Suzy's Vintage Attic

Vintage pretties I bought at the fair

2011-10-30T14:53:00.000Z

In my previous post, I forgot to show you the vintage pretties which I purchased.

Two pretty brooches from "Daisy Darling"

Some Suffolk yoyos from "Donna Flower"

Absolutely gorgeous embroidered border from "Neo Belle Bizaar"

The mustard coloured flower from "Lucy Bloom"

Really beautiful and individual things which I could never find in High Street shops.

This is the pleasure of buying at fairs such as The Vintage Bazaar.

The next one is on 21st April 2012.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Bazaar fun!

2011-10-29T17:59:00.000+01:00

Another successful day at the Vintage Bazaar in Frome. It is an event which I very much enjoy.

Thank you to those of you who follow my blog and came to introduce yourselves.

It was very interesting and lovely meeting you.

I've taken a few pictures of my stall. I didn't take pictures of other stalls as my battery on the camera was about to run out...I forgot to charge it up last night! It is a pity as there were many beautiful looking stalls there.

THE STRING OF LIGHTS ON MY STALL

A number of people commented on how nice the the string of lights were. For those of you who asked about them when I was not at the stall, they are called "Maroq string lights". I bought mine online from "Party String Lights". They are also available through other well known online shops whose catalogues are often enclosed in home magazines but are around £10 more than through this company. "The Glow Company" also has them at a reasonable price. It pays to do a search on Google first.

Well, it's been an enjoyable but long day!

I am looking forward to a relaxing evening. We might go out for a meal at our local cosy country pub - The Strode Arms in Cranmore or maybe just stay in and relax by the open fire...

Have a lovely weekend.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Quilter's delight! More goodies coming to the fair...

2011-10-28T10:32:00.002+01:00

It's been quiet on the blogging front but with good reason...

So much to do with the Vintage Bazaar Fair coming up tomorrow, SATURDAY 29TH OCTOBER 2011!

I thought I'd post a few more pictures so that you can see what you can expect to find on my stall.

I will have French Enamelware, Vintage spice jars, decorative items, painted furniture, pictures, lots of fabrics & embroidered linens and many other pretties.

If you like quilting or sewing, you will be spoilt!

Little quilt parcels

Jam jar covers

Quilt cuttings in various shapes (birds, pumpkins, snowmen, gingerbread men, apples etc)

Twine

Quilt pieces

and

fabric...

I almost forgot...the painted and decorated fold-able shelves below will be available to buy too!

I hope to have whetted your appetite.

My stall is on the left hand side of the main hall as you come in.The stall is against the wall just two stalls away from where you pay your £1 entrance fee.

For more details about the Vintage Bazaar click HERE.

See you soon!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

It that time of the year again, CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!

2011-10-21T13:42:00.000+01:00

I've had a bit of an unplanned blog break.

A combination of being unwell and now catching up with the preparations for next Saturday's event...

Please click HERE for more details of where to find me on Saturday 29th October 11.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Afternoon tea in Cerne Abbas

2011-10-13T19:30:00.000+01:00

I had an appointment in Dorset today so on my way back I made a detour via Cerne Abbas, better known as the home of the Cerne giant. When I moved from France to Dorset in 1981, I stayed in Cerne Abbas with my parents and my sister for the first night and the next morning we drove to our new home in Affpuddle.

Cerne Abbas is a pretty place with a mix of architecture including many pretty thatched cottages.

The New Inn shown on the right is where I spent my first night of the move in 1981

I had afternoon tea at Abbots, a pretty tea room with a wonderful selection of homemade cakes.

After refreshments, we went in search of the giant...

It is a giant carved on the hill. The history behind the giant is mixed but the first known written reference of the giant was in 1694.

www.google.co.uk

The views in this area of Dorset are particularly beautiful.
Dorset will always have a special place in my heart

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

THE BARN THAT TIME FORGOT

2011-10-10T18:58:00.000+01:00

Opposite my house is a barn, it has been left untouched for decades. Our house was built in 1870 and we think that the barn was probably built at around the same time. It is likely that the barn has not been used for at least 50 years. It has a magical quality to it, almost as if time had stood still. The area where the horses used to be fed still has hay in the troth and we have found horse shoes and parts of leather reins.

I have mixed views about buildings such as this barn, part of me likes them being left just as they are and another part of me feels they should be restored. Having said that, would it be the same if it was restored. Would it still retain it's magical feel?

We don't own it so it is not a decision we will be making. I can't help feeling quite protective over it though. It holds a special place in my heart.

Now it gives a welcome home to owls, bats and mice.

What I would not want to see is having it turned into a bungalow or holiday home...that would be sacrilege!

The barn is at its most magical at the end of the day, when the sun sets it is filled with a golden glow.

I try and visualise how the barn was used, what he daily routine was like. I'd like to find out more in time.

I have added some NEW PRODUCTS over on
TINY TIDY COTTAGE

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

LIGHT GREEN - STUNNING BOUTIQUE

2011-10-06T18:35:00.000+01:00

In my Castle Cary post, I mentioned that I would be doing a blog post about a certain shop called Light Green. It is one of my favourite shops in Castle Cary. It has a mix of modern and vintage clothes & accessories, organic skincare, fragrances, make up, jewellery, candles and many other gifts.

Come and have a little tour...

Really like these dressing gowns

There are a lot scented candles available on the market and many are made using artificial fragrance. These are natural and made with essential oils. One of my favourite candles out there. They have a good lasting scent.

So, what did you think?

I hope that you have been inspired to visit this pretty little Somerset country town.

P.S: Don't forgot my GIVEAWAY if you have not already taken part. It ends on Friday 7th October.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

LONDON - Mind Body & Soul and Sylvanians

2011-10-03T16:59:00.000+01:00

On Saturday we were up at 5.30 in the morning.

Dawn is a spectacular sight. Just before leaving, the sun was only just beginning to rise, there was a low mist floating above the field and all that could be heard were the birds singing. My thought at that moment was: "What a wonderful start to my day..."

As we drove out of our quiet little country lane more stunning views were awaiting on the way. The pictures above were taken just before reaching Stonehenge on the Salisbury Plains.

Our destination: LONDON!

I won tickets to the Mind, Body and Soul Experience at Olympia in London and was looking forward to going. Miss P was very keen to go to London too but for other reasons, to visit the Sylvanian Shop.

We arrived not long after the doors opened.

Once inside, we walked around all the various stalls, some more interesting to me than others. Things like: Healing, aromatherapy, aura soma, crystals, superfoods (wheatgrass), yoga, meditating were very interesting.

You all know that I love vintage things but may not know that my other passion is to do with complimentary therapies, healthy and holistic living, etc... I am qualified (IFA) in Aromatherapy, Swedish Body Massage and Champissage Head Massage. I trained and qualified in Kent in 1999/2000.

This picture doesn't do the stall much justice, I was so engrossed watching the demonstration of this fantastic machine that I forgot to take a photograph at that time. Most of the time the stall was packed with people watching the many uses of the Vita-mix.

Salt lamps

The lady on this stall was very nice and helpful, I had quite a long chat with her. Colour therapy is something that interests me but have not read much about yet.

After leaving the show we took the tube to Arsenal, home of the Arsenal football ground and home to...

....the Sylvanian Families shop!

If you have children who are in to the Sylvanians, then they will love this shop. Although it is quite small, they have several displays which Miss P and I loved.

Just a few yards away, is Cafe Vintage where we had a late lunch. We also needed to rest our weary legs and get out of the heat for a bit. It was unbelievably hot for this time of the year.
Not only can you eat and drink there but you can also buy vintage clothes and homewares.
What a great combination!

We had a lovely day and on our way back home were treated to a spectacular sunset.

Miss P recently won a year's membership at a golf club (25 minutes away from home) after obtaining the highest score at a fete about a month ago. Yesterday she had her first golf lesson and really enjoyed it!

Have a great week!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

The joy of shopping in local shops!

2011-09-30T15:03:00.000+01:00

For quite some time, I having been cutting right back on shopping in supermarkets. I like the idea of going back to the way our Mothers and Grandmothers used to shop. The supermarkets have become a place of convenience but at what cost! More and more village shops have closed and the same has been happening in towns. It is becoming harder to find villages and small towns where you can find everything that you need without having to go to a supermarket.

Supermarkets lack soul and atmosphere. The endless rows of tins, packaging makes it all feel very industrial and encourage us to buy things we don't really need. Supermarket shopping is not a pleasurable experience for me and I am reluctant to give money to such companies, I prefer to support smaller shops and individual traders.

Where do I go to do my shopping?

One of my favourite places is Castle Cary. It is a pretty little country town.

This morning, just after dropping off my daughter at school I went there and did some shopping.

I cannot imagine anyone going there and not liking it!

There are many individual boutiques selling a wide range of things

This little lane leads to the post office

Isn't it just stunning! Castle Cary is full of beautiful architecture.

Looking back from the Post Office

Market place

This is a fantastic stall, "Alex's Salad". Alex is well know locally and his Friday stall is a great success. All the produce is home grown, no pesticides. The quality and taste are excellent, so much better than supermarket ones. I always buy organic but even the organic fruit and veg bought from supermarkets don't taste as good as home grown ones.

Today I bought some curly kale, beetroots, spinach, plum tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, salad, little yellow round cucumber, yellow and green courgettes and celery.

You really have pretty much all you need when it comes to shops and places to eat! They are all so varied and interesting. What I like most is that they are individual.

The town retains a very traditional feel with a lot of character and that is why I like it so much.

Lovely shop.....So lovely that I will be doing a blog post about it soon.

This antique shop is not always open but when it is, it's really worth having a look. The owner always finds such beautiful and unusual things.

I hope you enjoyed the little tour of Castle Cary, it has given you an insight of where I go to do some of my shopping. I had so much more fun than if I had been to the supermarket!

I am loving this beautiful weather. The colours of the trees look amazing in this warm mellow light.

Enjoy your weekend!

P.S: Don't forgot my GIVEAWAY if you have not already taken part

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Introducing my new blog: Tiny Tidy Cottage & Giveaway

2011-09-25T10:40:00.000+01:00

Please click HERE to visit my NEW blog: TINY TIDY COTTAGE and to enter the giveaway.

Thank you

Apologies for the difficulties some of you experienced when clicking on the link. I typed in the wrong link...all rectified and working now!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Indian Treasure Trove - Glastonbury

2011-09-19T08:08:00.000+01:00

It's already Monday again!

What did you do at the weekend rest, work or go out?

The weather was a bit hit and miss at the weekend, sunny one minute then sudden heavy rain the next. That didn't stop us from going to Glastonbury on Saturday to stock up on supplies from the health food store.

I went in to Dilliway and Dilliway with Miss P whilst Alan waited outside. THE shop for all things Indian for the home. Although most of my house is decorated in a vintage French/English/Belgian decor, there are other styles of decor which I absolutely love. My three other favourites are Indian, Moroccan and Gypsy/bazaar style.

This beautiful open tent setting was a real inspiration. Miss P loved it!

I love that cranberry coloured lantern

What I like about the Indian decor are the colours and designs, so vibrant and pretty. Not at all garish, just beautiful. They are happy colours. I went in search of some Kashmiri things but they had sold out of most of them, more on the way though...

One the other shops to be found in Glastonbury

All this shopping brought on an appetite, we had lunch at La Terre on the High Street. I had a beetroot soup, Miss P a tomato and basil soup and Alan had a beetroot risotto. He was relieved to find something that didn't have any of the ingredients he can no longer have.

The risotto tasted a lot nicer than it looked :-)

Alan captured a hint of a rainbow for me whilst I was driving

We got back home just before another downpour...no wonder Somerset is such a green county!

I came back feeling very inspired by the colours and beautiful Indian decor I saw in Dillaway and Dilliway. I have three more rooms to decorate in the house, our bedroom and our walk in wardrobe/office are two of them. Dare I decorate one of them in bright colours using a mix or Indian and Gypsy style? I am very tempted....What would Alan think? I know that Miss P would approve, she would say: Hurray, at last you have seen sense, a vintage free room!

Perhaps it could be the walk in wardrobe/office as the bedroom should ideally have calmer more peaceful colours...I'll let you know when I have made a decision. I want to make sure that I still feel the same way about it next week, next month.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Downton Abbey is back!

2011-09-16T07:55:00.000+01:00

I didn't watch Downton Abbey when it first came out, I started watching the first series just 3 months ago.

It is a beautifully made period drama. The locations, costumes, the story line and attention to detail make it a real pleasure to watch. I am not surprised that a second series has been made and I am very glad that it has. If you haven't watched it yet, I highly recommend that you watch the first series before watching the second one.

The new series of Downton Abbey begins on Sunday 18th September 2011 on ITV1 and ITV1HD at 21.00 hours.

Another programme to watch before that is: "Countrywise: The Real Downton Abbey" on same channels at 18.00 hours.

I will leave you with the beautiful theme tune from Downton Abbey, just click on the picture above. The Downton Abbey soundtrack CD will be released on Monday 19th September 2011. I have already reserved my copy! If you click on link below, you will be able to listen to a sample of each of the 19 tracks.
Track 19 is sung by Mary-Jess, it is hauntingly beautiful....

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

LIFE...

2011-09-15T09:54:00.000+01:00

LIFE isn't about waiting

for the storm to pass,

it is about learning to

Dance in the RAIN

(Author unknown)

How true that is.....

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Plum and cinnamon crumble

2011-09-14T07:48:00.001+01:00

I like September for many reasons, one them being plums. I made a plum and cinnamon compote (plums and home made cinnamon sugar) a couple of days ago and put it in a couple of jars. Yesterday, I decided to use it in a crumble. I do feel bad that Alan can't have any of it because of his new food restrictions...
The scent of plums, sugar and cinnamon all simmering gently in the pan is just HEAVENLY! What I love about it, is that it reminds me of Belgium. They make wonderful plum and cinnamon tarts. A scent very much associated with happy childhood memories of my Aunt and Grandmother baking in the kitchen in Belgium. I know I often go back to those times but they were very special and treasured times to me.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Food Intolerance and Blue and White

2011-09-12T12:29:00.001+01:00

Hello everyone,

Had a good weekend? We went to Bath on Saturday to get a few things and for an appointment that Alan had for food allergy/intolerance testing. When he came out of there, he showed me a list of what not to eat....All the foods and drinks he likes basically. It will require a lot of changes...NO YEAST, SUGAR, DAIRY (the 3 worst offenders) FRUIT, BEER, WINE etc....A challenge for me to come up with some tasty food using ingredients that Alan isn't usually too keen on. He has been advised to try and follow advice 100% over the next 6 to 12 months minimum. No sugar, no sweet things...that would be a really hard one for me!

I have been busy reading various books over the weekend to come up with ideas of tasty snacks, breakfast, lunch and dinner. I love looking through recipe books, cooking and baking. However, I will have to see what I can come up with and it will have to be varied otherwise Alan will quickly get bored with the same old foods.

This morning I have been working in the kitchen whilst listening to Classic FM. I was waiting to hear some of the music from Downton Abbey. Dusting the shelves inspired me to post about some of the things I have in my kitchen. I have always liked blue and white together, such a fresh and pretty combination.

Some of my tablecloths

The spice jars are from Belgium and the Sul (salt) pot is a gift from my Father. He bought it for me on one of
his travels many years ago.

Back to my kitchen now...

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Apple picking in the rain

2011-09-06T15:07:00.002+01:00

What can you do on a rainy day? After staying indoors most of the day doing housework, I felt in need of some fresh air. I decided to pick some apples from the front garden. So out I went in the light rain and picked some apples. The air was fresh, earthy and invigorating!

Now on to what to make with them....Apple juice, cake, tartlets? A good excuse to go through some cook books and magazines.

Miss P had a good day at school yesterday, thanks for your good wishes.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Ston Easton Park Fête & Kitchen Garden

2011-09-05T04:16:00.000+01:00

Yesterday we went to Ston Easton Park, a hotel in the Somerset countryside not far from home. Not long after we arrived, we made our way to the cream teas stand. I had a slice of plum cake. It was so good that I asked if I could have the recipe. Unfortunately, they did not know who had made the cake as several different people had donated home made cakes. I will have a go at making one but would have loved the recipe of that particular one. After cakes, we went inside the house to have a look around the rooms. The interior is beautiful!

Miss P took part in many activities and won herself a year's free membership at a local golf club! She obtained the highest score out of all who took part throughout the day. She was so pleased!

I took a stroll around the kitchen garden, my favourite kind of garden

The Riverside Suite - Away from the main hotel

We had a lovely time. It was good for Miss P to have some fun and distraction just before going back to school the next day. I bought a few food related goodies back. There was a W.I stall with lovely home made jams and pickles.

Today is Miss P's first day in Secondary School and understandably she was nervous about it. I hope that she has a good day and look forward to hearing all about it when I pick her up from school later.

Thinking of all the children back to school or some starting for the very first time. Can feel daunting for them and for some of the Mother's too...

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Movie making in a magical forest!

2011-08-22T16:27:00.011+01:00

After leaving Ross-on-Wye, we drove through the Forest of Dean. Just past Coleford we saw a sign for a place which had caught my eye, I had read about it a few hours earlier. As it was 17.00 hours, we were not sure if it would still be open but took a chance. Upon arrival we noticed several vehicles which are usually associated with the TV or film industry and a helicopter. We just managed to get in before last admissions.

As we entered the forest, we heard a countdown followed by "AND ACTION!", our suspicions were correct, filming was taking place!

A security person standing by this sign advised us that we could go and watch if we wanted to. So we did just that, we followed the sound of the voices and...

...tell tell signs such as equipment, cables.

We finally reached the scene.

I took a sneaky picture of some of the film crew, among them was Director Bryan Singer (shown below) known for directing/producing films such as X-Men First Class and many other well know movies and TV programmes. (Picture below - Totalfilm.com)

One of the security people spent a bit of time chatting with us about what was going on and pointed to a man in a brown leather jacket, it was the lead actor Nicholas Hoult playing the role of Jack in Jack the Giant Killer (Due to be released in 2012). I didn't take a picture as I didn't think it appropriate, it probably would not have come out well as it was quite dark under the cover of the trees and rocks. We watched as a camera on a zip wire went from one end to another. We were told that the next film they will be working on is the next James Bond....

Nicholas Hoult (Picture - thefilmreview.com)
We left the filming scene behind to resume our walk around the forest. As we had arrived so late in the day, the forest was quiet (apart from film crew), we were the only ones walking around. A BIG bonus for me as I always love having a place to myself. Not quite the same if the forest had been full of people. All we could hear was the sound of the birds, bees and the breeze on the trees.

Some of you may think these pictures look somewhat familiar. Several scenes from the TV series "Merlin" have been filmed here!

The place I am talking about is called PUZZLEWOOD.

Reluctantly time to leave the forest.

Nicholas Hoult walked right past us after the filming was over. I was not expecting to see him then and didn't have my camera ready...isn't it always the way!

I managed to get my camera out on time for the donkeys though....not quite the same, I know....

Although the filming was unexpected and very interesting, it was the forest which was the real highlight of the day for me. The brochure I picked up and my photos just don't do the place justice enough. You have to be there to experience this beautiful and very atmospheric place. It left quite an impression on me.

We ended the day by having a meal in a pub by the canal.

A really good day!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

A visit to Ross-on-Wye

2011-08-20T10:28:00.005+01:00

Miss P has been away for a few days so Alan and I have spent most of the time catching up on work around the house. Some DIY jobs aren't so easily done when children are around. Alan has been tiling the kitchen walls (pictures to follow in a future post).

However, yesterday we took the day off. We left at around 9am without any set plan of where to go and headed north towards Gloucestershire. We stopped in Chipping Sodbury for tea & cake and then decided to go on to Herefordshire.

I really wanted to treat myself to a bunch of dahlias in Chipping Sodbury but knew that by the time we got back home they would have suffered with the heat...so I photographed them instead.

We stopped in Ross-on-Wye to have lunch and explore the town as neither of us had been there before. There were quite a few antique shops, charity shops and pretty individual shops.

There is a very good cook shop in the main street

Almshouses

St.Mary's Church

View looking towards the river Wye and Monmouth

Effigies inside the church

A candle and a prayer for a loved one.

We returned to the car park right by Pig's Alley ready to explore another place.

In my next post, I will take you to an enchanted forest where we stumbled across a film crew, filming a scene for a movie due out in June 2012...

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Delightful Maastricht

2011-08-17T16:52:00.000+01:00

On my previous post, we took a trip to Limbourg. The next day we went to Maastricht, Netherlands. It is a very special place for me as I used to go there quite a lot when I was a child. My Aunt and Grandmother had a house in a village in Belgium close to the Dutch Border. When my sister and I stayed there during school holidays, they would take my us to Maastricht for the day, usually on a Friday, market day.

Today Maastricht can be reached in just 20/25 minutes. When I was a child it took 1.30 to 2 hours by bus! That is because there wasn't a motorway then, the bus stopped in several villages and along the canal. When we reached the Dutch border close to a cements work, we had to change buses. Sometimes there would be a 30 minute wait. My sister and I have always liked Maastricht, the sound of its bells, the market place, the shops and a tearoom which we always went to which sadly no longer exists.

This time, it was just Alan, Miss P and I. I enjoyed walking around the market as I recalled how My Aunt & Grandmother would do some shopping there with their basket trolley. Markets on the continent have a different feel to the ones in England and I confess to preferring those on the continent.

This stall had a fantastic array of fabrics and most at only €5 a metre and the quality was very good!

One of the main shopping streets

Pinky sweet shop above has been there for years.

An artist's studio

Look closely at the lampshade on the right, it is made of cups and saucers

After a few lovely days spent with my cousins, we said our goodbyes and stopped in Delhaize (Belgian supermarket) to sock up on things I cannot get easily in England. Pearl sugar for waffles, local beer, biscuits etc...Once stocked up, we headed back to France.

Snack for the journey back to France

Not long after this picture was taken, the heavens opened.

On the last night of our holiday, we took a stroll along the seafront

The day after, it would be time for us to go back to England.

It was so good being able to spend time with my family again. These trips mean a lot to me as we do not live close by and do not see them as often as I'd like.

I hope that you are having a good summer holiday. As I write this, the rain drops are falling against the window...I feel sorry for those who might be camping in this weather. Not what you'd expect for this time of the year but our weather has become so unpredictable these days.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

LIMBOURG - BELGIUM

2011-08-16T10:19:00.006+01:00

We have just returned from visiting relatives in France and Belgium. We drove from Somerset to the channel tunnel and stayed overnight with my parents in France. The next day we drove on to southern Belgium to stay with my cousins. On one of our days there, we went to Limbourg in the province of Liege, a medieval village high up on a hill.

We walked around the quiet streets and lanes, admiring some of the lovely houses on the way. I do like Belgian architecture (old buildings, not so keen on modern ones)

I always associate cobbled streets with childhood holidays spent in Belgium with my Aunt and Grandmother. As a child, I mainly recall seeing them in Belgium and also when visiting Maastricht in the Netherlands. I was fascinated by the sound made when a car drove over them.

Popular colour that day!

Private house. I am not sure if the towers were there before the house was built or if they were built all at the same time.

Very pretty cottage right by the church

Gates leading to someone's secret garden. It was a lovely garden and although I was very tempted to lean over and photograph it, I thought better of it.

After a walk around the village, we were glad to sit down and have a drink and some food.
To avoid the wasps, we sat inside. Service was slow, they had been busier than expected and the owner had to go out to re-stock on salad. We considered leaving but decided to give it a little longer. Eventually, our food arrived, we all agreed that it had been worth the wait. It was all home cooked and was excellent! We had apple and cinnamon pancakes. Most of the people sitting outside were plagued by wasps. All of a sudden, several people picked up their plates and rushed indoors. It was quite a funny sight but not quite so funny when some of the wasps followed them indoors....Despite the slow service on that occasion, I would still recommend having food there.

My next blog post will be about our trip to Maatricht in the Netherlands. One of my favourite cities.

Thank you for the great response to the Italian post, it is interesting to read about your favourite places.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Dreaming of Italy....

2011-07-28T20:37:00.007+01:00

For the past few months I have been longing to go back to Italy, maybe Capri, Sicily, Sardinia or maybe the mainland, hard to choose. I have been drawn to all things Italian and have delved into my cook books to seek out Italian recipes and have been shopping with an Italian theme in mind.

For my Birthday, I recently acquired a beautiful book called VENEZIA Food and Dreams. The photographs are so beautiful and the recipes look delicious and tempting.

Another image from the book. That chandelier is so beautiful!

Nesti Dante soaps are made in Italy. They are the most wonderful soaps! On a recent visit to Dartmouth, I bought more as they are not always easy to find locally. I had only just ran out of them.

Moving on to food...

I have quite a few Italian cook books, reflecting my love of Italian food.

One of my recent book buys is Two Greedy Italians. The TV series is very enjoyable, if you haven't already seen it yet you will be entertained.

Would like to have a meal at this restaurant in Capri, on a warm balmy evening...

There are a number of online Italian Delicatessens where speciality foods can be bought. I like Sardinia's flat crisp bread called pane carasau also known as 'carta da musica' (music paper) as they are so thin. I bought them from Tre Stelle, they are perfect with dips, on their own broken up as a snack or used in lasagne as an alternative to pasta. The recipe for that dish is featured in the Two Greedy Italians book.
The bottle of Mirto is a speciality from Sardinia. I discovered it whilst on honeymoon in 2006.

I have subscribed to Italia! and every month get my fix Italian images and news. It covers all apects of Italy, travel, food, politics, language, property etc.

This is the book that I am reading at bedtime: Head over Heels - Seduced by Southern Italy by Chris Harrison. It is based on his real life experience of having fallen in love with an Italian woman and leaving his country behind (Australia) to go and live with her in Italy. I like his humour and the way he describes what it is really like living and working in Italy. I am not half way through the book yet but I have already learnt quite a bit about Italians or Italian way of life which I was not aware of before. A very good read so far!

Next book waiting in the wings...

There are quite a few films set in Italy which I have enjoyed watching and this is one of them. An easy going romantic film with stunning views of Italy throughout it. It's a lovely film.

Well, that's my little tour of Italy over for now...Thank you for letting me indulge in a bit of dreaming...

Do you have a favourite place in Italy?

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Healthy Habits: WALKING

2011-07-26T19:19:00.000+01:00

In one of my recent posts I talked about the need to go back to healthier habits, walking being one of them. I used to walk 5km a day 5 mornings a week and that stopped some time ago as a busier life took over. I am pleased to say that I have started walking again. When Alan returns from work, we now all go on a family walk or cycle ride in Miss P's case.

Although I have only just recently started doing this, I am already beginning to feel the benefits! Not only am I giving my body some exercise but I am giving my soul some time to switch off and take in the beauty around me. That is so important, it's all too easy to get absorbed with the more serious side of life and forget to allow yourself time to relax and take in the beauty of what surrounds us.

Tonight I went on such a walk and these pictures are some of the things I saw on the way.

The good thing about having a family walk is that you get to spend some quality time together and talk about each others day. Miss P has learnt so much from walks like these such as plant names, birds and other little creatures...

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

The lure of DARTMOUTH

2011-07-24T14:37:00.011+01:00

On Saturday morning, we felt like having a fun and relaxing day out. We gave Miss P the option of choosing where. Much to our delight she suggested that we all go to Dartmouth in Devon.
We went there on holiday two years ago and ever since then, Dartmouth has a special place in Miss P's heart.

Upon arrival we had a picnic in the park. We had the perfect weather for it, sunny but not too hot.

Lunch over and off we went in search of a bucket and a net for Miss P to do
some crabbing.

Whilst Miss P was crabbing, I was very happy sitting on the bench watching the boats and yachts go by. Although there isn't any maritime blood in my family (as far as I know), I have always had an interest in maritime history, archeology and sailing. Eventually, I would like to learn how to sail and then go around the River Dart and the River Helford.

"The Spirit of Adventure" cruise ship

A day out at the seaside would not be complete without a whippy ice cream with strawberry sauce and hundreds and thousands sprinkled on top!

For me, the lure of Dartmouth is the Dart estuary, the boats and the architecture. If Dartmouth didn't have any shops, I would be perfectly content. As Dartmouth does have shops, I had a little wander around. I topped up on some of my favourite soaps (Nesti Dante) from a beauty shop called The Cove and always call in to a French patisserie called Saveurs.

This shop had lovely chandeliers

Back to the sea and the boats

Two of my favourite seafront houses in Dartmouth

We left Dartmouth at around 19.00 hours and drove to Ashprington near Totnes to have a meal at The Waterman's Arms Country Inn. I had been there several years ago with my parents and my sister. I was nice to be able to go back there again, this time with Alan and Miss P.

After a lovely meal, we went and watched the ducks by the river. The evening had a magical feel to it as the sunset shone through the trees and reflected on to the flowing water.

Goodbye Devon...for now...

Today I am going to relax and read my copy of Devon Life which features an interesting article on The Beach Hut Caravan Company and another one about Mary Berry in a Salcombe home.

I hope that you are all having a good weekend or holiday!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Glastonbury & Changing bad habits

2011-07-17T10:41:00.006+01:00

With the busy lives we lead, it can be very easy to get absorbed by it all and forget about looking after our health. That is exactly what I have done for the past months or more like the past year....

My daily routine and way of life have changed since becoming busier with work and having to deal with various things that life throws at you. I have got into bad habits such as eating more sugary foods, convenient food to eat on the go and fewer healthy alternatives. I used to eat a lot more raw foods and not as many sweet things and felt great for it!
My daily 5 km walk stopped over a year ago. However busy I am, I realise that I cannot, must not compromise when it comes to my health, it must take more priority. The way I have been feeling lately has been a wake up call for me.

Time to take action!

I have made a list of the things I need to change or go back to:

1) Go back to walking (30 to 60 mins) at least 5 days a week
2) Try and go back to 50% of what I eat being raw.
3) Take up yoga
4) Learn how to meditate (I have tried before but found it hard switching off, my mind would keep wandering off to something I need to do)
4) Have an aromatherapy or Indian Head massage from time to time (My ultimate relaxation treat! It works wonders for body and soul)
5) Give myself quiet quality time to just relax - without feeling that I should be getting on with something around the house, garden or work related.
6) Catch up with my friends around the world, I am behind on writing letters to them and I don't like the feeling that I am neglecting them.
7) Try and accept more easily that sometimes I may not be able to get some things done by a deadline I set myself. I'm one of those people who when they have an idea in their mind they like to do it now and want it completed asap...

I'm sure I'll come up with more to add to the list but that is not a bad start for now.

Making this list may seem an obvious thing to do but it has helped motivate me in to doing something about the effects my busy life has had on me. I'd love to go back to being full of energy and putting a stop to the migraines.

Where best to go than Glastonbury! Home to alternative therapies, health food shops, crystal shops etc. I like Glastonbury, it's atmosphere, it's shops and the array of therapies available to all and guess what? We only live about 20 minutes away from there!

The High Street

One of my first stops was at one of my favourite health food stores
called Earthfare on the High Street. They have a fantastic selection
of health foods, organic fruit & vegetables, health magazines, supplements
and many more things.

Nicholas Cage has a house in a nearby village and is sometimes seen shopping and walking around Glastonbury. We didn't spot him today though.

I like this little courtyard, pretty and magical looking

Whenever I go to Glastonbury, I always pop into Star Child,
it has a most wonderful selection or dried herbs,flowers,
spices, candles, essential oils and a lot more.

George & Pilgrims Hotel

Glastonbury just wouldn't be the same without these shops

Back home with some magazines to inspire me and healthy food to get me back on to the right track :-)

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Cotswolds Birthday Treat

2011-07-12T10:07:00.013+01:00

It was my Birthday on Sunday. Alan and Miss P had a surprise lined up for me. A much needed break! A trip to Bibury in the Cotswolds. Home to the Arlington Row cottages owned by the National Trust. Bibury has a watermill, a couple of tea rooms, an antique shop, post office, a couple of gift shops, a trout farm and more...

The Swan Hotel - Bibury

Alan capturing the next photo

Although Miss P did appreciate the beauty of this village,
the highlight for her had to be the wildlife.

It was lovely watching the young coots being fed

As coincidence would have it, one of my birthday cards looked like this:

My parents chose this card as they thought it was very "me"
and could picture me sitting in the garden. Neither they or
me knew that I would be going there on my birthday and
see the same house!

This cottage looked just perfect!

Filled with pretty flowers and...

...a vegetable plot

Another lovely house! You can't beat the Cotswold honey coloured stone and the stone roofs, the perfect combination.

I had a fantastic day! I love the Cotswold, I am always inspired by the stone walls, cottages & their beautiful gardens and how well kept the villages are.

Monday came around all too quickly, back to work. Speaking of work....

MY ABSENCE:
You may have noticed that I have been absent for a while. I have had a lot on lately as I am working on several projects at the same time including my website. It is all taking longer than planned.

I would like to be able to concentrate on one project at a time (the best way of doing things) but with the nature of it, I am having to deal with all of it at once. When you have an old property, some repairs and work just can't wait. With summer here, it is the time when they have to be done now rather than in the winter months. The garden is still giving us a lot of work too, we have recently discovered that our sewage pipes etc. need to be completely rerouted via our back garden. We have an underground well there which we need to take into consideration. Sadly, some of the work we have done over the past couple of years has been for nothing....a stone wall and steps that Alan built will have to be dismantled as the pipes will have to go through there.

One of the reasons that you have not heard from me much lately, is that I been having migraines...being on the computer for long periods of time is a trigger. It is also why I had to cut down on how much time I spent working on my website and blog. I really wanted it launched by now but at what cost? Looking back, I have been doing and expecting too much of myself over the past few months.

Over the past couple of weeks I have decided to postpone the launch of the website until the Autumn. July & August are not the best months to launch a website. I will however sell a few things on my Suzy Gaby and Maud blog until my website is ready to be launched.

That's it for now. I hope that you are looking forward to the holiday season whether you are staying at home or going away.

I'll try not to leave it as long until my next blog post :-)

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Recipe - Natural elderflower cordial

2011-06-01T14:22:00.007+01:00

Following on from my previous post, I strained the elderflower & lemon mixture and poured the cordial into 3 bottles.
As you can see, one of them has already gone down...

It is so fresh tasting, so much nicer than shop bought cordials. If you have elderflower shrubs within easy reach, I urge you to have a go at making some. The whole process is so rewarding, from picking the elderflowers to finally drinking this beautifully fragrant drink.

It is so simple and easy to make, just a little patience is required until you can sample it.

There are many recipes out there but this is how I made mine this time:

INGREDIENTS:
25 - 30 elderflower heads
1.5 Litres of boiling water
4 lemons (I used unwaxed organic)
1Kg of organic caster or granulated sugar
I did not use any citric acid this time

When picking the elderflowers, look for healthy looking shrubs away from the road side.
I do not wash the elderflower head as it is said that it can take away some of the flavour.

When you have collected the heads, shake them gently to get rid of any unwanted insects. There were quite a few thunder bugs on the ones we found so it took a while to shake them off but we got there in the end!

HOW I MADE IT:
Pour the sugar into a large saucepan or large (heat proof) glass bowl and add the boiling water. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Leave to cool down completely.
Grate the lemons to remove the zest then cut the lemons in to slices.
Add the lemon zest, slices and flowers heads into the sugary water, stir.
Place in a cool area with a tea towel or cling film on top and leave to infuse for 24 to 48 hours. Stir occasionally during that time.
When ready, strain through muslin into sterilised bottles. Store in the fridge.

Pour some in to a glass, top up with water, ice cube and a slice of lemon or lime and enjoy.....

It depends on which part of the country or the world you live in but hopefully, some of you should still be in with a chance of making some. You'll be glad you did!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Elderflower picking

2011-05-30T20:50:00.003+01:00

I hope you've all had a good weekend!

Over the bank holiday weekend, we did some elderflower picking. We have several elderflower shrubs around us. As I was in search of the very best flowers, it meant picking them from several different shrubs.

Alan was on hand to help me access those more awkward branches or clear paths full of stinging nettles...

Once home, I set about making some elderflower cordial. I didn't have any citric acid so doubled the amount of lemons I used. Will see how it turns out...

Another 24 hours to go and it will be ready. I made it last night and already the scent is so beautiful.
I can't wait to bottle it and try it out....

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

A festival for coffee lovers!

2011-05-21T17:09:00.011+01:00

Alan, Miss P and I went to Bath to attend a Coffee Festival. I have been looking to buy an espresso machine and thought that it would be the perfect place to get some advice and find out more about the different options.

The event is taking place today and tomorrow at the Bath Recreation ground right next to the Bath Rugby Club.

As we entered, we were offered a bag with with various goodies in.

I was looking forward to seeing Taylerson's Malmesbury Syrups as it is through their facebook page that I found out about the coffee festival being on this weekend.

I attended this very interesting presentation from LavAzza on the history of coffee, the various types of coffees, coffee drinks and coffee makers. Miss P was not too interested in this so went to the children's area with Alan whilst I listened and learnt with interest. I have picked up some very useful tips!

Back to walking around the stalls

A selection of cakes and buns from the cheerful The Bath Bun stall

Get Cupcaked provided a selection of very imaginative cupcakes.

Fudge Kitchen had a fantastic selection of delicious fudge, unfortunately I forgot to go back for some before leaving.

It is not often that you can buy cakes which are wheat free and gluten free. When you do happen to see some for sale, they can often be quite bland and boring. However, Annette Blazier's stand was a real surprise and a treat. I chose an apple and strudel sponge cake, it was far from bland and boring. A resounding 10/10, really, really good! A very happy find. Although I do eat wheat, most of the time, I prefer to bake cakes and bread using spelt flour.

Alan enjoying the coffee wheat free and gluten free cake.

Teapigs were there too. I tasted the peppermint & licorice tea. So refreshing! They make very nice teas.

Charlotte Macey Textiles had pretty bags, cushions and gifts.

Plenty of chocolates, cakes and sweet treats to samples.

Polkadot Lane's stand was very eye catching with it's lovely blue and white handcrafted pottery. Several items have gone on to my wish list. I particularly like the heart dishes.

The biscotti Kitchen, I liked the way they presented their delicious biscottis.

Miss P took a shining to a little miniature lama made in Peru. On the way back home, she decided to name it "Coffee".

It was very nice to meet Mrs Stokes who provided a lovely vintage touch to the event with her selection of beautifully presented china.

Some of the goodies that I brought back. Coffee from Brian Wogan and syrups from Taylerson's Malmesbury Syrups. Brian Wogan were very helpful and provided me with a lot of useful information on the does and don'ts of buying an espresso machine, coffee grinders etc...I left there with a much clearer picture of which machine will suit our needs.

The festival is on from 21st to 22nd May, so you still have a chance to go tomorrow if are in the area.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Walking to work

2011-05-12T19:21:00.000+01:00

Although we live in the countryside, Alan is lucky enough not to have a long commute to work. He does not work in a town or a city. In fact it takes just over 10 minutes to drive to his workplace through the country lanes but most days Alan likes to walk or cycle there (6km).

This morning, Alan took his camera with him, so I thought I would share some of his photos with you.

When Alan set out at 7.30am, the skies were grey with the feeling of possible rain in the air. It didn't stop the sun from trying to make an appearance through the clouds.

Just before it began pouring down with rain, Alan managed to capture this beautiful shot of the dark menacing sky and the rainbow just below it.
This type of light is my favourite! A very dark sky, a ray of sunshine, it makes the the plants and trees look to very striking the shades of green look so much brighter. Very atmospheric!

The rain subsided and Alan continued on his walk until he reached the office he works in.

In the afternoon the sky had cleared and the sun was out so time to take more photos

A reservoir next to Alan's workplace

We are very lucky to be be surrounded by such beautiful countryside, there is an abundance of wild flowers and wildlife which we see pretty much every day.

Almost home...

Larry waiting to welcome Alan back home :-)

I will be sharing pictures of the school run which I do most days. Once again, all in the country lanes, not a single town in sight. I promise you some stunning scenery and views! That post will follow in the next week or so.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Fun at Vintage Bazaar Fair

2011-04-30T20:31:00.000+01:00

Over to my other Suzy Gaby and Maud for lots of photos of the Vintage Bazaar where I had a stall today!
If you didn't go, pop over and see what you missed....

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

French break and wedding in Belgium part 2

2011-04-27T22:06:00.008+01:00

Following on from my last post, after the civil ceremony we drove to The Château de Florzé about 30 to 40 minutes away. The Château has a lot of history behind it including General Eisenhower who stayed there for a few hours during WWII.

As we got closer, the sky became very dark. As we arrived, a few drops of rain appeared and the sound of thunder made us all run for shelter in the Château.

The staff were frantically bringing in all the chairs from the garden back in to the Château. There should have been a second ceremony held outside under the beautiful blossom tree but as the heavens opened, there was no question of it taking place there. We all felt sorry the bride and groom as one of the reasons they had chosen this venue was so that they could have an outdoor ceremony there!
Strangely, just as the indoor ceremony ended, the skies cleared up and the sun shone again!

Rain over, it was time for some wedding photos of the bride and groom... Poor groom, my cousin Arnaud broke his ankle just days before the wedding so honeymoon is postponed! He managed to make it through the day though.

The setting was so beautiful!

My two nieces, Miss P and I enjoying the day

My Mother had told me of a bedroom with a legend/tale behind it. "La chambre des apparitions" (The room of the apparitions) The story goes that an elderly lady was in her bedroom when a statue of the Virgin Mary appeared at her window. Children, possibly her Grandchildren would dangle a statue from window on the floor above, in the hope that she might think that it was an apparition of the Virgin Mary. As it happens, that is the very room that we were given!

We stayed at the Chateau overnight and on Easter Sunday we woke up to a beautiful sunny day. Soon after breakfast, the children went on an Easter egg hunt on the grounds. A great way to end our stay there.

Spending time with my Goddaughter's baby boy. You might remember that at Christmas time we tried to attend his Christening but due to very poor weather conditions, we only made it as far as France. It was so lovely to meet him at last.

Well, I couldn't go there without coming back with some food and drink. A little snippet of some of the things I brought back. A lot of these bring back lovely childhood memories.

I had a brilliant time, so wonderful to spend time with family especially when you don't get to see them as often as you'd like.

I hope you all had a lovely Easter!

***Just a reminder that I shall have a stall at the Vintage Bazaar at the Cheese and Grain in Frome, Somerset on Saturday 30th April 11 (09.00 - 15.00 hours). Hope to see some of you there! Miss P and Alan will be there too to give a helping hand***

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

French break and wedding in Belgium Part 1

2011-04-25T21:25:00.009+01:00

Last Tuesday evening we drove to Kent and went across the channel on the Eurotunnel.
First stop France then Belgium. I was very much looking forward to seeing my parents and have some of my Mother's home made cooking! We couldn't have wished for nicer weather, really warm, sunny and azure blue skies.

I took the opportunity of catching up with some reading. I read more in those couple of days than I had done in the past four months! So wonderful to just be able to relax and not have any work to do :-)
Miss P spent a fair bit of time playing in the garden and looking out for bugs.
On one afternoon we took a stroll along the beach and visited a nearby war cemetery where soldiers and airmen from all over the world are buried. It was the first time that Miss P had visited one, she found it sad and interesting.

Making new discoveries in the garden

On Friday we left France and drove to Southern Belgium (Wallonie - French speaking part) to attend a family wedding over the Easter weekend.

On the way we drove past this sign. Each country seems to have funny place names.

We arrived on Friday afternoon at my cousin's house (my Aunt Suzy's daughter). She has a lovely big house, I couldn't resist taking a few pictures to give you a little taster of it.

These beautiful tiles are in the hallway

Very large mirror in the hallway. It used to belong to my Aunt Suzy who restored it and painted it by hand.

The door leading to the cellar

The garden shed

On Saturday morning, we all woke up early. The house was a hive of activity as around 10 of us were getting ready for the wedding, it was a great atmosphere.

Alan and I outside "Le Chateau d'Oupeye" (The town Hall) where the civil ceremony was held.

Miss P and I about to join the rest of the guests for the start of the wedding.

The rest of the wedding photos will be in Part 2 where we will be heading for the Château de Florzé...

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

The Island that inspired Agatha Christie

2011-04-18T17:28:00.017+01:00

On Sunday, I had the sudden urge to go to the coast! Although we had quite a few other things to do (work, garden etc..) Alan felt the same, so without further delay we dropped everything and drove to South Devon.

The first place we went to was Noss Mayo, it was a lot busier than I recalled. The last time I went there was about 15 years ago or so and was not during the holiday season. So many cars this time, it was a nightmare navigating through the narrow road leading to the harbour. After a short time there we drove on to Newton Ferrers where we stopped and had a walk.

We left Newton Ferrers and headed for Bigsbury-on-Sea, on the way there we drove through Modbury, a pretty little town. Alan and I stayed there a couple of years ago.

As we arrived in Bigbury-on-Sea we were greeted with a view of Burgh Island.

It looked more like a summer's day, adults and children were playing and sunbathing on the sandy causeway.

This surfer almost knocked people down with his kite as he appeared to temporarily loose control of it. It only just missed them!

View looking back to Bigsbury-On-Sea

Pilchard Inn on the left

I was really looking forward to seeing the famous Burgh Island Hotel. Famous, as it was here that Agatha Christie wrote two of her novels "Evil under the Sun" and "And Then There Were None". Both stories are set on the island. The hotel was also used for the TV version of "Evil under the sun" with David Suchet as Poirot.

I had hoped to have afternoon tea at the hotel and perhaps get a glimpse of this beautiful room

but my hopes were dashed when I saw this sign at the entrance:

:-(( Oh well, we will just have to go and stay there some day...

I contented myself with walking around the island admiring the views all around it.

Remains of a former chapel

As I walked around I could imagine how this place might be the perfect setting for an Agatha Christie story. The Art Deco hotel, the dramatic scenery and steep cliffs...

By the time we decided to make our way back to Bigsbury-on-Sea, the tide had covered the causeway so we waited for the sea tractor.

Funny looking thing but it does its job well.

Goodbye Burgh...

Time to head back home...

I hope that you all had a good weekend.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Thank you to Elegancemaison who added some very interesting information about Burgh Island in her comment below. Here is a picture of the book mentioned. It looks like a must have book if you are interested in Burgh Island or Agatha Christie. I shall certainly be getting a copy of it.

TEA TOWEL LOVE!

2011-04-11T19:34:00.008+01:00

I am a big fan of tea towels! Over the years I have built up quite a collection. Some of them are over 70 years old and have been handed down the generations on the Belgian side of my family. I find tea towels so versatile, drying washing up of course but the "special" ones I use as a little table cloth, a little curtain, making cushions or simply to add a decorative touch to the kitchen.

You really cannot have too many tea towels!

I have acquired another three this week from All Tea Towels, they have a fantastic and varied selection and postage within UK is FREE! It was hard making a choice and I feel sure I'll be tempted back to that shop again in the not too distant future...When you visit their website, you will see what I mean.

This one will be perfect to use on a little table in the garden in Spring/Summer.

This one will look just right in my kitchen

There are quite a few Union Jack designs out there but this one stood out as being different, I really like it.

So lovely to see that Spring is really here at last, the weather this weekend was glorious!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

And the winner is.......

2011-03-28T19:24:00.001+01:00

Thank you to all of you who took part in the giveaway!

Well done to Wendz from 15 Coast Road who was picked out by the online random number generator.

Wendz, please email me with your address so that I may forward the book and little mystery gift to you. Should you have changed your mind about which book you would like to have, it's not a problem (I added another title to the list on the 23rd March) just let me know.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Sunday walk and pub lunch

2011-03-27T17:49:00.007+01:00

Following on from my last post, in which I mentioned that we were going to have a NO WORK day on Sunday, that is exactly what we did. We had a long walk to a neighbouring village, had a meal in a lovely pub called the Strode Arms and then walked all the way back home again.

We walked past this lovely big Georgian house just before reaching Cranmore Village.

Cranmore Village (Where East Somerset Railway is located) .
There weren't any trains running. They will start up again from the 1st April. I look forward to seeing the steam trains go past our house again. The train doesn't run in the winter and I miss not seeing them go by.

Picture borrowed from Strode Arms website as I didn't get around to taking a picture of the outside.

Pub entrance

We arrived at 13.55 hours, just before they stopped serving food. We got there just in time.

You see the table at the far end nearest the fireplace? That is where we usually sit when we go there for a meal. Today however, it was too hot to be sitting by the fireplace so we sat in a different area.
I took pictures of the interior just as we left the pub. It usually is much busier than these pictures imply. It was close to closing time.

I had a traditional beef Sunday roast and a sticky toffee pudding (Very English!). They were both DELICIOUS!
Enland has come a LONG way since the 1970s! It had a poor reputation when it came to food/restaurants/pub meals as far as the continent was concerned. You can't say the same nowadays. There are many really good restaurants, pubs and a very diverse selection of foods throughout the UK.

All that walking gave me quite an appetite! Besides as I we were walking back home again, I'd be burning some of it off... :-)
I have never had a bad meal at this pub, they recently won a Best food pub award.

After lunch it was time to walk back home.

It's a shame that the skies were hazy, not so good for taking photos. I had hoped for striking blue skies. At least it didn't rain so I can't complain.

The trees still look very bare, I can't wait to see the trees covered in fresh bright green leaves again.

Thank you for your lovely comments on my previous post, having a break today did me the world of good!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X
P.S: Don't forget to enter my Spring Book Giveaway if you have not already done so!

Life is a game of "Snakes & Ladders"

2011-03-25T17:58:00.007Z

Do you sometimes feel like your life is like a game of "snakes and ladders"?

Last weekend I did a post saying that I would be painting a dresser in my new workroom (unit). Well, that didn't happen as Miss P has been poorly and only returned to school today. Not Miss P's fault but now I am behind schedule on quite a few things.

The dresser is going to have to wait a bit longer whilst I devote some time to my new website. I have several more photos to take and am working on the wording of various categories, menus, products. As the website progresses, it raises new issues, ideas or obstacles I had not thought of. As I am a perfectionist, I want it to look just right so don't want to rush through it and at a later date regret not having been more thorough .

I have to prioritise but sometimes am divided between doing some sewing, preparing for "The Vintage Bazaar Fair" in Frome on 30Th April where I shall have a stall, working on my new website, continue unpacking at the unit, getting stock in, finding quiet time to just come up with new ideas and design them, keep up with blogging and so on....

I find it interesting to hear how other women manage to keep a happy balance between running their own business, keeping up with housework, making home cooked meals and spending enough quality time with their children (without relying on someone else to look after their child/children)

I admit to having sometimes recently felt like this:

However, I feel that once my new shop is finally up and running I will have a new regular & organised routine in place. This should help strike a right balance between my work and looking after my family.

I am going to work on the website tomorrow but on Sunday Alan and I have decided NO WORK!
We are going to enjoy some of that beautiful weather out there. I fancy going for a walk around the country lanes and hills nearby.

I will leave you with one of Miss P's omelette's. She absolutely loves making them and is very good at making them! Freshly made a couple of minutes ago.

I wish you all a really good weekend!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X
P.S: Don't forget to enter my Spring Book Giveaway if you have not already done so!

R.I.P - ELIZABETH TAYLOR

2011-03-23T14:53:00.003Z

I have just heard the sad news about Elizabeth Taylor having passed away aged 79.

I like a number of her films. Among them, Cat on a Hot tin roof, Giant, Suddenly last summer, Cleopatra, The VIPs, A place in the sun, Father of the bride.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Spring GIVEAWAY Book and mystery gift!

2011-03-21T19:52:00.010Z

It is the first day of Spring and what perfect excuse for a GIVEAWAY!

The giveaway comprises of ONE of the books shown below and a little mystery gift.

All you have to do is leave a comment on THIS blog post, stating which book you would like to have should you be the winner. There are 8 books to choose from.
If your name is selected, you will have an opportunity to choose a different book if you change your mind between now and then.

The giveaway is open to everyone, you do not have to have a blog. I will post worldwide.

Creative Walls: How to Display and Enjoy Your Treasured Collections by Geraldine James

The French Inspired Home by Carolyn Westbrook

Romantic Prairie Style by Fifi O'Neill (Added to list on 23rd March)

Modern Vintage Style by Emily Chalmers

Pale and Insteresting by Atlanta Barlett & Dave Coote

Romantic Style by Selina Lake and Sara Norrman

75 Birds, butterflies & beautiful beasties to knit and crochet

Baking Made Easy by Lorraine Pascale

Remember, if you do not have a blog, please leave your details (name & email address)

The draw will take place on Monday 28Th March at 19.00 hours GMT. I will be using an online random number generator.

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED, THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO ENTERED.

Good luck! :-)

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Dresser makeover in the pipeline

2011-03-18T22:01:00.002Z

I recently bought a dresser for the Suzy Gaby and Maud premises. I will be using it to display china, glass and decorative objects. I'd like to paint it in a different colour, at the moment it is pale blue with a dark wax over it in places.

I do enjoy giving some pieces of furniture a fresh new look. I have a few ideas but haven't quite made up my mind yet about the final look. I had better decide soon though as I am starting on it tomorrow!

Miss P's carpet was fitted on Wednesday and here it is:

Miss P is so pleased with it. Just how she wanted her room to look.

Over the past few days we have been transferring furniture and decorative bits and pieces into Miss P's new bedroom. Her glass light looks perfect in the disused fireplace.

A lot of painting and work in the unit over the weekend but I am looking forward to it.

I also have a lot of photos to take for my new website!

Have a lovely weekend.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

TABLE / DESK MAKEOVER

2011-03-14T12:28:00.003Z

This is the packaging area. At the back against the wall will be some shelving units (probably from Ikea).

I decided to keep this desk as it is practical and will be just the right size for doing all my packaging. I know, it is not very attractive or vintage looking! However,I knew that something could be done to make it look more in keeping with the style of the room and more interesting looking.

I went in search of old magazines and music sheets which were already falling apart. (I don't like cutting them up if in mint condition!)

I placed the music sheets on first to cover the whole of the top of the desk and then placed some magazine pages at random on top. I felt it needed more interest so added some postcards and copies of fabrics. I played around with them until I felt happy with the result.

The word Welcome is placed that way as the table is immediately on the right as you enter the room.

Once I was happy with the layout, a sheet of glass was placed on top. Unfortunately it is slightly frosted but still looks good. The advantage of having a glass top is that it will make the desk easy to clean and you can choose any paper matter, photos or fabric to add underneath it to add interest. Far nicer than that boring brown colour...

The room is taking shape nicely. I bought a vintage glassed panelled dresser at the weekend which will need painting, so another busy week ahead.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Sometimes you have to compromise...

2011-03-12T18:50:00.005Z

I know that all I have been posting about lately is the move to the new unit. That is all we have really had time for apart from also getting Miss P's new bedroom ready now that I have vacated it. It has been pretty much work, work and work recently. We have not had a day off for a while!

My choice of colour for the workroom room was a calm off white colour by Farrow & Ball called "Pointing". It is a shade that I have used in other areas in the house.

Miss P had very different ideas on how it should be decorated. The emphasis was on getting rid of the "boring old" vintage look and the floorboards! Miss P knew exactly what she wanted, two walls in electric blue, two walls in pink and a bright green carpet.

Being in to vintage and favouring more subtle colour schemes I was somewhat apprehensive at the thought of such bold and bright colours and having a bright grass green carpet instead of painted floorboards. I'll be honest, I was not too enamoured by the idea.

However, I recognised the importance of children having a room that they can feel is truly theirs and reflects their personality and tastes. It would be all to easy for me to go in there and turn the room into my vision of the child's vintage bedroom but it would not be fair on Miss P. It would be what I liked and not what Miss P liked.

I have seen many dream vintage looking children's bedrooms in magazines, books & websites and wonder how many of those children had a say in it?.... Do those bedrooms reflect the Mother's tastes or the child's?

Miss P adding her personal touch

This is fun!

After a first coat and I have to admit that it is looking better than I imagined.

I will post the final look when the green carpet has been fitted on Wednesday.

It is Alan's birthday tomorrow and we will be having our first day off in ages. I am looking forward to taking him out for a much deserved lunch at a nearby pub.

Have a lovely weekend!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Moving in

2011-03-02T21:18:00.004Z

Moving in began yesterday. One of the first things I did, was to buy some flowers to make the room look more homely.
Transferring boxes over from home to the unit was slow progress as I was on my own. However, things sped up today as Alan has taken a few days off to help me carry the heavier things, put some shelves up, curtain rails etc... So grateful for his help!

My old workroom was packed with boxes and furniture ready to go.

Thank goodness for the van, it made the job much easier and faster than yesterday.

Another load

After school, Miss P was keen to help out.

That Ikea bookcases were heavy! Despite a broken nail or two and a bit of back ache, I enjoyed the moving process. Each time something left the house, it felt very satisfying.

The unit is just a few miles away from home, only a short drive down in to Shepton Mallet.

As the boxes, bags and furniture poured in to the unit, I wonder how I ever managed to stock all that at home in our sweet but small cottage!

We worked until just before 19.00 hours and then went back home to eat a much needed "cottage pie".

Tomorrow the work continues....I need to decide where some of the furniture will go. I don't have all the furniture yet, I still need to buy a sewing table, a sofa, a large vintage rug, a dresser, clothes rails and more Ikea storage units for the packing area.

I think we'll sleep well tonight!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

New carpet for the unit!

2011-02-28T20:17:00.003Z

Well it seems like the carpet business is doing well right now as I had trouble finding someone available to fit a carpet in my unit. At first, I thought that I may have to wait until the 11th March which really was no good to me as my moving in date is tomorrow 1st March.

However, I eventually found someone who had a slot available due to a cancellation. The carpet was fitted today and here it is....

Well, what do you think of it? Cheerful? Bright or downright garish?

Sorry, I couldn't resist imagining the look on your faces when you saw the first picture :-)
I went for something a lot more conservative and neutral, far more suitable. Not what I would have chosen for home but perfect for the unit.

Miss P and I turned up at the unit at 9am so that we could let the carpet fitter in.

We went back at 17.00 hours and this is what it looks like now. Far more cosy looking.
I can't wait to start bringing everything over. I am still in the process of deciding where everything will go.

Alan has kindly taken 3 days holiday starting as of Wednesday in order to help me move everything over, put up shelves, move furniture around etc...Busy week ahead but will keep you posted!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Packing is underway!

2011-02-19T16:44:00.001Z

This is what my old workroom looks like right now. We are in the middle of clearing it out. I haven't been able to show you photos of it before as it has always been so full of stock and cluttered... not very photogenic! Not the ideal conditions to work in either, I like everything to be in it's right place and easy to find. I couldn't be as organised as I wanted to be with stock overflowing around me. In my opinion, not the way to run a business!

My parents will smile at this, as they know that it is quite typical of me, I really must have the right conditions to work in! (I take after my Father there). The right conditions for me means having plenty of space to work in and plenty of storage, quiet surroundings, I like working alone, no pets or children climbing over everything or borrowing things. I am sure I could come up with a few more but that's plenty for now :-) After all I don't want to be selling things covered in cat fur or paw prints! A move to new premises makes good sense.

After having worked in this room a while, it didn't take too long to work out that it would not be big enough for my working needs. I liked the feel of the room but it was not practical!

Today we have started packing in earnest and it feels good!

Josephine will be going to the new unit too.

The shelves are beginning to look bare.

We have temporarily cleared the little reading area under the stairs to make way for all the boxes.

Getting fuller

Over the half term holiday my two nieces are coming over to stay with us so it is vital we empty the workroom and have all the boxes organised BEFORE they arrive, otherwise it will be chaos!

For those of you who have asked, the unit is not a shop. It will be my studio and will store all my mail order stock. However, you will be able to visit me when fully settled but it will be strictly by appointment only.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

NEW UNIT - UPDATE

2011-02-15T20:11:00.000Z

Thank you for all your positive comments! Just the kind of encouragement you need when you first start up! I went to have a look at the unit today to see how they have progressed with the work and so far so good! I worked out where plug sockets needed to go and tried to form an idea of where everything else would go.

My sewing table will be by the window.

The room looks so much brighter than before now that a wall has been put up on the right and the room as been painted white.

After speaking with the electrician and Landlord's agent, the carpet man arrived to measure up the room (615 sq ft). I then went to to the carpet shop to look at samples of carpets. You've guessed right, it is going to be costly! :-( No escaping that...all part of the setting up costs.

On the left hand side at the end is likely to be the stationery/packaging area

Room as you walk through the main door, there will be another door at the end of the room on the right.

This is what it looks like on the ground floor (my unit is on the first floor). As I mentioned before, the Anglo Trading used to be a brewery. The building has kept a number of its original features and has to as it is a listed building. That is partly one of the reasons I wanted to have a unit there.

Tomorrow it's back to working on my new website, wording of terms & conditions, Welcome page etc....

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Moving out....

2011-02-07T14:39:00.008Z

I am aware that I have been absent for quite some time. Life has a way of keeping you busy...

It seems ages ago now but I hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year.

Just before Christmas, we went to France to stay with family. The plan was to go on to Belgium to attend a family Christening but due to heavy snow then ice, sadly we were unable to go.

In recent months, much of my spare time has been spent working towards my goal, opening an online shop selling vintage goods, handmade items and other things. I am finally getting closer to it.

As some of you know, my workroom is at home. It is filled with vintage textiles, home wares etc...or should I say overflowing...that would be more accurate! It's not just my workroom that has stock, it's the loft, the landing and our bedroom. Not a good way to work and not fair on everyone at home. So, after a lot of thinking and talking about it, I came to the conclusion that I would operate a lot better by moving all my stock away from home and rent somewhere else instead.

I have found a storage/workshop unit in Shepton Mallet. The unit is a shell at the moment but the landlords are converting it. My estimated moving in date is Tuesday 1st March 11. I will keep you posted with the progress!

The unit is in an old Brewery

It doesn't look inviting now but once it has been worked on, decorated and carpeted it will look a lot better. The ceiling is a little lower than I'd like but having compared this to other similar sized premises, over all this is the better one . The room will be around 600 sq ft (55 sq mt), plenty to get started with.

At last, everything will be in the one place. Stock will be easy to find and photograph. I will have more room to sew, design, package orders and will be far more organised. It is a big step to take but one I feel sure will pay off in the long run. We will regain space in the house and Phoebe will have a bigger bedroom...my old workroom which she has always liked.

My website should be ready within the next few weeks....As you can see, a lot going on...

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

P.S: I will have a neighbour I know, Becky from dots and spots who also has a unit there. Becky's business has grown so fast that she is in the process of moving to a bigger unit within the same building.

Season's Greetings!

2010-12-24T21:19:00.001Z

Alan, Miss P and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!
I know that for many, 2010 has been a difficult year, may 2011 be a good one for us all....

See you again next year....

A bientôt!

Isabelle X