When Ju Went To Kew

Just wanted to share my recent trip to Kew Gardens. Can’t believe I have never been before as its everything I love in one place. Very inspiring,very green,amazing structures,both natural and man made,and rusty metal and a spiral staircase!….always wanted one of those. Anyway I will let the photos speak for themselves……

High up in the dome of the Palm House.

Table set with all edible plants and using vintage china. Delicious! Where was The Mad Hatter we wondered?

Hazel structures sat amongst the trees.

We did the Tree Top Walk and saw it all from a tree point of view….

This majestic fella strutted his stuff for us!

My overriding thought on the day was that even with all our amazing designers, past and present, somehow nature itself is our finest!

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My Jane Austen Week

It all began with my friend Jo asking me to look after her hairy boys while the family went on holiday. I have done this in previous summers and always enjoyed my time with the dogs, Humphrey,on the left and Bernie on the right. I called this time with them my Jane Austen week as I would take lovely walks in the countryside,do lots of reading and some sewing and generally be a lady of leisure for the week.

The countryside seemed at its best and I felt rested and inspired all at the same time. It made me realise that we don’t need to travel very far to feel renewed and all this is 5 miles from where I live! We just need to take time to just BE!

And how about this as a reminder of how lucky we all are…..a little building in the churchyard used to educate the poor of the parish. Makes you think doesn’t it?

…..of course I wasn’t totally idol and had great fun with a pile of souvenir t towels and some lampshade frames I had been meaning to do something with

Such fun and I am looking forward to my next stint as Miss Austen……shame no sighting of a moist Mr Darcy…but a girl can’t have everything…can she?

Fashioning A Tablecloth Mk2

Gosh,the gorgeous weather has been a distraction,hasn’t it?lovely but not conducive to sitting at my sewing machine indoors. However I have managed to make a dress which I thought I would share with you. I fell in love with the print around the border of a tablecloth I found a few weeks ago in a local charity shop.the pattern I chose to use is from the 80s and I knew by careful placement of the pattern pieces I could use the print to good effect.

Some of the images I cut out and then appliquéd to create interest on the shoulder line.

…..and then I did this….again!

Rhubarb On The South Bank!

This is why I love London….

Yes…it’s rhubarb,growing upside down in pots,on London’s vibrant South Bank!

Hopefully that explains better than I can. What a great way to use old windows and no matter how small your outdoor space is,you can grow something.

This is at the side of the Hayward Gallery/Festival Hall and brings a real splash of colour to the grey concrete( not my favourite buildings from the outside)
And then the National Theatre has put up a showcase of costumes you can hire with a fantastic wall print surrounding it. Love it.

The reflection spoils the photo a bit but I thought they were worth sharing. These are more reasons for loving the city and all it offers……and then we had CAKE!!……

Balthazar Russell St,Covent Garden……but you could be in Paris….and did I mention the iced lemon and ginger tea?…..

Essex Has More Than Vacuous Orange People To Offer

I live in Essex…..there I said it out loud! Ever since the Essex girl jokes and that hideous tv programme,this county has gotten bad press. I wanted to share my little haven with you. It hasn’t changed since I was a child and its where I go to soothe my soul.

Yes the beach is really this empty…..shhhh don’t tell anyone!

Rack of lamb anyone?

How I love the horses. These are on Walton Pier which you can walk to along the shore line.

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And beach huts,did I mention them. Makes me sad that so many are unused whenever I visit but they have some great names amongst them…Cushty…. Ob La De,Ob La Da…..and my favourite…Jabba The …….

…..it’s always good to be different!

And as you get back for the train home this delightful garden greets you. It used to be the home of the man who operated the crossing gates and has been preserved and lovingly tended by volunteers. Just joyful!

Oh…..and I almost forgot,Frinton is home to many wealthy retired people so you can imagine the treasure to be found in the charity shops!!!……

Just one more thing to say and my homage to Frinton On Sea is done…..Please don’t visit!..it’s mine,all mine.

If You Go Down To The Woods Today

Just wanted to share these. So beautiful and bring as much joy as any of my charity shop finds. Esholt in Yorkshire.

Aren’t we lucky to have all this on our doorstep…well I got stuck on a broken train and then it took 6 hours to get from London to Leeds!…but you know what I mean!…anyway back to the sewing,feeling reenergised by nature,as always.