.RED HOUSE

Blog giveaway at 150 followers

2012-01-29T13:12:00.000Z

Just realised I am at nearly 150 followers which is amazing and thankyou to everyone who takes an interest in Red House and all our shenanigins!! well being the sort of person who likes to celebrate the moment... when that moment arrives ( come on only two more...) I will be having a giveaway which will be posted to wherever the winner lives so keep an eye out!

Fog spoils my day!

2012-01-26T20:18:00.000Z

Well, I'm just so cross I can hardly blog! the greatest opportunity I have ever had to see the Northern Lights in it's full glory on my own doorstep and it's foggy!! Grrr! What a huge disappointment I'll just have to wait for our trip to Finland in august and hope for the best.

Have you seen the new Emma Bridgewater mugs? I was putting in an order for the shop and hovered over the fox mug and then came back to it and do you know I just couldn't bring myself to order it. They have killed so many of our chickens ( Ethel and Edna RIP) it just seems to glorify foxes and I know it's their instinct but they are sneaky nasty if you know what I mean ? so I shall be ordering the squirrel mug instead and maybe the hedgehog , a rat with a tail and a flea ridden spiky rat you might say! but somehow they've got the x factor.

I have discovered a new blog Eline Pellinkhof from the Netherlands. The beautiful book below is by her and somehow I knew that I would love everything about this book, do you know what I mean? the colours, the choice of projects, mmm I can feel a major wanty on it's way. Has anyone got this book and what did they think?

Are you following Brenda's thrifty thursdays at cozy little house ? she is such a lovely person, blogs every day (phew!) and really makes my day, just what blogging is all about really! take care!

Northern Lights Alert

2012-01-24T06:41:00.001Z

Quick, quick have you seen them? these pictures are from Northumberland I think this one was taken last night on the Holy Island Causeway, it's just amazing ! We get glimpses and flashes all the time here in Scarborough and you have to be on the beach early in the morning but it's quite unusual to get a display as good as this as far south as Berwick. I don't know how long I've had a fascination with this phenomena when I first heard about it as a young child I couldn't believe that something so magical could exist and it is purely astonishing!

Here's another pic, I wonder if could brace the cold tonight and do a bit of skywatching up at Robin Hood's Bay or Ravenscar; you have to be somewhere facing north with no light pollution.Mmmm we'll see how the temperature goes today, not looking too hopeful at the moment, it's supposed to be a mild winter but I'm always freezing even with my thermals on as well!!
Meeting Suzanne later on at Mr Milos for a coffee we always have a good natter, that's after I pick up my knitting needles and buttons from a very nice lady from Freegle. Do you subscribe to your local Freegle or Freecycle as it used to be? It's brilliant and if you're the sort of person who doesn't like to waste anything and can repurpose most things it's right up your street, and totally free!! yippee!! have a good day everyone xx

Boring cupboards!

2012-01-22T11:20:00.002Z

Now don't you agree these lovely wooden cupboards which I used to think were the bees knees would look so much better in Farrow & Ball's Old white or Parma Grey. I think it would be a crime to rip them out in fact in our old house 'Ashover' I inherited an ancient habitat kitchen which was then painted four times in different colours! over sixteen years though. The house previous to that we put a new kitchen in and I remember being bitterly disappointed about the lack of value for money. So now we make do with our cupboards and spend money on decent paint and tiles.

This is my school cooker. It has six burners and the hugest oven which is far from economical and puts you off turning it on actually, though not a problem at the moment as we are microwaving weightwatcher meals en masse; but that's another story as they say!

Here is a sneaky look at my mantlepiece revamp introducing some blue elements (encouraged by Mia) the hyacinth just will not stop flopping it has a really strong scent and makes me dream of spring! the plate I got from a charity shop as was the jelly mould and the blue candle was a special buy from the Blue Door swedish shop in Barnes, I wonder if it is still there?

Here's a funny pic of Miss Bee I just found on my phone, she's not sure is she if the hat is doing it for her is she? ha ha, in the background is Aunt Eva the fifth generation member of our family who is ninety six and holds the world endurance record for wearing a paper Christmas hat!!! bless!I hope you all have a lovely sunday, Stephen has just got back from a funeral in Denmark and is need of tlc and Theo and Rachel are coming from York for dinner so lots of lovely homemaking today!

kitchen inspiration

2012-01-19T16:11:00.000Z

It's taken a long time for me to fall in love with my kitchen at Red House. Firstly, I inherited the units, a kind of light wood I have promised not to paint! the tiled floors are cracked where the previous owners dragged their dishwasher out! the cooker is like a school cooker it's so big!!! and it has a breakfast bar and bar stools - just not me. So Steve and I sat down last weekend to do our annual list of 'jobs in the house we are doing this year' we always do this and fix a budget, when the work is done we always make sure we can spend a bit on ourselves for a mini break or something. Big old houses certainly eat your money but we've always loved transforming them into homes for our expanding family. This year is the turn of the kitchen , phase 1, the floor will be sorted, a new kitchen table will be made from the old breakfast bar, chairs repainted from the shed and dare I hope phase 2 will be a paint job!!! Phoebe and I often sit at the kitchen window watching all the birds and squirrels it just feels like time to wave a bit of makeover magic!`

To encourage my kitchen efforts I have invested in this book with my precious Waterstones voucher. I love Nigel Slater and drool over his house as much as over the food, so a diary of month by month food from the garden and cooking seems right up my street although I have to admit I might have something similar from River Cottage, mmm might keep that one quiet. So I am anticipating a pleasant evening reading and planning (got my Farrow and Ball swatches in the post) creating my renovated dream kitchen ! can't wait!

Craft Party

2012-01-15T17:44:00.001Z

Last night we kept the doors open at Bespoke Country to hold a craft party for Eleanor's twelth birthday! we had a very productive two hours of hard work and they all went home with three finished items which I think they were all chuffed to bits with! I must admit I'd forgotten how giddy twelve year olds can be but they were all lovely and it went well, phew! boy was I ready for a cup of tea when I got home!

Following on with the little house theme, you do remember don't you? I bought this little tealight holder in Bruges on the famous 'mini break'! that phrase so reminds me of Bridget Jones, did you watch it on telly last week? the little teddy which is exquisite was made for me very kindly by my friend Marilyn.

This is a tin of biscuits from Victoria which she gave me for Christmas, she knows me so well - two of my favourite things combined!!! It has been on the mantlepiece now for what, three weeks and was finally rumbled today by the scavenging Slades who suddenly realised it had biscuits in it!!! fortunately the tin is not edible and I wonder how long I can keep it displayed as it is rather christmassy. Spent quite a bit of time redoing the mantlepieces today so will take some pics tomorrow, if only the hyacinth would stop flopping everywhere! enjoy a lovely sunday evening I'm looking forward to 'three hungry Boys' but then I love, love ,love River Cottage!

oops!

2012-01-12T15:20:00.000Z

There was me trying to be all clever and put in a link except it went into completely the wrong place, doh!! did you spot it ? wish all this stuff came to me naturally!!

Mega treat!

2012-01-12T11:42:00.002Z

Look at my lovely new knitting bag, it called to me in knitting parceltongue that only knitters can hear... no,only joking! I saw it and my inner spendaholic (usually suppressed) screeched Bespoke Country buy, buy,buy! fortunately it was in the sale, yippee! It was actually bought on the grounds of health and safety as being felled to the ground by wool wrapped around your legs is not an uncommon event in our sitting room !

Following on with the little housey theme, just realised how many little housey bits I have so maybe I can do theme posts like other bloggers do instead of random rubbish! this picture was made for me by Carolyn Letten who works for us at Bespoke Country. Carolyn is a textile artist and designs for Crafts Beautiful magazine nearly every month, aah I hear some of you say, you've recognised her name! This is a little fabric collage with machine embroidery and I love it! what a clever sew and sew!

This picture is for my friend Marilyn, sorry it blurred, I know you'll read this so I'm sending my love and condolences and big hugs!

2012-01-10T19:12:00.002Z

Well, you may remember that I mentioned a miniscule break in York in my last post? okay? well previous to that Steve and I went on a full blown minibreak to the wonderful city of Bruges! gasp! so many people over the years have said to me 'you really must go to Bruges it's the sort of place you would love' and guess what ? I went and I did! we managed to get a two for one ferry break, two nights on the ferry so just leave your stuff in the cabin, a free coach trip to the city and one long day in Bruges, all for about £100, bargain, eh? We had a lovely meal on the ship in Langan's Brasserie and were very pleased to realise the ship didn't dock until 9 am so could have a lie in, (bit different to Amsterdam where you have to be up early)

Of course even abroad I can't resist being an idiot!you can see from the pictures that the houses are just lovely it's like being in Grimms tales or something.

There were a lot of official residences and rather grand offices. the city centre was very relaxed though and we had the most brilliant time scouting around. In fact it was a very lovely time and a brilliant end to 2011 which has been a very challenging and upsetting year.But 2012 is a fresh start and what better way than with a picture of our brilliant new sculpture on the marine drive in Scarborough

His name is Freddie Gilroy and he has already become a massive hit with everyone, he is huge and amazing to see. That's what I call 'art for the people'. He was originally on loan from the artist but a very generous lady (who writes a weekly column suggesting interesting walks around the town for the local paper) called Maureen Robinson donated her life savings to buy him for the town, so Freddie is ours to keep! If you come to Scarborough make sure you go visit him!

It's okay you can laugh!

2012-01-06T11:10:00.001Z

Everybody else did!! this picture was taken on our Christmas staff night out at Bespoke Country, I could see the giggles and nudges and wondered what everyone was in hysterics about, well it's obvious now! when Suzanne sent me this from her iphone ( we all watch her using it as if she's just invented the wheel) I laughed my head off, I always manage to have such style! but where else would you keep your santa tracking device?

Here is the little patchwork ball that I am making for all the babies that are the throwing stage, yes, Miss Bee not Granpa's phone! I got the pattern from a book called the 'Knitted Nursery' which you can get online at Bespoke Country. It's dead easy and a great telly twitchy fingers project.

This picture, yes, guess who got her camera mended? hurrah! is my little lit up house now £10 in our sale section, I just love mine but I'm a sucker for little houses, tall thin ones, cottages...just love 'em! will post next about our trip to Bruges and all their lovely houses.
Have a lovely wind free day (?) you know what I mean!

I do love a to do list!

2012-01-05T11:34:00.000Z

How lovely it is to sit and write a to do list at the start of the day when the hours that stretch before you hold such promise!Don't worry I am wearing slightly more clothes than in the picture (as in about fifteen more layers!) this young lady would certainly be in bed with pneumonia if she dressed like that today in Scarborough!! Larks! you can't beat a pair of fleecy pyjamas, fingerless gloves and an electric blanket!

This is the to do list to die for...nothing, and crossed out!! anyone yet achieved this? no didn't think so, ha ha! Just finishing my list now whilst listening to my crimbo cd from Hannah, I actually wore out my vinyl copy of this many years ago, it's a Barbara Sreisand oldie..wait for it...'Guilty' now is that ironic or what? better get on with the list!

Broken Resolutions aargh!!

2012-01-03T18:03:00.004Z

I don't know how it happened! one minute the raspberry and almond slice was safely behind the glass counter in Costa, the next minute there was an empty plate in front of me, I think I had some sort of cake related blackout! in fact I could have stumbled across a medical phenomena, has anyone else had any similar symptoms? this follows hard on the heels of the very first resolution broken six hours into the new year after my screaming fit (see previous post!) however Emily assures me that doesn't count as I wasn't actually screaming at her,having not put my glasses on Emilie's friend Sian got the full blast of it much to everyone's amusement that I didn't recognise my own daughter! so having blown it do I start afresh or wait 362 days to make some new resolutions, it's so exhausting trying to become a better person !!

After my little York minibreak last night, you know how I do love my minibreaks!, I treated myself to a Mollie Makes mag on the train, how effortlessly vintagey and perfectly organised all these craft people are, soo impressive! it's funny because all the people I know who' love to make ' cram it in between everything else and make a huge mess into the bargain! speaking of which, it's craft club at Bespoke Country on thursday girls, we are having a guest quilter teaching us so that will be fab.I'm just finishing off another patchwork ball for baby Libby with a crackling fire and spicy rosehip candle burning...bliss!

2012-01-01T07:35:00.000Z

Welcome to 2012 in Scarborough! I hope you all have the best year ever! I've always preferred years with even numbers for some strange reason. Had a great night last night watching all the fireworks from the top of the hill, we were torn between real life fireworks and the ones exploding out of Big Ben on the tv!as usual it was straight to bed, finished my book ,a rather racy regency novel, and then Miss Bee decided to get up at 2pm ! aargh! Theo got up as well but we sent mummy Hannah back to bed as she has tonsilitis (I'm sure they could get into the Guiness Book of World Records;they are huge) so finally got her back to bed and then have just been woken up by people coming up the hill revelling, tut tut, what bad manners, I muttered to Mr Slade, then blow me they came into our house! yes you've guessed it, Emilie and the dancing divas! having finished their three gigs last night and then dancing the night away they came back here to continue the party! so of course have had the first major screaming fit of the year 'stop shouting/lieing on the pool table/playing loud music;you'll wake the baby!!!!' They've made me a cup of tea to calm my nerves, I feel like Mrs Bennet flapping around in her nightclothes, oh reader, how my new years eves ( is there one too many sss's there?) have changed!!!

Weekend Away

2011-10-18T07:32:00.000+01:00

Well, it was billed as a romantic weekend away in the Yorkshire Dales but I think you could safely call it a wet weekend in Bradford! Of course not being one to mope about I managed to turn the whole thing to my advantage and before Steve knew it we were on a trip to Haworth one of my favourite places on earth even in the rain, in fact it was even more atmospheric!

As you can see the divine Miss Bee was my lady's companion but I didn't make her wear a bonnet! honest! This is the front door of the parsonage where the sisters lived for all their writing lives. I cannot tell you the absolute feeling of stepping back in time you get walking up the cobbled street past the old school and church which is very much the path they walked every day you can feel the inspiration for their novels in the very air!

Of course, we have dear Anne buried at Scarborough but all the others are at Haworth. A wander around the graveyard is a must, obviously to Steve's delight! ' Why are we in a graveyard in the rain?' was his plaintive cry accross the moors! To which I replied 'You will always be my Heathcliff!' actually made that bit up but would have been nice to have said it at the time, even though he would have thought whose Heathcliff? if they don't play for Leeds United then they are not on his radar! mars and venus,eh? aah, dear readers I married him!

The old shops, of which there are a fair few vintage ones now which was a lovely surprise, are olde worlde and fit the place exactly; not a supermarket in sight!

We stayed at Hollins Hall a Marriott Country House Hotel (special deal, of course!) Miss Bee had the staff eating out of her plump little pink squidgy hands! but we spent the evenings in the room with Bee in the cot and X Factor on the lowest setting, which vastly improved it! next time we will make it just the two of us! I would love to go to Bath for a Jane Austen weekend, what do you think my chances are???

Last treat of the week is a trip to the Stephen Joseph Theatre to see 'We are Three Sisters' you'll never guess who it's about!! and no ,Steve isn't going! My friend Louise is trimming her bonnet as we speak, we may have become governesses before the night is out! Until the morrow..

autumn approaches

2011-09-27T09:23:00.000+01:00

Being of a suspicious nature I am not trusting this warm weather (nice as it is!) because we all know, don't we? that autumn is just a breath away. The leaves look tired on the trees and ready to drop, mushrooms are springing up all over the garden and I was snuggled in my primark onesy, a pressy from emilie, by 7pm last night! I'm afraid in my book if it's dark then it must be nearly bedtime! this theory falls down of course at 3pm in december when I'm still at work!

Lots to do at Red House think I may have to pull my weight in the garden department this year as Steve has Phoebe on saturdays and she's at the 'into everything stage' ;not traditionally a baby stage that men enjoy I find!!! The plum tree has produced loads of Patches plums in it's first year (named after the dog it is buried on top of!) It seemed like a good idea at the time but reading it back it sounds a bit weird! forgive me I still miss my beloved dog, visits from Tim's dog Monty are lovely but nothing beats your own trusty companion, next year maybe when the lease ends on the york shop and I have more time (hopefully!) Well , off I go to start all my jobs on the to do list, well it is a day off!!!

It's My Birthday

2011-09-15T10:20:00.000+01:00

Hi Guys sorry to have abandoned you for sooo long but think I may have solved my google problems, in fact I just reregistered my google account and hey presto! I am no longer anonymous! so thankfully things may be back to normal and I can get back into my routine of quick posting up with the lark instead of getting bogged down with problems.
So anyway, yes it's my birthday! Rachel offered to do the York shop for me today so I have a surprise day off. Got some lovely presents including a lovely crocheted scarf from Lynne and a CK teapot big enough for us lot! Think Steve may be taking me out to see 'Cowboys and Aliens' tonight !!! I really want to see 'Jane Eyre', not because I think it will be any good as it's been panned, but I feel it is my duty as a Bronte devotee. Anyone seen it and got an opinion?

Had to laugh this morning at Steve's present which was a leaflet on gym membership and a box of chocolates! strangely he hadn't thought the combination unusual at all ! so I'm going to do some sit ups with a box of thorntons balanced on my knees! I'll keep you up to date on the results, but don't expect any pictures!

Day Off woo hoo!

2011-08-16T09:25:00.000+01:00

Now this isn't actually me, but you may recognise Victoria, ha ha, it was her day off yesterday and apparantly she spends the whole day in bubbles drinking red wine! no, of course not, this was taken on our girlie holiday last year, sigh, it seems such a long time ago! what fun we had...

This is more like me! in fact if my dressing gown was brown you wouldn't be able to tell us apart! I'm having a bit of me time with the laptop and Tim and Tanya's dog Monty who was dropped off at 7.30, thanks guys !!
Meeting Suzanne later for a coffee, we always meet up in Waterstones so I can look at the books while I wait for her! ha ha, we're planning a day out next week because ...I'm having a week off, yay!! Oh joy is mine! must go Monty has chewed some sort of branch that he's dragged into the dining room..first job ,get out the hoover!

Raven Hall

2011-08-14T17:33:00.000+01:00

Hi there! just had the most lovely lunch at Raven Hall with Steve and our friends Richard and Mary. The food was soo lovely and of course we were in one of my favourite places! take the road from Cloughton outside Scarborough and there is a road that takes you to Ravenscar the only way to go any further from there is by foot on the beach to Robin Hoods Bay so it is not the most vastly populated place in the world! no trip to Raven Hall is complete without a walk on the battlements..

It's sooo peaceful I could have dropped to sleep sitting in that corner even if it was a stone seat! (I'm great company by the way! ha ha) Did you know that King George 111 of the mad variety was rumoured to have stayed here, gasp! Ravenscar is also 'the town that never was' as they tried to persuade people to go and live there in the early twentieth century, but it just didn't take off.. there are also old alum mines you can wander around still with the old kilns. Apparantly a necessary ingredient for producing alum was urine (!) so boats were sent up from London with the required urine aboard, mmm, hardly what I'd call the cruise of a lifetime, and anyway what's wrong with yorkshire urine? the cheek..

Super duper roses as well, mine have been rubbish this year, in fact i am really disappointed in the garden full stop, next year is going to be different! aah if only I didn't say that every year!

Well, what an extremely informative and educational post I do hope you have all enjoyed it, however, we'll be back to the usual old rubbish next week! ha ha! have a restful day I know I am!!!

Back To it!!

2011-08-09T08:27:00.000+01:00

Yay! here we are back to it! posting for the first time in ages. Sorry for being such a tardy blogger, many reasons of course but i'm so frustrated at having to sign in over and over again and every time I comment I seem to be anonymous which has freaked me out! so sorry to all the bloggers that I usually make contact with and if you have any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong, settings etc. I'd love some feedback! (handstand courtesy of Emilie!)

Springhill Meadows at the side of Red House are just coming into bloom. It is just the best thing looking out onto masses of wildflowers in august especially as our own efforts this year have been a bit on the pathetic side! For some reason I'm not that keen on buying cut flowers I would rather have a big bunch of cow parsley dropping bits everywhere! am I stingy or just green?
Day off today, Miss Bee has a hospital appointment regarding her tongue tie today so am going along to give a bit of moral support, thankfully not raining - yet!!

Things To Do

2011-07-12T10:54:00.000+01:00

A day off you say? why thank you kindly. Put your feet up did I hear? why, you're too kind! but don't you know there are Red House windows to paint in this nice weather, but what colour? Dix blue my fave or the rather paler powder blue, hmmm, decisions,decisions!

Red House seen here from the back and covered in snow, (now I know we have pretty rubbish summers but don't worry it isn't actually snowing in Scarborough!) needs a mini makeover on the outside window department but I'm afraid my brain is as blank as this cheerful little shaker doll (they were a pretty miserable lot weren't they)

But hey, talking of jobs around the house, what's this? a broken garden seat who could possibly have sat on this and made it collapse?

Ha, Ha Tim and Tanya, caught skulking away from it, how embarrassing! I missed it but apparantly it was hysterically funny!! glad it wasn't me that broke it, I have no doubt it would have been on 'You've Been Framed 'by now if I had! I love that show but it does bring out the worst in me, maybe it does provide some sort of public service though on the perils of making a complete fool of yourself, one thing is for sure I will never ,ever attempt a rope swing over any sort of stream!!!

Back to the paint charts, might need another coffee....

A wonderful Christening/ guest post

2011-07-07T22:14:00.000+01:00

Hi there, my name is Phoebe Lily and my grandma has been very busy tidying her house for my christening party! it was a lovely day and all the grown ups made sure they got their five a day!

Heh! whats that in the corner of the games room has someone blown up my ballpool?

yeh! my favourite! sitting here for hours while the grown ups talk, blah, blah ,blah!

can you believe it ? it's so nice they've dragged all the settees outside!

Hey! back to me it is my special day you know!

Mummy, Mummy, quickly I think there's someone in my ballpool...!!

Yes , it's the naughty aunties! just wait until I'm old enought to get hold of your makeup...

I think everyone had a nice time enjoying the sunshine and catching up on a perfect day

I'ts all too much really for me, time for a a snooze... grandma can you keep an eye on my ballpool?

Karin forgive me!

2011-06-15T07:02:00.000+01:00

Well, the pledge to clean the house from top to toe started quite well although I was still in my dressing gown at 11am! what sheer unadulterated luxury for a shop girl like me! then Suzanne popped round for a cuppa and we always have MUCH to discuss which is VERY important. Then Em's friend Chloe arrived so then we had all the nineteenyears old catch up which I have to say was far more interesting!!then what the heck let's go into town for lunch! so met Theo, Hannah and Phoebe at Mister Milos for paninis.... now you see what happens when the sun comes out in Scarborough ? we go all continental!! Town was so busy with everbody in happy, sunny moods, which is great for retailers as somehow we are to blame for every kind of weather.You know if you have a shop you are responsible for making the sun shine apparantly!! so here is a pictue of some cleaning materials to spur me on today...

First job is cleaning the wine stained tablecloth from last night, oh yes, my favourite cloth we brought back from Sweden as well. The family dinner last night turned into an early Father's Day meal to let them all off the hook for sunday! a popular move I have to say! It was lovely that Rachel, Tim and Tanya came of course with the new puppy Monty , who will have his very own post soon! Emilie has announced that she is having a party on sunday afternoon for Hattons ( surely they can't still be celebrating Matt winning SYTYCD!) so really when you think about it shall I tickle round the edges today and leave the hard work for after the party and make Emilie HELP!!

Yes, that will be the plan... see how I've talked myself out of it again? it's so nice though maybe I'll just throw some seat covers in the washing machine...
Tried to watch 'Black Swan' last night but couldn't bear it, it was freaking me out so much, has anyone else felt like that?

Out of the Loop

2011-06-14T09:55:00.000+01:00

Sorry have been not too communicative lately, to be honest there were so many times I tried to reply to comments and just could not get past the signing in bit so got a bit cheesed off! So today the first of two days off I am going to take Karin Larsson as my role model and devote myself entirely to home and family and I'm sure if Karin had had a blog she would have started there too!! So floors will be swept, seeds will be planted (in the garden) I may just pass on the outfit though it would mean not having to shave my legs! Theo is coming home for a few days so we are having a family meal tonight, wonder if I can get away with lasagne surprise again, last time the surprise was some cream crackers that fell off the bread bin into the dish and I thought oh well, by the time it's been in the oven they will have disintegrated, well I have to tell you that cream crackers are surprisingly stubburn little monkeys and I was caught out again! Oh Karin , my dear you have much work to do! will I ever be like you?

Whitby Shop End of Lease Sale

2011-06-08T07:08:00.000+01:00

The time has come for us to wave goodbye to our lovely little Whitby shop, so with a tear in our eye we have bundled together a massive sale (just so's we don't have to hire a van to empty it really!) Took a load more stuff last night as word has got round in Whitby and the bargains are flying out (yes there is still some Emma Bridgewater pottery left!).Super Sue is there for the rest of this week and Victoria and I will be there all weekend saying goodbye to all our lovely whitby customers and selling the remainder of stock off, so come 4pm on sunday we will be closing the doors for the very last time on a bit of Bespoke Country history.

Homes and Antiques Feature

2011-06-02T07:53:00.000+01:00

My secret is out! Red House is featured in this fab mag this month! A few of you had already spotted it - the eagle eyed Hen was the first ! The strange thing is it doesn't look like our house at all, well it does but it doesn't! Some of the pictures I am pleased with but there were a few really nice ones that they didn't include, never mind I've got them in a file somewhere, I'll dig them out to show you as I was strictly forbidden to use them before publishing! Thanks for all your lovely comments we do love our house and love it even better when it's full of children/guests/students in fact we've applied to do Barnardo's supported lodgings, so the future is bright for Red House after being left to rack and ruin and being a smidgeon away from being condemned!! I keep looking at the pics marvelling at how tidy it is there's baby stuff everywhere now of course!

Guess who? The Incredibly Daftables

2011-05-30T07:29:00.000+01:00

Now, come on! you're clearing out the stockroom at Whitby and you find three bat masks, you get back to Scarborough and there are Suzanne 'glam-ma' and Victoria, so what's to resist?!! half an hour later of giggling and being' the should know betterables' but you know sometimes it's good to have a laugh (or have a tena moment as we like to call them! ) We often think back to our girly holiday last year and the formation of the Olive club, of course we are usually missing Lynne as she lives on the Wirral but we do text her when we're together saying 'wish you were here'

Here we are again, another bulk buy tena moment! what happy memories and oh, to be somewhere sunny- with no rain!! will be going into work later for the bank holiday then a family dinner so must whip out the hoover before work. Hope you are all baving an 'incredible' day?

Whitbyitis

2011-05-25T06:37:00.000+01:00

Morning everone! I'm up bright and early with a whitbyitis itch!

It's okay it's not catching! I'm working at our shop there today and got a sudden urge to get the crack of dawn bus and see Whitby at it's sparkly morning finest!

I don't know how I managed to stick all these pictures together but I seem to find my blog doing strange things at the moment, it's obviously going through a teenager phase! so to the lovely dress in the picture which comes from the shop next door to ours in Whitby 'Alfie Loves Ava' isn't it just the dreamiest little girl party dress you ever saw? there are still lots of lovely shops in Whitby although the dreaded Poundland has arrived at the old Somerfield, don't you think pound shops are a bit of a con? most of the stuff is cheaper elsewhere! the next picture is from last summer, we have a stone circle by our house thoughtfully constructed by the council a few summers ago for a bit of interest, unfortunately it now attracts druids at midsummer and people sleep in it for the energy,etc. blah blah, which is all quite amusing to everyone that lives round here! another con!! The last picture is from the vintage garden party we held last year for all our lovely customers and Bespoke Country supporters, thanks to everyone who commented on the last post, we just have to fix a date now!

swiftly moving on!

2011-05-18T07:46:00.000+01:00

Putting the last posts behind me with a hop, skip and a jump, tee hee, didn't we have a laugh! although Emilie said she felt sick! mmm, mixed reactions then to my Lady Chatterley role play!! anyway the big question is, and I really have to decide today... to vintage garden party or not to vintage garden party? that is the question. Nothing noble about it just lots of blooming hard work! and a really great day!
So if you can help me out by sending a comment , just yes or no, and I'll count them up tonight! talk about indecisive!!!

when a woman loves a man!

2011-05-16T05:26:00.000+01:00

Well, I think I may have revealed slightly too much in the last post! go on, you know which bit I mean, tee hee!

lets start with bluebells!

2011-05-15T02:33:00.000+01:00

One day you know,my little bluebell walk will look like this. Oh to meander through swathes of fragrant bluebells for longer than ten seconds! Stephen has been rather active on the garden front recently which is rather disconcerting as when he is in full garden mode he has what I call his garden scowl and makes you feel really guilty for sitting down and relaxing with your latest Country Living magazine (I swear yet again I will never buy it anymore it has defo lost its mojo!) even a quick flash of my boobs from the window didn't cheer him up!

Every time I see these lads on tv they remind me of two other boys I know very well, yes my boys Tim and Theo but when they were 9 and 11!!! I can't help but laugh my head off at them. I think they should do a documentary about them just so that we can see the long suffering parents! mind you I thought my boys were extremely hard work and then my cute little girls hit puberty!!

Think I might do a civilised high tea tomorrow, which is just a ruse to get out of doing sunday dinner, especially as we went to the local carvery tonight (felt like sunday dinner to me) which was technically Theo and Rachels birthday treat for Stephen. Strange thing was though we paid ! now how did that happen ! and his birthday was in march! It seemed like some sort of Derren Brown moment.. hang on a minute !

Now if and only if my garden looks like this I think we shall be having another vintage garden party this june, want to come? it was so nice last year..sigh, such happy memories...

good times, good friends... blimey my bottom looks huge!!!

2011-05-11T07:34:00.000+01:00

Is it my imagination or is the world as we know it spinning out of control and plunging headlong into a maelsrom of disasters unknown previously to mankind, or is that just the plot of a hollywood blockbuster? well either way that's the way of the world here at the moment. Do you remember Theo having both his arms broken last year by some thugs in York? well he was a witness in their court case last week and it was a huge deal for him, the indications are that they will get off but I hope Theo can put it behind him and not lose faith in the justice system, he doesn't have room to build a batcave anyway! You just want your kids to be happy don't you? sorry can't say too much but last few weeks we've had a lot on our minds. But onto happier thoughts...

Now , Emilie is a very naughty girl and was told as much at the hopital yesterday at the fracture clinic, I was also dragged into this but heh! when has she ever listened to my advice!!! she had to go to hospital to have her pot redone on sunday night as it was collapsing, have you done anything to cause this they asked ? not really she replied ! horrors she lied!! she was in three performances at Hattons performing arts show at the weekend , one routine involved her doing a handstand over another dancer, that is hard with a pot on your leg!and in rehearsals she managed to smash a footlight with her pot! dancers are something else I think they live in a parallel ubiverse or something, who in their right mind would do a one footed tap routine?

Have you been watching 'so you think you can dance?' no? well, come on, what are you doing on a saturday night ? you must vote for Matt who used to go to Hattons and his mum Denice works in the dance shop opposite Bespoke country on Bar Street in fact when you watch the little info bit about Matt he dances on Bar Street at the beginning. Apparantly they are comming to film him again in Scarborough on sunday if he gets through again. I hope he does he's fantastic!!! and his mum is lovely. So vote for Matt!!!

What do you think to this little cutie pops then ? couldn't resist a little Bee update with her new cardigan hand knitted by Angela Knipe she is such a happy little girl and is loving sitting in the garden with her grandma in the sunshine!!

Have you been attacking your garden as well? visions of loveliness are filling my head this year, although this always happens after my new issue of Country Homes falls on the mat with a summer special garden supplement in it! Steve has actully made a couple of flowerbeds which is quite excitng we just need to fill them with cottage garden plants now so I can flit around Sarah Raven like in a cutting garden filling my house with vases of the most sensuous, fragrant blooms. Reality of course will be very different, the delphiniums will be blown over, the lupins will be eaten overnight by greenfly and one puff of wind and the peonies will have gone! not that I'm a cynical garener or anything but you see it's just experience has taught me you can't beat a good shrub!
Off to get the train to York now, hope you all have a lovely day.

Sorry for being a misery

2011-04-28T08:07:00.000+01:00

Ahoy there! sorry for not posting for eons but I have been somewhat out of sorts after my long awaited trip to Ipswich. Firstly, because we cadged a lift there of course I was unable to visit all the places I was looking forward to seeing i.e. Halfpenny home, Southwold, Aldeburgh, house in the clouds...the list goes on. I've pretty much always hated group dynamics 'does anyone want to go anywhere?' well you either keep quiet and go with the crowd (five couples in this case) or make a suggestion and then risk being squashed completely. Now bearing in mind Suffolk is not the sort of place you go to very often as it is a five hour drive I thought a morning in Aldeburgh could be slotted into a four day trip but no, apparently it was a step too far ! Well being the sort of person to keep the peace at whatever cost I just got on with the usuas trailing around the shops although I did get a lovely skirt from White stuff in the sale, that pink blotchy one, did anyone else get it? they seemed to have hundreds of them! So anyway, then there was the incident! of which I cannot give too many details but it resulted in someone I have known for a while being really not nice to me. now I know this sounds childish but I really don't like unpleasantness at all, there's usually no need (we are adults for goodness sake) I found out later I was the second in the firing line so that made me feel a lot better, but it really took the shine off the weekend and made me just want to go home.

So it was farewell suffolk, I feel like we were never properly introduced but I'll be back some day especially as they had the decency to name a street for us! little tinkers they really shouldn't have!
Anyway, only other exciting thing has been my annual trip to Scarborough Literature Festival, stop sniggering at the back just because it's the last stop on the line doesn't mean we ain't got no culture! The main reason of course is to suck up to Kate Atkinson, she of literary fame

As you can see she is thrilled to see me! we went to rival schools, she went to Queen Annes and I went to Mill Mount (all girls schools of course) and I'd just reminded her that we used to thrash them at hockey, fortunately she didn't suggest a rematch! I actually love her writing and you must, must ,must watch the Jackson Brodie mysteries that have been made into tv dramas and start sometime in june. Can you see Suzanne? don't know why Victoria wasn't there, we used to have a book club but it degenerated into drinking wine and streaking each others hair! perhaps you were right about the lack of culture after all !!

Ipswich Ahoy!

2011-04-14T06:26:00.000+01:00

Today is the great day, we are off to Ipswich, hurrah!...however, Steve fresh from his retractable washing line stunt has put the wrong sort of fuel in the car and is doubtful that the five hours it will take to get to Ipswich will be the fun filled, carefree, tossing of the head with gay abandon experience we were hoping for i.e. we are going to break down. So if you remember the advert 'can you ride tandem?..' from yesteryear you will be laughing at this point, we will now have to beg a lift/ hitch hike (those were the days!) I'm sure someone else at the conference will take pity on us, I'm sorry but I am not missing out on my three day Novotel experience I have been daydreaming about it for ages now - don't take it away from me!!!

Feels like a day off

2011-04-11T00:39:00.000+01:00

What a funny day. Steve decided to buy me a present.. a retractable washing line,hmmm, you remember our washing line history ? so I didn't hold my breath and sure enough the distance from the wall to the tree wasn't long enough for the line to stretch but how do you tactfully say ' is it supposed to be three foot off the ground?' without sounding a tad churlish! however we solved the problem by tieing the old line round the new retractable box (!) yes I know flippin' mad! however it kept the peace on my day off. So then had to go into work to install the new cd rom via the government website for, PAYE, well what joy was that! if anyone else has been brought to their knees by installing these things please let me know that I'm not the only one!! yet another helpline to ring !! can you see a recurring theme? So starting to feel a bit miffed that my only day off this week was fast becoming a bit pants I got a call from Steve to go down to Blue Crush on the South Bay

This is actually Hannah but you get the idea?...

Blue Crush is a surfer family/friendly bar that is in the new Sands development on the North Bay in Scarborough and has a really chilled surfer dude feel to it there was also a band on playing a bit of reggae which was fun

apparantly it is named after a film which was obviously not filmed in Scarborough (as you can tell from the pic above because they're not wearing vests!) But as we are in silly picture mode now...

Here's Em and Clo on our boat in the harbour and the sun really was hot at least once last year, but you know you should always wear a hat, what with the royal wedding and all, but as always the best dressed seven month olds are leading the way in the fashion stakes,watch out Posh, here she is...

Miss Bee!!!! hava a happy monday!

Am I fat?

2011-04-09T07:03:00.000+01:00

Well obviously you can't see me so you can'y say either way but I had a lovely comment from a Suzanne the other day that I had lost loads of weight. Of course I was thrilled and then realised that it was probably because I have shed three layers of clothing because of the warm weather, pah! but what constitutes a fatty? when I look at women my age that are size 10 they look really scrawny to me but size 16/18 looks uncomfortable so the 14 /16 range seems pretty okay to me with the elusive and desirable 12 the goal to aim for! The reason for the slight introspection on weight at the moment is because I have swapped doctors to one of those Darzi clinics (have no idea how to spell that!) that are open from 8am-8pm and it is really fantastic you walk in and are seen immediately and don't need to take any time off work woopee! they gave me a body check overhaul thingy, checkup that's the word, and said I was bordering on having to go on a weight reduction programme, is that a diet ? or enrolling me into 'The Biggest Loser' ? who knows so have been a bit preoccupied with the wobbly bits since then and the thought of summer clothes isn't helping either! Have a great weekend everyone!

Eastern Promise

2011-04-07T22:36:00.000+01:00

Panic Stations!!! not only have I been unable to post this week because of the swirly daisy thing on the new post page which wouldn't stop swirling at all, on two different computers as well! I even blogged the blogger helpline and got a very full reply from someone who obviously sits at the computer waiting for people like me and had to blog the helpline to get help to understand the reply! Sooo onto next panic, eek ! going away to a conference next week at Ipswich, yes I'm not exactly sure where it is as well, evening dress is required for one night so will have to show the dreaded arms, hence reference to the duct tape diet, this can't be a real diet but there is a lot on the internet about it, do you think glue dots would work as well? ha ha! the really good thing though is that I will be able to visit Halfpenny Home www.halpennyhome.blogspot/ on saturday morning as I will have loads of free time so if any of you know Ipswich and can recommend anywhere to go that would be wonderful!

P.S What Time's Dinner?

2011-04-04T07:23:00.000+01:00

Well there's the rub you see, the very many layers of Mothers Day. On the one hand you deserve to be pampered , festooned with flowers and revered as the embodiment of Mother Nature herself and yet , blow me, there's too many darned mothers around for it all to go according to plan and fitting them all in becomes a srategic and logistical excercise worthy of Camp David. So I propose a Mothering Monday just for those who were so busy making sure that noone got left out that the chocolate is left unscoffed, the flowers still in the wrappers and that elusive smelly bath just did not happen!

Well, the first washing line disaster has happened already this year, the line broke ( the monkey got soaked..etc) so no deliciously ozone drenched linens for me, still got them draped round the laudry room.Sadly I am known locally for my catalogue of washing line disasters! There was the time Steve decided to tie the line to the guttering down pipe, yes what you have just guessed did happen! then Steve decided to tie it to the fence, yes also guessed correctly. Then of course there are the very windy days that we often get at Red House so it can be a bit disconcerting walking back from work noticing that your washing is in various trees in the garden and a big pole and tree climbing skills are required plus you have to wash it all again which is the really irritating thing ! Then of course there is trapped bee syndrome, the washing is dutifully dried and folded a sense of housekeeperliness pride sweliing your breast and then you hear the faint bzzz of the dreaded trapped bee in folded sheet! so many pitfalls and disasters waiting to happen with this housewife lark but as I read in a book yesterday don't try to be tidy just be organised!

Whitby Goth Weekend

2011-03-30T08:30:00.000+01:00

Looking for something different to do? and want to stand slack jawed staring at passer bys? well Whitby is the place for you ! apparantly the organisers of the goth weekends fell out last year ( I bet that was a tiff worth seeing!) and so we are having the delights of twice as many goth weekends this year! Find it quite surreal myself especially as you know it was a BOOK! Bram Stoker has a lot to answer for in my eyes but if you do come definately go to La Rosa for tea www.larosa.co.uk/ and they have a fab campsite too, look at this pic

right up my street. Don't forget to come to our shop Bespoke Country on Flowergate if you do come (naughty naughty thrifty mrs!-but see you next year!) have a fab day y'all!

phewee back home!

2011-03-28T20:31:00.000+01:00

Hurrah! back home from the Birmingham NEC show. Suzanne who came with me to help was great company and we had a really lovely girly time and a couple of nice meals out at Cafe Rouge plus a wander around Birmingham's fabulous city centre which was a real eyeopener - it was great! The show was all about cutting edge technology if you are building your own house or renovating so all of us frivolous stands were tucked away together in the Period Living Magazine Pavilion which worked very well. We met some old customers and lots of new ones. Thats it now for a bit - no more shows on the horizon! They all seeemed to survive at home although I did notice the vegetables in the fridge haven't moved and definately not in the direction of the cooker! Having a quiet night in now, Steve had an asthma scare today and a paramedic was called out to him ( he arriived on a bike!) It was the fumes in the underpasss that did it but he's alright now , a bit weak and pale but okay, it's a good job we live by the sea and have plenty of fresh air! hope he's fighting fit tomorrow!

Free Tickets for Show

2011-03-18T15:12:00.000Z

Fancy a free day out at the NEC in Birmingham, well drop me a line at info@bespokecountry.co.uk as we have absolutely loads of free etickets to give away! We will be exhibiting at the Period Living Magazine Pavilion, don't you know! Suzanne, she of glamorous clothes and not a hair out of place is helping me out as a favour (so we will have half an olive club!) I don't know much about the show but suspect we may learn a lot about guttering before the week is out! So if you are out and about at the show come and see us on stand H192, bring cake if you can ! have bought some hair dye today to cover the grey bits appearing - always panic a bit when I have to present a public face! if only there was a miracle diet...second thoughts , forget the cake!!!

A few Pics just for You

2011-03-15T07:19:00.000Z

Instead of me blabbing on I thought you'd like to see what I'm up to at the moment in pictures.So firstly we have my spring decs starting to come out of the cupboard , this is my fave plate and always takes pride of place every year!

an alien in York??? this made me laugh all day when I saw this star Wars guy walking past the shop, it remonded me of that flm 'Signs' I can still freak Emilie out by making that clicking noise with my tongue!!

Teacosy pattern from Dosie Rosie in the bloggy swap (thanks soo much again!), I can do one side in an evening, hurrah! It's a really old pattern which I love so may keep my eye out for some more in the charity shops.

Last week's dressing gown project now back in the bathroom with my towels on it!

Lovely little shaker doll for Bee purchased (snaffled) from Bespoke Country, she had to come home with me I think all the other dolls were picking on her ( well she does have ginger hair like all of us!)

What to do with a practice crochet square? well fold it in half and put it round a vase! I'm now waiting for my daffys to bloom so I can pick some to put in it!! come on spring, get a move on!!

And finally shock horror! the messiest work room ever!When I look at posy gets cosy's workroom I can't believe it, there's not a thing out of place which is probably why she is a world famous designer and I run between three shops like a headless chicken, ha ha! well hope you like this little gallery of blah! maybe more action shots next time?!! have a lovely week my friends!

Uppy Downy Week

2011-03-11T12:54:00.000Z

You know when your life feels like a soap opera and you want to say, hey! give me back my real life where nothing ever happens!! well it's been that sort of week. Firstly I want to say a heartfelt thankyou for all the comments/emails that you have sent re Bee. Latest news is that she's just had her lunch and is going into town with grandma! Hannah is still feeling wary after what happened and who can blame her so I am helping out on my day off. Another big thankyou to Lisanne who sent me some fat quarters from her fab blog http://lisanneatsewciety.blogspot.com/ they are going to cut into squares to make Bee a cot quilt, all lovely pinks/ oranges/ and green hurrah! I can't wait to get stuck in! must go and bless you all you lovely bloggy peeps!

Bee's better

2011-03-09T11:30:00.000Z

This is a picture of my favourite tree as I didn't know what to put in. On sunday Hannah was holding Bee when she stopped breathing again, fortunately her brother Theo was there, grabbed Bee and made her breathe. Poor Hannah is really shaken but the ambulance was there in five minutes and they were all whisked off to hospital but so far no real explanation, Bee wasn't kept in or anything as there was no temperature or anything else to worry about, but what a strange worrying situation. So sorry if the posting slides a bit this week I've got a little girl to cuddle!

Hot News!

2011-03-03T12:42:00.000Z

Just heard that lil ole Red House is going to be featured in Homes and Antiques magazine in the July edition-eek! The photographer came last year and I'd forgotten all about it as we often do shoots etc with the business so it was a lovely surprise to get a call to say they loved the pics! Quite funny though as I don't think we posess any antiques only vintage 'stuff''! I've had a quick look at the thumbnails and boy do I look gormless in some of them, Victoria as usual looks glamorous and delovely! I managed to get her in some of the pics to promote Bespoke Country even though they were a bit sniffy about it...( come onn guys give us a break!!! ) Will let you know when it's out, I can't put any of the pictures on here yet as the photographer made me promise! can you tell I'm bouncing up and down on the sofa!!!?

The Jon Bon Jovi Effect!

2011-03-01T14:45:00.001Z

hi there, starting to panic... it's craft academy tonight in york and the chicken egg cosy I will be teaching everyone how to make looks like a scotty dog!! how can that be? they are two completely unrelated animals and no I am not going to post a picture of it!!! fortunately the brilliant anne will be there to guide everyone, she is soo talented and will soon sort out the scotty/chook hybrid!
Saw a poster this morning for Jon Bon Jovi, in Scarborough I hear you ask? well, no, a tribute Jon Bon jovi band actually, now there's a surprise! and do you know I was rushing for the train but it was as if I stepped out of myself for a moment and saw this woman laden down with knitting/ crochet / bags of stuff wearing a charity shop coat , hair well overdue for a trim ( like 6 inches!) and thought to myself 'you traiter! you have completely suppressed your inner rock goddess!' and it is true, so what's a girl/grandma to do? well obviously some sort of makeover is required asap, don't worry not the leather trouser look! but really you know, I think I need to pull myself together, big time!!

Up with the Lark

2011-02-27T07:53:00.000Z

You know when you wake up and the sun is shining and woopee woo! you suddenly realise your energy has returned after a long dormant spell i.e. winter, and you reach for your to do/wish list for the house and before you know it you've opened a can of Farrow & Ball paint in your dressing gown and are slapping it here there and everywhere!! Well it's going to be one of those days here! I can't remember the last time I felt so inspired to attack my house decor and go for a change and the easiest way to do that is with paint. In our previous house I could paint the kitchen in the time it took Steve to go to football and back, quite a challenge, and a lovely surprise for him, ha ha! in fact it got to be a bit of a competition with us, at that point we were doing a lot of shows with Bespoke Country and one year whilst I was at Country Living I came home to a new hall stairs and landing carpet, so after I had recovered from my heart attack...no really it wasn't too bad just a step too far you know, I mean that is a big, once in twenty years decision so I had to call an end to that game but the sort of things that I paint now noone really notices anyway. So you all have a great sunday and I'll post an update ...!

2011-02-25T14:12:00.000Z

I'm such a meanie!! that last post was completely out of character, honest! through sickness and in health I remind myself, how could I be so heartless? hee hee! Anyway onto brighter, springier, colourful, take off your thermal vest type thoughts, it is sooo much warmer here and the sap is almost rising. We have had the tree fellers round to Red House for a massive tidy up in the wood (there was only two of them which totally ruined the joke!) and we got their massive bill the other day so will have to postpone the coveted Laura Ashley dress for another month, bah! Looking around in blogland are there any bloggy swaps going on I've missed - I love them, my parcel from dosie rosie was so wonderful and I loved planning my gifts to her, if you know of any please let me know.

Just had a quick peek on their website and .....

Oooh look! 50% off, will have to work on my bingo wings, tummy, bottom, etc. hmm doesn't seem such a good idea now, but I could use it as a goal for losing weight for the summer. I love this dress but it would have to have a matching cardigan, of course!!

House of Lurgy

2011-02-22T09:38:00.000Z

Oh dear , oh dear,,, the Red House Bug has finally started to hit the male population, and we all know what that means!! Yes, I'm going out ! well it is my day off,( a tuesday this week can't think why but there is a reason. )Well you know I'm sure we need some more thingys and I'm sure we've run out of doodahs so a skippy trip to town with Lynne (oh are you going to town too-hee hee) for a coffee will be wonderful. You might think me cold and heartless and Holby Cityesque but last week when I was in the depths of twenty four hour sickness misery I was reminded in that tone (you know) that the car had been booked into the garage and only I could take it... well revenge however childish and uncharitable tastes blooming marvellous, I'll leave them squabbling over the bucket!

Doily mad

2011-02-19T06:29:00.000Z

Well, what a terrible week! have been frantically crocheting doilies to calm down, not only did I get the dreaded sickness bug but so did Hannah, Phoebe, Emilie and Rachel so you can imagine the state we are in and plus it's the first week at Bespoke Country without our two members of staff that have gone onto pastures new including our beloved Andrea plus it's Tim and Tanya's engagement party tonight and I offered to do all the desserts!! but apparantly that's why mums go to Iceland!! do you think anyone will notice? the blessed Suzanne has offered to make two desserts ( her sainthood is assured) so somehow as always we will muddle through. Tim's Auntie Lynne is coming accross from the Wirral for the party so the Olive Girls will be reunited tonight and I'm sure we'll find time to plan our next getaway! hope so anyway, I do so really have to have something to look forward to,are you the same?

Love is in the Air

2011-02-14T20:02:00.000Z

Happy Valentines Day to everyone! What better day than this to wallow in a heart long homage to all things hearty! Enjoy yourselves and don't forget 'all you need is love!

Going nuts!

2011-02-13T20:28:00.000Z

Now I don't want you to think that I'm paranoid or anything but I think the squirrels are tapping my phones ( for other people it's the News of the World!) I may have to call a truce before we are involved in some kind of Alfred Hitchcock remake, or was that birds?!

Phew!

2011-02-06T17:10:00.000Z

You will never know what a relief it was when six, yes six!!, fabulous crafty people turned up to the first craft academy in the Scarborough shop, thanks guys! we cracked on almost immediately and everyone went home with three different projects they had completed in two hours, phew! it was a marathon but really enjoyable and everyone seemed pleased so hope they all come back next month! This pic is of the vintage teaset that Victoria got me for christmas that I was saving to use at the craft academy but forgot to take!! der! instead we had to sip tea out of our embarrassing stock of shop mismatched mugs mostly freebies from viking direct! never mind we'll have the whole vintage tea experience next time.

Are you like me and keep finding little bowls of bulbs you stuffed away in cupboards before christmas? no I hear you say? well I have to grow them all inside you see because of my long running squirrel feud, (they watch me all the time, honest!) but this year hah! I have outsmarted the little blighters and grown them all inside which isn't quite the same as looking out into your garden at a lovely bouncy drift of spring flowers but is certainly better than nothing, at least they don't eat bluebell bulbs so my treasured bluebell walk is safe, heh! stop sniggering you lot I know it's only ten foot long in a good year but a girl can dream!

And the winner is....

2011-02-01T15:36:00.000Z

This is definately the last email regarding the oojimaflippitwotsits which now have a superb new name ...flower flumps!!! so congratulations to Bonzogirl for thinking of the best name! I feel such an affinity with the word 'flump' in fact most of the stuff I make is definately flumpy!!! have a look at Bonzogirls website she has some lovely baking on there to drool over http://bonzogirlgiggles.blogspot.com/ and I will be posting the flower flumps off to you on friday same time as posting my bloggy swap to Gill. Soo as promised here is the list of suggestions and blogs to look over (Mandy you are bonkers get some sleep girl!!) It was great to look at so many new blogs and even though we don't have many followers between us gals we certainly have a lot of interesting stuff going on, so take a peek and follow some new friends! here we go...
button blossom http://craftigeordi.blogspot.com/
flower fancies, flower dumplings, posy cakes http://daisymoon-mandy.blogspot.com/
dangle buds,flower flumps (yay!), button bursts http://bonzogirlgiggles.blogspot.com/
springtime floaties http://scentedsweetpeas.blogspot.com/
plumper keeper http://leeprairiedesigns.blogspot.com/
tubbies http://lisanneatsewciety.blogspot.com/
bloomin' blossoms, flower fancies,plump posies http://athomeinteriors.blogspot.com/
floral macaroons http://sandies-patch.blogspot.com/
pin poms http://poppiesanddaisies.blogspot.com/ Thanks for joining in hope it gave you a laugh!!

Beret nice?

2011-01-27T11:31:00.000Z

Like the pun? here we have the latest in a neverending series of knitted berets! this time a matching pair of creamy, clotted cream (mmm - stop it now!) ones for Queen bee Hannah and little Bee, do you see they have matching pink crocheted flowers? Can't wait to see them both wearing these little beauties that I've really loved making. What's more they will probably need them for the snow that is forecasted.
Having another creative, twirly swirly morning on my day off going wherever the creative mood takes me!! ( shhhh-should be hoovering really) . Don't forget the competition to name the thingys I've got 10 all finished and ready to go to the winner! have a lovely day and thanks to Lemonade Kitty see right for featuring our York shop on her blog! yay! thanks hon!

Craft Academy

2011-01-26T06:37:00.000Z

You know I told you about the craft acadamy in York? go on you remember, the first one I did noone turned up!!! well , seven months down the line it's a thriving group of cake and craft lovers and I think everyone enjoys it immensely. Soo, we have decided to start one in Scarborough , the first one's next week on thursday which is really exciting and I really, really hope someone turns up ( go on fee-bee you know you want to!!) so fingers crossed... On a crafty note, thankyou all so much for helping with name ideas for the oojimaflippitwotsits (two posts ago) I had lots of wacky suggestions! but I love wacky!! so to make it more interesting and as I am getting nearish to 100 followers and was going to do a giveaway anyway if you want to send anymore random suggestions lets have a little competition and the name winner gets 10 thingys - no random selector here I'm picking the name I like best but I will post the whole list (with a link to your blog) so we can all have have a giggle! shall we say friday night deadline?

Great News!

2011-01-24T07:11:00.000Z

hi! Tim and Tanya have got engaged!! We are all so happy for them both, hurrah! They first started going out together when they they were nineteen but of course were both too young to settle down properly so have been on and off over the years and have both enjoyed their lives with their friends, partying, etc but now at twenty five they have decided they are going to spend their lives together, awww bless! Steve gave Tim a few tips on how to propose, funny I don't remember him producing champagne whrn he proposed to me it was more like 'It's more tax efficient how about it?'!!! I feel very excited for them , you know maybe 2011 is really going to be a good year!

oojimaflippitwotsits

2011-01-19T14:35:00.000Z

Help! I've made tons of these oojimaflippitwotsits and want to put them on the website but don't know what they should be called... they hang as a decoration and have a little crocheted flower over the button...any ideas???

Trip to London

2011-01-17T06:09:00.000Z

Having managed to get the first train out of Scarborough on saturday morning, we arrived at Kings Cross nice and early so had the whole day ahead of us to explore... so what did we do? we went to Waterstones fifth floor in Piccadilly and sat there for three hours!! well you know there was tea to drink, lots to talk about (as if three hours on a train didn't cover that one! no way!) and catalogue design to discuss. We had a lovely time!! After a fab lunch we set off to Knightsbridge to Divertimenti (you know Victoria likes to cook!) and a great Swedish shop called Scandium which have the most brilliant swedish children's books that I will definately be back to buy for Bee. Next of course was the dear old V&A where I showed Victoria the tinware illustrated by Mabel Lucie Atwell but the little house exhibition was gone!! After this truly exhausting day(!) we found our hotel where we had been booked in as Mrs Slade and Mr X which was hysterical! and collapsed for a night of knitting, telly watching, dorito munching and a bottle of cava (V's treat!) 'Take me out' is a must as Emilie's friend Sami is on it, she's the little one in the middle on the right. I think she gets a date soon so that'll be exciting! I don't think I have ever watched such a naff programme before though!!
Sunday morning and there we were patiently waiting for Earls Court to open the doors and let in all the gaggle of excited retailers ready to go on a spring spree! Well, we found some fandabulous products for the shops and the catalogue, met up with some old friends and came away 'well' pleased with our weekend ending on the last train to Scarborough! the funny thing is as soon as I get home I remember something I need to tell Victoria.....!

hearty hi!

2011-01-13T09:37:00.000Z

Suddenly realised it is only a month to the hearts fest of the year, yes Valentines Day! woop woop! not that I ever receive any cards you understand it's just the perfect excuse to indulge in a little heart decorating. Of course it is really fun decorating the shops and accosting male customers checking that they have bought a card for their loved one! (that reminds me of the time we held a customer hostage until he bought his wife a Christmas present! ha ha but that's another story!) This years specials are going to be knitted hearts in french linen and swedish blue colours with a lovely pearl button, cards with a lavander heart keepsake and all sorts of dangly, lovely hearts in red pink and cream. I think it's time to perk up a bit after the Christmas break and this is the perfect opportunity to indulge in a bit of heart project making on my day off! yes it's today! Theo is here for the day to see Bee so will try to squash a bit of cushion/ heart/ fiddling around time in between cuddles and cooking! and of course trawling the charity shops , will let you see any finds later!

Let it All Out

2011-01-12T20:51:00.000Z

It seems my declaration that last year was a bit rubbish has struck a chord with lots of you including Adam (pic above) who has decided to sail the high sea of Scarborough and become a pirate! this was not his first career choice obviously and what with the price of dubloons falling who knows how long this venture will last? This pic was taken before his pirate anger management class! yes , yes it's silly party season!! Found this picture on my camera after emilie borrowed it! Also couldn't resist an uptodate pic of our beloved Bee with her Aunty Em (made up and on her way to shoot a music video- ooh get her!). we are having loads of fun with her now she is getting really playful and cute! Grandpa is absolutely smitten of course and I am the proud wearer of Grandma socks!!

Looky here!

2011-01-09T19:34:00.000Z

Thanks so much to http://craftygeordi.blogspot.com/ for putting me on her special list! thanks so much I still can't believe you have sixteen pets and one is a horse!!! I'm supposed to write seven things about myself now so here goes (deep breath!)
.I love vegetarian food but am not a vegetarian!
.I have a secret imaginary life in which I am not me!
.If I could please myself I would read a book a day.
.However hard I try I always feel scruffy ( not that I care! see it's a vicious circle, ha ha)
.Apparantly I have a kitchen
.I really believe the harder you work the luckier you get
.For some reason Im not too keen on odd numbered years! but last year was pants so who knows!
Phew feel quite traumatised now is it time for Lark Rise to Candleford yet?

Knitting Injury !

2011-01-03T16:25:00.000Z

Yes, really!! I was at the top of the stairs and saw a pile of dirty washing that I had plonked there to take downstairs so I put down my knitting and picked up the pile at the same time and crunch! brain thought body could do these two seperate movements at the same time but body said no! no! no! so my jokes about knitting being an extreme sport have come true! I do get bad backs like this and now will spend the rest of the week having hot baths and walking like Mrs Overall ( for the uninitiated google Victoria Wood!) So whoever orders rhe next poppy teacosy at Bespoke Country will never know the blood sweat and tears that have gone into it! So onto a few resolutions...didn't manage ten but there's enough for me!
1.seriously cut back on oats so simple golden syrup flavour (yummy!)
2.have a day off a week to make things and indulge my creativity.
3.walk up the hill to Red House and not get the bus.
4.really try hard at gardening, not just two great big tidy ups a year!

Well, I think that's quite enough for me! check out Fin and Gabs for Andrea's ressies (no chocolate? really??)

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T09:47:00.000Z

Hi everyone! hope you had a really lovely new year. We celebrated with Victoria and John, little Bee and Steve's new torch ! it has about 3million candle power and lights up the whole of Scarborough practically so if you thought the aliens were landing sorry it was Steve !! Home Sweet Home is going to be my new year mission statement! have managed to get a midweek day off on a thursday until easter so feel very excited about having creative days!! will be doing my new year resolutions later sfter closing the shop, yes we are open!! although Victoris will be flying down to the seafront to watch Cordelia in the New Year Dip!!! are they raving bonkers? so have a great relaxing day and hope all your dreams come true, one has come true already... Downton Abbey repeats start today, hurrah!!!

Royal Wedding

2010-12-29T15:49:00.000Z

Finally got my 'Wills and Kate' mug, I just love all that royal paraphanalia don't you? and it's all the better if it is tasteful like this one .We have quite a collection of coronation mugs and cups from the last century which are lovely to have but a complete pain to display! but this mug will be reserved for me and special visitors! my great aunt is a Lady as her husband was knighted but that's as close as we get to the royals in our family although there was a below stairs scandal on my mothers side that was hushed up, ooh! how very 'upstairs downstairs'!

Take your Time

2010-12-28T13:56:00.000Z

This Christmas has been a really relaxing time for me mainly because I decided not to go anywhere but the kitchen! I have really enjoyed reaquainting myself with all my kitchen utensils and pans! no Nigella am I! It's funny I really thought we'd end up with about four Jamie Oliver '30 minute meals' books but not one appeared from the wrapping mound under the tree- pity really as it's the only cook book I have fancied for ages, can't think why!!! just read this back and I have used the word 'really' far too much, yes, really!! ha ha. Did you watch the Miss Marple last night ? what a let down, it was like watching an amateur production, the casting was terrible and the acting deplorable, thank goodness three men in a boat was so funny! well, must get on .. am in the York shop today still no water!!!! jennyx

Happy Days!

2010-12-26T22:33:00.000Z

Thought it was a good time to unleash another 'the girls go to Gran Canaria' picture as we are all in such a good mood over the festive season. This is also a way to say a big 'thanks buddies!' to the olive club girls for making my birthday trip such a blooming brill laugh a minute! love you all, jennyx

Are we nearly there yet?

2010-12-22T12:40:00.000Z

Hello everyone, posting took a back seat this week as I have been busy , busy, busy... but haven't we all?!!! Here's the mighty atom (Victoria!) posing out side the Scarborough shop, we had just skived off for a coffee in Marks and Spencers leaving Andrea to hold the fort as you can see ! There's always plenty to do such as dusting the EB pottery eek! a tricky task with cold fingers. We have had a wonderful Christmas in the shops with all our lovely regular customers and lots of new ones too! Let's hope we all count our blessings and have a truly great Christmas and a fandabulous new year! love to you all, jennyx

Bee's trip to see Santa

2010-12-15T22:32:00.000Z

Here's little Bee with her Mummy Hannah on her way to see Santa, this is Santa's PA just making sure Santa has a window!

Well here she is with 'Santa Jazz Hands' ha ha ! he looks very competent I must say coping with a wriggler!

and here he is in full glory on his throne.. doesn't Bee look tiny! what a great trip thanks santa!! ( do you think he has a musical theatre background?)

swedish ceramic ovens-oh yes!

2010-12-14T08:13:00.000Z

Following on in my swedish series of posts i.e. going through all my pictures on the camera! thought you might like to see a selection of fireplaces I came across! the first one above is just a little spare one that is used in the summerhouse during all night fishing is going on. Next we have a gorgeous ceramic fireplace at Sophia and Pelles restored farmhouse... they have these in almost every room! apparantly they are full of sand and as the fire burns it heats the sand which then gives out heat at a regular level, there are more pictures but just going out to buy an anorak....ha ha, trainspotting next! I wonder why steve rolls his eyes when I get my camera out?!! exciting news here is we are one step nearer to getting our wood burning stove but have had to swap the room it is going in which now makes perfect sense,der! so first week in january yippee, heat and more heat!!!

Pillow Swap success!

2010-12-10T16:06:00.000Z

what a lucky little swapper I am!!! look what I got!!! thankyou willeke for making my day when I opened up th parcel... but hang on...

What's this? a fab matching heart with a yoyo embellishment, how generous was that to make me two things, thanks Willeke, and...

It was all wrapped in the most lovely paper which I think is Pip studio - I'm loving their stuff at the moment!
so have a lovely weekend everyone madly shopping and decorating! jennyx

Favourite finds

2010-12-08T08:12:00.000Z

Morning!!! thought I would post a few goodies I have come accross lately.

This is the robin

plate I spotted in the chari shop window for £3 when I was walking to work and managed to get after a frantic phonecall to Rachel to go and buy it for me! I had to give it a really good scrub as the relief pattern had ingrained dirt in it!

Are you ready for a glass of glogg? this is the set I brought back from Sweden recently, I love it and it has folky hearts on it too!

Last picture is a lovely box of matches I bought on my trip which I would love to stock, it has the traditional red houses of Sweden on it and is just fab! what do you think, shall we?

Back Home

2010-12-03T22:06:00.000Z

Hi everyone! here I am back home at Red House, got a bit hairy at york station with a few teary people trying to get home and will the train arrive...yes , hurrah!! so treated myself to the Rumer cd which I have been secretly coveting for a while. I have got emilie to put a link on to one of my fave tracks (so far) but have no idea if it will work, don't worry there's no hidden link to amazon!!! just a cd I like and want to share with you this lovely weekend, going to my lovely bed now, ni-ight!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERzNIzrEnLg

Marooned in York shop!

2010-12-02T08:08:00.000Z

Well, let's face it! it could be worse, I could be trapped in the jungle with Kayla!! so, guys... no trains, no buses, just trusty wellies and leg power, but you know there are still people riding their bikes on the snow in York, how does that work? shouldn't the bike slip? don't think I will be experimenting with that one. So the post is really to say ' I'm a knitter get me out of here!' no, not really, just that if you are in York please stop by and say hi, bring hot soup, clean knichers (joke!) etc. will keep you posted!!!

Swedish Report ... Finally

2010-11-29T20:16:00.000Z

Well, we have returned from our trek to Sweden - the first time I have ever arrived at Manchester Airport and exclaimed how warm it is! Haha, because yes folks, it was blooming chilly in downtown Sweden! however we have matched it here in the last week. There was snow the first day ...

We arrived at Ulf and Katerina's beautiful farmhouse in semi darkness which we soon realised was actually as light as it got! We had a lovely trip to the forest and ate out at the summer house on an open fire ...

A solitary mooch by the lake by yours truly was enjoyable, I have never been in such a silent place before ...

Of course we glogged it up in the evening in the beautiful surroundings of the farmhouse ...

With the beautiful cloths and blankets woven by Katerina on her loom, lucky thing! We made mushroom soup from the mushrooms we picked from the forest and made Elk stew from their land. In fact they live 'from the forest' as much as possible ...

There was a trip to a glass factory - sorry rechargable batteries in camera petered out! - and a fab meal in the 'glass hotel'. We had very generous and hospitable host but missed all the Christmas decs because they are very strict about not putting them up until advent ...

There was a trip to the family church (pew 8 belongs to them) look at the beautiful decor, hand painted in the most wonderful colour tones. Altogether we had the most wonderful time going back to nature! This was truly a memorable trip. We had good times, good meals, good company, thank you Ulf and Katerina!

Ethel and Edna are no more

2010-11-28T07:29:00.000Z

It is with great sadness that I have to tell you that Ethel and Edna are missing and presumed dead since yesterday. The snow obviously brought predators a bit nearer the house than usual but there is no trace of a struggle so hopefully it was quick for them. As you can see in the pic we are used to them sitting on our windowsills looking in, a bit freaky for visitors to Red House, but a bit of company when you are on your own because they were the nosiest hens ever! We had just cured Ethel of her self harming habit which she had when she arrived to us ( i know I didn't believe it either and had to look it up on google!) I think we did this by letting them roam about all day even though they never left the top lawn near the house, however this was probably the reason why they got taken so what do you do? So a sad day for us. Ethel and Edna RIP.

Back from Sweden

2010-11-25T19:47:00.000Z

Well here we are back in the UK and I have yet to download all my pics so am preparing a special Swedish report with lots of action shots, interiors and more trees! We were so excited to see snow whilst we were there little did we know that it would follow us home and now have so much ice I can't get the car out and someone drove down our big hill and couldn't stop at the bottom! happens every year! Good news is there was plenty of time to crack on with the christmas makes whilst away, a long train journey from Copenhagen resulted in a lovely knitted beret and a couple of long evenings chatting over glogg produced a tea cosy! best of all I had a good idea for some present themes..'cosy night in' would be ; mug, chocolate (of course!) DVD and ball of Debbie Bliss wool which I am a bit passionate about at the moment. Thrilled to find that hotel chocolat are still doing the choccy vintage buttons, hurrah! I'm sure there are a few people that didn't get them last year. Well it's great to be back and straight into the blogging buzz, any news anyone?

Trip to Sweden

2010-11-15T21:55:00.000Z

Getting all excited about going to Sweden on thursday! have looked at the weather forecast and it looks like snow at the weekend, how fab will that be? I do hope they have started decorating the towns for Christmas I can't wait to see how different it is to us here in the north of england. The swedish white on white look is so stylish and sophisticated and even their rustic look is smart too! We are flying to Copenhagen and then going by train to Sweden so we will see plenty of both countries on our travels, don't worry I will take loads of pics!!! This is the house of Ulf and Katerina's where we will be staying, I know I have gone on about it before but Katerina has a loom!!! so I get the chance to weave which is a really exciting prospect for me! oh how funny are the things that thrill us !! jennyx

Christmas blogs

2010-11-12T19:18:00.000Z

Confession time! my first twinkly lights went up today and boy did they cheer me up! I also found an amazing blogger called Debbie dabble who could possibly be slightly more bonkers about Christmas than me! I am really trying to restrain myself but of course can indulge myself at work no end. Yesterday Carolyn and I rearranged all the Emma Bridgewater pottery, put up a vintage-decs christmas tree and moved all the tinware! not to mention more lights! the customers just had to dodge their way round as we were both on a mission! now if you've been to one of our shops you'll know that there is always something going on be it a delivery, painting, or mad dashes to the post office but lately it has been wonderfully busy,busy as the catalogue hit everyone's doormat and the phones and website went crazy, so Victoria and I are really looking forward to a well earned sunday off and y' all have a great weekend you hear! (don't know why I suddenly turned into Calamity Jane!) memo to self-get more sleep!!!

Hug a Tree!

2010-11-10T07:45:00.000Z

Two of my favourites!
It was a beautiful day on sunday , look at this pic I snapped on the way down Red Hill into town. We live at the top of a really steep hill which is a 1in3 in one place. Can you see the pile of grit in the foreground just waiting for the first icy day! Last year the snow plough gor stuck just at this point and had to be rescued by an even bigger truck!. The road has just been retarmacced (what in the world is the spellling for that?) and the gazillion potholes have now become a smooth sort of royal icing effect, imagine a black wedding cake! I have to say the walk in the sunshine did lift my spirits which is a lovely feeling. In York now for a few days working at the York Castlegate shop, call in to say hi! I'll put the kettlle on!
jennyx

It's a Beautiful Day!

2010-11-07T07:44:00.000Z

You know when you get up and feel the whole day is fresh and new and just full to the brim of possibilities? well that's just how I feel today, I'm going to finish off some projects so that I can reward myself and start a new one, hurrah! there are seven cushion orders for work so will make a dent into that! meeting Maryloo for a coffee at 1pm ( so called because if you are on your own in the shop if Mary comes in you can go to the loo!). Wonder if I can get away without the whole sunday dinner thing, still feeling bad about the soup sign saying 'help yourself'' the other week, hee hee! well sunday is my only day off and you never know someone else may cook today, hold on a minute is that a blue moon....!

No I've not had a makeover

2010-11-05T22:23:00.000Z

Add caption

Thought I'd show you some new pictures of Emilie as a kind of apology for the frog pics, hee hee! She is a dancer and spending her last few months in Scarborough before the bright lights beckon. Do you remember wearing heels like that or maybe you still do?! maybe I should crochet her a leotard for christmas! by the way thanks for all your comments on my death by chocolate post, and yes I did giggle when it was pointed out how big the piece of cake was next to the tiny crochet flowers I'd like to say that it was the camera angle but no it was a huuge piece of cake in fact I'm still having (rather nice) sugar flashbacks!! have a lovely weekend,

Death by Chocolate

2010-11-03T11:57:00.000Z

Had Craft Academy last night, it went really well considering two people had never crocheted before and went home with lovely little flowers so I think it was successful! We are up to seven members who regularly come and it is growing kind of organically now but think I may have to invest in some flip up chairs because if everyone came that said they were coming we couldn't all sit down! well not all at the same time!! Margaret made the most huge chocolate cake I have ever seen but, cripes! we had no knife!! so girl guides to the rescue we used the scissors from the shop to cut the slices, yes, these are the same scissors with strict instructions on the handle from Carolyn that they are not to be used for cutting wire (I'm keeping quiet on that one!) but there's no mention of not using them for cutting cake (will be soon!) so disaster was averted. I have washed them in case you were thinking of buying some fabric! Tilda and chocolate, hmmm, a new line maybe? So don't forget girls to always Be Prepared ; Lady Baden-Powell would have been proud of us!

Passion for Knitting Rekindled

2010-11-02T15:27:00.000Z

Well the new beret is finished! green of course!! Hannah has already ordered one so can't look too naff. The pattern was from the knitting special out at the moment with People's Friend ( yes can't believe I bought it too, that's something grandmas do...!) I really enjoyed knitting it and have decided that if I just knit bits of things instead of clothes it will be far more enjoyable and quicker, soo onto knitting ornaments for christmas! I've also knitted a little soother blanket for Bee using up little bits of leftover ribbons, that was from the 'Knitted Nusery' book which we will have online soon to buy. Ever since the girls holiday in Grandma Canaria - its new name- I've had really itchy crafty fingers so when I got my lurgy which lasted sooo long I thought I was going to crack up because my my sewing room was calling to me but I just had to go to bed straight from work so many nights just to be well enough to work the next day. But I have to say have got the old jenny va va voom back! shame I can't hook my knitting needles up to the national grid! don't forget to watch Kirsty tonight then we can all blog about it tomorrow!

Talk Like Jane Austen Day!

2010-10-30T08:38:00.000+01:00

Gentle reader
It is with the greatest of pleasures that I post to you on 'speak like Jane Austen day' a truly worthy pastime whch has been spoken about at Redpemberley for quite a few days now. Mrs Clark and I will be at the Bespoke Country Emporium for distinguished ladies today if you require any ribbons for trimming your bonnets! (don't know how long I can keep this up!) jenny x

Tak a Trip to Pickering

2010-10-29T21:57:00.000+01:00

If you are in the area tomorrow take a trip to Pickering and visit the Homespun and Vintage Fair at the Friends Meeting House 10-2pm for a fab array of gifts and vintage yummies. Our very own Andrea has a stand with her gorgeous cards and Linda and Cheryl-Anne who you can see in the picture have decorated the hall with vintageness (is that a word?) I just wish I could go but am on brochure duty at the Scarborough shop! I could do with a moochy day trolling around doing whatever takes my fancy! have a lovely weekend!
jennyx

You Love Our New Catalogue

2010-10-27T12:58:00.000+01:00

Thanks for all your lovely comments about the new catalogue, the phone has been really busy and it soon became apparant what the favourite products were!

We are certainly getting the Christmas buzz in all the shops even though we do get the odd 'bah humbug' in who tries to ruin our extended season of goodwill ! Hope all you mums out there are enjoying half term, there were a lot of miserable families in the rain in York yesterday, we all know that feeling when you wish you hadn't bothered! Andrea at Fin and Gabs has the right idea, out all morning and then in doing crafts all afternoon... she will have a house full of decorations by friday. I think it's time to organise my ornament party this year, it always goes really well and is a version of secret santa except we all make an ornament wrap it up and swap it at a little do at Red House. It's those sort of cosy evenings I love about Christmas. Craft academy next tuesday; we're doing granny squares as a special request from one of the members who wants to join in the crochet craze! so that should be an interesting evening as it took me three weeks to pick up 'how to hooky' from a book! could be a bit embarrassing!!!!

Where Rainbows End

2010-10-24T10:08:00.000+01:00

Feel such a blubberer this morning! finished 'Where Rainbows end' by one of my soft spot/ guilty pleasures authors ( apologies to Elizabeth Gaskell ) and burst into tears!... I have never done that since reading ' what Katy did ' many ,many years ago. Well, as is my want, when I cry I end up crying for 'everything that has happened that I should have cried about at the time but didn't!!! do you know what I mean? so I have had a drippy half hour and now feel thoroughly exhausted but much better and ready to enjoy my day off,woop woop! Hannah and Bee are coming for dinner so will enjoy a lovely cuddle with them both. Let me know if you have had a similar experience with a book, or am I a freak?

Black Labradors

2010-10-22T07:18:00.000+01:00

I think this is me asleep ha ha with my guard dog!

Look at this fab mug just arrived!

When I saw this mug It made me think about Patch our black lab (with a bit of Collie thrown in!) who died in april this year, in fact only yesterday Emilie said 'I was just about to say where's Patch?' we still miss him so much. Of course he didn't come to us in any normal sort of way! steve and I went away for the weekend and came back to a huge black dog sitting in our kitchen (we usually have Jack Russells) with the very heartstring pulling, violin soundtracked explanation from Hannah about how he was going to be put down and his owners were doing a moolight flit from the pub they lived at. Well, I have to tell you he was the best dog we ever had and wasn't a minutes bother! we are dogless at the moment which doesn't seem right but we always wait for one to turn up someway or another they seem to find us!

Stitch with a few friends

2010-10-20T11:37:00.000+01:00

Sorry! I have got very behind with my news, it must be the shock of purchasing a cushion! I am still in my Costa coffee amnesty to save up retrospectively to pay for it, two more foregone skinny lattes and we should be there!!! last week as you can see from the pic we had the chance to go to a Stitch event at the CK shop in York, well it turned into a bit of a jolly there were customers there (ours!) and members of our craft academy and we had a lovely time stitching a pin cushion led by Cheryl-Anne a local designer.We had cupcakes and cups of tea everything was very jolly, Auntie Cath wasn't there of course but we managed without her! Onto more exciting things now... we have finally received our brochure from the printers and it is absolutely blooming loverly!!! if you're not on the mailing list get signed up now at http://www.bespokecountry.co.uk/ it's a massive twenty pages long and is packed with loads of goodies to splash out on for Christmas, but order early to avoid being disappointed! Baby Bee has another hearing test on thursday I think this is her fourth and she's only eight weeks old! Hannah has very poor hearing so hopefully the results won't be too bad. She is the most adorable little ray of sunshine in my life I can't believe how much I love her and she's not my child, only indirectly, it's a whole new kind of love for me! and there's baby's first Christmas to plan, yippee!

Major Major Wanty

2010-10-13T19:47:00.000+01:00

You know how it is, you take a short cut through BHS and just take the tiniest detour through the home department keeping your eyes straight ahead and there it is...the major of major wantys.. your body is taken over by the ancient goddess of cushions and before you know it your debit card is leaving your (Orla Kiely !) purse and the mystical transaction has taken place. I just don't know what happened, (well that's my story!) can you suffer from cushion purchase blackout? But anyway here it is, too much of a hurry to use my camera so the pic is from Theo's phone, can you see it says Make Do and Mend with birds and buttons, applique scissors and cotton reels, I love love love it!

I Love Christmas

2010-10-11T19:15:00.000+01:00

Well. there you go, as if you hadn't suspected all along!!! forget your halloweens (we never get trick or treaters they all run past Red House screaming that it's haunted - surely the point!!!) bonfire night - nope, never been the same since my brother set my bobble hat on fire ( I was five!) no siree, give me full on choirs of angels,Little donkeys and as much bleak mid winter that you can throw at a snow machine! Give me vintage decs, knitted christmas pudddings, red and white nordic winterdisplays that take my breath away, ooh got the shivers!!! if you like all these things as much as me go and see Andrea's stand (Fin & Gabs blog) at the vintage fair she'd love to see you! I don't know if there is tea and cake, hope so!

To Christmas or not to christmas?

2010-10-10T20:29:00.000+01:00

This is a tricky question ... one customer wants to do all their Christmas shopping in october and another is horrified if they espy anything with a robin on it anytime before december! what's a retailer to do? we try in all our shops to put berry bits, spicy rosehips, sachets,etc out as soon as they come in and then as the days shorten and it gets colder more wintry bits appear and then by half term it's more or less all out there for those who want to get organised especially as the christmas brochure will be going to print tomorrow!! eek! there is free postage on the website at the moment if you subscribe to the emails- just a quick reminder! also if you would like us to send you a mail order brochure please fill out the brochure request section on the bespoke country website. Do you see the book in the picture, I have been scouring all the hands on books in the shop looking for ideas for the handmade christmas that I'm doing this year although the children have all said they would rather have money, blooming cheek! they keep looking suspiciously at my knitting trying to work out what it is and if it's their size!!! I know they'll be checking the blog so I can't let on,tee hee.

Please Vote For Me

2010-10-06T20:20:00.000+01:00

Wow! look what dropped into my email box today! I have been applying to be considered for this award for about six months so I got the shock of my life when I saw that they finally gave me the green light! so please, please vote for Red House by clicking on the box to the left and finding me by putting Red House in the search box. It's just a bit of fun and not quite as bad as being voted on to be a Shreddies Nana! there are quite a few heavyweights in there this month like posy blog so I don't hold out much hope but you never know....

Knitted Fish

2010-10-06T07:33:00.000+01:00

We had a really nice craft academy last night in the York shop, with a lovely apple cake made by Anne, mmm yummy, who also brought along a little friend in a pushchair who sat and watched us all evening and was the sunniest little girl I have ever seen! We also had a new member, so welcome to Ann without an e! We made red work stitcheries this time which are fast and easy (running stitch on osnaburg fabric) so quick results in a short space of time! even before I had got the tea trolley out Margaret who professes to not being able to sew had traced a design from the new Alicia Paulson book (posy gets cosy blog) Embroidery Companion and was stitching away like mad! me ? I did a rabbit and a feather stitch heart ready to be insets into cushion covers (somebody's christmas pressy?) Anyway...knitted fish? you may ask...well if you are in Scarborough you must go to the Art Gallery where there is an exhibition called Storm Force and our very own Angela has contributed some knitted fish which are really fab! look at Fin and Gabs blog for more info and pics that Andrea took. There are also ganseys there some of which have been deep fried!!! I love our art gallery, the Atkinson Grimshaw room is my favourite, I may do a post on this artist in the future so that you can all learn a little bit about Scarborough!

Have you seen read this book?

2010-10-03T22:27:00.000+01:00

It is a little known fact that A.A.Milne who wrote the Winnie the Pooh books wrote only one murder mystery novel for adults called ta da The Red House Mystery! well as soon as I found this out I was determined to track it down which I managed at Waterstones in Picadilly. Apparantly there have been several different book covers over the years which I think would be really great to collect so every time I see a second hand book shop now I have a bona fide reason to go in! It was a really good story as well but I don't know why he didn't write any more but switched to children's stories. 'Good read' highlights on hols were; A Room Swept White by Sophie Hannah, an author I have read avidly ever since she visited Scarborough library to give a talk about her books. The Nineteenth Wife by David Somebody which was okay, Notes from an Exhibition by Patrick Gale which I really enjoyed, this reminds me I have a book voucher to use which was a present for my birthday , any recommendations anyone?

What's a girl to do?

2010-09-29T15:12:00.000+01:00

More daft pics from my jolly hols. You know when you want to read your book by the pool in the scorching hot sun and it's really bright even in the shade, well here we have the patented two pairs of glasses method as modelled by Lynne and Suzanne! Should have gone to specsavers! Lynne's looks like a massive moustache which is entirely another issue!!!!

2010-09-28T20:58:00.000+01:00

Hi eveyone, sorry about the absence of posts but guess what? I've been to Gran Canaria for my birthday!!! woop woop! here are my buddies I went with in the picture; Lynne who started off as my midwife and delivered Hannah and Theo and is forever in the heart of our family. Victoria who is my business partner and we joke that we have been sort of married for the longest of times because we have a mortgage together! and Suzanne who is the complete opposite of me, tall, stylish, confident, smart you get the picture? we stood together in the school playground for what felt like decades, me in ,my fleece and Suzanne in a designer coat wearing, maybe for that day ,a hat with a peacock feather!!! We have all been through the good and bad times together , some years better than others, I have to say we had the best time together in our holiday apartment, within hours we had a craft table set up with crochet, knitting and stitcheries on the go! with noone else there to tell us we were boring (if you get my drift!) you can tell from the photo that we did have a bit of a giggle. I shall post some more pics this week just to remind myself what a lovely week we had and oh, the weather...need I say more?

Happy Birthday To Me!

2010-09-15T12:20:00.000+01:00

Well, it has finally arrived, yes, today is the day! A lovely cooked breakfast from Rachel greeted the whole family this morning at some unearthly hour as we all seem to have to be somewhere fairly early today , in fact Phoebe woke us all up thank goodness,( it was nice having them both stay over). I opened my pressies, yes I got my camera!!!! woop woop! just got to work out how to use it now!!! the memory card goes straight into the laptop- the only feature I was really specific about and it is really small so will be great for the old handbag. Working in York today and had to cart Han, Em and bee with all the baby stuff as well beacause Hannah won a competition to have a photograph done today with a special pampering session! could do with one myself. Did my decade weigh in today, why on earth do I do it, you are nothing like the same at 40 or 30, but a reality check all the same! Got a phone call from my brother to tell me he is getting divorced but then he always did like to spoil my birthdays! he really could have told me all that tomorrow I think, c'est la vie! let's get this party started!!

2010-09-12T23:33:00.000+01:00

Hi there! here I am back from my birthday break in London. Steve and I had a nice time and the train was delayed over an hour on the way there so we get our money back, woop, woop! so that will cover Theo's birthday meal ( have you noticed pactically the whole family was born in september!) We were quite happy to sit on the train all day so it made no difference to us, when it was announced over the tannoy about the refund the train journey certainly took on a party atmosphere,( must remember to pack the party poppers next time!) we thifty Brits do love our bargains!! when I get the pics downloaded will tell you all about it!

My List For London

2010-09-09T06:44:00.000+01:00

Orla Kiely Lampshades

As promised my list of things to do in London when you are 50!
1.Orla Kiely shop in Covent Garden (top of list you notice!)
2.Fortnum & Mason coffee bar/icecream parlour- beautiful interior design
3.Waterstones on Piccadilly fifth floor bar and restaurant-mix with the literati!!!
4.Chiquita mexican reataurant Leicester Square,cheap and you can watch the celebrities going into Capital Radio
5.V&A (murano chandelier in the entance is unbelievable!)
6.Libertys (always a bit hit and miss)
7.Nordic Style Lots Rd -my Carl Larsson fix
8.Burrito bar Islington, cheapest meal in London!
9.British Museum-those mummies fascinate me! (free)
10.Camden Passage saturday morning for a bargain or two!!
What do you think? and Steve hasn't got a clue! fortunately he never knows what he wants to do and his favourite phrase on holiday is always 'what's the plan today?' well. I'm the kind of gal who always has a plan!!!!