Betty ready for a swim.

She is looking less scary, I made her eyes much smaller, adding some skin coloured fibres, I made eyebrows using the same grey fibre as her hair. I added more hair but left it loose, I think it look quite real. My sister requested I dress her, I send updated photo's to her and she did not want to see another naked photo. 

I tried hard to give her body the right curves, a nice waist and a bum, so I added a backless costume to show off her figure. Originally I was going to make her costume blue, but then I thought a red costume might balance her red lips, it does go with her grey hair. 

I did make a her body a bit shorter, by working on her legs, she is balanced, and looks good with my 1st lady, Reenie. I will do a bit more on her legs, I did pull them apart and rewrapped the skin tone, they do look much better. I think her boobs are also a bit high, lucky lady at her age. When is she finished, I'm known for never stopping, I hope to make her feet look a bit smaller and neater.

 I have just finished reading this book, I read her 1st book and enjoyed it, this has the same female officer, this time officially working on the case, again they are in a retreat which is closed off by weather conditions, a nice twist at the end. Book 15 read this year.

I have been supporting our daughter, she has changed both George (three and a half) and Molly(two), cots into beds, bedtime is great for about 10 minutes and then they both get up, 1st night it was way past 10pm before George went to sleep, Molly lasted until 9pm. Each night is getting slightly better, George has found the changes hardest, he does love his routine. This summer is loads of changes for them both, potty training is better with Molly, George does not like the potty, both are walking more, Molly again is stronger than George.

I have picked up a summer cold and sore throat, not surprising as our weather is much like a wet September, one moment it's cold and wet, the sun shines for a while and it's hot, then it clouds over and it's cold again, the evenings are cold, where has our summer gone. I purchased my day face cream with factor 25 included, should I take it back. I am being very careful with my back, the wet weather is keeping me inside where it is safer.

The garden is what I watch from inside, hubby keeps the bird feeders full, lots of young fledglings, which means loads of squabbles. I walk to the greenhouse to water and collect tomatoes most days, and to the composter with kitchen waste, but that's it, if the sun shines, the furniture is too wet to sit on.

Hubby is finishing painting my book shelf in the hall, it's very quirky, built where the old door opening was, he has removed three shelves and will put back four, as I always have more books than space. I don't keep all the books I read, I would need a library, but I do keep one good book from an author I love, I have a need to see books. I also have a little book shelf in spare bedroom, with books I have read, any visitors can help themselves and take it home if not finished. 

July round-up

A small spend on normal crafts, just bits to finish my cushion, a bigger spent on needle felting fibre, I should have loads to use for months to come, and small spend in the garden, a couple of plant supports, small plants and some bulbs, another good month. 

I did purchase another cotton top and leggings this month, nothing else required, I'm replacing worn clothes this year, I do look at sale rails in shops I like when I am out, which is not that often.

July was a good spend month in our household, no big pay-outs, most of our bills are paid monthly, we did do a shop for all our cleaning stuff, we visited Home bargains and stocked up, in hope we can avoid the shop until the school return in September. We are saving for the new garden layout.

No waste in the house, the composter has all the veg bits from the kitchen as well as garden stuff, we are now in a place where we know what we need and don't impulsive purchase. My harvest, whilst only small is being used, except tomatoes, which I am chopping up and freezing, they make great bases for our home made soups.

My steps really dropped, but I needed the rest, my weight is lower, by only a couple of pounds, but I have noticed my waist is smaller, a couple of trousers now fit much better, so I'm pleased. Having said that I want to focus on this part of my life, I need to move more, eat less and take control. My back is hurting again, so I am being careful.

Making new friends

My rabbit is now complete, all her limbs are attached and she has a pretty face, I have made her pants, last time I tried to knit them I abandoned the pattern, half way through, this time it took 2 starts. I wont make any more clothes, she is finished. As yet Molly has not seen her, I am hoping she will love her, I know George will also enjoy playing with her, they share all their toys, no gender limitations here. 

My second lady, is coming along, I do a bit each day, not rushing, ensuring I do it right and not forget any part. Her body does look long, it is the same length as Reenie, I suppose very few have a perfect body, she is not padded out yet, or has her skin tone added in this photo.

I was not shown how to do features, so if it looks very basic, it's because I don't know what I am doing, I do love her grey hair, I will add more later, her eyes are a bit large and her lipstick too bright, I'm pleased with my first ever nose, I've shaped her head and she does have a neck. As for her boobs, they are the same size, doesn't look like it in this photo, and they are in the right place. I still need to work on her arms and legs, all of them are a big fatter than I hoped. I think she looks like a Betty to me.

I have been given a flower press, I had one years ago and loved using it, it had been give as an unwanted gift and the lady thought of me, and passed it on. I took a wonder around the garden on Wednesday morning, it was dry and sunny, the flowers and leaves were dry and open.

The clematis around our main entrance is blooming, we have popped wires for them to grow along, we are thinking of trying to root a cutting and having it grow both sides of the door arch, we dont have enough space to put another plant in, the roots won't fit, hopefully the blooms would then be lower and not just along the top. The white lavender has been a success in the two pots. 

It's been a nothing week here, I did go to sign group on Tuesday, we had a games session, which was fun, and a special lunch as it was Viv's birthday. The weather at the start of the week was kind to us, not so much rain and mostly falling later in the day, so mornings have been bright and sunny, laundry is all up to date. Having said that it started raining on Wednesday evening, all night and still going on Thursday morning, very dull and grey. I was very careful at Pilates Thursday evening,  I hurt my shoulder last week and did not want a repeat.

Garden is doing good, full of colour, I planted 10 nerine bulbs, I got them locally for just £5, which is a bargain. Other than dead heading I have not done much, I did have a good sort out behind our garage, it's my working area, with a water butt and composters, but it's also a dumping ground. 

Crafting has been the main time filling exercise, I am enjoying what I am making, but there is no buzz of excitement, still nothing is grabbing my attention. I need to find a book to read, again I have plenty here, but nothing calls to me. I have been out walking, just trying to shake off the gloom, doing more to release my mind back to where it should be. 

Dreams

Regular readers will know I love our garden, its my place of peace and joy, recently we have changed where we sit to be further away from our horrible neighbour and the problems we get, mainly flies and smells, our pergola has been sold and we have this beautiful parasol, we have moved our bench to make a nice seating area, surrounded by sweet smelling herbs in pots and our Olive tree. The bunting and all the bits on the shelf add to the feel of this area, very vacation holiday vibes, we also get a better view of the garden from here, photos taken on a rare sunny day.

This view will change, hubby wants the hard landscaping to be done in September, I had planned for it to be done next spring and will probably keep to that schedule, I think it will be better time for moving plants. The path by the garage will stay, as will most of the grass, extra raised beds will be made, one for flowers and two for veg. Whilst I gain beds for growing, we will lose the decking  which is just a big empty space, which we no longer use.

So we are enjoying our tidy view for now, we chat together, making suggestions, ensuring when changes are made, we get the most from the garden. The decking will go, and a new fake lawn laid from our Magnolia tree down. The back area of the lawn I am taking, will be replaced by the extra space from the decking. The space infront of the garage will stay a working area for hubby, he also BBQ's there. This means our garden will be closer to the house and will give us a lovely view from inside. This is a very basic plan I made online, it gives you an idea of what is in my head.

It's really exciting to chat and throw different ideas at each other, so far there is just 2 small changes, to help the flow closer to the house. The flower bed infront of the green house will have fruits in, moving the flower and shrubs to the new bed at the end of the new lawn. Making two raised veg beds will give me the extra growing buzz I need, if they ever get too much I can plant with shrubs. We will leave the fake grass at the back and cut out under the raised beds, digging out stones and filling with top soil. The 'grass' will make clean paths, which dry quickly after any rain.

So I sit in the shade with a lovely breeze and plan, I've never done anything as big as this, having everywhere the same level will be brilliant, we need to decide on what paving we have, hubby wants to have old fashioned square ones, I'm wanting something a bit different, nothing too modern, it won't look right, so many conversations to be had.

Thank you for all your wonderful comments about our garden, it is our haven, it is small, so much easier for us to manage, I am outside every day the weather will allow, I do enjoy picking up leaves and deadheading flowers. In the last few years we have changed bits to allow less work and more enjoyment, my mum had a huge garden, which she worked in all day long, but rarely sat and rested there, it's about the balance.