Celebrations!

We have had quite a few Birthdays in the last few weeks including my own. My lovely son has turned 15 I can't believe it! Not so long ago he looked like this

Then time flew by and he grew

he's still got the same beautiful dark brown eyes though!

We went out for a lovely meal here to celebrate his Birthday.The Fleece in witneyand tucked into Antipasti and then good ole steak and chips, lovely! This is a beautiful georgian building overlooking the beautiful Church Green.

Our Birthdays are quite close together, so for mine, I decided we would have a lovely family meal at home! My son made the starter. One of my favourites, homemade carrot and coriander soup Yummy!

Then my daughter made Crayfish and rocket risotto, gorgeous!
And for dessert my Hubby made this amazing Rasberry and white chocolate cheesecake!It was so light and fruity!

The whole meal was beautiful, I felt SO pampered!

I love my family loads!

Tomorrow I am off to The Randolph Hotel for Afternoon tea with my friend Karen!

I'm so excited it brings tears to my eyes thinking about it! My family think I'm mad to get so emotional about it, I'm sure I'm getting worse as I get older!

I'll remember to take my camera so I can take some photos.

TTFN

Rachel x

PS.Thank you for the kind comments on the last post, I really appreciate them!

Peak district, twice in 2 weeks!

Hello to you all on this drizzly day!


Remember on the the last post my son was in the Peak District, well by Sunday evening so were we and not in a good way!.
We received a phone call on Sunday afternoon to say that my son wasn't well, in fact he was on the verge of hypothermia!It was the end of his second day and his group had walked over 10 miles with heavy rucksacks, in torrential rain.My son hadn't got his rain mac on in time during one of the downpours and was soaked through! Luckily he was spotted by one of the teachers at the checkpoint.Apparently he was shaking, had his head down, his body was numb.The teacher took him to one side and questioned him and realised he was ill.The problem with the first stages of hypothermia is that you don't know you've got it!

My son was so gutted not to able to carry on ,as he is quite fit, (all that kick boxing) but he's going to do it again later in the year!
The teachers were brilliant, looking after him and taking him to the tearoom in Longnor to warm him up with hot chocolate!
By the time we had driven there from Witney (2.5 hours away) he was feeling a lot better.we had traveled 140 miles to collect him, oh the joys of parenthood!
We went in the local pub for a quick half a shandy and then we drove all the the way home with my son snuggled up with his blanket and pillow in the back! He was fully recovered by the next day!


Fast forward to this weekend and Hubby and I were in the Peak district, camping by ourselves! We loved it,yes even Hubby! I know he loved it because he cooked bacon rolls for breakfast on both days.He also bought a wind up lamp from Millet's for our next trip.

Peace and quiet, we were the only ones here, apart from these guys!




We both loved the walks too! We did a 3 mile circular walk around Bakewell on the first day, such a pretty place! Then we went for a pub meal here

It rained all evening from about 8pm until the next morning, but who cares when you have bacon rolls to look forward to!




As it was raining we popped to Buxton, very nice too with some beautiful architecture.




On the way back to camp I remembered I had seen a sign for Monsal Head but I didn't know much about it.We turned off and WoW so glad we did, such a beautiful place even in light drizzle.We walked across the viaduct which was 80 ft high, amazing!.We also walked along Monsal Dale, such a beautiful place, I can't believe we haven't been there before.


We only stayed in Bakewell for 2 nights but it was such a lovely break.Of course we had to buy a Bakewell pudding to take home from this little shop!

Hope you all have a great week

Rachel x

Busy times!

Things have been so busy this week. My 14 year old son has been on a school trip to Ypres,he returned on Wednesday evening.I was up and out very early the next day to run my stall and then Friday I had to help him pack for his Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition in Derbyshire!We had to pack 3 days worth of food too.It's quite difficult as you have to pack 3 packed lunches as well as 2 evening meals! Obviously you can't pack anything that needs refrigerating after the first day!It's complicated stuff you know! He has taken pre packed chocolate croissants for lunch on the 3rd day with crisps and a bag of dried apricots. He will be so tired when he gets home as it's a 30 mile walk, phew! I shall come him something special for tea.We've been to Go Outdoors today to buy a tiny camping stove for a little break in the Peak District! We have borrowed a tent from my parents! I'm so excited as I love camping, but Hubby's not quite as keen!(I shall tell you why another time)

Bought 2 large sheets and 2 pillowcases in this pretty floral design from a local C/S, I think I shall use it in bunting.I have been selling bunting on my stall for over 18 months, it didn't go well at first, but lately I've sold lots each week, not that I'm complaining. I have a lovely young couple who buy some each week as they are having a Vintage style afternoon tea for their wedding reception!I think the bunting craze is a little late hitting Witney and we haven't even started on Union Jack cushions yet

Bought this pretty plant from the 99p shop! I've popped it on the patio.

I'm loving the smell of my Lavender too!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, we are off to the pub with some friends this evening.

Rachel x

Things you will find around my home

Favourite mugs in the kitchen, red of course!

New to me jam pot from the boot, just £1

Love this metal stand which I have painted cream.I will show you when I have given it a second coat, I love it! Cost just £2 also from the boot!

A close up of a very pretty oil painting, just £4, guess where from?

These live on my bedroom window sill.

Made myself a bag to hold just a fraction of my yarn stash.

A snippet of my dresser which I would love to paint cream, but as we had it handmade I don't think I can persuade hubby at the mo.Lets just say he doesn't always see my 'vision'!

Saving the best till last, I was lucky enough to win this BEAUTIFUL print from Sam at http://silkiesue.blogspot.com/://

a HUGE THANK YOU to you, I love it. Sam sent this to me a while ago and I was hoping I would have it framed by now.Trouble is we are redecorating downnstairs and I haven't decided which room to have it in, decisions decisions!

See you soon

Rachel x

An amazing weekend!

Oh yes! Yesterday we were here,Wembley Stadium

to see TAKE THAT! It was AMAZING!

It wasn't just a concert, it was a spectacular show.There were all sorts of circus acts going on during the show, including a huge mechanical elephant with the boys on top!

They put their on own clown makeup on stage

They sang all their songs, old and new and were brilliant live!It gave us goosebumps as 80,000 people sang along with them!

It was a bit of a nightmare trying to exit the stadium carpark at the end.It took us an hour and a half to get out, we didn't move at all for the first hour!

We eventually arrived home at 1.30 am and were desperate for a cup of tea.

Must tell you,we checked on the website that you are allowed to take in your own food and drink(and you are) so we took a 2l bottle of lemonade and lots of water as it was hot.What they don't tell you on the website is that they take the bottle tops from you. YES people,they take your bottle tops from you, in case you use them as MISSILES! How mad is that.So you have to walk around with full bottles of drinks and no lids! Now my friend Karen, who was with us managed to get a flask through, she was taken to the supervisor, who was so flabbergasted that she had taken a flask of tea to a Take that concert, he let her through with it!. now I'm no missile expert, but my guess is, and this is just my opinion, you could do much more heavy damage if you threw a flask of tea than a plastic bottle top, but hey what do I know!

Back tomorrow with car boot loot and a thankyou!
Rachel x

Latest news

First the giveaway,And the winner is.... Michela from Venice in Italy! Well done Michela! She's quite new to blogging http://littlesecretsfrommygarden.blogspot.com/ Take a look at her beautiful garden!

I've been in the garden this evening picking blackcurrants before the birds eat them.

I don't usually hack off the branches, but the bush is becoming way too big.It was planted by the previous owners of the house, right next to the built in BBQ, so it also means we can't have Barbies in the garden until the fruit has ripened! Do you think it would be possible to dig up the bush and move it?

For the past 2 evenings I have been picking the fruit and flash freezing it, ready for topping Pavlova's and cheesecakes!

Hubby makes the most gorgeous baked cheesecakes! Here's the evidence!

I have been making lots of hearts for my stall and my little blogshop http://rubyredtinyshop.blogspot.com/ which I have updated this week.Today I have added hand knitted brooches.I love making these in lots of different yarns and colours.

Enjoy the sun everyone, but don't forget your suncream

Rachel x

Shabby chic loot

I've had such a busy time, I never got around to showing you my loot from the boot!I love all of these items, but they're all destined for my stall!

If these don't sell I'll keep them, but they are so pretty I think they'll go.

These tiny buckets are so cute

A gorgeous Hanley jug.

Whoops! Those are my legs in the mirror of the medicine cabinet! My daughter came with me to the boot today,I didn't think she'd manage to get up at 5.40,but she did! She drank her cup of tea in the car! She moves into rented accommodation in September, so she bought 2 pretty vintage plates for the kitchen.

I'm feeling really tired today as I had a stall at Burford which is an early start.I had a night out with hubby last night too! After getting up at 5.40 for the boot today I'm a bit tired. No time for a nap though as I've got a date with a huge pile of ironing!

Pictures from Burford

Some of my jewellery, mainly vintage.
Need to make some brooches as I haven't got many left!

Oh forgot to tell you, whilst at Burford yesterday, a chap in his 40's with his friend jokingly commented about my stuff 'Oh those were the days, when women knew their place, in the kitchen cooking, I prefer those days, to which I smiled and said' I bet you do', he then joked 'Aha,it always provokes a comment' and he laughed.He then said, 'do you recognise me, I was in Bros? No I said, they were blonde twins and another bloke! 'Yes' he said,' I'm the other one , Craig Logan,' I didn't believe him at first, I said You're too tall! The other too were really tall too, he answered.'I've got your CD at home, I'll check later I joked, anyway, I've looked him up on YouTube and it really is him, he's in music management now.I would never have recognised him if he hadn't said though, I'd only recognise the other two http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szWkAaD00j0 Do you remember him now? He's the one with the dark hair!

Now, the giveaway, I never did get around to showing you the giveaway gifts.The winner will receive one of my handmade pincushions and a hand knitted brooch! I shall make the draw tomorrow so there is still time to enter, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post or the last post and you're in the draw, Simples! Don't be shy!

I'm off into the garden to do some planting,enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

Rachel x