"William Morris meets Beatrix Potter" 2020 Tour news!

I know many of you have been waiting for news of the 'William Morris meets Beatrix Potter' Whitecroft Tour with Helen and myself (and Larry!), so here is some of it to tempt you! It was serendipitous that when Helen and I were emailing each other some months back I would send a suggestion and she would immediately respond with "I thought of that" or "I've just been there"!! So with all Helen's planning and touring around the countryside checking venues she has it all in place - thanks Helen! Email Helen as soon as you can to register interest as I am sure it will fill quickly as the Oxford based 'William Morris and Arts & Crafts' tour has - maybe there is room for a couple more on that one! (enquiries@whitecrofttours.co.uk). This 10 day 'William Morris meets Beatrix Potter' tour will be based in the Yorkshire Dales staying in a delightful hotel in Richmond and the dates are 2nd - 12th September 2020. Thankyou to Helen for the photos of our accomodation and nearby surrounds almost straight out of James Herriot's 'All Creatures Great and Small'!.....

These are just some of the places we will be visiting and most photos are from the venue's website. Rumour has it we might even be having a private dinner here at Castle Howard(!!)...definitely need to wear the pearls that night.......

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I have not visited Castle Howard before but was interested to read it has been used for film sets including one that Larry and I loved back in the 1970's - Barry Lyndon. And also the  'Brideshead Revisited' series and more recently the series 'Victoria'. Gardens are always on the list of Helen's tours and include the Royal Horticultural Society's Harlow Carr Garden, National Trust's Goddards House and Garden and many more. Last time Larry and I were in the area was 2010 and even then I was photographing flowers........

 And I was clearly fascinated by the UK's enormous bumble bee!........

These are some of my photos taken while we were staying in York and I still can't comprehend the age of some buildings and that they are still standing!.......

We will be visiting Cragside that has been on my wish list forever especially for the Arts & Crafts and Morris connection....

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Then there is the Elizabethan Gawthorpe Hall where I believe there is a huge collection of Arts & Crafts style embroideries and textiles........

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Now if that isn't enough grandeur for us to visit then check out this magnificent destination - The Bowes Museum......

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And another Arts & Crafts style house and garden - Goddards that the Terry chocolate making family (known for the delicious chocolate orange segments), built as their home.......

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And another private tour and dinner is planned in yet another place of grandeur  here - Ripley Castle.....swoon, swoon and maybe more pearls will be required!........

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Time to get back to my own photos and some of the places we will visit closer to Beatrix Potter country. First up a place where I took over 200 photos in just over an hour - Blackwell, The Arts & Crafts House. I can't possibly pick out a few photos as I took so many of the interior so instead here is the exterior and some of what I recorded on our visit two years ago is on this post here: Arts & Crafts Style Splendour......

And I am so glad we are returning to Levens Hall where I once again went into overdrive on the camera. You can see more of that on my blog post here - A Grand Garden in the Lakes......I can see Larry in this first image........

 they needed cherry pickers to trim the topiary..........

And off course a visit to Hill Top is mandatory and how wonderful that Beatrix Potter was a great admirer of William Morris! And since that trip two years ago I have found even more connections to these two talented artists.....all will be revealed when you join us in 2020! I can't possibly tell you anymore as I've been at this post for over two hours now.......just register as soon as you can to Helen: enquiries@whitecrofttours.co.uk (and I know I have left a lot out from the itinerary and of course there are always surprises as the Adelaide tour participants found out this year!!)

 and we might even be able to see the reproduction Potter wedding quilt that I donated to Hill Top. Hope you can join us in 2020 x

A tale of hares and birds!

Another week has passed us by without any news so it is time for a catch up. But before I get to that we send our thoughts to those in the US who are battling bushfires - so much tragic loss of life. Our bushfire season has been brought forward and we are already having hot days with 35C (95F) predicted tomorrow and then it will drop again in a couple of days to 18C (64F). These weather events are most concerning and we have heard of snow storms already in Canada. Our lovely friends from Canada sent this image this month of the early snow in their backyard .....

So why 'a tale of hares and birds' you might ask?! I bought this wonderful hare in the UK some years back - I wanted a much larger one of course but Larry soon put a stop to that! I just love hares - I am sure they are a pest as rabbits are to us but how can you resist this grand version?.......

 It reminds me of William De Morgan's hare that I used in my William De Morgan Sampler.......

which I might add is for sale HERE!

So I've been playing with my drawings to appliqué items for my first Artisans Market in December.  I've managed to source some wonderful linen/cotton tea towels, pure linen table runners, aprons and canvas bags. So the work room looks like this by day......

 and then by night.......... 

I have two machines set up - one for the appliqué and the other for the cotton rope bowls and I have had a very productive week as you can see.........

 I decided to use a bronze like print to reflect my hare and find I am surrounded by reflections of gold and bronze where I work......

 Today was a great day to get all the tea towels washed and dried.....

  and they are now all pressed and ready to pack... so I feel pleasantly organised for a change!.......

 This morning I received an email from Renaissance Tours asking me if I could help spread the word about next year's Morris to Mackintosh Tour to be held in September (2019). I was only too happy to oblige as I had recommended the charming Robert Reason to lead the tour after I had declined. I would love for this tour to go ahead for Robert....he is much quieter than me (!!), and I am sure it will suit all you academics down to the ground. Check the link for the itinerary....more of that soon. Meanwhile Helen of Whitecroft Tours is putting the final itinerary together for the 2020 'William Morris meets Beatrix Potter' tour so more of that soon too! Two fabulous tours to please all walks of life from the studious to those who know me through quilting! Life is indeed good x