Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Castles and Craft

I'll show the Accordion album I made for Aimee's 18th in a minute, but first another batch of pics from our recent trip to Northumberland - today is all about castles!

I love castles, I guess its not surprising as I grew up in Northumberland which is stuffed full of them! My most favourite is Warkworth Castle - I spent so much time there when I was little - being only a few miles from home it was the perfect playground for us kids - there's a fantastic, fairly intact Keep with lots of rooms to explore, there are towers and tunnels and all sorts of nooks and crannies - no trip "home" goes by without a visit to Warkworth - occasionally we don't even go inside - just sit in the car park and check on it from there -I know that sounds a bit mad, but I need my "fix" even if there's not time to head inside. We've been members of English Heritage since we got married so we get in all their properties for "free" and there are so many fab places to visit - especially "up north". Our holidays and weekend aways tend to start with checking out the EH guidebook to see whats on offer in the area.
Anyway, nop photos of Bamburgh Castle from this visit - we drove through the village a couple of times on our way up the coast and honestly, the place was STUFFED! I know it's lovely there, but who wants to be like a sardine in a tin when there's so much more coast and countryside that you can get pretty much to yourself? We didn't even stop the car....
First - and especially for Ruth, Prudhoe Castle;
Right up towards the borders is little Etal Castle - we had a picnic lunch here and it was soooo peaceful. Last time we were there, a guy was doing a falconry display and it was fab - he flew two birds at the same time and watching them swoop over the castle walls and down over our heads was amazing. This time Hubby and my Uncle spent ages trying to catch photos of the swallows that are roosting in the castle ruins
Even closer to the border (I think) we visited Norham Castle for the first time - hard to believe that there are still castles I've not been to up there! Norham's a bit TOO close to the Scottish border for my taste - I just don't go there - it ALWAYS, without fail, throws it down with rain whenever I do. I'm not exagerating either! lol

I saved the best for last - and I've managed to hold myself back - only three photos!
I'm preety sure that between us we've taken more photos at Warkworth than of any other single place - it's funny but nearly all of our Warkworth photos have fab skies too - a few years ago we were there in December - there was a thick frost on the ground and it was perishing cold - but the sky was beautiful and we took some of our favourite photos on that occasion.
As it's so close to "home" Warkworth tends to be our Sunday morning venue - just time to get there and back, and have a little explore while my aunt is cooking Sunday lunch! The other good thing about going then is that there are fewer other visitors and there's more chance of getting people-free photos!
Beautiful, isn't it?

I'm really struggling to get my crafty mojo going since we got home - and I really need to as I've got loads to do.
As I've failed to show the book I made for Aimee despite mentioning it a few times I'm going to do that now, before I forget again!
I made this for Beckie Dreyer's Bumbleberry Crafts Limited Edition kit - it's full of the bruight and funky 3 Bugs "Butterfly Kisses" papers, plus perfectly matching card (some is coredinations), ribbons, brads and buttons etc

It's an Accordion Album and sturdy enough to stand up on its own to display the photos Aimee will be able just to slot in under the flaps, corners and ribbons.
This is the front of the book
This is one side of pages
And this is the other side

The back of the book looks like this:

It's a really lovely kit and I think there are still a couple available - you can find out more HERE and contact Beckie there or via Bumbleberry Crafts.

Right, I've procrastinated long enough. I need to go and find that mojo.....or maybe I'll just make a coffee first....or I could do another load of washing.....or....

14 comments:

Gez Butterworth said...

Fantastic castle. Looks stunning. Glad you had a nice time.xx

Your accordian book looks stunning too are you sure you've lost your mojo? Take care. Gez.xx

Kaz said...

Beautiful photos Kathy, I can see why you go there time and again.

Lovely accordian book too.

Unknown said...

Amazing photos Kathy!!!!!!!!!!

Beautiful album too.

xx

Karen said...

Northumberland certainly does looks beautiful. I ts good to revisit places of your child hood.

Love the accordian book its really lovely.

love Karen xxx

Karen said...

You are right Kathy....the catsles ar so beautiful. J would love them to bits! Its such a shame that its a real jaunt for us to get there. I particularly like the photo taken through a window.

Aimee's book is gorgeous! What lovely papers...all summery! Thank you for showing us XXX

Beth said...

I love the photos of the castle Kathy, especially the last one, lovely view and angle. Your accordian book is soo sweet too, I would be chuffed to bits with it. XX

Canne said...

That is a gorgeous album - I so envy your talent!

Angelnorth said...

More castles than any other English county but you knew that, didn't you? Fab pics and the sky up here is always that blue - lol! Aimee's book looks great, perfect canvas for some special photos - great job!

Janice said...

My husband was really impressed with your swallow picture! Love all those castles, I'm a bit of a museum, castle, stately home visitor myself, so can appreciate how much you enjoy these visits.

Lovely book too.

Kristen H said...

Thank you with your virtual tour of Northumberland. Very interesting and I got to travel without leaving my living room. Thank you!

The book is great. I love you creativity. Very exceptional.

Oblibby said...

Nice castles - I love castles too (and photos without people in them !!).

Great accordian book.

Carol Plume said...

Kathy what gorgeous pictures - I always stand in castles/ruins and try to imagine its history and the life that went on there.. you can really let your imagination go wild can't you...

Great accordian book, hope that your neice loved it...

xx

CLARE said...

Great pics of Northumberland. I really want to go there now! What a pretty accordian album, I particularly like the flowers.

Jan Hennings said...

More beautiful photo's..these are amazing!