This weeks up cycle - cardigan lounge set for wee Bunny

This week has been the start of the real winter BRRRRRRRR'S, come 4:30pm the log burner is on at full blast and so are the cosy slacks.

For a while i've been searching for a super cosy, soft, quality and snuggly lounge set for the boys and especially little Arthur who has the most softest and sensitive skin, I did find a few, but I found was either £100 plus, utter dross or even worse, the unbreathable sweat inducing cheapo onsie's!

So I decided to make my own for them, starting today with a set for Bunny (Arthur). I found a wonderfuly soft and cosy cardigan in a charity shop, it was a ladies size 14, after a thorough launder  I rearranged the arms into trousers with an elastic waist and the front and back into a little cardigan with a blanket stitched neckline, hey presto Thursday's up cycle!

He seems to love it, I offered to change him for dinner and he point blank refused... so I'm guessing thumbs up all round!

I'm thinking of making a few more, starting with Archie's over the weekend, i have a super soft grey marl cashmere cardigan with his name written all over it!

Claire x

Visiting Padstow - Rick Stein's seafood restaurant and vintage treasure!

While on our travels in sunny Cornwall we took a day trip to Padstow, it was a little soggy but as always oh so worth it... if you ever get the chance to visit Padstow please please treat your self to a long lunch at Rick Stein's Seafood restaurant, i first visited The Seafood restaurant with my brother in-law a few years ago (he and i sharing a mutual love for seafood) we ordered 2 glasses of champagne and the "Fruits de mer", people around us sighed and "aaaaaaahed" thinking we where celebrating an engagement or anniversary...this was more then a little awkward seeing as i value him as close as a blood relative but it was worth the moment or two of blushing! Have you ever tasted the true taste of the ocean? A collection of freshly caught sea creatures arranged perfectly on ice in the form of a towering volcano! A party to my senses.... I will always remember that lunch as one of the best 2 hours spent eating amazing food and sipping bubbles in my life!

On our way home we passed a vintage warehouse called Goose shed, nearly causing Adam cardiac arrest as I screamed STOOOOOOOP he did a perfect emergency stop and off i skipped towards a magnificently arranged display of vintage architecture and home wares.

Set over 2 floors Goose shed is a haven for a vintage home ware lover (thats me!) There's quite a masculine and industrial feel about the shop and everything's extreamly tactile you do find yourself smoothing dresser tops, opening draws and turning taps on reclaimed bathroom sinks.
With so much of their time quite obviously spent over each item cleaning, restoring and shabby chic'ing the price does reflect accordingly....now......contrary to popular belief and possibly because i am on a TV show called Superscrimpers, I'm NOT cheap.....i don't buy something because its cheap and i don't scrimp on quality, if i have to pay the right price because something is worth it i will...and this collection by the Goose shed is one of those places where quality really shows its self and you will be damed if you can find anything like any of there wonderful pieces anywhere in an antique shop or online auction site for any less! I very nearly came home with a stunningly cute feather filled vintage sofa and if i'd won the roof box debate Adam and I had before we set off for St. Ives we would have lobbed all of our clothes up top and i'd be coming home with a beautiful new bottom rester.  Needless to say I didn't win and I didn't come home with a new amazingly comfortable and chic sofa....Darn!

Take a visit to Goose shed's website or if you're passing pop in, so worth a look and i'll certainly be visiting next time we head down to Cornwall....WITH a roof box.

Claire x

Our half term break in St Ives

We celebrated Archie's first half term in our most favourite place in the world, St Ives, we flock down to our not so secret little hidy whole every year,  Number 2 the saltings, a wonderful little converted Fish cellar on Porthmeor beach. We have gathered so many wonderful and happy memories over the years and hope to carry on doing so for as long as the little fish cellar will have us!

 

You will find us Gay's mostly larking somewhere along Porthmeor beach, with rosy wind slapped cheeks and wellies full to the brim with sand, sometimes possibly looking little vexed due to the children insisting on diving fully clothed head first into the sea.... But non the less we are terribly happy there....... Nothing a quick wash in the kitchen sink and a change of clothes can't fix!

If you ever get the chance to visit St Ives, and if you haven't I strongly recommend you give it a whirl, spend a day strolling along it's beautifully cobbled streets and popping in and out of its vast number of galleries and vintage shops, you wont be dissapointed.

THE place to eat and sip coffee in St Ives is at The hub, its super cool decor and ubre trendy staff attract an array of coffee and craft beer lovers, its major plus is that it's child and dog friendly too, we visit nearly every day for a pre beach coffee and cake boost (try their divine lemon drizzle cake) or a post windy walk late lunch, i can highly recommend their devilishly good baked eggs with possibly a side of beans and burned ends, and maybe a mug of chilli each for the smalls..... a must if visiting.

I always feel a little wave of sadness upon leaving St Ives but happy to know we will be back soon.

Until next time Porthmeor! x