Roll out those hazy lazy crazy days…..

Well.. it has been a long time since I ventured into my blog to update my adventures.. and it all feels a bit alien to me. I have been busily immersing myself in village life and enjoying the beautiful season that flourishes outside my window. Now that we are officially in the Summer season… thoughts turn to  lounging in deck chairs, cutting roses in the garden and walking through the sublime buttercup meadows with our sweet little Minnie dog.

This is a gentle step back into blog land to share with you my next adventure which takes place on the 6th & 7th of June in the very beautiful valley of St Catherine a hop and a skip from the centre of Bath. I will be joining some very fine stalls at the Cabbages & Roses two day event and hope that you will be able to join me.

There will be toys galore and a big dob of nostalgia on Cowboys & Custard's Stall.

It's all go.....

Please forgive the brevity of my blog posts of the last few months... the days might be winding down to Autumn, with that beautiful burnished light that comes with September sunsets and the bushes and trees laden with their abundant harvest.

  I, however am busier than ever and rather than my usual tendency to hibernate and slow down with the season, I am finding 24 hours woefully inadequate to achieve all that I have and want to do. We won't even mention the 'C' word as that would send me into a tail spin with all the projects and work I have stored away for that occasion.

This Saturday we will be packing up the old jalopy and wending our way to Rangeworthy village hall for another vintage jumble sale. The boxes might just have to pack themselves this time, as the hours are ticking by and my time is running out! Do come along if you like a good bargain as I promise you there is something for everyone at these jumbles.. from Paisley quilts, to garden gnomes, much loved teddy bears, Enid Blyton books, chintzy tea sets and so much more!

Sunday I will be lobbing some heavy metal balls around... all in the name of The Biddestone Boules Tournament.

 This fun event has become a firm favourite and this year we will be team 'Minnie the Moochers'... accompanied by none other than our lucky mascot.. Minnie herself!

 We might not make it to the finals.. but sure as God made little green apples, we will be enjoying the bonhomie of the Boules brigade!!

There was a Fine Fair from Devizes .....

There was a fine fair in Devizes

Which drew people of all shapes and sizes

They came from afar

To the Vintage Bazaar

And all had the time of their lives-es!

This time next Saturday, 31st of August.. my merry band of teddies and I, will be joining the good folk at The Vintage Bazaar at the Corn Exchange in Devizes, Wiltshire. 

The doors will open at 9.30 a.m and close at 3.00 p.m. Admission is £1

A good day is sure to be had by all!!

Hot off the press ....

 HOT being the word!! Tomorrow the mercury will rise to a sizzling 84 degrees F.
Mad dogs, Englishmen and avid vintage jumble sale devotees, will be making their way to Rangeworthy Village Hall in South Gloucestershire, for another bundle of vintage bargains at      The Vintage & Handmade Vintage Jumble Sale.
Doors will open at 10.00 a.m until 1.00 p.m.. and the W.I will be there in their pretty pinnies to serve cool, reviving drinks to all of the hot shoppers!
So saddle up your pony and trot on down to the best little vintage jumble sale in town... (and village)!!

Jumble in a Box...

Well it's been a long time... so long in fact that we have skipped from one season to another in my absence. Spring has begrudgingly turned a corner this week into something resembling summer.. 

Blue skies and a rather bright orb in the sky have been celebrated here with lots of leafy walks ...

Young Minnie is sporting her very jaunty new Summer look... Gone is the hairy hound and in her place is a slinky skinny Minnie.. so much cooler dahling!!

It is hard to believe that it is nearly a year since we moved to this pretty village on the edge of the Wiltshire and Somerset border ..

Any visit to the great metropolis.. the nearby city of Bath.. makes me feel ever so slightly jittery.. Too many cars.. too many people. I feel much more at home with the chattering of Sparrows and the traffic of the Swifts that race overhead...

I relish the peace and endless beauty of this place as it changes every day and offers a serenity that I have never known before....

Though I have not exactly signed up to Jam & Jerusalem as part of my initiation into village life, I have made some lovely friends and enjoy the teasing banter amongst the various folk in the local shops. Wanting to contribute something to our new community, The Vintage & Handmade fairs have added a new venue to their roadshow... and this coming weekend, June 15th, will hopefully bring a flurry of interest when we hold a vintage jumble sale in our local village hall...

If the sun doesn't promise to shine on Saturday.. there will be plenty to brighten up the place with a host of fabulous vintage stalls all offering some tempting vintage bargains.. So please come along if you can ... and when you have finished shopping.. take time to walk around this lovely village and maybe you will understand why my heart is firmly rooted here now.

Come hell or high water ....

Despite a prediction of climatic gloom delivered by the nice weather man on television last night.. the show will most definitely go on! Tomorrow we will be piling the tables with vintage goodies at the Rangeworthy Village Hall and welcoming visitors from 10.00 a.m until 1.30 p.m.
Put on your thermals and come out for a nice cuppa and slice of something delish and a good rummage amongst mountains of vintage jumble wares. Something to  warm your cockles this chilly weekend!

A Spring in the step....

Another grey and distinctly damp day has dawned again and all thoughts of dusting off the deck chairs or  wielding a trowel in the garden, still seem a long way off ..

This winter has been a long dark haul and I for one, will welcome warmer brighter days and some splash of colour in the garden, to brighten the scorched earth look of our patch. There are some signs that the seasons are willing to move on, with the discovery of some very pretty Hellebores and Primroses and the dark jewel like flowers of the Crocus.

When we moved to this house last June, the Spring flowers had long faded and we were left with a wall of green.. mostly shrubs..which we ruthlessly dispatched to the great compost heap in the sky.
  I was keen to unveil the beautiful stone walls that surround our small garden and provide a wonderful stage for some good old fashioned favourites... climbing roses, Clematis, Honeysuckle and anything else that I can persuade to grow vertically that can earn it's keep with some pretty blooms.

As the summer never really got off to a good start.. or any start at all come to think of it, I have not had the pleasure of seeing our new garden in full bloom.

Climbing roses were purchased and placed at the foot of a long dead apple tree, along with a Clematis Montana. A climbing rose which promised blousy fragrant blooms, was placed against a stretch of bare wall and fingers were kept firmly crossed for a swan song of flowers at the end of the summer.

 Sadly after weeks of persistent rain.. any blooms that were brave enough to open, were soon drenched and bedraggled. This year I hope we will be rewarded with not only a swathe of fragrant flowers but also some warm sunny days to sit in the garden and take time to smell the roses!
I am afraid you will have to make do with last year's pictures when the garden still showed some signs of life and new plants had been planted with hope in my heart that they would flourish.

Now as the Easter weekend approaches and some of you may have the urge to purge... Spring cleaning will start in earnest. We at The Vintage & Handmade H.Q.. have been having a bit of a sort out and will be taking our vintage chattels down to Rangeworthy village hall on Saturday 23rd March for another popular vintage Jumble Sale.. If you thought the Six Nations Rugby tournament had the best scrums.. just wait until you see the action at the jumble.  Hope to see you there for a good old rummage!

Happy Mother's Day

Anne - Marie Lobert

To all mothers everywhere.. and absent ones too...
 Wishing you all a very
Happy Mother's Day.

The Vintage & Handmade Texile Fair

Now hear this ... now hear this...
On Saturday 23rd February 2013 at 10..00 a.m sharp.. the doors of Chipping Sodbury town hall will open once again to The Vintage & Handmade Textile Fair for another jolly jamboree of fine vintage and handcrafted wares. Tables will be piled high with a colourful and mind boggling collection of vintage Hungarian linens from Beyond France, pretty and practical haberdashery from Donna Flower, funky silver jewellery from Hazel Sutton, beautiful hand-bound books from Mud Rabbit, finest antique textiles from The Washerwoman, Sallie Eade and Geraldine Shepherd and many many more wonderful stalls. There will be oodles of quality vintage merchandise all comfortably housed in this attractive venue. Do come along if you can and join the happy throng.. and take the weight off your feet and purse with lashings of tea and yummy cakes all provided by the wonderful W.I ladies.  Doors close at 3.00 p.m Be there... or be forever wishing you had!

Snow snow quick quick snow...

I have just turned my head to glance out of the window.. and lo.. it is snowing again.. and don't we just love it.. well yes we do!!

Last Thursday night after retiring for bed with a head full of weather reports.. I slept fitfully.. as a child would on Christmas Eve anticipating the excitement of the morning ahead. Some time around 3.a.m I dreamt that I woke up to a grey city with rain soaked pavements.. and feeling some relief that it was only a dream.. I peeked through the curtains, only to be bitterly disappointed that the landscape looked pretty much the same as the night before.. i.e No snow!
At 8.00 a.m I was delighted to wake to a pristine scene outside.. Snow.. and lots of it!

For Minnie, the experience of snow was nothing short of hilarious to witness.. the snuffling, snorting and romping in the snowy wasteland of the hills around our home kept us all amused and delighted.

I am sure this talk of weather is all a bit passe now.. but we at Cowboys & Custard just love the stuff... well most of us... at least.

 Looks like the fun will be here for a few more days as the flakes continue to fall..

Happy New Year to all..

Before we turn our backs on this year.. may we reflect on all the good times that 2012 brought to us.. and may the bad times become a distant memory.
Wishing all of my blog followers, friends, family and four legged friends.. the best of times in 2013!

With love

Michele xx

It's beginning to feel a lot like......

Well here we are again on the eve of Christmas and I can hardly believe a year has passed since the last Christmas eve.. and oh what a year it has been!
We had earmarked just the right spot for the Christmas tree to stand, down to the last bauble  .. but then the arrival of our four legged friend somewhat scuppered our plans as to have a tree with all of the trimmings...

1 playful cat + 1 delinquent puppy + Christmas tree + fairy lights  = Disaster!

 

So we have had to compromise with other sparkly decorations hung around the place and everything vaguely chewable, elevated to new heights!

With the fire lit.. the mince pies warming in the oven and tummies rumbling.. we are ready to welcome another Christmas day!

 From all of the 'Custards' and Mr Pickles and Minnie the Minx.. we would like to wish you all a
very  
         very
                                        Happy Christmas and a very good year to follow.
                                            
                                             Wishing you warmest wishes of the season.

 Have a wonderful time!

Never work with Children and Animals .. part II

The last four weeks have been a steep learning curve for our family.. and may I say.. our long suffering Mr Pickles. Minnie the Minx has got all of her four paws firmly under the table and has transformed our every day lives as we once knew them.   If Minnie is not busy chewing an illicit toilet roll.. she is chewing an illicit vintage teddy bear snuck from my office, or chasing a weary cat around the house or barking at the hoover for having the audacity to make a louder noise than herself. Minnie is certainly not a mouse.. and it has to be said.. she is a small dog with a whole of lot of attitude and a massive character.

    A Moment's Peace

 
Whilst juggling card orders in the run up to Christmas and trying to craft some festive sparklies for The Vintage & Handmade Fair I have been  attempting to keep some kind of order and equilibrium with our dear little girl .. no easy task. Every box of vintage fayre destined for next Saturday's fair, has been elevated to a safe shelf or table where Minnie can't get her muddy little paws on them.. It has been a lesson in patience, cunning and persistence as we are both as stubborn as each other when it comes to staking  a claim to a vintage toy.
I hope that all will be safely packed and priced and ready to take to the fair by Saturday 1st and if Minnie isn't careful.. she will be the fairy on top of the tree at Chipping Sodbury Town Hall next weekend.

If you want to find that extra special vintage or handmade gift for this Christmas.. for your loved ones or just yourself then put on your warm hat and coat and come along to our Christmas Fair and get into the Christmas spirit next Saturday.

Never work with Animals or Children....

 

Take 1

 

Take 2

Take 3

The Vintage & Handmade Winter Jumble Sale

Rangeworthy Village Hall

Saturday 3rd November

10.30 a.m - 2.00 p.m

Free Admission

Teas and Cakes from Rangeworthy W.I

Puppy not for sale!

Minnie the Moocher

There is a song being sung at every available opportunity, in our household. Call it a kind of fanfare for the expected arrival of our fine furry friend.. Minnie the Moocher. It is impossible not to think up a host of nicknames for this beautiful little girl who will be coming to live with us in just over a week's time. Minnie the Minx, Minnie Moo.. Minnie Ha Ha.. Minnie the Moocher.. and there will be many more names in time.

Pickles the cat has his own set of names for his imminent sibling.. but probably not wise to mention them on this blog. He is mightily unimpressed by the arrival of a dog bed, crate and a new set of toys that have little cat appeal. I mean... what good is a tennis ball and a chew rope!

 Minnie is now seven weeks old and we have been very fortunate indeed to have known her from 10 days of age when she hadn't yet opened her eyes or even barely resembled a Border Terrier.

So here is our gal.. full of fun and mischief and already loved so much!

Notes from a Country Convert....

After moving out to the wilds of Wiltshire, nearly three months ago now.. I have fallen head over heels in love with our new life amongst the leafy lanes and pastures that surround our home. It didn't take long to become bewitched by the rural treasures on our doorstep and after investing in some rather stout footwear and much needed wellies.. we soon settled in to a daily routine of walks.

On leaving the house we have to decide on a left or right turn..

The left, taking us up a hill into woodland just a few minutes from our door.. and further on to lofty fields that gaze down on village life...


 The right turn takes us down to the Bybrook and fields where we have gathered new friends along the way.. Margot the solitary Swan and Henry the Heron who we often see fishing for frogs in the marshy fringes of the fields.

The greatest thrill for me is discovering the Kingfishers that flash like neon darts along the mill stream.. Such a treat to see these dazzling little birds.. and miraculously I managed to spy one sitting on a water duct pipe.. and with hands shaking I took this blurry photo. It looks all the better if you squint at it...

It had been our dream for at least ten years to move to a quieter world.. a less frenetic pace and a place to watch the seasons change before our eyes..and we have surely found it in this beautiful corner of Wiltshire.


Instead of the traffic drone from city streets at night, we now have an owl that sits in the tree opposite and actually says.. To wit, to whoo... Something I always thought of as some kind of pastoral myth. The hedgerows are ripe with Elderberries and Blackberries and foraging has started in earnest.. with our freezer slowly filling with berries ready for a spot of jam making.

The garden has had a bit of a makeover with cottage garden plants replacing the shrubs we inherited which hid this beautiful stone wall..

The climbing rose has already romped up the old dead apple tree, closely followed by a Clematis Montana..

 I can't wait to see the plants burst into life in the Spring and fill up the gaps.. with a whole host of Narcissi, Tulips and Alliums which have recently been planted.

Life is good.. life is rich and there is so much more to look forward to.. Christmas for a start! Sorry to mention the C word so early.. but one has to think about where the Christmas tree is going to stand this year. Isn't that one of the first things people think of when buying a new home?

There is something even more exciting on the horizon.. something with four legs and a little wet nose.. Next month we will be welcoming a new member to our family and I will be busy refereeing a very disgruntled cat with the arrival of a Border Terrier puppy called Minnie... She is only three weeks old so has a lot of growing to do before we can bring her home where we hope to have primed Pickles the cat in how to get along with a new sibling!

 Life will never be the same again .. but it will be better and we hope to be fitter with even more reason to go walkies!

  The summer was eventful to say the least.. with a house move.. a visit to the wonderful Homespun Fair down in Portscatho, where old friends and new friends mingled amongst a host of vintage treasures. Hello Mandy if you are reading this.. It was lovely to meet you at the fair.

Then we had The Vintage & Handmade Jumble sale in Rangeworthy.. a popular event with bargains galore to be found. On September 2nd The annual Biddestone Boules tournament was a date firmly etched on the calendar and in true Gallic style, team Cowboys & Custard embraced the bonhomie of the games and had a wonderful day.. lobbing boules.

 I am beginning to feel a shift in the gears even though the season is slowing down for hibernation time.. This move to village life has given my creative flow a good kick where it was badly needed.. and I have recently revived my bookbinding skills to make a collection of books.. ready for The Vintage & Handmade Textile fair  next week.

It should be a wonderful day .. one I am very much looking forward to with new and old friends gathering to showcase their fabulous talents and vintage wares amongst 40 stalls.
Do come along if you can.. Chipping Sodbury Town Hall.. Saturday 29th September 10.00 a.m - 4.00 p.m.. Hope to see you there!

P.s Thank you for all of your warm and friendly comments on my previous post.. They were greatly appreciated!