welcome to my blog!!!!

Thank you for dropping by....i will be blogging about my life in Devon by the sea-side, decorating my 1926 home, vintage treasure hunting from auctions, charity shops , recycling centres and the good old british car booty!! One mans rubbish is another mans treasure! baking, sewing, painting and probably the weather!!!! enjoy!
claireljinks@hotmail.com


Tuesday 30 April 2013

The worm has turned........

Was happily working away reclaiming some material...unpicking seams and quietly folding up the pieces and discarding the piping on the floor...when.....the hubster comes in and says "Are you throwing this away?" I confirmed I was...and he bent down picked it up and wound it around his hand...and to my amazement said..."couldn't you make one of them lampshades out of your shabby sh*te books?"
Ladies I practically fell out of my chair.......MY hubster making a granny chic suggestion off his own bat! Sort of admitting he had looked at the book! ( although thinking back I can remember leaving it in  the loo!)
So of course I had to have a go!
So it was up to the attic to find a shade I knew was lurking around......
I stripped the shade of its covering .......
I sewed the piping together.......
In the original book they used thin cotton...so naturally my shade is going to be thicker and not let as much light through....which is ideal as I am going to use it next to my bed...as long as light falls downwards to light my books I am happy...it's the only time I ever use it and the Hubster is less likely to moan with the light diffused x
I began by winding around the frame at the top..I was planning to cover this with some trimming but I liked the effect so much I decided not to in the end..
It was then just a matter of weaving the piping around the frame.....which sounds easier than it actually was....
And here it is....a bit rough and ready around the edges.......Think it would look much neater with thinner weight cotton....but it is what it is...thanks Hubster x

Monday 29 April 2013

Grumpy Guts.

Sorry I have been away...been very down in the dumps and was deciding if I was going to carry on blogging.....
 But at last the sun has come out and cheered me up a bit...as did sitting eating chips looking at the sea....


 Even did a bit of crocheting al fresco.......
 Finished the scarf I was making for mother...........
 What do you think of this bag of mixed wool I got from a charity shop........
 Included was a skien ....that has been waiting 65 years for someone to make something from it........
 And a skien of the finest cob web silk..........
 Couldn't be bothered to cook one night so we had fish finger sandwiches....I am such a domestical goddess....was yummy though......
 Fallen madly in love with my new brogues....I am a little bit sad..........
 Also become enchanted with my swan vase...which I find sweet...but Mother declared it "tat"
 Transformed this yellow pine dining table.....£3 from the auction.......out came the faithful chalk paint and wax......
 And the black board paint!

 I found this gorg new double bed spread.....who doesn't love roses x
 I also sewed an apron dress! Now I have only ever sewn a quilt so this foray into making an actual garment was quite exciting! I almost fancied myself on The Great British Sewing Bee!!!!!!

Its to use at my knitting club as I am  now helping out x


Up went my new picture wall..........


They say less is more.......but I say...sometimes more is more...although I  think I can stop with the pictures of floweriness now!
Hope you are all ok x

Monday 15 April 2013

A Cup Of Tea Marm?

Not that I am raving mad Royalist or anything....
But one should have at least one royal tea cup incase ......
Lizzy wants to pop around for a cuppa.....
Mother got me this tea pot stand for my Royal Wedding Tea party last year x
God Save The Queen!

Saturday 13 April 2013

A Little Bit of This...and A Little Bit of That x


Very unmotivated and down in the dumps ...like everyone is at this time of the year. Doing a little bit of crocheting...a granny square scarf for Mother, will wool stolen...sorry...appropriated....
from her mahooooosive wool stash..... 
a few more squares to go before I start sewing up.....
Found some more vintage goodies this week.......
a pressed glass cake stand....
A 1970's child's quilt...... 

  Some hunting scene saucers..........
some CK bowl covers.....

a vintage Lexicon game
a swan vase...
and a rather lovely Vernon Ward which is going on my wall......
my next floral wall laid out...need to get around to actually hanging it!
Hope you have all been a bit more get up and go than I have been lately...see you soon x x x




Thursday 11 April 2013

A Bit of Christmas Magic On A Cold And Rainy Day.

Brrrrrr it's still chilly and miserable...so I thought I would cheer everyone up with a little bit of left over Christmas.
I pulled out a huge hunk of Panetone from the freezer.....
sliced it up, buttered each slice arranged in a dish and sprinkled over some dried cranberries, another seasonal element ....
Made a custard up by whisking eggs and sugar until pale and adding warmed milk....and cinnamon and vanilla......
I also used two of my favourite ingredients which I find help any recipe, a glass or two of red for moi to sip  and some tunes to dance around the kitchen to , in this case it was Elvis Presleys no.1 hits....lol
I poured over the custard.....
Let it all soak........
And then baked it..... a yummy, scrummy, soft and soggy, crispy topped Panetone bread and butter pudding....it was gorgeous....EXCEPT...I was the only one who thought so......the hubby and daughter did not like their first taste of  bread and butter pudding! Blooming Philistines! AND>>>> I was called away the next day and forgot to put it in the freezer so three quarters of it was thrown away...so I suppose you could class it as an epic fail! BUT...I have the other half of the Panetone  still in the freezer.......all the more for me mwawwwww hahahahahahahahah!!!!!!!!









Wednesday 10 April 2013