July...ing

Hello lovely people. It has been end of term busy here with my little one leaving Primary School and my big girl hoping to be sent home from school to self-isolate! Her year group was the only one left by Friday so school closed early for the summer. She has home learning today. My post is a little later than normal but I had a few moments to share this weekend which I was waiting for...

Attending - my nephews wedding. It was such a hot day this weekend but we had such a wonderful time. The wedding was in an open sided barn to enable the wedding to take place. My girls and I are all handmade...of course. I ended up wearing an old favourite because I didn't fancy wearing my intended dress: a polyester, Audrey-Hepburn- Collared number with long sleeves on such a hot day. This cotton vintage one was just right.

Loving - watching the bride and her father with their band playing the opening music for the night. Soooo rock and roll. The female drummer, a bridesmaid, was the most sensational lead vocalist singing rock from her heart while thrashing out the drums. I sat next to my teary nephew as he cried through the opening song: proud as punch he was.

Making - hay while the sun shines. Andy left the wedding early to turn his hay and have a clear head for baling it the following morning. Our first cut at the The Croft.

Baking - a Guiness and gingerbread cake substituting the Guiness for this can of stout. It came in a beer box but neither of us liked the fudgy beer taste but you know me, I wasn't going to waste it so it went into this moreish cake.

Buying - the most stylish teapot. I have wanted a good teapot for loose leaf tea for ages and this one was a real treat. The perforated cylinder in the centre holds the tea.

Creating - some floral bedding displays for my father-in-law's tractor stand at a local show.

Cooling - ourselves down with a toe dip in a local ford one mile from our house. It is our favourite quiet spot for an evening walk. Our other new favourite place is our neighbour's pool for an evening dip.

Organising - my tomatoes, gherkins and cucamelons. They have become rampant and need constant care, water and tying.

Making - a pair of comfy stretch summer trousers called the Luna pants. It is an expensive pattern for one item of clothing but both Heidi and I have a pair now and I would like to make a viscose pair later in the year. Meg has her eye on them too but she hasn't hit the first size yet.

Working - on creating a video tutorial for making a belt.

Adding - to my visibly repaired jeans. I had been avoiding this area for ages. I mean how can you patch that area stylishly? It turns out you can't so I just went for it before an actual hole appeared making it more tricky. I will keep you in suspense with a photo because it is just too hot to put my jeans on!

Admiring - the view. It is of course an ...ing post therefore I hope you can join me in admiring the view. We can see right to the back of Long Mountain in Wales at this time of year.

Stay cool, stay safe and see you soon.

Jo xxx