Freecycle, skip diving, thrifting and a new magazine

We have spent a lot of time in the garden over the past few days because of the glorious weather. It is lovely to see everything coming to life again after the winter months and we have been moving a few things around and planting out some shrubs that have been in pots. This area is in front of the bird shed and it was a little bare so was the ideal relocation spot. Just as we were finishing my daughter shouted to say that someone on Freecycle had just offered some garden rocks and she was only a few minutes away from us so within half and hour we had claimed them, collected and look how they finish it off perfectly. I am really getting into Freecycle .... it is a great way of passing on your unwanted items to someone who has a need instead of taking them up to the tip. We have offered quite a bit of stuff that has been collecting up the side of the house (it was looking like Steptoe's Yard but is clear now) and in return have collected some items that we were in need of ..... we have just returned from collecting 3 trees - a Salix, a Corkscrew Willow and Cytistus (Broom). On the way we passed a skip which had some terracotta planters dumped on top of it ..... so guess what I did my best Kirsty Allsopp impression and dived in to claim them!This little shabby chic planter is an old bird show cage ..... we have dozens of them from my OH bird breeding pastime and I have been meaning to do this for ages. I have planted some Ivy, a Fuchsia, Lobelia and Petunia which should grown and trail through the bars to make a lovely display and save these lovely old cages from going to waste. We do have lots more and if anybody would like to buy one I would be happy to sell. Please get in touch via my blogshop for details. The postman brought this today .... a brand new sewing magazine which I have subscribed to for the grand total of £1 a month for the first 3 issues. I have had a glance through and it looks good.

and yes she's even in here too ... as if she needs any more publicity !

And to end the day on a perfect note one of our girls laid our first egg this morning .... well done Ginger ...... a small but perfectly formed offering. If anyone is thinking of getting some chooks I highly recommend it .... they are so funny with lovely characters of their own and when I go down to them they scuttle out and we have a chicken chat and they are such fuss pots ..... love a tickle under the chin.