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Tranquility

Tuesday 27 November 2012

FIELD FLOODS

We are very fortunate in our Village as most of us live at the top of the hill, but here are a few shots of the fields - can you actually spot the River??!





The horse looks a bit sad, don't you think?

Monday 26 November 2012

HAND-CRAFTED HOME FAIR - 8 DECEMBER


My last Hand-Crafted Home Fair of the Year is almost here and showcasing their work will be:

Margot - Soft toys, Jewellery and small Turned Wood pieces
Emma - Felt and Bead Christmas Decorations, Flower Cards, Canvas Art and Felt Accessories
Nicola - Christmas Stockings and Textile Bags
Lesley - Greetings Cards and Soft Toy Friends
Victoria - Vintage Button Jewellery and Hand-Knits
Keith - Turned Wood Bowls, Salt and Peppers, Vases, Bangles and more
Sandra - Gemstone Jewellery including Tiaras and Hair Ornaments
Alison - Cards and Personalised Gifts
Dace - Jewellery
and
Me - Hand-Knits for the Home, Family, Friends and You

In 2013, I will be holding my Fairs on a Regular Saturday each month with the backing of  the Stanwick Lakes Team and Dates will be found on the Stanwick Lakes website and in their Brochures etc., here on my blog, on facebook, via the local media and through www.stallfinder.com

I will post dates when I have agreed them with Stanwick Lakes.

Do come and see us and PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL PRODUCERS

THANK YOU FOR READING and do PLEASE COMMENT and SIGN UP TO FOLLOW to keep up with my news.

Ruth


Sunday 25 November 2012

WINTER VILLAGE


Yesterday, the weather was wet, dismal and dark, and the river has just about burst its banks, but we made the very best of the day and it was just great!

Ingredients:

1.  Persuade husband to walk through the rain and cold to Open Day at New Farm shop.

2.  Stand in the pouring rain (well and under a gazebo) eating Venison Burgers and chatting to neighbours and friends also lending their support to this new venture in our village.

3.  Browse through the superb cheeses, meats, pies, preserves, ice creams and Christmas floral decorations.

4.  Enjoy the laughter and banter, actually helped by the appalling weather, and buy peppered salami, and horseradish cheddar cheese.

5.  Wend our way home via the pub for a warming whisky and more chat with friends.

6.  Arrive home, light the fire, feast on pea and ham soup and toast followed by the Formula 1 qualifying for husband and knitting my Ocean Throw for me.  (Quite a lot bigger than this now, and may even be finished over the weekend - will post soon!!)

WHAT IS NOT TO LIKE ABOUT AN ENGLISH WINTER  ??!!

Monday 19 November 2012

SATURDAY'S HAND-CRAFTED HOME FAIR

Another Saturday has come and gone, and with it another Hand-Crafted Home Fair and once again, the most popular items on my stall were wrist warmers, head warmers and scarves - I wonder why ??!!!!



Bright Head Warmer - laid flat so that you can see the design - the last of my stash of this super yarn.




Moss Stitch Scarf which incorporated so many colours individually joined in and blended, I lost count!




A friend of mine bought these - I had an idea she wouldn't be able to resist - they are so her!

I have to say we were a little quiet on Saturday, there were a lot of other events on in the area, but people were not just coming to the Fair, Stanwick Lakes itself were not as buzzing as usual - I blame the weather men - they kept telling us that it was going to be dark, cold and wet on Saturday and so it would put you off going for long invigorating walks around the Lakes - and then it was a super day - wet early, but then dry and a fair amount of sun.

However, we all enjoyed ourselves and made some sales and we will be back for my last Fair of the year on Saturday 8th December when Santa will be on site in the Log Cabin.

Do come and see us if you are in the area.

PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL PRODUCERS

Thursday 15 November 2012

EVEN MORE WRISTWARMERS

I have to say that I have been amazed at the popularity of my Wrist-warmers at my Hand-Crafted Home Fairs and all of those below have been sold (£6.99 a pair) except the last two pics which are ready to go on Saturday!




Garter Stitch knitted from side to side in a super random yarn which changes so much, they don't even look like a pair - but my customer seemed to like that!




Hedgerow Berries knit 2 purl 2 rib wrist warmers with the addition of the 'Berries' from my bead stash




'Master' and 'Lecture' garter stitch wrist-warmers again knitted from side to side and so called because they are knitted in 2 Regia yarns combined and those are the colour names from their College range


Bright, fun, party wrist-warmers - garter stitch again - my philosophy - never over complicate something when you can change the basics in so many ways!



Manly tweed wrist-warmers which have been ordered by a lady whose husband has his computer in the shed - and these will keep him warm and cosy - no more numb fingers!  When I asked what colour - she said "Anything, but perhaps not pink"


Knit 1, purl 1 rib and in a combination of 3 colours - scarlet, khaki and yet more of the colour change yarn used above - my Christmas Wrist-warmers!

Thank you for reading.


Monday 12 November 2012

THE HAND-CRAFTED HOME FAIR - SATURDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2012


So, here I am again to tell you about the next HAND-CRAFTED HOME FAIR at Stanwick Lakes this Saturday 17th November.

There will be just one more Fair after this before Christmas, and so do take this opportunity to do some of your Christmas Shopping in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere and knowing that you are SUPPORTING YOUR LOCAL PRODUCERS.


This time we will  have:

Wendy - Sparkly hand knitted necklaces and scarves


Sandra - Gemstone and stirling silver jewellery with tiaras and hair slides


Lesley - Hand-made individual Greetings cards and soft toys.


Lottie - Her own design Children's clothes


Tilly - Patchwork and Quilting wall hangings, bags,and zodiac hearts


Sarah - Cards, table runners, dummy holders and aromatherapy products


Paula - Gemstone jewellery and hand-made cards


Victoria - Vintage button jewellery and hand-knits


Alison - Hand-made cards and personalised gifts


and of course


Me - Winter warmer hand-knits


EVERYONE WELCOME - DO COME AND SEE US


Thursday 8 November 2012

NOVEMBER

Here is the next verse in the Janice James Poem
A YEAR OF VERSES

NOVEMBER

Naked trees, rivers freeze,
Buttered toast, chestnuts roast,
Bonfire Night, wrap up tight,
Trains delay, Poppy Day,
Remember  ........ November.


Why is it that some mornings you feel a whole lot fatter than others?  This morning as I did up my skirt, I'm sure that my tummy was sticking out a lot more than yesterday and so - a walk down the lanes.

We all laugh here as our village sits at the top of a hill and so wherever you go, you always have to climb a hill to get home - and so we should really all be very fit!

A mild, quite dull morning and as I walked down Rectory Lane,  a bright yellow dahlia in bloom in one of the cottage gardens giving a vibrant splash of colour, and then a new house being built as 'infill', and at the moment, I am sorry to say it is looking like a very ugly box - however, we shall see!

A pause to look over the gate across the Glebe Field towards the river where the surrounding fields are quite badly flooded and just three horses grazing silhouetted against the water, and rooks cawing from the trees in the churchyard next door.

Now the climb back up Church Lane to home.  Another house being built as infill on the way.  This one looks a lot more attractive, but will be very hemmed in by other buildings and so I do not think will get much sun - I would hate to live in a dark house - I am even anti heavy curtains at the windows and have never used net or voile curtains in my life!

And so back by the village green and a few people waiting for the weekly bus for a shopping trip to Peterborough, and I am home again where I make a warming bowl of porridge and enjoy that very much before the ironing!

I know there are many ways of making porridge, but my favourite way for one person is

Half a mug of porridge oats brought to the boil in one mug of cold water, stirring continuously, and served with a splash of cold milk and some demerera sugar.  Scrumptious  !!




Monday 5 November 2012

HAND-CRAFTED HOME FAIR REVIEW


My blogging seems to have got away from me a bit recently, and with family coming to stay, babysitting, organising fairs and making for fairs, I only seem to be letting you know about Fairs which are about to happen or reviewing those which have just happened - and so, I will try to do better in future, but here, with no apologies, as my stallholders are such great people producing such wonderful products is my pictorial round-up of the Hand-Crafted Home Fair which was held at Stanwick Lakes on Saturday!




CLARE - Beautiful intricate cross-stitch and cheeky Christmas Decorations



LESLEY - Fantastic greetings cards - you will get nothing like these in the shops - individual, imaginative and very reasonably priced.



MARGOT - Stunning hand-made jewellery together with some soft toys and wooden turned pens and mushrooms etc



MARIA - Scrumptious cup-cakes - and I was sitting next to her all day - just too tempting !!



PAULINE - The most adorable children's clothes - timeless and practical designs, and on the pic - my grand-daughter Eva modelling the dress she received for her birthday.



SANDRA - Quality, beautiful gem-stone and sterling silver jewellery and tiaras



SIIRI - New to my fairs with her individual and inspired jewellery



VICTORIA - Also new to my Fairs with unusual Art Prints, coasters, wooden love birds and fabric hearts. 



WENDY - One of my best friends with her ever changing display of so colourful hand-knitted necklaces and scarves.



ME - My beloved hand-knits of course, and I had a real run on Wrist-warmers on Saturday and so guess what I will be making in the next two weeks !


Thank you so much again to all our visitors and customers and we will be around again on:

Saturday 17 November
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Stanwick Lakes

PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL PRODUCERS