Saturday 28 November 2009

Cattle trucks and Figs !! ;-)


Today we caught the 'cattle truck' to Topsham! ;-)
I say 'Cattle truck' as the FGW train from Paignton to Exmouth really is no better than that.
We were all packed into just two carriages and even the driver found it difficult to get back into the train once we reached Exeter St Davids (as the train then leaves the station in the same direction from whence it came..if that makes sense!)
The day could only get better ....


And it did!




This is Cally's lovely stall at the Topsham market .
Cally is at Topsham every fortnight ...and also here :

http://callyscottage.blogspot.com/




It was lovely to meet her and her hubby...who greeted Mr Snippets with that very name!
I think the people around us really thought we were of that surname!
Imagine that..Sally and Terry Snippets! LOL (Some things make me giggle!)



A fine array of Christmas goodies from a lovely Cally !

Naturally, one tries hard to make the day a little more tempting for one's other half..and so the next port of call was here, for lunch:

And a wander around Topsham afterwards, is always quite pleasant.








As we walked back to the station, this lovely Fig tree caught our eye ...there were still one or two figs on it.


And how lovely is this...

A fab trip... and I didn't feel the urge to stop off at Exeter on the return journey...there must be something wrong with me! ;-)
On Monday, weather permitting, I am off on a 'jolly' to another fave place which begins with the same two letters at Topsham!
I wonder where on earth that could be!!
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
;-)

Thursday 26 November 2009

Thursday Snippets! ;-)


It's been a funny old week because I've had all sorts of odds and ends to 'finish off' .
Firstly, I rescued this plant stand (bought earlier in the year at the recycling centre!) from the garden and I've cleaned it up and given it a fresh lick of paint..F&B Cooking Apple Green.

As you can see,we have a very small porch, which was recently decorated with the same Crown Apple Green paint with which we did the kitchen.
In spite of a few moans from Mr Snippets about ' A flippin' obstacle course', I have managed to pretty up my porch as best I can...with...


and a couple of decoupaged items....

..not forgetting a print of one of my favourite places, Winchester...where I sooo much want to visit this Christmas but whether that will happen...who knows! ;-)

When I was last there at Christmas time, I happened to walk into Winchester Cathedral just as the choir were starting to sing and it brought tears to my eyes, it was so lovely.

Meanwhile, I will take much pleasure from glancing at the pic whenever I open my front door.

Another of my 'little projects' was to finish this cupboard (below) for the kitchen.

It was way back in June when I found it lurking in a corner at Sarah's Lavender Box.

A bit of a sad and sorry state, Sarah let me have it for a 'snip' .


Moving on ... I have been beavering away putting the finishing touches to two clipboards which I was asked to make, recently. My instructions were that they had to be: ''Pink, glitzy and very very girlie!'


Finally, you might think that these Christmas bits and pieces (below) look like a load of old plastic rubbish!

In fact they are 34 years old and come from some of the table decorations which I had at my first wedding!!

Lets just say that the decorations lasted longer than the marriage..LOL! ;-)

Anyway, I saved them and lo and behold, when it was my turn for crafts last week,I bought some driftwood hearts and we decorated them using my old table decorations.


Lovely... and tacky..and great way to recycle!!

Next time, we're taking the scissors to that old wedding dress!!! (only joking)

Have a great day! ;-)

Tuesday 24 November 2009

Tuesday craft morning...and a giveaway!

Oh, how I love Tuesdays!
This morning, it was the turn of my sister
to organise something for us to 'get stuck into'!


We arrived to find a number of lovely things, all laid out and ready for us to create.
'Advent calendars!' she said, excitedly ;-)
She'd found the idea in this lovely book...and she'd had a head start on us she was so keen!


So I pondered about colours! Like I do!

And soon got going....

The time consuming bit was making the small boxes.

But the best bit was... that in our places were boxes of goodies to fill our calendars.
(And a few extras!)




I'm sure that the 'men of the house' will squeal with delight when they return home from a hard day's work and see what I've been up to !
LOL ;-)




Yesterday, I washed all of my Christmas Village china.

This is my fave part of getting ready for Christmas .

My collection started with one mug, many years ago, when Masons produced it.






And now for a bit of audience participation...and a giveaway!
Do you own (or have you seen) any particular favourite piece/pieces of Christmas themed china/pottery?
Even if it is just a mug or a plate..it does not have to be a whole set.
Simply comment on this post and you'll be entered into the giveaway draw!
;-)

Sunday 22 November 2009

Christmas... Scandinavian style!

I do love vintage Christmas 'finds' from Scandinavia!


I found two of these 1950s Swedish mats when I was browsing ebay, recently.
When the package arrived , there was a note telling me that she, the seller, had found two more and so she was enclosing them as extra for me!
How kind!


They are rather charming , I think.






This candle came from Norway back in the 1970s.
I've never had the heart to light it!

More jolly Christmas bits are on the way, soon!
;-)