I have MOVED !!!!

Hi all,

I am pleased to announce that I have created a brand new blog!

Please visit me at www.ericas-attic.blogspot.com

I look forward to seeing you there soon!

Be sure to leave a "hello"!

Erica

xxx

Down Town Row'ell

Just thought, as I was popping into town, I'd take a few snaps.
This is the nearest town to our village, and has some beautiful architecture.
Also, one of the libraries I used to work at.
The local stone is iron stone, hence the lovely rusty colouring.
Oh, and the fantasies about what I could do with this little shop....

A shop selling lace hankerchiefs, gingham table clothes. hand made toys, teddy bears and fairy dolls. ( and mice, of course). Unusual greetings cards, (mine included), second hand books, antique parasols and nighties, tea shop, fairy cake and cup cake specialist, tiaras, sheet music, unusual and rare buttons, ribbon and ric-rac, and of course home made chutnies, jams and preserves, a yearly pumpkin fest....I fear, alas, the folk of Row'ell would not be ready for such a shop.

Upstairs would be extra tables for the tea shop, the walls lined with wonderful paintings.

Up in the top room, would be my studio...

Jammy

when I was a little girl, I reeeeeally didn't like going to school...at all! There were various reasons, but mainly, I just really enjoyed being at home. When I was at home, I could paint and draw, I could read my fairy tales, I could go and play in the field behind our house with the goats.
Where we lived in Ireland, and I've never seen them since, where these enormous toadstools. They were as big as dinner plates and would appear over night. Of course this did nothing but ignite my already over-active imagination even more.
As I grew older, and moved away from Ireland, school became even more difficult for me. The one thing that helped me through the ordeals of bullying and double physics, was my imagination. I'm soooo happy that I never lost my imagination.

So now, as a grown up little girl, I feel extremely Jammy that I don't have to go to 'the office', which really is just a school for grown ups.

I can stay at home, and paint my pictures...


...because I always believed in my imagination...

...but the Jammiest thing of all?

I GET PAID TO DO IT!

Operation Dandylion

Well,

look who came to help at the allotment!



It's me mammy and da!

They worked like troopers for 4 days, and without their help I'd never have gotten any of my seedlings in!

Here is mother, and dock root...



Here is the Great High Wizard, wanting his lunch...



And here are a few shots of the allotment after they'd finished.




So thank-you very much mum & dad!

Erica
xxxx

Tuesday's treasures

So I went to Brixworth Community centre today to sign some books, and on my way back, I went to the tip...as you do...

I got....



a lovely old round mirror.



An oddity, which I'm going to transform into a post box for up the allotment.
It will be useful for leaving spare seeds, notes, cards etc for friends up there.



The inside!




Two ancient hoes!




Fiver, the lot!

Bargain!

xx

The Final Show

Here, at last, are the photographs from this weekends closing performance of The Peppermint Tree.
The next ballet production is "The Wild Wood", performed by the TTMB, (Travelling Transylvanian Mouse Ballet).
I shall be sure to keep you all up to date.
I have an interview scheduled for tomorrow with the Prima Ballerina.







A very rare glimpse behind the scenes.
Her the production has it's very own seamstress, busily sewing tutu after tutu.
Fifi and Hansel share a moment.
Matilde with friend.
The girls making alterations to their outfits.






The hero of the production,
Hansel Frogglemienster.
Plays - Neige



The beautiful
Matilde,
Plays - Belle Menthe



Lillia
Plays - ice forest
nymph
number 1



Audrey
Plays - Ice forest
nymph number 2



Fif Von Frinklestien

The Peppermint Tree

Yesterday afternoon, I went to watch the RVMB (The Royal Vienna Mouse Ballet), production of The Peppermint Tree.
The Peppermint Tree is a tragic tale of unrequited love, secrets, tragedy and betrayal. The only way for Belle Menthe, the heroine, to mend her broken heart is to venture deep into the ice forest in search of the magical Peppermint Tree. A single bloom plucked from the tree will make all Belle Menthe's woes disappear. However, in a cruel twist of fate, the thorns of the tree are deadly poisonous. The finale of the ballet is too tragic for words...I shall try...

Belle Menthe finds the tree, and in her desperation to mend her heart, forgets that one prick from the tree's thorns would be fatal.

Belle Menthe dies alone, in the ice forest, underneath the Peppermint Tree.




Above is Matilde, the stunning prima who played Belle Menthe.



Above is Fifi Von Frincklestein, the production's choreographer and former prima ballerina. Back in her day she was the star of the stage, appearing in productions for over twenty-five years, including Mouse Pond and The Cheese Grater.






The battery for my camera died before I could capture the rest of the dancers on film, I am however planning to go and watch the ballet again next week, ( if my heart can take it), so will post more pictures then.

The Evil Cousin

Last night, at around 10 O'Clock, there came from the kitchen a strange and muffled mewing.
As anyone who owns a cat will know, this can only mean one thing...

Timmy's brought something in!

So, Nick and I ventured into the kitchen where we found Timmy peering under the tumble dryer.
Nick lifted up the machine (what a hero) and I played catch the mouse.

I rescued her from the jaws of death.

I gave her some cheese.

And what did she do?

She bit me!

Ouch!


Evil mouse...

Aurelie

Well,
as I was saying,
a playmate for Emille seemed like a good idea.

So, when I eventually got around to making my cup of tea...look who I discovered in my favourite tea cup!
Her name is Aurelie and she seems alot milder mannered than Emille. She does however seem to share the same fascination for all things shiny.

Caught red handed!

Well, there I was, just finished a magazine job.
I came down my twisty stairs to make myself a cup of tea, and whilst admiring my favourite corner...



when who did I spy?

Look closely....


closer...



Emille, who as it turns out is ALOT of trouble.



Here she is, trying to conceal her identity by covering her face whilst pilfering my best jewels.
I think a playmate may keep her out of mischief....

What do you think?