A nice day

Sunday saw Angelica and I trundling off to The Potager, a lovely little garden and organic cafe near Constantine. Whilst we waited for our lunch to be prepared Angelica browsed her latest art book and I sat and sewed puffs; it's the perfect place to relax and the cafe encourages you to take your time, they even provide a pack of cards on each table. 

We both decided to go for the moussaka; everything is vegetarian and fresh local ingredients are used. It was utterly delicious, so full of flavour I didn't want it to end!

After a breather of half an hour or so, I then succumbed to a piece of chocolate cake, slightly warmed, so that the middle was oozing molten chocolate......

Returning to Angelica's in the late afternoon, I never fail to spot something in her vast collection of clothing that delights me with its colour, pattern or history....

She made this sweet little dress out of Liberty fabric for her daughter when she was small,

and this smock, also out of Liberty, was Angelica's maternity dress.

This Edwardian blouse in the softest, palest blue cotton is so divine!

The embroidered sleeves....

This linen dress with lacy sleeves has a beautiful faded print in mauves and blues

and one of Angelica's most prized items in her collection: a heavy linen smock so exquisitely embroidered and smocked and in perfect condition

These charming earrings are actually made out of woven dyed straw!

 A beautiful print on a hanger cover and a gorgeous little child's blouse top with puffed sleeves....

and lastly another child's jacket in palest minty green.

I will be selling my work at The Godolphin Village Fete this coming Saturday 6th July, so if perchance any one of you is in the area and fancies coming along, there will be 50 stalls selling Cornish produce and crafts, plus entertainment and hot food, all in the romantic setting of Godolphin House. Entry is free! Godolphin House is situated between Helston and Townshend.

Some new paper and lace heart decorations will be on my stall.....

plus a collection of fun brooches made out of vintage puffs and beads.....

 and some new jewellery....

and button hair grips.

I will also have a large selection of my handmade cards for sale and some framed photographs. The forecast is set fair for the weekend so whatever you do, have a good one! x

Work and Play

 The rain is lashing down outside today, but wasn't it lovely over the weekend? I drove up to Chipping Sodbury on Friday ready for the Fair on Saturday, and felt sorry for all the people stuck in queues of traffic on the motorway heading southwards for the start of their holidays......

There was lots of loveliness as always at the Vintage and Handmade Fair, including these gorgeous confections of lace and ribbon and beads on Louise Taylor-Bowen's stand. If you look closely you will even spot a little bird nestled into this headdress! She also incorporates feathers and moss and shells into her work, and the presentation was beautiful with simple vases of fresh cow parsley straight from the hedgerow.

Here are a few pictures of my stand....

As usual I had far too much stuff to fit on my 6ft table, and after looking around at other stands I think I'm going to take a leaf out of their book and try not to cram so many things in next time. It's always a balancing act, but you know what they say, less is more....

Heather from Hellish Designs' stand had lots of French bits and lovely handmade linen lampshades.....

 Ali Hocking's stand (Betty and Violet) was really pretty; pastel coloured fabrics and ribbons...... 

delicate lace and beaded bags....

 bejewelled buckles and sumptuous velvet ribbons.....

Thank you Jayne and Michele for organising another fantastic Fair; it is a lot of work for everyone involved, but a great pleasure to meet up with fellow makers/traders and customers who appreciate what we do!

 Now that I have my camper van I can take a bit of time out to relax as well as work away from home. After a pretty exhausting day at the Fair it was so nice just to drive out into the countryside around Chipping Sodbury and look for somewhere to spend the rest of the evening. 

I drove down a small winding lane following an escarpment with spectacular views of trees and fields, and found this lovely old church at Hawkesbury. A footpath led into a field of buttercups and dandelions, so I took a pillow and my rug and lay down in the green meadow to soak in the evening sun....

Sunday morning found me waking to another glorious view of lush green hedges and fields. I decided to head off to Dyrham Park, a National Trust property not far away and one that I had not visited for many years. 

The house is surrounded by rolling parkland with deer and cattle grazing.

 There are views right over the Bristol Channel. Everything was looking so gloriously green. It seems Spring happened so quickly this year....

It is a real treat for me to see such magnificent trees like this in a rolling green landscape, because we really don't have that down in West Cornwall.

I do hope you have all had a very enjoyable Bank Holiday weekend too. x x x