Holiday heritage...

So, here's a whistle stop tour of my week in Warwickshire, visiting some marvellous historic places. I wish so much I could show you the wonderful treasures inside too, but the National Trust's wonderful conservation work and their efforts ensuring people don't take photos, mean that these treasures can be preserved for future generations.

Here we go then - first the amazing Upton House, where your visit is set in a 1938 house party! Wonderful terraced garden too.

Upton was owned by the CEO of Shell Oil who was a great philanthropist and art collector. We had fun looking at the painting collection.
As we walked along the drive, this little poppet was happily nibbling his lunch, quite oblivious to human feet; the baby bunnies here are on to a good thing here!

This is Charlecote, a beautiful Tudor House and Parkland -where Shakespeare is reputed to have been hauled up before the magistrate for poaching the fallow deer that roam in the park!



This tiny little cottage was a play house or summerhouse.


Packwood House is another Tudor property with beautiful gardens, and take a look at that shadow clock on the first picture!

There is a bluebell walk around the lake which was enchanting.

Some of the wonderful garden vistas....



Snowshill Manor is incredible. Charles Wade's family made their money from sugar plantations. Young Charles wanted to travel the world and he became a passionate collector of handcrafted items - clocks, bicycles, costumes, samurai armour - you name it, he collected it. He bought the beautiful old house just to house his collection, while he and his wife lived in a modest cottage adjacent! The house is amazing, and the garden is one of my all time favourites.



Another fantastic clock!
Baddesley Clinton is a Tudor moated manor. This is the central courtyard.

The old medieval stew ponds ( where carp were kept for a ready supply of fish) are now a wonderful natural area. Andy is trying to explain to this youngster that there is a pile of grain on the bank, but to no avail. Andy's swan speak was just not up to it - he has better luck with ducks!




And finally, I had a really great day with my friend Helen on Friday, we talked dolls and fabric and quilting and lots of other things. Helen is a very keen patchworker and quilter and she helped me out with my machine embroidery phobia - so watch this space! Inspired by a lovely quilt she is making I decided to bite the bullet. So I bought some gorgeous , bright and cheerful Amy Butler fabric yesterday and made myself a new bag ( hooray! yes, just for me) for carrying my craft projects.


Here's a close up of the fabrics. Hey, I made something which is not a doll - and on the machine! is there hope for me yet? I am planning the next doll though...something I've wanted to try for ages.....

Next Saturday Helen and I are going to Quilts UK at Malvern! I'm so excited.

Have a brilliant week. x