Clover Yard

Bargains of the week

This morning I headed off to our village muir for the first car boot of the year.  I am a little inexperienced at these events and still haven't quite mastered the art of haggling.  I spotted this glass jug below just as I'd started going round and had a bit of banter with the seller who promised if it was still there when I went round the second time, he'd knock a pound off it.  So how come I ended up buying it for its original price...hmmm...duh.

But I love, love, love it!  It's quite unusual, with its frosted handle and scalloped rim and is very heavy.  If anyone has seen one like it and can tell me a bit more, I'd love to hear from you.  The seller said it may have been from the 1930's but I'm not so sure it's that old.

On my way home, I dropped into the charity shop and saw this adorable little wool house.  It's made up of sort of plastic cross stitch sheets that are sewn together with wool.  It probably once adorned a loo roll but it certainly won't be near one in my house.  I think Mr Clover Yard might just divorce me over that one.  It does look very sweet on my shelf in the spare room though.

These flowery teacups screamed at me from the window.  They came minus their saucers which I rarely find.  Odd that.  They are quite a squat little cup, so delicate with such a beautiful rose pattern, the shades of pink are really pretty.  I have quite a collection of these now and have yet to decide what to do with them.  My instinct is to fill them with little posies of roses or maybe candle wax.   

Hope you are having a lovely weekend blog friends. x 

Heroes and a precious thing

When I'm asked that morbid question of what would you save from your home if it went on fire (perish the thought), I always think of my little Peter Pan & Wendy book...

I was given this when I was around ten I think and it is just the most beautifully illustrated book by one of my favourite artists, Shirley Hughes.  I can spend ages poring over her highly detailed ink drawings.  She has such a talent for capturing the innocence of children with their little button noses and tangled hair.   

And of course, it's a collaboration with one of my favourite storytellers, J.M. Barrie.  I am very fortunate to live not very far (second star to the right in fact) from the place where J. M. Barrie was born and spent his formative years - Kirriemuir.  It's such a little house (and I mean little - only three rooms, fit for a fairy).  If you peek through the window below, you can see his first inspiration for the Wendy House; a stone built wash house where he would perform plays for his brothers and sisters. 

And the cosy kitchen where he would have chased his siblings round the kitchen table...

When J. M. Barrie was six, his eldest brother died tragically in a skating accident.  He was thirteen.  His mother was devastated and to compensate, James tried to replace his brother by behaving and often dressing like him.  But in his mother's eyes, David would remain a boy of thirteen forever and so the character of Peter Pan was born.  The boy who never grew up.

Such genius, and a great legacy to leave to the world, all perfectly packaged in my beautifully bound little book. 

Beading on a sunny afternoon

Wow, I've been sooo productive today.  Must be the sun, it has recharged me.  I've spent a very content afternoon beading at the table outside.  I wanted to make something summery and with these lovely glass beads, including some rose quartz, I came up with the following...

Now I just need an outfit to go with it! 

These below started off as necklaces but I thought they were a bit fussy so I finished them off as bracelets. The heart charm was actually from a pair of ear-rings but I found them a little heavy and borderline Pat Butcher (cockney soap character for my friends outwith the UK!), so, I thought I'd reuse and recycle!...

This one's my favourite...

The flower heads for my "photo shoot" are courtesy of our lovely Clematis growing at the front door.  I am trying to train it into a heart shape (aww) but I think it needs a bit of a haircut! 

Finally, to round off a lovely day, I potted up some window boxes...

I think I've earned that glass of wine now, don't you?  Have a lovely weekend all. x

Beautiful May

Ahh, May.  Isn't it the best month ever.  Time to get back into the garden and check if any brave little birdies have taken up residence in our bohemian birdhouse...

And to watch the progress of these strange red stalks pushing through the earth and unfurling their copper coloured leaves...

which in a couple of months should burst into these beautiful peony roses...

And after all the drudgery of Winter, how amazing it is to sit in the warmth of the sun under our old apple tree and watch the washing blowing on the line (am I the only one who gets satisfaction from this?)... 

Way above our heads the buds are opening and the first pink tinges of blossom appear...   

This beautiful quote sums it up for me...

All of you with little children...take them somehow into the country among green grass and yellow wheat - among trees - by hills and streams, if you wish their highest education, that of the heart and soul, to be completed. 
Richard Jefferies

I couldn't agree more.

Ahoy! finish something won't you

When I first considered starting a blog I had thought it would help me to be more creative and constructive with my time.  I know that I am happiest and most content when I am either playing around with graphics on the computer or pottering with plants and flowers.  Problem is, I very rarely finish anything!  I get caught up in the process, and while I love it, I'm sure I'm missing out on some of the satisfaction that goes with looking at an end product and saying, I made that.  Know what I mean?

Last July, for example, I made a feeble attempt to design a party invitation for my son's 3rd birthday, which evolved into a birthday card and then another (cos I felt I had to create a girl one too) and then several badge designs later I just stopped short of designing a matching t-shirt!  And on my desktop it has stayed ever since.  I ended up running out of time to get them printed and bought something half-heartedly from a shop.  Shame really, as I'd spent so much time on it all and it was personal in that I'd had the image of my little boy dressed as a pirate as I drew it. 

So this is me kicking my derriere to get it out there, if only on this post.  Who knows, perhaps the shame of me seeing it up here will get the whole process going and I'll actually get them printed.  Maybe little boy wouldn't mind them for his 4th birthday party? 

 

 

Ode to my boys

When I came home from work on Saturday I was greeted by my husband and my little boy sitting on our garden wall in the sunshine, kicking their heels without a care in the world.  They were waiting for me.  Such a small gesture but it made my day. 

I’ve been thinking a lot lately of how fast my little boy is growing up, how there are less and less of his funny little mis-pronunciations, those strange little words that make perfect sense to me but I have to translate for others.  Recently, he has been dropping the mummy in favour of teenage grunts of mum which has just about pushed me over the edge - I'm not ready to be a mum yet!

So I want to dedicate this post to my lovely boys who really are my sunshine.

Thank you for...

...the many impromptu cups of tea

...renting The Devil Wears Prada when I know you'd rather be watching The Bourne Identity or Scooby Doo

...pausing the film after 3 mintues to give me a run down of the plot so far

...biting your tongue when yet another flowery teacup enters the building

...knowing the right (and wrong) moment to produce a Cadbury's Twirl

...making me appreciate just how funny it is to see sheep on a roundabout

...allowing me to completely "girlify" the four corners of the spare room

and as well as being a wife and mummy, for letting me be me.  xxx

My latest craze!

Now, I know these aren't a new concept amongst you uber-creatives, but humour me please as I have another shuffle through my very first moo cards.  Aren't they fab!  For all you moo-virgins out there, the mini cards are about half the width and roughly the same length of a business card and you can get 100 different images printed for a mere £9.99 (I uploaded photos straight from my Flickr pages).  Plus, you can have any info you want printed on the back.  I think I could become addicted.  I feel like my three year old with his Ben 10 top trump cards; I am a little possesive of them and have to take them out of their box every 5 minutes to see if they are all still in order.  I did, however, manage to part with about half of them and send them off to the lovely bride and groom from the wedding on Iona a fortnight ago.  I punched a little hole and threaded through some ribbon to use one of the cards as a gift tag which I must say, was very effective.  Stickers and postcards here I come.  I'm going to moo the world!  (Give it time, it will pass).

Vintage Inspired Jewellery

For some time now I have been looking for a piece of jewellery, a necklace preferably, which would have a connection with my blog.  A google search has produced countless links to clover pendants or charms and while they are all very nice I just felt them a bit run of the mill.  Until, however, I found Eclectic Eccentricity and this...

Isn't it lovely?  Secrets of a Butterfly was one of the first blogs I ever read - so Kat, if you're reading this, I am glad that I will also be reminded of you when I wear my clover necklace with it's little green butterfly! 

The pieces are reworked from old vintage jewellery which I am completely supportive of in our throwaway society.  Have a look at the site, (you can also find them on Etsy), I don't think you "vintage ladies" will be disappointed.  This is one of the bestsellers...

I don't think my first salary payment is going to last very long!

This is where I got the recommendation - http://www.letstalkjewellery.co.uk.  A useful site in itself for keeping up with the latest trends.   

Paradise Found

I am almost lost for words so forgive me that this is mostly piccies.  This is a post about a very special place, a place I believe could be heaven on earth.  Thank you to our lovely friends Katie and Michael for sharing their wedding day with us yesterday.

Come with me to Iona...

So much sea and sky...

Spectacular beaches with the purest white sand...

The locals were kinda cute...

My dream island bolthole...

The austere Iona Abbey...

..lit up by the beautiful bride and her yellow Jimmy Choo's...

Colourful bunting strung up on the village hall....

Friends in kilts and their best frocks heading for the reception...

My perfectly balanced husband - a drink in both hands...

Hat of the day!....

Shame the beach was a bit crowded this morning...

Sigh. It doesn't get much better than this.

A Spell in the Garden

{Apologies that you've been unable to leave comments lately.  I have been writing another blog for a youth group which is comment-free and I'd got myself all in a muddle.  Hope to hear from you all soon!}

Pots of pretty flowers nodding their heads in the warm spring sunshine...

Little carpets of blue flowers, settling roots into the cool earth...

Sleepy insects, stretching their wings and inspecting fresh green foliage...

Garden chairs and table, eagerly awaiting a fresh lick of paint and the first customers of the summer...

My lovely garden.  Opening for the new season very soon.