Saturday 12 December 2009

Bath ..and more!


Now then...not many girls have an itinerary which reads something like this :
Friday : Bath
Saturday : Ashburton
Tuesday : Totnes


As you can see I've made my little house nice 'n festive!
Hope you like it!



Friday was just wonderful !
No sooner had we stepped off the train (direct from Newton Abbot to Bath!) we found ourselves at the front of Bath Abbey, as we had arranged to meet up with one lovely blogger, for coffee and a quick natter .
Yes! Michele was there waiting for us!
It's funny. I feel as if I have known her for years and yet two years ago I didn't even know that she existed! Needless to say this friendship has led to rather exciting things and I only have to say 'Vintage ' and 'Handmade'...and that's that!
The time in Bath seemed to fly by and I have promised myself another visit very soon.
What did I buy in CK?
Nothing apart from a pack of Christmas cards..!
But I did love their window!
Meanwhile, I have just returned from Ashburton..and my next post is one serious Ashburton post!
Kirstie's visit (Did we all watch Kirstie's homemade Christmas?) seems to have put this little town well and truly on the map..and I could not even get into Jenny's lovely soap shop 'Odds and Suds!!!
I'll be going again this week as Ashburton really is a great place for...
Tune in tomorrow for a truly wonderful Ashburton feast of loveliness!
And then on Tuesday night..an evening of Totnes late night shopping!
Phew!
;-)

Thursday 10 December 2009

Too big, too tall ,too wonky....de dah de dah de dah!!!


I went to find a Christmas tree ,
I wanted one 'just right'.
It was my yearly mission,
I did not sleep all night.


My tree had to be real,
It had to be so fine,
I'm not keen on those Nordman types,
I didn't want Scots Pine.



And so, I searched all morning,
I started at Jack's Patch.
They had a ton of trees.
And many wreaths to match.



At forty and even fifty pounds,
I thought that was extortion!
I looked into my purse,
And proceeded... with caution!



Nothing took my fancy,
So it was back along the road.
'Christmas Trees' the sign said.
And they had a load!


This time, I had good service.
A lady welcomed me.
She showed me a few hundred.
Then went and got her tea.


'That one leans too much.
That one is too tall.
That one is too wonky.
That one is too small.'


The lady looked at me,
She was in despair,
I told her I'd be back.
(But went to look elsewhere!)



I've never seen so many trees,
As I drove around South Devon
Looking for my perfect tree
And then, at half eleven...

Bingo! There it was!
I'd thought it was no use.
I'd almost given up!
Yay..My perfect Norway Spruce!



Yippee..'I'll take it please'
My mission was complete.
And it was netted up.
My own Christmas treat.

I gave my twenty pounds
I took my penny change,
Somehow, I got my tree home and
Could not wait to arrange...


My pretty vintage baubles,
Tinsel and lights so twinkling,
Dear Snippets would be oh so pleased,
He did not have an inkling...

Of how my morning had been fraught
With so much indecision,
But my tree was going to look so fine,
The perfect vision!


And now... to rearrange the lounge!
To accommodate my 'guest'
I'll try a million places
To see where it looks best!


I'm pleased I found my tree
In such record time!
It gave me the chance
To pen this little rhyme!

And a BIG thank you to my sis, for her help and patience, in my quest to find my tree!
Hope your Christmas Tree hunting has been as fun as mine!
;-)
LOL!

Tuesday 8 December 2009

Crochet's off the menu ! ;-(



Sadly, the crochet morning has not occured!
My mum has been quite poorly...I mean some people do anything to get out of a crochet morning, don't they?
In all seriousness, my poor mum appears to have caught a nasty sickness bug...and so my crocheting guests have been let off the hook, so to speak.. but I'm sure we'll do it soon!
They won't get away with it that easily!

;-)



This means that my little gifts, which I bought for them, will be...ah ha... all mine!

No, not really I didn't mean that! ;-)

But aren't they lovely?

So beautifully wrapped too. I found them in a flower shop in Kingsbridge , at the weekend.


It's been a week of giving and receiving and it's not even Christmas yet!



I found this little selection of goodies in this Etsy shop :

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ravenhill

Some of you probably read Emily's blog, which is full of festive loveliness:

http://ravenhill.typepad.com/weblog/





Last week , I received a surprise gift from my friend, Jane... (home made chocs and a little cushion, all in a cute basket.) I've been wondering how to utilise the basket....

And then yesterday, out of the blue, came this little vintage box from Amanda.


It was so light that I almost didn't undo it. I thought she'd just sent me a cute vintage box.

And then my curiosity got the better of me...and I know Amanda all too well.. inside, wrapped so beautifully...





Three little, very fragile, vintage Christmas tree decorations..





...just like miniature Aladdin's lamps.



So delicate...!

And so...I'm sorry if you brought your hooks with you but we will have to rearrange our little crochet date....and...

Get better soon, Mum!

xxx

Sunday 6 December 2009

Hearts, tarts, hoops... and hooks! ;-)

Now then...

Should I buy the dress above..or the one below?

I spotted these displays, yesterday ... The Queen of Hearts and Alice... in these windows of a shop in The Narrows, Totnes.

Window shopping is what I mainly did...although I did dash in here to buy some embroidery hoops.

And then I came home and had a think...a long think!



I raided a few of these gorgeous vintage 40s/50s fabrics, which I bought from Donna.
And...


...a project has started!



All to be revealed at a later date.



Right now, I have other things on my mind!

Tuesday craft morning is my responsibility this week..and I am worried.
Very worried.



Thankfully, I can crochet and I've attempted this before with my guests...but they found it quite difficult!
But I do believe that if at first you don't succeed...! (Give up! No...Nooooo way!)


And so, in the week, I took myself to David and Charles publishers, which is only a stone's throw from where I live. They have plenty of books and craft materials etc and in amongst the crochet section....
(I looked carefully for the words 'beginners', 'starter', 'dummies' etc !) I found...
'Crochet Scarves'.

Do join me on Tuesday, for some fun and frivolity...bring a hook... and your sense of humour!
Hope everyone is having a grand weekend!
;-)