Rusty nail chimney pots and a red boat

Hello everybody, I thought I'd keep you updated on my new makes from the last couple of days!

First off, these cottages I painted on a nice piece of Cornish driftwood. I thought I'd insert some old nails for chimneys too!

And then I got to thinking that it might look quite nice with a bit of bunting hanging above it!

I stamped the letters with blue ink onto grey card - then stitched the lot together on the machine - simple as you like!

Whaddya reckon? Someone must have liked it as it sold on Folksy within a few hours!
I made a driftwood boat this morning - the first in a while - using a great piece of ply with brilliant red paint on it. I love how the paint flakes in certain areas and the holes along the bottom - probably wouldn't float very well this one!

For a change I didn't use any washers on this one: the 'wheelhouse' already had a hole in it, and I wanted to make use of a fishing rod float that I'd found on the beach - at least that's what I think it is - the pink buoy above! Then I made a few more buoys from polystyrene balls. The rings are
further beach finds - I am getting over my plastic phobia!!

Available in my shop now
Finally, I thought I'd share this with you....

Steve decided to get the boys' old cot down from the loft: we've converted it into a little daybed and put it in our bedroom - sweet, huh? The gorgoeous crochet garland is by Emma Lamb....

...and this lovely romantic cushion cover is by Betsy Jarvis. I bought it for Steve for Christmas, but bottled out of giving it to him in front of everyone as I thought it a bit slushy - and that's not me at all!

Some very good news

Hi there! I am writing today's post with a huge grin on my face!
A few of you will know that I have a part-time job in a bakery. I started there 6 years ago, because it was a way of earning a bit of extra money without paying childcare costs: I finish there before Steve leaves for work. It's not a bad job - dead easy, no-stress etc, but it means a 5.30am start, and that is a killer!! And it doesn't get any easier - you don't get used to it, believe me! (Especially when you've been up creating until 10.30 at night and then the children wake up and so on and so on. I am always tired!)
But (and this is the good news) I am now in a position where I have enough regular orders coming in to be able to give the bakery job up - and my last day is tomorrow!! And that feels so good!


And in other news....I've signed up to be in the Not On The High Street Christmas catalogue, so I'm going to be making a lot of these! So I've introduced some in other colourways to ease the monotony!

Here's a sneak preview of a special Christmas one - this is just a prototype, I haven't decided on the fabric yet...

I thought I'd get Herbie to do some free advertising for me...


And look what I bought for my new room!

A gorgeous crochet garland by the very talented Emma Lamb. She has a most inspiring blog too, if you've never visited , why ever not?! Go check it out!