Easing myself back in gently!

Even though the school holidays are upon us,unfortunately not a lot has been done or achieved around here except working!

The picture above was taken back in the May holidays, this is my little dear and my nephew, little dear adores him (little dear does not do children). It was taken on the choo choo train in Matlock Park.

Hopefully I will try a get back into the blogging malarky!

Ta Da!

New dresser just waiting for some new handles. Love that I can now display all my treasures.


My fabulous table and chairs, really wanted different coloured chairs. Just need to make pads for them.

My great £10 ebay purchase, hubbo done a great job on this.

A great place to hide little dear rubbish.

Fabulous occasional chair, love my Cath Kidston curtains in the background.

Just having a really lazy weekend now, as shattered from all DIY jobs over the 2 previous weekends.

Easter break!

Well what a great few weeks, I only worked the 1st 3 days of the school holidays and then I only went back for 3 1/2 hours this Saturday morning. Both long weekends have been spent painting furniture for the dining room. Included in the paint fest was a 1950's kitchen dresser, pine dresser, table & 4 chairs and a school desk & chair. I have to say I'm shattered. Obviously hubbo has been helping out!

Hubbo was still off on Easter Tuesday so we went on a jaunt to Filey, and then with hubbo back at work Me, my Mum, Sister, little dear and nephew went on a jaunt to Matlock. It was a great day the weather was very kind to us. Little dear took my nephew on the choo choo train in the park both really enjoyed themselves, and for 60p is does not get much better than that.

We also paid a trip to the fantastic Bow Boutique, it is really worth a visit. It's a great mix of new, vintage and locally handmade. I have to say money was spent, mainly on my sister's part.

Chicken Love!

Meet Beatirx (Ginger) & Mabel (Grey). We collected our chickens 2 weeks ago after having the eglu since February. We also had to chicken proof the garden e.g put up a fence. It has been a bit of a learning curve, how much to feed them, what to feed them! Will are still waiting for the 1st egg, but each morning is like Christmas morning here.

The chickens were from Jody at Raw Green Cottage she has a great set up and really knows her stuff. She has lots of different breeds and also runs chicken keeping courses.

A few treasures!

I had a lovely Mothers Day, look what little dear bought me, I felt very spoilt!

Picked up this great commemorative Tetley tin from the coop, £2.50 and it was full of tea bags!

My lovely sister bought me this, I personally think it was bribe in exchange more marmalade, it's from Matalan.

And then finally again from my sister, her mother in law passed it onto her, from her family, but given my sister hubbo is an only child she had no no one to pass it onto, so my sister asked if it was ok to give it to me!

Look how much there is, 2 boxes worth!

Beamish Open Air Museum

During half term we took a visit up to Beamish Open Air museum. We had prebooked the tickets back in January and booked into a Premier inn for the night before, we felt we had got a right bargain all in £29 for the hotel & £21 for the tickets into Beamish.

We had a great day and more than worth the trip further up North. I can imagine that going in warmer weather would have its advantages as believe me it was freezing!

Its a soup kinda day!

My favourite winter warmer soup at the minute is Butternut Squash & Yellow Pepper. So easy to make and the smell and taste is out of this world.

How to:- Makes enough for 2 adults depending on how thick you like your soup (I like it thick).

Cut 1 yellow pepper into strips about 2 cm thick, lay on the bottom of a shallow oven proof dish.

Cut a squash in half and take out all the seeds, (dry & roast feed to birds). Make slits into the flesh of the squash to speed up the roasting process.

Lay the squash on top of the peppers.

Place thin slices of butter onto the squash and drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Cut a vegetable stock cube up until it turns into a fine powder and sprinkle over the squash, you might not need to use all of it.

Place in oven for 45 - 1hr depending on if the sqaush becomes soft enough to scoop out.

Place scooped out squash and pepper in to a processor and blitz. Add some boiling water to make the soup into the consistency you require.


Voila Butternut Squash & Yellow Pepper soup.

Enjoy