~Fruit foraging at Towton~

L and I are home alone today as OH and J are away at Cub Camp, so we took Small Dog for a nice long walk.  Despite only living 4 miles from the site of the Battle of  Towton, the renowned bloodiest battle on English soil which took place on Palm Sunday in 1461, I've never walked the fields or stopped to explore.  It's especially interesting as one of L's A Levels is Early Modern History, so it's a bit like having your own tour guide on the Wars of the Roses and the monarchy.  It was a beautiful sunny morning to take the time to walk the route; there are fantastic information boards all the way round. Visit the Towton Battlefield Society website here http://www.towton.org.uk There's an evocative video (only 3 minutes long)  narrated by Robert Hardy, who is the patron of the society, which gives you a real idea of the landscape that snowy day and the brutal realities of the battle.
I couldn't resist a bit of foraging as there were some sloes and blackberries (albeit small).  Many of the blackberries are still not ripe.  The eldeberries were nice and black so I picked a few, due to the teenager rolling her eyes and losing patience with me as I scrambled into the hedge (getting nettled) with my carrier bag...    This was the result...

I do get enthusuastic about nature and the landscape and use the word * amazing...*  a lot, which exasperates L as well!
I actually prefer Damson Gin to Sloe Gin, damsons are a great fruit for preserves and liqueurs, although my little tree, Damson 'Merryweather' only yielded about 1lb of decent fruit, the rest of it suffered rotting and disease. I wrote a post about making Damson Cheese last year see here.
So today, I've made a blackberry and apple crumble and also set some Hedgerow Vodka going....

I got some great advice on making fruit liqueurs here...
http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/superb-sloe-vodka-recipe-518/

~That was the week that was~

This week qualifies as one of those crazy weeks that have passed in a flash - back to school/college, back to work (despite still up to my knees in L's Leeds Fest smelly washing) and son J had minor surgery on Monday too...
Last weekend's trip to the trade fair was great - so much pretty loveliness to see and gawp at! Here are a few images I managed to take (surreptitiously) ...

I found a lovely supplier of handmade soap that I am hoping to stock in the very near future...
We had a lovely meal (Fish and Chips) in a pub next door to the hotel, called the Little Owl, which was one of the Vintage Inn chain - these are cosy and quaint food pubs-  new buildings, but done quaintly and decorated in a traditional country style with a twist.  I loved it - reasonable prices and excellent service and we sat out in the last of the evening sun in a lovely beer garden with comfy chairs and red geraniums in terracotta pots (and a glass of wine).
I'm busy tonight with preserves - piccalilli, apple and rosemary jelly, plum jam...more of that Autumn fun this weekend ...
I'd just like to say many, many  thanks for reading my blog - I noticed with amazement that I have had nearly  30 thousand pageviews; which is fantastic, yet humbling too x x Thankyou xx

~Seaside Trip~

We've just come back from 6 days in Chateau H (our caravan) and we have survived intact!
Our first 2 nights we were parked on our friends drive in Filey - a fantastic bungalow holiday home in which the fittings are the late 70s, early 80's intact, for example a brilliant formica kitchen with sliding doors and rose-patterned carpets...I love these glass doors and the display of pottery...

Filey beach - Lovely weather...a few showers but gloriously warm...

I love Swing Boats...

Beach chalets at Filey... I like the colours...available for hire right on
the beach - Baker's Beach Chalets on the Coble Landing. Another nostalgic
 moment, they remind me so much of East Coast holidays with my Nana and Grandad...

The fantastic view of the Vale of Pickering and the Wolds from Lebberston Touring Park...

Then we moved on to Lebberston Touring Park,
a couple of miles outside Filey on the way to
Scarborough - an immaculately run 5* site- highly recommended...

J enjoying a hot chocolate in a melamine mug whilst wearing Dad's essential caravanning hat...

Tired Small Dog gets cosy under blankets in Chateau H...

Imposing 12 foot tall iron Fisherman statue on Filey seafront by artist Ray Lonsdale read about it here

We thought Sterchi's had closed down, but- hurrah!- thay'd just moved round the corner!

Long live Sterchi's and their enormous chocolate drops and Rose and Violet creams!

Beautiful boats at the Coble landing, Filey...

Cocoa in Scarboro' - a retro sweet shop with a fab collection of vintage confectionery ephemera in the window...

My first Wonka Bar (It's my all-time favourite film...)

"I got a Golden Ticket!" (Don't tell me that they're in every bar...)

Love this Fudge Shop display with shelves groaning under the weight of goodies, and the pom-pom shelf trim


Sorry for the sweetie and chocolate emphasis in this post - we did do lots more, I promise...

~York Minster Trip~

As part of her A level Textiles, daughter L is currently looking at the 800 celebrations in York (1212 - 2012) and has chosen to explore stained glass patterns, so on a (very) rainy Saturday morning we tootled off into York. Not living more than 45 minutes from York for all of my 42 years,  I am ashamed to admit I have never been in the Minster before, so I was quite excited...
  An entry fee has been payable for the last few years (although free to York residents).  This caused a bit of a hoo-ha when it was introduced as previously it was free to look around.  After visiting you do realise the enormous amount of renovation and upkeep that is ongoing (currently the Great East Window is removed for years of releading and cleaning) and I think £9 to visit the Minster and Chapter House was more than worth it.  We took advantage of one of the free guided tours, in a small group of 6, with one of the knowlegeable volunteer Minster guides.  This was brilliant for L, with lots of history, facts, figures and explanations about the stained glass windows...

                                           

                                                     The Great West Window known as 'Heart of Yorkshire'
                                       with the Semaphore Saints below

The Rose Window above the South Door
commemorating the union of York and Lancaster
and the start of the Tudor dynasty

Our 2 hour visit was also accompanied by the beautiful rehearsal of a choir and concert orchestra as there was  a Jubilee concert on Saturday night.

What a fantastic experience and very calming and uplifting it was too!

When we were soaked and in need of a hot chocolate we visited a little cafe behind the Minster on College Street; The Vanilla Cafe, where you can sit outside in Summer (haha if only) The sideways rain forced us inside - it's one of those places where you walk in and think 'oooh I wish this shop was mine!'

Illy coffee and Crystal teabags, homemade food and cakes, homemade cards, bunting and gifts...

Gorgeously decorated with floral wallpapers and green paint...

Vintage china for sale...

Even the loo had my favourite Cath Kidston wallpaper!

Good prices for a City Centre cafe too- there are a couple of additional rooms upstairs too with a sofa and lovely vintage floral pictures on the walls. Very nicely done. I will be back!

The Vanilla Cafe

Open every day from 10am

12 College Street

York YO1 7JF

~Stall Photos from Rivers Meet Market~

Stacy @Sostacysews and Lexie @secretthimble and I have had a lovely day at Rivers Meet Market in May. We were pretty quick at setting up our 3-in-1 pop-up shop - all ready with 30 minutes to spare for our flasks of coffee and jubilee chocolate brownies...
I aimed for a red, white and blue theme including some jubilee union jack bunting on the gazebo.

Best-sellers of the day for me were candles, vintage fabric, brooches, vintage knitting patterns and bric-a-brac. Unfortunately my tea cosy, mug warmers, pincushion and bunny didn't sell...

Below - some of Lexie's cushions made from repurposed coffee sacks and embroidery hoops - available on www.etsy.com/shop/secretthimble

Some of Stacy's lovely bags (right of photo) and she had lots of cross-stitched badges and cards that will shortly be for sale at Vintage Rose in Selby, North Yorkshire       http://www.vintageroseselby.co.uk/

It's a shame the warm sun didn't show it's face but thankfully it didn't rain!

~Photos from York Festival of Vintage~

Good job all the stalls at York's Festival of Vintage were tucked inside the race stands as it was a very wet weekend.  I did feel sorry for the owners of the vintage cars outside, who probably didn't get the attention they deserved, because of the rain.
I had a lovely day out with friends old and new, including meeting up with Sally from Poppycock blog (and Bob the bunny, of course.) Here are some photos of the stalls...


I so very nearly bought this pink wool blanket on the left (£12)



Bob The Bunny admires the vintage fabric on Sago Designs stall...
(You can now make your own Bob with one of Sally's lovely kits - see here)



Lovely Jubilee display by Living by Liz - I loved this stall.
Some people get it just right don't they?

This pretty stall had lots to look at too...

including vintage cosmetics, labels and packaging...

Vintage fashion show


There was a good mix of homewares, vintage clothing, reworked vintage, vintage inspired crafts, as well as bands, dancing and the excellent nostalgic collectors hall where it was a pleasure to meet Mrs Day, who is a member of a 1940s living history group called UK Homefront http://www.ukhomefront.co.uk/.  We had a nostalgic sniff of the carbolic soap and she let us in on some vintage and thrifty household cleaning tips.
I also bought some trimmings and buttons from the lovely Cool Crafting stall who had come all the way from Cumbria.  Have a look at their lovely website and blog http://www.coolcrafting.co.uk/
My last purchase was a spontaneous splurge on a gorgeous 1950s dress, which I am just carefully washing and pressing, so I'll share that next time...

~York Festival of Vintage weekend~

Image from http://www.festivalofvintage.co.uk/

It's nearly time for the Festival of Vintage!

I started blogging last May, just after this event and can't believe I now have 92 lovely followers and so many friendly and supportive folks 'out there'.  It's been a revelation to discover that I'm not actually that eccentric; there are lots of us vintage-lovers trying to live prettier, floral, simpler (and cheaper) lives. Thankyou all very much!
I had the most amazing day at this vintage fair last year, and am about to buy advance tickets for this year's event at York Racecourse Sat 28th and Sun 29th April. 

"Get dressed up in favourite vintage attire and step back in time to revel in the glamour and allure of the magical golden era as Festival of Vintage celebrates the sights and the sounds of the 1930’s through to the 1960’s. Visitors can enjoy a full festival of activity featuring Music, Dance, Fashion & Home & More for a true 20th century vintage experience. "

Read more about it here.  If any of you fellow Yorkshire (or nearby!) vintage-addicted bloggers would like to meet up in York, please do get in touch.

~Caravan News!~

We've just returned from a sunshine and showery few days in my Mum's caravan at Skipsea, near Hornsea.  We're replete with both fresh air and Yorkshire coast Fish & Chips - eaten both in Sullivan's restaurant on the prom in Hornsea...


...and outside in the rain in Bridlington harbour!
Exciting news is that we went and had a look at some tourers at Yorkshire Coast Caravans in Carnaby.
We found this 4 berth caravan, a Lunar Chateau- a little gem and very smart considering it's 11 years old...

It will be known from now on as 'Chateau H' ...
...Sunny yellow curtains and blue and yellow upholstery - just crying out for a bit of bunting, some polka dots and comfy blankets!
Many thanks for all your recent comments - we are still struggling with the PC.  Hope you are all well and I hope to have a bloggy catch-up this weekend x

~The Queen in York~

Thanks to Grace, Sally, katie, Anne carly and jan for your lovely Welcome Back comments! I have really missed writing my blog and reading others.
Today we took the train into York (10 minutes from a nearby village) to see the Queen; who was attending York Minster as it's Maundy Thursday. Compared to yesterday's freezing temperature, rain and strong winds, Spring thankfully had returned today and York welcomed the Queen in all it's sunny Yorkshire glory! (I'm still a bit giddy I have to say).
We walked up to the Minster about 12.30pm, just as the service was ending, and took a place amongst the crowds near the Dean Court Hotel...

The sun was so warm it was a pleasure to be outside.  The Queen, Prince Philip and Princess Beatrice passed by on their way to lunch at The Mansion House...

We had a clear view, though the photos aren't great.

Me, L and J bumped into friend J, her son H and his friend F.

Then we walked to the Museum gardens buying a sandwich en route - in the sandwich shop a freelance journalist was editing his pictures and tape whilst scoffing a panini, so we had a little look at all his fantastic footage whilst we were queueing. The Queen was due to visit the Yorkshire Museum York 1212 exhibition at 2.30pm and we got a good sunny spot amongst a friendly crowd. 



Front of the Yorkshire Museum

 

Archbishop of York John Sentamu, and a glimpse of the Queen in a turquoise hat (left)



Then we had a lovely view of the Queen!



A once in a lifetime experience for us to see the

 Queen in Diamond Jubilee Year. 





~Recent vintage buys and thrifty finds~

Apologies firstly for being absent-without -blogging for a while.  I feel overwhelmed and busy at present, there aren't enough hours in the day - plus my mother-in-law has been in hospital (now discharged) and I've been planning some more additions to my tearoom events. Crafty projects have been ignored which doesn't make me feel happy and I really need to sort out the sewing room which is drowning under a sea of paperwork, filing and the increasing ironing pile.
I've done a bit of charity shop rummaging recently in Boston Spa, Tadcaster, Wetherby, Castleford and Selby, albeit very speedy - 'drive-by thrifting' - usually on my way home or via visiting somewhere else. I'm sure it's not healthy to always be in a rush.

This lovely tray reminds me of Cornwall.  I love old trays with the plaited wicker or plastic edging.

This cake plate is pretty, the glaze is a bit crazed but it's not chipped or cracked

A nice reproduction tea dress, I love the floral Liberty-esque fabric.  Currently I look like a milkmaid in it as I need to lose weight, but it will be pretty when I have lost 10 pounds!

This gorgeous Midwinter dish for £2 in a Castleford charity shop. Midwinter is my absolute favourite pottery.

Then L and I went to St Gemma's Vintage Fair in Leeds on Sunday which I've blogged about before here.
A stallholder I know called Jennifer has the most amazing vintage pottery, at reasonable prices, and she had the matching Midwinter sugar bowl for £5...here it is on my kitchen shelf

Another lovely stallholder had a job lot of utility china - Woods ware Beryl and Jasmine and a couple of Grindley green petal bowls, which I bought to add to my collection...

...and this Crinoline lady brooch, which I think is unusual - I've never seen one like it before.

Has anyone else seen one like this before? It was £5 which I think is a good price for something I'll treasure.