Tuesday 1 October 2013

Crafty Time with Dolores

I'm not signing in with WOYWW this week as I won't be home enough to reply to comments and join in fully but here's the work desk where Dolores and I have been so busy.
But first, many thanks to everyone who kindly sent such lovely messages of congratulations on the birth of my fourth grandchild, the first boy in the family and a beautiful one at that.
 I am pleased to say that the new family are all really happy and doing fine.

I had a super visit with my lovely friend Dolores whilst she was staying with her DBF down in the South of England. We had lots of crafty fun and also managed a couple of lovely meals out and a few jaunts around the lovely Kent countryside.
Here, Dolores is showing some of the results of our first inky session after making a meander book.
We started by sponging and stencilling Distress Inks at random to make backgrounds which built up layer upon layer.
It still doesn't look too wonderful......
but finally Dolores produced this super background and made her meander book from the large square cut from an A2 sheet of heavy cartridge paper. 
She is going to finish it with stamping, pockets, tags, apertures, and other details and I can't wait to see the results.
One day when we were out and about we just couldn't find a country pub where we could have a meal but by chance came upon the Hawkenbury. 
It is in Staplehurst in the heart of the Weald of Kent. What a sight, so bright and quite kitch with all these murals.
There's Dolores below waving to me that it's OK to enter for our late lunch. All the meals are made using locally sourced produce, freshly cooked. If you look HERE on their website you can see the inn before it was so lavishly painted!
All this is soon to be painted over with new seasonal murals for Christmas!
We were so surprised to find oak beams and a thouroughly traditional pub inside and we were all pleased to enjoy such an excellent meal.
Back later to play a few 60's tunes on the Wurlitzer Juke Box. Great fun which brought back such memories and I do wish I had one.
Fantastic to see this and all the memorabilia in the hall of Dolores's DBF.
Thanks folks for such a fabulous few days of excellent hospitality. We enjoyed every minute.
More evidence of our play time and other jaunts soon.

13 comments:

Helen said...

Looks like you're all having a great time - the pub looks heavenly, inside and out and what a fabulous idea to paint the walls like that.
Love the meander book too.

Neil said...

Sounds and looks like a great time! Can't believe you were down my neck of the woods again. Susan taught in Stapelhurst for quite a few years. Congrats on the new addition too.

Annie said...

Really looks like you all had a wonderful time together...but why wouldn't you? So many lovely people together in one place just has to work :-)
We should have news later so please pray it's good news.
Hugs,
Annie x

Neet said...

Crikey Jo - that pub is fabulous! Thanks for sharing the pictures of it - I love how it is painted. It would break my heart to paint over it for Christmas but I bet it looks spectacular. (They will have to repaint after won't they?)
Lovely to see Dolores and she looks so happy with the M book. Nice to have crafting time with friends - we should all do it more often.
Thanks for your lovely comment on my blog (fre my class you enjoyed) - it means so much.
Hugs, Neet xx

CraftygasheadZo said...

Well you sure had a great time and that pub and its paint are a truly amazing sight to see. Glad you got inky crafty, love that! Take care Zo xx 65

lisa said...

It looks like you had a wonderful time, Jo. What an amazing pub, the murals are stunning, but how strange to find such a traditional setting inside. You always sniff out the unusual.
Hugs Lisax #59

fairy thoughts said...

Hi Jo
oh what a fabulous pub but how could they bear to paint over it, I hope they take loads of photos before they do.
Looks like you and Dolores have
been having fun too the book looks great all that paint/ inking I hope Dolores's DBF is good at cleaning
janet
Ps I hope there will be a parcel for you on your return

Eliza said...

What an amazing pub I want to get a few beers from there and a meal, it looks truly incredible, why would they want to paint another mural when this one is perfect. Just to imagine the insides is nothing to what I expected either. Thanks for the visit and sorry I didn't taste the beer. Hi Dolores and Jo.

Happy WOYWW
Eliza & Yoda 20

Lynne said...

Love Dolores' book, and I do know how much fun you can have making the backgrounds, it's amazing how it all comes together all of a sudden, isn't it? And that pub! What a find!

Lynne said...

Love Dolores' book, and I do know how much fun you can have making the backgrounds, it's amazing how it all comes together all of a sudden, isn't it? And that pub! What a find!

mamapez5 said...

Great to have such a fun time with friends. What a find that bar was. I love the murals, and I bet someone enjoyed painting them.
The inky session looks like fun. Well done Dolores for making a book from it too. Kate x

Lunch Lady Jan said...

Hey there Jo! A happy post all round :-) Many congrats on your beautiful grandson, so happy for your family!
And what a fab time you had with Dolores..that pub is wild! Great fun. But my heart has been stolen by DBF's juke box and the reel to reel recorder..now THERE'S a story.....
Hugs, LLJ xxxx

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Wonderful post Jo and love the "Friday smile", too :D hugs Shaz.xx