Monday 24 November 2008

drawing breath...............

Hello again all. I'm back in blogland again, hurrah! There's so much to catch you all up on, not least the FANTASTIC Vintage and Handmade fair, but more of that later in the week.

Last Thursday saw the VH household in a complete state of disarray. When I have a fair coming up housework is normally the last thing on the list, however when the fair is in your house you have no choice but to clean it, at least the rooms where people may visit. Not only was the entire house covered in a carpet of white threads, the toilet smelling particularly wee-ish and the living room coated in soot from the fire, our (absent) builder decided to turn up and angle grind the entire front garden AND leave the front door open - aaarghh!


(.............see that washing on the line, aren't I the eternal optimist!)

After being up until 2am the night before because as usual I'd left everything 'til the last minute, I only just managed to avoid falling into a deep panic. Thanks to the help of Andrea it all came together just in time. Here's a few pics to show just a taster of the goodies on offer...................



It was a superb evening, it surpassed all of our expectations and gave me a healthy profit which I managed to spend the very next day at the Boden sale in town. I know, I know, far too middle England but I can't help it, I just love their children's clothes and I always sell them on later on Ebay.

The last few weeks have passed in a blur, but I will endeavour to post a couple more times this week about the CL fair and V&H fair. It's count down time now, only 2 weeks until I start work - yikes, I won't know what's hit me!

See you later in the week......................

23 comments:

Garden Girl said...

Thank god it isn't just my house that looks like that...please tell me yours looks like that more often than not? (I don't have children to blame it on though...bugger)
Glad the fair went well- the produce looks beautiful, wish I could have come.
See you tomorrow for Happy Hooking!
x

Lesley (Notesfrommydays) said...

wow you have been a busy lady!!! wish I could have come along to your fair and i didnt get to go to the Vintage fair either so am living it through blog posts :-D
Lesley x

Anonymous said...

You had a vintage fair in your house? and one nearby too?

i call that just plain greedy. ;-)

The worst thing about Boden is the numpty that writes the catalogues. The second to worst thing is the fact everyone takes the piss out of people that buy the stuff. But the kids' clothes are v nice.

Tilly Rose said...

I love your house, it looks just like mine, I have three boys, 4 2 & 1 and so they only imt e mine if tidy is when they are in bed, then it all starts again in the morning. Your craft evening looks lovely, would love to have come but too far away plus bank manager might have said no....your house looks like a proper family home not something staged for photos so HURAGH for you. Take care and look forward to more blogs and pretty pics, infact I tried to have your photo of your dresser as my screen saver but I could not do it.....

xx

Sal said...

I love your house too..it looks so alive and full of activity!
I've only ever bought one thing from Boden but they still keep sending me catalogues galore!Must be something I can do with them.
;-)

Anonymous said...

What gorgeous things you've got there...much more exciting than housework!
Margaret and Noreen

Hen said...

Hmm, that looks yummy. There's nothing like folks coming round to get you to have a good tidy up. Sorry I didn't get to chat to you at the V&H fair on Saturday, I looked for you but you had vanished?!
Well, I love Boden despite what anyone says, their girls' clothes alone almost make it worth having a daughter (if I could guarantee one, of course!)
Hen x

prettyshabby said...

oooh I had a leaflet through about the Boden sale, came seperate to their weekly brainwashing of catalogues ..lovely stuff though, I agree with Claire about Jonny Boden and his mightily annoying quips..especially the ones where the models tell their favourite thing "Yasmin,22 favourite thing..fluffy kitties and world peace"..pah! getting legless on champers and pulling pretty girls hair at parties more like. meow

Julia I want to live in your fabulous house..will you adopt me, I'm house trained? x

Carol said...

Hi Julia, well done on the tea making front! it was so nice to meet you and the funny thing is I felt as though I have known you for years! it was a grand day, I will never get rich selling my wares...never mind.
Your stall looks great, why didn't you have one at V&H?
Love the piccies, made me smile, my house looks like that too...I just tidy-up for the photo's....hehehhe. CX

tam said...

House work shmous work-creativity comes first! Lol! All of your Handmade goodies looked yummy and wonderful-no wonder it was such a success! I really enjoy your blog!
SmIlEs-Tam!

Anonymous said...

certainly have done a great job. It looks fantastic and I would have loved to be one of the visitors ; ) Have a great day !!

Anonymous said...

I'm not surprised you made a profit as everything looks wonderful. Well done.

MelMel said...

I love your home....because its real!
Yet still stunning.....i dream of a house just like it!
The fair looked fab.....how i wish i could have been there!
I see you have the CK mini ironing board, i missed out on that, must make a cover for the one i have, make it more shabby chic!
Have a good dayXXX

MelMel said...

P.S...i love Boden!

Kathy said...

Hi Julia, It was sooooo v. nice to meet you at the CL fair, and me in my Boden skirt too!!! Love, love love the fact that your house is so homely, cosy and normal, good for you! My house always looks like that (messy I mean). On the way back from oxford on Thursday I really wanted to de-tour to your house but couldn't. I would have loved to have been there and thought of you whilst driving home (i didn't get back until 10pm - terrible journey!). In the new year I really want to meet you again and do some crochet at the cafe - are you interested? Kathyx PS. So what is really bad at the Boden sale? Elbows at dawn?!

Lucy Bloom said...

Hi Julia, your handmade things look just gorgeous, I hope you are having a stall in May! It was so lovely to meet in person on Saturday, I had such a great time and haven't stopped thinking about it since.
Lucy x

Claire said...

Well done on a great house sale, thanks for the pics, it looks very inviting and yes my kitchen nearly always looks like yours, especially now when I should be cleaning it!! The vintage fair sounded wonderful, I hope there will be one next year! I love the boden kids clothes and like Hen especially the girls, girls clothes are so much nicer than boys clothes, dont think my lot would take to kindly to me buying them a polka dot skirt...lol.
Now I'm not the only one who raves to you how gorgeous your house is and I think you should get hold of one of the housey mags and demand that us ladies would love to see your house in one of them, I'm sure everyone else would agree!!
Claire xx

MelMel said...

I'd swap houses any day of the week...your kitchen is my dream!xxx

A Thrifty Mrs said...

You have certainly been busy.
The fair looks terrific.

Unknown said...

How on earth will you manage to keep making sooo many lovely things as well as returning to work?! You wont have time to sleep!! x

Tilly Rose said...

Thanks for the comments on my boys hair, Harrison still has a mass of curls, very angelic - NOT..... I know what you are feeling with regards to returning to work, I have been out of work due to maternity since July 2006 and am starting back again on Monday (not what I was doing before, I no longer have the brain).
Good Luck back in the 'real world'

xxxx

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

What ... two fairs in a week... are you mad woman?
All joking aside.. well done you ...Super woman.. not only do you serve the finest cup of tea but you put on a very good show.. in your beautiful home..
I am so glad all your hard work paid off and I would have done exactly the same thing... can't resist Boden!

Thanks again for being such a trooper on Saturday..

With love
Michele xxx

Louise said...

I just adore your kitchen - so homely and welcoming! And your crafty goodness - how beautiful. That advent calendar is just the sweetest one I think I've ever seen. Just lovely!!