with a heavy heart...

The evening after I posted my blog entry, last Thursday, our beautiful Poppy passed away very suddenly. She had been suffering from what the vet believed was a tummy bug, her last week was full of antibiotics and cuddles.
She had been on the mend. But on Thursday night her little body gave out without any warning.
We are utterly heart broken.
We laid her to rest under a large oak tree yesterday. The Kelsall Plant Nursery is giving me a very special mix of poppy seeds which I will be planting under Poppy's tree as well as scattering all over the village so that bright joyful flowers pop up everywhere.
She came into our family in my arms and left the same way. She was wrapped in my hoodie, one of her favorite places to be. It wasn't possible for us to have loved her any more. We absolutely adored that little pig. She gave us nearly 2 years of joy and love and laughter, so much laughter. It is her second birthday tomorrow.
Each day is a little easier.

I had no idea it would be so painful to lose a pet, she was more my furry-spiky baby than a pet, I miss her terribly.
As I've shared stories about Poppy and now Daisy here I wanted to share this with you as well.

mummy's girl.

so content in her Da's arms.

the day she came home with us x

Mummy & Da love you so much Baby Girl. You stole our hearts.

introducing DAISY!

{omg! look at her cute little lips!}

Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do,

I'm half crazy all for the love of you.

It won't be a stylish marriage -

I can't afford a carriage,

But you'd look sweet upon the seat

Of a bicycle built for two.

Everyone who meets our Daisy sings that song! 

Hewo! Our very own Easter Bunny!

Daisy is 5 years old! She's a Lionhead rabbit with otter markings that's why she has that cute little moustache! And you can't see it but she has a white tail and stockings! She is very pretty and very much a lady. Her fave foods are carrots {obviously!}, cabbage, broccoli and her very fave is plums!

Daisy's favorite game is "the skeleton game"...which sounds completely insane I know...it's really not that weird. It's basically Daisy hiding under her blanket and licking it....but because she smooshes her fluffy hair down when she's doing it she looks like the skeleton of a rabbit...under....a blanket....? Daisy is doing lots of stuff for the first time! She was living in a teeny tiny cage in a metal shed in wales when we met her whilst picking up a rabbit for Jayne. The breeder who'd kept these rabbits was getting rid of them because he'd decided to start breeding quail - so the bunnies had to go! They didn't have any toys or room to exercise in :( After we'd collected Jayne's bunny, now called Jezebel, we knew we couldn't leave the others in that place. It took quite a while to convince Mr Woo that we should adopt a second furkid. He wasn't especially enthused. He changed his mind and let me plod back to North Wales to snatch up another bunny. When I was there the time before to collect Jezebel with Jayne there was a bunny in a tiny cage by the door of the shed who seemed quite interested in us, I asked the man to keep that bunny for me. Just before we'd arrived another person had been to collect a brown bunny so that only left the black ball of fuzz - and she was mine! Like with Poppy we'd selected her name before she came home - so as soon as he handed her over I told Daisy she finally had a name and that we loved her already! How could we not!?! Check out that nose and those lips! Heaven!

 After the long ride home sitting in my lap Daisy came to her new home! It took a few days before she realised she could get out of her cage and she was allowed to roam around. She'll venture out into the hallway now and stick her nose into the other bedroom, and for a bunny who'd never been allowed out of her little box that's pretty darn brave!

Here's Daisy having a lay down in her new large cage on her second day with us...before she figured out she didn't have to stay in there! She already thought this new roomy place is something I could get used to! Don't you just love her cute duck hieney!

 Here's an action shot of Daisy being tough! 

Hewo.

you've got a little something....just....there.....

So Poppy has a little/big/little sister. Daisy is a little bit scared of Poppy. But not Poppy she just marches right up to Daisy hand has a sniff! When she's done that she climbs into Daisy's bag of hay...so we've given Poppy her own hay now. *sigh* I'm in fur-kid heaven x

Jumble Sale Treasures!

I've scored again at the annual Clatterbridge Jumble Sale at the Kelsall Community Centre! Woo Hoo!

The teacup on top of my tower of treasures is from the last jumble sale, but I just had to show you one of my most fave things in my home! There is a beautiful cake plate that goes with the teacup they cost £1! The doily's vintage and from a craft fair! All except the big one which was given to me by Jaynie! Her grandmother made it years ago! That gorgeous ring is from The Hen's Army!

The green just does NOT photo true! This is the closest I could get! But isn't it a fab vintage plant pot! 

Another of my absolute faves! And another sweet gift from my bestest pal/other mother Jayne! I'm really into lidded pots right now...and isn't the color just divine! 

I've got to find the perfect frame for this print! A gift from Damn French Desserts! They were one of the Fabulous Friend's featured here in February. Thanks ladies! You're so talented and so sweet!!!! I can't even tell you how touched I am to recieve a peice of your work!

This has to be my favorite spot in our home. The sideboard belonged to a couple who were married in 1946. We also have their 3 peice living room suite and the ladies dressing table. They're the Utility make. I just love them all! The typewriter and sewing machine {which both work and I use!} were from the first Clatterbridge jumble sale and Auction! I got them both for £15!

sweet green pots! There are 3 but I was using one!

A "Miss" Lady plate. I've got another "Dainty Miss" plate and a few other lovey ladies too!

 I've got a little thistle sugar bowl too...from a previous jumble sale!

I wasn't going to be able to resist forever!

sorry about the glare! Mr Woo was not a fan....until it was on the wall anyhow!

Well.....I am over the moon to say the least!

In total I spent £6! Can you believe it?!!!!! 

Now it's your turn to show & tell about your treasures!

Buttons! Buttons! Everywhere! and they're eat-able!

BUTTON COOKIES! THANK YOU S&M!

Sugar & Meringue have a sugar cookie recipe and a downloadable button card! I'm not sure I'll be able to stand the extremely cute button lovin! I've just added S&M to my list of blogs I follow - her site is the type of place I can get lost for hours!

Do you remember the other button cookies? They were so gorgeous! Then there were the button chocolates....

There are more!

Sugar buttons from Layer Cake Shop

more sugar buttons from Fancy Flours

button birthday cake by Jen-Jen

button wedding cake by Cake Dots

cute as a button cake by Mayflour Cakes

Button Cake vintage recipe by Betty Crocker

What is it about the humble button that is sooo appealing? Mr Woo and I were discussing it. Buttons are meant to be utilitarian, yet they've become treasures {to those of us who treasure them that is}. My love affair with buttons began a month or so before our wedding when I began making our wedding favours which were cashmere and lambs wool hearts with a linen tag embroidered with our names. I used vintage  buttons to attach the tags. That was all it took! I've been hooked every since! I've got an ever growing collection of tins full of vintage buttons!

You've gotta show me if you've got any special buttons or button related anything! I find joy in ooooing and ahhhing over other people's treasures too! Come on! Show and tell!

x

Busy Bees

Spring is coming! Soon those ole bumbley bees and hard working honey bees will be back out! I do love those HUGE bumble bees! They're so funny! I like their teeny tiny wings and their HOOGE bodies! I don't know if cuteoverload.com has ever featured bees, but bumble bees have some seriously cute tocks!

&

I am fascinated by the honey bee as the symbol of, well, being busy. Classically the symbol of industry and productivity. I'm also interested in the meaning to the woman of the past! 
I've found a load of great info on this blog, Early American Gardens--a museum in a blog

  Napoleon used the bee as a symbol of his empire after his coronation in 1804. It stood for industry, efficiency and productivity.

The humble little bee became part of Napoleon's Coat of Arms! 

The honey bee was so important in the colonial economy that in 1776, the new state of New Jersey printed its image on its currency. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the beehive became an icon in Freemasonry as a symbol of industry and cooperation.

The beeskep is one of the symbols of the state of Utah; because it was associated with the honey bee, an early symbol of Mormon pioneer industry and resourcefulness. The beehive remains part of today's Mormon culture.

Anyone who studied colonial America will know how difficult life was for the colonists. They had to work unbelievably hard just to stay alive. 

Early life in the American colonies was hard—everyone had to pitch in to produce the necessities of life.  There was little room for slackers; as John Smith decreed in the Virginia colony, “He who does not work, will not eat.” 

I didn't realise that men significantly outnumbered women in the colonies and sometimes women had to work twice as hard as she already did. If her husband became ill or died a woman had to step in to his role as well. She had her work at home but was also needed to do the same work as the men in order for everyone to survive.

 It is clear that separation of labor existed in the New World—women did traditional work generally associated with females {women had to sew, cook, take care of domestic animals, make many of the necessities used in the household such as soap, candles, clothing, and other necessities}. But because labor was so valuable in colonial America, many women were able to demonstrate their worth by pursuing positions such as midwives, merchants, printers, and even doctors.  In addition, because the survival of the family depended upon the contribution of every family member—including children, once they were old enough to work—women often had to step in to their husband’s roles in case of incapacitation from injury or illness.  Women were commonly able to contribute to the labor involved in farming by attending the births of livestock, driving plow horses, and so on.  [Women in Colonial America Copyright © 2007, Henry J. Sage]

Does anyone else feel incredibly lazy right now? Had I been a colonial woman I think I'd be looking for a mascot, something to encourage me on too. It's no wonder that women saw the honey bee as a beau ideal. Always hard at work so that all in the hive could survive. Serving the community not itself. Eventually everyday objects bore the symbol of hard work. Even the English city of Manchester uses the bee as a symbol of their industry....

I'm looking forward to seeing the little bees return this spring. I'll admire them and hope to be inspired. 

x