Hi

It's been so long since I posted that I barely remember how to use the blog!

The reason I have not posted is because I have had three different illnesses on the trot. As one went out the door another came in and I have felt too low and fed up to have much interest in anything.

Being self employed and not paid if you are off sick, means that you have to go to work, even if you are feeling poorly, though there was a Friday that I just could not make it in and was in bed for two solid days, luckily over the weekend so no losses there.

This week I have two days off - I wont get paid, but I am determined to use up food we already have in the house. You could call these odd days off my Spring Break.

Last night we had:-

Quorn pieces in Chick Pea Dahl (Organice - Waitrose - highly recommended) 1.65 per tin
with fresh Coriander

Basmati Rice

Mixed salad

Aldi Pineapple (tinned) with Vanilla Muller Light and a dollop of 2% Total.

Tres Bon.

Today is a gloomy, drizzly, dark day - the very worst kind for me and I am still in my dressing gown!

I will post some pics of the newest member of the family. Jeff the rabbit. TTFN.

Cute Cat in a Blanket

This is my beloved cat Elliot. It is hard to believe that he is now about 10 years old! I think I am his fourth owner but I do not know too much about his past except that he was probably a house cat for his first two owners.

He is such a soft old thing - like a cuddly old bear and he does not have a mean bone in his body.

I was waiting for a cat to come into my life. I had been into the pet shop and seen some kittens but something in me said "No hold out.....wait for the right cat to come into your life".

A few weeks later I was visiting a couple I know and there on their window sill was this cute cat, very friendly and when they opened the door, he shot in.

I must point out that he had been put out onto a major busy road and it was a wonder he was not killed as the traffic is unbelievable and the house is only a couple of yards from the road.

I now know that he must have been terrified of being thrown out at night into such a noisy busy environment. He is really very timid and anxious and does not like to stray beyond the garden. There is no way I would want my cat out at night anyway., but that's just me.....I would be so worried of what might happen to him.

I could not take my eyes off him and I had never seen him at their house before. I asked where he had come from and they told me he had belonged to their daughter, but she no longer wanted him as she now wanted a dog! I asked them if they had wanted another cat? "Why, are you interested in him?" .....Was I??.....I could see this was the cat I was waiting for as he curled up on Bob's lap to go to sleep. They had only brought him back a couple of days before.

After a phone call to their daughter, they confirmed that I could indeed have him, so before they could change their minds, I shot down to the pet shop to buy him a smart carrier and off we set for my home.

They told me he was a hunter....that he liked to go out hunting with their other cat......and I thought that I would show him my little garden and that if he wanted to stay with me he would.....and if he went, well he was not for me. He stepped outside and a few minutes later I went to check and he had disappeared. What a fool I had been. Do you not keep a cat in for weeks when they move to a new address?  Why oh why had I tempted fate?

I remember going looking for him and explaining to a neighbour what had happened. I was kicking myself and so close to tears that I had already lost this lovely cat.

There was no sign of him....and I had resigned myself to the fact that the cat had gone......then...would you believe it?  Who should come padding down the stairs? He had decided that he was an indoor cat again and had probably spent the last couple of hours snuggled up on my bed!!

He was called Smokie, but was soon renamed Elliot Michael. I had always hoped to have a second child and if a boy would have called him Elliot. The Michael is a stab at my corny humour as my son's second name is Michael too. I believe Michael Jackson called a couple of his children Michael somewhere in their names. :D I think it is Paris Michael and Prince Michael but I could be wrong.

Elliot was about 4 years old when I got him and he is now around 10-11 so he is getting to be quite a mature cat!

Anyway, that is the story of how I came to own "probably the best cat in the world". He is such a blessing and though highly annoying at times, due to needing lots of attention, I consider myself  very blessed to have attracted such a lovely boy into my life. Love you Elliot. XX

I'm having a Blaaah Weekend!

I have had a serious case of the blaaahs this weekend.

No energy, no motivation and just generally blaahed out.

I cannot pinpoint why?  Have had a fairly good week with fairly good energy levels. Could it be that I am over tired?

Is it the weather? It's raining here in Surrey and it looks pretty grim and grey.

There are so many jobs I could be doing and I don't want to do anything.

It is a miserable, drizzly grey day and I am writing this in grey because of it.

I hope I feel better tomorrow.

Papier mache tulips plus my favourite dog!

I made these papier mache tulips quite a long time ago. I cannot claim the idea as my own as I found them in a book by an artist called Melanie Williams.

First of all you bend a piece of wire into an oval kind of shape and leave enough so that you can twist the end - this gives you something to hold onto plus it fits inside the long straws (which was my idea) that I used for the stems.

You do the same for the leaves but obviously you make them a lot longer. I probably used a few layers of papier mache, it's hard to remember as it was so long ago. Painting them was the best bit.

I really love this vase too which I purchased from a charity shop - also a long time ago. I think it was about £5.00.  I love the subtle colouring and the little bird perched on the side.

There is a hairline crack under the bird so it was most likely damaged at some point. Never mind, as it is one of my belongings I don't intend to part with.

It is not very clear I know, but in the background is a little black and white dog. I do intend to give her an entire post when I get a close up of her. She is definitely one of my favourite things and such a smart little thing too.

I am making good progress on my mirror too, just getting to the end of the papier mache layering which then takes me to the interesting bit which will be decorating. Still not sure how it will be decorated but I am sure it will come to me soon!

Hmm, I can see that the wall needs decorating too :o{

What on earth is in that box?

Yes that box there on the sofa?

Aha - it's a kitty cat.

Why it's Elliot Michael Theophilus!

And he is awake!

Benson from another angle.

Just in case you did not get quite how large eared and creepy eyed Benson is, here is a picture of him head on!

The Folorn Fawn Benson

Look at this poor little soul.

I spotted him in a charity shop and I told myself "No... you do not need this ornament cluttering up your house, especially such a big eared freak of a fawn!"

I picked him up and saw he was £2.50. I put him down and went to leave the shop, but can you believe it - I felt guilty to leave the freaky fawn there and I had a feeling I might regret not buying him!!

So the fawn found his way into my house and I have grown quite fond of him.

When you think of baby deer, you tend to think of really cute ones like Bambi with great big eyes.

Then it fawned on me, I mean....dawned on me......that is why I liked this one, because he is a little bit quirky with his outsize ears and slightly creepy eyes!!!

For some reason when I look at him I think of the name Benson, so that is his name.....Benson.

My Favourite Gift ever!

I guess these have to come under "stuff" as they are definitely not "junk"!

How cute are these?

I work for a really lovely lady who is very clever at knitting. Anyway I admired some of the little animals she had made and thought no more of it.

Imagine my delight on Christmas morning when I opened a cardboard box to find this darling little family inside. I was quite tearful, I must say.

Apart from when I was a kid, I don't think I have ever been more happy with a present. 

Naturally they will be an heirloom and I hope get passed on for years and years to come.

Thank you Judith. XX

A Positive Poem

Here is that poem again. I saw it many years ago in a book I picked up from some second hand
bookshop.
I think it is lovely and very positive. It is for those times when you compare yourself to others and don't think you measure up.

If you can't be a pine on the top of the hill

Be a scrub in the valley--but be
The best little scrub by the side of the rill;
Be a bush if you can't be a tree.
If you can't be a bush be a bit of the grass,
And some highway happier make;
If you can't be a muskie then just be a bass--
But the liveliest bass in the lake!
We can't all be captains, we've got to be crew,
There's something for all of us here.
There's big work to do and there's lesser to do,
And the task we must do is the near.
If you can't be a highway then just be a trail,
If you can't be the sun be a star;
It isn't by size that you win or you fail--
Be the best of whatever you are!
Douglas Malloch.

I am starting my blog afresh.


As I could not post an image, I was straying off from the course I intended for my blog, which was to share my papier mache, my hopeless efforts at keeping my house organised, and my many and varied items I love.


I will be re-posting that little poem as I think it is very uplifting.


So many horrible things have happened recently, that I just lost a bit of confidence about having a blog, so I deleted my posts. Sometimes you do just want to erase things!


So here we are again - a shiny new edition. I appreciate so much you reading this so thank you.

This is a mirror I am making for a little girl I know. It is fixed within an old frame (a bit like one of those canvas boxes you can get). It had a picture of a bird on the other side which was nice but not really to my taste and also very stained.

I think I picked it up from one of the rummage boxes under the table at a car boot sale.


By turning in around it gave me a nice solid base on which to place my mirror. After measuring and cutting out the space for the mirror, I have papier mached two layers, one normal newspaper and one of The Financial Times, being pink gives you a contrast so you know you have covered it completely.

I started off using flour paste but will finish off with PVA glue which will give it a nice solid finish.

I was going to make it all glittery and pink but not too sure about that at the moment. I am planning to go to Homebase and pick up some nice wall paper samples which I can use for the surround.

I think I will make the mirror in shades of mauve and silver as though she is only little at the moment, I think it will grow up with her and not be too garish. We shall see.


I will let you see the finished article! :)