Hope and Faith

HOPE 08

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

HOPE you all had a lovely Christmas, spent with loved ones and that you enjoyed you're New Year celebrations.

Now that family circumstances have changed, our Christmas was different, but pleasingly so.

Murray's Daddy and I are getting on amicably so and it shows in Murray who's still as content as ever.

So here's to 2008! HOPE its a good one! I totally have Faith that it will. I also am feeling more empowered and more in control of my life to make the most of it.

So what are your hopes and plans for 2008?

I've got a few....

1. To finish my interior design course that I've had on hold for over two years!

2. To be the best Murray to Mum possible.

3. To finally get my business UP running - I'm definately a starter - not a finisher!

4. To explore more of Scotland....

... and just a few other things.

Well, thats me back into blogging .  One of my new years resolution is to be more organised and to blog more. But we'll see how that one goes!!!

Oh and I thought I'd take the plunge and let you put a face to my name! - see picture above!

So hello to you all again AND HAPPY BLOGGING everyone

Love Charlotte

xxx

Remember me?

Hi guys, I'm back (again). I honestly didn't think it would take this long to get back on track - but such is life. I have been having a wee look at your blogs every now and then and a special thanks goes to Victoria for checking up on me.

This is just a quick post to let you know I'm still here.

I've now got a part time job at a local Outdoor Activity Centre on the House Team, and am moving up to the position of Housekeeper in January, taking over from the wonderful Darla when she leaves. We went to their local firework display and bonfire. It was amazing!

Murray and I are still in the flat that we've now been in for three and a half years (Murray - 2 1/2 years!).

Finally getting on with life and loving it. Been able to do so many things and new opportunites are arising every day.

I thought If  i didn't take this time to write this post now, I'd never do it. But i have - and hopefully I'll get back on blogging track soonish!

Hope you are all well.

Lots of love

Charlotte xxx

Holding on........

Wow, can I just say a huge than you all you caring beings out there. Sorry that I haven't managed to reply individually to each and everyone. Things have been a bit hectic and still are. Just when I feel like I'm standing strong againg, I get knocked back down but I've got God on my side to pick me up and keep nudging me along my path in life. (Yes that is me in the back of my sister's new car ~ but thats all your going to see of me for just now~ until I pluck up the courage to share my full picture with you. hehe)

Had an amazing weekend at The Crieff Hydro Hotel last weekend with all the family for my grandparents 50th Wedding Anniversary.  A well needed few days of rest and relaxation. But back to the real world, benefits to claim, forms to fill in .........

I am coping with my new situation. Yes there are moments I feel like asking God, why me? I just wanted a nice simple life. I thought you'd given me enough in one lifetime to deal with. But no, here you go again....

But I just take a step back and am sooooooo grateful for the opportunity he has given me to be on my own and truly search for who Charlotte is and what she is here on the this earth to do. I wasn't really able to do that before. But now I'm free.

I'm only 21 but we never know if tomorrow is going to be our last day so........ from now on, I'm going to take hold of every opportunity to make a difference to the lives of others. I was given a second chance in life and now am free (from a partner) to give and to help others.

The main man in my life right now is Murray, he keeps me going and smiling. Children are so innocent and we have a lot to learn from them. I mean a lot. At church today, he made so many people smile just by clapping and dancing to the music. You can't put a price on that! You really can't.

Finally, before I go and tidy up the trail of toys and clothes that Murray has left today, I thought I'd let you know, HOPE AND FAITH is going to be coming at you from a slightly different slant. I want to help others and if by sharing with you what I learn each day, helps atleast one person, then thats my job done. Yes I'll still tell you stories of our day to day life in the country and show you pretty pictures of china tea cups and strawberry jam antics, but the main emphasis of this blog will be LIFE and how to live it (in the eyes of Charlotte atleast)

Bless you all and thank you again for all your supporting words.

SO much love

Charlotte xxx

Feeling blue for real this time!

Well, the walls haven't been painted yet. That'll be a job for me to so. As I'm on my own now. After three years together, my partner and I have decided to go our separate ways. Its been the hardest decision we've made but we both know its for the best. We don't make each other happy anymore, and we've tried for the past year to do so, but it hasn't worked. And we want Murray to be as settled as possible and have the best chance in life. And thats not with parents who argue all the time.

I don't believe for one second that we weren't meant to be together in the beginning. We made an amazing child who is so special. But now, its time to let each other be as happy as possible.

Over the past few years, I have grown stronger in my faith, just a pity its further away from the life Calum leads. Maybe one day he'll see the light but he can only do that by finding out who he really is and what he really wants out of life.

So for now, I just need a little time to heal and get back on track. I'll try and post every now and then, but theres so much to do and sort out.

Take care everyone.

Love Char

xxx

Feeling blue ~ duck egg blue!

Its all been about colour for me the last few days, what with trying to find the perfect shade to paint the kitchen in, and talking about weddings with my sister. Calum and I are engaged, but no talk of weddings just yet. We'd prefer to get on the property ladder first. Oh and to have a second child, so THEN i can get my figure back for my perfect day! Lets say 2011 at the earliest. I'm ever so slightly hooked on wedding.tv at the mo. So naturally, you start daydreaming about your day when its comes.

When i was in my teens my favourite colours had to be pink and purple, not very original as i think every girl on the planet apart from tomboys liked that colour combo! You should have seen my room! Shocking pink and lilac ~ oh how I cringe!

Its only in the last year or so that I've started to reveal my true colours so to speak. I hate the conventional black and navy just isn't me darling! So for me its chocolate brown. But I can never have just one colour, i always have a duo. And at the mo its partner is shades of aqua or teal. If you had to choose just one colour that would be it. Its so vibrant and cheery.

So taking you back onto weddings ~ I was talking to my sister tonight whilst watching wedding tv and decided my bridesmaids would have to be in a light teal or duck egg blue. I showed her this corsage against some pink roses I have in my hallway at the moment and my heart just melted. The perfect combination.

Loving this out fit from Coast...

Murray and I are going away up to Aberdeen tomorrow for the next week so that Calum can get on with redecorationg the kitchen ~ GOOD LUCK DARLING!

To be honest, I'm dreading coming home and seeing what it turns out like. I thought I had found the perfect colour. Stepping stone from crown ~ it matches my Laura Ashley DUCK EGG BLUE gingham curtains that I showed you in a previous post. But to my horror they only do it in a matt finish, which is an absolute no no for our kitchen and Master Murrays grubby hands! So Calum kindly asked the assistant at B&Q to match the colour in dulux range in Kitchen and bathroom paint ~ as you can get practically any colour made up than you can think of. FANTASTIC I THOUGHT! UNTIL..... I went on the website to see what the colour was that he finally got. I'm feeling rather sick to be honest...  I knew I should have gone to get the paint myself but we shall see. So here's what the colour should look like...  HA HA, WOW, WHAT A MATCH TO MY BACKGROUND OF MY BLOG! 

And here's whats in the boot of the BMW waiting to go on our walls...

UH OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I'm a perfectionist and I tell you I had the PERFECT COLOUR, now i think my dreams of the perfect kitchen are over before its started! I'm going to have to open the tin and do a tester before it goes on the walls.

Anyway, the less said the better for now.

Carrying on the duck egg blue theme and at the same time introducing you to my sister Louise Jane with my wee wonderful...

Loving the joules wellies sis. xxx

Before I forget , here's Murray Frost feeling a bit blue too...

It was Grandad Frosts fault honest! He was having the day at grannies yesterday and came home with this present for me! What a corker! Went to the Doctors today just to get it checked out. All is fine but he'll have one big shiner in a couple of days when the swelling has gone down. My poor baby. Still manages to have a smile on his face though!

Away to pack for going up the road. Lots of quality time with Mum, carbooting, and thrifting ahead. Yay!

Love Char xxx

MURRAY FROST IS 2!

Hello fellow bloggers, its good to be back! I can't believe its nearly been a month since I last posted.

Anyhoo ~ we've had a fairly busy time ~ weth holidaying up at my mums for a week, helping to organise Murrays Grannie Linda's retirement do and throwing a special birthday party for them both.

Linda (my fiance's mum) retires from being a primary school teacher this year. Her birthday was on Saturday ~ the 23rd ~ the date that I was sure Murray was going to be born on. But no ~ he was born 45 minutes into the 24th! 2 YEARS AGO! So we had a joint BIRTHDAY BARBEQUE as Linda was 60! She's looking forward to her retirement ~ and so am I as she will be on hand to help look after Murray. I am hoping to get a part time job and she said that she will be more than happy to help look after little one ~ bless her!

This is a bit of a quick post but just thought I should bite the bullit and get blogging again.

I also took part in the Cancer Research race for Life on Sunday 1oth June and we managed to raised £725! 

I can't believe June is nearly over.  Time just seems to be flying right by me and I worry that I'm not doing enough. Trying to prioritze but failling miserably!

Will be back soon with a more coherant post.

Love Charlotte

xxx 

Fabric and Farmyard Friends!

Before I begin telling you what a fun filled day we had at our local wildlife park/ farm, I just have to tell you about the absolute BARGAIN of the century!

I was in town the other day getting a key cut for Calum's brother's new flat and PICKING UP OUR NEW HOOEVER CALUM LEFT IN THE SHOP OVER NIGHT! (My new dyson! its my new best friend!) As I had to wait ten minutes to get the key cut, I nipped across to Monsoon and LAURA ASHLEY! They've always got a discount section and I love seeing what I can pick up for less than the RRP! I hate paying full price for things. I was a bit disheartened as I couldn 't find anything until I took myself down the spiral staircase to the furnishings section!!! I darted straight to the remnants box as I refuse to pay full price for any Laura Ashley fabric. I found it very difficult to make up my mind as I knew I couldn't buy all the fabric that I had set aside totalling £62! So I eventually decided on the two fabrics you can see.

Pink gingham to add to my ever increasing collection. And this gorgeous floral cotton fabric. Both half price . Now are you listening carefully. The floral fabric should have been £17.50 for 2.3 metres which was £7.50 a metre(50% off so should have been £15 am metre). A bargain at half the price. But no, it doesn't stop there! It went through the till at wait for it.... £2.50 a metre!!! Woohoo! Must have been my lucky day. Now I'm away to cut it up and make something from it. I want to make my first tote bag. Maybe a MORSBAG! for all my shopping and to do my bit for the environment! I've already bought the cotton bags for life from my local co-op but I want something a bit more me! What better than to carry your shopping home in a handmade flowery tote!

So, bargains aside ~ lets get on to our trip to the Wildlife Park. Somehow, the weather held out on Friday and the Tiddlers and Toddlers had a great day out at Auchingarrich Wildlife Park by Comrie. We saw lots of animals

and Murray insisted on chasing the peacock. 

And driving the old fire engine.

With Anna ~( his girlfriend) by his side! That thing trailing on the floor attatched to Murray is his wrist strap or doglead as I call it. It has to be the best thing ever. It still gives Murray a bit of freedom when walking. He hates holding my hand and flops when the reigns are on. So this is the perfect solution!

The best picture of the day in my mind (apart from the one with my gorgeous boy in it) has to be this ~

I don't know why ~ but I just love it. I might try and paint this scene ~ adding a pig or two in the fore ground for our local show. There are a lot of categories of which I shall try and enter most. So far I'm entering 1)the floral art section ~ 2) art & photography ~ 3) home produce ( inc jams and chutneys.) and 4)handicraft. Just need to prioritise and see what things I can start making now and which I have to leave to the last minute.

I'm sure I have babbled on a bit here ~ and I really have a lot to do today so I shall get on  and leave you with this pic of Murray in his favourite place ~ on top of his book box ~ reading a book.

And he's actually saying the oooh part of hello as I took the pic. So hello from Murray and Goodbye from me.

Until next time..........

Love Charlotte xxx

SEW EXCITED!

Last weekend was a monumentous one in the Frost ~ Morris (my last name for the considerable near future) household. I learned how to sew! It must sound crazy to all you pro sewers but as I'm only 21 I think I'm still quite young to take it up. And I'm loving it!

I always knew I wanted to be able to sew ~ I asked for a sewing machine for my 20th birthday. And I got it but I just haven't had the time to get aquainted with it until NOW! And now there's nothing stopping me. I've picked up a fair few sewing books in local charity shops and have some on order from Amazon but the best teacher would have to be my Mother! Who made her own wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses from scratch ~ and numerous other articles.

So here are a few things that I've managed so far

1) A panel blind for the kitchen window. In Laura Ashleys Duck Egg Blue gingham ( which I hasten to add I got it for 1/2 price in the remnants section ~ a steal as the cashier couldn't understand why it was so cheap as it had just come in ~ I bought it about two years ago!)

Please ignore the peach walls! ~ we haven't got round to painting the kitchen yet ~ we had the new units etc installed in october but STILL haven't got round to painting it!

2)The next was a curtain to cover the boiler in the kitchen   

Simple projects to get me started!

I also want to make curtains to cover the fridge and freezer under the worktops and the washing machine as I hate seeing modern appliances ( I don't know why!) but I rather think Calum will not agree to that. A bit to frilly!

So that the kitchen done in the fabric department ~ can't wait for the whole room to be finished and to be able to show it off.

And to finish ~ these are works in

progress ~

~have managed to finish a few of them ~ adorning them with mother of pearl buttons and twine.

~ This one's been made from a vintage scottish woolen blanket that had a tear in it. I love turning old things into something new and usable.

Off to meet my Mum tomorrow and heading to Edinburgh to visit my Gran. Hoping to get a chance to visit the Kinross Saturday flea market and charity shops in Stockbridge ~ Edinburgh.

Hope you all have a great weekend girls!

Charlotte xxx

7 WEIRD THING ABOUT ME

Thanks to Julie at Vintage Heaven which you must all go and have a read of if you haven't already~ I've been tagged with the 7 Weird things about me tag. I'm probably the last one to have been tagged so its difficult to find someone to pass this on to but I'll see what I can do.

Anyhoo ~ here's 7 weird or SPECIAL things about me.

1) I'm left handed although I can't cut with my left! REASON  ~ There were 7 people in my class with left hands! and only 3 pairs of left handed scissors! I was too impatient.

2) I still suck my thumb when I'm tired! I'm 21 , I know its an awful habit! ~ I blame it on my mum not giving me a dummy when I was younger. Wasn't sure about admitting this but what the heck!

3) I had a dream about giving birth to a fox a couple of days before Murray was born ~ MURRAY HAS RED HAIR! Coincidence? ~ I think not! I think Murray was trying to warn me from in the womb! The first thing I said to Calum after Murray was born was "He's got red hair~ is that okay?"!!! What a terrible thing to say I know.

4) I hate tea! I'm sorry ladies but I can't stand the stuff ~ I'll easily have the scone and jam that goes with it but I'm no JENNY!

5) I have a desire to be my own boss ~ I HATE WORKING UNDER AUTHORITY! I don't know what it is. I guess I want to own my own company!

6) The only dried fruit I'll eat are apricots. I can't stand any other kind. I cand eat any baking that has raisins etc in it Euch! And I've never eaten Christmas cake! Sad I know.

So many weird things about me but this has to be the last ~

7) I haven't been on a bus in years and the thought of going on one scares me. I don't know what it is. Maybe I'm a snob. Or maybe its not knowing the person sitting right next to you. I'll go for the snob thing! As I keep saying, I'd rather be a snob than a mink!

So there you go!

The pictures that are in this post are of the Port of Mentieth Game Fair which we went to on Sunday. Having 3 Gamekeepers in the one family ensures that we're at them all! I'm looking forward to the one at Scone in July. Two years ago we went with Murray when he was jst 8 days old. We reckoned he was the youngest person there. 

Here's Murray ~ no not my Murray  but the Golden Eagle called Murray~

Must get on. As you can see from the dates of my last post I haven't had much time to blog. I've been very busy with the business ~ lots of new ideas! Just trying to find the time to create them is the problem .

Hopefully be back soon with some exciting things to show.

Charlotte

xxx

Domestic goddess and Kitchen King!!

The house and I are getting on a treat this week and feel that I've beaten the housework hands down ~ believe me it used to be the other way around quite alot. With the house looking great ~ and I now feel great! I aspire to be what is written on my Emma Bridgewater tea towel ~ DOMESTIC GODDESS & KITCHEN QUEEN. I'm half way there. Just need to work on my cooking skills. I'm not saying I'm a bad cook ~ Calum would say I'm quite the opposite ~ but I want to start baking more and cooking  things I've never cooked before.  On THE KITCHEN QUEEN front ~ I'll get there, but for now here's my KITCHEN KING!

Or should I say Kitchen Queen ~ that apron! Forgive me ~ its Anna's ( Judith's daughter).

Now on to a bit of what I've been making and doing. I love all things vintage and antique and one of my favourite places to shop or at least visit is Doune Antiques and Arts centre (between Callander and Stirling ~ for all those who know Scotland!) I spied the following in their original form and snapped them up straight away, knowing they would be perfect for Murrays room. They were ink stained printers blocks when I bought them and I have transformed them into co~ordinating hues of blue.

The next items were made yesterday after recieving a phone call from an existing customer to commision a journal/memory album and co~ordinating card for a friends daughters christening.

I'm quite pleased with the outcome ~ and am thinking of making up sets like this in the future to sell as baby gifts. Does it sound like a good idea?

Its sunday, and Calum has taken his twin brother Cameron and our wee boy Murray through to Stirling to do a bit of shopping ~ so I'm having a bit of time to myself ~ bliss! Away to get the salmon out of the freezer that Judith's husband, Scott, caught the other day, for dinner. New potatoes and lemon butter sauce me thinks!

Maybe make some pancakes for pudding or simple chocolate crispy cakes with the copious amounts of rice crispies we have left over from when I made them for our easter fair!

I'm also getting the day to myself tomorrow ~ its may weekend and Murray's grannie who is a school teacher is off tomorrow so has offered to take him for the day. If i get the house in working order tonight I should be able to allow myself a WHOLE DAY of crafting tomorrow. Lets wait and see. Hopefully I will have a few things to show you by tomorrow night!

Hope you've all had a good weekend.

Love Charlotte xxx