MY BEAUTIFUL SISTER 1936-2012 R.I.P.

Dear Sylvia
Though we grew up in very different circumstances ( I was born 5 years after you went away to York to the Royal School for the Blind) you were and will always be a real inspiration to me. Never complaining, never a bad word about anyone, always there to help and after our parents died the cord which held our scattered family together. In the past few years we have caught up with all those girly things sisters should do: Shopping trips, holidays together doing our 'family tree' and cosy chats reminiscing. I will miss you more than words will ever say. You were and always will be my darling older sister. Reunited now with mum, your adored dad (who I never knew) and brother Mike, peace after pain.

Your loving baby sister

Jenny xx

RETURNING TO MY ROOTS.....

No not another journey through my past, this post is far more literal......

I have finally decided to say goodbye to

 the brunette with the red fringe.......

farewell to the auburn bob.... and hello to whatever lies beneath...

Having dyed my hair for the past 25 plus years, I am now getting fed up of the four weekly badger stripe and just generally fighting what is obviously a losing battle!

Over the years I have gone from straight as a die long brown locks, through the beehives of the 60s, the perms (OMG did I really do that!, just ask my DD she will confirm this horror phase) of the 70s & 80s which cost me a fortune, only to find in my mid 40s having decided to opt for the 'easy' option of a bob that my hair had decided to curl on its own and I have been fighting this ever since.

So enough is enough...

Of course my vision is classic elegance ...

 Meryl Streep in 'The Devil wears Prada'

Or perhaps short and choppy.....

 Meg Ryan

but I fear the reality will be more....

so although I have taken the first steps......

don't be surprised if I take to the bottle again sometime soon!!!......

What do you think, cover it all as long as possible or go with the flow....it's an interesting debate!

Have a great week, I am working on another tutorial ready for those spring tea parties for next time, hope to see you then....

TTFN

Jenny xx

TIPTOE THROUGH THE SNOWDROPS......

OK so I know its supposed to be tulips, but I'm a little early for that!..
 We found our snowdrop walk here....

 Do you remember Doddington Hall , we first found it last year, although we live very near we had never visited before.... It looks a bit different in the snow...very striking ,very beautiful...

and an amazing amount of colour for the time of year....

and the snowdrops...bless 'em tried their best to stand proud against the snow!

Since we last visited a home decor store has been built alongside the farm shop and restaurant, which incidentally are separate from the actual hall and gardens. Which means of course that you can visit these without having to actually pay the entrance to the hall. The Farm shop is brilliant with a really good selection of local produce, preserves and cakes and the restaurant is excellent, both the quality of the food and the atmosphere.

I didn't succumb to any of the goodies though except these....

early Seville Oranges

 and so tomorrow I have a little job to do...not that I have been a slouch lately.......

Just a few of the latest girls wedding /party shoes that I have added to my on line shop. I have really enjoyed doing them and am now starting on some new cushions and needle cases with an Alice in Wonderland theme and some Union Jack goodies...Well you have to take advantage of 2012 don't you, we wont get many better opportunities to wave our flag!

Hope you all have an enjoyable week (especially those on half term break).

TTFN 

Jenny xx

CITY OF DREAMING SPIRES....AND COTSWOLD STONE..

Just before I tell you about our first travels of 2012 I want to express mine and my family's heartfelt thanks to every one who has contacted me here, via twitter and direct with their well wishes for my sister. She is making steady progress and though its going to be a long battle I know her positive attitude will help her and we are all praying for her. Thank you so much, your thoughts and prayers are really appreciated.

Our first outing of the year was a super long weekend away in Wiltshire. We were based in a spa hotel just outside Swindon, very nice I must say, with a view to visiting some of the beautiful surrounding villages and of course Oxford.

Well now as Matthew Arnold dubbed it, Oxford really is the city of dreaming spires, but I have to admit not quite as I had imagined it. Being a big fan of Morse and more recently Lewis, I somehow expected everything to be clustered together in the city not spread out so far. I still found it a beautiful place, the architecture is stunning, but not at all as I had pictured it....

I was rather relieved there was a tour bus or I don't think our ageing legs would have shown us all the delights there were to see..

Apparently Hitler was going to use Oxford as his capitol if he invaded which is why it was not bombed. There are few things to be thankful to him for, but I suppose this is one!

Of course I couldn't visit Oxford without paying homage to 'Alice'. I am still fascinated by the books but am not too sure about the 2010 Tim Burton film. Bit too weird for my liking..perhaps I am too traditional. However as a sewer I have to say the costumes were superb.

Some of the prettiest places were hidden away.....

and this really sums up the city for me....and of course now I know why they need them..........

On our final day before heading home we stopped off at Lacock the National Trust village. So very beautiful. It was bitterly cold and a bit misty, but still a delight to see. There was the Abbey, a pub, several shops and a super Antique shop where I could have spent a fortune, but I did resist on this occasion as I had already acquired some vintage fabric and a couple of  pieces of Rosedawn pottery!.....

The village is now run in its entirety by the National Trust and has been used for several film and television series amongst which are the 1995 BBC production of Pride and Prejudice and the 2007 BBC production of Cranford. It was also featured briefly in a couple of the Harry Potter films.

We had a wonderful weekend and look forward to some more during the year. Of course we wont be going far if this snow hangs about for too long.
Hope you are all snuggling down and keeping warm, I'm just off to fill my water bottle and make some hot chocolate...with a little nip of something to keep the cold out.

TTFN

Jenny xx