adventure at the flower makers museum

if i had known it had existed and planned a visit i think it would have been just about as much fun but it didn’t happen like that at all…. it went something like this…. yesterday was a damp sunday afternoon and by the time i reached hastings, sussex it was dark as well i think it was about half past four… i hadn’t had any lunch so i thought as i was passing i’d stop at judges to get something to eat… which is exactly what i did! i love a good road trip but one littered with mini adventures is my particular favourite and well what an adventure… as ever attracted by flowers i had spotted what looked exactly like a florists so i thought to stretch my legs i would wonder down and have a look and on closer inspection it was a florists a proper real artificial florists so i had to go in… it may have been because it was dark outside but inside everything sparkled like an aladdin’s cave…. vintage velvets stacked high on shelves, row upon row of flowers… a kew gardens of artificial flowers i couldn’t resist i saw anemone’s… i looked around and there was no one there so very quickly i whipped a fuzzy flower out of my handbag and planted my shot!…
i thought that heaven must be quite similar as i turned to leave… which is when i tripped over this sign carefully place on the floor

this is how charlie must of felt when he opened his chocolate bar and found the golden ticket because if you ask me what i like most in the world i’d probably say flowers, making flowers or museums… as if piles of sparkling vintage velvet and hundreds of types of artificial flowers wasn’t enough … i picked up the sign and shouted ‘shop’
which is exactly when the queen of artificial flowers entered from the very back of the shop… all of a sudden i knew nothing about making artificial flowers… as i handed across my furry flowers and tried to explain how exciting the sign was.

after the inspection…. she said ‘fine quality stitching’ … (i was really proud coming from a lady who has been in the business many years it was a huge compliment) which she shortly followed with i’ll put the lights on downstairs if you’d like, yes please i said… then brenda, the queen of artificial flowers led me downstairs and told me how she had found and kept together the most incredible collection of the history of flower making over the last 150 years… i had thought it was just a sign!

breakfast, birds and blogs

after spotting our lovely flowers in newly opened Abundant Shop & Gallery ludlow’s premier destination for beautiful fresh and felt flowers, gifts, vintage glass and kitchenalia. karen from hopton house bed and breakfast decided to use our flowers to adorn the breakfast tables in her beautiful bed and breakfast… we liked this so much we stayed with karen when we went to visit phil and ott at abundant to deliver their christmas puddings and our visit went something like this… wow… wow… wow!
my room was absolutely huge… it was more of an entire suite really and it was immaculate and i think that karen has thought of everything in fact i think she has thought of things that i didn’t even know i needed… i think it must be hers years of experience in the tourism industry crossed with the fact she is just a really lovely person who loves sharing her home with passing friends!… i thought about making a list of all the great stuff i found but that would be like telling you the ending to a film so i opted for telling you about my top 3…. and this i hastened to add is in no particular order as i couldn’t decide!
1. in the fridge you will find not just still and sparkling water but also a hand labeled bottle of tap water… perfik!
2. a cake tin with delicious handmade cake in… check out karen’s blog for some of her amazing recipes
and finally
3. a decanter of sherry… just because….

in fact there is so much good stuff to say i’m not sure how i am going to fit it all in but.. the bed was so big i got lost and thats saying something, i ran out of fingers to count the pillows and the bathroom was also a wet room and had the most delicious handmade organic toiletries in that i had to take with me my bar of honey ginger and orange soap… i hope that’s not stealing!!! ;0)

i slept like a baby once i had managed to get over the excitement of meeting martyn and his crew at the jolly frog the food there alone was worth the drive… the menu looked so delicious i couldn’t choose so i left it in martyns capable hands and i was delighted… a perfect meal, great wine, good company….

then as if i hadn’t been spoilt enough already… i didn’t think it could get any better it was time for breakfast…
i started to wonder if there was anything karen couldn’t do in the kitchen as i browsed the menu… all homemade to order… poached fruit, smoothies, muffins, pancakes, fish, eggs in a million different ways or a full shropshire… as i sipped a hand pressed apple juice i wondered whether i could start at the top and work my way down… i did think about asking karen if she had any vacancies for that night… it would have been quite easy not to leave! well when i finally did make my mind up i can assure ou that i didn’t leave any waste on my plate!… which may me proud to think that our flowers that don’t create any waste in their manufacture were decorating the breakfast tables in Hopton House Bed and Breakfast….
wait i forgot to tell you the best bit… the view… the hundreds of birds in the garden… all the great stuff to do…
and you can even take your dog!