The art of glamping

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Well here I am back from a lovely 10 days in various fields – the weather was very kind to us (extremely hot at Berkeley thankfully so lots of visitors).

I have read a couple of articles in the newspapers recently about the art of glamping – glamorous camping – and as this is something we strive to do all the time thought I would share my tips with you.

Location of course is very important and we get to camp at all the best historic sites at the UK which makes for some fab picture opportunities – here is one of the tents at beautiful Ashby Castle. 

Glamping 1 - Ashby tent
How about that for a campsite?

 

Facilities at our campsites are usually a bit limited (portaloos and ‘glasgow showers’ aka baby wipes) but the sight of the sun setting over some of most gorgeous castles in the world make up for that. 

But we do not stint on the other little luxuries in life – in particular a little tipple or two for round the campfire. As I am travelling by train I need to pack light so have found the perfect mini drinks to go. 

Glamping 2 - small wine bottle
Mini wine with added glass which is actually the lid - unscrews and can be refilled!

 

That only holds about two glasses but is perfect for the train and as back up how about the weekend sized wine box – modelled here by me at our campsite in the Forest of Dean last week. 

Glamping 5 - wine box
2 bottles worth of lovely red - available from my local Co-op!

 

Of course while sitting round the campfire suitable furniture is need to make sure spillage is avoided and my lovely friend Keith has just made all of the girls in the group some little wine tables. He is a builder and gets lots of wood from various sources to burn and turned up in July with boxes and boxes of little legs – some of which we burnt but others got turned into these – we have asked for footstools next! 

Glamping 3 - wine table
The table in action at Ashby Castle

 

When I met up with my sister in the Forest of Dean she showed me a very dinky little travel case that she had been given as a present so we had a little G and T to christen it. 

Glamping 6 - shots case
Collapsible cups, miniature bottles, ice tongs and stirrers!

 

I was catching up on blog reading last night and came across a post by the lovely Hen of Hen House  about her recent holiday  (July 29th 2010 post) in one of the glamping locations I was going to share with you. She stayed in an Airstream caravan on the Isle of Wight run by a company called Vintage Vacations. Check out these lovely pics! 

Glamping 6 - overlander-main
The Airstream Overlander - all pics from Vintage Vacations site

 

Glamping 7 - overlandertable
Inside showing the seating and eating area

 

Glamping 8 - Overlander-single-beds
Single beds with knitted patchwork covers

 

They look fab if you want to re-enact the 1950s rather than the 1350s as we do and are very reasonable prices – I will store that up as a future holiday idea. 

No more trips for a little while now so I will be spending the time gardening and doing various house sorting activities until our next weekend away. In between the lovely Yorkshire rain of course! Brief dry spell now so am off to do some pruning! 

Thanks for visiting – see you soon.

Wonderful historic needlework reproductions

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On one of my recent travels round the internet I was following a link from Constance’s lovely ‘Born in the Wrong Age’   blog (do go and visit she is an re-enactor in Australia who does fab needlework) and found this wonderful site full of members’ needlework projects  from the West Kingdom of the Society of Creative Anachronism. The society operates worldwide though they seem to be most active in the US and their members produce the most wonderful examples of historical needlework. 

To whet your appetite I hope they don’t mine but I have borrowed a few pics to show you the standard of work which is amazing. There are loads more on the site as well as lots of really good info and articles (click on the Articles link on the right hand menu on their site ) so do go and have a look. 

Goldwork collar
Part of a goldwork collar by Letitia
Whitework coif
A gorgeous whitework coif by Ella
blackwork
Blackwork by Juliana
couched goldwork
Couched goldwork by Katherine
silverwork
Embroidery and silverwork by Letitia

All very,very talented ladies I’m sure you will agree. 

I am having a quiet week at home doing lots of marking and listening to the rain! We are off this weekend to the wonderful Berkeley Castle where we have this as our view. 

Berkeley castle
Not a bad view for a campsite!

If you are near South Glos do come and visit – this link  gives you details of the event. That is my lovely friend Keith in the pic on the top right of the web site, he only looks like that on the battlefield (or if someone pinches his mead round the campfire!) 

Even if you are not coming pray for fine weather for us please – last year this was our wettest pitch and even though we don’t mind a bit of damp as we are hardy campers it puts off the paying public and that is a real shame for us and all the people who give up all their time and effort to organise these events. As I have mentioned before most of the events rely on unpaid volunteers for the organising and the hard work of providing facilities and without paying visitors they will not happen (someone has to pay for the portaloos!) . So here’s hoping for very good weather this year! 

After that event we are off for a week camping in the Forest of Dean with my sister Jacky (did I mention that I love camping!) and then it is straight on to Ashby de La Zouche castle  in Leicestershire for another weekend of camping (I love, love, love camping!!!) where our group are doing another show. 

So the blog will be very quiet for a bit while I paddle in mud (no hopefully bask in the sun!) in a field somewhere and enjoy some lovely campfires and BBQs ( I also love BBQs!). 

Thanks very much for visiting – see you all soon!

Tewkesbury – even more royal goldwork

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Well here I am listening to the Yorkshire rain (again) ready to post pics of our gloriously hot weekend at the Battle of Tewkesbury event. I am starting to think I only come home to get wet (and wonder at the speed the hedge is growing while I am away – must cut that this weekend!) 

We had a fantastic weekend – one of the very best Tewkesbury events ever – very well organised (thanks to all the hard work of the crew), lovely weather – was very hot Sat morning for our trip round the market but did cool down for both battles. However our water giving services were much appreciated.Great fun both round the camp fire and in the beer tent – altogether fab! 

As promised here are some pics from the market – we have medieval markets at most events but as Tewkesbury is the biggest event it also has the biggest and best market where you can purchase anything you want for your medieval lifestyle. There are lots of clothes sellers, fabric sellers (I was very good and didn’t get tempted!), armour, weapons etc but also some amazing craftspeople selling their wares. 

You can buy buckets… 

market stall 1
.... of all shapes and sizes

Mugs and jugs a plenty.. 

Market Stall 2
Jim the potter (he's been on Time Team!)

Beautiful glasses (not got any of these yet – not very safe taking these on the train!) 

Market stall 3
Pretty pretty things

 And of course lovely food and drink – this German wine and spirit seller was new this year – I passed on the 80% proof chilli vodka but did try the bilberry wine in the long-necked bottles here – very nice! 

Market stall 4
Really gorgeous bottles of fruit wine

Normally I don’t get many pics of me on the battlefield but was looking on Facebook when I got back and was very excited to find a few of me. Here I am in the thick of the battle in my usual blue dress.Pictures taken by Helen Harris Beaumont. 

Battle 1
An interlude to take on water

I spotted this lovely pic of the King in his heraldic surcoat (look at the goldwork on that!)… 

Battle 2
The King and his retinue

And was very excited to find the next pic has me and Ellie in the background! 

Battle 3
There we are - me in blue and Ellie in front of me in turquoise

It really is so wonderfully atmospheric with all the different colours of the heraldry and flags flying – especially at the end on Sunday where we all knelt on the battlefield before the King – brings a lump to your throat! 

At the end of the battle the King fights the young Prince of Wales who is trying to take his throne… 

King and Prince Tewks
The fight - pictures taken by Michelle Jackson

…. and of course he wins – Hurrah for the House of York! 

King and Prince 2 Tewks
Take that you young upstart!

 We stayed with my sister for a couple of days after the event and helped Ellen move into her new student house. I bought her some BBQ stuff as a house-warming pressie so she has promised to send me a pic of them in their lovely garden – hoping they are having better weather than we are! 

Undaunted I have today refilled the freezer with Tesco’s finest BBQ wares so hopefully at some point this weekend – after the hedges have been cut – we will be out again enjoying the sunshine. 

Hope you are having better weather – thanks for visiting.

Lake Garda

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Lake Garda was as stunning as I hoped it would be – my pics do not do justice to the gorgeous mountains all around – it was very hazy as it was so hot but one night it rained and in the early morning they looked amazing – all rolling back in shades of blue. 

Garda 7 - lake beach
Our beach on the lake

 I was looking on Flickr for some good pics of Lake Garda and found an amazing set of pics of Italy – check this link .

We spent a lot of time on the lake hiring pedalos and swimming – here are the kids trying to not to show how cold the water was! 

Garda 3 - Ellie Pedalo 

Garda 4 - Jake pedalo 

The camp site also had 5 very nice swimming pools with added aquarobics that  Ellie and I enjoyed (Jake tried it once but was not keen!) and they made good use of their water guns. 

Garda 1 - kids pool 

It was too hot to do much sightseeing but one evening we went into the nearby town of Peschiera Del Garda for a wander round and a meal (I tried some of the local Grappa liqueur – very strong, Ellie was not keen!). It is a very pretty little town most of which is built on a walled fort so there are moats everywhere. 

Garda 6 - Peschiera
The view of the moat from the restaurant in Peschiera

I also went on the ferry up the lake to the town of Sirmione which had a lovely church with frescos on the walls dated 1508 which were stunning and a very lovely and heavily fortified castle in the middle of town. 

Garda 8 - Sirmione church
This is my favourite pic from the whole holiday - picture postcard beautiful from outside the church
Garda 9 - Sirmione castle
Sirmione Castle

I also did get a bit of knitting done – it was very lovely lounging outside the tent with the lake views and I also took it to the pool once – just to embarrass the kids of course! I have cast on for another baby cardigan in the same pattern that I have just finished (now I know what to do with the border it should be a quicker finish!). Same wool as well – the Sublime – this time in a beautiful turquoise colour – this will be an Xmas pressie for another family member. 

We are off to our biggest event this weekend – the Tewkesbury Medieval Festival  – I can’t wait – I love this show best of all – the smell of the gunpowder, the flags and the biggest medieval market. If you are in the area it is well worth a visit (in Gloucestershire just off the M5) . Will take some pics of all the nice things for you. 

Thanks for visiting.

Venice and Venetian Lace

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I took so many pics of all the beautiful buildings that I had a hard time choosing which to put up here. We only had one day in Venice plus our lovely first evening so just had time for a trip up and back on the Grand Canal which was just fab – I have always loved Caneletto’s paintings of Venice and to be there was amazing. 

We spent the rest of the day in St Mark’s Square visiting the Doge’s Palace ( that has been on my ‘must see’  list for so long) and the Basilica which has to be the most amazing church I have visited (and I have been in a few)  – sadly no pics of inside allowed but the whole of the ceilings are covered in the most wonderful mosaics. The slide show below shows a couple of the palaces along the grand canal, the Doge’s Palace and the Basilica in St Mark’s Square.

I also found a lovely lace shop in St Mark’s Square called Fabris – Venetian lace is made on one of the outer islands called Burano – one day I will go back for a visit and see that and also take more than a  peek at this little museum/shop that the kids preferred going for ice cream to entering! 

Venice lace 3
Just off St Mark's Square lies this pretty little place....
Venice lace 5
With a couple of tantalising display cases ....
venice lace 4
Pretty, pretty things ....
Venice lace 1
The handkerchiefs in Fabris

I did get a quick trip into the Fabris shop and bought some gifts – they had the most gorgeous table cloth and napkin sets – will go back and get some to go with my cake stand one day then we can have proper afternoon tea! 

venice lace 2
Lace and embroidery in the Fabris shop

Will post further pics from the Lake Garda section of the trip soon – am just sitting watching the good old Yorkshire rain now – trying to remember how hot I was on Sunday! 

Thanks for visiting.

La Via Italia

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Italy 1 - wine
Thanks to my lovely hand model Ellie - a bottle of the local Bardolino red in authentic raffia with the view of Lake Garda behind it.

 

We have just returned from a very hot and very lovely week in Italy so I thought I would share some pics with you. 

We flew to Venice so took the opportunity for another once in a lifetime experience and stayed overnight there in a 16th century palazzo on the Grand Canal (well it was my birthday while we were away!) then on to our Lake Garda camp site where the above pic was taken. 

From the airport we took the waterbus so that we could get our first glimpse of Venice from the lagoon. 

Italy 2- venice approach
Venice at dusk

Due to the fact that the waterbus was going the long way round into Venice and that it was getting late we decided to get off the other side from where we were staying so we had a little adventure getting all the suitcases over the little bridges and not getting lost down the little winding streets (thanks to Ellen’s excellent map reading skills!) and finally arrived at our hotel. 

Italy 3 - hotel sign
A welcome sight late at night down the tiny little side streets!

 

I found this as a late deal on the web through Expedia and it was very cheap considering it is a four star hotel and right on the Grand Canal. It was very, very lovely inside and made a very glamorous start to the holiday. 

Italy 13 - hotel front
The hotel taken from the vaparetto water bus the next day

 

Ours was the room right at the top at the front so we had amazing views and also sat on the other two terraces during our stay – the lower one being the bar where I met a very nice Canadian lady travelling on her own who reminded me a lot of Crazy Aunt Purl. She travels a great deal and gave me some useful tips about planning out trip to the US next year. 

The little slide show below shows you the glamour! 

We had a fab day in Venice – will post some pics of that later – it was amazing as you can expect and the kids were very tolerant of me and all the old buildings that we saw. Also found some lovely textiles in a little Venetian lace shop on St Mark’s Square. 

Then it was off on a little adventure on an Italian train – very comfortable and efficient to our not quite so 4 star (more budget!) accommodation at the Bella Italia campsite right on the shore of Lake Garda. 

Italy 14 - tent
Our little Eurocamp tent

 

Mind you it was very glamorous considering the sort of camping we usually do in a field with portaloos. There was a little kitchen, electric lights and a plug socket and a water point right next to the tent (saving Jake a trek!), a gazebo, BBQ and loungers and a fab shower block . Luxury! 

And I think we got a better deal than the more expensive mobile homes and chalets as our pitches and the camping to rent pitches were right next to the lake so I had the most fantastic views. 

Italy 17 - inside tent
My camping luxury - a real cooker, fridge (ahh cold beer!) and cupboards!

 

Italy 16 - tent view
The view from our tent down to the lake and mountains - without the wine bottle!

 

Will post more pics later – now off to Knitting group! 

Thanks for visiting. 

Cardi and card

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I have almost completely finished the cardigan and booties that I have been making for my cousin Joanne’s new baby girl Avive – just the ribbon and buttons to sew on and then they will be done. 

Has taken me a long while to make up as the original purple frill that I knitted was too small so had to unpick it twice and then knit again on bigger needles – will know for the next time I make this pattern! 

avive's cardi 1
The finished cardi

avive's shoes
The little booties to match

The booties were very quick to knit and though they do look a little big for a small baby I’m sure she will grow in to them. 

Am taking this pattern away with me on hols to knit a bigger version for another family member as it was a very nice knit as well as some stitching. 

It is my birthday next week while we are away in Italy and my brother Ben and his partner Amanda came round yesterday for a BBQ (this time it only rained a little bit!). They bought me a ‘Best of Cat Stevens’ CD which has been on my wish list for a long time and Amanda made me the most beautiful card with this JBW  cat design on it.I will definitely frame this and keep it. 

amanda's card
My lovely birthday card

Just thought I would add a couple more recent pis of the kids for the benefit of family who read this blog. As an update to Friday’s  post here is Jake at the prom with some very lovely female friends. 

Jake and girls
Hannah and Victoria with Jake at the prom

Ellie spent 10 days in Spain recently at our house with two of her friends from University, Dani and Becky, so thought I would share a couple of her holiday pics with you. 

Ellie and family in Spain
Ellie with my Nana, my Mum and my Auntie Maureen
Ellie in Spain
And her she is with a lovely cocktail

I hope that you have had a lovly weekend – it has been really hot here so we have had a BBQ tonight as well and I have done more gardening in preparation for our week away.

Thanks for visiting.

I’m putting on my top hat ….

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Well not me actually but Jake has – he had his prom this evening so thought I would share some pics with you. 

He and friend Sammy decided to adopt a Holmes and Watson theme (having recently seen the movie at the cinema ) so he hired a very dapper dinner suit complete with cravat and waistcoat and bought himself a top hat which he has been wanting for ages. 

prom 3
Jake in the garden
prom 7
He also had pipe and pocket watch for those deep in thought moments

 Ellie and I got dressed up and went to the hotel where the Prom was being held to watch everyone arrive. 

prom 9
How did they get so grown up!

We had a lovely time watching all the limos (and two horse drawn carriages) arrive and they all looked so lovely. The scary thing is that I have known quite a few of these kids since they were 2 at toddler group! 

Prom 11
The purple dress was one of mine and Ellie's favourite ones
Prom 12
More pretty girls

Jake’s limo was one of the last to arrive – they all had black windows so you couldn’t see who was inside so of course I took pics of every limo that arrived just in case but his was a very cool one with pink flames on. 

prom 4
The limo with go faster flames
Prom 1
Ellie managed to capture the moment that Jake stepped from the limo
Prom 5
Jake and Sammy ready for action

I hope that they have had a really nice time – I am just here waiting now for them to come back and collect tent and kit and go off for a post prom camp out. 

I know that have said this before but I am very, very proud of my kids. They are successful in what they choose to do but more importantly they are kind, supportive, helpful and really lovely to spend time with. They have had to cope with some really tough stuff in the last couple of years and have been so brilliant about everything. I am very much looking forward to our holiday together where we can spend lots of time just chilling  – hopefully with some very lovely weather. 

Mind you England is supposed to be nice this weekend which will be good as my brother and his partner are coming round for a BBQ – the 6th at home this year – I love BBQs – the smell of the charcoal, the roar of the sausages! 

Anyway thanks for visiting and will be back after Italy!

Terrific Tatton!

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We spent a very lovely (and very hot!) weekend at Tatton Hall in Cheshire this weekend. We love this event – not only is it a beautiful venue , it is near home ( a mere 1 1/2 hours away) and it is always near Jake’s birthday so we have a little celebration. 

tatton - jake's bday
Jake blowing out the candles on his 16th birthday cake!

 

We are still going to events by train at the moment as I don’t have a car and by a cunning combination of rail and some very nice taxi drivers we have managed to get everywhere we want to go. Travelling by train means that we have to minimise what take with us – especially for an event like this where we have to take all our food and drink for the weekend as there are no shops nearby. 

We have got it down to a fine art now – here are the kids with the luggage on the way back on Sun eve. 

Tatton - kids and luggage
This includes the tent all camping gear including cooking stuff and food and all clothes including medieval kit

 

I think even when I do have a car I will try and travel this light as we really do have everything we need here – we even have chairs (very small stools) and a mini camping table which you can see in the pic below ( not for eating but useful for prepping food). 

And it all unpacks as this – here are the kids Fri night at the tent. 

tatton - ellie and jake in tent
Lovely sunny evening in camp

 

I do love camping (may have mentioned this before!)  but this weekend was excellent – great weather (we all came back a little pink!), great company and lots of laughs at the beer tent and round the camp fire. I love being outdoors! 

Here are some pics from the event of us in kit – 

Tatton Bardolphs 1
Here are Lord and Lady Bardolph (Lynn and Paul) and friend Jackie dressed up to go shopping at the event's market on Saturday

 

tatton - bardolphs 2
Lady Bardolph in her heraldic dress on Sunday

 

tatton - knights
Our knights ready for battle on Sunday

 

As I have mentioned in previous posts I have been making a new dress for Ellie and I got it finished in time. It is a new style of dress for me to make with contrasting gores in a paler fabric than the main body of the dress and it has worked very well – she is very pleased with it.

Next time I make one in this style I will make the gored pieces a little longer as they flare out so look shorter than the main body of the dress but that is one of the things that you learn by experience. Anyway she really likes it.

tatton -ellie new dress
Ellie - pretty in pink

 

We acted as water carriers again at the event – here are Ellie and Jake at muster waiting to go on the battlefield. 

ellen n jake @ tatton
Waiting to go into battle

 

And here are some of our friends on the battlefield. 

Tatton - fox etc
Men in armour - what a lovely sight!

 

We have a quiet weekend coming up – we are having a BBQ with my brother and his partner but then are off to Italy next Monday – Venice awaits!

Thanks again for visiting.

A grand day out and a slightly damp BBQ!

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Well it wouldn’t be England without BBQing in the rain would it?  Today I visited my brother Ben to christen his new hand-built BBQ. We had a lovely time (in the rain) but luckily his BBQ is under a shelter (we do live in Yorkshire after all) so rain did not stop play. He plans to extend the outdoor cooking complex with a pizza oven next. 

Bens BBQ2
All his own work - the finished BBQ with plinth for pizza oven in the foreground

 

Bens BBQ1
The BBQ with the salad plot behind it

 

Ben and his partner Amanda are really keen cooks and as well as the veg they grow in their garden they have an allotment so tonight’s menu featured home-grown new potatoes, salad leaves and radishes which was all wonderful. Amanda also makes brilliant jams and chutneys – her rhubarb chutney is superb and is very sought after in the family. 

I travel a lot for work and mainly it is local city visits but I have been to Oldham a couple of times in recent weeks and as the train station there is currently closed for refurbishment I have taken the bus which is the most wonderful journey through Saddleworth and the moors. The scenery is fab so this week I took my camera to capture my journey. 

Yorkshire 2
The view from my bus over Saddleworth

 

Yorkshire 3
All the rhodedendrons (or as we used to call them when the kids were little 'rondedodrums') were in bloom

 

At the moment I live near town which is very convenient and practical but am planning on moving a bit further out towards the moors in the not too distant future. 

This would be an ideal location for me – just look at that little fixer upper (aka derelict cottage over there) – what wonderful views! 

Yorkshire 1
The wonderful moors

 

I have been very busy on the sewing front but nothing finished yet to show you – lots of boring hemming etc but hopefully will finish Ellie’s new dress soon – needs to be ready by Friday anyway. 

Hope that you have had a good weekend – thanks for visiting.