FERRY ACROSS THE MERSEY..........................

And we did.......

What a great few days we have had in Liverpool. I had never been there and quite honestly had no idea what to expect, however from the moment we arrived at our hotel......the Atlantic Tower....

we were full of anticipation......and we were not disappointed!
Our room was on the 10th floor with a panoramic window overlooking the Mersey.....Wow!

we saw everything from ferries to cruise liners...you could almost sit here watching all day........

But we didn't.... we took the tour bus to see the sights, went on the 'Eye', visited the free museums in the newly refurbished docks, went on the ferry and even drove a brand new Range Rover through one of the docks (and it was full)!  A great idea between Range Rover and the City to raise money for the NSPCC, and very successful it seemed too!

It was like being kids again on one of the better school trips. We did lots of walking, a little shopping and far too much eating!! The people were some of the warmest and friendliest we have met and made us feel very welcome...so good on yer Liverpool you did yourself proud.

We stayed here for a couple of nights and then moved to just outside Runcorn for our third and last night.
And what did we do to round off our delightful stay...what else but visit two car boot sales and two Antique and Collectibles fairs on the way home.

This was my little hoard of goodies. I fear I have made so many great finds just lately that I am soon going to need an extra room or two despite the fact that DH and I have the whole place to ourselves...still it was great fun finding them

The sewing bits in the tin apparently belonged to an old lady and the girl selling it first asked for 20p each for the reels of cotton. When I asked her what she would take for the whole tin, she said £1.50. A few hours later those wooden cotton reels were on sale at the antique fair for £6 each.....I think I did well there!

Well as if this wasn't pleasure enough for one person my week has only improved as today I was able to meet up with my Australian cousins who I met two years ago through doing our family tree. It was brilliant to see them again and as usual I think I did most of the talking!! They're off home soon, so I hope they have a safe and pleasant journey.

Well off to bed now to have a read, getting to the end of my book and its really hard to put it down.

Have a great week

TTFN

Jenny xx

ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLY.......

Well at the moment I am either sitting comfortably at my computer or my sewing machine, but not both. I only had (until this evening) one swivel chair and so I either have to wheel it around between the rooms or use something definitely not fit for purpose...

However to digress a little, this post was to be about the brilliant annual Heckington Show, but as my DD has done a super post about it here , I decided to tell you about my latest project.(I know..I know I have a million of them 'on the go' but in between the big jobs I have to keep my hands busy don't I?)

It all began when I found this awesome fabric.......

It came from here........

and better service you couldn't ask for. The fabric was listed on the site but not due in until July/August, but with all that was going on here I really didn't mind waiting. Yet a couple of days into August and I got a lovely email from the shop to apologise for the delay and to tell me they had sent a bit more than I had ordered as a thank you for my 'patience'. What stars and I will certainly be returning to buy more fabric in the future.

And I knew just what I was going to do with it....cover a new chair for the sewing room (and I can have a cushion too now!)..umm..but of course I needed to find another chair and where better to go than good old EBay.  I really didn't expect to get the bargain I did though...

..........£1.50...if we collected it ourselves and it was only just over 20 miles away....Bargain!!  Yes it did need either a clean or recovering and that's exactly what I am going to do. So hopefully I shall soon be able to show you my efforts.

Of course the only problem now is that all this lovely stuff I am collecting for the room will have to be moved out again when the major work (windows & floor) starts in a few weeks time, but it will be worth it.

Well although I have decided not to post about Heckington, I really must just show you the bits I found there.....

First there was this little baby.....

OK so not quite as amazing as Happy's or Claire's and crikey I would have to go on some kind of diet to squeeze in here, but it makes me smile and is a great addition to my mantle piece collection!..... (Oh the little van is a singer sewing machine van)

Then I found another little advertising box........

to display with my other bits.......

and finally the most beautiful 'trug', not the traditional shape, but perfect for storing my roll of jiffy grip and things like bondaweb. It's really heavy and solid and cost just a tenner!!.....

It was a wonderful day and we will certainly go again next year...

Well I can hear that glass of wine calling, a bit late really but never mind so have a good week and hopefully I will soon find the time to catch up with a few more of you, and greet my new followers properly.  I have been a bit pants at answering some of your comments of late. My end of year report would certainly say 'must try harder.'

TTFN

Jenny xx

IS THERE NO END TO HIS TALENTS........?

When I married my darling 'boy' 44 years ago, I was a love struck teenager with a very handsome bloke! (mind he's wearing very well and doesn't show his age even now!) I knew he was pretty handy at practical stuff the way he could strip a motor bike or lawn mower down and actually not have any bits left when he put it back together!.
He was also a great sportsman, football, darts, snooker then later cricket and seemed to excel in everything he did. He once bowled a whole cricket team out (though they only had 10 men that day) for about 26 runs, so they mounted the cricket ball for him and presented it to him at one of their cricket dinners.
Well over the years he has moved electrics, plumbed in sinks fixed just about everything that has broken and made kids toys from garages, to cranes to dolls houses.
So what does a woman do when her DD leaves home and is short of a table...of course you give them yours and say...but your dad will soon make me another one!!!

And so he did.......

and its perfect.....

Ummm!! now that corner could do with a cupboard....perhaps I better wait a bit before I put in my next order.....

Have a great weekend, we are off to a country fair on Sunday so hope to pick up a few bargains and have lots of piccies to show.

TTFN

Jenny xx

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER....

Last year, still I think it was last year...in fact I hope it was last year, otherwise time is flying past far too quickly, we tidied up the outside of my beloved summer house 'My Retreat', by giving it a fresh coat of wood stain. I said at the time that we would be having a great sort out inside, since it had become a bit of a dumping ground, but because of the dismal summer we had...it didn't happen and the poor wee house got fuller and fuller with 'stuff'!

image courtesy of the telegraph.co.uk

We didn't quite get to danger point but lets say we couldn't get over the threshold.....

Well it was all the window mans fault really........ no not the rubbish, but the sudden burst of DIY activity!!

We are about to have some windows replaced at the back of the house, and the only way to bring them into the garden is by the back gate. Well that means they have to be carried across the rickety, rackety bridge over the pond.  Now it wasn't so much a troll we were scared of as being sued when the workmen disappeared into the 5 foot of water (apart from the fact that they might damage our nice new windows too!),  so first job tackled was a new bridge....with super lighting no less.....(a birthday present to DH yonks ago carefully stored in his shed)........

......... and so it has continued one job completed after another.....................

and that's how the poor neglected summer house finally got its makeover completed  I am pleased to say it has been returned to its cosy best and looks loved and cared for...and whats more is back in use...yeah!

First we emptied out everything onto the lawn......

Then a fresh coat of emulsion.....

and voila order is restored.....

We even broke out the barby to celebrate......

and of course you know what happens once you start ........

we get carried away........

Ta da ............our new gate......now I wonder whats next!.............

Watch this space 'cos of course once the windows are done.........

the new sewing room needs cupboards ripping out and laminate floor laying....

the bathroom needs replastering......

the back room needs a new ceiling and replastering....

the dining room needs a new wood stove for the winter.....

Looks like we are not going to get bored sometime soon....

I think I need a drink after that and a lay down

Have a good weekend

TTFN

Jenny xx

DROOLING DEFINITELY ALLOWED........

Well at last I hear you all cry...yes I know I have spouted about this cheesecake recipe long enough now so no more delays...

However I do have to say up front that this comes with a definite health warning....do not under any circumstances try this out if
a.) You have just reached your target weight at the local slimming club
b) You are about to leave on that long planned holiday and that itsy bitsy bikini is packed
c) You have just had your final fitting for your wedding dress.....

..........You have been warned!..........

All my previous experience of cheesecakes were the 'Greens' ones out of a packet way back when and various 'home made' ones in restaurants which definitely broke the trade description laws, but no more.......

I discovered the recipe in this book

Complete Cookery Farmers Market by Jacqueline Bellefontaine, I have tried to find it on the net and I think you can still get a used copy on Amazon. I got mine in one of those cheapy book shops.

The recipe calls for a 9" deep tin, but this would make a dessert big enough for a family party, so I used a 6" tin and just halved the quantities and it worked brilliantly and gave 4 ample portions.

Ingredients

For a 9" tin  (half all quantities for a 6" tin)

225g/8oz oat biscuits (I used digestive biscuits which I prefer)

75g/3oz hard butter

350g/12oz full fat or medium fat cream cheese (I used Philadelphia on offer in Asda)

100g/4oz golden castor sugar ( I used white castor sugar)

225g/8oz Greek style yoghurt ( I could only find low fat or fat free so used the low fat)

300ml/1/2 pint double cream

1tsp vanilla essence

1 tbsp gelatine 

Topping

250g/9oz blackcurrants ( I had redcurrants so substituted these. Have also tried raspberries which were delicious)

25g/1oz golden castor sugar

2 tsp arrowroot.

Method

Place biscuits in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.

Melt the butter and stir in the biscuits. Press into the base of a loose bottomed or spring form cake tin.

Beat together the the cream cheese and sugar until well combined then beat in the yoghurt. Whip the cream into soft peaks and fold into the cream cheese mixture with the vanilla essence.

Sprinkle the gelatine over 3 tbsp of water and leave until spongy (about 10 mins). Place in pan of hot water or in a microwave for about 15 seconds and stir until dissolved. Fold into the cream cheese mixture.

Pour into the prepared tin and chill until set.

To make the topping mix together the fruit sugar and arrowroot with 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture thickens. Allow to cool covered with dampened non-stick baking parchment.

Carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin and spread the fruit mixture over the top.

I am a little ashamed to say we have had this about 4 times already since I discovered it and this could well be why my clothes are feeling a little snug, however once tried it is very hard to resist.......

Do let me know if you try it and what you think....

Have a good week

TTFN

Jenny xx

ALMOST BUT NOT QUITE..............

Well I did say things had 'almost' returned to normal, and so as you can guess that meant it was going to be anything but.......

However it has mostly been for good reasons like our DD's 40th birthday celebration,

From this........with daddy

To this....with big brother......

 Where does the time go beautiful girl..........

We've had visits by workmen for some renovations we're doing and, not so good, a battle (which I am pleased to say I won) with a pair of roman blinds for my son and daughter in law.....

Just a piece of friendly advise, don't ever try to sew the Velcro on the top of a 7'9" blind once the carbon poles are inserted.......a picture of me sat on my sewing room floor with my sewing machine trying to feed this through while working the foot pedal with my hand and shuffling backwards and forwards so as not to catch the poles on the walls must surely be enough of a deterrent!!!.....

Having said that, if you are making a reasonably sensible sized blind and want some tips how to make a really professional job, just check out these videos, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJGdLU3v2cI
I have done some in the past but have to say these instructions and the template you can find on Terrell Sundermanns own site, which not only tells you what size to cut your fabric, but also what other accessories you will need to complete your task, just by inputting the width and depth of the finished blind are amazing!

 Ta Da.........

Only 2 more pairs of full length curtains and another blind to go........

 And finally I have been making headbands for my Etsy and Folksy shops and managed to find a willing victim
model for them this time....
How cute is my great niece.......

OK, so next time I really will share the delicious cheesecake recipe with you........that is of course unless something else gets in the way!.........

TTFN

Jenny xx