MIAM

MIAM

Wednesday 20 May 2015

Two Wins

I've been away for a while, my apologies if I haven't visited you as often as usual but I've been having a mare with the internet.  After days of a sluggish connection, normal service was briefly resumed before my provider decided to 'work on the service'...and we're back to square one!  Reading posts takes an age and many photos are not uploading.  Plusnet, pull your socks up! 
Anyways, in other news,  it's finally finished!....the gargantuan decorating marathon that's been occupying my spare time for the last few weeks.  Granted, the hall, stairs and landing is probably the trickiest area in the whole house to redecorate but thank goodness it is looking smart again as I've just about run out of steam.  Note to self - next time, get a man in to wallpaper! 
  So busy have I been, that I've only ventured out a couple of times in recent weeks but once such occasion was a trip to The Weald of Kent Craft & Design Show set in the beautiful grounds of Penshurst Place.... as I'd won myself a couple of tickets.


Situated in the delightfully picturesque village of Penshurst in Kent, Penshurst Place is the ancestral home of the Sidney family and was the birthplace of the great Elizabethan poet, courtier and soldier, Sir Philip Sidney.  The original medieval house is one of the most complete examples of 14th-century domestic architecture in England surviving in its original location. 
The show itself was huge and craftspeople from across the UK showcased their talents... an almost never ending array of handmade gifts, ornaments, jewellery, glass and ceramics.

 In addition, there were plenty of artisan foodstuffs, woodwork and ironmongery galore...

 
 and a Birds and Beast Roadshow.
 

  
We sat and watched this talented duo Synergie, whilst eating our lunch

...even tots and teddy bears were digging the groove.


Most of the prices were too steep for my pocket, and as I didn't see anything sufficiently different, I came away from my day out with just a couple of pots of herbs.
Unfortunately after traipsing around the show for a few hours, time didn't allow us to visit the house but a visit back there before the summer's out is on the cards and if the queue outside the village tea rooms is anything to go by, I'll be stopping off there too.

My second recent win was a fabulous blog giveaway by Géraldine, an incredibly talented lady (she spins her own yarn from Alpaca fleece and crochets beautiful projects ) whose blog, Wool and Cats, I follow.  I was astonished at the size of the parcel when it arrived....look what was inside!


I was quite overwhelmed by Géraldine's generosity and reflected on the kindness and sharing nature of the blogging community.  There are a lot of lovely people out there in Blogland and I feel that my life has been all the richer for 'knowing' you. 

Righto, I'm away now to scrub off paint stains from my sandpaper-like hands...oh the glamour!



 


12 comments:

  1. What a magnificent setting for that show. I love that curvy bench and those owls chainsaw and real!) and how fab do you look, handing your cash over in red PVC?
    Those mascots have a habit of following me round, I don't like them one bit.
    Well done on finishing the decorating and your fab win. xxxxx

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  2. Lovely thing to say, that last bit, and I totally agree.
    Well done on the wins and for finishing your decorating marathon too. Seem to have ground to a halt with our hall, only managed sanding chips off skirtings and doors so far. There were many....
    Sounds like you had a good day out at the Show. What a lovely setting! x

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  3. What a fab show. I wouldn't say no to that bench and the photo with the bear mascot looking on is a brilliant shot! I do love a bird and beast roadshow.
    That is a lovely parcel full of potential!
    xxxx

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  4. I love a good craft show, those plant people always come to Stonor Park, I recognise them! I've boight a few plants off them.

    Well done you on finally finishing the decorating, now you can sit back and enjoy it with a glass of something in your hand.

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  5. T's true, there are some truly delightful folk in the blogging community - like you, for example! Your prize winner's parcel looks fantastic, what a generous lady.
    That's a beautiful looking house, definitely worth a visit. And the show looks great, love that bench. I could do with an owl or two (maybe not, Charlie might eat them...)
    Rocking the red with polka dotty bag, Fifi! xxx

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  6. When are you going to reveal the results of the decorating?? I'm hanging to see :0)
    xx

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  7. Merci Fiona ....peut être boiras tu le thé à la rose dans ta maison redécorée .... bon weekend ....

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  8. That house looks amazing, I really hope you go back so we get to see more. Looks like a fun day out and that bench is beautiful. I always like buying plants on days out, it makes younremember them when you see stuff growing in your garden. You look very glam in red pvc. Wow. That's all I can say about that prize you won. Those wools are beautiful. Xxxx

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  9. Oh God, internet problems are the worst. And I cannot stop laughing of that photo of the band with that bear in the background HAHA!!!!
    CX work is a 30 minute workout focusing on core strength so lots of planks crunch's etc... I know 6 classes is a lot haha I never thought I would have the time but it's amazing where you can find the time if you really want to, I usually combine two together so after CX I did an hour of Body Balance or sometimes I do body balance then body pump. I feel like I have way more energy these days since I've been working out! x

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  10. Great post!!!follow me on gfc and i follow you back !!Now i follow you on ,bloglovin, ,i hope you follow me too!!!kiss

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  11. What a fun day out! I wish we had shows like that around here, with or without dancing bears.
    Amalia
    xo

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  12. What a gorgeous place, it must have been a very interesting show. The owls are so cute!

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