New Arrivals

So here's the chooks, these don't have names yet, these are the Light Sussex Bantams.




These are the two Buff Orpington's, they have names Whiskey and Honey, any guesses why?! They're a little camera shy ATM.




Their new house will be delivered Tuesday, I know their going to love it!

V x

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

So . . . .

Today's the day we collect our new chickens, I'm really nervous but I'm refusing to let the previous experience put me off.

The farms about an hour away from work and an hour and a half from home. I'll give you more details about the farm once we've been there.

The eglu's are clean, disinfected and ready to rock!

We've just got home from collecting the chickens and wow what an experience! We got home about half 9 :-S Put the chickens in the run, they obviously didn't get time to look around and they went to sleep outside :-( Luckily they're so friendly I just picked them up and popped them into bed. They're so friendly and gorgeous I really want to post some pictures but they're all tucked up now. First thing in the morning I promise! But for now after a days work and 3 hours in the car it time for me to hit the hay!

V x


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

:-(

I'm mega down in the dumps atm, I miss my chickens so much. So much that I keep buying chicken things!

Including a chicken house! As if the two I have are good enough! I suppose it's just guilt setting in but at least the girls I'm getting on Friday will have more room once I've had it delivered and I've treated the wood. This is it-




On Friday I'm picking up 2 young Buff Orpington's, they won't be this big yet but it won't be long -



And 3 Light Sussex Bantams, these girls have started laying already and they'll will look something like this-




Well time for work now :-/ have a great day

V x

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The Deed is Done

The girls have gone to chicken heaven. The only hick up was trying to catch the last bird!

They're all butchered now, ones in the freezer for a roast, I've filled the other two ready to have one tomorrow night and to give some to my wonderful father-in-law as a thank you.

The only picture I'm willing to show you is this one -


Feathers anyone?

I don't feel bad for doing it, I just feel depressed and I miss them!

Trying to take my mind of it I'm having a little papering session starting with my toes-


Love flip flop tan lines! I also painted my finger nails but cant see in the photo as is kinda a clear colour with gold flecks. Today on my paper list is shaping my eyebrows.

Yesterday I bought a couple of gorgeous vintage style key rings, for the keys we keep losing, I love them-


I also dug up my first lot of new potatoes, little beauties! -


Today I'm picking up Leo's new viv, my latest eBay bargain! I'll show you later. I'm also in some real need for crafting, I swear I'm having withdrawal symptoms!

V x

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Today's Objectives

Today's the day that I say goodbye to my chooks. I tried for the last 5 days to find them a new home, funnily enough no one wants them. So my father in laws coming around to slaughter them, then I'm going to pluck and gut them ready for eating. I would slaughter them myself but its not an area I have experience in and I don't wish them to suffer.

My hubby's been trying to talk me out of butchering them all week. He won't really tell me why but I think I've worked my charm to make him see how much of a waste of life it would be to just throw them away.

I may post some pictures of the process depending on how gory it all is.

Other than that I have to go to the Post Office and send loads of parcels. This week I finally got around to selling my left over Phoenix Trading cards etc on eBay, I was really surprised with how much money I made from splitting down the cards into different bundles. I also sold a bridesmaid dress that wasn't used in the end, some shoes that are still in their box, a few odd games and a hideous Laura Ashley Lamp that looks like a teapot - so someone must have loved it as it sold really well. This is it -


All in all 23 items sold and more money than I earn in week was made! Woo for eBay!

I'll keep you updated with saying good bye to my girls. :'-(

V x

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Sad Chicken Update

Sunday, after letting the chickens roam the garden day they put themselves to bed and Bottom chose to go in with the other girls. I let them into their run yesterday morning and all was fine. When I came home from work to let them out in the garden I found that Bottom has had all her gorgeous new feathers pulled out and she was bleeding. The last two months I've spend getting her into good shape with special vitamins etc is wasted. I'll never be able to put her back with the other two. Also Izzy has had loads of feathers pulled out from her crop no idea who's doing all this.

I can't sit there all day and watch them to see who's guilty so I'm calling it a day with them, my father-in-law is going to slaughter them for the pot. It's a hard call to make but they're not here for pets they're here for eggs which I'm really not getting after they've been eaten or now laid covered with blood from feather picking!

There's a little hope as someone from my work my give them a new home with her large flock.

I am going to start again with the whole chicken keeping though. I'm going to by some point of lay hens maybe some Buffs and also some Light Sussex Bantams for the other run. I'm really sad about the whole thing and feel like I've failed them.

:-(

V x


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Wonderful Weekend

What a wonderful weekend so far. Having a playful kitten around has really lightened the mood, we've not stopped laughing at her all weekend!




Yesterday we had some family over for coffee and cake - home made obviously. But I forgot to take a picture :-( it was a Victoria sponge with raspberry jam and whipped cream in the middle, served with homemade raspberry compote. It was lush!

My brother was here with his family, including gorgeous little Jazmine. It's hard to believe she's younger than our Sookie, she's 8 weeks old! Already smiling, holding herself upright!



Last night I thought I'd treat my chickens to some freedom and let them roam the garden without supervision. They loved every second of it, so I've decided that every evening when I come home from work I'll let them out to roam.



Every time I went into the garden they'd come running over to from the other side of the garden!

I found out yesterday that we've got our letting agent coming over on Monday to check that we've not destroyed the place and hopefully agree to leasing the house to us for anther 6 months.

The front gardens looking good put I've still got dome work to do, I'll give you an update next weekend.

That's all for now peeps.

V x

Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The Latest Edition to the Asbo Family

This is our new baby, she was previously called Penny Violet which so has to change! My hubby's chosen to name her Sookie, she's so gorgeous! She's 10 weeks old. She's been in our home for less than two hours, she's drunk, eaten, played, pooped and slept in that time!






She's got socks on all four feet, a white nose and a white belly.






She's so playful! Until she's too tired to even keeper eyes open!



After playing with her for a couple of hours I'm pooped!

V x


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Cupcakes Galore

This is the second time of writing this blog because this wonderful app crashed whilst posting this blog and deleted what I'd done! Woo

So last night and this morning was all about cupcakes! I made a total of 36, loads for work, some for my hubby and also some for my neighbour that caught wind of what I was making! I iced them all last night and did the finishing touches this morning as I had to wait for the sugar paste shapes to dry.




These are the ones I made for my neighbour -



And this load is for the people at work-



It's my first day back in my old department today, goodbye sales and hello customer complaints! :-/

I received a random phone call last night. My Mums friend got a kitten last week and apparently things aren't working out?! I'm not too sure how but she's asked if we would like to have her. So were going around tonight after Zumba to see her and we might well be coming home with a kitten :-D

Off to work now :-( I'll keep you updated on the kitten situation later.

V x

Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

So Day Number Two

I impressed myself last night by going home and cracking on with things in the garden, leaving Hubby to cook tea. Which is where he surprised me - the chilli was lush!

This morning went just as well as yesterday. I managed to stay out of bed after doing the chickens and hopped to it in the front garden! I've now stripped and dug the first flower bed at the front of the house (which is the biggest in the front garden) and yes a couple of cats did leave me little parcels last night. Grrrr.

Things are coming on great, I'm really excited. My hubby's not at lease pleased that I've told him we need to go to a plant nursery soon! His worst nightmare is garden centres! Haha.

It's obviously a good workout as I ache like anything today, mainly by bum from squatting whilst pulling plants up but also my back :-/

Tonight I'm having a bit of a break from gardening as I have to make some cupcakes for the guys at work as tomorrow is my last day in their department. I'll do a little blog about them either tonight or tomorrow. I've got to make them super cute as some of the girls at work a really girly! I've got a thing about butterflies at the moment so I might just have to include a few in the decorations.

I do however have to pick up all the plants that I dug up this morning, I've been bad and not tidied up after myself.

Again I had enough time to make lunch but this time I even cooked breakfast! We've got a mountain of eggs to get through, I used 6 for our breakfast and I've still got a dozen and a half left! I best get cooking!

Food wise this week I've been quite good, I'm not being super strict with myself as I am doing exercise and I need to be flexible because of my hubby. So my aim is to be super duper good through the day And a little relaxed in the evening.

I've looked into even more willow weaving courses it looks so nice! I've found a local course but the first Saturday date they have is in October :-s I don't know if I can wait that long? There's one which is a closer location and a near date but they're charging about £25 more for the course which is the same length of time! Unbelievable really. I'd love 1-2-1 tuition if any one knows a weaver?

Best get back work!

V x

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

First Morning Completed

As I promised myself when I got up to let the chickens out I stayed up and got busy in the garden. I've barley started and the green garden waste bin is already full to the brim! I've trimmed the big bush in front of our lounge window, the thorns on that thing are nasty! I've also started stripping and digging the roots out of the flower bed in front of the door. However I can guarantee when I get home there will be evidence of cats in the freshly dug soil!

I'm not going to post pictures every time I do something because that's just boring. Instead I'm going to tell you what I've done and show you a picture at the end of the week, a bit like a before and after.

Does anyone know where I can get hold of some natural wood chip?I need to rescue my lawn from the chickens so I'm going to keep them on wood chip but I can't seem to get hold of any! The garden centres around here only have bark chip which is toxic to chickens. The nearest B&Q that stocks it is 50 miles away. I've emailed local tree surgeons as other people suggested and they're not interested for some reason.

I impressed myself so much this morning, as well as gardening I also had time for breakfast and to make lunch. Not to mention its all healthy and diet friendly! Oooo yeah I'm good! Lol

I'm trying to plan what I'm going to do in the garden when I get home from work?!
I think I'll just carry along down the flower bed I started this morning and hopefully get that finished. However I will have to convince my Hubby to cook tea tonight :-/ could be interesting.

That's all for now :-D

V x

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Front & Back Garden 11.07.11

So......this is my rather neglected front garden before I've done any work to it this week :-S and yes I am ashamed.

The only thing I keep up with is mowing the lawn. Which I have to add is hard work and time consuming as I only have a wee push along lawn mower. Trying to be green, save a few pennies and get some exercise I've refused to buy an electric one.

I plan to pull up most of the flower beds as they're full of nasty ground cover. Any nice plants will be staying along with any big bushes. I'm not strong enough to get them out alone plus most of them are on the inventory!






It's boring, overgrown and so very dull! I'm looking to freshen it all up a little and get some colour in some how. The main thing that I think I'll struggle with is keeping the cats off as they seem to love freshly dug soil! Any chicken friendly solutions would be greatly received!

This is my back garden which isn't so important as the front because very few people get to see it. However I need to do it because it makes me depressed, having the space that I've craved for for years, but burying my head in the sand due to all the work it needs!












I know it's a shocking waste of glorious space! The truth is other than the age old excuse of being busy (in other words lazy) is that as we are only renting this place I don't want to spend time and money improving things to then be told we have to move out. Then my hard work will have gone to waste. Does that make any sense?

But I'm going to bite the bullet and get on with it, starting with the front garden closely followed by the back garden. Due to the size of the back garden though I will break it down into bite size chunks! I'm thinking of using bark chips and ground sheets (to stop the weeds) around the trees and bushes rather than filling in with hundreds of little plants like it is now. Keep things a little less cluttered and a bit more simple.

The hard work starts in the morning!

Any ideas and tips will be greatly received!

V x


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Test

Test for new blogger app please ignore

Good Morning Good Morning!! (well more like afternoon now)

It's a bright gorgeous morning here in Somerset and it's rubbed off on me in a good way. Despite waking up for work late and not having time to have breakfast or to make any lunch! I did manage to grab some Weight Watchers snacks from the cupboard before running out the door! I avoided McDonnalds when my hubby wanted to stop to grab some breakfast. I also declined half a bacon and sausage roll he ordered into work! So I'm very impressed with myself this IS going to be the start of a very good week. I'm only working 4 days this week as I had an odd days holiday that I needed to take. I've already dedicated Friday to a day crafting and gardening.

This is going to be one of my next projects -
http://www.craftaholicsanonymous.net/2011/03/vinyl-bird-canvas-quick-tutorial.html

However I'm not sure if I want to make it to go in our bedroom or my craft room? So I think I'm going to make it for the bedroom but if the colours not quite right I'll pop it in the craft room. It'll be along the same lines as this though not exactly the same. I'll obviously blog about it as I complete it.

Later tonight I'll pop some before pictures of my front and back garden on here so you can see my progress through the week! In the mornings before work I will be working hard in the garden. I really want to get it looking better by the weekend - not that anything important is happening at the weekend. I'm just planning to be a bit active in the mornings and the garden does need a bit if TLC.

I'm even more impressed with myself, we popped into town at lunch to grab some chicken feed and some lunch. I picked up a John West Light Lunch which is 6 points and a can of caffeine free Diet Coke which is zero points. But most importantly I resisted when I was offered to try some cheese on the deli! I'm such a sucker for cheese!

I forgot to tell you last weekend Amy an I popped out for a spot of shopping and lunch in Salisbury. We thought we'd give Wagamamas a try and I seriously wish I'd found them sooner, we both had a number 42 which was some kinda noodles and it seriously rocked! Next time I go I'll take more notice of what the dish was called and take a photo for you.

Thursday is my last day in Sales then I'm back up in Operations Monday so I'll also be baking some lush lill cupcakes to take in.

Thats all for now lovers!

V x

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

What a week

Well it's been an odd kinda week. Our guests are still here but being more lovely and helpful that ever. My work has told me that they want me to move back to my old department and I'm not too are how to take it. But it means no more 6 day weeks and 1 day weekends which will be lush. So I'll get more time to craft, blog and look after our garden which is a right old mess! I'm thinking of all the positives about it because in a weeks time I'll be swamped by customer complaints! :-/

On the theme of positive thinking I love this saying by Buddha -

What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: Our life is the creation of our mind.

I've been looking into courses in willow weaving, it looks really rewarding and therapeutic. If anyone knows of someone local please let me know! I'm also looking at sugar craft course, I've found one online which is registered with City & Guilds. But I can't find any reviews for them it's www.sugarcraftonline.co.uk what do you all think?

That's all for now, catch you later!

V x

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Favourite Holiday Snaps

Good morning lovers!

Here's a few of my favourite photo's I took on holiday in Cornwall a couple of weeks ago-



This is St. Michael's Mount taken from Ding Dong Mine (no I didn't make that name up)!



This is Chun Quoit, I'm not too sure what it's meant for but it was very striking. It's hollow in the middle and if you were small enough you could get inside it!



This was some freaky 'wishing well' we stumbled across by the remains of an old chapel. There were various ribbons and strips of fabric hanging of the tree.



This was the best game in the world. It was in an arcade in St. Ives harbour, it was the funnest most violent game ever! If you see one of these Extreme Shock tables please play it!



This was the sun set one night from our camp site which was Trevedra Farm, Sennen Cove, Cornwall. This is the nicest campsite I've stayed in whilst in Cornwall.



Sennen Cove on a very hot, sunny day!

That's all for now.

V x

Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Big Update-Sorry Rather Late

Firstly I have to say our holiday was amazing, it was wet and windy! We had two wonderful hot sunny days which we spent chilling on the beach, body boarding and reading.




Other days -



The scenery was wonderful and we did loads of exploring of old engine houses, mines, iron age settlements and castles.







I have to say a huge thank you to Harry, my brother James and my Mum for looking after my chickens whilst we were away! I have to say what a cracking job they did, Bottom has never looked so good. She's got so many new feathers on her back now she's not getting pecked by the others -




Last week I decided to get my arse into gear and dye the laundry bin that I made a few weeks back here's the finished result, it suits our room so much better -




I also dyed the dress that I bought cheap on eBay, it was a cheap lace dress that was ivory in colour. I dyed it tropical green by Dylon and it turned out the same kind of colour as mint ice cream! Sounds odd but it's gorgeous! What do you think?



I will get a picture of me wearing this, it's super flattering my new favourite.

We've finally got a new addition tour family, his name is Leonidas. He's a two and half months old and a ver handsome chap he's a Hypo Leopard Gecko-




I think that's all for now folks, I promise I won't leave it so long next time ;-)

V x


Posted using BlogPress from my iPad