it seems like only yesterday ...

...that we were at school together and now we are all approaching 
A CERTAIN AGE...and loving it... looking at us all you'd never guess! What a fab weekend, spent in the delightful town of Oakham in the tiny beautiful county of Rutland...

not three little maids from school but five...all spread around the country now...from Cumbria, Yorkshire, Norfolk, Surrey and Rutland...all of us married with children..dare I say VERY GROWN UP YOUNG PEOPLE and TEENAGERS!... and leaving our spouses patiently holding the fort at home...and gallivanting off for some quality girly time...in the most gorgeous B and B... thanks so much Rosemary and Graham for making us so welcome and cooking such delicious breakfasts..

So we shopped and talked and ate and talked and shopped some more and then ate and talked and laughed till we cried...Chris brought her diaries...there we were back in 6th form with who fancied who...no mention of A levels or schoolwork tee hee...much hilarity!

the best shops??...well Julia's big green bag and Jan's 2 new jackets are testimony to the charity shops and Emma spent 3 hours in a gorgeous gallery called ITCH claiming it was 'market research'

for her job...  

and therefore she just had to buy a delightful ceramic cup by Katie Almond... 

which seems to have settled in her studio at home very well...and there were lots of really lovely attractive varied local shops selling beautiful things (and not a multiple in sight)...and full of must-buy art and craftyness...Christmas (sorry but it is November...and therefore there are only 2 or 3 shopping days left!) presents galore...

exhausted with shopping a delicious lunch in this delightful wee cafe was just the ticket...with quirky garden area with mirrors and old furniture and plants all mingled...lots of ideas to take home...

and on Sunday morning after another scrummy breakfast off into the glorious sunny morning for a wander around the very attractive Rutland Water all autumn tints and golden light...

and ahem Emma got to ride in Liz's SPORTS CAR!! with the top down! Lizzie looks so cool and she's a student too....way to go! think we all went home with sports car envy...

 

all that and a lovely train ride home to relax and read and snooze...and now there's always next year to look forward to...

and in the meantime...after a lie down to recover from the giddiness and joy...studio making awaits as a Craft Fair and a Christmas 'Open Studio' party with Phil (maker of utterly gorgeous baskets) Stephanie and Ian approaches and my first proper Workshop In The Studio...teaching real people to get creative with textiles ....'Making in the Studio' is launching and it's sooo exiting!!...more anon! Hope you all have a lovely week....