Christine's cottage is for sale!

This is a bit cheeky of me, but my little cottage is for sale, and I thought well you never know who might be reading this blog! It's one of a pair of traditional cob and stone cottages set in the heart of Probus village, Cornwall. It was comprehensively renovated 15 years ago (works included re-timbering, re-plastering, re-plumbing, re-wiring, provision of traditional wooden casement double glazed windows and gas fired central heating). South facing, you have a wonderful view right down the village street, and the parish church is just to the left . Probus is some six miles to the east of Truro, right in the heart of Cornwall; it's a 20 minute drive to the north coast and a 20 minute drive to the south coast and the beautiful Roseland peninsula.The village is well served with all amenities for daily needs including post office, public house, primary school, doctors surgery, farm shop, social club and even a fish and chip shop!
At the rear of the cottage is a small courtyard garden, recently landscaped with gravel and paving, with wide beds filled with an abundance of herbaceous plants. the stable door leads into the kitchen. The outhouse has plumbing and electric for a washing machine etc. and makes a great shed\workshop.
Now I shall take you inside.........
It is a two bedroom cottage: this is the main bedroom,  16'6" x 8'9".
The sitting room has the original deep inglenook fireplace and built in clome oven.  A gas enclosed stove now sits on the slate hearth. Beamed ceiling, double radiator and windows with lovely sills big enough to sit on.

This is the dining room, but at the moment I am using it as my sewing studio, so I'm afraid it's rather full of stuff. I had the wooden floorboards put in last winter and redecorated throughout. 
My asking price for the cottage is £195,000.00 . If you would like more information, you can phone me at the Sea Garden on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays on 01872 580 847.

The Party's Over!

The Party's over! Well not the party the fair, but to Christine and I it felt more like a party, a gathering of lovely people all selling lovely things.  The atmosphere from the very beginning, waiting outside for Christine to arrive with the key to the hall, was quietly exciting the butterfly's in my tummy starting to settle down into a gentle flutter when I greeted Viv, Sue and Leonore who were ready and waiting. From then on it was a whirl of setting up and greeting bloggy friends and I cant tell you how lovely all these people are!!!!  

8 o'clock to 10.30 whizzed by like five minutes, pre opening selling seemed to be going on all around me as we drooled over each others stalls and made impulse purchases, mine being Cyril a lovely little doggie from Michele (soon to be appearing on my blog).  At just before 10.30 Gertie came and asked wether two families who were waiting could come in and we were off!  I need not have laid awake half the night worrying that nobody would turn up to our little fair, it was busy, busy from the word go! By 12.00 we had run out of cake (Sue I made sure I got a slice of that apple cake, please get the recipe!) and had to send out for more supplies and popping round to see everyone it seemed that sales were good. Christine was here there and everywhere, I just kept seeing her little headscarfed person dashing about making sure all was well, she did not have a stand of her own but sold some of her beautiful jewellery on her friend Gertie's. The Sea Garden was open being looked after by our friend Sara who was chucked in the deep end a bit, having never worked in there before, madly taking money from eager customers tempted by the gorgeous stuff on offer.  Thank you Sara.

Well now I think the photos should take over for a bit so here we all are setting up and enjoying the day. 

Outside Suzanne from the Blue Carrot Market Garden was selling some of her lovely flowers and home made preserves.

Looking in, a quiet buzz of activity as lovely stuff was taken from boxes and laid out for your delight.

All finished, ready and waiting. Please let me apologise here because not all of the stands are shown, some I did not manage to snap others the photos did not come out at all well, so I am sorry if yours is not on here, they were all lovely.

So many lovely things.  We had a wonderful day and the feed back from you other ladies was very positive, we so enjoyed seeing you all again the only sad thing was not having enough time to have a really good chat. The hall looked very bare when you had all left and the tidying up done, we thank Gertie and her family for all their help setting up, doing the teas and clearing up. It all felt like the end of a jolly good party, hope you felt the same!

Christine and I would like to ask for any feed back you could give us that would help any future fairs run even better.  

Watch this space for future dates, we are thinking of a Christmas.

NEARLY THERE!

Well only three and a bit days till the fair!  I'm sure you are all bringing lots of lovely things with you, can't wait to see it all set up in the hall.  We thought we should put a list of all the exhibitors up for you to see who will be there. 

Jane Winton of Jane and the Happy Crow:

Hand made boats, vintage textile collages with a sea/sailing theme, papier mache, cards and some vintage bits and pieces. 

Christine Nullmeyers of the Sea Garden:

Jewellery made from vintage beads, charms and crystals and some cards,  Christines shop will be open on Sunday so you can browse her other treasures!

Viv  of Hens Teeth:

Stitched collages, brooches, creatures and lots of other beautiful imaginative things!

Sue of Vintage to Victorian:

Lots of vintage textiles and other small vintage treasures.

Clare of Daisy Darling Millinery:

Beautiful hand made hats for children and adults.

Sarah Bayley:

Clothing designed and made by Sarah who will be sewing away on her foot powered machine on the day!

Diane Cox of Ruby rugs:

Hand made rag rugs, small wall hangings, teacosies and other lovely stuff.

Cynthia Greenslade of Spindrift Gallery:

Mosaic mirrors made from sea glass and china and painted decorations. Cynthia's gallery in Portscatho will be open on Sunday so do go and have a look around.

Sarah Stone: 

Hand made bags and cushions with applique free embroidery designs.

Michele Chivers of Cowboys and Custard:

Lots of vintage toys including Noddy!  Michele's hand made assemblage boxes and her lovely badge cards.

Niki of Vintage Magpie:

Really cute and gorgeous bunnies, teddies and other animal toys with vintage fabrics and knitted outfits.

Margaret Harrow of Button Bunting:

Hand made bunting, need I say more, come and get it!

Hardy Strahl:

Lovely things made out of Driftwood.

Gertrud Stahl:

Little vintage fabric hand embroidered little bags, pouches and purses.

Leonore:

Loads and loads of vintage tiny toys and other bits and pieces and I mean LOADS!

Helen Roskell:

Hand stitched items and some vintage treasures.

Sue Dove:

Sue is having a clear out and that can only mean lots of lovely vintage china, toys and textiles and if we are lucky some of Sue's collages and stitched work.

Don't forget there will also be home made cakes and tea available all day and Suzanne from the Blue Carrot Market Garden will be selling her delicious jams and chutneys and bunches of flowers from her garden.

We hope you will be able to come along and join in what promises to be a grand day out!

A few bits that will be appearing on my stand (Jane).

How to find us.

This is a copy of a google map. On the A390, look for signs for Tregony and St Mawes, head for St Mawes till you get to Trewithian and then turn left for Portscatho.  There will be signs for the fair at Trewithian then follow the arrows to the Hall. 

There is parking next to the Hall. There is also parking at the beach car park (about where the middle arrow is on the inset map) this is a pay and display and free parking at the car park at the top of the hill in Gerrans. You can also park in the Square in Portscatho but that is only one hour parking and you will need more than that!

If you want any more details you can ring Christine at the shop on 01872 530655.

Christines first blog!

Well, this is my first ever blog! The picture above shows my little shop in Portscatho called 'The Sea Garden', which I have been running now for the past eight years. For those of you who will be coming to the 'Homespun Fair' (All of you I hope!) Sara has very kindly offered to open it for the afternoon (as obviously I can't be in two places at once), so you will be able to go inside and see all the gorgeous things on offer! It is just a stones' throw away from the sea, I can't believe how lucky I am to be in such a nice village where everyone is so friendly and kind. 

Earlier this year I spent about four weeks painting my dining room and turning it into a sewing studio. I only use recycled and vintage fabric to make the cushions and bags and pictures that I sell in my shop, and I love old buttons and lace and ribbons - it all gets stored away in little boxes until the right thing comes into my head as to what to use it for. On the table is the rag rug which I started to make on the day course run by Jane at Golden Mill. A rag rug is great for using up all those scraps you get left with and clothes which no longer fit!

 I am concentrating on making jewellery for the Fair at the moment - these two images show a charm bracelet and necklace using freshwater pearls, silver charms, and vintage buttons, a tiny key,a locket.

 This is the other type of necklace I'm working on - with beads and a leather strap, in lovely soft  colour combinations. 

I'm so looking forward to welcoming you all to our 'Fair by the Sea'. Bye for now, Christine xx

Location, Location!

This is the location for the Home Spun Fair. The Memorial Hall in Portscatho,  unlike a lot of village halls it has big windows down the sides which means its lovely and light and airy.  Of course there will be bunting outside along with a fresh flower stand run by The Blue Carrot market garden also selling jams and chutneys.

This is the view down the road from the Hall, just a short stroll if you want to take a break on the beach between shopping!

And when you get to the bottom heres the beach. Come and enjoy.