Dream Country Chat

TEA COSY GIVEAWAY

It is giveaway time again. Iu have one of my original applique tea cosies to give away this month. Handmade in vintage wool blanket with embroidery and applique design. From my 'Heart of the home'"range.

What do you have to do to have a chance of winning this gorgeous goody? Simple, just tell me what is the first thing you think of when the word TEA springs to mind. Is it chocolate cake, a good book, the kitchen, tiny cucumber sandwiches, the fireside, the bath, rich tea biscuits, relaxation. Come on tell me all!

Everyone who sends in a comment between now and next Friday (7th August) will have their name put in the teapot and the winner will receive this fab tea cosy.

So come on, sit down and have that virtual cup of tea with me.

Karon x

DEAD ROUTER

Aha, I bet you think I have been skiving off having a lazy time while Idgy is away and not even bothering to blog. How wrong can you be. I have been beavering away in HQ like a woman possessed. The only reason I haven't been blogging is this - my router died.

On Monday morning I did the blog (sounds bad doesn't it), went for a run and then tried to check my mail. Nothing, nada, zilch, rien. The internet was not opening its arms to embrace me. Ah, obviously the server is down. I phone their help line. No issues with that. Spend half an hour on the phone with patient person telling me to press this, test that and do it all again. No luck, there is still a stubbornly flickering yellow light on the router where a glowing green one should be. 'Not our problem, it's your router, phone Netgear'.

Oh God, I now know this is heading for a long and painful process. With heart in mouth I phone Netgear. After the usual automated process of press this button and that button I eventually speak to someone in India. We then go through the same dance as I did with Demon, try this and try that.  Now to do this test you will need to hang up, test the line and call back. I do this three times. Am I panicking, you betcha. I come from a long line of over-reactors and I can go into a tail spin at the drop of a hat. Consider the hat dropped about three hours ago. Try using an ethernet cable to test the router. I don't have one as I use the bloody router to get wireless internet. Drive round neighbourhood to find someone I can borrow one from. No joy. Yet more calls to India. Now I have to use someone else's computer to download a file to upload into mine. Drive to Stewarton to use computer in library. Of course it will not let you download such things. Have to wait till neighbours home from work. Get file on stick. Load it into my computer, phone India again. It doesn't work. It is now 8pm and this saga has been going on all day and I have lost the whole day's work and almost all my hair from pulling it out in stress. 'Hmmm, looks like you need a new router, yours is dead'. At last firm action. Now what? 'We will send you a new router and you should have it in 7-10 days'. Okay so now the over-reacting has reached fever pitch, that poor man in another continent must have thought I had just been attacked by a bear. I was almost incoherent with rage at the thought of being internet-less for over a week. 'If you pay £20 you can get one tomorrow', yes, yes, yes. Did I ever tell you that patience is not a virtue I have been blessed with?

Tuesday I get back to HQ and work away on new cupcakes and filling trade orders. I am constantly listening for the crunch on gravel that could signal the arrival of a trusty delivery van and my new router. Nothing.

Yesterday lunch time it arrived. I almost kissed the driver, but resisted the urge just in time! Try to set up router and of course have to go back through the hoops of India yet again. No joy the light is still stubbornly flickering at me. 'You will have to phone Demon again', Oh no, I am falling apart at the seams here and by now can hardly gabble my name and password when I speak to these people.

Enough of this tale, I shall cut out yet more painful and embarrassing pleading by me on the phone and endless testing of this and that. By 4pm yesterday I was back on line. Okay so the new router now has to live on the hall table (called a hall table but don't actually have a hall) and I have more spaghetti wires round the room than a Nasa space station . It works, I am back on line and normal service can be resumed...........

Karon x
 

BAG ME A BOOK

I have been very remiss on my blog in that I haven't updated my book list for months. Well I thought I would update it now by driveling on a bit about the books I am devouring at the moment.

Maybe devouring isn't quite the right word for the first books. Hmmmmm learning French (again). How my old French teacher would laugh if she saw me hesitantly reading out 'je vois la lumiere' and other such gems. But hey, it has to be done. I am now on the idiots guide to speaking french. Have tried two other systems of books with Cd's and just haven't got anywhere. I like the idiots guides for their fun approach and little fun comments, so thought their french book might just do the job. You know, I think it might just be the book for me............

Yes, yes, I know, great big expensive design type book. Oh but is it lovely. Just crammed with the most beautiful photos of fabulous French interiors. Not one of those frighteningly posh interiors books, it is the little junk pieces that this book focuses on, you won't find pages and pages of towering high ceilings and curtains that you need a mortgage to buy. The book is called 'The new French decor' and it is by Michele Lalande. I just bought it on Amazon second hand and in perfect condition.

For sheer fun reading in the bath and at bedtime, this book is hilarious. I picked it up at the village gala day a few weeks ago on the little second hand book stall. Just grabbed a batch of books in the hope that something might just be a gem. Well this is hilarious, realistic and with a few tears too. If you are one of those people who are frightened of the f'''word then it is not for you. But if  you're not, you'll find it so very, very funny.

Now children, lets guess which book I finished first? Yes it was the funny one, very closely followed by the big shiny one with all the pretty pictures. Hmmmmmm that just leaves us struggling along with the French book. I am determined, I will do this, and at some point in the not-too-distant future (I hope) I shall be able to confidently assure anyone 'That the postilion has been struck by lightning' and other useful phrases......................

Karon x

LITTLE THINGS

 

Looking through my photo files this morning I came across this one I took a few months ago. Isn't that cherub serious. Well I guess I would be too if I was toting that huge flower bowl on my head. It was the cherubs expression that attracted me to this statue when I saw it.

It is the small things that can draw the eye. This was brought home to me pretty clearly these past few days in Harrogate. Since January I have been slaving away trying to make Dream Acres have a real brand look. I've been beavering away pulling things together to create a line of items that go well together. Maybe I have gone over the top a tad.

It wasn't until I had it all set out on my trade stand that I realised just how much stuff there was. Now that was cutting things down a bit prior to the show. Hang on Karon, are we in danger of getting carried away with too many products yet again.

'Can you keep up a good stock of all of these items?', 'How long does it take to make everything?', 'Where do you store all this stuff?', 'Does everything there sell well?'. All these delicate little questions were posed by my new found friend and mentor Fee. She is so, so right, can I answer all of those questions honestly and with the right answers? I think not. I did a LOT of thinking in Harrogate and I am now pulling in my proverbial horns and tightening things up in the products area. Big changes are afoot at Dream Acres, I am working flat out to get things sorted out within the next couple of weeks. Bear with me and you will see some new pix very soon and I will reveal all on my plans.

round the final roundabout and smartly drive into the commercial section having completely missed the turn off for the real people part of the airport. Oh God, back on the bloody roundabout yet again. This time I make it into the airport, tempers are frayed (mine), watches are being glared at (his), and someone in the back is bouncing about in true holiday spirit (On a lighter note, yes it is Saturday so why not. I took Idgy and Mr X to the airport yesterday as he was taking my little pal off to Spain for a weeks holiday. Now I have been to Prestwick airport many times. Unfortunately this time I did not appear to be taking my brain with me to the airport. I just couldn't find the damn place. Firstly I went completely the wrong way at the end of our lane and joyfully headed off to Irvine. Oh well, bit of a detour but admit nothing and carry on. All well till I got to all those complicated roundabouts that Ayrshire is so very fond of. Circumnavigated the first one fine, but oh dear, by the third one l was way off course and now heading off to Glasgow. Back on the roundabout another three times to find Prestwick. By now Mr X has noticed that this is not a 'slightly different route to the airport' and has started making comments like 'should have taken that last turn', 'thought you knew your way to the airport', and of course the all time favourite 'I could have done this myself'. Oh the temptation to screech to a halt and throw him out to do just that. Anyway I carry on and at long last the airport hoves into view. There is relief all round as I fairly whizIdgy). I drop them off in plenty of time for their flight to the sunshine. Then I drive home. The roundabouts are a breeze now, I hit the right turnoffs every time, I am home in a flash. Funny how your brain just unfreezes when the situation clears.

Now a week of total peace and quiet here while I work some magic on my little business. Watch this space...............

Karon x

TRADING PLACES

Hi guys, I'm back. Back from the joys of Harrogate and the Home and Gift trade fair.  What can I say, it was an amazing experience and a huge learning curve (how I hate that term, but it fits this situation so I am afraid it just has to be used) and even better than that I made a couple of new friends.

This is a seriously HUGE event. There were 19 different exhibition halls, ranging from the normal modern exhibition halls themselves, to enormous marquees, hotel foyers and ballrooms. It all seemed to be an endless sprawl around the centre of Harrogate itself.

Did I feel just a tad out of my depth - you betcha!  However, having said that, I wasn't in a scary area, no I was in the lower floor Hall E where the new businesses go. Now when I say lower floor I really should clarify, we were in the basement. Actually it turned out to be a bit like a massive rabbit warren a la Watership Down. We had our own community down there. There were people you liked, people you didn't, good coffee, lots to look at and we even managed to sell a few things to those brave enough to dig deep into Harrogate and find us in our burrow.

 

As far as stands themselves went, in our area of small displays there was a huge range of artistry and effort. Some had just thrown a cloth over a table as if they were at a church bazaar, while others had really made an effort and created the perfect display for their goods. The pic above shows the Sea Holly stand where Fiona showed her amazing hand painted miniature tiles. The stand was beautifully simple and showed off the tiles to perfection. Fiona really knows her stuff and her advice was invaluable to me as a complete novice in this big wide world of the trade fair. She took the time to really help me get my display right (I had it all set out for a retail fair and you want a different approach for a wholesale event - now I know) and we just hit it off as pals right away.

 

Another beautiful stand was Sandie Blue, totally simple and totally right. Sandie's cards are a delight. They are the prettiest watercolours featuring beach huts, bird houses, flowers and picnics. I just loved the way her display stands reflected the images themselves. Another beautifully simple and effective display. Sandie and I hit it off right away - dare I say something to do with our slightly warped humour and ability to keep going with a joke as long as possible.

Did I get orders, was it worth doing. Yes, yes, yes. Exhausting but well worth it. I am now back home with orders to fill, stock to make and pages and pages of notes to trawl through trying to read my own writing and work out what the hell I was on about.

Ah yes, I have been there, done that and got the proverbial T shirt. I have done my first trade fair and lived to tell the tale.

Karon x

HAIRY HARRY AND HARROGATE STOCK

Yesterday I had my day planned with ,military precision, but as with the best laid plans of mice , men and of course me, that just didn't work out.

Picture the scene dear reader. I have just done my run and stagger back into house in nasty sweaty state. On route to shower room I g through kitchen, something catches my eye but I carry on. Have shower, return through kitchen and it hits me again. Something is amiss. Oh shit, the windows are all open. Now if you are the sort of idiot that owns a house ferret that lives loose like a cat, this is an A1 alarm call.

Rush upstairs like a gazelle walrus and search my room where he will normally be crashed out on the bed in the morning. No sign of him. Check Idgy's room (resist temptation to shriek and howl at the disgusting mess) not there. Search all of house. PANIC.

See Mr X in garden, he is painting outside of house and is of course doing the kitchen window frames. 'You have left the bloody windows open' I shriek in an admirable impression of angry fishwife. Now being a man he instantly lies and goes on the defensive saying he was there all the time and never left the scene. I (Poirot) know this is a lie as when I scuttled through the kitchen he wasn't in sight.

I am therefore at liberty to lose the plot completely and shout, swear, jump about and generally behave like an overgrown child in panic mode. Idgy joins me in this mission (we work well as a team) and we all search the garden calling for Harry. Situation is not helped by the farmer (not John this time, he is off wearing his spangled jumpsuit and leopard print deer stalker while cutting another field) cutting the field right next door and the noise is terrible.

A very nasty half hour passes as tempers fray, child cries and I swear at Mr X. No sign of Harry. I then hear the bin lorry lumbering down the lane and rush round the house to drag the bin out. Well guess who I find lurking with intent by the bins. No other than Hairy Harry the escapee from the kitchen. Grab Harry in one hand and bin in other. Drag bin to side of lane just as the lorry pulls up. 'You're not putting a dead rat in my lorry' says driver when he sees me.  Go into long story of escaped ferret (not a dead rat at all thank you) and miraculous recovery. Bin men glaze over with boredom and eventually drive off.

Shut kitchen windows and lock the errant Harry in the house. Go back to the calm and rational plans I had made for the day. Now I am sure all out panic and ferret chasing wasn't on the list......

Today's post was meant to be all about the new stock of goodies I have made for Harrogate and just put on the web site. I shall just put in a nice piccie here of the new Cuppa Cosy

and also of the updated Cup Cakes, now available with nicely stamped cards saying, Thank You, With Love, Happy Birthday and Best Wishes.

There are lots of other goodies, but to be honest I am sure you have all lost interest in this post abut half an hour ago.

Off to Harrogate tomorrow so won't be blogging till end of next week.

Karon x

FLOWER POWER

The garden is looking amazing just now, flowers, flowers everywhere. Normally I have my brain in herb mode and tend to ignore the flowers as a sort of extra, a frippery if you will.

But things in the garden just mosey on  and bloom without any interference from me. Giant daisies seem to have taken over part of the garden this year. Where once there were a mere handful, now there is a riot of sunny faces.

 

And some flowers have just grown enormous. The foxgloves are tower of strength and colour.

Now isn't it funny how all of these beauties are just doing their thing with no help from me and look fab year on year. There is a completely different scenario with the old sweet peas. Every year I buy sweet peas and plant them carefully and water them well. Every year I am lucky if I get one sweet pea from the whole lot. My pal Naomi  just along the road always has masses of sweet peas. It has become a bit of a standing joke that I just can't seem to grow the damn things. Every time I pop in for coffee she thrusts another fragrant bunch of them into my hands, oh how I wish I could return the compliment with my own sweet peas. Maybe they just don't like me, am I getting paranoid now - yes, I have obviously been smelling the flowers too long..........

Karon x

BLOODY CHRISTMAS

Ah Christmas, don't you just love it. Yep, certainly do, but maybe not in July. I think I can safely say that I am all festived/festered out. I have been sewing Christmas goodies for weeks getting ready for the Harrogate Trade Fair next week. The last of the sewing was completed on Monday night (well 1am on Tuesday morning really) and yesterday I did my dry run on the set up for the fair.

It is done, I can't do any more. Everything is labeled, coded and priced. It has been tweaked and changed, agonised over and now its packed. Today I print out yet more brochures and have to go walkabout to find a long arm stapler to put them together. Funny how that's not the sort of thing any of your friends have hanging around the house just waiting for you to borrow.

I was really nervous about this fair, it being a trade fair and therefore different from the usual retail fairs I do. But you know, now I just feel I have done my best and bring on the day.

At least this year I have a head start on Christmas. All my designs are done and I have started to build stock on each item. Ah, so will I panic on the run up to Christmas, yes you bet I will, that's par for the course!

Karon x
 

AN HOUR IN THE MORNING

Yesterday started off as the most beautiful sunny day. 8am found me bounding  down the lane to try out my run circuit again and make sure it wasn't a fluke on Friday.  The moon was still visible in the sky which I always think is a just a tad spooky when the sun is out. You can just see it between the branches of this little tree.

I decided to take some snaps on my way round the circuit. The willow herb looks amazing, oh I know it's a weed, but just so pretty just now, and lots and lots of it.

There was only one other person out and about. This little old guy on his bicycle. We kept overtaking each other as I would have to stop to snap photos and he kept stopping for a rest.  He was a tad confused and kept  calling me Jill and asking how my head was. After about a mile of this I was beginning to believe I was Jill and had been kicked in the head by my horse at some time. I even knew what I was wearing at the time as apparently my companion had been there on his bike and rushed (!) off for assistance. We parted company at the crossroads with my companion giving me a cheery (if a bit wobbly) wave and with 'bye Jill' ringing in my ears.

Thistles are looking fabulous just now. A real touch of Scotland.

The fields have all been cut and silage bales stacked.

Looks like John was having a bit of fun in this field stacking some of them up in towers. 'See John in his sparkly pink jump-suit, neoprene high heel wellies and lime green deer-stalker' - oops, sorry, wrong John..................

  

And there we have it, the end of the run, home. Actually I even had enough energy for a little leap and skip in honour of the 4 miles. I am becoming an athlete!!!

Karon x

DINOSAUR DANCE

No, this is not a candid photo of me snapped early in the morning (I usually look worse), this is one of the stars of the 'Walking With Dinosaurs' show that was in Glasgow last week.

Anybody who knows my daughter will know that she has one major passion in life - dinosaurs. Very ungirly I know, they don't even come in pink for God's sake. I just live in hope that she becomes a paleontologist and discovers something amazing.

Anyway, the show at the SECC was amazing. Not something I had been looking forward to I have to admit. But boy were those beasties realistic and HUGE, you were drawn in from the word go. It was so cleverly done. If you look carefully at the above pic you can see the guys legs between the raptors feet. The big dinosaurs were moved by having little cars (like seriously low slung racing cars) fitted between the feet and then disguised as rocks. This moved the feet in a realistic wat. All the other movements like breathing (yes they did), eyes, head, tail etc were all controlled by puppeteers who directed everything by remote. It was amazing.

The tallest of the dinosaurs (braciasaurus I think, but would have to check with child expert to be sure) was over 15 meters tall. Its head just made it bellow the lighting gantry. Seemingly in the big stadiums in America where they have the domed ceilings this was no problem and in fact people couldn't really get a grasp of the sheer size of them as the auditorium itself was so huge. Well we didn't have that problem here, there beasties fairly filled the auditorium and you were just waiting for it to knock the lighting down.

It was a really good show, something I hadn't been looking forward to turned out to be real fun. And yes, a lot of that fun for me as in seeing my sidekick in complete raptures at the sight of her heroes coming to life. She had a stunned expression from the moment the show started until it closed its doors 2 hours later. She hasn't taken off her souvenir cap since, she is as mad on them as ever and I love her enthusiasm.

Karon x