For Sale Laura Ashley Curtain Tie Backs...

Hand made beautiful Laura Ashley Curtain Tie Backs

£9.99 (free Post)

Currently available in

Josette Floral Linen Mix - Dove Grey

Gosford Plum

Millwood Leaf - Duck Egg Blue

Awning Stripe - Camomile 

Hydrangea Linen Mix - Camomile

Irving Stripe - Olive

Pattern will vary  

All seams are overlocked to prevent fraying

They are made to order so dispatch time is 5 working days 

To guarantee your peace of mind I operate a 14 day return policy

If you would prefer to buy through ebay..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181166441024?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Free Post and Packaging

Visit my Facebook Page to see full range

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jules-at-Home/518522438198455?ref=hl

http://jules-home.blogspot.co.uk/

For Sale Laura Ashley Gosford Plum Door Stop..

Fabric Door Stop in the hugely popular fabric by Laura Ashley – Gosford Plum

£12.99 (free post)

Pattern will vary

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YOU WILL NEED ABOUT 2.5 TO 3KG OF RICE (NOT INCLUDED) TO FILL IT

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There is a velcro opening at the bottom to make filling very easy

All seams are overlocked to prevent fraying

To guarantee your peace of mind I operate a 14 day return policy

If you would prefer to buy through ebay...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181166438114?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Visit my Facebook Page to see full range

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jules-at-Home/518522438198455?ref=hl

http://jules-home.blogspot.co.uk/

For Sale - Laura Ashley Gosford Plum Cushion Covers

Hand made 16 x 16 inch cushion covers in beautiful Laura Ashley Gosford Plum fabric with a cream fabric envelope back 

£9.99 (free post)

Pattern will vary on each cushion cover 

All seams are overlocked to prevent fraying

These cushions covers are made to order so if you require more please contact me 

I can also do other sizes if required

They are made to order so dispatch time is 5 working days 

To guarantee your peace of mind I operate a 14 day return policy

If you would prefer to buy through ebay..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181166437770?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Free Post and Packaging

Christmas...

Is it too early to talk about Christmas?

Ok, I know its only June (I say only, this year is FLYING!)

But whilst we have had all this beautiful weather, I have been sat in the garden planning my Christmas to do list

and here is a little taster of some of the things I hope to be recreating and selling this christmas.

Now of course they will not be exact replicas (please do not report me to the fraud squad) but they are my inspiration. (courtesy of the great and almighty Pinterest)

Let me know what you think?

Christmas Cushions....

If you haven't already discover Dear Lillie site please go and look its Beautiful with a capital B!

Christmas Stockings

Christmas Bunting

Happy Summer Solstice

Well to be honest it hasn't quite gone as planned...

Isobel has a nasty bout of croup and I have spent the last three nights sharing a bed with her (how do co-sleepers do it all the time???) which has resulted in very little sleep, she has also been the grumpiest, clingiest little bugger during the day so not much has been done. 

And then yesterday to top it off my sewing machine died!!! Not that it was totally unexpected as it must nearly 20 years old and was handed down to me so I can't complain too much but still ARGH!!! 

Thus resulted in most of yesterday hunting down a new machine. I want to properly upgrade next year to an all singing and dancing embroidery machine so I didn't want to spend a lot and thanks to good old eBay I found one. 

So my Summer Solstice was spent driving to Manchester with a poorly moaning child to pick up a new sewing machine.

We did manage to make some sun cupcakes this afternoon and I have discovered that cake decorating REALLY isn't my thing! I was rubbish, impatient and lost interest after about a minute but the girls enjoyed it.

Amelia also now thinks it will snow tomorrow after my shambolic attempt at explaining what midsummer was all about.

Just rubbish! But I did buy some lovely Sweet Williams to cheer up my kitchen table :)

Lets hope winter doesn't appear just yet...

Fathers Day Gifts...

I'm a bit late with this post (sorry) well I have actually written it once and didn't save it, a few choice swear words were muttered I can tell you!

Anyhow this is what we did for Fathers Day this year...

I like to do something personal with the girls for Fathers Day, they enjoy doing it for a start and I think it's nice to have something to keep and remind us how little they were (are).

Last year they painted gnomes and as we are currently doing the garden I thought another garden based gift was on the right lines.

This year it was bird houses! Even though I'm not quite sure any birds would actually fit in the hole???

So thanks to Hobby Craft (again, even though it ends up costing a small bloody fortune every time I go in) I got the houses and paints, which I then lacquered after the girls painted them to make them water resistant.

They had a great time covering everything in paint and glitter (including my kitchen, glitter EVERYWHERE) but they enjoyed it which was the main thing and Daddy (and Grandad, they did him one as well) loved them.

I also got Daddy a Ladybird World and a Horrible Science Kit, as I want to encourage them to be interested in the natural world and science, I can't think of a better way of learning than doing stuff with Daddy :)


I hope you all had a lovely Father's Day xx

School Dilemmas....

I'm having a dilemma about whether to buy Amelia's school uniform or not

I have contacted school admissions and she is still first on the waiting list so our chances of getting in are pretty certain but its just a case of waiting it out

But I don't want to leave buying her school uniform until the last minute as... well... I like to be organised and not being organised is making me itch!

Basic school stuff I have e.g. Pinafores, Skirts, Trousers, PE stuff as its the same for both schools, its the school logo'd items that I want to order.

Do they run out? Do I have to get my order in early(ish) or can I wait until August (will I survive that long without ordering, is more the question)

Argh!! 


I think it would have been much easier if we were say 6th on the list and then I would know we wouldn't  be getting in and I would have come to terms with it and I would have bought all my stuff.

Or do I just buy the bare essentials and try to make do?

Bugger!

What a difference a table makes...

My very talented husband turned his hand to carpentry a few weeks ago and made a fabulous garden table out of old scaffolding boards that were originally destined for our log burner next winter (curtesy of my Dad, thanks Dad!).

I was trawling eBay for an old dining table that I could paint up and looking for inspiration on Pinterest (which will eventually be my downfall, remember this moment when you see me on Sky News defending my right to sell my own children for stuff I've fallen in love with on sodding Pinterest)

Anyhow I came across scaffold tables and showed them to my OH whilst I idly suggested that he could make one, thinking no way on this earth would he do it but he did!

And not only did he make it with enthusiasm, he made it in only a day and a bit AND it's great! I love it!

It has totally transformed how we use our garden, I have sewed on it, we have eaten virtually every meal at it (ok the beautiful weather has helped ALOT), we've had a family BBQ where 11 people comfortably sat around it, the girls have painted & drawn at it and if the apocalypse ever happens its easily strong enough for us to hide under...

It truly has changed our summer habits, just praying now that we get lots more nice weather to use it.

Saying that though, I was even planning autumn BBQs, cosied around the chimnea and eating at the table (I've gone mad!!)

I still need to sort chairs out for it, I think I'm going for a mix of wood and old wrought iron, I've not decided yet. Lots more Pinterest browsing to do....

My husband also appears to have "the bug" and is going to make me a pergola and a bench next.

All exciting stuff for my garden, what with new flower borders going in, my soon to be completed veggie patch, I am a happy girl.

I will keep you posted :)

Laura Ashley Millwood Leaf Door Stop

Fabric Door Stop in the hugely popular fabric by Laura Ashley Fabric, Millwood Leaf Duck Egg Blue

£10.99 (Free Postage)


(Pattern will vary)

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YOU WILL NEED ABOUT 2.5 TO 3KG OF RICE/SAND (NOT INCLUDED) TO FILL IT BUT IT DOES COME STUFFED WITH PADDING

*************************

There is a zip opening at the bottom to make filling very easy



All seams are overlocked to prevent fraying



To guarantee your peace of mind I operate a 14 day return policy



Visit my Facebook Page to see full range

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jules-at-Home/518522438198455?ref=hl

If you would prefer to buy through ebay here is the link


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181156098718?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

We are going green.... Ish

And I don't mean like the Incredible Hulk, well not most days anyway.

Once upon a time a long time ago I developed a bit of an interest in Paganism. I was young so the magical aspect was the initial draw but it was the nature base of the religion that made a more lasting impression.

As time went on I changed my out look (as you do) and never really gave it much thought again... Until now

Not that I am particularly interested in the religion as such but I feel pulled towards a more natural, self sustained way of life. Maybe it's becoming a mother or maybe I'm just that way inclined I don't know but I would like my girls and I to follow the seasons, be aware of the changes that nature goes through, try to source produce locally etc etc

Now don't get me wrong I am really no earth mother, I have no plans to run around naked during the full moon (even though my husband may encourage this) and I shall not be ditching my car for a broomstick, no I'm definitely no earthly goddess, I like the finer things in life too much.

So here's the plan to introduce a bit of nature into our lives...

We have already started buying our fruit and veg from the local farm shop, which the girls love doing as they have chickens running all over the place which they find hilarious 

All meat products I am trying to source locally or at least be British, I tried my local butcher but I was a bit disappointed with the quality so this is a work in progress

We have started composting

Breaking myself in gently this year we are growing pumpkins (very badly), strawberries and sunflowers then next year a small veggie plot is the plan.

And last weekend we spent a thoroughly enjoyable day at a nearby forest collecting pine cones for kindling for the winter

We have been hanging bird boxes and lady bird houses

                                       

And of course making the most of the beautiful weather and working out doors.

With the summer solstice being only a few weeks away I need to get my thinking cap on as to how we are going to celebrate our first nature festival


Out of small acorns grow huge oak trees



:)

The Door Stop - Laura Ashley Josette Fabric

I have finally mastered the door stop (woo hoo, does happy dance)

Here is the finished result

More fabrics to follow shortly

£12.99 (free postage)

:)

Did you get your first choice school?

Excuse me whilst I sob into my pillow...

We didn't get our first choice....

Or second choice....

We got our third choice!

I think that is why this post is two months late, I've been in denial and pretended it wasn't happening but now it's time to face facts and admit it to myself.

At first I wasn't too fussed as all three schools are good schools, (it was actually my second choice but my husbands third so thats how it ended up in bottom place) and the third choice school also has an excellent school nursery that Isobel can start in January.

But as time has gone on I've got more disappointed.

There isn't much in it regarding Sats and Ofsted BUT my first choice school is the best school in the area, and has a fantastic reputation where as my third choice school has just had a new head who is doing marvels with the school it's just not quite up to my first choice.

And the killer kick is we missed out on our first choice by 0.03 miles!

0.03 miles!!! Gutted!

So we are on the waiting list and up to now we are first in the que (yes, that's how close we were, missed out by one sodding place! Excuse me whilst I go and sob again).

And just to rub my nose in it, pretty much all of Amelia's nursery friends are going to my first choice so the mums are all glowy and happy and I want to scream!! Ok well maybe not a scream but still it gets me all irritated, not that it takes much but hey ho.

But and it's an important but, I do know how ridiculously lucky we are that we have such good schools to choose from and its a nice middle class area so no Jeremy Kyle types but still I am keeping everything crossed we get the call we are in, it will probably come the day after I order her school uniform....