Thursday 30 April 2015

Growing your own ... in a small garden


If you ask a handful of gardeners why they grow fruit and veg, not many will reply "because it saves money." People have been gardening and growing food for centuries because it enriches our lives on so many levels, but for many people, 'growing your own' can be a daunting prospect. I often hear my friends saying "I tried and failed / it's too much hassle / I don't have the space! Well firstly, I'll admit I have far more failures than I've had successes, but it's the failures that (eventually) make you into a good gardener. Secondly, I hardly have any time - but I find tending to the garden does me the world of good - working with the earth and being amongst nature is good for you body, mind and soul so it's worth making time for. Thirdly, I only have a little garden, but you can grow quite a lot in the smallest of places ... you just have to use your imagination! Here are a few ideas to help you on your way ....


Growing your own, in a small space

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Friday 24 April 2015

The joy of pottering in the garden


I love pottering in the garden. When my hands are in the dirt, digging, sowing, clearing, it's one of the few times that my mind in completely quiet, and at peace. I seem unable to think ahead, or worry about pressing matters ... all is quiet, except for the occasional hum of the birds and bees. I think that's one of the many reasons why I, and billions of others, love gardening and pottering in the garden so much. I've loved flowers and being around nature for as long as I can remember ... my mum has always loved gardening and my nan could grow anything - the smell of tomato plants still takes me right back to my Grandad's old greenhouse. Handing down a love-of-nature to your children is a wonderful gift, and one that I've always been very thankful for.


My little 3 year old self - picking daisies in a church graveyard.


 Often in early Spring, I'll look out at the jumbled mess that is our garden and I start getting itchy feet, coupled with "oh but there's so much to do" and "where do I start? I've left it too late!" but once I start clearing the beds a fire ignites and I become a little garden ferret, fluttering around the garden at top speed until I have aching limbs and a crooked back. Miggins then tells me off for doing too much so I  hobble in, looking to hubby for sympathy, who in turns sends me off for a hot bath - but always, despite the throbbing limbs I know I will rest happy and content, for whether or not it flourishes, I know I've spent the afternoon doing something worthwhile.

JM x



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Tuesday 14 April 2015

The AHC guide to growing herbs + PLUS a pretty downloadable guide for the garden shed wall!


A guide to growing herbs



Last year I made this beautiful herb box ... it was filled with my favourite herbs: Lavender, Rosemary, Thyme and Sage. I used a good compost, positioned it in full light and I watered and fed correctly and yet despite my best efforts ... it met a sorry end. Mrs Miggins next door has magic fingers and can grow anything, she will break off a twig from a rose bush (from a neighbours garden or nearby stately home) pop it in a pot and as if like magic it will flourish from her touch. So after some  'digging' about and 'leafing' through books (ok, ok I'll stop now) I have now seen the error of my ways, and the answer lies in the soil ...  get the soil right, and you can grow anything. So here is my AHC guide to growing herbs, which includes a pretty downloadable chart for your garden shed wall!

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Thursday 2 April 2015

Pretty projects and a crafty March - A month in pictures


March - A month in pictures - A Handmade Cottage


March. It's been an incredibly crafty month in AHC headquarters, and I can't believe how quickly time passes. The trees were so bare, yet so quickly life blooms. This has been a busy month on the blog, with some lovely guest posts, and since Easter is coming up I've been sharing some fab quick and easy Easter craft projects! Now I'm looking forward to some time with my family -  it's good to have some time to put the feet up and over indulge in choccie bunnies and hot cross buns. Hubby's birthday is also coming up, which is one my favourite days of the year! (after Christmas and my own birthday of course ... you know how I feel about my birthday) but I love his birthday more, since it's the day he came into the world and changed mine (grab your buckets by all means, but it's true!) But back to crafty business, here's a glimpse of the funsies I've enjoyed this month ....

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Tuesday 31 March 2015

How to make: Easter egg spring bunting


Easter egg spring bunting - Noolibird stamp


I love any excuse to decorate my house in a festive manner, and I love bringing the outside in as you know.  So this week I made some Easter spring bunting with the Noolibird 'folk egg' stamp. However you needn't use a stamp for this project if you don't have time, as it would work just as well with mis-matching floral fabric.You may have seen my previous ravings about Noolibird stamps, and I assure you I'm not getting paid to promote these stamps, I just love the detail and workmanship that goes into them ... they're just so pretty! So if you'd like to get festive 'Easter-stylie' here is how I made this pretty little string of easter bunting. Use it on the fireplace or string it around a flower arrangement as I have done - and once made, you can bring it out year after year ...

Difficulty rating: Easy
Skills needed: None, some sewing but could glue / peg instead.
Time: 2 / 3 hours.
Kiddy friendly: Absolutely
Dog friendly: Probably not.

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Thursday 26 March 2015

Easter spring flower table display - in 10 minutes!


Hello my little Easter bunnies! Easter is around the corner - So I thought I'd get a little festive and throw together a couple of super quick and easy flower displays. Like most people, I don't have the time to make anything extravagant so the following displays won't take you longer than 10 minutes to make, but they look beautifully festive and oh so pretty - in fact, such a pretty display would also be ideal for a spring wedding! Let's get started, by cracking open the choccy eggs ... 



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Friday 20 March 2015

Vintage crate furniture ideas!


I love crates. I've found them to be the most useful piece of furniture since sliced bread, as they are just so versatile. I realise that my ancestors will be looking over me now exclaiming 'but it's just an old wooden crate!' and miggins next door thinks it just looks like I haven't got around to buying furniture yet BUT, I care not, I love my crates. They're useful, practical and full of rustic charm!


Vintage crate furniture ideas

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Thursday 12 March 2015

How to make a singer sewing machine dining table - with BBC correspondent Natalie Pirks



How to make a singer sewing machine table


I have a special treat for you today my crafty ones - today I'd like to welcome my good friend Natalie Pirks; BBC sports correspondent. Some of you may recognise Natalie from the BBC, where she can often be seen covering big sporting events and interviewing the likes of David Beckham (such pirks indeed!) but I'll admit, I don't often see Natalie on the telly myself because a) I don't have a telly and  b) I still shudder when I see a playing field because it reminds me of sports day at school ... in fact that was probably the last time I ran. But there is no doubt Natalie is an huge inspiration to many women, because aside from being a successful journalist she is also a wife and mother and unbeknown to me, a crafter! Today she is going to tell us a bit about her crafty ways, and tell us how she made this most beautiful Singer sewing machine dining table. In her own words "I love me some arts and crafts!" 


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Friday 6 March 2015

Builders tea with a cinnamon stick




I love tea, and I drink far too much of it. You just can't beat a good cup of strong-but-milky builders tea. Miggins next door is always telling me off for making hers too strong ... "Just show it the tea bag gal, don't stew it for gawd sake!" So when a friend of mine (who is of Greek origin) recently told me to go ahead and drop half a stick of cinnamon into my tea, I told her she'd lost her tiny mind. She insisted it's very popular in Greece and said people also like to add cloves to the mix! So I humoured her, and dropped half a stick into my tea - well oh my days, it transformed my plain ole cup of tea ... it was like trying on silky pants after years of old scratchy cotton briefs! I'm not sure there's any turning back now. Not only does it give tea a sweet exotic kick, cinnamon also has fantastic health benefits. It can lower bad cholesterol and blood sugar levels, it has anti fungal, anti clotting properties, and can reduce the proliferation of leukaemia and lymphoma cancer cells, and it can also eliminate headaches and migraines. But before you start chomping into it like a mars bar be aware it is toxic in large doses, but 'a little a day will keep the doctor away' - according to Miggins.

JM x



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Tuesday 3 March 2015

February - A month in pictures


February. It's been a busy month and I've spent a lot of time deep in thought. I seem to have many plates spinning; craft, music, work, and I often struggle to find balance and end up getting a little overwhelmed. Sometimes I daydream of moving to a little hobbit house in the middle of nowhere with no electricity or running water, where I can live off the land like stig of the dump. Do you ever feel like that? could you do it? I think I could. Though I'd miss blogging, and Mrs Miggins, and I'd have to have a little TV so I can watch 'Upstairs downstairs' and 'Wind in the willows' ... and a dishwasher perhaps??




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