Angel Jem's City Cottage

When I got home from a busy day at school last week, I found this waiting on the doorstep. It took me by surprise. I hadn't ordered anything; definitely nothing from America where the label came from. Then I read the customs declaration; Tea, chocolate, notecards, notebook. The tea swap !  Inspired by a post on my happiness blog, Happy Angel , Lucy in the Sky   suggested a tea swap! I haven't got moving on my parcels yet.... there is no time limit, so I don't feel guilty. But somebody obviously has got organised!  I love the look of the cinnamon tea! I really love Chai tea so I'm hoping this is something similar... guess I'll find out!  Chocolate with sea salt is my guilty pleasure, two squares a day eaten slowly with a warm tea. A little decadence every day.  Mmm! Lip salve from Burt's Bees. Love it. And stickers, notecard and a lovely green notebook. How pretty and how useful! Thank you very much to Jan of Softies Place. S...

I need to post this. I signed on at Shropshire Girl over (well over) a week ago, then had Liverpool's 800th to celebrate, and a whole host of other goings on so forgot to honour the next part of the agreement; I have to offer the same thing. So here it is (copied from Alison, who copied from Tracy....) ; I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week… LOL… but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog. Ok, peeps, the chase is on. I am offering three hand-painted boxes, subject indefinite but probably winter themed because I like painting houses in the snow. Think Mary Engelbreit and you have my style so..... ready, steady.... go! Who wants them?

Following on from being bkmads, here are the bookmarks that got sent out as a result of the bookmark swap I organised during April. Six people took part, Wendy , Alison, Sarah , Susan , Gill and me and we had an agreement; make at least one bookmark for the next person on the list and keep working your way down the list if you like/ feel able/ haven't anything better to do. These ladies all have better things to do, but they are little gems! So, here is my haul! Wendy made a monochromatic parallellogram (spot the teacher) which, I think, will grace the book in my ensuite, if you don't mind, Wendy. It is Sarah Ban Breathnach's 'Romancing the Ordinary', so that's quite classy, isn't it? Gill's Rosy dream has to go in the book in my new bag (currently 'The Memorykeepers Daughter' by Kim Edwards. Jodie Picoult recommended it on the cover & I like her work.) This is my waiting book, so it can take me a while to finish & get to go everywhere...

Ok, this post has nothing to do with May or clouts and south of Stoke all sorts of people are wondering what a clout is anyway, but it struck me today as I put on a thin stringed vest top that I had, indeed, cast my clouts and that I wasn't sure whether May the month or the bush had been out or whether taking ancient Aunt May (she's one of those whiskery old relations that everyone has) out counted. Let's hope the good weather continues for the next few months and that the summer isn't burnt out by 15th July and rain descends for the summer holidays. (You know it always happens that way, don't you?) Although, as my husband says, if this is global warming, why would anyone in Britain worry? Cafe society here we come! (That is not my opinion, I think we should worry about the polar bears. Perhaps a good hairdresser could volunteer to go and cut their hair so they don't get too hot. Someone like Herbert Howe , perhaps?) OK, after that little detour, here is my litt...

I'm glad to say the bookmark swap is going just fine... all will be revealed next Monday when it's Shakespeare's Birthday & I can post the 2 beautiful bookmarks I've received... for the lucky recipient awaiting my bookmark... it is coming, but, like a slow train, I'm always slightly late....

With apologies to Mia, Anita, Henny and Monique here at last are the hearts from my first swap!!! Anita's hearts all feature the word 'nostalgia' and a picture of the cutest little girl. It's pinks and peaches and very soft-toned. Mia's heart is patchworked on both sides and in beautiful vintage/vintage-style fabrics in beige-peach-cream with a simple satin ribbon loop. Monique an d Henny's hearts were almost twins. Moniques has lovely lace and beadwork on it with a button and lace loop. It's backed with a small blue sprigged flower fabric. and Henny's is blue and green with the embroidery thread in blue and white beads sewn on to look like flowers. Mine were red gingham with felt applique. I have a very bright image of nostalgia. I don't do sepia photos either. Sorry. And also today.... I got a parcel! From that Nice Mr Amazon. He really likes me because he always brings me things (usually after pay-day) and today he brought me; I haven't ev...

And somedays there just isn't any time to say it. I love reading blogs and have a list of at least 20 that I read when I have an hour or two free. My sidebar has several of my favourites, but is no where near extensive enough. I keep sliding another one into my favourites list. The down side of reading other folk's stuff is that when I'm reading I'm not writing or crafting or cleaning...... or doing anything else. Can I waste too much time on blog reading? I like to read them, I love to know what's happening and to see how the same and similar things float around for as while til the next fresh inspiration hits. I love how granny squares are every where at the moment, and yes, I have my squares growing steadily. I love how snow gets sprinkled every where when it snows and flowers bloom by common consent when it's spring. I love how someone makes something which inspires someone else and then on to someone else. I love how it's like a group of schoolfriends, ...

I have 4 beautiful hearts which I must show you that come from my heart swap partners. This was organised by Anita of My Country Cottage Garden in Germany and involved people from Finland, Austria, the Netherlands and Norway. I'm sorry, Ladies, I haven't posted my hearts yet, I haven't had a chance to.... but they will be here tomorrow.