I will share with you my lil secret ...

Firstly ... yay for this week and yay for me winning a competition ~ whoop whoop, hop, skip and jump!

I totally love reading Lobster and Swan blog. It's one of my fav's and I love hankering down with a cuppa and devour every word and beautiful photo published on each post. When a 'giveaway' was announced and that the prize was to have your instagram photos made into magnets by an ace company Stickygram I was soooooo excited. This competition was made for me, it's right up my street. I entered and did that whole thing of chanting "oh please, please, please let me win, I'll be really good forever, I don't win anything, please let me win this"

Someone was listening .... I WON!!!

So here are some of my instagram photos that I am hoping to be made into magnets ...
 

 

I am oh so very happy to not only win a competition but also to win such a lovely prize that is perfect for me. 

 Thank you, thank you, thank you Jeska and Andy xx
 

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I have treated myself to this full price, non charity shop, not even reduced in the sale lovely thing ...

 

 

I don't usually do things with writing on but this brought a smile to my face and a lil flutter in my heart. The words evoke memories of family holidays where at least one of us has a pocket full of shells (usually me) and sandy socks/toes.

It's going to live in Hermie our caravan and lets hope this lil saying comes true for us.

 

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Yep, I've been at it again! Pottering about with stuff in an attempt to make our patio beautiful.  This time I have an old wooden step ladder that I am using for displaying pots and pretty things ...

 

 

What do you think?

I'm really pleased with it :)

 

All of the pots and flowers have been re-shuffled around and this is the other area I am busy beautifying ...

 

My husband has gone all practical on me and has expressed concerns over the fact we are rapidly running out of space on the patio. "Space for what" I asked shocked and wounded. "To walk around" was his reply. Hump ... walking around on patios is sooooo over rated anyways now'a'days!!!

 

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After much persuasion I have decided to dip my toe in the water and have a go at selling my photos. Well, a photo to be more precise. I am terrible at self promotion and 'putting myself out there'.  Blogging can make me really embarrassed at times, especially when a large group of friends start to discuss my posts. Eek! Hands over the ears, deep breath and "la la la la la" time.

So ... to sell a photograph I have taken doesn't sit naturally with me but ... in the interest of taking advice from a friend I am willing to give it a go.

The thing is I'm personally not a big fan of canvases and sometimes photos of landscapes, etc behind glass can look a bit 'flat' (if you get what I mean). My most fav way to present a photo is onto acrylic. It's a modern, clean lined, chunky, different way to show a photograph and once on a wall it can look stunning. This is the route I have decided to take,  however as it is one of the most expensive I have only had one made up.

I've now found myself in that whole pricing maze of wanting to present something at its very best but then not being in a position to sell it at an easily affordable price. Grrrr! Anyways, if it doesn't sell I won't be sad because that means I can keep it all for my very self ;)

 

Here is said photo come picture ...

 

 

So, what do you think??

 

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 When we first bought our property 8 years ago the lovely couple we bought it from asked if we could like to buy the very expensive Laura Ashley curtains they had adorning the windows?

 "Cor, yes please. How much are you asking for them"?

 "£1000.00" was their reply.

Flipping heck!!!!

"erm, no thank you" was our reply.

 

Que moving day and the lovely couple left them for us anyways ~ for free ~ as they didn't fit their new home.

 

I love our curtains and I appreciate their quality and craftsmanship. However, what I don't love is the very frilly frill going along the top. It's just not me.

 

 

After 8 years I have finally got around to doing something about it ~ yay, go me!

They have been unpicked, washed and re-sewn to resemble something much more contemporary (well as contemporary as a pelmet can be).

 

 

Ta dah ....

 

 

A lovely friend and neighbour, who is a sewing goddess, has bought our living room out of the 80's and into less frilly, more understated times. Ah, much easier on the eye :) 

 

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I have somewhere lush to share with you.

Somewhere so lovely that once you visit you'll want to return again and again.

It's a gorgeous tea room located along the river Evenlode.

 

 

It's situated right along the waters edge and has the most perfect setting for children to roam and play while adults nom on cake, drink tea and take in the most amazing scenery and calming atmosphere.

 

 

I can recommend a slice of the most delish homemade cake ...

 

But, if cakes not your thing (really? Loon!) you can also have lunch there as well ...

 

 

Where is this most beautiful place I hear you cry?

 

OK, OK ... I will share with you my lil secret.

...

 

You can find this perfect lil eatery at Combe Mill which is just outside of Long Hanborough.

 

It's current opening times are Tuesday and Friday lunchtimes from 12.00 ~ 2.00pm with a view to opening more days and weekends after September.

 

I can't recommend it enough and they also have the most lovely photograph mounted on acrylic of frosted barbed wire to buy!! ;)

 

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Well, until next Sunday ... Bye folks xx