Proud day and Kaffe Fassett Exhibition at Cowslip Workshops

Where to start? Having had a very busy few weeks I just wanted to record what I have been doing. 

Firstly, being a very proud mum at C's graduation. This seems ages ago now but was only the middle of July - in all that glorious weather!

J and I drove down to Exeter to spent a couple of days with C.  We arrived the evening before her graduation day, collected her from her house and visited two of our favourite places in Exeter - firstly a drink at The Rusty Bike with homemade rusty pig cider and then a meal at Mashawi a Lebanese restaurant - mmm the food is really good.

We met up again the next day for a picnic lunch in the University grounds. C's graduation ceremony was at 3pm so we had time for a relaxed lunch in the sun before heading off to the Great Hall. The University Chancellor is Baroness Floella Benjamin, probably most well known for her work as a children's TV presenter on 'Playschool', and she really did try to make it a special day for all the graduates. She hugged and had something to say to each person - I don't know where she got the energy from as this was her fourth day of ceremonies and her enthusiasm was still really high. 

Floella greeting C

The University had also made a great effort to make the day a celebration - champagne and cupcakes all round after the ceremony. Then we took lots of photos around the campus.

In the evening we went to a Moroccan Restaurant 'Al Farid' which is in the Cathedral square. We had not eaten here before, but it is a place that C wanted to go to before she leaves Exeter as she had heard good reports. The setting is beautiful, just look at the lights, the staff were great and the food is excellent....

.......so good that I forgot to take photos - so just empty plates, which is just as good! A very special day, and one I'm sure we will remember fondly.

A lucky coincidence for me, Graduation week coincided with a couple of things that I wanted to see at Cowslip Workshops. At the weekend there was to be the 'Mad Hatters Summer Tea Party', with craft stalls, lovely food and lots of family fun. So I stayed on an extra day in order to go, the weather was glorious and there were loads of people visiting. Jo Colwill, the owner, has just published her first book 'Cushions and Quilts' and was busy signing copies sitting in the sunshine. It is a lovely book, with lots of projects, and is written in a very easy to follow style with lots of useful illustrations.

The craft stalls were fab, a good cross section of crafts, and all set out so nicely in the barn. In the morning there had also been a cookery demonstration by Jo Wheatley of the Great British Bake Off fame (she won in 2011)

There were also two exhibitions that I wanted to see.

The first was the exhibition by Kaffe Fassett, with a selection of quilts from his new book 'Quilt Grandeur'. The quilts were set out so beautifully in the workshop area, here are just a few photos

The other exhibition was by Cat Rowe, I have long admired her textile pictures and the images she makes of the sea and cottages and fishing villages and gardens. She adds detail to her pictures by drawing with her sewing machine - I didn't take any photos of her work as is exhibited in the cafe area, but have taken a shot of some of her cards that I have bought over the last few years.

If you haven't seen her work, take a look at her website here or her blog here.

Then it was a long drive home from Exeter,  back up north, as the following day I was going off to France with friends for a holiday.... more about that next time.

View from my window - July

I know, I get later and later adding my photos - but this past few weeks have been very busy with Graduations, holidays, visits, exhibitions etc etc. I've hardly been at home, so here are a few photos of July through my window, and I will do a catch up on everything in the next few posts.

The month started on a wet note, only for a day or so but the hills were very misty and cloudy. Then came all the lovely fine weather so the farmers could get their hay cut and stored (see previous post).

Below, the hay in the fields beyond the barn has been cut and is drying off in the sun. This time of year there is always a buzz of activity with tractors and bailers working well into the evenings getting everything done. Luckily I've not met a bailer whilst driving in the lane this year as that means a long backing job for me along a single track lane!

 Beautiful blue sky and really hot sunshine for most of the month.

I love the patchwork shades of green in the fields as you look across the valley, forever changing colour as the grass grows.

After the hay, the sheep are gathered from the fell and brought down for shearing. I was away this year so missed wrapping the fleeces on my friends farm.