Happy May Day

Well, it's the first of May already .... it doesn't really seem that long ago when we were all wondering if Spring would ever come ...when we were trapped in the depths of the coldest  and snowiest winter for years. And yet, here we are dancing around May Poles ...

well  .... not where I live, but I'm sure they're doing it somewhere

I love this time of year ....

the hedgerows are bursting with new leaves and there are wild flowers popping up all around.

Bluebells are just coming into flower near us.

I always think May fills us with hope for a blissful summer .... mmmm.... I wonder!

Are we really going to get the barbecue summer they keep talking about?

I hope everyone has a lovely Bank Holiday weekend.

The Craft Fair

Now I've got my breath back after a very hectic weekend I can tell you more about the Hobbycraft fair ....

As usual, the show was very crowded with about 12,000 people over the three days....

but our stand was a bit out of the way so we weren't too overwhelmed, thank goodness!

Our crafting team had time to talk to all the lovely people who came to visit us ....

We met quite a few ladies who had gone to our school when they were young and we were able to tell them how much the school had changed....

Lots of people wanted to find out more about Liverpool's Young Enterprise scheme which gave us the initial set up loan for our business four years ago.

It seems lots of local authorities don't have similar schemes.

The team were busy making lots of lovely cards like these .... decoupage being the favourite technique.

We made so many, I forgot to take photographs of them all. This is just a small selection....

We made lots of cards - but even better, we sold lots of cards too.

Our card stands were almost empty by Sunday afternoon.

It was fun counting our takings!

We made friends with Kevin from our local craft shop.

He popped round to see us to show us how to use a brayer on embossed card.

We were so impressed we bought one ...

and some lovely rainbow inks too.

We already have a cuttlebug ...

so we are looking forward to using them back at school.

Kind people left some lovely comments in our Visitors' Book.

I was so proud of our children and very grateful to their parents who drove miles across the city to drop them off at the show.

It was a very long and tiring weekend - and Mrs Jones and I were relieved when it was time to pack everything away and go home.

Even the children were shattered by the end, but it was an amazing experience and they got so much out of it.

Would we do it again next year? Ask us again in a few months time!!!!

Each night after the children had gone home I stayed behind and had a little look around the rest of the show.

These are a few of my favourite things ....

I loved the gorgeous costumes from the film 'The Duchess' about the life of Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire

... and of course, everyone's favourite.... The Knitted Garden!

next year there will be a display of 'Under the Sea' where every item will also be knitted.....

They have made a start on this but are calling on knitters across the country to join in!!!

Right, now I must go and catch up with some sleep!!!

Sneak Preview ....

I've been busy this week preparing for our exhibition stand at the Hobbycraft show ... and yesterday was our first day! We were all very excited.......
would you like to see our stand?

Meet "Mr Snappy" our business logo

Making the cards...

meeting visitors....

Team photo

(don't worry the children all have media clearance !!!!)

We found one crafter exhausted ... it was a very long day

Back to work ...

Well, it was back to earth with a bump today as our Easter break came to an end ..... and we were back in school.
Well, most of us were back in school, but we have three members of staff stranded by the "dust" - one in Venice, one in Murcia in Spain and one in the Caribbean!!!!

I've had a lovely time over the past two weeks - mainly because the weather has been glorious - and I feel as though I've been away for ages....

We had a lovely break in the Lakes ... the weather was better than it often is in summer!

I did some shopping, had my hair done, spent time with friends and family - all at a leisurely pace -

not crammed into a short weekend.

I did lots of baking, and pottering around the house and garden - just enjoying being at home.

Nothing exciting - just everyday, ordinary things that I don't usually get time to do.

As I'm getting older I'm beginning to long for the day when I don't have to go back to work after a holiday -

and we'll have all the time in the world to enjoy pottering about the house.

Retirement - or rather early retirement - is a constant topic of conversation at the moment!

Unfortunately, there's a few years to go yet! 

Meanwhile, I need to stop moaning and make the most of each day as it comes!

P.S.        in two weeks it will be May Day! Hooray!

Beatrix Potter country....

On Wednesday we set out for a nice gentle walk, on a lovely sunny, blue sky day.

First stop was Waterhead

... where we ate our picnic at the water's edge.

The jetty for the Coniston Steamer ....

Next...we headed over to Sawrey - home to the famous Miss Potter.

We planned to walk from Far Sawrey to Near Sawrey through Garnett Woods - about 4.5 km through quiet countryside over wooded hills and dales.

As always I fantasised about living in a cottage like this ....

Inca was very interested in these sheep - but sensibly they kept a safe distance.

The village of  Near Sawrey ..... home to Beatrix Potter herself.

We didn't visit her house at Hill Top  as we have been there in the past ...

... when our son was doing research on a famous Victorian for a primary school topic ...

These photos were taken from a scrapbooking layout I did about eight years ago - I can't believe how serious my lovely boy looks!

We did see... a delightful wooden gate ....

 

.... surely Peter Rabbit can't be far away!

We noticed Mr. McGregor himself keeping watch outside one of the village houses.

If you head away from the hordes of tourists who swarm around Hill Top you could almost imagine what it was like when Beatrix fell in love with this lovely little corner of Lakeland.

Onward through delightful woods ...

... this little fellow hadn't yet learned to be wary and followed us for quite a distance ...

After a cold drink in the local hostelry, we headed back towards Windermere.

                        

..busy as usual with all sorts of boats ...

... but we wanted this one to ferry us across to the other side.

Inca waiting patiently  ....

...for the ferry to arrive.

A short trip to Windermere and then home for tea.

.. to our caravan hidden away in Manesty Woods in Borrowdale.