What a Beautiful September day,
I bought some pears from Kathryn at the village cafe and I am tempted to make a pear and apple crumble... the apples are from my tree at the bottom of the garden...
I bought some pears from Kathryn at the village cafe and I am tempted to make a pear and apple crumble... the apples are from my tree at the bottom of the garden...
This year has been a good year for apples
Still a few apples left...
and the sky is so perfectly blue...
We shifted a ton and a half of concrete the weekend before last from this small area of our long narrow garden... we have put down Cotswold chippings as the soil underneath is very clay and brick filled...
a friend of ours thought it was like a garden of rest...
and as that's what I need I think it will do just fine...
the shadow is cast by a large horrible asbestos garage that is on the list of things to be removed but as its full of motorbikes, tools and some of my stuff too I think it will be a little way down the list...
I estimate we have another 5 tons at least of concrete to shift...
We looked into buying wood to make a planter but while we were at our local farmers supplies store buying a new fence panel and posts (Mole Valley farmers) we suddenly realised that the cattle troughs were cheaper than actually buying the wood... so we opted for one of those...now I know that galvanising is a really nasty process using horrible chemicals but it will last a good long while and I need raised containers as acid pants (more commonly known as Smudge the dog) takes great pleasure in peeing on anything and everything killing it dead... he is better than any weed killer I know! trouble is he doesn't differentiate between my herbs and the weeds...
Weekend Work to come...
We desperately need to replace the bathroom, and as we are currently without a boiler the kitchen needs a rejig to fit in an on demand water heater... as we don't have central heating we don't need a big boiler just enough to do the washing up and wash hands and faces... The bath will need to be ripped out and a shower put in its place... so that our teeny tiny bathroom at least feels a little bigger.... now all we need is the nerve to take the plunge and do something... Mr P is a "rip it all out and buy new" kinda guy...
but I am a "well there's nothing wrong with the ceramic hob so why do we need a new one!" kinda gal!
its a little tricky like that... I use to be a "wow... get a new one coz its all sparkly and nice!" but I do so worry about our wastefulness... and to think back at what our parents and grandparents had and how we don't realise how lucky we are... it a predicament indeed... I am sure we will compromise and anything with a little life left in it will be offered to Furnicare or the local second hand furniture shop...
Well I had better put the kettle on and do some washing up... my only means of heating water at he moment... its like camping in my own home..
and there may be a light at the end of the tunnel regarding Jamie's school bus, Somerset County Council seem to think there is an empty seat on the bus and I have posted back the forms they sent me... so keep everything crossed that it isn't a data entry mistake on the computer...
Danny had a fall at pre-school and cut his head on the concrete in the play area, he seems fine though
The Kitten is due to go to the Vets on Monday to have her stitch removed...(we had her spayed) which will be good as she's driving me nuts with the lampshade on her head.... mind you I raced down the garden to find her in the Guinea pigs run and the only thing stopping her from killing the guinea pig was the cone on her head... as she couldn't quite get through the gap... phew that was close!
Mum is waiting for an appointment to have more skin cut from her arm as a mole she had removed was malignant... they say that they have gotten it all but they still want to take some more... this will mean that the hole will be too big to just sew up and she will probably require a skin graft... she's worried about it.. I can tell... but as usual is putting a brave face on it all..
I have posted the giveaway parcels today and have an order for a Regis dog from a lady at the village cafe...
I am not sure how much to charge her though... I suppose £4 would be fine as its enough for me to buy another ball of wool to make another one... so long as my habit for yarn covers its costs I am happy.. :D
24 comments:
Oooh, Apple crumble and custard that sounds good, your fruit looks perfect you have done well with those. I had to laugh when you said acid pants, meaning smudge. My bonnie is just the same, I agree its the best weed killer going. Love the little dog, the shape of the body is really good, maybe it should be a bit more in price, you have to think of the hours making it. best wishes Julie.C
Life hasn't slowed down at all yet then!!
I LOVE the little dog, can't wait for Doug to arrive! I think £4 is very reasonable. I struggle with pricing my felt goodies, i tend to just cover costs and round it up.
Very best wishes to your Mum.
X X
What a busy bee you are! Would love a 'Regis' and £4 sounds very reasonable - can I pretty please put in an order for one?
Sarah
x
I love the little dog, don't undercharge! These type of handcrafts take more time to make than is realised. I made some crumble the other day from apples and pears from the garden. They taste so good. Love picking them and taking them inside and then eating them . Perfect! Suzie. XXX
Hello dear
Your apples and pears (!) look wonderful, I do adore orchard fruits and pears are probably my favourite of all. I've still got everything crossed for Jamie's school bus seat... Hope Danny's bump is healing well. Your poor Mum, no doubt she's worried, and I hope it is all soon sorted and that the experience is less traumatic than she worries it may be.
Ah, the topic of Regis Dog - well, I think he is worth plenty more. I'd say you need to charge at least double your material costs. Also, imagine someone going into a quality gift shop... how much would he cost there? Probably £10... so I say charge at least £10, as a Regis Dog owner I would definitely say he has to be worth £10. Don't undercharge, after all, Pink Feather Paradise is not a hand-out charity nor is it Primark or Lidl - Regis Dog is a BESPOKE item...!
Okay, I'll shut up now... rant over!
(I just worry about craft items being sold too cheaply - in fact I think we should be calling this ART as it commands a higher price tag and a more valuable perception in the public opinion...)
I'm off now!
Denise x
Pear and apple make a lovely mix for crumble. Sounds like your life is a bit full-on at the moment - hope you battle through OK. It's a lovely little dog - but I agree, you must charge for your time as well as materials - don't undersell your skill.
Pomona x
Oh i love taht little dog - gorgeous!
The apples and pears look yummy. Let me know what time the apple and pear crumble will be ready and I'll be over....if only, eh?
Hey that is great news about the possible place on the bus - hopefully it's true, and if so, it will save you loads of time, won't it. Bless you for putting up with all that mileage and sitting in the car all day....mind you, it might have given you some valueable 'private eye' experience, shoudl you choose to pursue that as a career in the future! lol
Have a lovely piccie on my recent post of a (much bigger) Bronte on her lovely ripple blankie...I actually printed you out a copy and will pop it in the post on Monday, if that is OK.
Anyway gotta dash, trying to prepare food for Bradley's party....oooh yay!
Take care and have a fabby weekend xx
I agree with A Bun about the price of handmade items, but maybe £10 is a wee bit steep? Perhaps compromise, though to be honest, I'd have been happy to get a fiver for the dog, enough to cover materials for we rarely get to cover our time.. if we factored that into the cost of handmade items, nobody would ever buy them I suspect!
I can imagine how worried your mother is, so best wishes to her.
As for the galvanised planter, I think it looks great... they are very effective with just green plants in them, maybe a splash of pure white as well, and your garden of rest looks just so restful... and if that was what you wanted, well done!! Enjoy.
Hi Alex
Sounds like you are very busy! I absolutely LOVE that little doggie, definitely worth more than £4 though, the amount of work it took.
Sorry I havnt been around in blogland recently, Iv been in hospital for nearly 8 weeks and still havnt been discharged, although Im hoping it will be soon.
Make sure you find time for yourself to relax in between all the things you want to do . . that bench in your garden looks like the perfect spot for doing that on a day like this!
Hugs
Claire
Hello ... I think £4.00 is way too cheap, you need to make a profit afterall. I would say £8.00 is a nice round figure, he looks very well made and so very cute. Don't undersell yourself flower ! x
Such a lovely garden spot. I love that you repurposed that cattle trough. Clever!
Apple and pear crumble does sound very yummy! I love your little Regis doggy and have to agree with the others that £4 doesn't really seem enough to charge for such a lovely and well made doggy :O)
My first time reading your blog! I've been enjoying myself reading quite a few posts and feel qualified to tell you therefore, that I think you seem like a really nice person and I hope the people in your life tell you that - because they should!
Please don't charge less than £10 for your cute little Reggie dog - you put skill and hard work into the making of him. He is easily worth that. If you made the patten up as well you deserve double! So many people undersell their talents. People would be quite happy to buy the wool (mumbling about the expense), shove it into your hands and just expect you to knit or crochet up whatever they want when they want. Same with curtains etc. (they make it sound easy and quick by calling it "running up" a pair of curtain). Well we must try and resist those kind of people! Your work is lovely. If you go into the lovely little crafty type shops round and about you will see all the kind of things that people make on-line; fabric birds, crocheted flowers etc (I've seen those for £12 - less work, less wool than your dog)and I don't think your dog would go for less than £12. People will pay that for a handcrafted toy for a special occasion - baby's birth etc. Also, think how much a run of the mill toy shop one is. Definitely more than £4. But please do what is right for you & not bossy boots here (I just wanted you to know that he is worth more than £4).
Hi Alex, now that my lovely 'Doug' the dog has arrived i felt i needed to review my comment earlier. He's bigger than i expected and deffinately worth more than £4. I agree with the other comments, £8 or £9 would be much more suitable.
X X
Hi Alex, hope your mum is fine. I am very moley and it is always a worry. Skin graft is better thanthe alternative though. xx
Those Apple and pears look scrumptious.
Wow that new little part of your garden looks devine Alex a nice little peaceful part just right for afternoon tea.
You are busy, glad it's for your benefit. Hopefully good news about the school bus.
all the best Joannex
The apples have been good this year! I have been drinking so much apple juice. I don't like eating apples I only like apple juice or apples cooked in desserts.
Yuo sound like this household at the moment, busy busy with work. Our bathroom also needs replacing. Our house is 140 years old so as well as the cosmetic side, there is the other jobs that need to be done to keep it maintained.
Good luck with your plans
I hope that you have a good weekend
Isabelle x
Yes, Alex you have signed up for the swap and giveaway!!
I wouldn't have let you get away with NOT signing up......!
Have a fab weekend
D x
Hi Alex,
Have a look at my blog I'm just up the road from you during the week I must fly by your front door on the way to Brympton in Odcombe I'm loving the area
Love susan
P.S adore the little doggie!xx
I remember when we first moved in here, we had no hot water, had to fill the bath with the kettle and pans, it was a nightmare! Hope your back to normality soon pet. xxx
Hi! This is Molly your letter swap partner!!! Here is my email so we can figure out what we want to write about chicky!!
mikemolly10805@aol.com
That pear and apple crumble sounds scrumptious!!
~Molly P
wow such a busy life, I wish I had half your energy :O)
Thanks for commenting on my blog post about yarn for felting, I'm going to be experimenting soon with alpaca wool too, I'll let you know how it goes.
Claire
I'm with others, that little dog is worth more than £4.00.
Glad the school run "thing" is sorted!. Must have been a nightmare and very wearing. x
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