It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas......

Tree's up.....

presents wrapped....

And we have had a little bit of snow up North.......

Winter is most definitely here.....

Christmas is coming...

Forgive my laziness...I love Christmas and just wanted to share these amazing images from Dreams gather here...

Vintage fair

Hello,yes I'm still here though I have been a very poor blogger of late....Sometimes feel I have nothing to say....sometimes feel I have too much to say and am not sure if baring one's soul for the world to read is a good idea....Anyway November is whizzing by and I am feeling somewhat overwhelmed as I have run out of time to get organized for Cheryl's Vintage fair on Friday 5-8 and Saturday 10-3pm It will a while before the next one as Cheryl will be welcoming her baby girl into the world very soon.
Do hope you can make it as the Fair promises to be a really lovely affair and it will be a brilliant way to start your festive shopping....xx

War Weekend 2012

Hard to believe that it is here again....Friday sees the start of another spectacular weekend when an estimated fifty thousand people will descend upon the Pickering area to take part in 1940's activities centred around the Steam railway and yes our Tea room will be open early Saturday morning and will close late on Sunday afternoon.This year there are two parades on foot on Saturday and the vehicle procession is on Sunday.We do hope you can join us for delicious homemade cakes,scones and soup.We're really looking forward to seeing old friends again and meeting new ones.I don't know if Hen and family will be coming this year but Lucey (Lemonade Kitty hopes to come.Many re-enactors have already arrived as they tend to stay for the week rather than just the weekend I have managed to purchase an original 1940s overall/pinny and am now searching for comfy shoes.Come and see us and meet the team Myself,Dawn,Jenny,Charlotte,Jan,Sally and Cheryl-Anne who will be sitting down quite a lot as she is having a baby on Christmas Eve but loves the weekend and really can't bear to miss it....and my sister Julia may be around if she's not too jet lagged having flown in from USA the night before....my Victoria Sponges have a lot to measure up to...I will take lots of photos and do a long post next week...
Anne x

Jenny and Charlotte last year

Sadly we won't be seeing Eric (Jenny's lovely Dad who died in September) He always loved the weekend and will be sorely missed by us all.
RIP Eric

Your table is waiting

Hoops

I'm loving hoops at the moment.They are very cheap if you can find them in charity shops.

I have to say a huge thank you to my amazing sister who has persuaded the little photo icon to come back from holiday and hopefully restore normal service so I can blog in glorious technicolour.Thanks Jules You're the best X

August gone in a flash.... Hello September

Hello dear bloggy friends.I am in anguish as I cannot post photos at all- the little picture that allows you to upload images has packed its bags and gone on holiday so I have all this free time to blog and cannot and let face it, people prefer pictures to people banging on about stuff.I am in despair and believe it is something to do with my computer as I the little icon is present on other computers.I am using my Mums at the moment but I have no pictures handy.So just wanted to say hello and say I am still here just not in pictures.

Blimey,where did July go? I can't believe that it is now August and the summer is still a no show.What have I been doing over the last few weeks?I went to Harrogate gift fair and ordered lots of lovley things for the shop at Christmas and can you believe,Easter.I have also sourced lots of different things from various parts of the world which will be in my online shop as soon as my website has been modified.I am still in the early stages of revamping the shop butI have some good ideas,but as my sister would remind me ,usually by poking or slapping my arm that ideas are no good if they are stuck in your head,get on and do it!!! Over the next few posts I will show you some of my projects,First though Cheryl's Vintage fair.A very hardworking bunch of folk helped to set up the fair and if you missed it here is a taste of what you could have bought.... Having a problem with loading photos.My dashboard with the icon has disappeared.I hate new blogger.I really much preferred the old one!!! Will try again later when I don't feel like hurling my laptop from the highest window.x

Calling all men...... read and digest.....

Can this be true ? I have to say it probably is and it did make me laugh.

Crochet Workshop

For beginners........

                                                           Sunday 15th July 1.30-4.30pm
Learn a new skill....now that we are in the depths of summer and the sun is a no show (and is probably holidaying in Tenerife as we speak) come and learn to crochet Start that cosy winter throw now.Experience a warm friendly welcome with expert tuition and a lovely vintage style tea.
                                                                           £20 all inc.

There are still a few places left if anyone in the area is interested.

Anne x

Vintage summer fair.......save the date...

Calling all  lovers of  vintagey goodness and lovely handmade items.

Come and enjoy a warm welcome at the Quaker meeting house in Pickering and enjoy tea,cake and savoury bites in the  lovely pop up vintage tea room.

                                                                  Saturday 28th July

10pm-3pm

://cheryl-anntaylor.blogspot.co.uk/

Can't wait

Anne x

Kazzy's giveaway...

Pop over to Countryrabbit and put your name down for Kazzy's giveaway.A little bit of sunshine after the rain.

Anne x

Rain...rain...rain...

I hope some of you have enjoyed a little drop of sunshine today or even a big bucketful of sunshine.....N.Yorks is drenched.... we are sitting under a big fat rain cloud which refuses to shift .I  found this photo and think it sums it up beautifully.Why though does it always rain on Sundays? I have been to two car boots this year so far.One was so cold I had to wear all my winter clothes and the second was gloriously hot and such a lovely morning,chatting,mooching,haggling and sipping hot tea......It feels as though we're being punished.However, and that everything dries out quickly...though I have my doubts as Wimbledon is upon us.... I'm feeling so sorry for all those poor people who have been flooded.That must be terrible..so I guess that puts it into perspective so fingers cross the summer arrives soon and stays for a while.Have a good week.
                                                                            Anne x

Cake...

I like cake, in fact I like cake a lot, because I really like tea and tea and cake go together almost as well as cappucino and cake and I also love cappucino.However since I have been going to fat club for the last two months I have to avoid cake as much as possible and cappucinos which I find really hard so I have to drink a lot of herbal tea and I'm pleased to say that cake and peppermint tea are not good companions......
When I do crave cake well it has to be hands down,carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and if possible chopped nuts.....

Second on the list has to be to die for,lemon drizzle cake.It must have a really thorough infusion of lemon juice and a crunchy,sugary topping......

Most people I know love chocolate cake.I like the idea of it but never really enjoy it as much as I think I am going to.......I am very fussy....I find too many chocolate cakes can be heavy too dry and they tend to look better than they taste....

A well made coffee cake can also make my heart sing if its light and fluffy......

What's your favourite?

Look at these beauts I found on flickr.....hand painted cakes, total works of art.......

They are just amazing.....

I am seriously considering getting married again if I can have a wedding cake like this one...I would never eat it just look at it forever.....

Imagine a world without cake..........not possible.

Anne x

Shop photos

Having just visited Niki @ http://nostalgiaatthestonehouse.blogspot.co.uk/ and  being very inspired and amazed by photos her lovely shop I thought I would post some recent photos of my shop, before it has a well needed makeover.This will of course give me a good excuse to take up residence in the local auction room and buy some more furniture.This is going to be a terrible hardship as I  really hate buying' junk and old lady furniture' as my son Harry refers to my past purchases.I'm not going to make any huge changes but it just needs a bit of a facelift and a bit of imagination.I love the patchwork table cover/bedspread which was an ebay bargain a long time ago.....

Lots of pretty pastels

I;m going to paint my kitchen cupboard a pretty cornflower blue

The childrens corner is a bit lightweight and I am trying to decide what to buy or make next....

I made this bunting out of an old ladybird book called Five little kittens.I am going to make some to sell.

I've made the photos larger but I'm afraid the quality is not brilliant.I really don't care much for this camera.It's not as good as my last one.I am going to have to invest in a better one.....plus the light has not been very good of late, in fact the sun has gone on a sabbatical and is currently having a gap year the other side of the Gulf stream!

Anyway,I hope you enjoyed having a look.If you are in Pickering do pop in.There is a map on my shop website but it's right in the heart of Pickering.Talking of websites mine has ben very badly neglected but now I have the time to put my energy into it -I am going to get Gary & Cheryl @www.design-farmstudio.co.uk   to give my website a facelift too. Lots of new beginnings in the pipeline,I wonder should I get a face lift too lol!!!

Anne x

A Little bit of retail therapy....

I have been very lazy with my camera just lately,so here are a few pictures of my car boot/auction finds.Car booting has been virtually non existent this year.In fact I have only been to two.The auction is usually full of rubbish and the charity shops are getting very expensive.However, in the interest of thrift I have been very discerning and have only invested in things I can't live without or that require very little money to be extracted from my purse......The quality of the photos is not great as the light was very gloomy due to the rain pouring outside...but I think you'll agree these are vital to sustain life as we know it!!

This little stool is so lovely but I may just paint the frame a lighter shade- can't decide yet....

         A bargain cup and saucer which is actually a deeper shade of blue than it appears....

A rather pretty trio which are a very unusual and very dainty....

This is my favourite...a beautiful needlepoint rose picture.I think the frame is a bit shiny but it is just so vibrant, I almost fainted when I saw it (I'm so dramatic!)

Some scarabble tiles which I thought would be useful to stick on something as I'm revamping the shop.

A little glimpse of my newly arranged dresser...It's all pastels for summer which make the room very serene and I will introduce the reds back in the winter....how sad am I ?
However,it's the little things that give us pleasure and serve as adistraction to the bigger more scary things.
                                                     Talk soon.Have a good one
                                                                     Anne x

Bad endings and new beginnings

I have indeed been quiet for some time(Thank you Dotty Red for your concern) and  have not felt able to post any words which would come across as anything but very self pitying and full of rancour.I have been through a fairly hideous time over the past few months,uncertainty,severe stress,disappointment,anger,unashamed bitterness and betrayal and fully in the picture as to who I can count on as friends.

However,what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and thankfully my situation is not life threatening and nothing that isn't being experienced by thousands of people all around the world.I find myself middle-aged, unemployed ,no longer a teacher,  a stone lighter and now very confused by the new blogger set up which I am finding very unfriendly.

So pity party over I have sought solace in words borrowed from Pinterest (thank you Cocoa Rose)and take comfort that there are so many lovely bloggers who do care and who are always so sweetly supportive and kind.Thank you for being there and tolerating my hugely self- centred mini meltdown.I am over it now and very scared but looking forward to new opportunities which will be of my own making.

                                                          Don't you just love words?



I will make a start by being a much better blogger and try to post more regularly.

Anne x