Tuesday 29 May 2012

Weekend in Durham....

I had such a lovely weekend in Durham. Geordie wanted to go and look at a 1950's Ford Pop he wants to buy/restore so we decided to go for the weekend as it's a county we know and love very much.
He liked the car....

......we then drove to Barnard Castle and saw David Harper's Antique shop (the guy on Antique Road Trip and every other antique programme on T.V). Geordie wanted to have his photo taken with him but I get really really embarassed in situations like that so a photo of his shop had to do.


Another interesting shop......


Anyway we then went to Bowes Museum and had a walk around the grounds. It is a beautiful place and there were lots of hidden treasures amongst the trees....



We also found this, which we thought was fascinating as we've visited Bowes loads of times and never seen this before in the grounds.....


Another place we visited on our weekend was Egglestone Abbey....


This is looking up into the old spiral stairwell.....you can still see a few stone stairs remaining.
It's really wierd because it's not like any other ruins I've been too because it's just on it's own up a lane in a field next to a load of cows.....
Being a city girl, it's not often you'll see a picture of a cow on this blog!!

When I got home I decided to make my Sara Smith cleaning cloths bunting for my garden-nothing to do with the jubilee mind-I just like bunting. I paid £1.00 for 2 packs of these cloths and cut each cloth into 10 triangles and then hand stitched them onto some blue braid. The good thing about making bunting out of these cloths is I can leave them outside and they won't come to any harm as they are designed for cleaning and washing.

Outside where they will be left.....


Inside, so you can see the colours and size better. I'm really pleased with how they came out and they were so so simple to make. If I had a sewing machine they would have been made in minutes-no hemming, no pinning, just cut and sew.

I decided to have a go at Lucy's Attic 24 May Rose as well this weekend as someone at work gave me some wool in a colour and style I wouldn't normally buy and I was wondering what to do with it. I quite like how it came out......
I just crocheted the rose, two leaves and stitched a vintage button on the front and a brooch pin on the back-it was done in about half an hour. Me and my Mum are hoping to do a craft stall in the autumn so I might make some of these as brooches, I might stitch some onto hair bobbles or slides.....I'm just trying a few things out at the moment and trying to make things I would like to buy if I saw them on a stall. I'd like this pinned on a vintage tweed bag or on my furry jacket......we'll see anyway.

Hope everyone else had a lovely sun-filled, colourful, productive weekend!
xx

10 comments:

  1. I love bunting,I love England's historical buildings and I love that car!!!
    Is David Harper the one who looks like Rod Stewart?! X

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    1. Ha ha, David Harper is totally bald so def not a Rod Stewart lookalike.....I am a bit bunting obsessed at the moment-if it doesn't move, string some bunting on it!! xx

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  2. Such great photos, and looks like you had fun!! Love your bunting and pretty blanket!! Have a wonderful ay! xo Heather

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  3. Ooh what a lovely post. I love your photos of the museum and abbey. I love visiting historical places. Your bunting looks so pretty with your blanket. And I'm sure your rose brooches would sell well on your stall - very pretty! Maggie xx

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    1. Hi Maggie, I thought of you when I posted the cow and calf pictures!(I mean because of the lovely country-side pictures you post) It's not often I get to post something like that. I think I will do some more brooches to start with. xx

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  4. What glorious architecture! I especially love the ruin, I have a soft spot for those.

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    1. I do too Melanie, it feels strange to be looking at a site where people lived all those years ago and walking in their footsteps. It's very atmospheric and special. xx

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  5. Love the photos around Durham. Great bunting. I've been making some of the May roses brooches, including some red, whit and blue Jubilee ones. Love the pattern
    Hope you are enjoying the Jubilee weekend.
    Carol xx

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    1. Thanks Carol. Yes it is a great pattern isn't it? I've tried a few similar ones on other sites and I've just really struggled to follow them. Love the way Lucy makes everything seem so simple. Bet your jubilee ones look gorgeous. xx

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