Perfect weekend!

After me & hubbo separated last year and then got back together this year, one of the things we agreed to change was that we needed some time for us! So back in August I booked a weekend away in the Yorkshire Dales, our retreat prior to having little dear!

We were not sure if we were going to get due to the weather, it was 26th/27th November prior to massive snowfall! We trekked all the way to a lovely B&B near Aysgarth. Our sanctuary for the weekend!
We spent time in Leyburn and made a visit up to Hawes, god it was so cold as you can see from the above picture.
This is looking out the window last Tuesday night that little dear took without me knowing of the full snow action, can you see how high the snow is by the gate across the road, if did get up to the next run on the gate by morning.

Another Teachers Gift idea!

Even though the teachers gift set was very popular and still is, I felt a new product was overdue. So combinding two products I do seemed to be the best idea. I loaded them onto NOTHS last week and surprisingly all ready I have had a few orders for them.

Perfect weekend!

Just returned from a great weekend in Keswick, the weather was fantastic and as ever the company was brill.

Remember if you fancy a break up in the Lakes we have an holiday apartment to book.

Christmas Preperation.

As my gift sets always seem very popular around Christmas, I spent today make 10 up in preperation, not sure I have done enough but it's a start. I was even tempted to put them in bubble wrap and then put them in the mailing bag, but I thought that was to organised.

I also had an order for 4 cushions so I completed the order and made a few extra. I am trying to stock pile as this week alone I have been asked to do 2 ladies nights and I want to do a craft fair myself. I have got a full day to myself tomorrow to sew, what will I stockpile tomorrow?

A rainy Sunday!

My afternoon was spent in the workshop, filling my beautifully painted new cupboards.

This then obviously sparked a tidy round. Believe me it is a lot tidier than before.

Hubbo spent the afternoon painting the understair cupbaord and fitting a new light.

And little dear spent the afternoon dressing up as Postman Pat, to say she has turned 6 she still loves Pat!

Cupboard love!

My father in law works as a school caretaker and over the summer period they have had a new block built, so have had to have a major clear out of classrooms. As a result hubbo made a trip and thought I make like this locker cupboard. Its the heaviest thing in the world and for most of the doors it has proper vintage keys. This is the state of the cupboard in undercoat, I just need to persuade hubbo to finish it off!

Progress (At last)

Today felt like I actually achieved something, last week was just catching up with friends and sorting out what needed to be done in terms of getting stock sorted for Christmas!

I started off by making some Raspberry Jam, the raspberries had been provided by my Mum from there garden, then I spent an hour in the workshop making one half of the 'Teachers Gift set'. I set myself a target of 10 sets to make.

I then had the urge to bake so made some chocolate buns, they are very tasty.

Jolly Holidays!

A lovely week was spent on the East Coast. We spent the week at my Ma & Pa's flat in Filey and used it as a base for lots of lovely days out!

Monday - A trip to Pickering, a visit around the market then followed by a trip on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

Our final destination on the track was Goathland, unfortunately the weather stopped play and we jumped back on the train back to Pickering after 50 minutes.

Tuesday - A trip to Whitby and the best fish & chips from Magpie.

We then paid a visit up the coast to Sandsend, lovely place and not very busy.

Thursday - A trip into the moors to make a visit to Hutton Le Hole, I can remember going there as a child with my friend. The stream for little dear held the same excitement as I can remember.

Friday - We saw a picture in a book of places you must see and in it was Robin Hoods Bay. I really really loved RHB, the hill going back up was a killer (literally) though. But it was lovely and not overly busy.

Tomorrows agenda!

Hubbo is working tomorrow and I have been working most of the week, so me & little dear are going to watch Toy Story 3 tomorrow morning as a bit of a treat. I then need to get into the workshop to do some sewing for some orders.

Hope you all have a good weekend.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

I can tell that the end of term is approaching, as I have been making on mass lots of 'Teachers Gift sets'. Lucky teachers that what I say.

Also another big seller has been my doorstops, I have been that busy with these I thought that they had been featured somewhere without me knowing.

Also with it been end of term it has been little dears first sports day, the team colours top was that big on her it looked like a dress. Bless her she came third in her sprint race.

We also made a trip to Foxhouses in Derbyshire on a recommendation from Diane to set sail little dears new boat. We had a great afternoon which was cut short by a family arriving a little bit down stream with a dog. It was a young dog which was not well trained and it jumped all over us, then proceeded to poo in the stream and the owners just let it float down, pass there own children and onto probably 100 more kids further down stream. Disgusted I was!!!

Family holiday!

This was our home for 2 weeks in June. My Mum & Dad every year pay for us all to go on holiday together. Very informal, no set itineraries, free babysitting for each of us (us & brothers & sisters). Perfect! This year we went to the Vendee region in France, it was great, very rural and quiet.

I have to say my favourite town/village was Vouvant, absolutely picture perfect and so quiet. On mine & hubbos free pass we took our selves off for a picnic at the side of this lake.

Next blog post may contain some of the car boot finds!

What's going down!

We did manage to make it to York to celebrate our wedding anniversary, but the weather was really horrible I did not manage to take photographs. We had a great day, a lovely meal, lots of shopping and great company. The CK stuff and the DVD were a wedding anniversary present from hubbo.
We spent the rest of free weekend watching the Darling Buds of May DVD before we had to collect little dear from my sisters. We have also just returned from a 2 week break in France with all my family, it was really great and we even managed to find a car boot sale!!

My intentions before we went to France was to start up some home brew, but unfortunately the Elderflower were not in full bloom and when we returned it was a little to far gone so we will have to see how it goes.
Little dear helping out, can you get arrested for encouraging your child to produce home brew?

Next photos will be of France, Jam making and maybe some crafting!!

Van Jamboree

What a perfect weekend to take in the delights of a VW campervan experience. Like many of you folk out there, we at the Just Original household love VW Campervan, the pennies are been saved every week. The Van Jamboree at Newark was in its 3rd year and it was great, lots to see and do and for the bargain price of £16 for the two of us and little dear was free. A great day out!

I did not take many photos but the mint green was great and the red one with the beetle trailer was fantastic, people must spend hours cleaning and polishing them only to get fly splats on them.

Anyway gonna go, more photos after the weekend as we have a trip to York on Saturday, childfree, Yeh!

Stamp tastic!

Since starting work in my local Post Office, I have a new appreciation of the humble stamp. After visiting the bric a brac market at Chesterfield and finding a treasure trove of stamps at 50p a pack I just had to buy. I then wondered what to do with them and then I had an idea. Buy some cheap canvas frames!

Spend 15 minutes gluing them on!

Et Voila! I have to say it looks really great and given most of the stamps have the original postage marking on them, I think they look really vintagey!

Return visit!

We enjoyed our 1st visit to Derwent Dams/Ladybower reservoir so much we made a return visit on Bank holiday Monday. We got up early and arrived at the car park for 9.30, the place was deserted so we knew we made the right decision to get up early. We only did a short walk as little dear has only got little legs you know mummy! We went very high up much too little dears amusement.

We then had a drive around and went to Hope & Castleton. We did not stay for long as to be honest I was a little disappointed in them really, don't know what my expectations were but they did not live up to them. But hey ho its another place off the list. You may ask what the list is, its obviously a list of places where we all want to go to in the UK, both local and national, free activities and paid up activities.

Next on the list is Leverton Windmill, will let you know how we get on.

What a week!

My sister gave birth on Monday, a gorgeous little boy called Ted, with a head full of red hair, just like his Dad. I look really miserable in this photo don't know why!
Inspired by Diane over on her blog we decided to make a trip to the Derwent Dams. Been born in Sheffield and having most of my family still living there and having had 4 branches spread around Sheffield in my before child life. You would think I would of been here but I never have. Even with the weather not been great on Easter Sunday it was a great day. The scenery is fabulous even with it been man made. But the history behind the build is great.
We also visited Southwell on Saturday and visited the minster, so all in all a very busy week.

Hope & Elvis workshop

As some of you know my sister bought me a voucher for a Hope & Elvis workshop. Louise the lady behind Hope & Elvis has lots of different workshops running throughout the year at her workshop at Harley Gallery, Welbeck Estate, Nr Worksop, Nottinghamshire. I was booked on the 'Cosy Home' workshop, where basically you could make whatever you wanted for the home. The picture above is all her work to use as inspiration, there were lots of ideas wizzing around in every ones head at this point.

Look at the stash of buttons, threads, beads!

This was one of the many suitcases full of samples and vintage fabrics. Louise was fantastic she was very patient and taught us all something new even though we were all at different levels.

This was my finished product, I know it does not look much but it took me ages to do the template for the teapot & cup and saucer. I also had ago at free hand sewing on the machine. I used bondaweb for the 1st time properly and I learnt to use the transfer for the label.

I have to say I had a great day, a great place to learn and Louise is fantastic please look at her website for further workshops.