Thank you.

Just another quick line to thank you for all good wishes.
I haven't been online much as I've been suffering with the mother of all colds since Christmas Eve, and it's only today I'm feeling better  and have had a whiff of the bacon I cooked for hubby!
Christmas day without any sense of taste or smell, and with lots of help from my lovely hubby and daughter lunch was cooked - they tell me it was good!
I'll 'fess up, the photo of the hearth in my last post was from Christmas last year...
Anyway, I'm going to catch up on some jobs than need doing, so will probably not be about again for a few days.  I'll try and catch up with all your lovely posts in between.

I wish you ALL and very happy, peaceful and more importantly a healthy 2012.

My very best wishes,

Have a Peaceful Happy Christmas Everyone!

Just a very quick word to send all my lovely blogging friends a happy Christmas wish.  Hope you're all having an enjoyable day with friends and family!

I'll be back with a post when I've got a bit more time.

Best wishes.

!00th post, and an amazing award.

Hello dear friends, today I realise is my 100th post.  This morning I was amazed and delighted to find that my dear Blog friend Pattypan at Tarragon and Thyme http://tarragonnthyme.blogspot.com/ has awarded me with

Liebster" is a German word meaning dear, sweet, kind, nice, good, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. My sincere thanks for the award, a lovely surprise and such a kindness.

Now on to the details. The Liebster is a way to show a little Blog Love to bloggers who currently have less than 200 followers.


The rules:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.
5. And most of all - have fun!

I have now to choose 5 blogs to nominate for this award.....

After a lot of thought and head scratching today I have decided to pass this award on to the following delightful blogs.  Please give them a visit - you won't be disappointed.

1.  Frogs, Dogs and Ferns

Dan has a lovely, gentle way of writing about her cottage renovation and showing us the improvements as this massive job has moved along.  She loves vintage and recycling, has an interest in gardening and is adding to her sweet garden little by little.

2.  Vintage Jane

Marina loves vintage as you can tell by the name!  She finds some fascinating objects and curios I love reading about.  A true collector - I know all about that! 

To quote from her profile "She loves food, film, interior design, the wonders of nature and perfect days walking in the woods or by the sea." 

3.  Peapod Ponderings

Kim is a hoot!  I rarely look here without laughing, she has such a  wicked sense of humour :o)  'Nuff said.

4.  The Doll House

Anna is English and lives in Norway.  She has a wonderful style, amazing photography , and writes so beautifully, it's a joy to visit.

5.  The Memoirs of a Vintage Magpie

Pea Green Kitty has recently made a very welcome return to her blog after an absence.  I was so pleased to see her back after a house move to a different county.  She loves vintage, crafts, walks and loves thrift shopping!  Always interesting and informative.

Phew!  Again a big thank you to Pattypan :o)

I'll post again later this week with a few finds.

Best wishes to all.

A recipe that's not!

I occasionally make a good old-fashioned Bread Pudding, (not a Bread and Butter pudding).  I make it the same way that my Nan and my Mom made it, with not a pair of scales in site.  So that's why it's not really a recipe, more of the feel for it.

First of all use up any left-over stale bread, today I had just over half a loaf, I roughly break it up and place it in a large bowl.

Then cover with cold water, and leave to soak for half an hour or so.

Tip the whole lot into a colander, and then (this is the best bit!) squeeze out most of the water, breaking it up as you go.

Then, tip back into the mixing bowl and add some sugar to sweeten. 

(Probably less than a quarter amount in mass)  I used Golden Granulated Sugar as that was to hand.

Then add dried fruit, any sort that you like.  I use mixed fruit with candid peel.  I have used enough to generously cover the mixture.

Now add enough flour to bind, I use SR flour, but plain would do.

Give it a quick mix

Then I add suet, if you prefer you can add butter.

Than I add two (or three if a larger mix) eggs

Mix together to a heavy dropping consistency

Tip the mixture into a greased tin, or line with silicon paper as I do!  Sprinkle with a little granulated sugar - my friend spreads marmalade on instead.

Bake at approx 180 deg. C for about an hour, checking after about 40 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.

When cool slice and serve with a nice cuppa.

Once cold, store in an air tight container, it will keep - but I bet it doesn't ;o)

I prefer mine to be more of a cake like consistency than the slimy lump that is often sold in bakers shops....

Sorry I can't be more definite with quantities.  Hope you have a go at making it, if you do let me know what you think.

Have a great week.

Best wishes

Ooooh! Look what I won!

I've been so lucky,  I was drawn as a winner on Abby's Giveaway on her lovely blog My Spotty Pony.  (Do please pop over and have a look around, you won't be disappointed.)

A package arrived, and inside I found this beautifully wrapped gift

and inside..

loads of GORGEOUS goodies!

And a sweet Christmas card :o)

(Don't you just love snowmen?)

Inside the pretty pink tissue,

Such a sweet heart, now hanging in my kitchen to remind me each day what lovely Blog friends I have :o)

An angel which will hang from my tree each year.

A heavenly choir of angel pegs which will keep those Christmas cards in order!

A pack of delightful napkins, which will come in very handy when friends drop by for a mince pie and a cuppa :o)

THE most gorgeous Emma Bridgewater tissue for special presents...

with the most lovely Christmassy gift bag to match!

Thank you SO MUCH Sophie, what a fabulous giveaway gift :o)

Lastly, an update On Wilfred Prickles...

As I told you Joan let me know he was ready to return home, what a difference in size, he's HUGE!

Before photo, sweet - but a little scrawny...

and now the after ;o)

Pumped up like a giant puff-ball, doubled in weight and sporting an elegant white 'hat' so that I can identify him easily.

Now, safely snuggled up for his Winter snooze in the hoggy box in the garden.

Hope everyone's well and having a great weekend!

Best wishes to all

Second part of my finds.

Hello all.

Welcome to my latest follower :o)

Here's the rest of my haul I promised to show.  I should explain display and photos were done in a hurry during the evening, so photos are taken in artificial lighting.

These have been haunting me in the shop for over a week.  I've looked and looked at them and kept thinking do I really NEED anymore crockery?  The answer has to be no I don't, but I just couldn't resist any longer ;o)  I'm just amazed that no-one else beat me to the bargain!

A set of six each dinner and salad plates, soup dishes.  one meat plate, one gravy boat and two lidded vegetable dishes in Washington Pottery Indian Tree design, all perfect except one salad plate has a tiny chip to the edge.

Don't they look good?  Not a sign of blue or white to be seen either!

Set on golden chargers, and using the padded runner I got last week for £2

Oh, and the napkin ties I showed in my last post, and covered vegetable dishes.

The lovely meat plate.

Gravy boat

Napkin tie

Soup dish

Salad plate

Dinner plate

One of my many sets of place markers - would you like to see more?

Showing the backstamp.

Presuming the '56' is the year of manufacture, as old as me ;o)

And the cost?  Fifteen pounds for the lot!  Yes £15 :o)  Would you have snapped them up?

I'm glad I did!  Just one teeny, tiny problem ...where to store them!  At the moment they're sitting on the dining table.

I also forgot to show my other bargain -

A lovely Wade trinket box about 4" long shown with two Wade Whimsey hedgehogs.  The one on the left was one if my original one purchased in the 1960's with pocket money, (always one of my favourites) and the one on the right was with the large one - both for £4.  In all the years I have collected whimseys I've never seen a large hedgehog.  Has anyone else seen them or got one?

Hope the rest of the week goes well for you all.

Best wishes

STOP PRESS

I've just had a phone call to say that Wilfred Prickles has reached the magic 600g weight, and so tomorrow will be returning 'home' for his Winter snooze, I'm just a little delighted!

Aaaah  :o)

Welcome Home Winifred! (And a few finds)

Hello all, I hope everyone is well and the weather not too cold.

I'd like to welcome my new followers, it's lovely to see you here!

Firstly,  and update on Winifrid Prickles, Joan, the dear lady who runs the West Midland Hedgehog Rescue Centre rang me on Wednesday and told me that Winifrid was up to weight (600g) and ready to be returned to the hoggie house in the garden :o) ready to hibernate safely. 

I met up with Joan and and after passing on a HUGE thank you took Winifrid from her and bought her home.  Joan suggested it would be better to release her back into the hoggie house when it was dark. Before I placed her back in her 'house' I marked some of the spines on her back with a little white water based paint so that I could positively identify her.  This will be harmless as it was only on the tips and didn't penetrate down to the skin.  I'm sorry I didn't take any photos as I didn't want to alarm her any more than necessary.  I have kept a fresh supply of drinking water and food available in the garden as before, but haven't seen any further sign of movement so far - this could well be that in my excitement I forgot to put a couple of twigs across the entrance tunnel :o(  However, there was some food taken the first night and I suspect she has moved into the second house as it hadn't had any disturbance by me .  I'll update with any more news.

x x x

I've had some finds - this will be quite a long post from here, you have been warned!

Firstly, I apologise the photos were taken during the evening in artificial light and are not quite as I would like.

I've found three more pieces of cloisonne enamel, this black 5.5" high vase £1.50

An apple trinket box 3.5" high, also £1.50

and this dear 2.5" high owl for 50p

the back view

A carved wooden cat which stands 5" £1.50

An acorn stoneware trinket box standing 4.5"

these are the markings on the base - does anyone know anything about them please?

Old, but a bit costly I thought at £4.95

A lovely Ringtons/Sadler teapot standing 6" high for £2.25

a Burleigh blue Calico 10" dinner plate 35p (!) One of my favourite designs.

2 little blue and white birds 2.5" long,  50p each.

Two small Portmeirion parian jugs £5 each approx 4.5" high

A 'tulip' table runner, brand new in it's packaging £2.25

When I was a child my favourite game was Cluedo, so when I came across this beautifully presented in a wooden 'book' case in an unused condition I just HAD to have it!  And it was only £5.50 :o)

and the 'bound' edge (sorry, awful photo)

Then ther was a few Christmassy things :O)

six gold napkin ties £1

a 13" wooden Xmas tree £1

I think this will make a great table centre.

seven large red/gold pine cones 10p each

and finally...for this post anyway, a red metal bucket 75p.  I thought this could be filled with sweets :o)

x x x

I'll close this post here.

I have more finds and photos to show - but  I thought I'd make another post with that though - it will be self explanatory why!

Hope you stayed the course ;o) as it's been a photo heavy post this time.  Let me know what you would have grabbed.  Look forward to reading your comments.

Best wishes to all, have a great Sunday!