Blackwell Arts and Crafts House

 Last Thursday we visited the Blackwell Arts and Crafts House in the Lake District and declared it the best Home Ed Day Out.  Our visit was very fortuitous as the work of Francis Priest was on display throughout the property.  There is also an opportunity to meet Francis in person at Blackwell  in March so a return visit is definitely on the cards.

Such a beautiful, light and airy room and you would never tire of that view.

Even though this was a fairly dark room it was not oppressive to be in unlike other Stately Homes that we've visited.  The house certainly had a very welcoming feel as we moved from room to room.

I particularly loved this yellow room which also included a lovely adjoining dressing area housing the boots and the mirrored dresser.  When I saw the embroidered coverlet I thought about my friend Eva's daughter Veronika, who is currently studying fashion design at JP Catholic University in California.

The museum showcased information about the Arts and Crafts Movement alongside a beautiful display of Francis Priest's ceramic designs.

We finished the day with a well deserved treat from the cafe and a little wander around the shop, where Pip was able to purchase a pottery book which will help enormously with her work.

Pip’s Art Work

 As a result of the horrible results debacle there was another silver cloud.  Kings Interhigh Online (Pip’s online school) offered her a year’s free education 🙂. Pip didn’t want to study A Level’s online but instead chose to work towards an art GCSE in one year.  She uses her photography as her main focus with mixed media and drawing skills thrown into the mix.  Here is her observational drawing of a cat via a photograph she found on the internet: 

Salts Mill

 On Wednesday we managed a trip to Salts Mill which is just over an hour away from home.  The website can be found here   

The last time Dave and I were there was the summer of 2022 and this was Pip’s first visit.  It was a bitterly cold day but a lovely one nonetheless: 

Seventeen :: Christmas

 Pip turned seventeen on the 23rd December and I was utterly grateful that I was able to celebrate her day.  The previous week on the 15th I had a terrible allergic reaction to the flu vaccine ( shortness of breath and rampant tachycardia occurred within minutes of the jab) which essentially lasted the entire week and consisted of off the wall tachycardia, two severe migraines including light intolerance and needing to wear Ben’s dark glasses and an infection that went from 0-60 and was horrendous!  No vaccines for me going forward!! 

Dave’s mum spent Christmas week with us and we had a lovely, quiet time together.  For the first time ever I actually managed to watch some lovely programmes on Christmas Eve as there was no Christmas baking for me this year 🙂.  We had a video call with my mum on Christmas Day as well as a video call from Dave’s brother and his partner - they are still currently in Thailand as I type.  On Boxing Day we managed a trip to the seaside and enjoyed blue skies, sunshine and the bracing fresh air 💕

On the last day of 2025 we sent the old year packing with afternoon treats and time spent with dear friends, and just before the stroke of midnight I managed to sew the last button on Everlie’s cardigan!  I promised Kath that I would knit Ottie and Everlie matching cardigans and they will be duly delivered today 💕

May you be blessed in abundance this forthcoming year x 

Positive News for Pip

 I’ve been meaning to pop by but somehow life events take over.  I’m way overdue sharing some good things regarding Pip.  Way back in September on the feast of the Angels, Pip received an email from the exam board.  They regraded her entire English GCSE and she went from an epic fail to a strong pass and no resit needed!!  What an answer to prayer 🙏

She has been keeping herself busy with some art projects, photography as well as weekly pottery lessons:

I’ve just cobbled together this update from my phone so I hope it reads ok.  Hopefully I can pop by with some Christmas pictures and updates on the wider family. 

God bless xx 

A Picture Catch Up

Here I am trying to blog again, let's see if I actually succeed this time :-)

 Ben passed his driving test in March on a first attempt.  It was a nerve wracking few days before the test and on the big day but he nailed it.

We finally made it over to the North East, our first visit back since that dratted covid infection in December 2022.  We stayed at the Alnwick Youth Hostel and visited all of our old favourites Hexham Abbey, Lindisfarne, Seahouses, Barter Books and a new addition The Aln Valley Railway.

 Stained Glass Window at Hexham Abbey.

Seahouses for Fish and Chips.

Pip feeding the 'spuggies' at Pilgrim's Coffee House on Holy Island, Lindisfarne.

A lunch time treat at Barter Books.  Shock horror, I only came away with one book!  I've just recently had a big clear out of the book case so was determined to be very intentional with any purchase.

A lovely train ride on the Aln Valley Railway.  It wasn't a long journey but it was an enjoyable steam ride.

Pip received her exam results in late August.  She gained really good marks in her Maths and Geography but the English paper was an unmitigated disaster thanks to the Exam board, who failed to mark her second paper!!  As a result this cost her a place on her level three aeronautical engineering course.  By the time we challenged the result and she was given a remark (which although just eight marks shy of a pass would have been enough for her to study the level three alongside a resit), it was too late to attend the course :-(  Needless to say she was pretty devastated and this past month has been very difficult for us all. 

 We are now homeschooling for Year 12 which comprises of an English Language resit following a different examination board, AS Level Maths and a beginners course in pottery amongst any other short courses that come along.  We have designated Fridays as a field trip day, so here are some pictures from a recent trip to the British Commercial Transport Museum in Leyland:

This ambulance is very reminiscent of episodes from the lovely drama, 'Call the Midwife.'  Poor Pip had a quick run down on the best positions for labour and lying flat on your back was not on that list ;-)  She was very tolerant of her old ma!

The back of the Popemobile used to transport St John Paul Second when he visited the Uk in 1980.

I still find screens and cognitive stuff still a bit of a nightmare but I've missed sharing over here and connecting with lovely blogging friends, so I'm hopeful I can make it work this time around.  

Thanks for reading xx