Sherry at 9.30...

 Every year Mr Lucey makes our christmas cake and so first thing saturday morning we were off to the supermarket to get the ingredients, we did get a few strange looks as we had a bottle of sherry in the basket at 9.30 in the morning!

The house was filled with the most gorgeous smell as the cake baked in the oven, could have been due to the generous drop of sherry that went into the mixture!

I was tempted to cut a slice off but Mr Lucey said no and wrapped it up and put it away for christmas, spoilsport!!

Next was the wallpapering in the bathroom.

I was going to get a mirror cut to fit the space above the bath but fell in love with this wallpaper instead its sprig roses from Cath Kidston, I couldn't wait to jump in the bath for a nice soak.

I've also been doing a bit of shopping in Borobridge at my favourite shop Angel & Rose,

Love this storm lantern it reminds me of the waste paper baskets we used to have at school, there were no plastic bins in those days!!

a lovely reindeer covered in sparkly glitter,

I love the colour of this watering can its a dark grey and makes a change as I usually buy everything in cream,  bought a few of these  tiny trees for the garden and lots of hyacinth bulbs, they look nice in  glass jars with moss round them.

I also got this glass dish, they were displayed with sweets in but I think it looks nice with a plant in or you could put a tealight in it.

a couple of watches for tree so we know when its time for santa,

and a little paperback book of hand shadows for a certain little boys stocking!

I'm sure he'll have hours of fun with it.

Before I go this is a picture of a cake stand I saw but a little expensive at £60 so I'm off to the charity shops to look for pretty china to make one! 

Bye for now,

Love Lucey xxx

Alexas 3rd birthday...

Yesterday was Alexas 3rd birthday and what better present for a little princess than this gorgeous pink pram.

Grandma's waited three  years for her to be tall enough to push one but the day was finally here!!

Despite it being very cold we circled the block twice before I convinced her "baby" would be cold and needed to go inside,

In the afternoon she had 9 friends round for a tea party, seems just like yesterday she was born.

Happy birthday sweetie from a very proud grandma and granda

XXX

Soldiers...

As soon as I saw this set I knew Dylan would love it,

his face was a picture as I shouted him down for "breasfast" as he calls it!

Now which little (or big) boy couldn't resist dipping soldiers into big runny boiled eggs?

"Attention"

After demolishing the lot he said "Oh you are a lovely grandma" ah bless.

Love Lucey xxx

Charity shop finds...

My friend Shirly lives in Thirsk and the charity shops there have far nicer things in them than where I live, and a few weeks ago Shirly gave me a little parcel of knives, forks and spoons that she'd bought for me.

One of the forks was extra long and had sort of "hooks"  on the outside so I presumed this was a sort of fork for "stabbing" pickled onions, these ones pictured below are very "petite" with long prongs

and I wasn't quite sure what they would be used for.

Also in the bag was this spoon with holes in it and another fork with 6 prongs on it and I must admit I was quite baffled by what they would be used for.

Now you all know I have a love for magazines and especially at christmas time and this morning I picked up 3, (shhhhh  don't tell Mr Lucey!) 

One of them was homes and antiques and there was an article called "dress to impress" which was about tables laid with sparkling silver and exquisite porcelain,

and there was a picture of some forks and spoon  just like mine!!

It turns out these long delicate items are "cake forks" and the spoon  is a "sugar spoon" ohhhh it sounds  ever so romantic doesn't it?

The piccy above is of a "fish" knife and fork but my fork has 6 prongs and not 4 so I'm not sure if it is a fish fork or not, any ideas??

I was right about the "pickling " fork and love this one priced at £9 very reasonable me thinks.

As I've been very busy this afternoon sitting on my bum reading magazines!!, Mr Lucey has been baking and the smell from the kitchen made my mouth water, he'd made a date, wallnut and banana loaf,

absolutely delicious easten with one of my new found cake forks of course.

I just have time to get out my polishing cloth before its time to turn on the tv and "sprinkle" sugar on my hot chocolate with my new spoon.

Bye,

Lucey xxx

London fabric...

As soon as I saw this "London" fabric I wanted to make something with it,

so out come the sewing things and scissors and I was off!!

There was just enough to make 4 cushion covers for the chairs in the kitchen and I backed them in a red gingham which goes with the soldiers, boats

and busses which just happen to have "Cath Kidston" on the side

now all I need is for Mr Lucey to paint the wall a pale blue and I'll be happy (I think)

I made sure I had enough left over for a bag, well why not?

I sort of rushed it and had a mishap stitching the handle on it, Mr Lucey said "looks like you made yourself a nosebag" haha very funny.

I love these little bags they're so quick and easy to make and have just enough room for your purse, keys and other bits us ladies like to carry around with us.

The sewing machine has been put away and the pasting table is coming out, as I bought some wallpaper when I went to Harrogate but more on that next time.

Thank you to everyone for the anniversary wishes, you're all so kind,

Love Lucey

xxxx