wanted to make a good first impression but the 79p pansies I bought from the local hardware store (limited shops on my post office run) wrapped in a thin blue plastic bag didn't quite look right.

However, whip off the 79p stickers, put a bit of recycled tissue paper around them, wrap round some yellow bakers twine and add a Penguin Classics postcard and voilà a present fit for a new neighbour.

Always sad to say goodbye to neighbours who you've known for a long time and there is always the dread that someone you don't like might move in but am happy to report that on first meeting new neighbour seems lovely. Now all I have to do is arrange a little soiree*  {what is it with me and smatterings of French today} with the other neighbours.

* Don't worry I most definitely did not use the word soiree when I was talking to her I'm sure I said get together.

Signwriting

A little bit of a longer gap in blogging than I had anticipated but I've just had too much to do and not enough time to do it :-(

Let me start again by showing you the labours of a great day out I had a few weeks ago at a signwriting course with one of my sisters and mum. Mum had found the course and two of her daughters didn't need much persuading to go with her. The course was held at Assington Mill an amazing venue with Wayne Tanswell - Traditional Signwriter as tutor. Wayne had a very relaxed easy-going teaching style which meant that we didn't feel too intimidated by what we were about to try and complete, which was to end the day with our own hand painted sign.

We started off by just practicing the strokes needed which was actually very therapeutic and I could quite happily have done this all day.

Then we got to do our chosen word or words for real on a piece of wood for. As our house sign has bullet holes in it .... yes bullet holes. Oh alright I'll tell you why. The reason it has bullet holes is because my dear husband and one of our dear friends one night decided to set up tin cans on our gate and then preceded to kneel at our kitchen window shooting the tin cans off the gate with the air rifle. They are not very good shots and the gate and sign got peppered making it look like we have been subject to numerous drive by shootings. So back to the sign here is the chalked out lettering.

And here is the painted version.

And here is the final shadowed version.

Now although I put a lot of paint on the board the reason it looks so good and so perfect is sadly not because I am a natural at signwriting but because maybe Wayne came and touched it up just a little bit!

Everyone else produced amazing work too.

We had a great day out, delicious lunch and came home with a sign and a better understanding and insight into how difficult, but not actually that scary, traditional signwriting is. 

Vintage Style Hire's "Bit of A Do"

On Thursday I was delighted to be invited to Vintage Style Hire's Bit of a Do in Kate's new barn. From the outside the barn looks like any other "industrial" style barn with a very business like door but as soon as you stepped in the door you could easily forget you were even in a barn (apart from the slight chill) and we were greeted by this gorgeous pushbike with WELCOME bunting. 

Gin & tonic was served in delicate teacups and elderflower cordial in jars with stripy straws.

Tea cup in hand we then got to wander round the barn and marvel at all the "rooms"

Wherever we looked there was something that caught the eye, whether it was a little artful collection, a sweetie corner or beautiful flowers from Violets & Velvet.

I heard a lot of people commenting that Kate has the knack of making it look as if it had all effortlessly come together.

Now this all looks casually thrown together in an informal way but look closer and you will see that every item has been placed in exactly that position for a reason. 

Then the guests started to play with the photo booth and it was discovered that if you give Kate's friends a couple of gins, some masks and a photo booth you can have them in fits of giggles for a very, very long time!

It was a wonderful evening and so lovely to see Kate's new barn full of all her unique props. We even got a goodie bag when we left. Thank you Kate and best of luck in your new space and I hope you get to share your vision with lots of lucky customers.

A change to my daily routine

 Because of this ...

I've had a change to my daily routine and instead of the boys walking down to me when they get off the bus at the end of the school day I now park my car near to their drop off and walk the short distance to the post office.

I walk past the old fire station,

then past the church and through the kissing gate

and amble down Stoney Lane (most definitely not suitable for crutches).

Then after the Post Office visit (and stopping to chat to friends walking back from primary school) I wander back again through the churchyard.

Pausing to think about the Rivers family who had a great deal of tragedy in their family life and also the family of Private E S Brown.

This last week I've glanced up to check on the progress at the Windmill which now has its sails back.

Then I sit in the car looking at the church and waiting for hopalong and his brother to get off the bus. 

Even when he's able to walk down the hill I think I might continue our change of habit as apart from a beautiful little walk down it also stops the boys creeping into the local sweet shop. Sales of sweets, crisps and drinks must be considerably down these last few weeks ;-)

Just pay me in Slamseys Fruit Gin

I made some bunting this week for Slamseys Drinks for their stand at The Essex Young Farmers Show which is happening on Sunday. I hadn't planned on charging at all but could hardly turn down the payment I received, a gorgeous bottle of Raspberry Gin.

It looks wonderful don't you think? After I've done the Scout run tonight I shall pop the cork and have a little taste. Love the idea of the Summer Cocktail recipe that came with the bottle but as I don't have all the ingredients that delight will have to wait for another day and so it will be Raspberry Gin over ice with elderflower presse tonight ....  mmmm ... perhaps I can get someone else to do the Scout run?

Please go over to Slamseys Drinks Facebook page and also follow them on twitter and enter your email address on their website to get further information. Even better if you happen to be near Chelmsford on Sunday then go to the Young Farmers Show and taste some for yourself.

Wishing Beth every success with her first show on Sunday - good luck and bottoms up!

Pink Hair

I had the ends of my hair dyed pink yesterday. Why? Not sure really it could be because

• it will wash out and so I won't have it for long;
• my hair is soooooo boring I wanted to try something different;
• I can't buy new clothes but wanted something "new";
• I had pink hair for a bit years ago and wanted it again?;
• the boys said don't do it;
• it's good to do something different once in a while.

Of course, like all these things it all seemed like such a good idea at the time but faced with going to the post office I did think to myself "why".

I do love it but also like that it will fade and go away quite soon, I wouldn't want to have pink hair forever. Just long enough to humiliate the boys as it is apparently very uncool to have a mother with pink hair!

My Name is Jo and I'm a Font Addict

There I've said it.

I've always had a bit of thing for fonts but then my sister gave me this book for my birthday Just My Type  and now my addiction has also got factual information to go with it. 

 

The other members of the family were pretty glad when I finished reading it. As Oscar said to me one day "Mum we're just not as interested in typography as you are". He may have had a point as perhaps I did go on about it a bit. I loved this book so much I even suggested it as a future read to my Book Club {don't think they will be taking me up on it although they did politely show an interest}. I think some fellow book club members will read it and even if you are only a little bit interested in typography/fonts you should read this book, honestly it is so interesting.

These are my favourite fonts this week ... yes it changes on a weekly basis.

Cheboygan    Quicksand    Light Chartrand

Aren't they lovely?

I've also started to recognise various fonts as I drive along, for instance there is a local guest house that I've driven past thousands of times and always admired their sign but now look at it and think Poor Richard (as in the font name not some random person on the side of the road). I now know the difference between serif and sans serif and could play this game for hours. Then notonthehighstreet sent through an email this week about new trends and ampersands, oh how I'd love a giant ampersand! Really it is an addiction that I won't be able to lose as we are surrounded by fonts all day every day.


However as addictions go I don't think it's too awful and I do have it under control as I try hard not to download more than one font a week. If my font habit rises any more I'll have to block the font sites. You want to know what they are don't you? Font Squirrel and Dafont are my fix favourites!

Blood and no gore

I did something amazing yesterday.

Actually I didn't really but that is what they tell you when you go and Give Blood and it does make you feel like you've done your "good deed" for the day. And they tell me I'm special. No, really they do because my blood group is AB+ and only 3% of the population are in this group apparently.

My mum embarrassed inspired me to give blood. She's given loads of pints of the red stuff and I thought a few years ago that I should too. According to the shocking statistics I'm part of only 4% of the population that gives blood.

Honestly if you've never done it then go along as it is such an easy thing to do and I think of it as a bit of an insurance policy as hopefully I will never need to have any of it back ... really they can keep it!I now won't have to go again until September so it's not exactly onerous and I'm very lucky that I only have to go to the village hall where I pick up the boys every afternoon so it fits in with me picking them up and now I'm in the system I just book the next appointment when I'm there.

As a bonus/encouragement to go you get really nice biscuits afterwards and a cup of tea and all the staff are lovely. I'm really difficult to get blood from and I promise you it doesn't hurt as obviously they do the whole needle thing all the time and are very good at it ;-)

Rainbow Feet

Why Rainbow Feet? 
Because perhaps I do believe in the healing power of positive energy.
Because I like a small act of rebellion.
Because Annie asked us to.
But most importantly because I read artisica domestica's blog.

Tagged

Tagged, I got tagged. I didn't really know what it meant but it made me feel like a proper blogger when Anne tagged me. I have ignored it for a week mainly due to lack of time but also because I was a bit daunted by doing this post. Then I decided it might be fun?? As I tell my boys if you don't really want to do something but know you should then just enjoy it and get on with it. So here goes ....

My Mother's Day Flowers from my Mother!

These are the rules...

^ Post these rules

^ Post 11 things about yourself

^ Answer the questions provided by the one who tagged you

^ Create 11 new questions for the people you tag

^ Go to their blog and tell them they've been tagged!

Eleven things about me:

1. I am the youngest sister of four daughters;
2. I have recently discovered a love of fonts;
3. I have a phobia of birds in confined spaces;
4. I grew up on a farm;
5. I'm not very good at housework;
6. I used to collect buttons and pigs;
7. I hate been told what to do;
8. I used to wear black all the time now I wear colour all the time;
9. I once had a pig called Charlotte;
10. I once drove a tractor into a house;
11. I always wonder what I'll be like when I grow up.

These are the questions set by Anne with my answers

1. Do you buy new or vintage for your home? Both
2. Why do you blog? I use it as a diary, a way of remembering both my family and business adventures.
3. If you were invited to make a piece of art, what medium would you use? Paper.
4. What clothes are you most comfortable in? Jeans, boots and comfy jumper.
5. If you had an unexpected afternoon to yourself and not a care in the world, how would you spend it? I would read a book uninterrupted or go to Anthropologie.
6. What do you panic most about losing? My car keys, my way and time. I hate to be late and I hate to get lost.
7. What is your favourite quotation? What Goes Around Comes Around. I believe this so much I engraved it on a silver bangle that I wear whenever I go out.
8. What is your ideal holiday? Any holiday is ideal, I am very easily pleased.
9. If you wear lipstick, what shape is the end, once it’s no longer new?  Don't wear lipstick I'm a lipgloss girl.
10. Do you have a habit you would like to drop or one you would like to adopt? I'd like to lose irritability and adopt a healthy eating/exercise habit.
11. What everyday article would you most miss if it were suddenly unavailable? Teapot.

My Mother's Day Flowers not from my sons. 

These are the eleven questions I have, some replicated because I thought they were so good!

1. Why do you blog?

2. Do you prefer giving or receiving presents?

3. The best time of your life 20s, 30s, 40s .... or do you think the best is yet to come?

4. If you had an afternoon to yourself and not a care in the world, how would you spend it?

5. Have you ever broken a bone in your body?

6. Did you have an imaginary friend when you were little?

7.What is your favourite quotation?

8. What are the three most important things in your life.

9. Least favourite day of the week?

10. If you could have a famous person follow your blog who would it be?

11. What everyday article would you most miss if it were suddenly unavailable?

I have decided like Anne just to tag one person. Val of DottyCookie - it has to be you!

The reason I've chosen Val is that we actually met in real life last week. It is the first time I've met another blogger and {close your eyes Val} I approached the morning thinking  .... well ... I needed to go into town anyway and I could always get away early and go shopping. Well that didn't happen! Needless to say we ran out of time chatting away and have plans to meet up again, probably when I get stuck on the dress I'm going to make and need her help or when Val needs to visit the new shop I introduced her to.

You were only supposed to blow the ....

Back in September I told you about this fantastic Letterpress course I went on. What I couldn't show you was the poster I made because it was a Christmas present. Well here it is ...

Sorry about the bad photo - it is very tricky taking photos of framed things.

As is obvious one of our favourite family films is The Italian Job, I only add this because I have been surprised how many people don't know where this saying comes from and would hate any reader to think I'm just plain rude!

If you are interested in seeing other letterpress work then have a look at the Flickr photostream where you will also my poster going through the various stages. 

Origin

Where do I start? On Friday I went to Origin the Contemporary Craft Fair which was just amazing. So many fantastic designers that it seems harsh to single out a few but here are my top ten favourites.

1. Glass Cathedrals happened to be right at the very beginning of our visit and it was great to stand and have a chat with Lisa about her life in San Francisco and her gorgeous, gorgeous boxes. They just tickle me and I'm so pleased that a friend of mine is buying one :)


2. Funnily enough my next favourite also included tiny little figures but in a completely different way. I can't decide if I loved the Helen Noakes swimming pieces or the nuns the best but I know that I would really like to own one. Again Helen was just charming to talk to and we had a great time on her stand looking and trying on everything trying to decide which was our favourite.

3. Cissy Cook Designs were just simple beauty and I fell in love with the box of dots.

4. Anna Wales - my favourite things were the rings, with tiny balls of felt that looked like an expensive jewel.

5. Uoldbag - as I said to the designer I'd love to have a reason to own one of these and as she quite rightly pointed out to me, they are practical, beautiful to look at and a piece of art!

6. Ella Robinson had some amazing pieces displayed but my favourite (no photo but she told me there would be soon on her website) was a collection of plastic junk displayed by colour - OK sounds horrible but was actually amazing.

7. Jennifer Collier is so very clever and her pieces are unbelievably detailed.

8. Linda Bloomfield stand looked so pretty and I loved the colours of her porcelain.

9. Abbott and Ellwood had another very pretty stand. Seeing all the pieces together they look wonderful. 

10. I loved Lilana Guerreiro pieces but, as they didn't speak very good English and my Portuguese is non-existent, I can't tell you much about them and I can't find the rings I loved on the website ... oh well that's some money saved then!

So that's my top ten but there were loads of other talented people we stood and chatted to whilst admiring their work. In fact by the end you feel exhausted because it is sensory overload (in a good way!).