Friday 13 July 2012

A few Jaunts

                                           Journal pages I'm currently working on

Wow! It's a whole NINE DAYS since I last blogged! (I feel a confession coming on!) In my defence it has been a rather hectic and full-on nine days, but even so! Right, a quick whizz through some of the things that have been happenin' here-abouts.

The day Kit and Krissie took Beccie to Manchester Airport on her way to Florida for a week it poured down, so Jim and I took the boys to Farmer Fred's, an indoor adventure playground up at Heahcam Lavender. It is HUGE!

                                                     And this slide is very fast!

 It's a lot higher than appears on this photo as well, we didn't think Fraser would venture up to the top but heheh, how silly were we!






 A very popular stopping off place for youngsters, so it was good for us that it was mid-week in term time. We had comfy seats, close enough to keep an eye on them, and Jim made frequent check-ups. We had a pleasant snack lunch and the boys barely stopped to re-fuel! We were there for four hours - I took the quilt to be getting on with, and Jim had the cross-word and a book.

Jim and I headed to Suffolk to Number 1 Son Mike and we celebrated Vickie's birthday in style at a lovely country pub in Laxton. Food quite basic but beautifully cooked, the sun shone, and the gardens were lovely.


The following week we all headed up to Northumberland to stay with Jim's mum and his sister Pam who put us all up for a couple of nights with a bit of a squeeze! We had good-ish weather for our trip to Housteads, the Roman Fort, and both boys had the time of their lives.
                                          I think there's a 6' sheer drop on t'other side!



We also managed to fit in a visit to the Hancocks which is a natural history museum in Newcastle.




Sorry the lighting was awful and my photography skills not up to dealing with it! Dylan was fascinated with everything he saw, and Jim took him into the Planetarium, which he adored, another of his Big Interests!
 The following day they left for Scotland and Jim and I drove home to a very quiet house! We spent a couple of days recharging our batteries and catching up on emails, washing and a bit of tidying. As you can see, the garden is running away with itself.

                                                            Blowsy, frowsy lushness!

                                                             Veggies doing nicely.

Yesterday I drove across to Wymondham to pick up friend Sue K, and we went ot see Cathy from Potter Jotter to collect the items I had commissioned. It transpired that Sue and Cathy knew each other slightly from way back, as they had both sat waiting whilst their young daughters took their ballet classes! Small world! You can imagine we had a good long chat...and not all about quilts or pottery. I was hugely delighted with the pieces Cathy had made for me. Now, I can only show you one of these as the others are a surprise for....well, I'll blog about that another day. But look at my beautiful stem vase..isn't it lovely? EXACTLY as I had wanted it to look.



I love the glazes Cathy uses, and my pot was created just the way I hoped it would turn out. I can't wait to show you the other items she made for me, but you'll have to wait for the next post. Well, here's hoping we all get some more good weather, think of my poor half-drowned Kiwis! See you next time!

26 comments:

  1. Ooh that vase is just beautiful Lynne!
    Victoria xx

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    1. Wait til you see the rest, Victoria, Cathy is a very talented lady!

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  2. Beautiful jottings in your workbook! Those indoor play areas are a Godsend whatever the weather but especially when it rains. The children look so happy! Lovely photos and I too love your vase!
    June

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    1. Hi June, thanks for popping in and leaving a comment! Oh yes, we shall be returning to Farmer Fred's before they all go home again, I'm sure.

      I'm so chuffed with my vase, just the right size for a handful of blooms, and LOVE the colours!

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  3. You have been a busy bee! My kids love these indoor places, I find them too noisy! The vase looks great, it has a real watery quality about it. Looks like its been full on fun with the family, glad you have had such a good time! Thanks for your comment on my blog, you will obviously understand the emotions! Wish they would find a cure. Have a lovely weekend! Ada :)

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  4. Hi Ada, yep, bit full on at the moment, though I have to say the one we went to wasn't bad at all for noise levels, the seating area was a bit away from the action!

    I ope we all get some decent weekend weather....t'would be nice, wouldn't it?

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  5. hiya Lynne!
    lovely photos and I loved that place.

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  6. I have somehow missed your last post, so did not see these staggeringly wonderful journal pages before you came over the other day - they are stunning and the colours and designs just amazing! Are these the 'designs' we were talking of? Fond memories of our lot on Hadrians Wall have come flooding back - we just love Northumberland - have had LOADS of hols up there. xCathy

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    1. Hi Cathy, yep, I thought I might be able to do something with them....though I think the number of colours might make it a tad expensive. I am quite addicted to doing these journal pages...but hey they are just doodles!

      Ah, Northumberland, we lived there for 2 years when Jim was still in the Navy at Rossyth. Had there been a few more large hospitals to choose from we would have settled there, but we didn't want to live in either Newcastle or Ashington so we looked further afield and the rest is history! My fantasy place to live would be Rothbury or one of those Cheviot villages. Lx.

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  7. Sounds like you have been having lots of fun. Gorgeous vase xxx

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    1. Tired but happy would cover it, Shirley!

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  8. Lovely Family pictures, Lynne! Love your garden views as well, glad you had sunshine too :o)
    Cute vase you' ve got there! Well done to Cathy. Saw your gorgeous pillow! So sweet!
    Love
    Natasha

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  9. Hi NAtasha, thanks for your comments. Sunshine unfortunately is little and seldom, so you have to be quick with the camera!

    Hoping to blog about the rest of my ceramic order soon. Hope you have yours by now, Natasha!

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  10. On your vase is lovely! Clever Cathy. And I'm rather smitten by those journal pages too :D

    Farmer Fred's looks like a fabulous place to play!

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  11. Wow you have been busy! I must say I'm quite glad the children are growing out of the play barn adventures. Your garden looks very productive, and I can't wait to see your other commissioned pieces.

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    1. Hi Felicity, nice to hear from you again. Did you ever manage to find a copy of the Edrica Huws book?

      Posting soon about the rest of the ceramic pieces and their reception.

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  12. Hi Annie, have just photographed the rest of my order from Cathy for my next post - had to wait til the recipients had seen them and oohed and ahhed about them!

    Jim has had an afternoon at Farmer Fred's with the boys again, it wears them out beautifully! Seems a strange place to spend your holiday, but it is out of the ordinary weather. Only another week with them all- we will miss them dreadfully when they go home.

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  13. Lynne.... just had a look back through some of your posts since we only just 'met'... love your work even more now. And love the look of your home with its books all around. I am trying to find a way of getting some in the sitting room without it looking too cluttered, the majority are in the reading room, a quiet room at the front of the house which doubles up as a dining room if it is too hot in the conservatory in summer, or conversely too cold in winter. There are eight tall bookcases in there, lining three of the four walls (the other has the original fireplace), and in my room are four bookcases too, plus a shelved alcove. I think we had about 2600 at the last count. (After a flood many years ago when an upstairs radiator leaked down into the hall onto bookcases, we decided to keep a list/catalogue of the books, that's how I know how many we have, just in case you thought I spent my time counting books!) Can I also ask, whilst here, what those gorgeous pens were in a little basket on a previous post? Can you recommend good felt tips?

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  14. Oh Hi, Maggie, thanks for that - getting books into every room in the house without them becoming cluttered.....ha! That's a good one!

    Need to have a check to see which pens you're talking about, but I have a fair collection which I purchased from the art shop in Gaywood (Kings Lynn) by the smaller Tescos in Gaywood/the library etc. You've given me a good idea for my next post, as well as the other bits and pieces I was going to talk about; journaling supplies! Right!

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  15. Hi Lynne, we're trying to contact you about the next Castle Quilters' meeting but have lost your contact details, can you get in touch please? Thanks, Liz

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  16. Hello Liz - where did you pop up from?? Will be in touch when I have my life (and home!) back!

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  17. Lynne! Hello...why has it taken me so long to make my way here? Don't answer that.

    I've been reading back through your blog and am blown away by your talent..you make the most wonderful things. Love that angel you did for the church...and your journals! Fabulous - very inspiring too, I have wanted to do my own arty journal for ages and maybe this will prompt to make a start. Another thing on the To Do list. :)

    Love Potter Jotter - have long admired Cathy's work and one day maybe I can treat myself to something.

    Anyway I have followed you and will do the RSS subscribe thing too so I can keep up with your posts.

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  18. Blimey Wendy, don't hold back! WHat a lovely comment, thank you so much. I just dabble, really, but overall I think it's colour and textures which excite me whether in textiles, paper, inks, paints, yarns, threads. So I fiddle about hopping from one medium to another...and, I guess, mastering none of them. Hence feeling a bit of a fraud when complimented.

    However, I'm enjoying what I do just for the sake of doing it these days, and why not! Perhaps I'll expand the 'remit' of this blog to include more journalling. Well, life would be boring if we stuck to the script all the time, wouldn't it?

    Oh, re Cathy's ceramics - do yourself a favour and check out her website, she has some lovely stuff AND is a great interpreter of your own ideas.
    Thanks for following...I'll be reciprocating! Lx.

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  19. Lovely post and I'm so pleased I found your blog via Annie's...(Liverpool Lou). Love your journalling and also enjoyed seeing your jaunts. I could have done with your advice when we had a wet week's holiday up your way earlier in the year.
    I must add that I've met Annie and she's lovely and I too am a Scouser but I'm still here!!
    JoZarty x

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