Taking a Break...

My weekend buying trip turned up a few delights:
A teeny little book, some velvet forget-me-not flowers and some vintage brooches.

Lovely greetings postcards

Vintage 'Ladybird' book with the cutest pictures

A large pieces of antique linen with floral design

Three Connoisseur magazines from 1913...

With some wonderful costume plates inside.

And this little cutie! :) 

***

On our way back home, Hubs and I decided to call in at the Walled Garden at Mells. I was reminded about it after reading my copy of Pretty Nostalgic magazine, which featured this pretty garden, including it on the front cover. We have visited it before, but only during the busy Mell's daffodil festival. 

It wasn't until we sat outside the cafe, where a copy of Country Living Magazine lay on the table, that I realised it is featured in this publication this month too! 

(I stopped buying Country Living magazine about three years ago when every issue seemed to have an article or promotion for CK, which became a bit tedious - But it does seem to have improved again now.)

There is a beautiful spread all about the garden and its owner and florist Jo. 

Jo has created a wonderful garden full of typical country perennials,which she uses in her floral bouquets.She also uses a lot of salvaged items to add interest and surprise. 

 

Here is the piano that can be seen on the front cover of PN magazine.

With magnificent flower arrangements on top.

Here's a quick tour of the grounds...

A country shop is housed in an old green house, which is kept cool by panels of floral fabrics hung at the roof-line. 

More details about the garden (which is free to enter), can be found on the website here. 

***
Once back home, I decided to get on with making some chutney. I bought some supplies from the market, plus I had lots of plums picked from my garden last year(!), which I had stored in the freezer.

Plum chutney about to be cooked in my £2 car boot sale aluminium cooking pot! 

Nearly ready...

Then carefully and quickly into sterile, warmed pickle jars.

Then the mangoes...

Lots of jars to mature for a family event later this year...
Just the aubergine chutney yet to do...

***

I'm going to be taking a break from my blog for a short while...

I'm also closing my shop for a week, due to family commitments...there is just too much going on and I need a little time to breath...
I shall be closed from July 14th until I re-open again on the 26th July - Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Thank you Jill for the summer posy! ;-))

I'm looking forward to a little time spent with my family. My middle daughter has her uni graduation ceremony coming up soon and there is the general busyness that seems to arrive with summer...

Our youngest daughter's school prom/leaver's party was last night
...another milestone passes...

Enjoy the summer - I hope it brings you many happy days,
Niki x