Crafty Savings.....

I've been really looking forward to this weekend, not only is it all that bit nearer to the 7th and my birthday, but it is also a weekend away in our Varacan, stopping once again at Barley Meadow, on Dartmoor.

The reason for the trip? There is a huge craft show on at Westpoint Arena in Exeter, and I need to buy lots and lots of card stock, brads, vellum, glitter card and much, much more!

No! I'm not going mad! I'm very excited to tell you all that I have been asked to do the wedding stationary for some friends of ours - my first ever bulk card order for one single event. My only guidelines were that it had to include a particular colour - No I can't tell you, you'll have to wait until November next year LOL. They had seen the samples, and decided on the design and now it was time to buy the stock to make them all.

Anyway, getting back to the story....

We arrived on the camp site at 3.30pm on Friday afternoon, after an uneventful drive up the A30, and settled in for the evening, relaxing in readiness for the events of today.

The show opened at 09.30, and Paul pulled up outside the arena to drop me off at 10.00am - I don't think I even said goodbye to him - I was off like a shot!

There were coffee bars, doughnut stands and crepes for sale outside, but I had come prepared with a ham salad wrap in my handbag for my lunch.

Inside it was heaving with people already, and my first task of the day was to wander up and down each aisle to establish what was on offer and which Companies were in attendance.

I'm glad to say that within 10 minutes of arriving I had found the item I had thought I was least likely to be able to get.

My searches continued to bring me luck, and I was able to call Paul to come and collect me for the 1.30pm time slot we had originally estimated.

Paul, in the meantime, was spending some quality time with his favourite canine chap, Fred. After dropping me off at Exeter, they then headed back down to Fingle Bridge, and a lovely walk that they had both been looking forward to.

Whilst there he managed to get these lovely picture on his Blackberry Curve Smart Phone - not bad for 2 mega pixels if you ask me.

From Exeter, we drove across to Newton Abbott for the obligatory trip around Trago Mills

We had an hours wander around, and then drove back to our varacan for some supper and a chill out in front of the TV.

A great pre-birthday break with loads of crafty savings on the stock I needed for the wedding stationary - Woo Hoo!

Satellite Solutions

Strictly Come Dancing is coming to our screens once more, however, Sally-Ann and Mike will be on a camp site up country, that does not have a great TV signal...... that's the reasoning behind buying a satellite dish - Yep! Strictly Come Dancing has a lot to answer for!

As we are away ourselves at the weekend, we all decided to pile down to the lock up, to try and set up the system and test it out, ensuring that it was working for their trip.

Talk about a black and white movie sketch! Have you seen those old Harold Lloyd or Laurel and Hardy movies where no-one has a clue what they are supposed to do, but they all have a go anyway, LOL!

Sally-Ann and I decided to make use of our special talents and sat in the RV chatting and calling out suggestions through the open door!

We all soon gave up, but luckily there is a TV repair bloke that lives in the same village as Sally-Ann and Mike, and he advised then that we had done it all correctly, we were just trying to link to the wrong satellite! We received the above picture after they had arrived on site and set up - just in time for Friday nights first show - Hooray!

Glamour Shots Party

Lori is holding a Glamour Shots Party and I found the courage to enter - Go on give it a go.

This embarrasing picture was taken when I was about 23 - that's a lotta years ago! I feel very old!

Restful Restormel

It's the AGM for the MX-5 Owners Club today. Everyone is going for a convoy drive and then stopping at the Jubilee Inn, Pelynt for Sunday Lunch, followed by the AGM in the garden at the rear of the Inn.

As Mike has not long had his eye surgery, and is still bothered by the sun, he did not want to risk doing the club run, but suggested a gentle drive up towards Lostwithiel, and a wander and picnic at Restormel Castle.

My dilemma? Paul had already arranged to go to watch a hill climb up at St Austell, and as this one has not taken place for the last two years, did not want to miss it.

For those of you that know me, you will be aware that I am not at all confident driving any distance, ever since a car side swiped us about 11 years ago. Travelling in a car is a very real fear for me, and I constantly send my poor husband do-lally with my screeches and cries whilst I am a passenger.

I declined the offer to join Mike and Sally-Ann, despite having wanted to go to Restormel for some time.

After a day of searching for craft stuff (for a secret project, that I can only tell you about once I have permission!) I decided that I really did not want to miss out on this opportunity, and in a moment of bravery, I texted Sally-Ann and said I would meet them the following morning at our usual spot, and follow them up country. OMG! Panic!

We got up early and when I came down from my shower, found that Paul had made me a lovely picnic to take with me. All I had to do now was to calm down and do the drive!

I met the others at North Country, and Sally-Ann reassured me by saying we would be driving all of the roads that I was very familiar with, if only as a passenger, so there should be no surprises for me.

And off we went....

... and as you can see from the piccies, I did it! I was so very proud of myself. I know that an hours drive up the road is nothing to any 'normal' person, but this was a huge, huge achievement for me, and I am so glad that I went.

The Castle is set up high, in beautiful Cornish countryside, and the whole place has a fantastic and calming atmosphere about it.

Sometime when you go to these sort of places, you can almost feel the fear of battle or tears of heartache that are held within the walls of the building, but this place is totally different.

The skies were a glorious blue, and the whole drive up was done with the lids down on our little sports cars, making the trip even more wonderful.

Having walked the upper walls and looked in on the rooms from above, we wandered back over the dry moat and sat at a picnic table to eat our lunch.

It was then time to look once more inside before a wander around the external walls of the Castle and some more pictures of this beautiful place.

From here we headed over to Pelynt for the AGM, and then back home.

I am so thrilled that I plucked up the courage to do this, and thoroughly enjoyed my day. I just hope that I can get the nerve up again soon to do something else, and keep the momentum going.

Thanks for inviting me to join you Sally-Ann and Mike.xx