Saturday 29 November 2008

Weekend Snippets



Yesterday, the morning after a heavy night in Exeter, late night shopping (more in a mo), I threw a little bit of C.K, Amy Butler and K & Company into the Sal's Snippets mixing bowl.
But, sadly, it was not baking on the agenda. (In fact I am ashamed of the lack of baking in my kitchen lately but one can't do everything, can one?!)


I lie in bed each night and mull over ideas and once I get something in my head that's it!
And there you have it, one kitchen/workroom clipboard with a little bit of each of my faves featured.

I've put it in my shop..its absolutely loaded with tags and papers for notes too.



Now then...Thursday night was, as usual, a treat as we wandered about, just as the lights were coming on, in Exeter. There is something very different about late night shopping and although there is the same hustle and bustle, the atmosphere seems more calm and you can think more easily..at least that's what I find.
Having dashed into Habitat to see the lovely Josie Mary, she informed us that the lady owner in 'Violette' was an avid reader of Sal's Snippets..!


...and so up the hill we hurried as we were not sure if she was staying open. Greeted by the words 'Sals's Snippets!' she then allowed me to snap a few pics.




and so now I just need to say ..DO VISIT!
Do you know,it's such a lovely little shop, a stones throw from the centre, just up Castle Street..with such a lovely owner too.



This was a night when Exeter was at its best... but then it is always at its best for me.

The Card Gallery,in Queen Street is the best ever shop for cards and no end of otherlovely items.


And Orange Tree really needs no mention ,does it? Lots of CK, Bridgewater etc ;-)

Nor this..

And Nutcrackers are a huge favourite this year. Having recently visited 'Christmas Angels' in York, these just seem to jump out at me wherever I go!!


Stand to attention whilst I am talking, please!

And this is Exeter,the place that I love! One day I might well live there but until then I'll just have to make do with my very (extremely very) regular visits!!


And now..I think I am off on a train again!! ;-)
I hope your weekend is wonderful!

Thursday 27 November 2008

Old and simple....no, not me!! ;-)


At the very end of my bookshelf, sit a few old magazines.
I have to say that these are the only ones which I kept from yonks ago (1970s) and I now wish I'd not been so ruthless with the others.

'Family Circle' was quite a popular mag at the time and one particular Christmas they produced this one which had oodles of ideas for children's crafts and thus my first ever classroom as a teacher, (in a place called Lightwater, Surrey,) was adorned with all these lovely decorations which, at the time, looked so modern and cool..yet simple! I like simple and you can build on simple ideas, improvise etc.



Talking of simple, on Tuesday we did our usual craft morning. On offer was a good variety of materials, felt, papers, card etc. We had to make napkin rings... and although I was worn out from the weekend's events, I worked happily and I worked 'simple'!!


Meanwhile ..I have put some items for sale..here in 'Vintage Snippets':
And now I am off on a train... to my favourite place...with my camera !!

Hope your day is as lovely as I know mine will be;-)

P.S. For all those lovely people who keep asking about Nich..his new blog is here below and you can now read about his European travels, starting with Amsterdam !!!

http://nichgull.blogspot.com/

Tuesday 25 November 2008

Christmas Village; Christmas books and Christmas shopping!

Yesterday, having taken all of my Bridgewater Pottery off my hall dresser, it was time to crawl into the kitchen cupboard... and look what I found!!
'Christmas Village' always brings a big smile to my face! I love it, I've collected it for years and never tire of it.
After that it was out with the Christmas books ..none of which are new, I've had them for years too! But I love to get them out about now.. and dip into them!
One of my faves is this old book, by Woman's Day.

Lots of old fashioned ideas !

This next book is an excellent book for crafting whether on your own or with children...you get loads of ideas and templates!

Another useful little book is :

And this :

This one I used years and years ago in my classroom..it has lots of lovely info about Christmas in other countries.

This is full of ideas, cooking,crafting etc

And finally my little Christmas 'stand by' book! So much packed into something so little.(Whatever did happen to that little mag, 'Home and Freezer Digest'?)

And so, all things considered, I'm feeling well set up for Christmas ! Better still, all of my lessons for Thursday have rearranged and I find myself able to go to Exeter for late night Christmas shopping! 'Yippee' and 'Yay' and words of that sort! ;-)

Monday 24 November 2008

Culture & lesser culture! It's a new week..and a GIVEAWAY!! ;-)


One morning, during our break in York, we ventured to the fabulous National Railway Museum.

I'd been before but even though I knew what to expect it was still a joy to behold. I am rather nuts about old trains and even more nuts about those lovely old railway posters depicting the golden age of rail travel.

My Grandfather was an engine driver with GWR, in the day of the steam train. I often heard tales about the hard work, not to mention the dirty conditions! These things, which we tend to forget when we look through our rosy tinted specs at those days gone by!



Occasionally, I can still sniff the past, as I walk into any station..because within the fabric of the place remains the 'ingrained grime of generations'!
(*I've been longing to use that phrase for a very long time....I used it once in a sociology essay and was 'dead chuffed' at the time!!! ;-)
So talking of 'dead chuffed' (!) we wandered around the museum to our hearts content.
Amazingly, all the trains were on time!
No prizes for recognising this! Mallard.
Mallard holds the world speed record for steam traction on rail. The record was set on the 3rd July 1938 when the locomotive was recorded travelling at 126 mph.
I loved all of the posters around the museum.







Cathedrals and trains seem to sit well together in this museum .



I'd love this in my garden....!

Before we left the museum, I roamed around the shop...which is a good one..and purchased the mounted print at the top of this post...yes I was truly smitten with York.
But oh my, no time to waste as we had an important date to get to, in the afternoon... and one that I did not want to miss!
You have to laugh, don't you?
(This is where culture goes right out of the window!)
As you can see it was standing room only at York City FC!!
(Gold star for looking a prize idiot, methinks! )

For your information (which might be a tad too much!), Mr Snippets had just sampled the 'luxurious' York City loos! (Only one wall and no roof!!LOL) and emerged to tell the tale.
And the scarf is not mine; it was draped across me for photographic purposes only!
(Plus.. I truly am smiling! It was just getting chilly.)
Torquay won the match.
York City play at the Kit Kat Stadium. (formerly Bootham Crescent)
Both teams play in the Blue Square Premier League.
And so..to celebrate my recent blog birthday..here's the competition:
What is Mr Snippets saying to Sal (or vice versa) in this highly hilarious snap?

Answers on here please...the wittier the better...winner'll get a small gift in the post!! (Probably something left over from the fair as I am tired from crafting !!) ;-) LOL!
You have until the weekend..30th Nov!
Good Luck !