Paraparaumu Antique Fair

We went to the Antique Fair at the Paraparaumu Memorial Hall today.  It is also on tomorrow as well.
We went looking for some bargains but while there was a lot of lovely stuff, 99.9% of it was out of our price range.  It was quite good to see items that we have at home and how much they were selling for.

There wasn't much at all in the way of vintage clothing at all, just a couple of fur stoles and some hats which were fun to try on.  A lot of war medals were on sale.

There was a good selection of books to hunt through, we bought two books about Wellington city which included a lot of old photos including ones taken in the late 1800's.  Salem also bought 5 old comics.

I treated myself to a pair of mismatched cameo ear-rings.  I love cameos.  They had a huge selection of jewellery at many of the tables....... I can dream!!!!!  Salem bought to children's royal visit medals.

It was a nice way to spend the afternoon on a wintery day.  It is definitely getting colder.  I have a hot water bottle every night.  While I am writing this two of my cats are curled up on the couch, they will be there all night.

Sugar and Baal Z

I will probably have my other cat Misty sleeping with me later.

                       Nite Nite.

Cross-Stitch, Chickens, Carrots and Ballet

Colonial Cottage, Wellington

 My latest cross-stitch project is of one of my favorite places to visit.  The Colonial Cottage in Nairn St in Wellington City. We go there even when the house itself is not open for tours as we just like to spend time sitting in the garden, chatting to the three chickens and Salem loves climbing the big old tree out the back.  It's just like stepping back in time.

My cross stitch version of  Colonial Cottage so far

Tree climbing at the Colonial Cottage

Saying hello to the Chickens

All three chickens came to see us

The latest offering from our garden is this unusal shaped carrot, it looks like some sort of creature as it has two 'eyes'.  Our garden isn't very productive at the moment but we are still getting the occassional strawberry and there are plenty of mandarins, apples, lemons and rhubarb.
Winter is just about here and it is really getting cold and we had frosts two days in a row this week.  Our whole property was white.

Our weird and wonderful carrot

We have had some wonderful news this week..... I applied for a scholarship for Salem for his dancing in March and received a letter on Wednesday saying that Salem has been awarded a Gold Heart Scholarship from Variety - The Children's Charity.  We were over the moon with this news.  The lovely people at Variety will be helping with Salem's dancing expenses.  Thank you Variety and a big thank you to everyone who wrote lovely letters of support for our scholarship application.

Ballet practice

I'm Back.....Really....

Hello everyone, I am back.
I haven't been very well for a while but I've got everything under control for now (knock on wood!!!)  This blog has been put aside while I have had to contend with my health and everyday life of being a mum and everything that entails plus making supplies for craft markets, my sons dancing etc....
I've made lots of neat bits and bobs and will post some of them up on future blogs.

Salem, my youngest has just turned 12 years old, wow....where has the time gone?????
I made him a High Tea for his birthday, both my boys love that, even my grumpy teenager.

Birthday High Tea

Yum Yum

Salem did another Children's Craft Market Stall at the Hill Street Market in Wellington earlier this year and it was a big success and were able to pay his first term of dance fees.
It was a lovely day and plenty of people at the market.

The egg cosies were very popular.

The milk jug covers dissappeared quickly too.

We are still getting orders for pot holders and dish clothes.

Salem the Stall Holder.

Catnip Balls and fresh herbs, rhubarb, seeds and the ever popular homemade sherbet.

We are slowly getting together stock for the next Craft Market next month.  We will keep you up-dated with our progress.

Last week on Friday the 11th May, a new Tea House opened up here in Kapiti down at Paraparaumu Beach.  We had to try it out as we love our tea shops!!!!!!!

It is "Over the Teacups" at 44 Seaview Road, Paraparaumu Beach.  Ph. 04 9044504.
www.overtheteacups.co.nz 
The website isn't up yet.

It is a lovely bright and inviting tea shop with table cloths on the tables, lovely food, great tea and friendly staff who made us feel very welcome.

The Proprietors Dee Ryan and Martin Halliday

Lovely decor.

We ate our yummy cakes and sandwiches before i remembered to take a photo.

We had a nice lunch of club sandwiches which were made on the spot for us, Salem had a piece of Pecan Pie and I had the Pineapple & Brazil Nut Cake and both were to die for!!!!!!!  YUM!!!!!!
They didn't have ceramic/pottery teapots for the tea but they did look the part dressed up in tea cosies.
And Salem thought it was so neat that the tea was served up with a small bowl of sugar cubes.  He said that it was a pity that he doesn't take sugar in his tea any more.  So he just had to eat one anyway!!!!

Lollies, lollies, lollies...and our wonderful friendly waitress.

 What was really cool was that they sell lots of old fashioned and english lollies.  Salem just had to get some.
He's been very good so he deserves them.  He got his rations worth.  We are still doing the wartime rationing and visiting a teashop fits in with it too as people did eat out.

So may to choose from......

Lots of yummy treats to choose from.

Lots of choice for something to read while having your tea.

I did like that they had a choice of reading material, not your usual tatty magazines.  Some nice books, some on New Zealand history, kids books and Salem got to read a book on the "Goodies" the old english comedy series which we have on DVD and is watched very often.  So that was a nice surprise.

What a great way to offer water.

We will be definitely going back, it's very handy as it is around the corner from the dance studio.

Well, this is a start to getting things going again and I will update nelliebswartimerationing.blogspot.com tonight.  I'm going to make it my mission to blog at least twice a week, more if possible, promise.

Merry Xmas Everyone

 We hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and best wishes for the New Year!!!

 Salem on Xmas morning with his Cristmas Cat I made for him.

Notice our bunting?

I made this as our xmas decorations this year.

It didn't take me long to crochet it.

I was inspired by the knitted bunting that was created by the English Womans Weekly

Centenary Celebrations in which they created a world record bunting of over 3kms in length.



Christmas Eve Lunch at Arthur's

After a busy morning buying all our veges at the Hill Street Market we went and treated ourselves to lunch at Arthur's Cafe on Cuba Street.

The lovely ladies gave us a xmas cracker.  We ordered a pot of tea (which we really needed), crispy potatoes, homemade fish fingers and some bubble & squeak (Salem's favourites).

The fish fingers were soooo yum!!!

 We were in a different room this time.  It just feels so homely and comfortable.

 This greets you as soon as you walk in the door.

There is always lots to look at.  And lollies to help yourself to at the counter.

There was also xmas cake but we were far to full.

New Blog "Nellie B's Wartime Rationing"

I have just started a new blog to document a new challenge my son Salem and I are undertaking.

As of Boxing Day we will be living on WWII rations as a chance to study what it was like

 for people living in England during that time in our history.

Salem will be doing alot of research on WWII and experiencing a little of it.

We are both looking forward to starting this.

You can see how we are doing on ://nelliebswartimerationing.blogspot.com/

Christmas in Wellington Shops

 We had a good walk around window shopping on Saturday and saw this lovely window display.

I forgot what the shop was called but it was up Cuba Street.

 This is such a great idea and looked so cute.

 Salem just loves this and will be making his own version.

 Also on Cuba Street was this window display at Iko Iko.

Something different for xmas.

The shop was so full that it was an effort to get in and then to get out again.

We couldn't really look at anything so battled our way out.

This was taken at the Xmas Shop at Kircaldie & Stains, Wellington's oldest and most

wonderful department store.

We love coming here an looking through the many floors and imagining what we

will buy if we ever became rich.

They were having a half price sale on their xmas ornaments so we treated ourselves to one each.