What I`ve been Up To ....

This weekends weather has been awful here !

We`ve had some snow showers , sunshine ,

rain and winds . So apart from going out for a

walk sunday morning with my camera in hand ,

the rest of my weekend has been productive !

Thinking springy thoughts , i came

up with these 2 cards . They will be listed in

my shop !

And a photo peak with what i am

making right now .....

HHmm - what can it be ????

A New Direction for Me ...

I have some news - for all my readers !

i am beginning a new blog !!

It is HERE

It is just another aspect that i wish to pursue right

now . Not that i am closing this one . I just feel that the time

is right , to spread my wings , and to separate some

items on here to another more appropriate one .

This intended to be a crafty makes blog , but ,

as time has gone by , other things have

creeped on . Making it seem to me - cluttered .

It is just another place for me to express myself ,

through words , pictures , poetry , and not that

i will be posting there everyday - just when i feel the need to do so .

So do not think i am gone -

I am just in another place !

Have a Fun Weekend Everyone !!!

xxxxxx

I had the honour of doing Sherry another

blog head banner . It is Here

She has ended one chapter from her

Sage and Thyme blog , to start a fresh

on a new adventure on this one .

Wishing you every success - not that you really need it ! !

And thank you so much !!

( Ms can`t make up your mind ! )

Last Views Of The Lakes

I have my last few photos for you , from

our Easter break at Grange Over sands .

From the roadside - the hotel we should have

stayed at !

Up the long drive to see this ...

Side view of the front garden ..

And the inside room , we visited for a drink .

We travelled on a main road through the

Lakes , passing small villages , Lake

Windermere and Ullswater .

Another feathered visitor we saw , was

this robin ! I was pleased that we managed

to get a good photo of him !

Some of the scenic views , i never

tire of out there ...

A new friend i made !!

It followed us , as we were leaving a field .

We took the scenic way to Lake Windermere ,

and you travel up the Kirkstone Pass .

It is 1500 feet above sea level , so the weather

conditions change dramatically as seen !

Before the snow ...

And 24 hours later !!

One last snow photo !

I know some of you will be sickened to

see it , but we have not had that much ,

if at all here !

Roll on spring photo`s !!

Sewing Crazy !

I am still stuck to my sewing machine ,

and made these cute bluebird tags !

Just listed in my shop .

I reckon this will be a fad , or i will

run out of ideas in time . But i am enjoying it

while i have the urge to create !

Wallpaper Pocket

I`ve been at my sewing machine again ,

and come up with this ..

Vintage wallpaper pocket holder .

To store some of your paper stash in !

Available in my shop .

I have just made one at the moment ,

to see how it goes down !

A Creative Weekend ...

This weekend , i have had a burst of

inspiration , and an excuse to create ,

as my other half is poorly . He says he never gets

poorly , so he must be unwell !! And i thought it

was an ideal opportunity for new items

to be put in my

SHOP

Little spring notecards ...

And Mother`s day cards ..

It has made a change for me , doing cards

again , and in a sewing medium which i have

not tried before .

I hope you like them !!

Seasons Change ...

My Birthday Bouquet .

Sunday morning , we change our clocks here

in the UK forward one hour to British Summertime !

A time when the evenings stay lighter

and you do not get up in the dark

and come home from work in the dark !

I am yearning for more daylight , warmer weather,

sitting out on an evening on our patio .

I know some of you will already have changed

your clocks , but i would like to wish you all

A Happy Spring Time !!

And an Enjoyable Weekend !!

xxxxx

Sharing My Finds ..

I was so glad to come across an entire unopened roll of

vintage wallpaper ! It is like gold dust here in the UK .

And i have to resort to buying from the USA ,

and i have just listed some to share in my

SHOP

Just 2 packs available for now ,

so if you`re interested , let me know !

Also i am just doing some spring style cards

using my sewing machine , that i`d bought

months ago , and finally got around to

using it ! It`s the first time i have sewn

on card - and i`m loving it !!

Castles Visited In The Cumbria Area ...

Hutton In The Forest

Built in 1630 , with different styles of architectural

features added through the ages .

Unfortunately for both castles , and many stately homes ,
no inside photography was allowed . Which is such a shame ,

as i would have loved to have shown you some of the

few rooms we did get to have a look around .

And i could not find a postcard photo of them to buy ,

or i would have scanned it for you .

Walking down the side to the walled garden

built in 1730

A peak through the pruned gate hedge















Unusually shaped tree







A view from a far , in some of the grounds

The courtyard - where the tea room was

Muncaster Castle

This castle is supposed to be haunted Rhonda !

Then they have an owl sanctuary there , if

you have not clicked on the link right at

the top title name . You could sponsor one

if you wished to do so , and told about which of the

owls were on the potential extinct list . I felt sorry for them being

caged up like this . However it is a good thing to get the message

out that they are endangered owl species and to

actually see them " in the flesh " . But sad that it has to be

done this way , when they should be free to fly .

Me perusing the tiny shop they had there ;o)

On one of the few times i wear a hat !!

It was very cold and windy !!

And the fluffy owl that said " take me home with you ! "

The walk down ..

Creeping vines on a wall

And views that you would have , if

you lived there .

I have just a few more photo`s to show you !

but i hope that you got a feel of the castles

that i have visited !

Thank you for taking a look !!

Grange Over Sands - Cumbria

Old photo from hotel brochure .

We set off on friday , with myself eagerly

wanting to go to the hotel i had seen from

the main road while passing . We stopped at a castle

before checking in later that day , pictures in another

post about that but it was the wrong one !!

OMG !! I couldn`t believe it !!

We were supposed to stop here

But because i could not remember the

name , we searched on the internet , and thought

it was this one !! We drove passed it , and i said

" it`s that one ! " , just to go a few hundred yards

further along to the hotel we had booked into .

So , as you can imagine , i was a little

disappointed . But decided , not to let that set back

spoil our few days there .

We did go and visit it , and got a brochure ,

along with a couple of photos .

Our hotel in the distance

Grange or 'Graunge' is a French word meaning granary and the monks of nearby Cartmel Priory stored their grain here until Grange-over-Sands, a tranquil and charming Edwardian resort on the Cumbrian Coast. Once a tiny fishing hamlet at the crossing of the sands of Morecambe Bay, the coming of the railway made Grange into a popular holiday resort. Its historic buildings in the beautiful local limestone are now part of the town's character Henry VIII dissolved England's monasteries in 1536.

The entance to The Grand Hotel .

Built in 1866 in the classical Italian style .

Views from the balcony

Looking to the sands of Morecombe Bay .





Pool and jacuzzi with steam / sauna rooms



Restaurant




One of the staircases




Main downstairs corridoor





With rooms like these to relax in .



The hotel`s resident cat !

Waiting for some tidbits of food !!

My sweet - sticky toffee pudding !

Looking down the main street , with small

shops on either side .

View walking halfway down the road .

A couple of window shops i loved .

A park at the bottom with ducks

The railway station built in 1857







Railway line which runs along the coast .






This quaint small village , is well worth stopping by

to visit . Although you can drive through it too easily ,

blink , and you miss it . I found it very relaxing ,

and could easily have a second home there !

More photo`s of castles we visited to follow !!