Sun, strawberries and kitty cats!

 

Today was spent out at our allotment, weeding, watering and picking strawberries in the sun and muggy heat. I don't know how we did it, but I have never seen such huge strawberries as the first few ripe ones we picked from our own plot today! Although we are quite behind with our garden this year, we have still been able to enjoy our own salad, kale, herbs, rhubarb and strawberries so far, and the broccoli and beetroot haven't long to go before they're ready too!

When we got home, we had the strawberries with whipped cream sweetened with the last few spoons of the mountain wildflower honey we brought home from our travels in Bosnia last summer, and gave the cats a little of the cream too as a treat. They then spent ages licking their lips and washing their faces like little bunnies after.

Then we went up to the garden and played with the cats in the grass for an hour or so. We're moving to a new house in a couple of weeks, and while we will have a small front garden and patio there, we want to make the most of our chance to play with them in the long grass.

A business breakfast at Ruby Robin Boutique HQ

 

On sunny days we have our business meetings in to the garden. 

My work colleagues are all cats. 

The coffee's fresh and there's time to stop and smell the flowers.

It's not always easy, but sometimes I really love being self-employed.

A not so brief update!

Hey guys! I'm so sorry it's been so long without writing, I've been so overwhelmed with activity the last few weeks I just couldn't find the time to blog. The main reason for my disappearance has been that I have been working like a lunatic to get my new little business venture the 'Ruby Robin Boutique' off the ground. Aside form making, packaging and marketing all the stuff for the shop, try and fit into this equation a part-time retail job three or four days a week, a boyfriend to hang out with, some semblance of a social life to maintain and four cats to cuddle things get pretty hectic. This post has actually been three whole days in the making,  so I hope you understand and keep patient with me while things find their feet :)

My biggest excitement of late came in the form of my new business cards (above)which arrived yesterday, look how pretty they are! I am so, so happy with them! What do you guys think?

 The culmination of all this recent mayhem and madness was my taking part in a three day long flea market last weekend. It was my first time putting myself and the stuff I make out there, so naturally it was a bit nerve wracking. My number one fear being that people would have no interest in it, but at the end of it I made myself a tidy profit, met some really great people and got lots of positive feedback on my stuff! 

Victorian inspired cat portrait pendant in a decadent brass and filigree setting.

I flogged off some beautiful old lace and bit and bobs from my sewing stash..

 

Teacup brooches..

Wooden butterfly rings (above)

It goes without saying that I found myself some treasures at the market too, far too many to be blogged about so here are some of the finer  specimens..

 Exhibit number one (pictured above) is this super girlie and pink gilded china trio from Holey Moley Vintage and this little retro owl pot from my friend Lorna. You can't see inside, the the cup, saucer and plate a lovely little floral design painted in the most vivid pastel shades.

 I couldn't resist this; the tackiest, shiniest and cutest ashtray with a little dear on the side just to make it even more shameful and perfect...

and we also added considerably to the fantasy VW collection.

 Among the new people I met at the market were two seriously funky local craftspeople: Mari of Beetree and Vicky of Kooky Cute Crochet

 Mari, who is the design force behind Beetree, transforms old, unassuming furniture into gloriously retro and colourful statement pieces.

Pictured above are her immensely cool Wizard of Oz and Marilyn inspired sewing tables.What modern seamstress doesn't dream of such a thing in their craft space!? I am seriously considering investing in one of these beauties, I've never seen anything like them.

Not only is her stuff exceptionally fun and funky (and often painted a glorious shade of robins-egg blue), but it's also so reasonably priced considering the style injection any of her pieces would give your home, so be sure and keep an eye on her Facebook page to score your next bargain
 

Vicky of Kooky Cute Crochet was manning the stalls alongside her incredibly sweet and fun mum Kim, together they comprise a crochet mastermind duo, with Vicky being designing these cheeky little Amigurumi toys, and her mum a range of the sweetest little baby cardies and booties in a host of beautiful colours and some of the coolest tea cosies in town.

The fact that these guys actually designs this stuff from scratch is amazing, that takes some serious skill. My personal favourite are her devilish little cupcakes!

Vicky's creatures are available form her Etsy shop and she is available to take requests on her Facebook page too so be sure and have a nosey there too!

 

In non-work related news, we are now auntie and uncle to an insane Bengal kitty called Sputnik that our friend Judy (who lives upstairs) has adopted. Here he is pretending to be a good kitten really (for the record, he's not fooling me).

Words can't begin to express just how mental, naughty and fun this cat is, and I have a feeling he is doomed to become a YouTube celebrity one day. His favourite leisure activity is tormenting the crap out of our brood and attacking everyone, whether innocent old-age pensioner or innocent toddler who dares to set foot on his terrace. When he isn't busy killing imaginary buffalo in his imaginary Serengeti he likes chewing up doormats and gnawing on sticks.

Doesn't he have the most enchanting amber eyes!?

I also had the pleasure of meeting our friends gorgeous new kitten Crackers yesterday. He's the most sweet natured little creature and has a perfect little black dot right in the middle of his pink nose.

I spent most of the day today setting up for a two week long pop-up craft shop in The Courtyard Gallery in Midleton, as part of Cork Craft Month. and getting stuff ready for my stall at the Bar-Boot Sale at one of the local clubs here in Cork on Sunday. Between the sudden bout of sunshine, kitten-cuddling, markets stalls and all the new people I've met it's been a really great week all in all. 

I'm really starting to enjoy my venture in potential self-employment and even though it's exhausting and there doesn't ever seem to be enough time in a day, I'm secretly thriving on the challenge. I do have to wonder sometimes if I'm not a bit of a masochist with the things I get myself into!

It's set to be another jam packed one this weekend with work in the shop tomorrow, two markets to figure out and a car-boot sale to hunt for treasure at! Hopefully next week I will have a bit more time to devote to this place, especially as I have a great little sewing/up-cycling tutorial in mind for you guys :) 

Hope you all have a great weekend too!

Holidays!

Just a very quick note to let you all know I'm heading off on holidays for the next few weeks and will be too busy sunning myself, eating weird and lovely foods and trawlling through flea markets to go near a computer! In the mean time here's a picture of Indre being adorable... see you all when I get back for a massive photo fest!

Reflections

Some of you may remember my last blog: Food, flora and felines (now long closed down) which focused on my interests in nutrition, cooking and organic gardening. I wrote it a couple of years ago when I was in the middle of my nutrition degree and we lived in an adorable  little old cottage in the country with a giant veggie patch. Clichéd as it sounds it was a really magical time in my life, we had a very serene little existence that revolved around our garden, pets, a handful of neighbours and the nature that surrounded us. It also happened to be an amazing place to blog from, I'm always a bit awestruck when I look back on the old pictures at just how beautiful our life was. Don't get me wrong, things are still great now, I feel so lucky to live in such a beautiful old flat, to have a garden with a view of the river and fantastic, fun neighbours but it's a very different existence in the city and not nearly so naturally charming.