Birthday weekend

Phew! I have had a lovely whirlwind weekend. It was my birthday on Friday and I got some lovely cards and gifts in the post, so my day started well.

My lovely friend Sara, who we call Sparkly and if you met her you would agree, sent me these sweet little gifts. We do not see each other much and never talk on the phone we just write to each other and she is very dear to my heart.

Well I stayed in and baked a chocolate cheesecake for my party while Ian took Midge to the beach to tire her out. Then a quick lunch and we set off to Lanhydrock House for my birthday outing. We had been before but only walked around the grounds and not gone into the garden or the house. It was a real treat and if you are ever down here you really must go. I will let most of the pics speak for themselves........

Oooh the smell, wish computers had scratch and sniff!

Inside the house, well I could have posted lots more of the 146 photos I took but had to just select a few of my faves!

Kitchen, I should say kitchen's as there are many for all the different jobs, a bakery, a dairy, one for preparing veg, one for cheese storage, a butchers, a pantry, one that had ice for making ices etc all so interesting, I must say that I find the kitchens of big old houses the most fascinating, all those little domestic details.

The nursery, and just look at those little boots, I could have just reached over and picked them up, do you think they would have noticed!

This necklace was part of a costume worn by the lady of the house to a New Years party in 1900, and just how contemporary is that?!

In a little room upstairs dustpans at the ready.

I would love a little curiosity table like this.

This little thatched cottage is in the garden and is like a little fairies house,its been a summer house, a garden shed and a tea rooms since the last inhabitant died in the late 1800s, I wish it was in my garden.

A lovely afternoon and we did not leave till about six and it was quiet by then and we had the place almost to ourselves, I pretended in my head that it was all mine!

On Saturday I spent most of the day happily baking in the kitchen preparing for a little birthday tea it was just to be with my closest Cornish girlfriends (Yes I know there's a man but Ian did need some company!) . We had eaten and cleared away all the savouries by now and were just preparing to eat cake. The fat one in the middle with the light blue top is me.
Scrummy cake and more pressies to open! (My chocolate cake is becoming more well known than me!)

And while having my birthday tea Sue told us of a garden she had been to that day called Trevoole Farm who were doing the open garden scheme for charity, she could not get over how amazing it was, every thing was vintage, well we needed no persuading and on Sunday me, Ian and Christine drove to have a look. We were not disappointed!!!!!! Oh My God it was AMAZING (with a capital everything!) from the darling little cat who greeted us (would not fit in my bag!) to the vintage tea shop in a wooden, almost cricket pavilion, in the garden. Just feast your eyes on some of the yummyness and if you want more go over to Christine's blog, she has posted loads of photos which is good as it meant I didnt have to!

The potting shed

Cute old camper

Tables all over all with vintage fabric

A vase of flowers having an 'Amelie' moment while no-one was looking, except me!

Inside the potting shed.

That cat again, comfy on some no doubt precious seedlings.

You can rent a couple of the little cottages to stay in and they are decorated like you would not believe. Not sure if we were supposed to but we snuck in and nosed around.

I need a cupboard like this, NOW!

A girl can never have too much fabric.

In one of the many little gardens there is a shepherds hut done up as a little guest room. Smelt divine with all the lavender.

Even the chickens and ducks get a bit of vintage fabric.

Do go over to Christines blog, I have just realised a bunch of the photos I loaded have disappeared and the tea shop interior is missing and you must see that. And the vintage shop at the end of it all was the icing on the cake, of course I made a few purchases!

In all I have had a really brilliant birthday that seems to have lasted for three days, precious time with my darling husband, a great evening with some great friends, thank you all so much for making it special and the beautiful gifts and to top it all off a visit to vintage garden heaven!