Sunday, October 20, 2013

Steptoe & Co

Good afternoon dear friends & readers,

While I am more than happy to be called "Mrs Steptoe" & to cart home everybodies throw-out junk  "treasures",
I realised that the section was beginning to look a little like Steptoes Yard


It was time for a sort-out & a clean-up after the winter . . .
plus I have a group wanting to eat their lunch on my deck tomorrow, so I needed to use some elbow grease  :-)


The birds really like my candlelabra for perching on ... but they insist on leaving me little "calling cards" on the table underneath


A quick trip to Cambridge to this lovely store here acquired me 2 nice lengths of Oilcloth to freshen the area up a little

Even the fat fluffys old kennel got a scrub-up & a nice dotty piece for the top

Leeanne do you recognise the wire basket??

The fluffies "house" is a great height if I need to use the hot water Urn for my groups - plus I dont want to get rid of it in case one day another fat fluffy decides to come & live with us 



The Mr tells me "its all very well you collecting all this derelict old stuff but you need to keep it in good condition too - this place is looking more & more like Steptoes yard!!!"



The day I decided to scrub & clean everything I had 6 lots of customers (this is a busy day for me) ...
One lady walked up the driveway & announced "Oh you have a garden full of weeds you realise" 
 "Um, sorry ???" I asked her



"Oh all these grannys bonnets, & foxgloves & poppies ... you realise they are just weeds ... they will self sow everywhere & you wont be able to get rid of them!!!"
"Um, actually I quite like them & often plant them out" I explained
"well you will be sorry mark my words ... anything that self sows into my vege garden is a weed as far as I'm concerned ... even those poppies you've got there..."
She cant mean my beautiful poppies - surely NOT??


"Um I actually planted those poppies myself,  but thankyou for your advice" now buggar off!!!   (sorry I didnt actually say that - but I did think it)

The Mr tells me when I scrub the house I look like a Homeless person who has been caught in a shower of rain (I get more water on me than the actual house) - I think the customers that came thought I was the hired help
Shane these are some of the seeds I have sent you  :-)
My little witchey was looking tatty, so she got a coat of Hot Chilli Paint
Beautiful speckled foxglove .... I sure HOPE these "weeds" self sow everywhere in my garden !!!!


I have been dehydrating oranges from our tree to make my citrus potpourri - the house always smells lovely when I do this job


When dried (this takes 8 - 9 hours) I sit them on cane trays, in my hotwater cupboard for a few days to finish them off ... then I make up my next batch of potpourri


Lean in close & take a really big sniff  

All year round, like a squirrel, I gather bits & pieces to make this up

Some of the wooden bits I was working on last post have been finished  


a rather tatty looking wooden stool/table got a revamp  . . . 


This little 50c Op Shop tray (below)

The wooden basket is still a work-in-progress

turned out rather lovely I thought


And continuing on with my bathroom "budget-makeover" I found an old wooden shelf in the woodshed which I gave a rough coat of paint & a rough sand back ... I wanted a really rustic effect


which I think I acheived 
(incidently the Mr asked me "when are you going to finish off that shelf in the bathroom, its looking a bit rough ??!!!")


Yep, rough . . .  just the way I wanted it  :-)



Well folks best I get "on my bike" & finish some more chores,
I hope the coming week brings you crafty ways & happy days,
and watch out for those "weeds" out & about on your travels  :-)
thanks so much for stopping by,
much love/hugs/friendship,
Julie 

16 comments:

  1. Where to start? As usual everything is lovely in your post! I can't believe someone would make such comments about your garden and choice of plants! I agree with you and love it when grannies bonnets and foxglove self seed. Thanks for the link for the oilcloth, do you think it would be a good choice of fabric to makeover a piano stool? Everything is wonderful, I love the shelf, the tray, the potpourri .... hugs Wendy xx

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  2. The nerve of that lady! I love poppies and if they sow themselves that's a bonus! I like the pink fabric you have on your outdoor pillows! So pretty!

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  3. Hello dear Julie
    Oh yes I lOve the colours of your Grannys - I LOVE weeds too.
    Julie there are heaps more "Note Card" to be printed off from this post.
    Your O poppies are so advanced - you must have a nice micro climate in your garden.
    I'm sure I can smell your oranges from here - they look wonderful too.
    I'm going to try and get down to meet you one day and see all your gorgeous creations!
    hugs
    Shane

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  4. You've been busy, especailly love the shelf and it's inhabitants. Jacqui x

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    1. Hi Jacqui, I am not able to comment on your blog posts as I am not with google+. Thanks so much for stopping by & leaving me a comment. I love all the felting that you have been working on ... your bags are just stunning. Have a great week, Hugs, Julie x0x

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  5. Geezeeee, some people! so rude & what the heck does she know anyway! I love your 'weeds', they look way better than my ACTUAL weeds!
    Mr.......the shelf is just perfect. I'm sure your next group will enjoy your spruced up seating area, plus you will be expecting them, so you won't look like a homeless drowned person :-)
    Oh dear I need another visit for more lovely treasures......I think I am addicted to your shop! perhaps there will be a group developed for the likes of me called " TBCA" ~ Threadbear Cottage Anonymous.

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  6. I so look forward to your posts - I have never seen a white foxglove, yours are really lovely. Isn't it funny how so many disregard 'weeds' until they become a rare sight (like cornflower,cowslip and snakeshead fratileries growing wild in the UK), then they are suddenly to be admired and treasured, protected by local councils (no digging up or picking) and their locations kept secret so nobody gets to enjoy them! I like your distressed look paintwork - the men here don't appreciate it unfortunately or I would have a lot!

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  7. OOO...I want to get in there and have a nose...love to visit your shop, can we have a virtual tour one day? Harold and Albert would be proud of your yard...the pram planter and singer table are my favourites. Happy weekend. xx

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  8. Hehe I love your weeds Julie!! And your Steptoe collection is splendid, even if it is a little rough around the edges!! I'm desperately trying to encourage my Granny Bonnets to selfseed, we had beautiful ones in Cambridge and I suddenly realised last year what my garden was missing. Cant wait for all the different colours that will appear!! Great to hear the spring weather is bringing in the customers... you'll be able to do some more crafting!! I didn't need to sniff the computer, I popped over to my 'sideboard' and sniffed my own special-Julie-pot-pourri mix!

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  9. Oh if only..all the lily of the valley, granny bonnets, foxgloves & poppies would grow like weeds in my garden!! Then I would be in heaven! Clearly, quite a number of people don't live in heaven! Are garden fairies allowed to have small nasty inclinations? I'd like to hide in the bushes & prick the rude people with rose prickles & see how they like it!
    I cannot believe what you did to that ghastly old tray..such a transformation...& the stool/table & the shelf wow (love the shelf!)
    It's most fortunate that you have such a wide verandah for all that junk isn't it ; ) So well put together. I do find it takes an awful lot of work to keep it all clean & tidy though eh...there's enough dust inside my house let alone on the porches where all the birch bits deposited themselves this past week! That is the dearest little pram. I always sigh when I see it..perfect with the red geraniums in it.
    Very handy having Cambridge so close..for the oil cloth & such like..shame about their website..it's so sort of measly it rather puts me off ordering anything, otherwise I think I might have ordered some of your pretty green long ago.
    Everything is looking so pretty at Threadbear Cottage.
    Much love for a happy, friendly week. Catherine x0x0x

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  10. Hello Julie,

    Oh I have poppies in the potato patch, what am I supposed to do???? Seriously some people, should keep their moths closed more often when out!!!

    Love how you have described your week in this post. You make my day. Julie you do realise you inspire a lot of people to take up Steptoe's lifestyle, I remember watching that show many years ago. It always made me laugh, I think it was in black and white.

    Happy days and happy re-creating.
    Bev.

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  11. Dear Julie, oh how I had a good laugh at your weird visitor thinking you had weeds in your garden. My goodness where's she been. Gosh really, how ---- can one be. I adore those flowers and would nurture them year to year. Love what you finished up with on "fluffie's" kennel.I could smell that wonderful citrus potpourri. Loving all your things you have made. Have to visit again. Hugs Shirley

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  12. Hello Julie. I always enjoy your posts, your decking looks perfect and so do the weeds;oD I can't understand that women my garden is full of weeds too, granny bonnets and foxgloves!!! I wouldn't have it any other way... Ooh Can I put an order in for some more pot pourri?

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  13. omgoodness some people are so rude and clueless....your garden looks devine.

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    1. Hello Caroline, thanks so much for popping by :-) Yes my garden is definately a spring garden & is really coming to life now. Its amazing the things people think they can just say to you isnt it. Happy week Caroline x0x

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  14. What a blooming' cheek! I'd have struggled to serve tea with a smile after that.... I also love and hope for the self seeding, and your garden is absolutely beautiful xXx as is that rough old shelf. And the pram planter. And this post xXx

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