Fall back...

An extra hour in bed tonight - whooppeeeee!  Although, if tomorrow is anything like today it would be a shame to waste time in bed.  What a glorious day.  Autumn at it's finest, crisp, fresh, sunny and dry.  A true delight.  After a week spent in airports, meeting and hotel rooms it was great to get out in the fresh air.  Met my sister and Mum to head to Cheryl's Homespun and Vintage fair at the Quaker Meeting House - a lovely place in its own right but truly beautiful bedecked with lots of gorgeous lovely things.  I didn't take any photos inside - it didn't feel right to be honest but we had a lovely hike up Brant Hill steps to get there.

Phew - managed to make it up to the top without the need for oxygen or a sit down.

The leaves are turning and looked resplendent against the clear blue sky.

How true!

Of course, I had to have a little spend.  I went with a view to doing a little Christmas shopping but I ended up being the main recipient :)

This gorgeous cushion made by Gale & Temple.  I don't have enough cushions.......

This vintage apron which I think I am going to incorporate into a brown linen dress that has been languishing unworn in the wardrobe as I always feel a bit like a novice nun when I wear it.  This would definitely cheer it up.

The work is amazingly neat and even.

And another vintage apron - I'll be ready for next year's War Weekend!

No time to stop for a cup of tea as Anne had to get back to the shop so I walked back to Mum's.  She lives near the castle and has amazing views.

Back to town to do a little mundane shopping but still time to stop and marvel at the lovely town I live in.

The station - a little bit quieter than last weekend!

Oh, what's this?  Only the nicest shop in town! 

We have been busy little bees, Anne, Mum and myself and here are a few of our Made creations amongst the Found

Did I mention that I don't have enough cushions?  Well, here's the latest addition - a bright version of the round cushion I made a while ago.  

Front:

Back:

I was just waiting for the cushion pad to complete this as I finished it a while ago.  I've got a few knitting projects on the go at the moment - three scarves and a bag.  I need more wool for two of the scarves, hence why I moved on to another scarf.  I took the bag with me to Finland and managed to get it finished (minus the handles) on the journey.

A mixture of garter, moss, stocking and double rib stitches which should give an interesting texture once it's felted and I made eyelet holes for some ribbon embellishments later.

Just the handles to make now!  

What will tomorrow bring, apart from an extra hour in bed?

Jules

x

Be careful what you wish for!

I've been laid low with various ailments since my return from the States.  I think exhaustion has played it's part and perhaps working flat out for war weekend was not the best idea as I fought off a fever.  The lurgy got me good and proper last week - flu, shingles and tracheitis (infection of the trachea).  I know I push myself a bit too hard sometimes and as I get older I realise that I can't do as much as I used to do - or accomplish as much in a given time but when I said to myself that I needed to rest and catch up on my sleep I didn't mean I wanted to be struck down!

I'm about rattling with the number of pills and potions I've taken and have been listening to my very sad and sorry for itself body.  I didn't do much of anything but wanted to show you my latest creation -  a commission for a friend's niece in Canada as she loved the one I made for Anja.

This one is made from linen with Liberty lawn for the letters and some of the butterflies and trimmed with Liberty lawn piping.  I must confess that I love it and am thinking of changing my name so I can keep it!

The zingy blanket is also finished - it has been for a while but I was waiting for a sunny day to photograph it so that it would do justice to the colours.  Well, I gave up waiting as it seems to have been nothing but grey of late so here it is anyway.  Sideways and not very artfully displayed but I was in a rush to get the photos uploaded before my ride to the airport turned up.

The edge was a round of treble clusters and then 4 rounds of single trebles into each stitch and finally a round of doubles.  It's very bright and cheerful and very heavy!

And lastly, a few cushions I made a while ago from some of my gorgeous Tilda stash.  I quilted the fronts and embellished with a heart and a bird which don't show up too well in these photos, sorry.  Hiding in the background is the flimsy - now edged and backed and stuffed with a duvet - it's getting closer to being an eiderdown but it's not quite there yet!

So, I am on the road again - Finland this time for the week.  It's cold (minus 1 this morning) and there is a light dusting of snow on the ground.  I'm taking this lot on the trip with me - I feel a bag in the making.  This is the wool I bought in Finland ages and ages ago - it's knitting up beautifully but I don't think I'll get time this trip to buy anymore.  (I did bring the labels with me though so I might be able to prevail on one of my good colleagues to help me out).

Wishing you all a happy and productive week.

Jules

x

Wartime Weekend - the professional view

Really too tired and feverish to post much but wanted to share this link with you for some amazing photos of the weekend taken by a proper photographer.  He took some photos of the 'girls' behind Madge's Whistle Stop Cafe - not sure if they are on the blogpsot yet as I haven't checked...

Wartime Weekend 2010

Anne and I worked alone today - almost as busy as yesterday and we were too tired to even converse in complete sentences by 6pm tonight having cleared up and put the shop back to some semblance of order.

We'd served up another load of cakes, washed up soooo many vintage china tea cups, saucers and plates, used 250 napkins and consumed one bottle of sherry!

Fortunately, we didn't need to have our papers checked by the Home Guard! (yep, same dirty windows - note to self and sis  - clean windows next year!)

The sun shone again, the air was crisp with the tang of Autumn and the visitors continued to parade in honour of those who lost their lives on the railway and in battle during the 2nd World War.

Hope you've all had a lovely weekend.

x

Exhausted - my feet think I hate them!

sooooo tired - my feet, knees and back are not cut out to be waitresses but it was a fun day all the same.  A deep hot bath was the perfect antidote.

Yesterday I was elbow deep in a cloud of icing sugar ....   cream cheese frosting by the tonne for the red velvet cup cakes...

but my feet were happy feet in my new slippers .... one of the best points of autumn, being able to wear slippers again...

The night before the morning after - furniture moving and a transformation from gift shop to tea room

Last minute planning ...

and ta da ... we're ready

More tomorrow on the weekend but first,  a sneak preview of a special blog friend some of you may know en famille looking every bit the 1940's part

...

It was a chilly day but there was dancing in the street and the sun shone (the photos are lying, the sun really was shining - the windows are very dirty!)

More tomorrow.  For now my bed is calling me.

x

My, doesn't time fly?

It's been ages since I last blogged.  The trip to America (work, not holiday) was quite gruelling or maybe I'm just finding the global life more tiring as I get older.  I managed to visit one of my dearest friends in Philadelphia on my way home.  We crammed a lot into our 48 hours but that meant I landed on Sunday and straight back to work on Monday.  I was jet lagged and brain addled for at least a week!

We went to a showing by a couple of local artists, Paul Gorka and Christine Clay - stunning larger than life canvases in amazing colours.  They live in a converted building which has been used for many purposes over the years and their apartment on the top floor has great views.  The interior was really something else (unfortunately, none of those pics came out).

One of Paul's wooden sculptures atop their front door

Whenever some graffiti appears Paul just paints over it in a different colour

This was my favourite painting of Chris's

And so time to head to the airport.  The weather had been very changeable my whole trip - blazing hot, very humid in North Carolina.   Hot, humid, gale force winds and torrential rain in Philadelphia - to the point that downtown was pretty much closed on the Friday morning due to severe flooding.  By the time I was heading home though the sun was shining and it was a glorious evening.

William Penn stands proudly above city hall

The infamous Art Museum (no sign of Rocky this time)

That was almost two weeks ago!  As I said, time seems to be flying by at a rate of knots.  I've taken a couple of days off to catch up with myself.  I took my mother into York today as she wanted to buy wool - she's on a knitting roll - tea cosies, baby hats, cushions - there's no stopping her now.

One of my favourite streets in York - The Shambles.  

Cath inspiring us all to get stitching (seem to have run out of time today)

White Stuff and their tea and biscuits promo - should have sent one of Mum's tea cosies in!

There seems to have been scant time for crafting since my return.  I didn't do anything on the trip other than crochet another silk scarf on the flight out.  Since returning I've finished a couple of projects but will save that for another post.  

Now I'd better get my pinny on and get baking - Madge's Whistle Stop Cafe will be open at Reed's for this year's Wartime weekend.  There'll be more on that later...if I survive the weekend.  Last year I was so tired that I ended up lying on the sofa watching the telly through one eye, too tired to drag myself up to bed.  We're doing it over both days this time - cake supplies allowing! 

I bought my big sis a little something from York today - when I post about it you'll see how appropriate it is.  It's going to be a busy weekend.  Anne's wondering if she can press gang her pupils into baking at school and panicking about all the things that have to be done before Saturday morning.  Mum is on washing up duty with Jan, Anne's on tea, coffee and crumpet duty and Jenny and I will be waitressing.  Now what to wear.....