Mary Elliott

Be my Valentine?? Everyday!

2012-01-28T15:39:00.002Z

You shouldn't have to celebrate one day in the year for that special one you love-you should do it everyday!! Here are a selection of Valentine inpired items in my Etsy shop:

London Calling!

2012-01-14T20:54:00.001Z

Time for a trip to London :)

Calm before the storm

2011-12-10T15:22:00.003Z

Stunning calming items from these fabulous Etsy sellers!

Homemade Cleaning Products

2011-11-19T12:41:00.005Z

On a quest to eliminate chemicals from my life here is the ingredient list for homemade cleaning products. Simple!
Ingredients
Water
White Vinegar
Mildly acidic, white vinegar gets rid of dirt, soap scum and even water deposits on taps / around sinks. It deodorizes as well as cleans by absorbing (as opposed to masking) unpleasant smells. If you are worried that the whole house will smell like vinegar, don’t be because when it dries it becomes odourless. It can be used on tiled surfaces, wooden floors and even as a fabric conditioner.
Bicarbonate of Soda
This is a must for the cleaning cupboard because of its abrasive qualities. It also deodorizes by absorbing smells rather than covering them up. In fact you can use bicarb as a deodorant on your skin. It won’t stop you sweating, but will stop the sweat from smelling.
Lemon Juice
The acidity in lemons make simple lemon juice a great cleaning product because it too cuts through dirt and grease. The other great thing about lemon juice is that it smells nice!
Olive Oil
A truly versatile item, olive oil is essential for polishing and protecting wood. Just like the rest of these items, it is completely natural and cannot harm anyone if consumed. The same cannot be said for chemical cleaning products.
To Make
Floor Cleaner
For vinyl and tile floors I mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 1 gallon of water. For wooden floors you should just use half the amount of white vinegar with the same amount of water. Mop the floors in the usual way.
All Purpose Cleaner
White vinegar and water can also be added a spray bottle and used as an all purpose cleaner such as kitchen surfaces. It should be made slightly stronger than the floor cleaner – 1 part vinegar, 1 part water.
Bathroom Cleaner
Bicarb is perfect for scrubbing the bath and basin with because the abrasive action cleans them so well. For tougher cleaning (such as the toilet) it can be mixed with water to form a paste. Apply the paste to the area you want to clean and leave for 20 minutes before scrubbing off.
Furniture Polish
Mix together 1 part lemon juice to 2 parts olive oil in a spray bottle. Shake the bottle well. Spray the solution onto your furniture and use a dry flannel, duster or piece of old towel to polish thoroughly. Your wood will shine, be protected and smell nice too.
Window Cleaner & Mirrors
The recipe is 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup of white vinegar and one teaspoon of liquid detergent. Place the ingredients into a spray bottle and shake. Spray onto glass and rub with newspaper to stop it streaking.
Trigger Sprays
You may find it handy to store your homemade cleaning products in a handy plastic bottle with a neat trigger spray for simple, clean use.
I find that no amount of bicarb or elbow grease will remove lime scale from our shower head so for this we use a commercial product. Washing up liquid is also not homemade in this house. Although we can’t make everything, it’s great to switch to homemade products for the majority of our cleaning chores.

A bit about the real me!

2011-10-07T10:20:00.004+01:00

Well this is a fun thing to do-copy & paste and fill in your own!

A - Age - 32

B - Bed size - UK King, I need to stretch out!

C - Chores you hate - Anything to do with dust...

D - Dogs - None sadly but one day definately a golden lab and if I'm lucky a Pug :))

E - Essential start to your day - A glass of superfood plus, I'm a bit of a health freak!

F - Favorite colour - All of them really but blue/turquoise first and now I like pink again after wearing black for years!

G - Gold or silver - Hmm both really. I actually don't wear much jewellery but I enjoy making it for others :)

H - Height - Average 5 4"

I - Instruments you play - None, I do like the piano though but can't play.

J - Job title - In my previous life I was a Gerber pattern cutter in fashion. Now I'm having some time off convalescing (had to spell check that one!)

K - Kids - watch this space ;)

L - Live - Dorset, SW England. I've lived in NZ, Aussie & London which I count as a country too :)

M - Mother's name - Angel

N - Nickname - ohhh dear it's Minnie, don't ask!

O - Overnight hospital stays - How long have we got? lets say 2 major surgeries this year. Endo realated grrrr! I spend a lot of time at hospitals.

P - Pet Peeves - Most things really LOL... Arrogance, snobs, rude people, people that live in a bubble, the class system here in england, greed, the list goes on...

Q - Quote from a film - Atreyu why do you look so sad? (NES)I curse the day you were born! (SATC) That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo… and it’s worth fighting for. (LOTR)I can't remember much else..

R - Right or left handed - Right

S - Siblings - Little bro

T - Time you wake up - Between 8-9 sshhhh! sometimes 6-7 when I'm good

U - Underwear - Thank G for M&S!

V - Vegetable you hate - None really, I'm trying to go raw so lucky I like veges!

W - What makes you run late - Being in pain :(

X - X-rays you've had - About a million :(

Y - Yummy food you make - Choc cake, pavlova, banana loaf, stir fries, mexican, chinese, thai, pizza, roast din, roast beetroot, pumpkin soup, the list goes on!

Z - Zoo animal - Tigers!

Alderholt Vintage & Handmade Fair -Dorset

2011-09-08T21:22:00.004+01:00

Want a day out on Sunday? Enjoy vintage treasures? Like to support local community?
Please come visit this sure to be amazing event in Alderholt, Dorset!
Fair Link

Sunday, 11th September, 10am – 3pm. Alderholt Village Hall, Alderholt, Dorset, SP6 3RB

The Great Dorset Steam Fair

2011-09-02T16:43:00.010+01:00

Well I had to do a post on The Great Dorset Steam Fair as it's right on my doorstop! it also holds a special place in my heart as I met my now husband there :)) so here are some fun items from folksy shops that remind me of this famous event.....
The Great Dorset Steam Fair

Summer Blackberries

2011-08-12T12:23:00.003+01:00

It's that time of year again- blackberries! I've seen them out already (a month early) so I have managed to make some yummy blackberry muffins. We do freeze some with a batch of apples for winter crumbles too. So after stingy fingers and thumbs- I always get stung! I have found these delicious blackberry themed items made by talented Folksters :)

Hand Beaded Treasures

2011-08-05T10:31:00.005+01:00

I love hand beaded designs, the work involved and the product is amazing. Here are some gorgeous items from these talented Folksy shops featuring beautiful hand beaded jewellery.

Back to Nature

2011-06-03T11:20:00.004+01:00

Cotton, wool, leather, linen, flowers, gemstones and a little bit of glass- a stunning combination of natural items all found on Folksy!

Gift Ideas or I need these!

2011-05-20T09:57:00.003+01:00

It's seems to be birthday season again! So as I'm busy baking cakes I need gift ideas. What better place to look than Folksy - here are some lovely lovely items that are perfect for gifts or treat yourself!

Fat Free Cupcakes

2011-04-18T17:18:00.003+01:00

I love cupcakes! but there is a fat free way to have them!

Vintage at the Village Hall-Spring!

2011-04-11T09:58:00.003+01:00

It's on again! After a roaring success last November-Vintage at the Village Hall is on again one month from today. Please add the date in your diaries; this is one not to miss! Organised by Ted and Bunny this vintage fair exhibits a stunning range of talented handmade crafters & experienced vintage sellers offering all sorts of vintage goodies! Click on the pictures below to read more about it!

Flowers & Butterflies!

2011-04-08T10:02:00.008+01:00

Well Spring is finally here...actually it feels more like Summer! So while the sun is shining I'm seeing lots of flowers and butterflies outside and from these fab Folksy shops :)

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High Tea

2011-04-01T15:15:00.008+01:00

I have an elderley friend whom I visit and take out shopping as she can't drive at the moment. Yesterday we enjoyed tea and cake after we got back from the shops! Here are some lovely items from these Folksy shops featuring tea and cake themes :)

Shades of Green

2011-02-11T09:33:00.003Z

Spring is on it's way! Featuring 'shades of green' items from these fab Folksy sellers.

Be my Valentine?

2011-02-04T12:57:00.004Z

Beautiful items from Folksy sellers perfect for your special Valentine or treat yourself!

Ice Queen Xmas Magic

2010-12-17T11:52:00.007Z

It's snowing outside so I though this collection of items fits quite nicley! Featuring the Ice/Snow Queen and some feminine, magical items from Folksy sellers.

Vintage at the Village Hall in Dorset!!

2010-10-21T18:05:00.003+01:00

Come along and find some stunning vintage finds from a selection of local sellers in this cosy country setting. Keep Monday 29th November free and mark this event in your diary!!

Vintage at the Village Hall Blog

More info on sellers coming soon on my blog :)

Giveaway Time!

2010-09-25T14:02:00.006+01:00

This week we are giving away 2 COPIES of the new Jessica Van Den’s ebook: Etsy Success Stories – Tips and Strategies from Seven Top Sellers!

Click here to check it out

My Love/Want List

2010-09-24T12:42:00.005+01:00

Beautiful things I love and want from Folksy sellers!

Shades of Purple

2010-09-17T11:57:00.005+01:00

Calming Lavender for when you need to relax and pretty Amethyst, Mauve and Lilac items from Folksy.

Brilliant Turquoise

2010-09-10T11:06:00.004+01:00

This is still one of my favourite colours and these items are so eyecatching!

An apple a Day

2010-08-27T12:11:00.004+01:00

I have a lot of apples falling from my trees already!-Have done one pot ready for cakes and crumbles. Here's some yummy apple items and red apple coloured items from these cute Folksy shops....

Retro Vintage

2010-08-20T10:04:00.012+01:00

After visiting Vintage Goodward last weekend I wanted to feature some funky, retro, vintage and vintage inspired goodies from fellow folksy shops. Here's what I found:

Vintage Goodward

2010-08-17T17:00:00.003+01:00

Pictures from a fun day out at Goodward... I love the handle on the red bag but there's now way I'd pay £25 for it! There weren't really any bargains to be had at this due to the word 'vintage' and I did see an interesting shop sign saying 'Pretty Rubbish' which seemed to make sense! However it was fun to have a rummage about and everyone looked great in their vintage outfits!

Friday the 13th! Be Lucky with these

2010-08-13T08:58:00.008+01:00

There are some general superstitions in Britain that people think are lucky or unlucky. Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day. So check out these lucky items from my fellow folksy shops!

It's lucky to meet a black cat. Black Cats are featured on many good luck greetings cards and birthday cards in England.

Lucky Number 7!

A horseshoe over the door brings good luck. But the horseshoe needs to be the right way up. The luck runs out of the horseshoe if it is upside down. Horseshoes are generally a sign of good luck and feature on many good luck cards.

Catch falling leaves in Autumn and you will have good luck. Every leaf means a lucky month next year.

Lucky to find a clover plant with four leaves.

On the first day of the month it is lucky to say "white rabbits, white rabbits white rabbits," before uttering your first word of the day.

Lucky to touch wood. We touch; knock on wood, to make something come true.

Putting money in the pocket of new clothes brings good luck. Put this bracelet on if you don't have a back pocket!

Home Grown Goodies

2010-08-10T19:13:00.006+01:00

Harvest time already! Here we have some fresh green beans, carrots and shallots, lettuce and beetroot all home grown. Delicious :)

The tomatoes are growing ok in the hanging baskets but the ones in the green house have a blackness on the bottom. Someone suggested this means they need more water but they are watered twice a day (*cough* not by me) so we're not sure. I will have to google this problem unless anyone knows why?

Blue

2010-08-06T12:06:00.004+01:00

Well I haven't been feeling very good this week (but didn't want to miss out on doing Folksy Friday) so my theme is Blue. Lots of lovely blue items!

Beautiful Items

2010-07-30T08:52:00.004+01:00

We all have favourite items-here are some of mine from fellow folksy sellers. Just beautiful!

Bluebird Notes Giveaway!

2010-07-29T12:42:00.003+01:00

Check out the goodies on this blog and enter the givaway!
Bluebird Notes

Vintage Giveaways!

2010-07-28T18:28:00.000+01:00

I've been doing my daily reading of all the lovely blogs and have come across two new ones both offering giveaways. So here they are, please check them out, lovely!

My Grannies Attic

The Little Vintage Company
Ohh this one has finshed...

Vintage Swap!

2010-07-27T13:58:00.000+01:00

How exciting to get a big box full of vintage lovelies! Wrapped in pretty butterfly paper here are some picture to share with you. Thanks to the lovely Shirl who was my swap partner :)

Folksy Friday- Mermaids

2010-07-22T18:17:00.000+01:00

Today I've selected these gorgeous mermaid items from fellow folksy sellers also included are some beautiful pieces that remind me of mermaids :)

I love mermaids! here is a mermaid necklace of mine
"

One Small Mouse

2010-07-01T20:25:00.000+01:00

How exciting my butterfly necklace has been featured on 'One Small Mouse'!
A percentage of the sale from this necklace will go to the London Wildlife Trust-a well deserved charity :)

Check it out here

End of June Loons Treasury

2010-06-29T20:23:00.000+01:00

A collection of fab items from these folksy shops in shades of turquoise,black and blue. Lovely!

Sea - Calming Green and Blue

2010-06-25T09:04:00.000+01:00

A selection of my favourite beautiful items from fellow Folksy shops. Calming blues and greens reminiscent of the sea.

June Loons Time for Bags!

2010-06-23T14:28:00.000+01:00

I have far too many handbags-I have an addiction to them you see...Here is a selection of gorgeous bags from some of my favourite Folksy Shops that I have my eye on!

African Wild Animals

2010-06-18T09:43:00.000+01:00

African Pride! Featuring wild animals from Africa....from folksy sellers! Not forgetting the World Cup of course ;)

Lovely Little Handmades

2010-06-17T13:09:00.000+01:00

I just came across this darling etsy shop and very fun and interesting blog. Another fab seller on Etsy. I adore this fabric!

http://lovelylittlehandmades.blogspot.com/

All things Pink and Strawberry!

2010-06-11T12:00:00.000+01:00

Every week I seem to have an addiction to a different colour. This week it's a strawberry rose pink combination. So I have found these delicious items from fellow folksy shops. Enjoy!

Herbs, Veg and a Parrot Plant

2010-06-09T13:29:00.001+01:00

My herb garden is flourishing! Mint, Apple Mint, Chives, Sage, Rosemary, Lemon thingy etc etc. The reason being my dear OH does all the work, he has the green thumb...I just use the ingredients..he he...He has also plated a variety of lettuce, corn, radish and tomato plants so hopefully we will get some more summer days and enjoy a nice salad ;)
Oh I have managed to keep my Parrot plant alive :) He is thriving on the kitchen window and must be about a metre tall!!

Birdies-Tweet Tweet!

2010-06-03T17:00:00.000+01:00

Birds are chirping and singing today, enjoying the sunshine so I found these cute bird items from my fellow folksy folk!

Fairy Time

2010-05-27T17:29:00.000+01:00

I've always been interested in fairies and have just finished making 12 flower fairy pendants which are on my Facebook page under the 'Shop' section. They are so sweet!

fairies on my FB!

Flower Fairies are tiny creatures (the biggest is only 20cm tall) that live in the bottom of gardens, the middle of grassy meadows, and on the edge of distant marshes. Wherever and whenever a seed sprouts, a Flower Fairy baby is born. Each Flower Fairy lives and sleeps in their chosen flower, plant or tree, and as this grows the fairy grows too. Each and every Flower Fairy is in charge of looking after their flower or plant; keeping it strong and healthy by making sure it has plenty of sunshine and water to drink, sweeping away dead leaves, and polishing flowers and stems.

The best times of the day to see a fairy are at twilight, midnight, just before sunrise, and midday. And the best time of the year to see a fairy is on Midsummer's eve, as this is the most magical time for all fairies. Flower Fairies love music and dancing, and hold many balls and parties throughout the year, but on this special night they throw the most wonderful party of all, and every fairy in Flower Fairyland is invited! Fairies don't like to be discovered, and are very good at disappearing quickly (with the help of their magical fairy dust), so you must be very careful and very patient if you are to see one.

Flower Fairies are very shy creatures, and are especially wary of humans. Each fairy has extra-sensitive ears, so if they hear someone coming close to them they are careful to flutter into their flower and curl up tightly. Each fairy wears an outfit made from their own leaves and flowers, so it is easy for them to hide. To befriend a fairy, the first thing you must do is to leave a dish of milk or sugar or even cream out for them in the night.

Here are a selection of other fairy items I have found from these Folksy sellers :)

Alicia Mirambell

2010-05-19T13:39:00.000+01:00

I seem to spend a lot of time browsing shops on Etsy and finding beautiful items to add to my wish list! This store is a real gem and to make it even better, there is another store by the same designer!
So I've put toghther a few items from each shop as I really want to share these beautiful items by Alicia.

Shop aliciasmagicland's on Etsy

Shop aliciashomewares on Etsy:

Time for a cup of tea!

2010-05-14T10:30:00.000+01:00

Before I came to live in England I didn't drink a lot of tea, now I do! When I worked in London my fellow workers and I would drink tea in the morning, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. It was given if something bad happened or someone was upset and for something good there was champagne but that's another story! everyone drank tea (or coffee)
My favourite tea is earl grey along with any normal brand but I also drink herbal teas such as lemon & ginger, green tea with lemon, peppermint, raspberry & strawberry and vanilla & camomile. My very good friend Cath also introduced me to chai tea with soy milk and honey which we would drink in Brisbane when we met up.
So I had to buy a teapot and I've been looking for a tea cosy and found these gorgeous items from my fellow folksy shops. Love them all!

Election time-Oink Oink

2010-05-07T09:26:00.000+01:00

I was wondering what theme to do this week for Folksy Friday then I thought well it had to be the election of course! So I looked around for slimy things and found some wonderful snail items but then realised I definately had to do Pigs. I read Animal Farm by George Orwell when I was at school and I thought that summed up the election theme a lot better.
So here they are-some very cute Piggy items!

2010-05-03T17:11:00.000+01:00

If you go down to the woods today, you'll never know what you'll find......

I found these beautiful English Bluebells-how gorgeous they are. They covered the floor of the woods like a lavender-blue carpet. They flower only in April/May time and have a light scent.

By the seaside

2010-04-30T08:42:00.000+01:00

Last week I went on a day trip to Swanage with some friends. We enjoyed a lovely day in the sunshine! a long walk around the bays and then an icecream on the seaside.

Swanage is a small coastal town in the south east of Dorset, England and is approximately 10 km south of Poole and 40 km east of Dorchester.

The town, originally a small port and fishing village flourished in the Victorian era, when it first became a significant quarrying port and later a seaside resort for the rich of the day. Today the town remains a popular tourist resort, this being the town's primary industry, with many thousands of visitors coming to the town during the peak summer season, drawn by the bay's sandy beaches and other attractions.

So my theme this week is 'By the seaside' and these are some of the lovely items I have chosen from my fellow Folksy shops.

23rd April 303 - St. George

2010-04-23T10:26:00.000+01:00

St. George is the patron saint of England. His emblem, a red cross on a white background, is the flag of England, and part of the British flag. St George's emblem was adopted by Richard The Lion Heart and brought to England in the 12th century. The king's soldiers wore it on their tunics to avoid confusion in battle.

St George was a brave Roman soldier who protested against the Romans' torture of Christians and died for his beliefs.

One of the best-known stories about Saint George is his fight with a dragon. But it is highly unlikely that he ever fought a dragon, and even more unlikely that he ever actually visited England. Despite this, St George is known throughout the world as the dragon-slaying patron saint of England!

Folksy Friday - Turquoise!

2010-04-16T09:46:00.000+01:00

Pantone LLC, the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, announced PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise, an inviting, luminous hue, as the color of the year for 2010!

Turquoise is a color that most people respond to positively. It is universally flattering, has appeal for men and women, and translates easily to fashion and interiors. It makes a statement that can look elegant and dressy in fine silk and gemstones, or casual and fun in cotton and athletic apparel. Because of its versatility, Turquoise is a great accent color in jewelry, purses, shoes, hair accessories and even nail polish.

So, here are my lovely turquoise finds from these Folksy shops!

Alexandra sun dress @ Birgitta Designs

Crochet hook pouch @ Pins and Needles

Hand-dyed cotton yarn @ Wharfedale Woolworks

Stunning bead necklace @ Maxine Veronica

Hester the rabbit @ Clare's Creations

Stylish flower card @ Aiden Crafts

Beautiful butterfly necklace @ Bliss

Lavender rabbit @ Pouch

Nautical for Folksy Friday

2010-04-09T18:35:00.000+01:00

Inspiration for my 'folksy friday' is Nautical, check out these great sellers I found on Folksy!

Nautical necklace @ Knot For Sale

Anchor applique nautical cushion @ BubbleBay

Nautical percher @ Hatastic

Nautical anchor earrings @ Eclectic Creations

Octopus toilet roll cosy @ Saxyjax

Old coin ring-dated 1966 @ bazaar

Happy days at sea Brooch @ Fluffs Stuffs

Easter time!

2010-04-02T12:49:00.001+01:00

Last Easter we didn't buy any easter eggs, but this year as we have friends over we thought we would treat ourselves-yummy-can't wait till sunday!

Romantic themes

2010-04-02T12:44:00.001+01:00

This gorgeous image inspired me to make this lovely birdcage necklace with a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo on top of the cage! Her name is Polly.
Available to buy now on Etsy, OOAK