Highlights of Summer 2013

 

I've said this many times before but I really am so very grateful for the summer we've just had.  In an attempt to capture the essence of summer 2013, here is a collage of the season's favourites. There was a lot to look forward to this summer, whatever the weather. We decided to get some early summer sun in Italy, assuming there wouldn't be much to expect in England itself. Those two weeks spent gallivanting around  the boot of Italy and isles of Sicily were so good for the soul. It was our first proper holiday in over two years (not counting a few weekend breaks and India which isn't really a holiday for us)  and we made the most of it with good food, good company and lots of culture.

Italy (and Sicily in particular) was absolutely fabulous and I seemed fall in love with the place a little more with each visit. The Aeolian Islands including touristy Lipari, the magnificent Stromboli volcano, hip and automobile-less Panarea offered new and exciting adventures. The people were so engaging and that made Italian travel all the more entertaining. Back in England, the weather was getting balmier and we began indulging in typical English summer pursuits such as afternoon tea in the garden, exploring local attractions, gardening and making shed loads of jam (and macarons, Eton Mess etc.).

The Queen's diamond jubilee and the birth of Prince George gave us more reasons to celebrate and indulge in a some British style revelry. After-work explorations included trips to favourite London establishments such as Liberty, the V&A, Laduree etc and whilst Wimbledon was on, we took some of that in as well. Liberty stocked some truly fabulous British-style fabrics ( think Big Ben and toy soldiers) and I look forward to sewing them into loveliness over the coming Autumn. Another reason to celebrate was my blog being shortlisted the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards 2013 in the top 7  'Craft' category. There were 43K nominations this year so getting into the shortlist felt like a real achievement! A big thank you to all of you who have supported by little blog!

To make sure I was worthy of the award nomination, I blogged more regularly about crafty pursuits.  As such, an antique chair that had been waiting for months to be loved, old serving trays and used jam jars were beginning to get the attention they deserved. I made lovely soy wax candles at home, a nice break from the more expensive favourites such as Diptyque and Rituals. I also finally learnt to crochet properly and that has opened up a whole new world of crafty goodness. Other adventures included making bubble tea, exploring local Michelin style restaurants on the cheap, day trips to nearby Cambridge and Elton Hall, trips to see family up north including visits to the seaside and enjoying fresh produce from our allotment. I wish all our summers were this sunny and productive!

I hope you all had a lovely summer too!  I'd love to hear about your summertime adventures too. Ann x

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Highlights of Summer 2013
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