Polka Dots and Paintballs

Well it's been a great but busy week. On Thursday I had a girly day out in Shrewsbury with friends and then Friday saw the final preparations for Josh's weekend at The Big Game paintball battle in Stone, Staffordshire.


Here he is in full battle gear ready to see off the raiders from The North. Of course that meant a teenager free weekend for Mr F. and myself. So of course we made the most of it. Saturday we spent the morning in Tewkesbury at the food festival and the afternoon wandering around the market town of Pershore. We had a wonderful day with a good lunch and afternoon day without the usual accompanying teenage grumbles. On Sunday we were in charge of bringing our soldier and a friend home from the battle so we decided to head a little further north to the Potteries and visit a couple of factory shops that I've been wanting to visit for ages. Here's where we went first.



Who can resist an offer like this?



I'm sure the staff were perturbed by the persistent oohs, aahs and shrieks of pleasure as I spotted goodies around every corner in the sort of quantities that I've never even dreamt about. If only I could get that lottery win and fill trollies full of the stuff!



I've never seen so many mugs altogether at once.



Loveliness.

Gorgeousness.

Goodies galore.


Next it was on to Burslem to the Middleport Factory of Burgess, Dorling & Leigh and the most gorgeous blue and white pottery ever, ever, ever!


I was a little worried when I saw this sign outside the shop


but needn't have worried as there was literally a warm welcome in the shop with a log fire beckoning us in from the raw wind.


This is one of the dressers I will have when I've had that lottery win. Laden with a selection of goodies from Burleighware I'll never be stuck for the right size jug or pretty dinner plate again.

Maybe there'll be space for this dresser too. Or do you think that's just being greedy?


Maybe I need a little girly pink too?


Such a lot to choose from, so little money.


Luckily, Sunday was our wedding anniversary so we did have a few pennies to spend. Goodies from EB

and loveliness from Burleighware.


Then it was a weary jourey home for our young soldiers......but they were triumphant in victory.

Friday

It's been the usual routine this morning. A walk into town to finish off the weekly shopping. I don't really enjoy food shopping, it's just a chore but there is always the added attraction of doing the circuit of the charity shops in anticipation of finding a treasure I didn't know I needed. None found today mind you. The town is a little depressing at the moment with lots of empty shops and only the very basic shops still thriving. No individuality left here at all. These cheery Tesco/Cath Kidston bags do make the shop a little more pleasurable though and are usually admired by the ladies on the checkouts in Waitrose. Poor Mr Funky. We don't have a Tesco in town, so he had to drive me to the nearest large store so that I could complete the collection! I dread to think how much they all cost. Still - I am helping the environment aren't I?




I was tempted and succumbed to this sweet little tin of Redbush Rooibos tea. This stuff seems to be breeding on the shelves. There are loads of different packages containing this South African tea. Is it because of the influence of Precious Ramotswe and the Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency? Or I have I only noticed it because watching it has become my Sunday evening replacement for niceness and decency since the end of Lark Rise to Candleford? Anyway, I'm intrigued and I'm going to give it a whirl. Naturally, I couldn't buy a cardboard packet - I couldn't resist the little tin (my one weakness). So now there's another tin to add to the ever growing collection in my tiny kitchen.




As I picked up the post I noticed a new Bridgewater catalogue in amongst the brown envelopes and general junk. Just the thing to browse with a cup of coffee. Not a lot of newness in there but as usual it's beautifully photographed and I don't need an excuse to share some Bridgewater loveliness with you.




Spots

Birds



Happiness



and all round general loveliness.



Perhaps I should have used a mug like the picture above to display some of my daffs. Quite a bargain I think - three jugs filled for two pounds.



Anyway, I hope you all have a great weekend. Keep warm - it's going to be a cold one.

Bridgewater Loveliness

I don't usually buy Period Ideas but I saw this cover yesterday and was immediately attracted to it.

The kitchen on the front cover was filled with Emma Bridgewater goodness and I just had to pick it up and have a flick through. Ooh! Great excitement when I discovered that this was actually Emma's gorgeous family home in Norfolk and several pages were devoted to showing its elegant interiors. Needless to say I had to buy a copy. (Yet another magazine ending up chez Funky). The photos I've taken of the article aren't brilliant but I thought you might like to share them with me.


Emma has my dream kitchen.



She also has my dream verandah and outhouse.


Not to mention my ideal hallway and bathroom!



There were also some clever design ideas to help acheive the Bridgewater look.



Whilst I was out shopping on Friday I came acroos this cheerful red mug that I just had to bring home with me.




It matches these two that I've already had for some time.



Perhaps there is yet another collection happening here? I'm sure it's not an obsession though. That will happen if I start to collect these as well!