SUCCESS AT THE FAIR!

PLEASE GO TO Suzy Gaby and Maud to find out how I got on at the fair and for more photos...

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

I am back from my break!

HELLO EVERYONE!

It's good to be back! :-)

I'd like to welcome all my new followers and thank those of you who sent me kind comments and emails asking after me. I am sorry if I have not replied to every one but I rarely went on my blog or checked emails during that time.

Whilst I have been away from blogging, I have been a very busy bee attending to all sorts of things. The break was much needed and very useful. There is one thing that didn't turn out quite as planned though and that is my website...I worked with a DIY website but in the end decided that it didn't give the the look or high quality results that I am looking for. So...I am having a professional build one for me, that way I can have the site doing exactly what I want it to do and have it looking exactly how I like it! Until then, from time to time, I will be selling vintage items on my other blog Suzy Gaby and Maud.

I will now refer you on to that blog which gives you details of The Vintage Bazaar Fair in Frome where I will have a stall.



A bientôt!

Isabelle X

TAKING A BREAK FROM BLOGGING

Hello everyone

Just a quick hello to say that I need to take a break from blogging for a little while.

Over the past couple of months I have been extremely busy and have found it increasingly difficult to find the time for blogging. There is quite a bit going on that requires my full attention. As Autumn approaches I need to find more time to work on my online shop and get ready for the fair in October. I already work for myself doing something else and am very busy renovating the house and garden, looking after my daughter etc... Something has to give as I am not superwoman!... We had hoped we would get the lawn down in time for Miss P's birthday but we are running behind...simply not enough hours in the day! I am not left with much spare time, so blogging is one of the things I need to put on hold for now.

Views near where I live

So far the summer holiday is whizzing by! I've had family staying with us, including my sister this week. It has been great spending some quality time with her. Lots of laughter! We get on so well but don't often manage to see each other because of distance and busy lives we both lead.

Sunday is Miss P's Birthday she will be 10 years old, already...



I remember when Miss P looked like this...







I hope that you are all having a great time during these summer holidays.

Take care ;-)

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

TODAY IS VE DAY! Well it was in Shepton Mallet

Today was VE day in Shepton mallet, Somerset! As mentioned in a recent post, the BBC have been filming in Shepton Mallet over the past few weeks and will be there filming until sometime in September. It is for a series about how High Street shops have changed over the decades. It will be on TV in the Autumn. I look forward to seeing it! Last week and today's filming was all about the 1940s, my favourite decade.

We arrived on the Market Square just after 10am where preparations were underway to recreate a street party on VE day.



Replica of a 1940s hardware shop








In the morning


Lunchtime and the street party is underway




This lady really looked the part, the make up and hair looked fabulous! Unfortunately the picture doesn't really do her justice. As there was a lot of filming going on, I couldn't get many close ups without getting in the way of the filming. After all, I didn't want someone to shout out "Excuse me can you get out of the way please!" ;-(






Some of the local children made the effort to dress like 1940s children to get in to the spirit of things. Miss P opted for leopard pattern leggings...not very vintage! She couldn't be persuaded to go for the 40s look...



The car parked in front of Niki's shop has been used in Foyle's war!




It was interesting to get a little glimpse of the past. Although, I know that the real VE day itself would have been something quite spectacular, emotionally charged, unique and impossible to recreate as it was then...As I took this picture above, I couldn't help but think of the mixture of emotions people must have felt on that day in 1945. They must have been relieved, happy but also sad for all those who would never come back and for those still fighting in the Far East.





Next week, Shepton Mallet will be going back to the 1950s.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Children, moos & bikes

On Monday we went to Kent for a couple of days. My sister has recently moved there from France. We had a bit of a family gathering and celebrated my parents' birthdays.
On Tuesday we headed back home to the West Country with an extra passenger in the car, my nephew. Miss P and Mast S are the same age (just 3 weeks apart) and share a love of nature and the outdoors.

During the week they have been exploring the countryside, cycling, waving to the steam train going by at the bottom of the field, creating a den (called HQ...) and many other activities. Today Miss P and Mast S went on a 5 km bike ride around country lanes in the Mendip Hills, Alan and I followed on foot.


First stop to say hello to the moos as Miss P calls them




Miss P and Mast S chatted to cows, they were most attentive!












Lovely views on the way


and some lovely houses






Race you!


How much further?


Two happy children!

I am glad that they are both outdoor children, it certainly helps during the summer holidays. I don't like the idea of them staying indoors all day watching TV. We are lucky enough to live in the countryside, in my opinion it gives children far more freedom when it comes to playing outdoors. Miss P has learnt so much since living here.

Since the arrival of the summer holidays it's been all go! So many things going on and of quality time being spent with my family. Normal blogging service will resume in September! (I hardly spend any time on the computer at the moment hence the lack of visits to your blogs, I am sure many of you are finding the same at this time of the year)

I hope that your holidays are going well and that the children are not driving you up the wall yet... ;-)

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

THE BIKE RIDE WAS GREAT! FROM MISS P XXX

THE COUNTRYSIDE WAS AMAZING! FROM MAST S XXX

PORLOCK WAY

What a hectic week! End of school, work, paperwork etc....
Today we had a day out away from it all. We went to the Porlock area in North West Somerset. After having lunch in Porlock, we visited a few villages in the area. Our first stop was in Allerford.





As we walked around the village we saw a sign for The West Somerset Rural Museum.
It used to be a school (with a thatched roof). It was built in 1821.
Unfortunately it does not open on Saturdays! ;-(

However, I did peer through a few windows and managed to get some pictures. Not quite the same as visiting the museum but it was the next best thing. It looks as if it is well worth a visit and I will try and go there when it is open.

Victorian classroom


Museum interior




What struck us about Allerford, were the number of vegetable gardens. Almost every house seems to have one. They also have a community apple orchard! You could tell it is one of those villages which has a strong community spirit.


I kept admiring this garden, it was full of dalhias! What a shame they didn't sell any on a stall outside their house...






One of the many vegetable gardens (on the right)



Wootton Courtenay was our next stop.




Inside the Church











Fancy the look of this cottage? It had a FOR SALE sign up.....It has a little stream running at the bottom of the garden...


As you can tell from the pictures, it was one of those dull days weather wise, it kept trying to rain a few times but on the whole it stayed dry.

Have a great weekend!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X