While you were commuting to work...

So here's a nice way to ease yourself into the week - a sunny monday morning walk with husband and scruffy dog. The frost had bitten during the night but the sun was out and had a spring warmth to it. It sure beats battling through roadworks and traffic jams.

Lovely Sunday

After all the hard work of the launch, we deserved a well-earned rest this Sunday. So we went out to the Olive Branch for a lovely roast lunch avec lovely French chardonnay. It was yummo! Kerys went to Bryonys after, so Amber, G and I went home and played The Game Of Life. How eighties? It was good fun and Amber was a scream! And she won! woooop!

Then I set up Amber with her painting stuff and she set about painting a still life at home of the tulips and stuff on the radiator cabinet, plus the orange wall. The sun was streaming in, the wine was making me sleepy, it was lovely.

Oh and the clocks went forward so it was the first light summers everning of the year. BLISS!

The little veg patch has launched at last!

Phew! After a stressful few months of preparation, web design, product honing, promo design, apron printing and sign carving, the little veg patch launch was finally upon us. And what a glorious day it was.

I was up until 1am the night before the launch putting the finishing touches to thelittlevegpatch.co.uk, adding google analytics and stuff so by 5.45am when G got up all excited, I was pretty darn tired! Gerald set off for River Cottage at stupid o'clock but I had an easier morning of it as kids aren't allowed on site until 10am - so the girls and I set off after a quorn bacon sambo and awakening cuppa.

G had done an amazing job on the stand (despite cracking his head on the marquee!). Dougies sign looked amazing, the plants surrounding the little veg patch on display looked beautiful. As the public came filtering in, we soon had quite a crowd jostling to grab leaflets and quiz us on the little veg patch. It was fantastic and everyone was so lovely and very impressed with the product. "What a fantastic idea!" was probably the most oft heard sentence of the day.

We celebrated at the end of the day with some English champers bought at River Cottage from Pete at cost price - thanks Pete! Such a great day - Kerys and Amber were absolute gems. It was lovely to have our pitch right by the day old little lambs. I wanted to smuggle one home... but G would've eaten it I expect...

Launch day is upon us

Too long has gone between posts for my liking. But that has a great deal to do with the imminent launch of the little veg patch which is tomorrow AAARGH! Everything is done now. I've spent a friday night sipping wine, eating dairy milk and doing the little veg patch site - crazy, but I'd finished earthwormlandscapes the other day, and thought that was that, until I realised I'd put thelittlevegpatch.co.uk on all the 500 leaflets. Doh! So here I am, there I was.

But anyway, it's all done now. All the stuff is back from the printers and looking splendid (even if I do say so myself). G has made some amazing driftwood presentation frames on which we'll hang A3 laminated - sorry, encapsulated - info sheets. He's spent a small fortune on lovely plants to adorn the stand. The same plants will adorn our garden after the launch so hurray! (let's hope Archie doesn't dig them up like he did the Hosta and stuff last year the SWINE!)

Everyone is asleep. It's 11.56pm. The truck is packed, the wellies waiting... the order book heavy with antici.........pation. Wish us luck!

Strange cloud

So the other day Amber was off to Emmas around the corner, and she popped back in and said "Mum, there's a really weird cloud out here..." And sure enough, there was.

Now either a crazy plane had been going around in circles for a while, then disappeared without any cloud trail, or some strange freaky weather created it. Whichever it is, I think it's beautiful.

If you look at the bottom of the pic, you can see other people in the street marvelling at it's craziness.

Little Cupcake

I know I should be doing lots of work for the launch, but I couldn't possibly miss the opportunity to spend a few hours with Anna and lil' Isabella Cupcake.

We hadn't seen each other for aaaaages, and I hadn't seen Isabella since she was a newborn! She is an absolute delight. A giggly little monkey forever exploring. Archie loved her but we had to pop him upstairs for a while for fear of getting a little over excited, the poor wee mite.

G came home in time to hang a little with the gals, and yet more tea and cake. So it was a lovely afternoon. No sooner had they left and I was back infront of the mac putting the final touches to the Get Growing Guide book which is off to the printers WOOOO! 'citing.

A bientot!

Spring has sprung at last!

So yesterday it was just me and the girls as G was off to Dougies to pick up the amazing sign (see post below). The sun was shining, the dog was desperate for a walk so we packed a picnic and headed off to the river.

When we got back Amber's little friend came over and the children baked stuff. Kerys made THE most amazing Green & Blacks white chocolate cookies (a Hugh recipe) and Amber made little fairy cakes. By the time the house smelled divine, G came home to warm biccies and cakes straight from the oven. Bliss.

So overall, a lovely springy Sunday. Blossom has just come into bloom in the last few days. Fantastic! I love love love this time of year! Whoopla!

Well done Dougie!

Dougie has done an amazing job on the big sign for the Little Veg Patch. We weren't too sure on the burny black background when we first saw it, but I like it now. It's sooooo tactile. You just wanna touch it! We've decided its perfect for shows and festivals when we do them, but it's too big to stay at River Cottage on the 2 veg patches they have there for their gardening courses. So Dougie is making a smaller, thinner one - which means I might have to revise the logo, so it's all in one line with the worm on the end... YAY DOUG!

Congratulations! it's a little baby blog!

Here I go - I've been thinking about it for a while. What would I talk about? Why would I do it? Would anyone read it? Doesn't matter... I think I like the idea of having a place to go "wow! I LOVE this I found!" or "I am SO pleased with this photo I took" without having to ram it down anyone's throat. Ok, ok, it's for me. I'm a new freelance designer - well sort of - last month I was taken down to 3 days a week by my empoloyer which is fine by me! I'm freelancing at home 2 days a week and working for an evil ad agency 3 days a week. I WILL get out soon and work full time for myself. I am currently working on my wonderful husband G's stuff - we're launching The Little Veg Patch at River Cottage on the 28th of March. Can't WAIT. But lots to do. I'd like to keep this up to keep a diary of the run up to the launch. Ok, I will then...

I've spent a small fortune today - Kerys is off skiing in a few weeks and needed so much stuff. But it was so lovely hanging out with her, trying on hats, crazy sunglasses and drinking chai latte in Neros. As my best friend said on the phone tonight "So lovely to have a bit of solo time with just one of the kids". As she is 13 this year, I'm hoping for a few more of these girly days before teenage craziness kicks in. With Amber I have slightly longer.

Now I wonder if I can post an image on here of today... [edit] yes! ok, catch you laters