Spitalfields Market, London

I don't quite know where the name 'Spitalfields' came from - I would have to research it to find out but I was determined to get to one of London's markets during our 2 day trip.  I have already done Shepherd's Bush and Petticoat Lane markets and as a child we regularly did Portabello Road market - in fact I got lost there once and a neighbour brought me home (we lived in Portabello Road for a while) but I was keen to do Spitalfields.

The market is nearest to Liverpool tube station and has different wares depending on the day of the week so you'd need to check in advance.  I checked on line and it just so happens that Thursday was antiques and collectables - sometimes referred to as 'flea markets' by Americans.  I LOVE nothing better than a flea market.  A good rummage through unwanted items, bric-a-brac, antiques and things from a bygone era - all in the hope of finding a bargain or treasure!  I collect old 'kitchenalia' and love a whole host of things like crocheted doilies, pretty glass, baskets, lace etc, etc.  I'll stop before I bore you LOL!

We knew the names of the streets to look for and thankfully the market was signposted long before we got to this point.  We found London pretty easy to navigate because of the many black sign posts so you learn pretty quickly to look for them first when exiting any tube station.

The market looked much larger on line than up close and for real but it was still worth a visit.  Everything is under cover while still being open and the market place is surrounded by some of the most unique shops I've come across in a long time.  Some sold very innovative and unique items.  Many were megga trendy and there were even a few 'retro' style shops - pretty much something for everyone!

There weren't as many stalls selling old fabrics and haberdashy as I'd like to have seen but I certainly had a good rummage through the ones there were.  I was on the lookout for anything I 'just had to have'.  I was amazed at just how many things I'd seen in our charity shops that were selling for way more than I'd seen them for.  I might have to look twice next time and think real hard before walking away.

Jilly joined me in a good rummage on this particular stall and I couldn't resisit stopping long enough to take a photo of her.  I like 'spur of the moment' shots that are natural and capture just that moment in time.  In fact I took this one at a price.  I was busy sifting through a button tin - something I LOVED as a child (my sisters and I have all raided my mother's tin for her best button's since) and had arranged several vintage ones, still on cards ready to take a keepsake shot when I stopped to snap Jilly and got abruptly told 'WE DON'T ALLOW PHOTOS!' by the mean ol' lady stall-holder.  I mean she was CRANKY!!!  All that work and then I couldn't have my one shot - how rude!

Shame on me :-) LOL.

There were no shortages of food stalls or restaurants and cafes and Jilly and I had planned to 'graze' our way through the day so a stop at this stall with a mouth watering display of cakes and pastries was sooooooo on the ad-hock menu for the day - YUM! 

Jilly treated to cakes so naturally I snapped away.

I also wanted to share these two photos in this post as these two stores were side by side just before we entered Spitalfields market.  Don't they look fab?  A cross somewhere between olde worlde and shabby vintage.  They kinda make you feel a bit like you've stepped back in a time.  Again these stores were nestled among other more modern stores and looked somewhat out of place but again there is such an ecclectic mix of buildings in London, many of them older and I guess as long as they're standing and functional, people will keep using them and build new ones around about them.

That just makes these stand out all the more and I would've loved to go inside these stores but we were determined to do the market and still make it to Buckingham Palace in the afternoon.  We had booked tickets on line for a 3.15 pm entry and had to collect them an hour before our visit time.

We weren't allowed to take pictures inside as you would imagine and I have so many of the outside from over the years that I didn't bother taking more but a word on BP if I may.  When you buy a ticket it's refreshing to know that your ticket includes any exhibitions going on at the palace at the time.  Jilly and I saw Kate's dress, veil, shoes, jewellery, bouquet and the cake - all of which were amazing and the details about the dress and it's design, assembly etc, were fascinating.

Also not only were our tickets only £17.50 - way cheaper than Madame Tussaud's - but on exit if you signed the back of your ticket and got a member of staff to stamp it you could save it and re-visit as many times as you wished within the next 12 months!  How cool is that?  All the funds go to charity and so if you're a tax payer you can also sign so the charity gets extra from the tax man.

I'm not sure I would've done Buckingham Palace were it not for Jilly - she wanted to see Kate's dress and asked if we could go with just enough time to arrange it - but I am very glad I did.  It was really impressive, the rooms were stunning and the entire thing took about 2 1/2 hours.  BUT be warned - wear a comfortable pair of shoes!  LOTS of walking, plus a VERY LONG walk through some of the grounds to get out and come out on the back side of the palace so then you have to walk all the way back around and Jilly and I can tell you from experience - it's a BIG place.  Like for example did you know it has 78 bathrooms!  The commentary was soooo interesting.  I could stand to do it again and thanks to her majesty and the revisit deal I so easily could if I wanted to.  How cool is that?  Only DON'T EVER go during summer break - way too many kids with parents so it's much more crowded.  Although Madame Tussaud's was far worse - don't even get me started on THAT one!

Hugs

Back From Our Capital City

Well I arrived back from the capital city (London) just before midnight last night after having spent a couple of days there with my BFF Jilly on a girly getaway.  We had an absolute BLAST!  I am still completely shattered but blissfully happy :-)

I'm on a week's annual leave this week and after a couple of days at home so workmen could do some repair work in and around the house I was finally able to get away on Wednesday for a couple of days.  Hubby took off for Soul Survivor Christian Camp at the Royal Bath Showgrounds in Somerset on Tuesday this week so, rather than stay home alone I booked an adventure with Jilly.  Over the next few posts I will be sharing some of the things we experienced (which may or may not appeal so apologies) but it's my blog and I'm sharing anyway. 

I want to begin with just a few of some of my favourite pictures of our great city of London, some of which are views I haven't before seen - well not so close up anyhow.

I have travelled in and around London on many occasions and even have childhood memories of living there - I was born and raised in London until the age of 8 years old.  Jilly was seeing much of the things on our trip for the first time ever and I was repeating much of it but even so we still found things we could both experience for the first time which was thrilling.

On Thursday we found ourselves taking a 'spur of the moment' Thameside walk to the Tower Bridge winding through an array of beautifully converted industrial buildings.  We'd noticed a sign post that said 'Tower Bridge 1 1/4 miles' so we thought 'why not?'.  Isn't this first building amazing?

We were surprised by the many warehouses converted into apartment buildings along the Thames route, each with their own colour of painted iron work, each with many of the original features and architectural interest still intact - you simply couldn't help but stop and admire them!

Then every so often we were presented with something different like this suspension bridge, enabling us to continue our journey - beautiful to look at but you felt every single step on the wooden decking - something I wasn't so keen on I'm afraid but we had to cross it.

I'd love to see what the apartments look like inside, especially the ones at the top with the interesting shaped windows and maybe take in the views while I'm there.  How cool would that be and how fab must it be to live in a building like this?

It was amazing being in such an industrial area that looked so attractive and yet colourful.  There were of course lots of little tell tale signs of the history of the place to look out for as well as the more obvious ones - all of which just added to the whole character and charm of the area.  While others around us were busy walking, jogging or cycling this route into work Jilly and I were fortunate enough that we could take our time and enjoy it. We were even able to stop and sit a while at one of the many green rest areas that were dotted here and there - all of which had benches to sit and admire a different aspect of the Thames river - and all the while with Tower Bridge in our sights and getting closer by the minute.

And then just when you were getting used to the industrial surroundings you ran across something unexpected like this old pub nestled between tall industrial buildings looking very small and very out of place - or so you would think until you discovered the date of the building and it's history, realising it had been there all along. 

I always did like History lessons at school - soooo many interesting things to learn about.

Later that afternoon when we were deep in the city centre Jilly and I were treated to even more stunning architecture and newer, more modern 'business' buildings.  Perhaps not quite so attractive as those we found on our morning walk but equally stunning, each making it's very own statement.  Imagine walking along these from one building to the other?  Even the pavements had a sheen to reflect back images just like the buildings themselves thanks to the sudden rain showers - which we got caught in twice in one day!

I wonder - will these last as long as the others or have similar stories to tell?  Who knows?  My instincts tell me they probably won't be saved or beautifully preserved when the time comes - just simply raised to the ground to make way for new and better designs.  Thank goodness there are still buildings out there - and the history that accompanies them that ARE being preserved.  Jilly and I felt very privileged to have experienced even a part of it and it added even more of a sense of adventure and discovery to our trip to London.

If you haven't been to London lately - why not go, especially if you can find a part of London that you've never visited before.  Hubby and I are booked to go to an event at Alexandra Palace in September and I'm seriously considering staying over an extra day JUST so we can go exploring!

Oh and to any of you out there that thought the capital was an unsafe place to be right now - we didn't see a single sign of riots or trouble.  In fact there may have been a few more police around than usual but it's never uncommon to see bobby's on the beat in the city.  Sad then that some people cancelled their visits to Buckingham Palace because of it.  I don't mean to 'downplay' the recent trouble but the media 'hype' has a lot to answer for.

When we stopped to rest in one of the many tucked away green areas that you discover as you walk around we were even treated to the sight of several on horseback, giving their horses a break from the traffic and city noise - all  very friendly and chatty with us 'tourists' who grabbed for our cameras LOL!

While I am glad to live well away from the city - I find it all noisy and dirty after a while - it was good to re-visit it and I felt extremely proud to be a part of it, however long removed.  It felt good to experience that after the recent trouble which I know has made many of us feel shame as a nation.  Hopefully there will be even more arrests when the police have had time to view video footage and these hooligans with no thought about others and society will get a chance to think long and hard about their actions.

And thank God for all the brave men and women everywhere that put their lives on the line to keep us safe in our beds.

Oh and before I go.  To several of you out there - watch for post in the next few days.  Jilly and I wrote a ton of postcards just so we could say hi from London - all part of the fun don't ya know. LOL!  And isn't this a beautiful example of a victorian letterbox?  It was at the foot of the stairs to the Tower Bridge which was our destination - another stunning example of architecture and engineering!

We didn't venture across it - we were on a mission to find a tube station to get to Spitalfields Market.  Besides we have to save something for the next trip huh?  we both agreed we HAD to repeat this adventure!

Let me know if your postcard arrives!

Blessings

Suezie

More Cute Grocery Bags

Yesterday I managed to get a couple more fabric grocery bags made up and since I decided these were for me I used - yep - you guessed it!  Some of that pretty CK fabric.  I plan to make myself a couple more of these as I have about 3 or 4 more CK designs and I like working with them as much as I like looking at them LOL.  Although I wouldn't say no to a bit of Amy Butler either.  Wouldn't they be equally fab in AB?

These are the bags all neatly tucked up into the pockets that are sewn on the front.  I have a handy little bag I usually use but the pocket is seperate and I can't tell you how many times I've had one bit but not the other - seriously frustrating!!

Anyhow this is the red polka dot one once it's out of the pocket - looks like a flat, crisp grocery bag just how they are on the rack doesn't it - right before the assistant pulls them off kinda thing.

Here's a shot of the pocket on the front which is where it all gets tucked in nice and neat.  I chose to put the 'Cath Kidston' label on this side of the pocket because that's the side that's on display when using the bag.  It means you can't see this label once it's all tucked into the pocket which is fine cos it'll most likely be in my handbag then anyways.

These next couple of shots (above & below) hopefully show the sides which bulge out when needed to fit all your shopping inside just like the regular grocery bags do.

I just love these made out of fabric and forgive me if I say it but I am really proud of the fact that there isn't a single raw edge in the entire project!  The only potential raw edge was the bottom of the bag but because I used a 'french' seam process this is not only neat and tidy but is double stitched for added strength too.

I'm also well chuffed with how this fabric worked out - I was genuinely struggling to make it work for much because of the stripey pattern but it's perfect for this project!

I took my red polka dot bag to work with me today, packed full of my lunch and umbrella and a few bits and pieces and also took the blue floral one to show everyone.  They got several rave reviews and it's nice to know that if I ever find myself with a free day to do a bit of sewing there are plenty of gals at work who'd be happy to take these off my hands.  For now I am lovin them and couldn't possibly part with these but I think I pretty much have this years Christmas gift giving list 'all sewn up'!

And at the end of next week some good friends have invited me along to the quilting show at Birmingham's NEC.  Now if I can just hang on to some dosh and not spend it all in London next week (can't wait for the trip Jilly and I have planned) I just might get my hands on some scrummy fabric.  I SURE DO HOPE SOOOOOOOOO!  I can't wait!

I have packing to do and a whole bunch of other things to get ready this weekend as well as workmen scheduled again Monday and Tuesday next week (so a ton of stuff to shift around) but now all I wanna do is sew!

Maybe I can still sneak a bit in here and there this weekend.  Hope so :-)

Enjoy

Suezie