Cowslip Workshops " Summer Quarters "

 Lizzie and I have just had another lovely stay with Jo and Stephen at Cowslip Workshops.
The whole place is festooned with wonderful quilts for their Summer exhibition. Well worth a visit , you will receive a warm welcome and the food is as wonderful as ever.
We were sharing one of the lovely historic barnes with two delightful girls selling painted furniture and decorative items, former workshop students of Jo and Maggie.
The wonderful smell of newly cut hay and the swallows swooping over our heads was a far cry from town bustle . As always we slept well and ate too much !
Google Cowslip Workshops and see the many delights that await you.

Antiques Bazaar

This is the " New Kid on the Block "
Robert is paticularly looking for people who deal in vintage to participate, he is having a Vintage room with work table and space where "drop in " workshops or Knitting groups could use.
Please call him and get details of space , rates, etc. Bob is hoping to hold various Events in the space too.
If you have any ideas or are interested in being involved give him a ring.

Summer in the city, Fig chutney coming up !!

My fig tree outside my studio is loaded withg figs as big as pears ! Now we have some sunshine I hope they will ripen, my garden is a real sun trap and my four year old tree just loves it. I hacked a lot off it to get into my studio , and have wires to the wall so I can hoist it out of the way as it just thrives.
Last year I made fig chutney and it was so simple and so good my friend and I ate it with everything and finished the jar in a few days .
I made a second batch which was eagerly awaited and devoured, all being well we should have a bumper harvest and I have the ingredients ready for the figs.

Summertime at Cowslip Workshops in Cornwall

Lizzie and I are off to Cowslip Workshops nr. Launceston in Cornwall next weekend as part of Jo's Summer exhibition, so those of you that are our friends and customers down there in the far west should take the opportunity to come for a delicious coffee or lunch , and enjoy some " Me " time at this wonderful oasis of inspiration.

Lovely things in the shop , delicious food all day in the cafe/restaurant, a wonderful array of inspiring work, and US selling our bits and bobs.

Hard to say goodbye !

 Dear brave Rufus, my faithfull friend for over 20 years through thick and thin.
So sad to have to say goodbye,but here are some happy moments we shared.He had loads of fans amongst my friends so just wanted to share the memories







smelling the flowers at Muckleford

 Happy Christmas

 Computer Cat, she seems to like it ...wonder which paw I use

What !! is this not for me then ?? A cat needs somewhere nice to nap

"just another day at the office !!

Barnes Fair on the Green an annual event each July which my friend Sandra and I have been doing for more years than we can remember, always heaving with people all day and many return customers have become regulars and friends.
We have always arrived early as it is a really tight squeeze and you need to get your tent up quickly to mark your pitch and get two loaded Volvo estates emptied and down to the car park before the masses decend.
This year must be the wettest ever , we have had showers before but this was quite a challenge. We decided to get there even earlier than normal ( still were not first !!! ) we were on site 5.10am, it was fine rain but not bad so we soon got everything under cover ,got the cars away and set about dressing our stall while watching the developing chaos!!.. after a van got stuck , they then banned any cars from the grass so hundreds of stall holders had to queue to get on site on the narrow tarmac paths between what is now like a bedouin encampment.
Actually on the whole very little drama and all very good natured, before long it was business as usual,
I take my hat off to all the traders who turn out and get on with it despite huge challenges and p......g rain and thank you to all you lovely people of South London who came in your droves dressed in amazing outfits and made it all worthwhile.
We had great fun and enjoyed the sociable side of our business , could not help patting ourselves on the back for being organised , kept mainly dry , changes of clothing, hot drinks, picnic , only a bit of washing to do to remove the evidence of a day under canvas. It was after 7pm when we left the site,don't let anyone say we don't work for our living.
All the lovely French things Lizzie and I sourced on our last trip were very well recieved and appreciated, so I can look forward to going in August for another week with my lovely friends Ticky and Nick when the holidays provide some more buying opportunities.