Canterbury

Going to Canterbury is always a really lovely experience. I love the buildings and the glimpses of the Cathedral. There are so many amazing buildings, I seem to spend half my time looking up above the modern shop fronts. There's often live music being played on the streets which just adds a little something special.

Debenhams has kept the some rather wonderful shop signs. I do love the wonkyness of the Hosiers one. Oh how I wish shops were still had such names.

In the newer shopping area, Whitefriars, they have lots of archaeological diagrams / carvings on the pavement. They really are fascinating to look at. I must find out more about them...

Along with the usual shops, Canterbury is also home to some delightful independent shops, such as Chromos Art Shop.

Chromos Art Shop, From Flickr by Dubris

There is also the most wonderful Fabric Shop, The Sewing Shop - they always have completely fabulous window displays along with a really well chosen large selection of fabric. It very much has a boutique feel.  I was super pleased to pick up some orange velvet fabric and although I'm not sure what I am going to do with it, but it's just gorgeous!

Just look at the inside of this place! It's just adorable!

And finally there is the Bead Pot. It's lovely little bead shop with both supplies and handmade beaded goodies - I love how busy it is whenever I've been in there.

After lots of walking, shopping and admiring we needed fortification. We  stopped in the M&S Kitchen for refreshments. I had the most wickedly sinful Sticky Toffee Cake.

Yum!

Happy

These colours make me happy.

Buttons and Burlap

Sometimes I really fancy a quick make, things that can be finished within an hour or at least the same day. So often my projects take an absolute age, it's nice to mix it up a little. Sometimes it takes a while for me to get all the supplies I need for something that's in the back of my mind...

A little while ago when we visited the The Bead Boutique in Long Melford, I bought lots and lots of white buttons. I knew I wanted to make a burlappy heart buttony thing in a frame. Then when visiting my favourite charity shop in Diss, EACH, I found the perfect square frame that was all dark brown, so this got many coats of a soft white paint and then I just had to come across a Burlap fabric, which I eventually purchased in Sew Simple.

Then last night was the night, all the bits of the pieces were going to come together. A bit of ironing, sticking, sewing and it was done! I do love a quick project, there's something about producing something, seeing the results and tidying everything away all in an evening.

I really love the buttons that we purchased, a mixture of shapes, patterns and finishes and it's already up on our wall in the Living Room. So the quick project is done and it's now back to the Colourful Crochet rounds...Crochet, Crochet, Crochet!

Railway Posters

I have a thing for railway advertising posters. I love the designs and the colours. We have a few now with plenty on our wish list, both from my beloved Norfolk and my second favourite county, Yorkshire. Our ones are reproductions, but still, I do cherish them. I love the Sheringham one for it's 'Twixt Sea and Pine' sentiment. I really would like a whole wall of these posters, maybe in a Dining Room in our future from all the places we've visited around the UK.

This one completely reminds me of our first holiday to the Yorkshire Coast. We spent a lot of time at Robin Hoods Bay and further round the Bay at the brilliantly named Boggle Hole. This image just brings back such nice memories.

Rochester

We often head for Kent of a weekend to visit my Mum. There are quite a few places in the Garden of England that we really like, but none more so than Rochester. It really does have everything I love about a town. A terrific high street with truly adorable speciality shops. Lots of history with the Castle, Guildhall, Cathedral, Corn Exchange, Eastgate House and Restoration House. I really like how all the buildings in the high street are unique. The Cathedral is wonderful and very peaceful. The Cloisters and the Crypt were my favourite places and it was very accessible for my Mum who is in a wheelchair.

They have some fab jewellers, one of which sells the most gorgeous Kit Heath Beachcomber range which I might *just* be receiving, humbly, for my upcoming birthday. Denis Green feels like an old school Jewellers with proper service. They fixed my Mum's old watch and put on a new strap pronto and they took lots of time helping us when we were looking at their Kit Heath range.

Looky! Beach hut goodness! Such yummy colours and beautiful designs. Kit Heath is a wonder. I just love that the beads are called Pebbles and each has a beachy themed name such a Pool, Drift, Beach Ball and Kiss Me Quick!

So many of the shops are beautiful, the window displays are stunning like this one at Kiss Kiss Heart.

They have some really great charity shops too - if you are ever in Rochester you need to visit the Demelza Boutique. It's a specialist vintage shop all in the good name of raising money for Demelza Houses which are Children's hospices to support children who are not expected to reach adulthood. Their window displays are also beautiful and we bought a wonderful cardigan for my Husband. He also tried on an old school RAF uniform but unfortunately it was too short in the arm. My he did look handsome in it though.

Last but not least, they have one of the nicest fabric shops ever, Hometown. LOVE! Every time we've been, there has been a different quilt in display.

The shop is so beautiful inside with so many yummy fabrics, trimmings, buttons, books and supplies. I generally spend an age in there and thank goodness they have a loyalty card. I wasn't brave enough to take some photos of the inside, plus it was super busy, but courtesy of Flickr, take a look inside;

Hometown Quilting, Rochester, a photo by azmiat on Flickr.

Hometown Quilting, Rochester, a photo by azmiat on Flickr.

P.s. if you visit you just must choose a cake from Lorenzo's! There Lemon Meringue Pie is divine!

New Yarn!

Excited! New yarn has arrived in our house. I'd seen a blanket over at Coco Rose Diaries in which the colours were just perfect, so perfect. I need those colours in my life!

We went to one of my favourite local yarn shops, Knitwits in Dereham and after lots and lots of playing with different yarns and colours, I finally made my selection. 14 new balls of yarn came home to stay. It's a bit naughty really as I *should* finish my bright colourful rounds blanket first...I will, I will, I will?!

I've had a look through Ravelry for inspiration and I'm torn between an African Flower Hexagon blanket and a Super Simple Hexagon. Hmmm, decisions, decisions!

Macarons & More

Bettys Macaroons , a photo by MademoisellePoirot on Flickr.

Ever since I went to North Yorkshire a few years ago and visited the wonderfully epic Bettys Tea Room at Harlow Carr, I've had a bit of a love affair with Macarons. It's all the delicacy, the colours  and just their beauty. Plus they're pretty tasty too. I exclaimed on my first bite that I was just going to have to learn how to make them.

What I have now learnt the sheer artistry and ability. I can't make them for toffee! I've tried more times that I can count on my fingers. I've tried so many recipes. I will conquer them! I popped into Lakeland and purchased a Silicone Macaron Mould. You never know, it might help.

Anyway, I digress. The main purpose of this post is to discuss my sheer delight of finding Macarons in Norwich. Thank you Jarrolds and more so to Macarons & More. The range of flavours is amazing. There's Green Tea and White Chocolate, Salt Caramel, Rose, Violet and Blackcurrant, Lemon, Coffee, Mint and Dark Chocolate, Gingerbread and Chocolate, Vanilla and Pistachio. Each of them is divine. The above Macarons didn't last very long and we've been back lots already.

Just look at their styling from their Facebook page.

These Macarons are an absolute must! If you're ever in Norwich, you should definitely pick some up but make sure you go early in the day as they sell out quickly!

For Clare

For my Best Friends Birthday I made her three cushions to go in her newly decorated Living Room. I purchased these lovely fabrics from the fabulous Sew Simple in Taverham. I kept it simple by making envelop cushion covers and with varying stripes of the fabrics as I had to make these in double quick time before her party.

My Sewing Machine and I have been friends for quite a few years now, we used to not get on at all, but all is good now and we get on like a house on fire. I really enjoyed making these cushions for her and they might be the straightest sewing I've ever managed!

Colourful

I have a thing for new craft supplies. I get really excited when I find a new craft shop. Whenever we go somewhere I always I check to see if they have a fabric, bead or yarn shop. I just can't  help myself! It's even better when we just stumble across one. A few months ago we were driving through Long Melford in Suffolk and I squealed at my Husband "Beeeadssssssssss". He had to swiftly park so we could go and have a look. We entered a completely darling bead shop call The Bead Boutique. They also sold buttons - jars and jars of buttons. I spent so long in the shop individually choosing the beads that the owner actually sat me down and let me pour out all the jars one at a time to make it easier!

I've always been fairly loyal in my colour choices - soft browns, cools greys, dusky or rose pinks, natural greens, duck egg blues, whites and creams. I love these colours, my heart is naturally drawn to them. There is something soothing and calming about these colours. I find them restful.

However, recently I've been seeing far more colourful things sneaking in. Hot pinks, bright reds, lime greens, cheerful yellows and spicy oranges. Maybe I'm just craving Summer warmth. I think I'll always be loyal to my favourite colours, but I reckon it doesn't hurt to splash out the colour sometimes!

On a whim

I saw a tutorial online for button earrings yesterday over at Sew Hip and I just had to have a go. Fortunately, I've a stash of self cover buttons and earring posts so off I went to play. I've always told the Mr there's a good reason I collect craft supplies, although I'm sure he's not convinced...

It was a little fiddly to cover the buttons but once I got the hang of it, it was quite fun. I got the Dremel out to remove the plastic shanks and then glued on the earring posts. I've patiently waited the 24 hours for the glue to dry and now they are ready to wear. Hurrah!

I wasn't finished with making earrings though - I often do things in batches before moving onto my next project (obsessive much?! me?!). I got out a silicon mould I've had for an absolute age and my Polymer Clay and mixed up some pretty colours.

I then baked them, however, I made a complete rookie error and baked them at the Fahrenheit temperature when our oven is Celsius. Ooopsie! I had to start again, burnt Polymer Clay is not a good look. Fortunately, I got it right the second time and now I have lots of pretty flower earrings too!

Norwich Makers Market

Yesterday my Sister and I went to the Norwich Makers Market at St Thomas's Church Hall on Earlham Road. It was a really beautiful event and literally just around the corner from me. There were so many pretty things to choose from, it was almost too hard to decide. But I did *manage* to make a few purchases.

First off there was a gorgeous canvas from The Rustic Rose. 

Then a beautiful bird from Just Elephants. Love Love Love! I'm thinking that I'm going to be super good and keep this for our Christmas Tree!

Finally I bought some Crochet Coasters from Bobobun - these are just wonderful! They are so soft and look at those colours, look at that yellow. These just can't be used for drinks - as Lisa suggested at the Market, they'd be great on a dressing table, so that's where they're destined.

You can see pictures of the event on their Facebook page. I'm definitely looking forward to the next one!

Man Wear

My husband has only one Bow Tie and he's always been rather keen on it, so I thought it was high time I made him some new ones. So, I purchased five of Bow Tie Clips from Etsy

When the clips arrived, he sat in front of my fabric stash to make his selection. Once he'd selected his favourites, and boy was I pleased with his selection, I set about making them. This was the first time I've ever used interfacing and I'm a convert, I don't think these would have worked without it.

With a little bit of measuring and ironing, and the tiniest bit of sewing, they were done and then proudly presented to him when he arrived home from work!

I think he looks rather dapper!

Wrist Warmers

My Mum mostly gets around either in a Wheelchair or Crutches. Her hands often get cold so I made a quick pair of Wrist Warmers for her so she can still grip properly.

I started with a mahoosive inspiration from Attic24 with a few tweaks here and there. I worked them up in a double Crochet stitch and then worked in increase and decrease stitches to make them fit the curve of the wrist through to the hand.

There are many things that I completely adore about my Mum and one of these is how appreciative she is of gifts - especially when I've made something, she's a complete doll!

Sheringham

Reflections in the Sand, a photo by Tom Fisher2 on Flickr.

We headed to Sheringham today. The sky was blue with fluffy white clouds. We grabbed Coffee and Ice Cream from the Funky Mackerel Gallery before heading out onto the beach. I love walking on the beach, the sound of the waves, walking through the rock pools, seeking out drift wood, hunting for sea glass. There was barely a soul on the beach today.

I need to visit the Coast as often as possible. I'm so fortunate to live so near to so many great beaches. We spend our summer evenings swimming or body boarding at Sea Palling. Going for long walks at Holkham. Watching the Grey Seals early in the year at Horsey. Playing on the Dunes at Caister. The beautiful beach huts at Wells. I'm sure I'd get withdrawal symptoms otherwise!

I do love...

I do love to Crochet. Although I've a sneaky suspicion that I prefer to buy yarn. It's everywhere! Various baskets around our home. In pretty wooden boxes. In drawers. In a *whole* blanket box! I have so many projects in mind and when a new project comes to mind, I have to rush out and get the new oh so beautiful luscious yarn. 

Then I hide it away.

One day, it gets to see the light of day! I start a new project. 

I'll Crochet anywhere...at the park at lunch time, in the car, be it short or long journeys, at friends houses, the list could go on.

At the moment I'm making bright colourful rounds. Rounds that will become squares which will eventually become a blanket.  I need quite a few, 360 to be exact. I can't remember where I saw this pattern, but it's all over blogland, it's so pretty!

I think I've made it a bit tricksier for myself as I want each of the rounds to be different - each must be special. So me, my yarn and Microsoft Excel sit together to make round after round after round. One day they will be introduced to the copious amounts of cream yarn sitting in the drawer in our Dining Room!

Big Blue Skies

I have quite a bit of a love affair with Norfolk, it really is a truly spectacular county.

I love the big blue skies, isolation, beaches, calmness, fertile land, and local identity to name but a few things...

This Blog is to record my Norfolk life.