Can I please move in?

The girls and I visited Scotney castle, a National Trust property in East Sussex (England) many times before, but this time we were able to enter the Victorian country mansion on top of the hill. What a surprise it was! As if the lady who once lived here, Elizabeth Hussey, had just left the house to do some shopping. It felt warm and cosy, and was filled to the brink with vintage treasures.  We were all impressed by the quirkiness and authenticity of the place.  As Elizabeth Hussey was a cat lover, you can see prints and other sort of treasures, with images of cats on it, all over the place. The house is even said to have a cat in residence, called 'Puss Puss'. Unfortunately we did not have the joy to meet her/him  :-)!


Anyway, we spent far more than the half hour we were allowed to, inside the house. Afterwards we had a walk through the garden, which looked green and lush. There were not many borders, but the ones we saw looked bright and colourful. The ponds around the castle, with the water lilies in full bloom, made the castle look like one out of a fairy tale.

Before I wish you a Happy weekend, I have to apologise for not popping over to yours blogs as often as I liked to. I am enjoying the last days of the summer holiday. Although I started work again, I take days off now and then, to have lunch or dinner with friends and family and do fun things with my daughters. Next week I will spend a few days in Limburg (in the south of our country) with my parents, visiting relatives. Will you keep your fingers crossed it will be dry for a few days? Last week felt like autumn in Rotterdam. I am already wearing my boots and scarf. It's crazy weather in The Netherlands :-)

Have a Happy week ahead!

Love,

Madelief x

Market day

There are ordinary weekends and weekends to remember. This weekend was definitely one in the last category!  

My parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary today (big kiss to you mum & dad) and yesterday I spent a long (still yawning... :-)), but happy day at the Swan Market in Rotterdam!

The weather was beautiful. We had a chilly start, but in the afternoon we even managed to sit in the sun for a minute or two. There were many colourful stalls, with home made and vintage items, and lots of smiling faces.

We did not sell much, but the happy atmosphere, old and new friends who came to visit, and the glorious weather, more than made up for it.

Hope you had a special weekend too!

Enjoy your new week.

Love,

Madelief x

One cup, two cups.......a hundred cups....

My house is a mess. There are boxes everywhere. Besides the girls bedrooms, the bathroom and toilet, there is not a room in the house where I did not store my china :-).

I started packing for the Swan Market last weekend. I wrote about the market before, but perhaps you missed this post. The Swan Market is a vintage, crafts and lifestyle market, comparable to Camden Market in London, which will be held at the museum park in Rotterdam. I will be there from 12.00 to 17.00 hours, sharing a stall with my friend Ilse, who owns the Etsy shop Eigenhandig. I will be taking my vintage treasures with me, while Ilse sells her colourful crochet work. We are keeping our fingers crossed the weather will be fine. It was bitterly cold last year.......

I am looking forward to meet you! Hope I will recognise you :-)!  If you are intent on buying something at the market, please keep in mind that most stalls don't have cash mashines. So you have to take cash money with you!

In between my preparations for the market, I baked a Banana Date Cake with walnut & Honey glaze. It's truly delicious and perfect for an autumn tea! You can find the recipe on the BBC Good Food website.

Unfortunately I don't have much time left for popping over to your blogs this week and say hello. I hope you won't mind too much. I will be back soon!


Love,

Madelief x

If you can't visit the market, but are interested in vintage china, please have a look at my Facebook page Madelief Vintage Tea Party. Now and then I post some teacups and other floral finds.