I've decided to celebrate my Friday Happies here on a regular basis. I had such lovely comments last week; many of you said how much you enjoyed them, and that it was nice to see posts like these back here again, and that just made me SO pleased! I don't know if it will be every week - sometimes it's nice not to be tied into something on a weekly basis - but I can't tell you how much I enjoy both thinking and writing about the simple pleasures which make me happy, and knowing that you get some pleasure from it too, that it might encourage you to think positively and enjoy the small things more - well, that's just wonderful, truly.
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1. I picked some of the white bluebells from the garden. They were starting to fade so I thought, make the most of them, bring them inside. I always resist cutting flowers from the garden for as long as I can as our tiny garden needs all the cheer it can get. If I ever had an allotment I would grow cutting flowers and nothing else, hundreds of them. Forget your squashes and courgettes, I'd grow sweet peas, ranunculus, lupins, foxgloves, poppies, cosmos, roses, tulips, peonies...
2. That time last weekend when the sun shone and I could eat lunch in the garden. Look at the glare on that salad!
3. I started planning my spring embroidery. I need to get cracking before summer comes.
4. Zigzag heaven, up and down, row after row. Dreamy colours, dreamy yarn, just an altogether lovely project.
I hope you all have a great weekend. Ours will include swimming lessons, Angus's first proper play date, bowling and hopefully fish and chips. Oh, and wrapping Angus's birthday presents and googling pictures of dinosaur birthday cakes.
I got a real fizz of excitement in my stomach when I started sketching and choosing colours. I love working on these so much.
4. Zigzag heaven, up and down, row after row. Dreamy colours, dreamy yarn, just an altogether lovely project.
5. I came home from the school run to find that someone had left three sweet pea plants on my doorstep. Such a nice surprise! Remember how I couldn't get any in B&Q over the weekend? It turns out it was my friend Jen. Thank you lovely!
Thank you for reminding us to take pleasure in the little things. I am new to your blog but look forward to reading about your happy life.
ReplyDeleteCraftylady
Have a fab weekend. Can not wait to see your spring embroidery. Birthdays are fantastic
ReplyDeleteOoo, that salad looks delish! Such pretty flowers...and crochet...and I'm excited about your embroidery, I'm loving your seasonal stitchings! Chrissie x
ReplyDeleteIf I had the space spare I would fill it with peonies just for the house. I love the colours you are using for your blanket! A lovely surprise of sweet peas on your doorstep, I hope you weekend is a good one.
ReplyDeleteLovely happy post, how the simple things make us so happy. Have a lovely weekend xx
ReplyDeleteLooks like another happy week. Hope your weekend goes well. x
ReplyDeleteAw what a happy Friday. White bells are so pretty. Happy Friday to you x
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you're going to make a regular thing of it. I miss doing them weekly too and maybe I'll follow your lead. Your salad looks delicious, glare and all. I need to start eating at your house. Everything seems so much fancier. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Gillian I'm just having a catch up I'm so behind with my visits - lovely to read your posts and you've made me miss my happy posts too - maybe I will reinstate mine. Hope you gave a good week x
ReplyDeleteI love the colours you're using in your blanket, they are indeed very dreamy. How lovely of your friend to leave you some sweet peas, I hope the weather stays fine enough for you to get them planted. Have a lovely weekend.
ReplyDeleteJane x
I'm glad you've decided to carry on with the happies - it makes me feel so happy just reading them. Your salad looks delicious and I love the colours of your blanket. Looking forward to seeing your spring embroidery - I started a winter one from a magazine but have only got as far as cutting out the bits and it seems daft to be making it now! x
ReplyDeleteLovely post, Gillian. What a wonerful surprise gift and I'm sure you'll post when they flower. Your ripple is looking good and can't wait to see your spring embroidery underway. My blue ripple for Hubby is growing slowly, but I already use mine quite a bit as it has turned quite cold with 3 frosts so far. Sounds like a busy weekend, so enjoy and take care.
ReplyDeleteMore wonderful happiness! Wishing you a happy weekend ... Bee xx
ReplyDeleteIt is so lovely to see your Friday happies, I will look forward to these posts. How great is that gift of sweet peas! I saw some today in the supermarket and thought of you, but you are too far away for me to have given you any sadly. Glad that you have some to grow now, I hope that you will be able to pick lots later in the year. xx
ReplyDeleteLove your happies. What a nice treat to find the flowers on your doorstep. I gave up my idea of the Good Life as veggies seem to need too much nurturing and pest management and decided its going to be cutting flowers for me too. I planted a pile of bulbs yesterday after the gardener dug me a bed last week and have even put two pots at the door so we'll see how that all goes. Good luck with yours and I'll look forward to seeing them as they all mature.
ReplyDeleteDinosaur cakes! Hahaha, Owen, who turned 5 in April, has requested the same cake three years running - an orange-iced cake (so funny, his favorite color has steadily been blue!) with dinosaur toys on top! One of the years had a small bunting with the dinosaurs, but the other two just toys and candles - yay for such an easy-peasy kid! I'm so looking forward to your spring embroidery. Any thoughts on selling your embroidery patterns as a downloadable pattern?
ReplyDeleteHi Gillian, I'm loving your 'Friday Happies' and that salad looks absolutely delicious. Can't wait to see your Spring embroidery. Wishing you a lovely weekend - I hope the weather there is better than it currently is here! x
ReplyDeleteLove the Friday Happies. Looking forward to seeing your Spring embroidery. have a great weelend
ReplyDeleteJacqui xx
I'm a believer in leaving garden flowers in the garden but when they are battling against the wind and rain as they are here today I'll bring some indoors so I can enjoy them. Last week I cut some lily of the valley which is plentiful in my garden and popped it on the mantle shelf, it looked really pretty.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see your spring embroidery, the ones you've done so far have been amazing !
Great happy things! Looking forward to seeing your new embroidery project.
ReplyDeleteMarianne x
It's really funny, just lately I am completely enamoured with sweet flowers. I suddenly want to move to a place and grow a garden full of the flowers you just listed. I've been surrounded by Tropical flowers so long, I suddenly long for full season flowers, where you get to see the bulbs and lillies pop up. My favourites have always been Hyacinths.
ReplyDeleteYour embroidery is so lovely. It's such a classic traditional craft. Love it love it love it.
I love doing this each week too! Hope you have a lovely weekend despite the terrible weather forecast :)
ReplyDeleteI'll join you in your dream allotment Gillian! I would love to have an English cutting garden!
ReplyDeleteI have white, blue and pink, blue bells, might just cut a few my self.. I love the smell. Looking forward to seeing your embroidered hoop.
ReplyDeleteAmanda x
I'm so glad you've done another happies post. This is so lovely. That sunny weekend seems like such a long time ago, especially when today can't decide what it wants to be. So kind of Jen to leave the Sweet Peas. SImple summer flowers really are the best! x
ReplyDeleteI'm loving all your 'Friday Happies'. Those yarn colours are gorgeous. And like everyone I can't wait to see your summer embroidery picture. Have a lovely weekend! By the way, we made flapjacks yesterday using your recipe. it's delicious! Thanks for sharing! x
ReplyDeleteI do love your happies posts. So looking forward to seeing your Spring embroidery soon. Such a lovely surprise to find the sweet peas on your doorstep...I hope they grow beautifully in your garden.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous post Gillian. Thank you. Enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you're going to do this each week!! Hope you're having a great weekend. S xo
ReplyDeleteA lovely post, Gillian. It's a super idea; I always enjoy seeing glimpses of other people's 'happies'.
ReplyDeleteHoorah for kind friends! Your crochet is looking so pretty and I too look forward to seeing how your embroidery progresses. Now see, you've gone and inspired me to want to pick up a needle!
I do hope Angus has a super birthday - good luck with the cake!
Heather xx
These posts are always fun to put together, and to read too! I love those embroidery pictures. It really is drawing with stitches, isn't it? And I'm looking forward to seeing them all finished...
ReplyDeleteHope you got your fish and chips. And I hope you find inspiration for the cake too - maybe Pinterest will have some ideas?
Sarah x
I too am happy to hear these happy posts will become a regular fixture, I love seeing and reading about other people's simple pleasures!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love your embroideries and can't wait to see the spring one coming to life!
Good luck with the cake!!
Love seeing your Friday happies, I'm glad your going to make it a regular thing. Cant wait to see your Spring embroidery and loving your blanket colours. Hope you've had a good weekend! xx
ReplyDeleteYay, I love your Friday Happies! Your bluebell are very pretty. I have a few cutting flowers in my garden, but I wish I had more. Your lunch in the garden looks perfect! I love eating outdoors. And what a nice surprise left on your doorstep! You have a very thoughtful friend. I am excited for Angus's upcoming birthday. I look froward to seeing it all come together for a fun party.
ReplyDeleteLovely happy photos. Can't wait to see the Spring embroidery, the other two are so lovely. Have decided to have a go at embroidery again myself and make something for my niece's bedroom.
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely post, Gillian! It's always so nice to be reminded of the simple things in life that bring so much pleasure. I used to write occasional simple pleasure posts, but then over the winter I fell out of the habit. Your cheery posts have inspired me to start posting them again. So glad you have sweet peas!
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely post, I am sorry I missed the last one. I grow in our tiny garden in containers, herbs, flowers and some veggies. I have chosen flowers which are also edible or can be used for tea but I would love to have much more flowers. I also would love to have flowers all year round... It brings so much light and joy, delightful...
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post, stuffed full of stunning photos! I love, love, love your work x
ReplyDeleteThis is good news, indeed! You always have the best happies! :)
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