Happily still being green!

Afternoon

Funny how so much from my old life has seamlessly joined with my new life. I've always been a bit of a green/hippy/eco-friendly sort of a girl.

If you follow some of the labels in my sidebar you can see mention of recycling etc going back to the beginning of this blog - and before that to be honest. 

As a teenager I spent many a happy afternoon at a jumble sale with my friends - buying clothes which we'd alter to suit our tastes - making jeans skinny before the invention of lycra and turning old mans shirts into trendy collarless ones.

My first home certainly contained many old and upcycled things - a book case made from wine boxes - a Christmas gift in 1969 for my ex-husband. I delivered it back to him the other week when furniture came out of storage - whilst I loved it there is no room for it here so it needed to be back with its original owner.

This house is certainly full of recycle and upcycled things - along with those collected from charity shops, car boot sales and junk shops. Both S & I can't resist a good rummage through others peoples old junk - our little town contains 11 charity shops and we often do a full tour when we have the time.

The latest upcycling project - our old wooden bed into a garden bench!!

Made from about 95% recycled wood - the old bed and some pallets - only the front posts are from new wood!

It's almost built now - and partially painted - just need summer to return so we can get it finished!

Another project this week has been getting my bike roadworthy again. It spent 18 months in an outbuilding as we had no space at the flat. S has repaired the brakes and checked it all over. I have tidied the basket up - the wicker has got caught on stuff on many occasions and it was looking a bit sorry for itself - I decided to repair rather than replace;

I need to use my bike tomorrow - most days I can get to where I want on foot but I need to drop something off a couple of miles away. Am a bit apprehensive as the roads are busy here and my cycling skills a bit rusty!!

With the house we inherited two greenhouses (one full of tomatoes) and 3 raised veg beds - 2 of which were planted!! We have ended up with a glut of tomatoes and courgettes - time for inventive cooking!!

A rummage in the freezer for some mince and hey presto - the base for a lasagne!

We also inherited some squash plants - these were really quite tiny and seemed to struggle at first - however a bit of rain and some attentive watering and boom they grew like crazy. It was only after a veg gardening book was acquired on a recent charity shop trawl we discovered they like to climb!! Fortunately when the large bamboo plant was removed our friend saved the canes - more upcycling!! These now are supporting the ever growing squashes - come the autumn I will need some new recipes I think!!

Another step to becoming a proper blogger again is taking place as I type - my little camera is being charged!! Going to try to use this as well as my phone to get photos as it does take rather lovely pics.

Right I had best go and hunt down our camping gear - we are off to FolkEast later this week - to celebrate one year of being married!!!

See you soon with plenty of festival photos!

xxx Vicki xxx

House and garden

Good evening

Thanks to those who've visited since I dipped my toe back into blogging this month :)

Still getting the hang of taking pictures on a camera and especially for here. Had a crash course at the weekend on how to upload them onto my new toy and also how to use a programme to edit/resize - the one I used before was very very old and not compatible with this new lappie of mine.

In recent weeks its been very domestic here at times at No6 - my dining room was looking shabby, overstuffed and the radiator had sprung a leak :( Time to give it a makeover. Coats of fresh paint in a neutral cream, new curtains that actual fit, a new non leaking radiator and tomorrow a new carpet in a colour I like and that won't show every mark, thread or crumb.

Here's what we've done so far - very happy with it and also the fact I've not gone over my limited budget :)

 The room had felt overstuffed so when big son was home at Easter we sorted out the two bookcases that were in there and condensed them into one - bookcase was sold and I sold lots of the books at a boot sale this weekend.

New tablecloth from Aldi which the boys actually quite like - they were worried it would be a very floral room but so far they approve.

 The two huge paintings were done by one of my sister for her GCSE and A levels exams many years ago - I love both of them and they will always feature somewhere wherever I live.

One of the first things we bought for this house - now rehung and filled again with clean china - still have the stuff from my dresser to do tomorrow so once the carpet is down that too can be refilled.

The arrival of spring and sunny weather made me look at the garden and realise it needed work doing on it. I spent hours weeding, cutting back and sorting out. Then when S was over we went to a local garden centre and I chose things to fill gaps, tubs and new tiny veggie plot. Here's just a snapshot of what I've been doing;

 Just a few strawberry plants - this year in pots but hopefully next year in a proper bed.

 Tiny tomatoes appearing - we chose varieties which crop heavily.

 Trying to disguise the less pretty bits with tubs of geraniums.

 Waiting for this one to flower - it's called Apple Blossom and the petals look beautiful.

 Bargain hanging baskets filled with car boot find bedding plants.

 It was so sunny when I took these pics you can't see this one too well - must get the hang of my camera again - anyhow its full of pink, blue and purple and a as one lot finish another should burst into colour.

A practical bit - storage with strawberries and a few leftover geraniums on top.

Just realised I forgot to take pics of the little veg bed and the raspberries behind it - they are looking very promising this year - handy really as we've run out of raspberry jam!!

Right that's probably enough for today - there's dinner to cook, washing to get in and of course things to water later too.

See you soon - we've been productive this weekend and there's the first foraged make of 2015 to share with you.

xxx Vintage Vicki xxx

A handful of good stuff

Good evening

Its that age old problem again - lots to write about but not enough spare time to sit down and do it.

Part of the busy bit comes to an end tomorrow - Big Sons final exam. We've something planned for tomorrow night which involves water, cider and lots of fun - must remember to take a photo or two!!

Here's just a few good bits from the last week;

Picking the first raspberries from the garden.

 

 Opening the curtains to find its another sunny day.

 A leisurely weekend breakfast - just me - the boys were still asleep.

 Warm, sunny evenings - perfect for another BBQ.

A very rare photo - me and the boys together - at a get-together with my family.

 

I promise to be back soon with photos from tomorrow promised celebrations and also from a weekend of folk music and Morris dancing which I'm taking part in.

BTW did I mention - last exam tomorrow! I'm almost excited as Big Son is!! 

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Weekending

Good morning

Oh what a difference a few days makes - we were so lucky here in Suffolk at the weekend, sunshine and shorts weather. Yesterday was yuck - wet, very wet for most of the day - I managed to get out to see my Grandma during a break in the showers and timed the walk back well too.

I love weekends - always have done - as a child it was a break from school and now as an adult its a break for work and housework. Weekends for me are for nicer stuff - time with friends & family, a spot of gardening, more time to cook different things and of course a good wander and rummage around the car boot sales and charity shops.

Here's a few bits from recent weeks;

 I think you've seen the little painted tray on the right before? I found the little one with daises on a few weeks ago and finally yesterday both were hung on the kitchen wall. Had one of those minor diy days - hanging pictures, attached hooks to doors and hanging new curtains.

 Sundays boot sale was great - big without being too much. The vintage Famous Five book was a must - my favourite story of theirs which I remember reading over and over as a child during the school hols. 

Brand new Cath Kidston flip flops - just £3 - ideal for slopping around the garden in.

This little enamel pot was a CS find - it will be perfect for when come Autumn it will be often just me and little son for dinner - might help me learn to scale my cooking down from dinner for 3 to just 2!!

Another weekend favourite thing is when the boys and I are all at home - happens less and less these days as we all have busy social lives. However the other weekend it happened AND the weather was lovely - time to drag out a new toy of mine - a fire pit;

 As you can see this was before the garden had a jolly good tidy up!

It was lovely sitting there - cooking dinner and then afterwards toasting marshmallows.

One last favourite weekend thing this time of year - sitting in the sunshine with a book or magazine - and when it all gets too warm - time to retreat into the shade of the apple tree;

Thanks for reading. Time to have a wander around blogland then get myself sorted. Off out later today - one of my favourite things - a gig with friends.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

3 @ No6 - settling in rather well.

Afternoon

Well nothing for ages and then 2 posts in 2 days and photos taken for another!! Blimey not quite sure whats happened - perhaps its the sunshine?

We've been very lucky here in Suffolk and its been a mostly lovely this weekend. I've spent time with some of my family - sitting in the sunshine yesterday at one sisters and today I've been to the big local boot sale with another. Have some purchases to show you another day.

Thanks for the welcome back. I thought I'd show you how well we've settled into our new home - been here 9 months now and it feels forever. All the big expensive jobs have been done and there is decorating which needs doing which should start to happen once exams are over and teenagers are about to help with the heavy lifting and high up bits!!

Have spent the last few weekends trying to get on top of the gardening - apart from a quick lawn cut nothing really happened when we moved in and there have been 9 months of weeds to clear - slowly getting there and now the fun bit of adding colour can happen.

 The patio got jet washed and we have been eating out here lots. The hammock is permanently outside so power naps can happen when it all gets too much!

 I forgot to take a picture when the apple tree was in blossom - trust me - it was gorgeous. See the bottom of the garden? Those are raspberries - going to be a bumper crop if we beat the birds!!

 A car boot sale purchase this morning - Norbert the Gnome - I love these little fellas - he's the first of many I hope for this garden.

Tomatoes growing in a sunny sheltered corner.

 Even the boring fence panels have started to get prettied up - strings of bunting to brighten the view from the kitchen window.

Now inside - I took these pics this morning and then spent this afternoon, tweaking things, moving things about and hanging more things on the walls! I am getting a dab hand with a hammer - tempted to buy a drill soon and learn how to use that!!

 The dining room is a sunny spot - I spent hours in here the other day getting reacquainted with my sewing machine. I bought muslin months ago to make new 'nets' for the front room - finally I hemmed it and they are up. More muslin to get tomorrow as my bedroom needs new 'nets' too. I've ordered some gorgeous red velvet curtains so when all is done I can show that space off to you.

 Still my favourite room - the front room. One sofa died and a second armchair was acquired - now both boys are happy and have man-chairs - complete with crocheted and handmade cushions and quilts!! This is one room which needs painting - we had to replace the radiator in January and the new  one doesn't cover the old space.

 My spot - complete with reading pile, project bags and my ipad.

 The ever growing photo wall - still space left and I've loads more pictures to get printed and framed.

 For once the fireplace is almost tidy!

The fireplace in the kitchen got shelved out and its proved most useful - I can fit so much stuff on there - must just paint the wall behind it one day!!

See that flowery thing to the side? Well its going to get used now - the ironing mountain is rather huge and I want to wear some of it this week!!!

See you soon with some pretty car boot bargains to share and (hopefully) pictures of a rather lovely WIP new skill I am learning!!

xxx Vicki xxx

52 weeks of Vicki - weeks 7 & 8 - oops

Morning

Whoops - forgot completely to blog last week and even worse I'm a week behind on my reading! It's been half term here and whilst the boys no longer need entertaining what little routine we have to our lives goes completely out of the window! Late nights, lie-ins, meals all over the place and we're never quite sure who is here for dinner/lunch etc.

So pics from the last 2 weeks - all snapped on something made by Apple - just so easy to snap away on my phone these days;

 Flowers for me - sent to cheer me up when I was having a particularly rough time the other weekend. Still typing up loose ends from my old life - almost there - just one big one to sort.

 Lovely sunny days mean I've dragged my bike out a few times - once on a much needed trip to the bottle bank!! Not all the empties are mine - those boys of mine love their cider and ginger beer too.

 A walk along the prom at Aldeburgh the other day - the sun was shining and reflecting off the sea - reminding me that spring is just round the corner.

 Crochet and rugby watching - a pretty good way to spend a Saturday afternoon - especially as England won :)

 Beer and catching up with the Folk Show on Iplayer - very happy Vicki

 A sunrise - always beautiful to see.

And lastly something that cheers me no end - washing drying outside in the sunshine - meaning for a few hours my house no longer resembles a laundry!!

Right that's all for this week - mostly quite simple things but all make me happy/smile for there own reasons. 

Back to school for the boys tomorrow - a last minute homework panic is happening as I type.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

52 weeks of Vicki - week 2

Good morning

Hurrah another sunny one - I do love them. Our dining room faces south so its been a lovely sunny and late breakfast here today.

I didn't mean to be up quite so late but my body was tired from a lovely but tiring day yesterday. Our first dance event of 2014 - Whittlesey Straw Bear Festival in the Fens.

It was a very early start - we left just after 7 and I travelled with a group of friends. We had an in car breakfast picnic - bacon sandwiches, banana muffins and lots of coffee.

Now I think Suffolk is flat but the Cambridgeshire Fens are even flatter - once the sun came up you could see for miles - I just wish I'd been more awake and taken some photos.

Now as ever with Morris stuff - I can't take pics and dance so I've pinched the first few from a friend!!

 I'm in the middle with my back to the camera!!

As you can see taking pics was tricking - the sun was very bright and the streets packed so moving about to get a better angle wasn't easy.

I've just opened the patio doors and snapped this view - the garden bathed in low winter sunshine;

So week 2 of the year and lots of happy stuff. No more dancing out for a while but we've a winter full of practises to get through - I for one need the practise - I managed to hit myself yesterday on the face and am now sporting a slightly black eye!! Must learn sticks bounce back when you hit with them and if you lose concentration for a second you will get hit!!! 

Right a sister has just arrived so I'd best get the coffee on!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx