stockist! & a place to visit

hello there!

I have good news, oh yes! I have a new stockist :)

my tin of goodies on a beautiful dresser in the gift shop

Thanks to a stall at Threshfield School Summer Fair, my wares were spotted by the lovely Amy of Kilnsey Park who then asked if I fancied stocking my Ditsy delights in their gift shop. "Oh yes, I would!", thought I, but hopefully I was outwardly more controlled and professional than I was feeling inwardly. I mean, what a compliment...being approached by a potential stockist not only shows that they like your products but, that they like them enough to share with their customers. A fair compliment indeed, in my book.

view of the shop towards the entrance

So, up I ventured with my bag full of goodies and a very patient boy (we had to go straight from school on Friday without giving George prior warning). Whilst I chatted with Amy, George was lucky enough to wander the grounds, feed the fish and fall in love with some ducklings (who very nearly adopted George & he them).

Even when a shop/gallery owner declares an interest in your designs, there is still that "will they/won't they?" apprehension when you finally meet. I'm happy to say that they did and thanks to Amy being thoroughly lovely and oh so calm, the visit was an entirely pleasant one.

the fresh food counter..fish pie, smoked salmon to name but two delights

It just so happens that when George was born, we actually lived in Kilnsey, in a cottage backing on to the park and the trout lakes...it is such a beautiful area with the magnificent Kilnsey Crag dominating the scenery. I had forgotten how lovely it is up there and especially at the park - there have been a lot of changes (all good!) since I last visited and it is now on our "to do during the Summer hols" list! (for me, mainly because the cakes looked scrumptious and the cappuccino that I had was, indeed, delicious...more sampling required, I feel!

fresh food, ice cream, homemade cakes, fresh coffee & a tummy rumblingly good restaurant menu

The park itself is a working trout farm as well as offering other activities for visitors, such as:
fly fishing; fun fishing; adventure playground; nature trails; gift shop; restaurant; red squirrel conservation programme; and the rare and beautiful Lady's Slipper Orchid.

my Ditsy Bird Designs rainbow trout brooch exclusive to Kilnsey Park

Whilst I was there, the park was preparing for a Herbs & Potions weekend as part of National Herbal Medicine Week...I only wish I'd known in advance as I would have loved walking through the grounds, looking for herbs, and then making up herbal vinegars and oils! Their next event is The Mad Professor's Bug Weekend (6th & 7th July) which sounds like great fun for bug fanatics, and then it's their 35th birthday weekend (10th & 11th August) celebrating 35 years for this family run business.

So, if you should find yourself in Upper Wharfedale, do pay them a visit and perhaps have a look in the shop for the tin of Ditsy Bird goodies.

Sarah
x

Monday montage

Hello folks and I hope you are cracking on nicely with this new week!

Here are a few shots from our weekend...

Saturday involved a lazy pub crawl around Grassington with great friends ~

Sunday had us popping back over to Saltaire for a second weekend in a row (Titus dear, we really must stop meeting like this!) for the food festival ~

later I spent the evening sketching, supping from a vintage glass and catching up on TV whilst the mister cooked a slap up (& damned tasty!) dinner ~

What did you get up to over the weekend?

Sarah

x

Clear the cobwebs

Hello! 

So half term hols are over, boyo is back at school, the mister is back to work and I'm back to painting today.  But whilst the paintings dry, I thought I'd show you some photos from our walk with friends last week. We were having one of those "I NEED to get out of the house" moments, so arranged to meet a good friend and her children in Malham (we are very lucky to live on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales) to do a circuit walk...taking in Janet's Foss and Gordale Scar.  Both are very beautiful but in such different ways. It was an overcast day which rapidly turned into a drizzly and very blustery day (I had the most special blow-over hair do [like a comb over only purely down to the wind plastering damp hair against my head] at the end of the walk but we certainly blew away the cobwebs :)

posing in the car park

the view over a drystone wall

the wall

looking skyward

very pretty but it looks seriously chilly in there *brrr*

close of the rock on our way to Janet's Foss...can you see the face in the rock behind?

Georgie takes the middle road & very pleased with himself he is too ;)

nearly there...that waterfall up ahead is Janet's Foss

here it is in all it's glory

Georgie goes in for a closer inspection

peepo!

the intrepid explorers head off to the waterfall at Gordale Scar...you can actually climb it!

in all it's twin waterfall glory...a truly majestic sight

this gorgeous fella was munching his lunch as we passed but he stopped to get a good look at us

x