All the fun of the fair....

It was on an overcast Saturday morning a couple of weeks ago that we packed up the car, you know the drill, gazebo, tables, tablecloths, props, products, lunch, flask, small people etc.... to over flowing... to attend the Ippelpen Cottage Garden Society Fair. I went last year and had a lovely day, there was a real sense of community, it was colourful, relaxed and fun and I was really looking forward to it. Obviously I was hoping for the same again this year, but someone else had other ideas!! We had just got the gazebo up and the jewellery stand looking gorgeous, when, you guessed it, the heavens opened and the rain came down in sheets and the wind blew a gale. The gazebo sides were hurriedly put up... it was like trying to tame a large green kite... and then... disaster!! As we were putting up the back panel, the wind gave an almighty shove and the jewellery all went toppling over! Well!!! You can imagine how I felt!! All I wanted to do was to pack up and go home!! But, being someone who doesn't give up that easily, I stuck around...

This is the view that I had most of the day... notice the rain.!!!

The poor people under the tree had all arrived with their small people all dressed in white ready to perform their maypole dance and were desperately tying to keep dry ... and clean!!

The not so small person that came with me had very cleverly remembered to put 'something to do' in her bag and it wasn't long before that 'something to do' came out...

Obviously my daughter as the 'something to do' was weaving!

What do you think this man was up to???... and why is there a ferret in his sack?

Oh... two ferrets!!!! He was actually using the ferrets to play a game of hide and seek... it was a popular game all day despite the rain.

As well as the fair games, bouncy castle and stalls there was a display of vintage cars and bikes.. isn't this the business?..

My colour....

Awwww... there's two of them..

This has to be my favourite one... look at the cheeky chappie looking out of the back window...

Inside the main marquee there was a lot of hustle and bustle and excited chatter, as this is where all the home grown veggies, handmade items, photos, paintings and flowers were. These had all been judged by the village judges a lot earlier and people were now crammed in and straining to see what prize their exhibit had won... lots of very happy banter going on... oh and village tittle tattle!!

I just loved the colour of these onions

Rows and rows of delicious looking veggies, all perfectly scrubbed and presented...

Rosie and I loved this little fella... He didn't win his section, but we thought he was the best ... What a brilliant idea!

This cheeky monkey won first prize

And this slippery character made us laugh out loud

Then it was on to the flowers.. the colours were stunning

.. and these enormous veggies didn't look real... how do you grow carrots and parsnips that long?

Don't you just love these village events..... so much pride in the simplest of pleasures....

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And now for something completely different. August is a really busy month for birthdays and one of those is really special... Remember the story I told you at the beginning of my blog about how Joharo got its name? Well, the small person we fostered has her birthday this month and I have been putting her present together and really enjoyed making something that has been....

A scrummy little tote bag with an applique flower and cute spotty leaf, spotty handles and a flowery lining....

.... the cutest button brooch in colors to match the stripy applique flower...

... Ooooh, what's in this flowery, pretty little case???

.. it's the most adorable little sewing kit, with everything you need to make some little felt corsages... want a closer look?....

Just look at those dinky reels of thread and the bright pink spotty ribbon...

... and I just LOVE these labels.. I want them!!!!

And for mummy I made this bright spirally bag from some scraps of fabric and some of my dyed blankets....

I loved it so much I have made one for myself too... just right for my travels over the next two weeks....

Just look at the zingy lining.. hope 'mummy' likes it... what do you think?

As I mentioned above, I will be off air for a couple of weeks... next week I am off to Shepton Mallet for a christian camp and then the following week I am off, again, to my favourite place with my favourite people...

I am going to miss catching up with everything that you are all doing, but I promise to set aside some time to catch up with you all when I come home.

Take time to relax and enjoy the simple things in life, and for those of you with small people at home, enjoy making memories and having fun together.

Love Yvonne xx