life is soo simple...

when you put into place a cunning plan to holiday in Lincolnshire with beloved Grandparents up from London...and no one has to drive too far and no-one's in charge or has to clean or plan meals...we all stay in a pleasant, warm, clean, well-equipped house in the autumn Lincolnshire countryside...we go birdwatching at the beautiful coast, walking in the woods and shopping in the attractive medieval town of Lincoln...and snuggle up every evening to play games, read and watch tv ...a lovely way to spend half term...just missing our Swiss cousins as their halfterm was last week...

I will say no more...here's a little taste...

 

 

 

mm...vintage in a charity shop...a whole roomful...isn't this a cracker? and there was a delightful little chair for a tenner...sadly no room in the car unless we leave someone behind...

and there has to be a tea shop somewhere...you should have seen the homemade cakes...and we found the very lovely CallyCo shop with a very nice lady serving us...so much temptation, fabrics, ribbons, kits, threads, buttons...all manner of deliciousness! Well it will soon be Christmas and there's no harm in getting a few little goodies for my present cupboard...not for me you understand...

hope you had a good half term too...

Haberdashery etc...

the joy of John Lewis's...something for everyone...and an insight into the secret world of women who wear make up and perfume and tights...Yummy Mummies, Working Girls and Ladies Who Lunch...wearas I am simply a Woman Who Does Haberdashery...who said scissors aren't sexy?...and as for the glamour of threads ...and pins...and yarns...and fabrics and all manner of stitching temptation to get your creative juices flowing...

 

mind you there were some items of loveliness I did rather fancy... delicious textured tights and scarves ready for the autumn chills... to warm the cockles through the winter glooms...and I confess it here and now...I did buy some C...mas presents...eek! It's very satisfying to find a little gift or two to stash in my present cupboard and to know I have started the getting ready for C...mas game off well...although I have to take care not to peak too early!

and here's a little bit of vintage and making heaven...can't have too many buttons...aren't these jars just so cute?

 and how often do you hear the word BODKIN these days??

and as it says here...

not forgetting...

  
these teeny balls of yarn surely won't hurt..they slip so easily into a bag...the best kind of take-away!

I think I would have liked to be a window dresser...don't you love the way shops arrange their beautiful wares...delicious colours and textures and prints... and so nice to see modern clean lines as I live in an old 'what I like to call' shabby chic house...well homely and lived in...

 

back home on the Metro...with just a few carrier bags full of necessitie(!) and sore feet...but very happy to have indulged in a lot of looking and a little shopping...

and here's a thought for the week to come...have a great Sunday xx

a taste of vintage...

take a village hall...fill with all kinds of tempting vintage and craft goodies with tea and scrummy homemade cakes served on delightful mismatched china...add enthusiasic stall holders with some wonderful clothes, books, china .and who could ask for more on a rainy Sunday in Arnside?

I left home early and drove down through the beautiful rainy Lake District... through Ambleside...past Kendal and on to the small seaside town of Arnside...a childhood haunt as we spent many holidays near here with my grandparents in their caravan at Silverdale...happy days with Granny's three sisters, the 'great' aunts living nearby...making us magnificent teas in a Famous Five fashion...

so here we are at the WI hall...in we go to the treasure trove of vintage wares...

beautiful shoes...

 gloves...

handbags...

 

china and all kinds of knicknackery...



and then the cakes...mm!






  teacups and teapots awaiting customers...





bunting galore and a great atmosphere...



so hands up who remembers a phone like this??

be a modern domestic goddess...with one of these gorgeous handmade aprons by artist and designer Jan Huntley-Peace

 

or try a delightful upcycled felted bag or teacosy by...you know who!

 and here's Graceleaanne and her fun stall...

I loved her book on how to do it right...must take notes!

and Tricia (perfect hat!!)and Sandra with more handmade goodies ...lovely baby jackets and bags..and dainty china...you can see their Milla Rae etsy shop here...

I was soo tempted by these tiny cups...aren't they exquisite?

Juliet's lovely stall...tempted me to buy a book and a beautiful Otterburn Mill baby blanket...don't you love her spotty apron! I forgot to ask if she made it herself!
 

Karen and Margaret had such a beautifully laid-out stall, all 

carefully written brown labels and colour co-ordinated...

and me... well it was a quiet day so I got on with my knitting which felt the perfect thing to do at such a vintage event surrounded by nostalia for simpler times and for handmade...I may not have made my fortune today but I met some wonderful people and had very enjoyable day...