And the winner is.......

Thank you to all of you who took part in the giveaway!

Well done to Wendz from 15 Coast Road who was picked out by the online random number generator.


Wendz, please email me with your address so that I may forward the book and little mystery gift to you. Should you have changed your mind about which book you would like to have, it's not a problem (I added another title to the list on the 23rd March) just let me know.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Sunday walk and pub lunch

Following on from my last post, in which I mentioned that we were going to have a NO WORK day on Sunday, that is exactly what we did. We had a long walk to a neighbouring village, had a meal in a lovely pub called the Strode Arms and then walked all the way back home again.


We walked past this lovely big Georgian house just before reaching Cranmore Village.







Cranmore Village (Where East Somerset Railway is located) .
There weren't any trains running. They will start up again from the 1st April. I look forward to seeing the steam trains go past our house again. The train doesn't run in the winter and I miss not seeing them go by.


Picture borrowed from Strode Arms website as I didn't get around to taking a picture of the outside.


Pub entrance


We arrived at 13.55 hours, just before they stopped serving food. We got there just in time.






You see the table at the far end nearest the fireplace? That is where we usually sit when we go there for a meal. Today however, it was too hot to be sitting by the fireplace so we sat in a different area.
I took pictures of the interior just as we left the pub. It usually is much busier than these pictures imply. It was close to closing time.


I had a traditional beef Sunday roast and a sticky toffee pudding (Very English!). They were both DELICIOUS!
Enland has come a LONG way since the 1970s! It had a poor reputation when it came to food/restaurants/pub meals as far as the continent was concerned. You can't say the same nowadays. There are many really good restaurants, pubs and a very diverse selection of foods throughout the UK.


All that walking gave me quite an appetite! Besides as I we were walking back home again, I'd be burning some of it off... :-)
I have never had a bad meal at this pub, they recently won a Best food pub award.

After lunch it was time to walk back home.



It's a shame that the skies were hazy, not so good for taking photos. I had hoped for striking blue skies. At least it didn't rain so I can't complain.






The trees still look very bare, I can't wait to see the trees covered in fresh bright green leaves again.




Thank you for your lovely comments on my previous post, having a break today did me the world of good!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X
P.S: Don't forget to enter my Spring Book Giveaway if you have not already done so!

Life is a game of "Snakes & Ladders"

Do you sometimes feel like your life is like a game of "snakes and ladders"?



Last weekend I did a post saying that I would be painting a dresser in my new workroom (unit). Well, that didn't happen as Miss P has been poorly and only returned to school today. Not Miss P's fault but now I am behind schedule on quite a few things.



The dresser is going to have to wait a bit longer whilst I devote some time to my new website. I have several more photos to take and am working on the wording of various categories, menus, products. As the website progresses, it raises new issues, ideas or obstacles I had not thought of. As I am a perfectionist, I want it to look just right so don't want to rush through it and at a later date regret not having been more thorough .

I have to prioritise but sometimes am divided between doing some sewing, preparing for "The Vintage Bazaar Fair" in Frome on 30Th April where I shall have a stall, working on my new website, continue unpacking at the unit, getting stock in, finding quiet time to just come up with new ideas and design them, keep up with blogging and so on....

I find it interesting to hear how other women manage to keep a happy balance between running their own business, keeping up with housework, making home cooked meals and spending enough quality time with their children (without relying on someone else to look after their child/children)

I admit to having sometimes recently felt like this:


However, I feel that once my new shop is finally up and running I will have a new regular & organised routine in place. This should help strike a right balance between my work and looking after my family.

I am going to work on the website tomorrow but on Sunday Alan and I have decided NO WORK!
We are going to enjoy some of that beautiful weather out there. I fancy going for a walk around the country lanes and hills nearby.

I will leave you with one of Miss P's omelette's. She absolutely loves making them and is very good at making them! Freshly made a couple of minutes ago.



I wish you all a really good weekend!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X
P.S: Don't forget to enter my Spring Book Giveaway if you have not already done so!

R.I.P - ELIZABETH TAYLOR

I have just heard the sad news about Elizabeth Taylor having passed away aged 79.


I like a number of her films. Among them, Cat on a Hot tin roof, Giant, Suddenly last summer, Cleopatra, The VIPs, A place in the sun, Father of the bride.











A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Spring GIVEAWAY Book and mystery gift!

It is the first day of Spring and what perfect excuse for a GIVEAWAY!

The giveaway comprises of ONE of the books shown below and a little mystery gift.

All you have to do is leave a comment on THIS blog post, stating which book you would like to have should you be the winner. There are 8 books to choose from.
If your name is selected, you will have an opportunity to choose a different book if you change your mind between now and then.

The giveaway is open to everyone, you do not have to have a blog. I will post worldwide.


Creative Walls: How to Display and Enjoy Your Treasured Collections by Geraldine James


The French Inspired Home by Carolyn Westbrook


Romantic Prairie Style by Fifi O'Neill (Added to list on 23rd March)


Modern Vintage Style by Emily Chalmers


Pale and Insteresting by Atlanta Barlett & Dave Coote


Romantic Style by Selina Lake and Sara Norrman


75 Birds, butterflies & beautiful beasties to knit and crochet


Baking Made Easy by Lorraine Pascale

Remember, if you do not have a blog, please leave your details (name & email address)

The draw will take place on Monday 28Th March at 19.00 hours GMT. I will be using an online random number generator.

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED, THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO ENTERED.

Good luck! :-)

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Dresser makeover in the pipeline

I recently bought a dresser for the Suzy Gaby and Maud premises. I will be using it to display china, glass and decorative objects. I'd like to paint it in a different colour, at the moment it is pale blue with a dark wax over it in places.

I do enjoy giving some pieces of furniture a fresh new look. I have a few ideas but haven't quite made up my mind yet about the final look. I had better decide soon though as I am starting on it tomorrow!

Miss P's carpet was fitted on Wednesday and here it is:

Miss P is so pleased with it. Just how she wanted her room to look.


Over the past few days we have been transferring furniture and decorative bits and pieces into Miss P's new bedroom. Her glass light looks perfect in the disused fireplace.

A lot of painting and work in the unit over the weekend but I am looking forward to it.

I also have a lot of photos to take for my new website!

Have a lovely weekend.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

TABLE / DESK MAKEOVER

This is the packaging area. At the back against the wall will be some shelving units (probably from Ikea).

I decided to keep this desk as it is practical and will be just the right size for doing all my packaging. I know, it is not very attractive or vintage looking! However,I knew that something could be done to make it look more in keeping with the style of the room and more interesting looking.

I went in search of old magazines and music sheets which were already falling apart. (I don't like cutting them up if in mint condition!)

I placed the music sheets on first to cover the whole of the top of the desk and then placed some magazine pages at random on top. I felt it needed more interest so added some postcards and copies of fabrics. I played around with them until I felt happy with the result.


The word Welcome is placed that way as the table is immediately on the right as you enter the room.


Once I was happy with the layout, a sheet of glass was placed on top. Unfortunately it is slightly frosted but still looks good. The advantage of having a glass top is that it will make the desk easy to clean and you can choose any paper matter, photos or fabric to add underneath it to add interest. Far nicer than that boring brown colour...

The room is taking shape nicely. I bought a vintage glassed panelled dresser at the weekend which will need painting, so another busy week ahead.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X