Afternoon Tea at Eastwell Manor Ashford Kent

What a difference a few days make.  I signed up to go for afternoon tea at Eastwell Manor in Ashford a month or so ago with a group of approximately 10 ladies.  Eastwell Manor is an old country house hotel and I had been hoping to wear one of the pretty summer dresses that I have made and not worn a lot.

The beginning of the week was lovely, it felt like summer had begun and summer dresses abounded on the streets of Kent. What a difference a few days makes. Today I donned, a camisole, a long sleeved t shirt, tights, the dress, a cardigan, proper shoes, a raincoat, and a scarf.  Oh must not forget the cap and umbrella!  drrr. British weather.

Anyway off my soapbox and onto the hotel.  As I said Eastwell Manor is an old country house hotel.  It is set in the sort rolling fields reminiscent of a Constable landscape painting.

If you ignore the cars and street lamps and any other reminders of the 21st Century.  Oh and  I am still working on panorama photographs, so apologies for that.

The interior is beautiful, I arrived early, ordered a coffee and sat in a little nook to read   The coffee arrived quickly, in a 2 1/2 cup cafetiere, with a pretty china cup and saucer.  Not something that I am used to as usually coffee is served in a standard issue mug.  This was so much more elegant.

This is the lounge and reception area as you walk into the hotel.

Afternoon tea was served promptly at 3 pm, in this room.

It consisted of a round of finger sandwiches, one smoked salmon, one egg, one ham and a herby mayonaisse, and one cheese, 2 freshly made scones with jam and clotted cream, and 3 cakes.  My only gripe (if it can be called that) is that one of the selection of cakes was a cup cake.  Now I know cup cakes look very pretty, but what happened to traditional British fairy cakes.  It would be nice to see fairy cakes on some menus again.

It was a lovely afternoon, the service was friendly, efficient, and prompt.  The setting and interior was spectacular and I met up with some lovely ladies whom I had met earlier in the year and made some new friends.

Birmingham meet up

What a day.  As usual I caught an earlier train than I needed to get to Birmingham.  Although I was booked on the 0943 and did not need to be at St Pancras until 0900 I was there at 0800.  I walked to Euston from St Pancras and passed this as I did so.

  Pretty funky for a bank eh!

When I got to  Euston I checked with the rather surly information man if I could upgrade my ticket and without a smile he told me that the tickets were non transferable.   So I kicked back my heels for a while and had a coffee in the multi lounge they have set up there and did some people watching which is always very interesting in London.

The journey from London to St Pancras was uneventful and speedy.  I arrived at Birmingham New Street Station, and after checking in with Claire http://sew-incidentally.blogspot.co.uk we met up with Rachel of  http://layerstitchrepeat.blogspot.co and proceeded to Barry's fabrics.

Now I had had a chat with myself in the morning, that I do not need anymore fabric to add to my already overflowing stash, but (and I know I am not alone in this) when you are confronted with this!

 all thoughts of self denial fly out of the window, and this is only 1/4 of the shop, if that.

But I was very restrained, I only bought this:

 and this

after drooling over the beautiful fabric in this fabulous shop, we decided that we had better listen to our rumbling stomachs (mine was anyway by this point) and get some food.

A table had been booked up for us at Cafe Soya, where the food is plentiful, tasty and cheap and just as importantly the tables are not packed in like sardines. Over much regaling of sewing adventures and  hilarious child rearing anecdotes with Jo of http://theamazingtaracat.wordpress. and Louise http://threadcarefully.wordpress.com. We (me) ate till stuffed and then we astounded the rest of the very busy restaurant by pulling out what seemed like a mountain of fabric and patterns over the two large tables and proceeded to swap our hearts out.

We then went to the rag market, aided by the maps prepared for us by Kat http://akraftykat.blogspot.co and Marie http://www.stitchingoddyssey.com.
Where amongst other bits and bobs I bought this

Then to The Fancy Silk Store

Again this is only maybe 1/2 of the downstairs of the shop, apparently there are 2 or 3 more floors, I was too tired to investigate this.

Where I bought my find of the day

How could I leave without it?

And, finally, exhausted to the Birmingham New Street Station where we ended the day with much hugging and promises to meet up again soon.

All in all a fabulous day, and much thanks to Claire, Kat and Marie for arranging and organising a herd of chatty dressmaking, crafting women around a well fabric stocked and busy city.

Saturday May 18 2013

Brighton Meet Up.

So up with the larks, no problem for me, out of the door at 6 30 am to catch the 6 56 to Brighton.  I did not have to leave this early but a day out is a day out might as well make the most of it.  2 1/2 hours later, I am at Brighton Station.

The meet up was not scheduled to begin till 1130 so I had an hour or so to acclimatize myself.  I had been in Brighton for approx 20 mins when I decided that If I had to move house then Brighton it would have be. London by the Sea perfect!  Lots of shops, lots of history, lots of character and I could get to London easily if needed.  Anyway I digress.  Back to meet up.  I met Claire (Sew Incidentally) at the prearranged time.  Organised as ever she produced a map out of her trolley for us to follow.  We waited for Jo and then proceeded to our eating/swapping destination.  The meet up coincided with Brighton Fringe festival and the town was packed, we passed street dancers, Shakespearean actors and crowds and crowds of people, all looking to have a good time in the sunshine.

We walked down a street with a fleamarket taking place.  Now my house is an ongoing project.  My taste is towards upcyling as much as I can.  But just recently I had run out of inspiration for my kitchen.  I had an idea that ultimately did not work.  (there will be another post about my kitchen in the future).  Whilst walking through the  fleamarket I saw some chairs covered in old sacks, and my passing thought was ooh. I could do something like that and it's just the style that I like.  Then a few yards down the street I spied this stall.

Well what can I say I bought two.  How I am going to use them is still to be finalised.  But I am thinking cushion covers for the kitchen.

We ate at All Bar One.

After eating and swapping we proceeded to fabric shopping.  First up was New Fabric Fair,  I did not buy anything here.  Then to Ditto.  A crowded shop quite small, but fantastic fabric.  I bought this one, again for housing projects.

After this shop, we had a look in a couple of the numerous independent shops around the area, (this place is heaven for committed shoppers who like to shop at independent shops), then to the Brighton Sewing Centre where I bought these two giant ric rac braidings,

and some buttons.

I have ideas for these to complete projects I am currently working on.

Oh and I must not forget to mention the shoes, I bought.   Look aren't they gorgeous.

All in All,  I had a lovely day, thanks to Claire for organising it.