Getting my fabric & yarn fix!

It's been lovely and sunny over here, for a change! This morning we all popped in to Frome to do a spot of shopping.

Alan & Miss P walked around the market and the toy shop whilst I headed straight for Catherine's Hill where all my favourite shops are. First I went in to Millie Moon where I bought a selection of fabrics.

I've been having withdrawal symptoms.... I haven't bought any fabric in ages! So this weekend I did something about it. Last night I went online bought some beautiful 1940's & 50's fabrics from Donna and today pretty fat quarters from Millie Moon. I feel much better now!




There is something very pleasing about having a stack of neatly folded fabrics



After Millie Moon, I went to Marmalade Yarns just a few doors away. I haven't been there for weeks and couldn't wait to have a look and a feel of all the new colours and yarns.
I wasn't disappointed, I forgot all about feeling tired and achy from the decorating and played around with the different yarns & colours until I had made my selection.
Maxine and I had a natter and both enthused about the different yarns stacked up on the shelves ...

I left the shop with my bag of yarns and a renewed determination not to let the decorating get in the way of doing some crochet!





I haven't done any crochet in 7 weeks! ;-(( I am already a bit rusty and must somehow find the time to get stuck in to it again. I went on crochet course in June/July so am a beginner in need of plenty of practice. I do love it but decorating the house as well as working (I am self employed, working from home), means that at the moment I don't feel like doing very much at all of an evening!

We are trying to get the whole of downstairs & my work room (upstairs) completely redecorated before Christmas, so are working at it pretty much full time. So many other things are having to be put on hold as result, including not going out as often as usual...
Although we still have the whole of upstairs and the back garden to do from scratch, we will have a little break over Christmas and New Year to re-charge a bit ready for the next onslaught.




I bought a couple of magazine. Debbie Bliss even though I can't knit (yet) I spotted a few patterns that I like so bought it for when I eventually learn how to knit. I also bought Romantic Country magazine which I have not been able to find locally up until today.


Just as I was heading back to the car, I spotted these boxes in the WHSmith's window, perfect for my workroom.

This weekend there has been a lot wildlife activity close to our house. Yesterday evening, a fox was only yards away sniffing a trail of some sort, he was so engrossed in sniffing the ground that he didn't spot us. He got closer and closer, he was magnificent with his big bushy tail. I wished I'd had my camera with me.

This afternoon Alan was doing some gardening when a squirrel leaped from our fence on the house, ran up on to the roof and then for some reason dived down on to our garden table. Alan watched in amazement, it all happened so fast. The landing didn't look too good though, Alan was concerned that he may have been injured as the squirrel looked stunned and walked slowly to hide behind a troth full of plants. He ended up getting wedged between the wall and the hurdle fence. Poor thing looked petrified, eventually Alan pulled the fence away from the wall and the squirrel ran back home as fast as he could.


This evening Alan spotted these deer in the field next to the house. We are fortunate to have a lot of wildlife around us.

Tonight's sunset

I hope that you are having a good weekend what ever you are up to.

A bientôt!

Isabelle x

Wildlife Weekend

Hello, I hope that you have all had a good Easter weekend!

On Good Friday we took Phoebe to Secret World in East Hunspill, Highbridge, Somerset. It is a rescue centre for wild animals. It is not open to the public on a daily basis, only on special open weekends such as this one. This weekend was a Bonanza badger weekend.

We saw baby badgers, a baby fox, lamas, peacocks, rabbits, chickens, hedgehogs, owls and other birds of prey. The aim is to bring them back to good health and release them back to the wild. Although some may never be returned to the wild and are cared for by the staff at Secret World. They also made everyone aware of the main dangers for these wild animals, Man sadly. Their website goes in to more detail.

Baby fox

Baby badger (There were a lot of arrrhhh sounds from the crowd when the baby fox and baby badger appeared for a short spell)

There were a lot of peacocks there too.

It is a great place for children to see some of the wild animals close up and to get a better understanding of them. They also have an adoption scheme in place which is a great gift for children and helps look after some of the animals in need.

On Sunday we visited another animal Sanctuary called Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard, Somerset. It is very close to the Devon & Dorset border. The grounds are lovely and spacious, very green with rolling hills around. The weather was perfect, beautiful blue sky.

Here they take in different kinds of animals.

We saw several of cats, tortoises, donkeys, horses, pigs, dogs, the largest breed of cows in Britain (Friesian Steer) , goats, chickens, chipmunks, geese and other animals

Phoebe and Alan looking at one of the Friesian Steer cows

Phoebe looks tiny next to the picture representing the scale & size of a Fresian Steer.

Being a cat lover, I really wanted to bring these 3 little cuties back home with us! But sadly couldn't :-( as we already have two at home...

Phoebe & I in search of more cats.

This friendly elderly cat enjoyed a bit of fuss and attention.


We ended our day with a drive down to Charmouth beach (Dorset). We were there for a couple of hours looking for crabs in rock pools and fossils.

Plenty of fresh air and exercise to walk off those chocolate Easter eggs...

A bientôt!

Isabelle x