Last Day!!!

Don't forget....

Louis love

Those of you who 'like' my Facebook page will already know that at long last, prints of my 'Malle Fleurs' painting are now available. I've had many, many requests for them, and now they're finally here. And better yet, all prints are still 20% off - but only until 30th June.

'Malle Fleurs'

giclee print of original watercolour painting

11"x14" image size on A3 paper

for sale now on Etsy

Pretty flowers + a little Louis love - the perfect pick-me-up on a grey and rainy day.......

The Wimbledon Queue

Posted By Happy Homemaker UK

I wanted to attempt one of England's summer traditions,

The Wimbledon Queue

But hearing stories of 3 hour waits and people camping out,

I had been feeling a bit nervous

Then tipped off by a few friends,

I learned the key is to arrive later

And so I did

We arrived at the queue at 4:30p

and gained entrance by 5:15p

(ticket prices drop to £14 at 5p)

Not bad :)

My husband arrived at the queue by 6:30p

and encountered no line at all

Court 18: Elena Baltacha v Karin Knapp
Baltacha won and will represent Team GB in the Summer Olympics

Once inside we headed up the hill

to buy tickets for 1st Court

(Centre Court queue was too long)

And were sure to buy a cup of strawberries & cream

(a Wimbledon tradition)

1st Court:  Jamie Baker v Andy Roddick
Rain delay - will finish tomorrow

The day was cut short by rain

but we were thrilled to have experienced 

one of England's oldest tennis traditions

And I had one happy tennis-loving son :)

- all photos by me -

*Anyone can apply for tickets in December via the lottery. Some tickets go on sale the day before via Ticketmaster. The queue is for tickets that are handed in and resold by Wimbledon the same day; the queue is also for anyone who wants to feel like they earned the tickets and wants a story to go with it :)  Everything inside the club (and queue tickets) is cash only.

Read previous post on Wimbledon Tour

50 Things Before You Turn 11 3/4

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK

Our family is a bit outdoorsy,

so I was really excited to find the website

50Things by National Trust

Mud Pie Kitchen at Joyful Home

It lists activities all children should do before they reach 11 3/4

The interactive website is designed for kids

Design your own 'explorer',

earn online badges as activities are accomplished,

and journal when, where, and how activities are completed

Each activity includes a short how-to video clip
{ such as how to light a fire without matches }

and suggestions of where to do it

It is a go-to for ideas in any type of weather

How many have you done?

Light a fire without matches

Skim A Stone

Dam a Stream

Roll Down a Really Big Hill

Set Up a Snail Race

Find a Geocache

Eat Blackberries Growing In The Wild

Fly A Kite

Climb A Tree

Plant It, Grow It, Eat It

Go On A Nature Walk At Night

Swing On A Rope Swing

Bury Someone In The Sand

For a complete list,

visit www.50things.org.uk

Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour

Posted By Happy Homemaker UK

Utterupmost Fantasticosa!

We LOVED the Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour

Having opened in April,

this tour is new, fresh and perfect for any Harry Potter fan

or for anyone interested in the magic of making movies

With original sets, props, and costumes from the films,

this 3 hour self guided tour reveals a lot

Most information is relayed by producers, directors, actors, and others

on big screens in display areas

Diagon Alley

Luna Lovegood's and Professor Lockheart's costumes

The sound stage is

conveniently located off the M1 and M25 

northwest of London

For all ages, it revealed some really cool secrets 

of the green screen, animatronics, and make up artists

The Weasley Home

Dursley Home, 4 Privet Drive

If you visit,

you can walk through the Great Hall at Hogwarts (so impressive!),

'fly' in the Weasley's car and on a broom,

and drink Butter Beer

For more details, see

Warner Bros Studio Tour

- all photos by me -

It's Sale time - 20% off storewide in my Etsy shop!!!!

It's the end of the financial year, and that means....

All prints are now 20% off, but only for a limited time, so head on over to my Etsy store.

Oh, and you may have noticed I'm now on Instagram - my username is @driftwoodinteriors, or just click on the link on the top right of this page. It's quite different to any of the other social media sites - more of a relaxed, 'behind-the-scenes' type arrangement - and I have to say it's fast, fun and very addictive. Pop on over and say hi if you're that way inclined :)

New in my Etsy store!

For all of you who've asked, prints of my 'Pink Orchids in Vintage Blue' are now available in my Etsy store...

'Pink Orchids in Vintage Blue'

11"x14" image size on A3 paper 

for sale here in my Etsy store

If you're a liker of my Facebook page, you'll already know about this new addition. To be the first to know about new work, as well as exclusive previews and sales (!!!) head on over....you just might find a bargain or two (and if you don't pick up on all those hints, there's just no help for you!)

English Gardens In June

Posted By Happy Homemaker UK

Gardens in England

are at their most gorgeous right now

with their first summer blossoms of the season

These photos are from our village fundraiser garden tour,

private homes opening their gardens to the public

See the orange oriental poppy peeking out?

My neighbor recently called it a 'floppy poppy' 

which made me laugh

- all photos by me -

Trip To Devon

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK

I found my happy place a few weekends ago

Right in the NE corner of Dartmoor, Devon

Narrow, winding hedgerow lanes
Thatched houses
Fields of buttercups
Tea time with scones and Devonshire cream

- Bliss -

Yep, I could live right here

We literally made a U-Turn to get a shot of this sign
(I can't make this stuff up!)

We found the ancient 'clapper bridge' in Postbridge
made of granite slabs
This is one of the oldest surviving bridges in the UK
first recorded in 1380 AD

Next we headed to the coast to Burgh Island

This curious contraption shuttles people to mainland at high tide

Devon coast from Burgh Island

These colorful butterfly nets just screamed

'summer' to me

So here's my funny little story...

I made a total rookie move and didn't bring my camera battery charger

I found myself very sad (devastated, actually) to be without

my 'memory capturing device'

So I bought two disposable cameras at my first chance

I had forgotten what it was like to take only 1 or 2 shots per subject

with no zoom option

and wait a week to see the results

You can imagine my shock when I saw a piece of the cardboard coming off

to reveal that I had purchased a recycled disposable camera

that seemed to have been originally owned by Sophie (name written on camera) 

with instructions only in French

Furthermore, the electrical tape at the ends indicated that 

the film had not been factory loaded

- the photo developer said this was not uncommon -

Wow, was I nervous to see my printed photos!

Turns out all my photos here are from the disposable camera

except of the cutie pie cow

Thank goodness for online editing :)

- all photos by me -

Linking to Post Of The Month Club

Wikipedia

Bali beauty

As a teenager, one of my prized items of clothing was a white, oversized Stuart Membery shirt. Worn with leggings, slouchy boots and requisite bandana tied in my hair (did I mention it was the late 80's?) I was loving myself sick. As you do. Anyway, nowdays I'm still a massive Membery fan, and although my shirt is sadly no more - worn to death until it was beyond help - my focus has shifted to his stunning interiors and furniture collection.

After moving to Bali, he unleashed his creative talents on an old bungalow, and transformed it by blending the best of colonial plantation, Hamptons style and Caribbean cool into the perfect island getaway.....

all images courtesy Nick Leary/Vogue Living Australia

Couldn't love it any harder if I tried. For more of this beautiful home, and lots of other goodies, check out the latest Vogue Living Australia.

Weekend Shot

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK

Snapshot of Saturday

Cricket in background

Ice cream man

Some blue sky

What more could you ask for?

- photo by me -

Mug For Anglophiles

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK

One last royal bit before I leave the royal theme

I spied this delightful mug

at Liberty

Check out the poem on the back

Such a clever way to remember the order of past monarchs

from Liberty

Ever wondered what the Queen carries in her handbag?

According to Hello! magazine, Queen Elizabeth packs

£5 or £10 for the church plate

a compact

lipstick

handkerchief

glasses

I love the simplicity of it

no iPod or phone

not even a pen

:)

Source: Hello! 18 June 2012

Driven to abstraction...

Working on this today...

..while the Mr works on the redesign of my studio. Pics to follow of both projects as soon as they're finished.

Diamond Jubilee After Party Link Up

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK

What a wonderful week we have had

of celebrating the Queen's sixty year reign

with a flotilla pageant, BBC concert, beacons, a carriage procession, street parties,

and Union Jack bunting everywhere

From television to Twitter,

with square heels, fabulous hats, and a boxy purse,

the Queen has done a magnificent job

of bringing stability and continuity to the country,

changing with the times yet not,

and evolving the Empire to a Commonwealth

Not raised to be a queen until her uncle Edward VIII abdicated in 1936,

Elizabeth's life has had a few twists and turns

While visiting Kenya in 1952,

Princess Elizabeth received the news that not only had her father passed away

but that she was now Queen

She, a mother of two young children and age 25

Made of plants

As the third female monarch,

she is viewed as a calm queen

who doesn't give interviews but often seen waving to crowds

and gives a few public speeches annually

As every gathering has expressed this week,

'Hip-hip-hooray!' 

for the Queen

How have you been celebrating this week?

We can't wait to see

Feel free to add my button to you post - find the code on my sidebar :)

And stop by a few other bloggers to say 'hello'!

Thank you for stopping by this week! It's been great to have you here

- all photos by me -

In This Jubilee Series:

Beacons For The Queen

Diamond Jubilee Flotilla

London Getting Ready For The Jubilee
Find Your Jubilee Beacon

The Diamond Jubilee & Window Shopping

Celebrating Queen Elizabeth II