Springtime at Last...

How long have I waited for the springtime sunshine to fall upon my pasty, sun starved face??

TOO long! The first snow fell late October, and the last snow of this winter was in April which is why I am so pleased to see that Spring has at last sprung..

Apparently the season is 5 and a half weeks behind where is should be, and the blossom on the trees is definitely late to the party this year, but oh how pretty and welcome it is...

There are few things more lovely than a blossom laden cherry tree in the spring...

Behind the window peeping from under the branches is a knitter/crocheters heaven...a lovely little wool shop with the most covetable wooden storage cabinet...the ebay search for one similar has begun...

The shop has a lovely spot on the riverside of the Wansbeck overlooking the old stone bridge in the town of Morpeth

A mooch about the town centre revealed some lovely shops..

The displays were lovely. These oversize glass jars caught my eye, but thye were display only unfortunately and the spot in the bathroom I had just earmarked for the larger footed one will have to stay empty for now..

 

Rutherfords had particularly nice and rustic homewares department, with lots of nice French style bits and pieces...love a bit of French styling I do...



The reason for visiting the town was to come here with Lovely Mum...

 

This gorgeous chocolatier shop...

Such a rare little gem, an olde worlde shoppe reminiscent of times gone by...

It also has a tea room upstairs where we enjoyed an absolutely gorgeous afternoon tea...
The cakes were divine, macaroons were dusted with aurora borealis glitter, chocolate mousse adorned with mini mini maltesers and of course my major weakness in life...cream scones....

The tea room itself is like a step back to Edwardian times. Staff in costume politely curtsey and address you as 'madam' when you arrive, your tea arrives on a tray with a little egg timer so that you can see at a glance when your tea is exactly ready to pour!

Such a treat to visit a place like this, Lovely Mum and I enjoyed it so much...

This past week not only saw the sun shine on a bank holiday but it saw my lovely t'other half have a very special occasion birthday of his own - yep, its been a busy four weeks around here! We had a joint party where we were joined by family and friends to celebrate with us - what a night... music, dancing, champagne and cake...brilliant...

On Monday itself when the sun shone, we sat out in the early evening on the patio and carried on with more champagne and more cake...lovely...

The champagne was slipping down ever so well (as it tends to do in the sun for some reason...) so it would have been rude not to crack open another bottle...

Because Lovely Mum has done so much for us recently with the party and well, everything, I got her a bouquet of flowers...she needed two vases...! But what amazed me was the size of this lily...its gargantuan!

Have a good weekend all, keeping fingers crossed for more sun...champagne a possibility...

BH x

Gathering Thoughts..

As I've been neglecting terribly my little corner of tinterweb of recent weeks, I thought it about time a bit of a round up was had...and there's been quite a bit since the sun set on my last bloggy outing...
I love this time of year, when the sun does decide to shine, and the skies are relatively clear, there are the loveliest sunsets to be witnessed...especially from up in the hills where we are...

There's been the odd shopping outing... now I normally hate shopping with a passion, but out one day with Lovely Mum I had a great time...the scarf leapt into my hands this particular day...so up my street...

A bit of catching up with Mrs C...the obligatory sconefest...what would take the average person half an hour...three and a half for us...

You just cant beat a "full length Gaultier, heels and a tiara..." on a Friday evening. Priscilla the musical has been on my wishlist to see for an eternity... it didn't disappoint, it was superb!!

Some time was spent with Lovely Nanna making proper stotties...I was soaking up all her tips and knowledge so I could try and make them like she does...she makes the best stotties in the North east by far...

A bit of travelling...work related mainly, but a little wander about before the journey home...I walked by a lady taking a photo of a street sign, I turned to read which it was and realised I'd never spotted this one on my many trips to York previously...The shortest street in York it is apparently...and I loved the name so a snap happy me had to snap away...couldn't leave a photo op like that, could I...?

A visit to Bettys as per usual...the macaroons this time were sitting piled up in a palette of gorgeous seasonal pastelness...sooo pretty...

The grounds of the old castle walls were demonstrating that Spring was finally springing.. a sea of bright yellow daffs contrasting with the darkened old stone and the darkening skies...

A spot of feeling a bit under the weather...nothing that a lie down with some reading and chocolate to accompany couldn't fix...

A need for some fresh air and a newly discovered mojo for painting...This little cabinet was bought at a 'boot a few years ago and sat in the depths of the stash until recently..

A quick coat of Laura Ashley ivory eggshell et voila...it was quick to paint, simply because if I thought paint could freeze, on this particular afternoon it would've... SO cold it was...hence it has a solitary coat for now. However, now its painted I've a new issue; what on earth can I dress it with??? An IG lady suggested Yankee jars either side (the small ones as its a teeny cabinet) but if anyone has any other suggestions I'd be very grateful to hear as I'm stuck with this one due to its size...

The short spell in the nithering outdoors did also awaken the green thumb part of me...I'm planning a herb pot by the back door (mainly so I can make some little heart shaped 'blackboard' stakes to poke in the pot alongside the green bits)... some potato bags...some sweet pea wigwams (the sweet peas are already shooting away nicely in their trays)...some fuschia hanging baskets with flowers (allegedly/hopefully) the size of your hand...and now some tomato plants courtesy of Mr Facebook-Heinz...lets just hope it pans out as planned...

No rest for the wicked as they say, so a bit more travelling for me...The station platform was freezing...so pleased the train was on time...

As I have the attention span of the proverbial goldfish, I brought along plenty to occupy me for the next 4 and a half hours...unfortunately the chunky KitKat barely made it out of Durham...

 

Not much time for mooching on this particular trip, but a wander about the hotel grounds after breakfast was lovely and springlike...a very misty morning, but it went on to be a glorious sunny day..



 

 

 

 

Oh, and one other teensy little thing...I had an 'occasion' birthday (one that ends in '0'), so I got horribly, beautifully, thoughtfully spoiled by those I love...a lovely, lovely day during which I cried a couple of times...not because of the '0' element, but because of my wonderful family and friends...

This is what brought about the first bout of tears...so utterly gorgeous I didn't want to cut it! I did eventually and it tasted as dood as it looked!!!

 

I'll try not to leave it so long next time... :-)

BH x

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone,

I hope it has been an enjoyable long weekend for all, I particularly enjoy this holiday - and not just for the chocolate either! The beginning of spring, the re-emergence of life in the great outdoors and the promise of longer days ahead and hopefully sunnier and warmer weather too..

We may not have had the opportunity to believe spring has sprung recently, what with all the snow that has been falling, so to see the sun shine through the window on Sunday was just lovely...

Soft, ever so weak sunshine falling upon the tulips... was still sunshine nonetheless...

Tulips are a sure sign of spring, the windowsill has to have a jug full at this time of year to bring a bit of the outdoors indoors - especially when the weather is so wintry...

There's nothing I enjoy more on days like this than turning up the radio in the kitchen and getting stuck in with a cake. After watching Mary Berry's Easter programme earlier in the week I came over all inspired to have a bash at a simnel cake...

Plenty of gorgeous, golden marzipan (not nearly as much made it into or on the cake however - cooks perk..:-)

11 apostles later, some ribbon and a few chicks it got transported to Lovely Mums for Easter Sunday lunch...

I also knocked up a quick tray bake at the same time, perfect to grab with a cuppa..

 

The cake filled dome is sat upon a little table top mat in gorgeous springtime colours. It's patchwork, made from strips of a really pretty fabric range called 'Teatime' that has been languishing within the stash for ages...was nice to eventually make something with it as its such a pretty design of fabrics.

A few quick crafty bits for Easter got made, albeit quite late on the whole holiday raced up on me and was here before I knew it.

A packet of mini eggs that looked exactly like chocolate mini eggs proved to be a worthwhile pound spent...

 I got a few little projects out of a single bag like this garland. So quick and easy to make up...

There was enough left to decorate a wicker heart to hang outside...

I think I'll leave it outside for a while yet, eggs on it or not!

Real mini eggs are compulsory...they look pretty and a whole packet can disappear in a very short space of time... I have to admit to being a bit of a mean wife...I told t'other half the ones in the jars were fake - well he'd have inhaled my displays in no time before \i got to photograph them for bloggy purposes!

A fake (polystyrene) one left tantalisingly alone atop a filled jar...waiting for him to take the bait...yep, mean wife!

When not faffing with eggs indoors this weekend, I've actually managed to get outside and plant up a few things - at last...

Been trying to get some primula in pots for ages, but every morning there's been a fresh covering of snow...

Fuscia plug plants transported too,  into compost filled loo roll tubes for a couple of weeks while they grow a bit bigger...these apparently have blooms as big as your hand so there's high hopes for plenty of ginormous colour filled baskets this summer...

 

Even managed to take the opportunity to take a little break and sit in the sun for a bit (which was lovely if sat in its full glare - the shade was another matter entirely)  and indulge in a little bit of springtime inspiration from these Tilda books...with a cheeky cupcake too for company...

 

 

However, despite the sun making its first appearance in way too long, the wind still had an icy bite as it swept its way across the fields and moors, thanks to this...

Yep, we have quite a bit of snow still...looks more Christmas than Easter!

Last year was a snowy Easter too...

 

One thing that I've never, ever seen before are snowflakes... during one cold day, the type that was accompanied by a really dry coldness (if you know what I mean) there was a gentle snow flurry and what fell out of the heavens...? Proper snowflakes like these...

 

Wintry Easters really are sooo pretty...

 

Happy Easter all,

 

BH x

Lovely Lazy Days...

Hello all,

I've been meaning to change the snowy tree picture on my header for a few weeks now, but after this weekends snow, it seems it is still apt after all! I do hope we have a warm spring this year though...some warmth that isn't from central heating and a fire would be sooo appreciated and there's a multitude of jobs to get on with in the garden that I cant bring myself to start yet as its just too cold still.

I had some rare time off work recently and what a luxury it has been...I'm a list maker, and the old 'to-do' list got a few ticked off, but overall it was the indoors stuff and none of the outdoors jobs...

Any lazy morning worth its weight involves heading back to bed armed with something warm and buttery accompanied by a gallon of tea...what bliss...

Followed by a bit of leisurely time spent with crafty bits (some on the 'list', some not), coming up with ideas for things to make that you didn't know you needed but then wonder why one wasn't made ages ago...this patchwork laptop case being the prime example...of course lots of red used, lovely polka dots and obligatory hearts...

My patchwork and sewing machine skills aren't brilliant by a long shot, but its so enjoyable to play with lovely fabric! This case wasn't from a pattern, more a make-it-up-as-you-go-along type of thing..

One afternoon was spent at Tynemouth, enjoying a walk with the weather being a wee bit on the bracing side to say the least....It was lovely and quiet it being midweek, only hardy souls and dogwalkers braving the beach...

A warm up was very much needed at one of my favourite tea rooms Number 61 on Tynemouth front street. It was suprisingly busy inside, maybe that's where everyone else was hiding out from the elements and having a cuppa!

Of course when we ordered tea, the request for a warm cream scone was also forthcoming!!

The tearoom always serves their teapots wearing lovely knitted cosies (the teapots, not the staff, obviously...) and this shelf housed a few...

 

The room has an old range and a shelf that houses a nice collection of teapots and their knitted finery, but I couldn't get a picture of those unfortunatley as there were people lunching at the table in front of it, so this is an old picture (minus cosies) taken in May 2011 when I visited with my lovely friend Miss R.

 

 

It has a very homely feel to it, the scones are homemade, and the tea is Ringtons! Perfect afternoon type of place...

 

We then walked along towards the Priory, and headed along the seafront...

There was such a heavy sea fret, which made for lovely atmospheric pictures, but meant visibility out to sea was virtually nil...you can see in the below picture one hardy, solitary dogwalker out with his lucky pooch making the most of a deserted King Edwards Bay whilst the tide was out...

The Miss Fenwick fog horn could be heard, emitting an atmospheric and somewhat ghostlike sound out into the thick fret...

Such a lovely way to spend an afternoon...cold, but worth braving it!

More crafting back home in the warmth ensued...making a Mothers Day gift from this...a plain, humble clock....

An artists canvas was used as a base, some colourful fabrics chosen, a bit of applique work and embellishments...

The result after a few hours was a slightly different clock altogether! A bit of embroidery using variegated threads, some ribbon and some golden transfers and it couldn't have looked more different.

There was definitely a cake theme going on for Mothers Day! I also made Lovely Mum a deceptively large strawberry cream cake..honestly this makes it look small - it was huge!

So, tonight is the last night before work takes over again...sigh....YC Black Cherry candle melt on the go and numerous tealight lamps lit around the room too...

Might even have a slice of that humungous cake lovely Mum sent me home with...well, tomorrow is the start of a brand new week... :-)

BH x