#SilentSunday 25/08/2013

Wordless Wednesday 24/07/13

Sorry, I'm a bad blogger (but here's some lovely photos to make up for it!)

Well my 30 posts in 30 days challenge seems to have fizzled out somewhat embarrassingly.

I really thought I could do it.

I had a plan and everything!

But what I don't have is enough hours in the day...

I didn't even manage a Veg Box post last week - it was a lovely one too. We had a half a watermelon and some gorgeous cherries along with the more usual carrots, lettuce, chard, potatoes, a couple of leeks, tomatoes, green beans and some plums.

watermelon 

cherry anyone?

Would you believe I actually *forgot* to photograph the veg box before I put it all away? I know! Call myself a blogger? Tsk....

In my defence I was cleaning out the fridge when it arrived and I just automatically put the veg away as I was putting stuff back. But clearly it shows that last week at least I just wasn't in blogging mode!

I have been busy too! Last week I spent catching up on the housework and paperwork that had been ignored for the previous couple of weeks due to prepping for the Tintern craft fair and over the weekend I have mostly been making these...

 

A variation on the embellished lavender hearts - these are lavender free but embroidered with 'Best Teacher' and added button cuteness. They make perfect gifts for teachers (summer hols are only a few weeks away now!) These four are listed on my facebook page right now at a special price until 9pm Wednesday evening. Another four will be added tomorrow night until 9pm Thursday. Any left will then be added to my folksy shop.  

*end of sales pitch*

On Friday we rescued a bird that flew into our window. The poor thing was a bit dazed and confused so we made it a little nest with some moss and brought it inside - away from the cat! - to give it some time to recover. It's not often you get so close to a bird so obviously the camera came out...

Thankfully, after about 15 mins rest it recovered and flew off.  The cat was a bit miffed though!

I'll try and be a better blogger this week - I have at least one tutorial to share with you, this one is for knitty peeps, specially for those fairly new to knitting who want to have a go at something pretty, practical and not too time consuming.  And don't forget there is still time to enter my giveaway and win a lovely bundle of fabric, buttons, ribbons and lace!

And as for 30 posts in 30 days... well, technically there's still time, if I post twice daily for the next week but you won't hold it against me if I don't manage it will you?

#WordlessWednesday 19/06/13

#SilentSunday 16/06/13

#SilentSunday 09/06/13

#SilentSunday 02/06/13

Wordless Wednesday 27/02/13

Hello Canvas Review

I recently became a aware of a company called HelloCanvas. Set up in 2004 and now the largest web based company of it's kind in the UK, HelloCanvas specialise in turning your favourite photographs into beautiful works of art for your walls.  You just send them your digital image and they will print your photo on canvas and deliver it to you in super quick time. They can also scan a real photograph for you and print that onto canvas too so you can even transform your pre-digital memories!

A short while ago I received an email from Mark of HelloCanvas. 'Send us your best photo - one you think we can not match the quality' he wrote.

So I did . . .

The picture I chose was one from the series I took on our little stroll around Newent Lake the other week. I adore the autumn colours on this image and was keen to see how the process would cope with that level of colour. The picture was actually taken on my mobile phone (5MP camera) rather than my regular camera so it was interesting to see how well the image would cope with being blown up to 50cm x 70cm.

I couldn't be more pleased with the result!

This photo really doesn't do it justice - it looks stunning! So far the comments have ranged from 'Just...Wow!'  to 'Can I have one?'  but everyone agrees that the quality of the print is brilliant, as is the price (a canvas print this size will cost you £37 with no hidden postage and packing costs ).

The canvases are of the highest quality and printed with UV-protected inks so you know your canvas will look as good as the day the picture was taken for years to come.

But don't just take my word for it, why not try them out for yourselves? Here is an exclusive code for my lovely readers - that's you! - for an extra 5% off their already excellent prices. Just add the code LBMAR2012  at the check out.  

You can follow HelloCanvas on Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with new products, competitions and special offers.

*disclosure - I received my photo canvas for free in return for this review but all words, pictures and opinions are my own!

It's the Little Things #3 Sunshine on a Rainy Day

After yet another dull, grey rainy day the sun finally makes a brief appearance . . .

 

Five minutes later it was grey again.

 But, you know, sometimes five minutes is all you need. . .

A day out to the Zoo!

Last week me and the Little Man spent a few days at my parents house eating well, playing in the garden (yes, the sun appeared!!!!) going for walks along the canal and generally just taking a break from the routine. My dad has mentioned before how much he would like to take the Little Man to the zoo but, to be honest, I didn't feel he was really ready to appreciate it fully until this summer. So we took one day out of our break to head across the Severn Bridge and visit Bristol Zoo Gardens.

We arrived at about 10.45 to see the car parks were full and queue about half a mile long at the entrance! Luckily for us we were travelling with my mum and her wheelchair so we were able to get a special parking spot close to the entrance and, because we had pre-booked our tickets online we avoided the queue too! (plus you get an extra 10% discount so it's well worth remembering!)

The Gardens are beautifully laid out and we were blessed with lovely weather which made the whole experience much more pleasurable!  Yes, it was busy, but we expected it to be. There was more than enough space for everyone to enjoy their picnics and, with the exception of the nocturnal house which was dark (well, duh!) and humid and quite frankly I couldn't wait to get out, nowhere was over crowded and manoeuvring a wheel chair around the place was pretty easy too.

Food and drink available to buy on site (from cafe/restaurants/booths and vending machines dotted about the place) was over-priced, as you would expect, but take a picnic along and this is, overall a pretty cheap family day out. And it's educational too!!  Just be aware that you have to walk through the gift shop to get out and if you are watching the pennies then put blinkers on the kids as you walk through or I guarantee you will be going home with a collection of cuddly meerkats and plastic dinosaurs!

Here a few of my favourite pictures from the day. . .   Enjoy x

snoozin' is what us Lions do best!

Dinosaurs roam free at Bristol Zoo!

T-Rex (scarily huge)

the seals were mostly asleep...

but they still managed to captivate the Little Man

beautiful Silver back Gorilla had his 'I've just woken up' face on...

even the meerkats were trying to nap!

...although there is always one left outside, keeping watch

butterflies feeding - these were about the size of my hand!

LM with Alfred - one of Bristol Zoo's first, and most famous, Gorillas

gorgeous snuggly ring tailed Lemur. Also napping. Hmmm.....

Please visit the 'Bristol Zoo Gardens' photo album on the Tales from Mount Pleasant Facebook page for loads more gorgeous pictures of the zoo's inhabitants. Some of them are even awake!!! ;-) 

#SilentSunday - 12/08/12

#SilentSunday 05/08/12

'Not-in-the-Mood-for-Cute' Kitty

It has been said by some (quite a few actually) that I take far too many photos.

Many of them are of my cat Ron. She puts up with the camera being pointed in her general direction with good grace and even manages to pose for me when she has a mind to.

But sometimes she really is NOT in the mood...

Well, we are all entitled to an off day every now and again!

I still love you, Ron, cute or otherwise! x

#SilentSunday 01/07/12

#TheGallery - Hands

I have a 'thing' about hands. When my OH first came into the bookshop where I worked to place an advert in the local rag all I could do was stare at his hands - big, slightly dirty - he worked in his dad's motorbike shop - and I was smitten (his just over 6ft stature and long blond surfer dude hair may have had a little bit to do with it too . . .) My collegue noticed straight away (not that I was flustered or anything), a friend passed on my phone number and the rest, as they say, is history.

So, yeah, hands are very important to me...


When I read this weeks Gallery theme ONE photo immediately sprang to mind.

It's a picture that melts my heart everytime I look at it...

#SilentSunday 24/06/12

#SilentSunday 10/06/12

#SilentSunday - 27/05/12

#SilentSunday 13/05/12