Festival.....

Hello again... what a month it's been!! I feel like I've been in hibernation for the last four weeks... squirreled away furiously building up my stock of jewellery, cushions and bags.....

And so.... two weeks ago I loaded up my little car with so much I didn't think it would ever move again, and made my way to Pebbles to stay for 10 days......

... look what Dad has done to the boat that sits in the drive and greets you as you arrive.... doesn't it look amazing??? I made the bunting for him for Father's Day and it really finishes the look.

Here is the welcoming front door......

... and the view from the garden....

What a fantastic way to begin my very busy week.

The following morning I was up at the crack of dawn and set off to .......

... Sidmouth.....

It's Folk Festival week and I have a stall on the esplanade for the next 8 days......

This is my stall..... eventually set up ( first morning it took about 3 hours to finish... as the week progressed it got a lot easier and I became very proficient at setting up the market stall and decorating it with all my bits and pieces)...

Ta Dah.......

The week before I had taken a stroll around Stover Country Park in Newton Abbot to collect some foliage etc.. on which to display my jewellery... I was pleased with the result...

... and this was my beachcomber section.....

Being a Folk Festival there were more Morris Men than I could shake a stick at all week... this particular group decided to choose a spot just outside my stall to perform their dances.....

... I made the mistake of taking some photos of them and got spotted...before I knew it I was being whisked away to be the main attraction in their dance... not only did I have to stand like a lemon on the pavement whilst they danced around me... they then lifted me up... (I have the bruises to prove it) and spun me round... much to the amusement of the onlookers who were all clicking away with their cameras... the one and only time I will ever know what it feels like to be famous!!!!

Anyway.... I recovered and made sure that in future I was not too conspicuous as I took photos...

Just a small selection of the other Morris troops that were around all week...

... posers!!!

The esplanade... can you spot my stall????...

Although it was hard work setting up and taking down my stall every day... the view that I had to look at every day was absolutely stunning... I loved it.

During the week this boat from Exmouth would beach right in front of my stall...

... collect passengers and take them for a little cruise around this part of the jurassic coast...

Throughout the week there were many many buskers who would just set up along the esplanade and play fantastic music... it was just a wonderful, exhausting and musical week. I met so many lovely people, had many conversations, laughed lots and danced my way through the week.

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And... to end it all, it was my birthday .... as I was still at Pebbles, Mum made a lovely Birthday lunch followed by rather a lot of candles for me to blow out... amazingly I managed it all on one go!!!! (Don't try to count them... you'll never do it!!)

It was then home to share my birthday with my sister and her family... her son also has his birthday on the same day and so... here he is blowing out his candles... not so many as you can see!!!!

.... and here is the amazing present that my sister made me along with a huge pile of scrumptious cakes and more candles...

We ate and drank until the sun set and then toasted marshmallows over the barbeque... a perfect end.

It just remains for me to say a HUGE thank you to my parents for putting up with me for so long last week and to my Dad for setting out early with me every day to set the stall up... I couldn't have done it without you both.... I LOVE YOU xxxx

Also, to all the wonderful family and friends who came each day to keep me company and help me out xxxx

And lastly, to my family for giving me a truely memorable and very Happy Birthday xxxxx