A Visit to Sandon Hall

Yesterday we visited Sandon Hall which is just a few miles south-east of the canal town of Stone.  

It was slightly foggy as we made our way there with just a glimmer of sun waiting to appear later in the day. 

It was cold too so extra layers were needed for a walk around the grounds.

Sandon Hall is a  Grade II listed 19th century country mansion set in 400 acres of parkland.

It has been home to the Harrowby family since the 1850s.  The house was rebuilt from 1850 to 1854 after it was devastated by fire.

As we headed towards the main entrance we were met by a little tabby cat who walked ahead of us to the doors.

It was very friendly and I was able to tickle under its chin and stroke its head.  Inside it was warm and noisy, a choir was singing carols around a piano near the staircase and stall holders were discussing their wares with visitors.

We decided to head to the Orangery first for a warming mug of coffee before having a good look around the stalls inside.  There were lots of lovely festive crafts but I didn't take any photos as it was too busy.

The Orangery was fairly empty when we arrived and we were able to find a table inside rather than outside in the marquee.

Delicious coffee and one piece of fruit cake to share.

Not long after we were settled people started to arrive for elevenses.

Everything was looking quite festive.

The staircase

The Orangery from the outside

We were looking forward to a walk around the grounds. 

You can see from the photos above and below how frosty it was.

Halfway round the garden the little cat joined us again.

 It wanted a fuss and left behind muddy paw prints

before its attention became focused on something moving at the bottom of the wall, a little mouse perhaps?

There was an elf trail for the children

and we could hear yells of delight as the elves were spotted and cards stamped.  We encountered about five of them as we walked around.

It was a lovely visit and felt very seasonal and festive.  Today is the first day of December and I think it may be a stay at home and make the Christmas cake day.  What are your plans for today?

Trying to be Crafty

Since last summer I'd been thinking that I ought to try and make little things like lavender bags and pin cushions. I'd kept putting it off but over the last couple of weeks after finally getting out to the fabric shops to see what material they had in their sales I was ready to go. Now, I'm not by any means a natural in this art form, in fact, I usually avoid anything to do with needles and thread apart from sewing on buttons and I really have to work myself up to doing that. I think it all stems from my first year at grammar school when, in what were then called domestic science classes, we had to sew our own cookery aprons and little hats. Oh, what a picture mine was and I spent the first couple of years in an oddly shaped, bunched up apron and a very strange looking hat. I still enjoyed the cooking though and I remember being pleased when my Christmas cake and later my jar of marmalade both went on display in the cookery lab.

What really inspired me was getting a new sewing machine last year. I have my mother's old Singer hand machine but I couldn't get it to work any more and I had a voucher for fifty pounds off this little treasure - so it only cost me just over 30 pounds. As you can see, Tom decided he had to have a ringside seat to watch the action.

I decided to venture further and make a bag from a very simple pattern that someone gave to me - Paul helped me by making the paper template and I pinned it to the fabric and cut it, he worked out where the folds had to be pressed in and I did all the sewing to put it together. I've got another one cut out and ready to sew and enough material left to make a couple of cushion covers.

I'm quite pleased with the finished articles and plan to make loads more things - so friends and family beware; you now know what you will be getting for presents in the future - as well as the homemade jam, marmalade and chutney of course.