Some exciting news.....

........and its about time I posted again!!!

Well, I really don't know how we can be near the end of March already, the year is flying by at such a pace.

If I have any followers and online friends left, hello again!!!!

And a huge welcome to all my new followers via Bloglovin' !!!!!

I hope you are all well, and if you've been kind enough to wonder where I was, I'm sorry for not posting for so long without announcing some sort of blogging break, although it was unplanned.

I must confess to having lost my blogging mojo during the long, dark and dreary days of January and February, and then suddenly found myself thrown into a frenzy of activity throughout March (not that I was idle during Jan and Feb, busy but just not in a blogging frame of mind!)

So here we are.

One of the things that has kept me busy these last few months is the designing and planning of a new vegetable and potager area to the garden. The old vegetable area had a few raised beds that had rotted away, and with straggly grass paths in between that couldn't be mown as they were too narrow, it was a sad and messy part of the garden. Our occasional gardener Nick, a landscape gardener, is responsible for all the hard work and making my design a reality.

But now it looks like this!!

Am so pleased with it, and now just comes the challenge of finding the time to fill the beds as I'd planned back in the dark days of winter!

I have three established rhubarbs waiting to go back in, and then I have plans for raspberry canes, a dedicated cut flower bed, and the rest over to vegetables and salad crops. The first few years of living here we had fruitful veggie beds but last year nothing happened and this year I've even been too busy to sow any seeds in the greenhouse. Luckily its about time to sow many crops direct so I'm hoping for a dry day this week to do just that.

We've been seeing changes in the fields and orchards where we walk daily, and some days have even been warm enough to go without coats....not these last few days though

Two lovely pieces of fabrics arrived this week. The left hand fabric below is a beautiful vintage piece of French Art Deco fabric, and the right hand piece is a 19th century piece of French Linen Cretonne circa 1870.

I'm hoping to make some cushions from these.

Now for the exciting bit!!!!

On the creative front things have got very exciting!

I took a big step and am now sharing some workshop and showroom space with a new friend who organised the Christmas Fair last year, so am currently getting settled at The Loft Room Vintage Workshop and Showroom in Brenchley, Kent.

Please visit our Facebook page here and give us a new like!

Even better, if you live within driving distance it would be lovely to see you!!! We're only 5 minutes from the A21 near Tunbridge Wells in Kent, and there's a coffee shop on site.

I am beyond excited to be sharing this space with Helen from The Crackled Horse Company, who paints furniture and makes beautiful painted and crafted accessories for the home, and Emma, who creates wonderful crochet and felted items. Two very creative and enthusiastic people!

It's given me the opportunity to bring together my handmade vintage and recycled fabric cushions and accessories, Annie Sloan chalk painted furniture, and vintage finds.

I have a Facebook page also here, Gillyflower Handmade in Kent,  so please click on the link and have a look and add a like too! You can also find me these days posting regularly on Instagram as Pinkgillyflower, so it would be lovely to keep up with you on there too!

Here's a few photos of my handmade items and vintage goodies on display at The Loft Room ......

cushions, pincushions and lavender hearts

vintage fabric lavender sachets and framed vintage fabric

vintage linens, lavender sachets, bunting, cushions, vintage china and cards

more vintage fabric, patchwork, quilted and hand embroidered cushions

vintage fabric cushions, bags and painted wheelback chair

vintage china, silver plated candelabra, bunting and cards

....and some of Emma's lovely felted easter eggs, hearts and mushrooms, and the view looking out of the Loft

Well, now that I'm back in the saddle again I shall attempt to get back into the routine of regular postings, and, more importantly, try to visit all my blogging friends and catch up on your news.

It's so good to be back!!!!