Too much chocolate .... and new eggs!

Well christmas is over for another year. We have had loads of family round and some lovely company. The lounge - redecorated and new suite in place just in time for christmas - has disappeared under a coating of lego and playmobil and we are all sick of chocolate (well I am, the children are planning on eating nothing else all year I think).
This is our lovely, cosy new lounge.

The new chooks have settled in well. They don't spend as much time up in the branches any more and are more often than not, in amongst the old girls when food is offered. Their sore, bald bums are looking much better. The redness and swelling has gone and they are getting new feathers through now! Two days ago I started finding unknown eggs - so they must be laying again, although at the moment I can't tell who is laying as I haven't yet caught them in the act! I think they need an extra nest box as a cuople of times I have found an egg in the run - the nest box in the cube only accomodates 4 max, it could be a bit of a squeeze when all 14 are laying in spring! I went outside today to find some wood to make one - but it was perishing so I quickly came back in again!

The good news is that we have access to the allotments from 1st January! Hooray! Nearly a year after being offered one! We have only been given a half plot (as has everyone else), but that may be enough to start with.

Happy Christmas!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone who reads this!

We've had a lovely family day - boys actually had a lie in, and we spent the rest of the day doing the presents and dinner thing. Missed church as Dan still has raging chicken pox, but at least he was feeling better today, although still spotty.

Family descending on us over the next few days, so back to bedlam! Hope you all manage to have as good a time as we have had.

New Girls have names and sore bums!

We've managed to choose names for the new girls now - carrying on with the spicey names, this is Nutmeg. She seems like a lovely little chicken and looks as though she has just been through a moult. I don't think she is laying at the moment.

The copper black hen is Cinnamon. She seems a little nervous and has a bit of a baldy bum. The all white sweetie is Pepper - she has a very bare bum!

The Pied is Clove. She has a very bare bottom and a swollen abdomen. I've had three eggs off them today, I can only assume that it was nutmeg who has not laid, so Clove's tackle must be working OK.

As a precaution I've been out in the dark and given all their botties a good spray with ukadex - a foul smelling, tar based spray that deters pecking. Luckily for me they were all sat on the branches with their backs to me so I just squirted them while they slept! I got a good scolding for my efforts!

What a day - paint and chickens!

I'm shattered! Today has been a bit crazy. We are waiting for a new suite to be delivered, and as usual have left redecorating the room until the last minute, so it had to be done today!

We couldn't find a day when the boys were at school to do it, so had to grit our teeth and let them help. They didn't do too badly in the end though, and I now have a gorgeous red wall. Just waiting for my nice, new conker brown leather suite to arrive and I'll be cosy as anything!

While we were getting ready to decorate, I had a call from a lady who was struggling with her chickens and could I take some off her hands. Could I! I now have 4 lovely new girls. She has only had them a few months and they are laying.

There are 2 sweeties, or amber stars. They haven't got names yet!

A copper black maran hybrid
And a pied suffolk

They have very pecked bottoms, but I'm hoping that being in a bigger crowd and plenty of distractions will cure them of their naughty knicker pecking habits!

Mad Sewing Days!

I think I'm drowning in sewing!

The quilt is taking shape. I only get chance to do any work on it on Wednesday evenings - it isn't a priority when I'm at home! The colours are looking lovely - very rich and autumnal. I just need to get my lounge redecorated so that it will match when it's finally finished ;-)

I found some lovely fleece fabric on ebay - I wonder who might appreciate a nice warm hat and scarf with Thomas on?

And I struck gold on Wednesday night at Patchwork class - someone getting rid of two large boxes of offcuts of curtain fabric. After a donation to a cancer charity, it all came home with me! The timing is perfect - my Folksy site is doing well, I've sold 4 bags this week from there. Plus I sold a couple of bags at the last two craft fairs I did. I've still got 3 days of fairs before Christmas and my stock is running dangerously low! Despite a huge bag of fabric in the dining room, there is nothing currently in there that is calling me to make something with it!

This little stash however, was just crying out to be made into bags! As soon as I got it home I spread it out on the dining room table and started to drool. Silk, satin, chenille, damask, brocade, cotton prints; and lots of lovely autumny/wintery shades - perfect!!

Some fabrics just demanded to go together and in no time I had a stack of cut material that now just needs sewing up.

And these are the first ones to come off the production line! At the rate of two bags a day (if I'm lucky!), it is hardly a speedy line though!

Craft Fairs & Patchwork

I've just had a lovely weekend! Did two fairs - one at Wolvey on Saturday and the other at Wansford on Sunday. Both fairly quiet affairs, but I did steady trade, selling a couple of bags and lots of the little items - scented pomanders, crocheted flowers and beanie hats.

There is a lovely atmosphere at these little fairs - plenty of chat between stall holders, I've met some lovely people! In between times, I've had peace and quiet and been able to sit and crochet with no interruptions from husband and children!

On top of the fairs, I've had some good sales via the Folksy website. The more expensive bags don't sell as well at the fairs, but I've sold at least 4 this last week, with another one commissioned. I've been making messenger bags from discarded jeans. Each one is unique. I have one myself and it is great to use - and all my own design! I'm quite pleased with myself!

The patchwork course is going well! I found some lovely autumnal fabric on ebay and have a beautiful quilt planned, full of reds, golds and russets. Watch this space!

My Boy is a Beaver

I had a proud mother moment last night - middle son was invested as a beaver!

He stood in the centre and said his promise out loud, word perfect! He looks so tiny next to the others, in his outsized uniform.

Last week he also came home with the Best Beaver cup. I can't wait until he gets to go camping and doing all those boy scout activities! (I think I'm more excited than he is)