the vintage china has come out!

Hi All

Can't believe how cold it is again! Amanda and I have been to a lovely coffee morning to raise funds for Taunton Opportunity Group, which works with pre-school children with additional needs. We were made very welcome by the hosts Joanne & James and had the opportunity to eat the most scrummy cakes!! As the goodies were served on such lovely plates and the tea in gorgeous china, I thought it was time to get our stock of vintage goodies out of storage, clean them off, photograph them and get ready to release them on the world!
I had forgotten just how much there was and just how lovely it all was! But I know I can't keep it all, so have resigned myself to popping it onto Etsy soon and waving it off to its new homes!
I have lots of birthday cards to make this evening, including a special one commissioned by a very lovely lady for a close friend - can't wait to get started! Steve is out for the evening so I can spread myself all over the dining table without the reproving looks!!
Please let us know what you think of the china and if you want to rehome any of it email us at bellaandthemoo@hotmail.co.uk and we will get back to you.

http://s1176.photobucket.com/albums/x339/bellaandthemoo/

Yesterday is history, tomorrow's a mystery, today is a gift - that's why it's called the present.

Tina xxx

Jumble sales and tea.

What a cold, cold day - glad I'm now home for the day and not planning on going out again! I've put a lovely beef stew in the oven for later and the wine is chilling!
Bella and I have been to a local jumble sale today - the village hall at Holford was heaving with pushing, shoving people all after a bargain! We did do a bit of elbowing, but unfortunately didn't find too many little gems, other than some old Enid Blyton books, which I love and can't resist buying.
Never mind, time for tea! We stopped on the way back for tea (well, you have to, don't you?) but were very good and resisted the temptation to have any cake (Bella was baking this morning, so she has cakes at home!!) but I am trying to slim down a little.
We had bad news about our gallery space this week - unfortunately the offer has been withdrawn and we will have to wait a little longer for space, which will give us more time to make stock!
But the good news for this week is we have now opened an online shop within Etsy. Check it out at http://www.etsy.com/shop/BellaandtheMoo
Bookings for all three hand-made and vintage fairs are coming along nicely and we can't wait for the first one in March!
Keep warm and well everyone!
Tina xx

If you're happy and you know it ....

What a week! Work-wise I have been stressed to the hilt, but was driving home from the office today (my week's end) when I had a text message from Fi asking if I wanted to help her take the girls to a new stay & play group tomorrow morning? Do I? Ooh! Sounds like my idea of bliss! Can't wait, though I dare say I'll be exhausted at the end of the session!
I have done some work for Bella and the Moo this week - opening up a new online shop on Etsy, which will be great as we can start listing our gorgeous vintage china as well as our hand-made items. Keep watching as we will try to add things on a daily basis!
I am planning a lovely sewing weekend to get some new lines ready for our first hand-made and vintage fair in March. Bookings are coming in steadily and we're anticipating another success! We're also looking for some more fairs to attend, so let us know if you hear of any.
Better get some sleep so I'm raring to go tomorrow - I have a feeling I'm going to need my wits about me chasing round after two 2-year olds!!
Lots of love
Tina xxx

Oh what a lovely life!

I sometimes think we need to stop and contemplate life's loveliness. Steve and I have just spent an adorable day out with Maddie & Freya, our gorgeous granddaughters.
We took them to Weston-super-Mare and had a lovely drive up singing all their action songs! Steve tried to join in with the actions but Maddie was most insistent he "put your hands on the steering wheel grandad, you're driving!". Two year olds are priceless!
The new pier was our first destination and we spent a lovely hour in the soft-play area chasing them up and down steps, slides and walkways! I don't know where they get all their energy from as we were huffing and puffing after the first 15 minutes! We then changed into wellies and ran about on the sand, stamping on worm hills and making holes with our fingers!
Lunch was a very refined affair in the fast food cafe, but the girls were perfect angels and ate their meals quite beautifully. We must have exhausted the dear little things as they both fell asleep the minute we put them back in the car to drive home!
Days out like this make me realise how precious family is ... can we do it all again next Sunday please??
xx

Hello 2011, time for fun, cake and patriotism....

Hello Folks and Hello 2011!

Bella and The Moo had a wonderful 2010 and would like to do it all again this year.... so come and join in the fun! Crafts and cake and wonderful vintage things and of course two Royal Weddings to celebrate. Time to get out the red, white and blue bunting, if you don't have any just give us a call and we'd be delighted to make you some.
What a beautiful wintertime we've had with all the snow! I was snowed in in an isolated farmhouse the week before Christmas, just me, the animals, radio 4, an Aga and gallons of tea. I spent my days walking the hills, listening to the radio, reading, watching the circus that was the garden birds on the feeder, taking long blissful baths in a huge roll-top bath and generally being decadent while the rest of the world was frantically preparing for the festivities- BLISS! Same again next year please!
Back to reality now. Tina and I are preparing to stock our space in the rendezvous gallery in Taunton, do come and say hello and see our new stock. We have lot's of gorgeous vintage china, perfect for a garden party to celebrate William & Kates big day. We have also been busy planning new ranges and colour ways, the old favs are still here though.Tina has already been busy making lot's of bunting, which is one of our most popular makes. We sold lot's in red & white colourways in the run upto Christmas.
I've also found a local knitting group..... so watch this space. I'm hoping to learn some new stitches, so we shall see as following a pattern is anathema to me, my brain just doesn't work that way! I have to be shown! Poor Hilary will have her work cut out with me!

I thought I'd share this with you all; Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.
-George Bernard Shaw. ....... maybe I could knit myself?!


Be safe and Be Happy

Amanda xxx

the world's started spinning too fast again!

Grrrr! I've just spent the best part of an hour trying to set up an online shop at www.etsy.com. I have carefully filled in all the boxes to set up our shop profile FOUR times! Each time I hit the Save button and all that confronts me is the same screen blank again! I have had to come away from it before I throw the computer out of the window!!!
It's all very quiet at home - Steve is out playing golf (there's a surprise!) and Luke isn't due back till later this evening, so here I am updating the blog.
Amanda and I had a short business meeting yesterday over tea and mince pies but we did get some ideas buzzing backwards and forwards. Lots of plans for the spring.
We still haven't found any craft / vintage fairs to take part it locally but we'll keep looking! Let us know of any that you hear of!
Our own 3 fairs of this year are starting to fill up - I did a blanket email to all our previous exhibitors and two of them came back the same day requesting a space at all 3, which is really good news! I think they are going to be busy again ... but I suppose if not too many people are putting them on in this part of the country that will happen!!
I have spent a lot of time tweeting lately - I've really got into it! I find it a great community for meeting other crafters and makers of lovely things and its so much more vibrant than facebook! (Sorry fb! but it is!).
I'm back to work tomorrow - I did keep my fingers crossed earlier when it started to snow that I may not be able to get up to work, but it seems not to be! Sigh!!
I hope the new year brings you all everything you want together with peace and love.
Tina xxxx