Got this gorgeous 1920s tea set from  the Antiques Centre on the quay at Topsham. It has been perfectly preserved and I’m guessing, locked away in a cabinet for 90 odd years! Check out that handle, they don’t make ’em like this any more! And so much more fun with a candle in…….

finally today, under mounting pressure, I have created a facebook business page. I know little, well…nothing, about all this facebook stuff so you’ll have to bear with me (bear with, bear with…) as I get sorted!  My friend Kat tells me that I need to get down with modern technology if I want to sell more candles & furniture and facebook is the way ahead… (hello Kat, are you awake yet?)

funny sofa from Holly's vintage sale made from old hospital bed

Christmas candles...

You spend weeks waiting for summer to start, then you realise it’s finished!

YAY – kids go back today and smugly I sit at my laptop, coffee in hand, with the lunches made and the washing machine spinning. I have  already packed one off on the early bus to Teignmouth (7.41am – aarghh) in an extremely tight, short skirt and how  grown up I was as I skilfully  managed to avoid having an argument with her about the insulated bag for her packed lunch, which has turned over the past 6 weeks into an object of embarrassment.  Instead everything had to be squeezed into a plastic box (cool I’m told) and wedged into her new “handbag” (£24.99 from River Island – all her own money) into which nothing fits!  Off she ran with her newly pierced ears sparkling in the sun and her straightened hair whipping around her face, oh to be 13…..  My 10 year old on the other hand, much easier, a quick flower clip in the hair and that’s it, she’s ready.  And I am the easiest of all, as I reach for the kettle I make an executive decision to stay in my PJ’s all day, maybe I’ll even pop back to bed………….

Whilst stuffing my face with pizza and slurping red wine last night, and while I should have been concentrating on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 which I was watching with my family, I noticed this glorious sunset and we all ran outside to capture its fleeting beauty………

storm clouds gather.....

YUK – this wet weather is so depressing!  Having  struggled to get through a miserable week camping in The Lizard with my partner, kids and next door neighbours, I return to rain, more rain, a little bit of sun & then more rain… great! It is beautiful down there though, and we got to visit some spectacular places around the Helford river and spend lots of valuable hours at “Roskillys” ice cream farm – every cloud….

Helford Creek

My birthday celebrations went without a hitch, the sun shone (amazing) and I got to relax on my deck with a few close friends, drinking, eating & chatting. It was very civilised in fact. No dancing around the kitchen to “Faithless” at full pelt, armed with a microphone (broom) and spilling red wine all over the floor. I suddenly realised that maybe I had “grown up” this sobering thought lasted a mere couple of weeks until I went to see ” the inbetweeners movie ” where I sat chuckling away like a 17-year-old, longing to go back to those days when you could blame your outrageous behaviour on the fact that you were a teenager and get away with just about anything! I do think that village life would be so much more fun with a few more Jays, Simons, Neils and Wills – come on, I know you’re out there….

Marazion

On the work front there isn’t much going on apart from restocking all my crates ready for the Autumn fair on October 9th in Topsham.  I have just had an email about a Christmas Craft Market, due to take place in Shaldon on the 1st and 8th of December which sounds like a fantastic idea (details to follow) and The Craft Hub Christmas Fair will be on December 11th, also in Topsham. Devon Life are doing an article on The Craft Hub and I was asked to provide some “peagreen” information, which is exciting but I’m not sure which issue – November I imagine…?  Anyway, I’m off to make some candles and wait patiently for some sunshine. The weather looks better tomorrow………

One day of sunshine at the St. Ives park and ride

boats at Cadgwith Cove

You know you are getting old when you forget that it’s your birthday.  Up I got this morning, absorbed with the knowledge that I have 20 friends coming over this evening and was going to have to spend the day cooking and cleaning.  I struggled to the kettle for my usual pint of strong black coffee and it wasn’t until the girls came down later, with their home made cards, that I remembered why I was having everyone round tonight!

The girls have obviously picked up my poem writing skills (!?) In my card from Meg (age 9 ) was this:

Dear Mum

You are brighter than the sun

You’re so much fun……never glum

Today is your birthday

your very first day of being 42

GOOD LUCK TO YOU!

And in my card from Billie (age 13) was this:

24 today, 42 tomorrow

where does that time go we badly wish to borrow?

You look at the sun with fresh new eyes,

you look at the moon ten times more wise.

I promise sadness will come never,

if you treasure your birthdays for ever and ever!

I finally gave in to the desires of my other half and off we went to visit Graham at his 2CV workshop in Cornwall to collect our new baby! Although a bit of a rust bucket, she is very sweet and I’m sure will be the only convertible car that we can ever afford! I was rather deluded into thinking that when the sun was shining I would be able to hop in and deliver my candles and do my chores  – instead I’ve realised it’s going to take longer than I thought to master the gears!  And I must remember that she is now up the drive and stop reversing into her,  fortunately you can’t really notice a few more dents in the bumper….!

I have been testing these at home over the past few weeks as they are a new product and have been really popular.  Some of them have burned fine, with a rather large wax pool but some of them have melted the wax too quickly and after an hour and a half the wick has drowned.  I am now remaking them all with a couple of different wick sizes to try and get the burn just right.  If anyone has experienced problems with these candles, or indeed any of my candles, please let me know so I can replace them for you. You can contact me through the blog, website or in person at a craft fair.  As this is a relatively new company I would really appreciate any feedback or comments.

What glorious weather we had for this two day fair on July 1st and 2nd, it sufficiently distracted me from the fact that I had to be up at 6am – not a regular occurrence in my house!  My pal Helene made me this gorgeous money belt with an off-cut of Cabbages & Roses fabric I had left over from a chair that I’ve been working on. She’s so clever!

My daughter Billie modelling new money belt

My ever tolerant partner Paul helped me unload at the Cathedral, then went on to St Leonards to deliver the vintage flower pot candles to Bernie at the Juniper Garden Co.  who loved them so much he ordered a dozen more “Citronella” ones, to ward off the bugs at BBQ time!

Vintage flower pot candles for The Juniper Garden Co.

Five of us “Craft Hubbers” shared two pitches at Exeter and we had loads of great feedback about our stand. I had lots of repeat trade from my regulars, someone even brought me a couple of unusual jelly moulds that they had found and asked me to pour candles into them, which I’m very happy to do.  I was also asked about pouring candles into other people’s vintage crockery.  This is turning out to be quite popular so I will be adding details of my “filling” service to the website.

Stall at Cathedral Green Craft Fair in Exeter

A visit from a friend last week resulted in the delivery of a huge bag of jelly moulds. She has been collecting them for me around Buckinghamshire during the past few months – thanks Val. Then, on a girlie visit to Topsham, I found a gorgeous pale pink 1920s tea set, in pristine condition.  I can’t wait to start pouring candles into it, ready for my Christmas trade. Things should quieten down a bit now as I start to re-stock for the October Craft Hub Fair on October 9th in Topsham. I’m off to Marlow and Henley for my friend Nikki’s Hen do this weekend, then Surrey next weekend for the actual wedding.  I’m hoping to get some useful feedback as I have made vintage teacup candles for all the ladies as their table presents. I’ll have to nip in and take a photo before the guests descend on the dining room at the hotel.