Christmas stuff.....

I showed this applique already but now I have put the blocks on around the edges.  This is the first block of Holly Christmas by Michelle Ridgway that a bunch of us are doing in a Stitch-a-long.....  I love the mixture of applique, embroidery and piecing...... 

In Norfolk we stayed with the Out-Laws (no luck with Robin Hood) but these out-laws hosted us amazingly and we went all over the place.....

A real holly bush just outside their home.....

One place we visited was Thursford, where a stupendous show is held over the month of November.... people from all over the world go ....

For 6 months the lovely big hall holds The Thursford Collection -  amazing old carousels, steam engines and organs...

Spectacular equipment ....

A lot of the big Christmas lights were covered up but you can see how pretty the room is... this is some of the steam engines which used to run the organs in showgrounds.....

Carousels and organs have been beautifully restored, some are still in original paintwork

A lovely man went around with us and got them playing - that old paper music and showground sounds..... 

just amazing pieces that you just don't see in our shows anymore....

We also had a short show of a very accomplished organ player.... goodness he has to move his hands and feet..... 

I took video but for some reason I can't access it onto my computer.... but there are bits to see on their website....

A fabulous visit..... now I want to go there at Christmas for the show..... hmmmmmm

Back to home.... I completed July's block for the Stitch-a-long so I could do the piecing together.... This month is the Pudding as you can see....

Righto, Gotto Go ....... the weather has cooled a bit and the fire is inviting me......

Some more exploring....

Much to the horror of some, I am not a lover of shopping... and especially on holiday.  But I did get a couple of momentos at places we visited...

This is my latest coffee mug from Chatsworth House - it's called Tea and Biscuits and it holds a good size cuppa..... it's very pretty - my picture doesn't show the colours so clearly as they are.....

On our way out of the Peak Disrict we stopped off at Bakewell (which is where they think Jane Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice, possible Chatsworth House being the inspiration)

I remember my Mum making a Bakewell tart.... so I could not resist a stop off here....

Bakewell Pudding - a bit different from the tarts mum made..... 

Heaven in a pie.... just so delicious (if you like almond flavour which I do) - it was "oh my goodness" kind of delicious.

I enjoy driving around the countryside... castles and church spires so often in view....

Next stop was .......

Sherwood Forest .....

Having had a disappointment with Mr Darcy not showing up I went in search of Robin Hood.....

 Sadly over the years a lot of the trees were chopped and used but there is lots of plantings growing to get it more foresty..... it was a bit disappointing for a well known Forest... and what made it worse is there were no men in green tights!

A brisk 15 minute walk got us to the big old tree - estimated to be 1000 years old.... I'm sure Robin, John, William etc would have had picnics under it.....

There are big poles holding up those big branches now and the area is fenced - there is a big hole in the base of the tree which would easily hold a person - its a lovely big old oak tree...

Here I am in Peterborough waiting for a train to take us to Norfolk...  diligently working on my ripple blanket....

Hubz family live that way ...... a little bit of night time magic was this little snuffle, sniffle hedgehog.... shy little creatures but a couple like to come and take a bit of bird food....

Adorable much......

I'm not ignoring the ripple blanket and try and do at least one row a day.... but I did miss my stitching....

... so I have done another Dutch Treat Block.....

... and I did miss my Tuesday girls sewing of houses for June.... so I have caught up my Yellow beach houses (with some donations from Lyn and Christine - thank you)

and I did miss my quilting so I had a play on a project I am working on.....

and I did miss my Gardeners Journal which I am sewing at Friday night sewing with the girls so I went last night

Righto, Gotto Go.....  I think I want to watch my favourite version of Robin Hood again.....

Chatsworth House....

Whilst we were staying at our little cottage in the paddock in the Peak District we went for a day trip to Chatsworth House.... a very fine stately house....

Chatsworth is privately owned (clearly by a family rather well to do!) and they have kept rooms beautifully as they would have been many years ago, as well as documented history.

This house by the way was used for Pemberly in Pride and Prejudice....

It's really rather incredible.... this is just part of the painted ceilings.... 

A lot of the 30 rooms that are open to the public also hold museum type pieces of clothing, statues, porcelain etc....

... and other items handed down through various family members....

of course even the floors were fascinating to me.... this was under the staircase....

Bedrooms beautifully made up.....

A lot of the rooms are kept quite dark, to preserve the paintings and fabrics - no flashes so the pictures are not clear at all.

huge expanse of garden ..... with life size statues..... (I folded myself up under a slither of open curtain to take this picture of the view from one of the rooms)

look at these ceilings....  

After several hours in the house... my few pictures just doesn't do it justice...... we went to the gardens..

Lovely to see these geraldton waxes doing so well in the greenhouse area...

Got a better picture from a distance..... 

all those white marquees were for a HUGE flower show on.... we had to park with 20 000 other visitors (can you imagine finding a hire car amongst that!!!) but the house and gardens were pretty quiet because of it....

Here I am in the garden..... waiting for Mr Darcy....

The gardens were huge and beautifully designed....  I didn't take many pictures - I think my mouth was open the whole time amazed....

After this we went to the 'restaurant' and had a very disappointing meal .... 

I do recommend if you are in the Peak District it's worth a visit - even if to get an idea of how people lived - and do still live I guess in some of these amazing homes.... it wasn't cheap but we spent the whole day there and there was still more to see.

Righto, Gotta Go........ dreams to dream......

Flashback.....

I did this stitching before my holiday.... but everything got in a muddle before I left....

seed packets

Smell the Roses

These are for Gardeners Journal... I'm looking forward to getting back to these sweet stitcheries...

After we had recovered at the farm with a family reunion, barn dance and country walks Hubz and I travelled up alone northwards for a couple of nights ....

A stop in Sheffield at the Winter Gardens.... it was fun to recognise a couple of Ausi plants flourishing in the warm climate created by a huge class conservatory....

bottlebrush

Norfolk Pine

 The main reason for this pop in was to meet up with Jane from Loopy's Place.  Jane and I have been blog friends for as long as I can remember but we have never met.  It was so fun to see her and have a couple of hours catch up.  Jane has grown her blog and business over the years we have been friends - and is always supportive and generous with her time.....  especially helping people develop skills and find a love in crafting....

Thank you Jane for my lovely fobs - perfect gift for me and they are already adorning my rotary cutters...... now everyone knows who they belong to!

 After our meet up Hubz and I walked around a bit... this is their town hall!!!  Beautiful...

In the quadrangle there was a number of groupings of these huge silver balls - it was a lovely day as you can see so the reflections showed up so effectively through the water.... very clever....

We then drove up to the Peak District to spend a couple of days ....... look at the view at the airbnb my son found us to stay..... tough gig?????

It was called Paddock Cottage and these were some of the residents of the paddock..... gotta love a black sheep!

Of course by then we needed to eat so off we went and found a little village with a pub...

It was pie night - and I have to say this was the best pie I have ever had - home made and such wonderful pastry - and served with lovely crispy soft in the middle chips!

Following that feast we had a lovely walk ...... (daylight until 10pm) .  Isn't this view just lovely - (that hill was actually quite steep so I hope you appreciate the walk I had to capture this picture!!)  It's the little villages I just love in the UK - those stone walls are ancient and I want to know their stories!

Righto, Gotta Go.... off to catch up with the Tuesday girls and sew little beach houses - yayayayaya......