Moving in …. inspirations

Apparently …..

Moving to a new place can be a very traumatic and stressful time …..

OR

on the other hand it can be

a very exciting and exhilarating time filled with new opportunities

new places to discover …..

new people to meet …..

new adventures to take …..

YES!

That’s the option for me!

So why not

come along for a short tour as I find out about places near to me ….

and a little further away from me ……

or within walking distance

a bit like a Tourist Information blog!

So lets begin with  …..

MY NEW SHOPPING place  ..…

part of High Street

the town is a market town, with also a Farmer’s Market at sometime in the month.

It was world famous for a certain product in the wool industry,

sadly no more.

Lots of history to discover with a small museum tucked away in a little courtyard,

I will pop in ….

but unfortunately my Bella wont, as she isn’t allowed. Sad!

MY NEW PLACES TO VISIT – not too far away …

WOODSTOCK

apparently  is often visited for two reasons:

Blenheim Palace, birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, and his grave in nearby Bladon.

However the brochure says, Woodstock has much more to offer…

so I will have to have a trip out and discover just WHAT!

– As soon as my bus pass turns up in the post!

But THIS does look impressive!

“Set in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, Blenheim Palace is considered to be one of the finest baroque houses in the country. It was a gift from Queen Anne and a grateful nation to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, in recognition of his famous victory over the French at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. It is now the home of the 11th Duke of Marlborough and is lived in and cared for by the family for whom it was built. Inside the Palace can be found a superb collection of tapestries, paintings, porcelain and furniture in the magnificent State Rooms.

Sir Winston Churchill was born in the Palace in 1874 and a permanent exhibition about him is located next to his birth room – both are included in the Palace tour. Sir Winston loved Blenheim and, as a member of the family, was a frequent visitor during his long life. He is buried in a simple grave in the nearby church at Bladon. A separate exhibition, ‘Churchills’ Destiny – the story of two great war leaders’, celebrates the achievements of Winston and his great hero and ancestor, John Churchill.”

Seeing as I am reading Churchill’s 6 volumes of the Second World War, I think I MUST

go and see where he was born.  I had assumed that as such a great leader of our country

that he would have been buried in Westminster Abbey ……

So I will have to make a trip to:

BLADON

is a place of pilgrimage.

” It was January 1965 that the greatest Prime Minister in British history came back to the Cotswolds to be buried. Sir Winston Churchill was laid to rest, next to his parents and other members of the Spencer-Churchill families. in the small cemetery at St Martins.”

One thing I do already know about Bladon

is that it has a gorgeous ….

typically Cotswolds ….

Must visit ….

TEA ROOM!

YummY!

CHIPPING NORTON

“Perched on the highest point in Oxfordshire,

Chipping Norton was once a centre for the Cotswold wool trade

and was given a Royal charter by King John in 1205.

The medieval Guildhall and St Mary’s Church reflect the prosperity brought by the wool trade.”

Isn’t this so pretty? and so typically English?

ONLY A WALK AWAY …..

along the banks of the River Windrush

and I arrive at …..

MINSTER LOVELL HALL

“Located in a picturesque position beside the River Windrush in the lovely village of Minster Lovell are the ruins of this 15th century manor house, home of the Lovel family for centuries. The manor of Lovell was once in the hands of the crown, and appears to have been granted to the Lovel family by Henry I prior to 1124. The manor holding passed through a succession of Lovels until John Lovel (d. 1310) was created first Lord Lovel.”

SO …..

lots to see …

places to go …..

people to meet!

I think it is all very  INSPIRING.

I hope you have enjoyed visiting my new area with me!

I wonder if anyone knows where I now live?

See you around!

Inspiration

I am really inspired by this:

luscious lemons by D Sharon Pruitt

by these:

fabulous fabrics by Kaffe Fassett

and these:

helmets by AGV

BUT

B I G  T I M E  by :

Valentino Rossi

to do WHAT??

Perhaps I’ll tell you soon …….!!

Don’t miss the first race of the season MotoGP on 11th April

Inspiration Plus!

For quite a while now I have been happily occupied each day with my

I must say and own up – it may not be EVERY day, but it mostly is …

Sometimes it is MUCH more!

Well, the 20 Minuters idea is the brilliantly great idea of Fiona at

http://marmaladerose.blogspot.com

For serious INSPIRATIONS pop along and take a

L O N G,   L O N G,  LOOK at  Fiona’s zero calorie baking ….

birthday cake

Christmas pudding

and You simply  MUST, MUST,  M  U  S  T see her cupcakes ….

and …… her

WEDDING CAKE!!

How awesome is that!

I am absolutely amazed at her talent and inspiration ….

no wonder so many enjoy being 20 Minuters,

….. go on NOW and have a calorie free FEAST …..

Yummy!

perhaps you might want to become a 20 Minuter yourself

and enjoy the inspiration and generosity we share from FIONA

just visit her blog and click the 20 Minuter button!

20 Minuters

This has been a great crafty group to belong to.  I really have been inspired to “do my bit” most days and enjoy the diversity it has given me. Here is my latest post for my efforts …. a fabric flower!

Looking at it makes me smile.  It reminds me of a silly song popular on the “wireless” when I was growing up ….. “I’m a lonely little Petunia in an onion patch …… and all I do is cry all day”

The great spin off of belonging to a crafty group like Fiona of http://marmaladerose.blogspot.com/ (the Originator of the 20 Minuters) is that you meet up with other inspiring crafting folks ……. Like for example …… Alison at

http://alisonb2.wordpress.com

We have never met, but through this lovely internet group I have found that I have lots in common with Alison and I am really encouraged by her writings (I wish I could write like Alison!)  her exuberance and her creativity.

Take a look and see what I mean!

You won’t be disappointed!

I’m sure you WILL be inspired!

Inspiration

photos by Rae Hokestra

http://madebyrae.blogspot.com/

CELEBRATE THE BOYS

If you are in need of inspirations for ” The Boys”  in your life then skip along to madebyrae blogspot for some really fantastic ideas and tutorials.  Under the heading Celebrate the Boys you can spend ages just dipping in and about of the post for gift ideas, imaginative dressing up clothes, tutorials and lots lots more!

The whole of Rae’s blog is an Inspiration ……… so go on! Put the kettle on, have a cup of tea, put your feet up …… and ENJOY!

Inspiration

The beautiful vintage blue hanger and blue lavender filled vintage heart are SOLD – if you wanted them you are too late!

I bought them as a Birthday present from Helen at Henhouse.

If you want SERIOUS INSPIRATION – then just click here >

http://henhousehomemadeagain.blogspot.com

This is the second gift I have bought from Helen and I highly recommend her original and beautiful crafts.

Not only are they beautifully made but come beautifully gift wrapped – just ready to give away – if you can!

The above link will take you to the Henhouse blog – first enjoy a time just wandering around and being inspired.

Then click on her link to the Henhouse shop …… such lovely things :0)

Hope you visit – you won’t be disappointed!

Inspiration

Sometimes when you are just mooching about in Blogland you just happen to come across a Place that is Just So Inspiring, and you spend half an hour or more going from one page to the next and you don’t even notice how time flies!

Well that was me yesterday.

From “somewhere” I just “happened” across http://comfortstitching.typepad.co.uk/

And time just  W E N T!   It just  F L E W!

Aneela is a very proficient,  prolific and totally INSPIRING Mum who loves to quilt, sew, crochet, craft and is ALWAYS STITCHING!

I LOVE her site, I have happily wandered around the pages again today and I seem to keep finding  something else that makes me say:

“Oh, that is so nice” or

“I must have a go at that” or

“Wow! That is just gorgeous!”

The two tutorials here are just a few of the free tutorials she has so generously included in her blog.  I want to make a start on the little Blocky Munki quilt for my little J.

If you haven’t met up with Aneela yet ……. skip along for some serious INSPIRATION!

Think I’ll go and find my embroidery ring!

Inspirations

Moving to the High Peak district of Derbyshire has been such an inspiration.  New walks in the town or open country with Bella, making new friends ….. and  Blogland opening up to me with masses and masses of creative women sharing their creativity in such expressive and beautiful ways.  These blogs will be an attempt to share some of these wonders ….

The very first friend I made in my new town was Chris Waygood a felt maker and very gifted Textile Designer.  It happened like this ….. I had taken Bella on an investigating trundle on a very hot day, up a very long and steep road, coming down again I was very hot and very much  in need of something  s w e e t ! We arrived at a low white building called the Soft Centre ….. AH! a chocolate shop!  On a closer look I saw beautiful hand crafted items in the window …. someone busy working at a table ….. and on the door a notice giving dates for Felt making courses starting soon.  I had been searching on the internet for courses and here was one right on my new doorstep!  And so started my first friendship.

“As a designer, she has established an international reputation for her distinctive designs which absorb the soft, subtle shades and changing moods of the Peak District.

Originally studying constructed textiles, mainly weaving, her work has always remained diverse. She has travelled extensively, researching techniques, materials and design traditions which are reflected in her work.

She has developed a deep interest in the manipulation of colour and pattern, and in combining techniques, from knitting through to feltmaking and appliqué, to create striking textiles from timeless original garments, to soft furnishings and accessories.

She has worked as a designer in the Scottish Borders and London. Lectured in textile design at Eastbourne, Loughborough, and Goldsmiths  College, and was head of constructed textiles at Liverpool John Moores University before setting up her own workshop in 1990.”

visit for yourself at http://www.christinewaygood.com/