Busy Bee Studio

Very, very, busy week!!

 

Gosh what a busy week, it's been crazy!!!!!

I will let you in on one of the best bits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

On Tuesday, I drove to Lavender Cottage to meet a lovely journalist,

called Hazel, who was interested in looking at Lavender Cottage, to feature in

one of the big house magazine glossies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .

I had a few new bits and pieces to put out in the cottage anyway. . . . . . . . . .

I set too, before Hazel arrived, to place all my new essentials . . .

in just the right places! I should have been a stylist . . . . . . . . . . . .

I love all our guests to feel at home and enjoy the special atmosphere

of  Lavender Cottage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

A lovely red wool checked blanket, from a shop in Whitby,

 and a red spotty cushion, from www.busybeestudio.co.uk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

and new spotty bed linen, looks lush eh?

And just look at this gorgeous vintage child's spade I found at our

local antiques fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I put out a new cushion, by Jan Constantine, a recent ebay purchase . . . . . . .

Don't worry I can stop at any time  . . . . . . not addicted????

And in the village, I spotted this adorable driftwood boat, that someone

has handmade . . . . . . . . . . . . . .it sits perfectly on the outdoor table . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Anyway Hazel said she thought the cottage was suitable . . . . . .  .  . . so

watch this space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .as she has gone off to

see the magazine editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Will they like it?

P. S. I've added more goodies to the website this week so when you

have a spare ten min's . . . . check it out!!

Garden Snooping . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

Oh I love garden snooping!! The best way of doing it, I know is

via the National Garden Scheme.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

They have a website and you just type in your postcode and they tell you,

which gardens are open in your local area.

Not only can you have a really good snoop, but  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

you raise money for Macmillan whilst you snoop!!

We opened our own garden, at Bleach Green under this scheme

for 3 years running . Macmillan is a charity close to our hearts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Anyway last Sunday we set off with happy hearts to a garden

near Blanchland for  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .a snoop, cakes and plants!!

We bought our tickets  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

And . . . . . . . . . . . .snooped!! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nice eh?

 

Lots of the gardens in this scheme are private houses which just open

their gardens once a year for the NGS.

 

Gorgeous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I bought a plant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

Then we had afternoon tea, in the little cafe in Blanchland which was yummy!

 

Cute postbox . . . . . . . . . . . . postboxes are my one weakness!!

Have a great weekend . . . . . . . . . Helen x

Lets do that again!! . . . . . . . .

 

Harry took on a supervisory role, as we set up on Saturday morning to welcome

all my pretty customers to Busy Bee Studio!!

 

We set out tea and cupcakes and tables and chairs . . . . .

It was wonderful to see so many of you there, friends old and new,

and even though the weather wasn't great we managed!!

The rose on the barn was sensational . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

And even though it wasn't finished  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

sneaky peeking into  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The day was so successful I have decided to do it again on

Sunday 26th of July 10am-4pm

So if you couldn't make it this time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

or if you want more gorgeous goodies and BLOW THE CREDIT CRUNCH!!

I will see you here, at the studio, for more tea, cake, chat, and shopping!!

Calling all my pretty customers

 

Just a quick one . . . . . . . . . Hope to see all my pretty customers, tomorrow . . . . . . . . .

Studio is open for tea, cupcakes and shopping 10am - 4pm

Love Helen

Open Event Saturday 27th June . . . . .10am-4pm

 

Oh, I've spent my whole day at the studio, tweaking and arranging all the

goodies ready for the "Open Event" this Saturday 27th ,10am-4pm . . . . . .

It is all starting to look rather gorgeous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

With just the right mix of, vintage, handmade, and gorgeous things,

 

I also have some Lovely Lavender  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

Wonderful wooden signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

and delightful door mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .to welcome you,

 

Hope to see you on Saturday,

Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Helen

"Gucci lends a hand"

 

Gucci has been helping with all the preparations for the "Open Event"

next Saturday at the studio. You can drop in from 10am-4pm to shop for presents ,

or  . . . . . . . . . . .as most customers do . . . .  just treat yourself!!

 

To be honest  . . . . . . .and just between you and me . . . . . . . . . . . .

He hasn't really been helping that much. . . . . . .just driving me mad . . . .

and getting in the way!!

I've been making some button heart pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

And I am most excited about the broaches I've been making . . .  . . . .. . . . .

 

Which I am rather pleased with, in fact, I am wearing one today . . . . . .

 

What do you think? .  . . . . . . .Do you like?  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I have loads of new and pretty things . .  hearts seem to be everywhere . . . .

 

So if you do get chance next Saturday  ( 27th June ) do pop in and say hello . .

Gucci and I will be glad to see you . . . . . . . . . Have a great weekend!

Proms weekend!!

 

Oh I love going to outdoor proms . . . . . . . . . . and I love Brass bands . . . . . . . .

and I love picnics  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .and I love a nice glass of wine . . . . . . . . . . .

and most of all I love spending time with good friends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

So Saturday night, couldn't have been much more perfect!! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

My gorgeous friend Heather had organized everything and all we had to do

was turn up with a chair! Her husband plays trombone in the Brass band.

Heather was soooooooh organized, she had even made everyone a

"Proms Buttonhole" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . .

Gorgeous eh? My friend Heather put the "o" in organized!! She's gorgeous.

The weather was amazing, the sun just shone and shone,

which is a good job really, as I have been  trying to buy a

Cath Kidston waterproof poncho , off eBay and I've been outbid on three now!!

Girrrrrrrrrrrah it's sooooooh annoying . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .

 

The night closed in, the atmosphere got going and the music was lovely,

I waved some flags and sang Rule Britannia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  

 

More, more . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Cushion Heaven"

 

Do you think I talk too much about cushions? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I know some blogs are knitting or cookery influenced . . . . . . . . . . . but I don't

know if there is a cushion movement out there?  Blogs about cushions . . . . .

cushion recipes . . . . . cushion D I Y . . . . . . . . Groups of women, all

across the country passionate about  one thing,  . . . . . . . . . .cushions!!

 

Anyway this is our summerhouse, which I promised to show you ,

some weeks ago when I took you all, on "our garden tour."

We built it about 7 years ago and it sits at the end of the long border,

 tucked in, behind lots of roses . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

When you sit in it, at a certain time of year you can hear,

"Mr Darcy and his girls," chuck, chuck, chucking, and smell the roses . . . . . . . . . .

It's heaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ( with cushions)

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Which, quite frankly, is how I imagine heaven to be!!

 

We got the day bed from ikea, and all the rest of the goodies are from Busybee.

I like to keep some magazines in here . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

so I can chill out and read about how people "Live their dream"

 

Do you like my tulip painting? I painted it . . . . . . . I love tulips!

Have a great weekend . . . . . Love Helen x

Fab weekend!!

I am very lucky to have very long weekends, they start on thursdays . . . 

I arrived home on thursday night to find that gorgeous builder had been

doing a bit of drainage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 

And now you will see why gorgeous builder is so gorgeous  . . . . . . . . . . . . .

He had moved all my stuff so it wouldn't get damaged and placed

it in a neat line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gorgeous, gorgeous builder !!

 

On friday I had a date with my friend Carol  and off we went to Ripley Castle.

They have a grand sale there every year . . . . ooooooooh loads of goodies.

 

There is also a marquee full of lovely things. I got a bright pink linen coat

and some red and white polka dot bed linen for Lavender Cottage.

That was a lovely day out but the best bit of the whole weekend was the date with

my friend Beverley . . . . . . . . . . .Can you guess what we did?

 

Can you see even the metro ticket has them on? It took over an hour in the queue

to get in and the whole stadium was packed full . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It was an amazing show, which we shared with 49,998 others, mostly women,

All I can say is WOW!!

We have walls . . . . . and a floor !!

 

The new studio is shaping up in a very gorgeous way . . . . . . . . . .

Gorgeous builder put the tongue and groove on the walls

and I sourced the shaker  pegs in america . . . . . . . .

we got plastered . . . . . . . . . . Last week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

and Mr Charlton and I sealed the plaster with a coat of emulsion,

this weekend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr C did all the high bits!!

 

Very, very, lush eh? . . . . . . . . . . .

To top that gorgeous builder has started to lay the stone floor today

 

YUM, YUM, YUM !!!! Poor gorgeous builder, it's been a bit hot and a bit dusty

for him, it's been like 'livin on the edge this build !!

THAT'S BEFORE HE HAS TO COPE WITH ME . . . . . . . . . . . . . .