Well what a weekend that was! apart from the fact football is NOT coming
home!...we have been in quite a lazy mood this week! its probably
something to do with the heat and the humidity....but the weekend took a
sudden turn!
I am introducing 2 lovely lassies onto the blogging circuit this week and I have designed both of their blogs...the first is 'The Happy Glamper' (above), its the home of Abbie Eastwood...who will be bringing you the joys of Glamping....oh yes! this is an actual word these days! mixing 'Glamour' with 'Camping'....so please do go and pay her a visit, to see her take on Glamping it up!...she will be showing you tasty and easy recipes to create under canvas, as well as shops and links on where to buy all your bits and pieces....definitely worth a visit!
....And the other delightful blogger is Cindy @ Retro Revival....she specialises in handmade shower caps and aprons and they are 'absolutely fabulous'!...she writes about her life living in Florida on a farm with her family (I'm Jealous! :)).....as well as her lovely handmade items.
Please do go and check out these lovely gals and tell them Happy sent cha!
Yesterday Rosie and I dropped in to our local Shopping Centre to hand out CV's, as she is itching to find another job right now!....she has a list as long as her arm of all the lovely things out there that she wants to buy herself! Bless! and she cannot wait to learn to drive, as she will be 17 in a couple of weeks! Oh! I do admire her perky spirit :)
Whilst we were there...I spotted The 'Big up England' car flags...2 for £1.00! Oh No! has Blighty given up all hope of getting through to the Semi's!...Well it is understandable I suppose! after the way we played last time...and the time before that!...what has got into our boys!
I have been meaning to get an England flag for a while now...as we have the KIA Soul that is advertising sponsoring the world cup...and well its only right! isn't it? and despite the fact that I have about 50 union jacks in my garden already! It just seems the right thing to do! anyway better late then Never! and besides... they might put a bit more 'Oomph! into their game if they know that Happy has gone and bought some flags for her car! LOL!
So I have taken the'bull by the horns' and decided to buy a couple of these flags! Whoo Hoo! Last of the BIG spenders! Me eh!....even though I might have to sneak down the end of the garden later, to quickly 'rip' them off in disgust! LOL!
I know! I lost the 'toss' I did want a Blighty Red one.....but Rosie and Fred won and we got the boring black one!...still a lovely car though...and sooo sporty...Ill have to wait a few more years before I can get my dream Citroen Dolly car (red and white) DeLiCiOuS!
GOOD LUCK ENGLAND FOR THIS AFTERNOON!
THOMAS FLETCHER WAGHORN.
If you know Chatham, you know him. Yes you do. He’s the statue in Railway Street. Just below the station. Points to the old gent’s lavatories. Usually wears a no-waiting cone on his head.
Got him? Right. Any idea what he did?
And why his statue is in Chatham? Read on.
And why his statue is in Chatham? Read on.
Waghorn was a postal pioneer who shortened the overland route between England and India from three months to between 35 and 45 days. And why was that so important? Because, simply, time is money: Faster mail meant quicker and more competitive business.
He was a business hero who probably didn’t get the recognition he deserved — until his statue went up in Railway Street in 1888. Waghorn’s route shortened to the distance to India from 16,000 miles via the Cape of Good Hope, to 6,000 miles.
I am particularly pleased to mention Waghorn because his family came from Snodland — Medway’s equivalent to the “name one famous Belgian” joke.
Thomas was born in Chatham in 1800 and baptised at St Mary’s Church on 16 July. His father, also Thomas, was a butcher and had married Ann Goodhugh at All Saints’ Church, Snodland, on 28 July, 1794.
Thomas entered the Royal Navy at Chatham, joining HMS Bahama as a midshipman in November, 1812, and married Elizabeth Bartlett at St John’s Cathedral, Calcutta, in 1822. He became a pilot and took an interest in the early attempts at establishing a steamship route from England to India and the East. But the East India Company — which effectively ran that part of the sub-continent for Britain — showed a remarkable indifference to his ideas.
After leaving the Navy as a lieutenant in 1832 he made the journey to India via Egypt as an experiment to send mail. Disastrously, the journey took four and a half months — but on his way back he met the Pasha of Egypt, who supported his desert route idea.
Personal tragedy followed in March, 1834 when his wife died in Calcutta. By December, however, Waghorn had remarried — to Harriet Martin, daughter of the miller at Snodland and a neighbour of his mother. That month he also inherited a substantial estate from his grandfather and the couple lived in Rochester until building The Lodge in the upper High Street at Snodland about 1841.
Waghorn’s business plan began to flourish and he set up an agency in Cornhill, London, for conveying post — and passengers — to India via Egypt. Between 1835 and 1837 he lived among Arabs in the desert and laid the foundations for the overland route across the desert from Cairo to Suez. This involved building rest-houses and supplying guides, boats, horses and carriages for travellers.
He became deputy consul in Egypt in 1837, but soon fell out with the authorities. From 1840, the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) set up in competition with him, backed by the British government. The came another setback: 300 horses died in a plague. It was the end — and the Pasha bought him out.
Waghorn turned his attention to speeding the post in Europe, through the new railway system. He was successful, but the Government reneged on a deal to pay his expenses for the trials left him £5,000 in debt.
Waghorn died at his London home in Islington on 7 January, 1850. He was buried at All Saints’, Snodland, just outside the vestry door (pictured above). The south wall of the nave bears a memorial to him.
Perhaps, as a mark of respect, Chatham’s yobs might stop crowning this great pioneer with road cones.
Well thats the bee in my bonnet got rid of this week :) and a little history to boot! not bad eh! and we are only in Tuesday! LOL
So perhaps if the 'YOBS' of today...took the time in finding out about our great heritage here in Medway...they might actually think! before they do this kinda thing...
Hello! Max 'ere!
Yes I am still here you gals and guys!....and keeping well :)
I hope all you blogging pets are keeping well too...keep in touch y'all!
and a Happy Monday to ya!
Look what I have been upto this week...Yep! I decided to save some money and make my own Father's Day cards...I have been known to spend upto around £5.00 on one card before...so I thought nope! I can make some of my own...and I got quite into making them straight away...
I used my printer to print off some pictures and the right words...I then tore the words and picture around the edges and glued them all into place....I then placed the card onto my machine and sewed around the edges.
I sewed messily on purpose, because I wanted to create this handmade look...surprisingly the machining turned out really well and I was so pleased with how it turned out. I also made a Grandad Card for Rosie to give to her Grandad and also a DAD card and a Hubby Card...I was going to take pictures of them all, but before I could they were all whisked away and written on and put into envelopes!LOL!
I also made this lovely 18th Birthday card for one of Rosie's friends...made with pretty papers and a copy of one of my sewing patterns...
Also this week...I have listed my lovely vintage handmade by 'me' holdalls they are absolutely divine and I want to keep them all! but have added them to my SHOP reluctantly! :)
The one above is made with this lovely 1940's barkcloth...it is such a lovely print...and soooo Happy :)
....and this one above is made from Rosie's favourite material...infact I know she has her eye on one of these! ;)
Have a Grrrreat Weekend Gals...
UPDATE
This is his little card collection...Bless!
WE HAD A LOVELY DAY...I DO HOPE ALL YOUR FATHERS, DADS AND HUBBIES HAD A GREAT DAY TOO :)
UPDATE
This is his little card collection...Bless!
WOW! Now if I had a Special Occassion coming up, like a wedding or a special birthday! I would definitely hire this 'luverley' vintage Routemaster Bus! How cool! and what fun! Move over Stretch Hummers! this is the way to travel in style these days!
Hello my luverlies...and how are ya' all this week then!
I do soooo hope you are well :)
I do soooo hope you are well :)
I have drawn the winners of my Homes and Antiques Magazine Give-away, using the random number generator and this is what it came up with....
So the lucky winners are Number 7 and Number 38 Yay! which means the names of the luverly ladies are :-
Jennifer Park-Cox and
Wrennette
You lucky girlies you!
Wrennette
You lucky girlies you!
Now could you lovely ladies get in touch with me, as I have tried to make contact and can't :( and if anyone else knows these ladies, could you please let them know for me :)
Thanks to everyone for taking part...I loved all your comments and would love to come and visit you all for a fun packed decorating holiday...Bliss :)
Sorry for not getting back to you all sooner...phew I have been rushed off my feet since the fabulous article at BBC Homes and Antiques...!
Thank you soooo much for all your lovely comments :)
Thank you soooo much for all your lovely comments :)
Right so this is the 'Official' Magazine give-away post! but before I get onto that! I must just show you my latest graphic blog design for Michelle at Creative Crafts, (above) Michelle is such a lovely lady, who sells papercrafting products at markets in the Devon area...
Please do check her out and say hello...you know what it is like starting out, you definitely need some encouragement...and I know you lovely girlies will give her some!
Please do check her out and say hello...you know what it is like starting out, you definitely need some encouragement...and I know you lovely girlies will give her some!
So then, my lovely gals...I have two copies of this lovely magazine to giveaway...so I need plenty of comments from you all! Now! what shall we have as the subject for the comments then!.....
....I know! If I came to your house, what room would you have me help you decorate and why? hehehe! now that is a good one eh!...oh what fun we could have decorating your home together and having a good 'ole natter eh!
You can have as many goes as you like and the funnier the better :)
I will be picking the two names at random, so you will all have a chance of winning :)
Heres some weekend flowers for you all my sweets....I love you all to pieces and good luck in this giveaway...I will be drawing it on Monday 14th June sometime in the evening.
Have a great weekend :)
Here it is my lovely lassies! I am officially in a Magazine! WOW! I am sooo chuffed! The magazine came out on Wednesday and not Tuesday like I originally posted about, sorry if you went to the shops a day early! Whoops, you can slap my wrists! LOL!
Yes this is the cover, idyllic homes with great ideas to steal! This issue does not let you down....it is a 'cool' magazine this month with lots of lovely items to read about and drool over...there are articles about lovely icecream! Yummy! and a jolly postcard article, just the kind of thing that 'happy' would buy!
...And of course theres our article, all about the 'Happy House'...a whistle stop tour of our rooms and a lovely little 'read up' to go with it too!
Titled 'Colour Me Happy'
...A cheery palette, jaunty patterns and a 1950's caravan in the garden, ensures that theres never a dull day at Happy Harris's Kent cottage!...and boy! are they right! LOL!
I can't stop looking at it!...it seems funny looking at your Home in a magazine like this! This has always been one of my dreams....and now it is a reality! It just seems 'unreal'!
Heres a piccy of me and Rosie by the caravan, Debi managed to get all my bellies into the picture! After I told her not too! LOL!....I was going to pretend that I used my FAT stunt double for the pictures! and that really I was stealth like and glamorous....but I didnt think you would believe me...knowing how much I like my chocolate! LOL!:) Also there is a feature with links to shops that I like to buy from...to 'Get the Look'!
As I look through the magazine, it makes me realise how many of the rooms and pictures that they did not use! Debi Treloar and Selina Lake, came and photograped our 'Happy House at the end of last summer....Thanks gals for the lovely pics in this issue, by the way...You Rock!
They were sooo impressed by the amount of enamel that we had, that they made us get it all out and Selina made a display on the shelves in the garden (see below) This was one of the piccies that I really thought they would of used in the article...but it is not there, I suppose though, there is only a certain amount of pictures they can use for each piece and I am really pleased with how they all look and the write up, so I can't complain!
...But the print is available in my shop, if you are interested CLICK HERE
You might of seen our lighting in the mag...
well I just love this idea and have used it in quite a few of our rooms, its a real design statement and looks soooo lovely and a little different....I was inspired to do this when we used to go abroad to Germany for work, years ago now!...Over there, all the state of the art trendy pubs and shops were displaying them and when we came back from one of our trips...we popped into TK Maxx to re-create the look ourselves and its stayed with us ever since.
well I just love this idea and have used it in quite a few of our rooms, its a real design statement and looks soooo lovely and a little different....I was inspired to do this when we used to go abroad to Germany for work, years ago now!...Over there, all the state of the art trendy pubs and shops were displaying them and when we came back from one of our trips...we popped into TK Maxx to re-create the look ourselves and its stayed with us ever since.
Since the Magazine has come out...the sun has been shining, and I have been washing cushion covers and quilts and digging down my old material cupboard to see what I can find...I thought it was time for a change in a few of the rooms...a little freshen up with fabrics and the like!...And (above) I found this lovely french cherry table cloth and some french lacey bits..that really brighten up this
little area in the Living room!...
I have also added a table cloth and lacey doily to the TV table! Yes I have a TV! and it is a BIG TV! too! Eek! I heard somewhere that if your TV was too big for your room you were 'common'! LOL! Well I have never pretended to be something I am not! but the Telly did used to fit into our other house, before we downsized...so that is my excuse! LOL! and I luuuurve watching the old films on the BIG Telly :)))) even though I am only 3 ft away from it!!! LOL!
So there we have it!...The magazine is out and I am as Happy as Larry!
In my next post I will be offering a few copies as a give-away so if you add me to your followers gals, you will be informed of the give-away date and won't miss out :)
Have a lovely weekend, won't you...and Happy Thrifting!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)