Saturday 12 March 2011

A grand day out!

Morning all - hope your weekend has got off to a great start. After not blogging for a while, I am now going to write an epic post!  So sit down, grab a coffee and a biscuit and join me for the ride!

Well...a day off work, the sun is shining (at least for a bit) I had the company of a lovely friend, kids safely at school, so, what should one do?

Hit the road for a crafty-themed road trip methinks!  Here we are whizzing past Haddon Hall in Derbyshire (closed at the mo, but have promised ourselves a day out there in the summer).

First stop:

Heirs and Graces in Darley Dale.  Oh my, I dont think I have ever seen so much fabric together in one place, it was mind boggling...

A lovely simple stained glass window - the shop is in an old chapel building:

Managed to have self-control and limited myself to these lovely goodies:

The white flecks are actively silver sparkles, this fabric is going to be used for some hearts with a night-sky theme...

And some lovely buttons, again for heart projects:

Back on the road again, next stop Bakewell:



I love Bakewell at any time of year - always plenty of feathered friends to see..


And lovely little alley ways full of intriguing shops (and a Narnia-style lampost!)...



After some serious browsing around the shops, buying birthday pressies for a very special young lady, we were somewhat peckish so when we saw this cafe window how could we resist popping in?

The food was superb...

Very veggie friendly!

And when in Bakewell you have to have a Bakewell Pudding dont you?  But we also are millionaires shortbread adicts...so bought both and shared them!  What restraint I hear you cry...


Aside from the food being super, the customer service was exceptional, rarely have I been to a cafe and made to feel as if my friend and I were the only customers (and it was packed) nothing was too much trouble, and yet the service didnt feel obtrusive...all in all a lovely experience, we will definitely be calling there again!

Back on the road, next stop - Rowsley to visit Caudwell Mill

A lovely old mill with a craft centre, cafe, glass artist and more...

Im sure it was very dark and satanic (to quote from "Jerusalem") in its day...



But now a place where you can buy lovely things like these..


And meet more cheeky feathered friends...

All in all a fantasically super day out with a fantastically super friend!  Thanks again so much http://blog.suepops.co.uk/ for being my roadtrip partner in crime!

Must go now, it is a special birthday in the moostruck house - it's my lads 17th birthday!

Thanks for staying with me for this very long post - I think you deserve another cuppa!

love, Helenxxx

8 comments:

  1. Great post Helen! You're making me miss the UK!!!

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  2. Absolutely beautiful, much better than my rambling post! Please take another day off work soon! We deserve it, with 8 kids between us.....
    Sue XXx

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  3. Great post and lovely photos! I love the sparkly fabric you bought, can't wait to see the hearts you make with it! Bakewell looks like a lovely place to visit, I've never been, but would be great to visit! What a great roadtrip! :) x

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  4. looks like a great day out, I must try and visit some of them myself.

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  5. awwww lovely!!!! looks such a wonderful trip and yes we all need abit og 'meee' time once in a while ;0)x love the ribbons x

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  6. hi Helen,
    thanks for the comment you left on my blog...I actually have an online shop selling the felt I use on my blog...it is www.paper-and-string.co.uk or you can find a link to it on my blog.
    :-)
    Sarah xxx

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  7. Thanks for visiting my blog recently - it's so nice to find yours! I love all the beautiful hearts you've made at the top of your blog! Your day out looks wonderful, and you seem to like rather similar things to me! I'll be back to visit you again soon.
    Helen x

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  8. Well, that was fun. The buttons, ribbons and lace got me going....they were beautiful. Lovely photos.

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