The Craft4Crafters Show

A little while ago I entered a competition with Crafts Beautiful to win a pair of tickets to The Craft4Crafters Show. It was one of those times when you totally forget you have entered it until you check your inbox & boom......"Congratulations you have won". I was so excited & thought it would make the perfect girls day out for me & my Mum. 

After a surprisingly quick drive to Exeter in the world's worst driving conditions(!) We went straight to the nearest cafe to grab a cup of tea & plan what we wanted to buy. I had 4 dressmaking patterns with me so we had a look at those to decide on which ones I should go with.

As usual it was difficult to know what way to turn with the many different craft stands to look at. We tried our best to explore the show in some kind of order, but it's so easy to get distracted - particularly by the giant knitting needles...

And this paper cake was just the cutest thing...

I found it so difficult to make a decision on fabric so spent a lot of time going back & forth comparing! I obviously chose some fabric from the cheaper stand (a very girly navy blue floral fabric @ £5 per meter) but also chose to treat myself to a slightly more expensive fabric too (some gorgeous burgundy fabric with dragonflies on @ £8 per meter). I think I was very good at being sensible as I could of spent much much more! 

It was such a great day, I do love a good crafty show. What craft shows would you recommend? 

♥ 

ZoFlo

101 Things in 1001 Days #93

Go to a Flea Market

 I have never been to a Flea Market before, but it is something I have always wanted to go to. Luckily I have the Shepton Mallett Flea & Collectors Market about 15 minutes from me, so no excuses to not cross this one off my list. So off I trundle last Sunday with my Gran, who was more than happy to come along with me (although I'm sure it had something to do with the cheap upholstery fabric)!

 

 

I had no idea what to expect really or even how much money to take. But I knew what I was going for - a chair & some fabric - & made sure I only took cash for the amount I was happy to spend. I saw a few nice chairs, but most of them had already been painted & upholstered. I wanted something that was going to be more of a project so picked up this little beauty. It needs to be sanded, varnished & the padded seat needs covering but it's perfect. Just what I was hoping to find & at £25, I really did pick up a bargain!

There was so much other stuff to see & although we weren't there for the Jewellery, Paintings, China or Retro Phones(!) we still had a browse before moving on to the fabric. I knew it was going to be cheap fabric as a friend had mentioned how cheap it was when she went but I didn't expect it to be £1.50 a meter! At first, I thought "you can see why some of the rolls are £1.50 a meter" but then the most beautiful fabric caught my eye. There were three different varieties, all the same pattern but slightly different colours. One blue, one green & one blue & gold. I opted for the blue & gold as I thought it would match my chair perfectly. I would say I only needed around 1/2 a meter for my chair, but at £1.50 a meter it would be rude not to get more...so I got an extra 2.5 meters to keep safe in my fabric stash! You know, just in case.
 

It was such a successful morning & I am so excited for the next one. There was so much more I could of purchased, but I didn't want to go too crazy. I am hoping to make some new cushion covers soon so this would be the most ideal place to pick up some fabric for these. I will definitely update you on my next trip. Have you ever been to a Flea Market before? Did you pick up any bargains?

♥  

ZoFlo

Glastonbury Festival 2015

Holla Everyone, I am back!

And of course I cannot go to Glastonbury Festival without uploading a post about it! I think I find going to Glastonbury more exciting than Christmas Day - really! So here are a selection of my favourite photos from my best Glastonbury Festival yet!

Yaaaaaay!

Alice in Wonderland

  

Chicks!

Frappos!

When the sun was shining for Lionel!

Wouldn't be Glastonbury without rain...

Postcard for my Parents!

Dress Up!

Sunday Evening at The Other Stage

 

Breakfast

Team Photo!

Until next year....(Hopefully)

I had the best time & am really suffering with "Glasto Blues" this year. Do you like Festivals? What ones do you go to?

♥  

ZoFlo

Thursday Thoughts #28

Happy Thursday!

This week I am at Glastonbury Festival - Yaaaaaaaaaaaay! So it is only right to have an appropriate thought for today...

Photo Source

I love everything about Glastonbury Festival. It is literally my favourite time of the year. Perhaps I even like it more than Christmas! It is so close to where I live, so if you don't go it is absolute torture. When the diversion signs go up about a week or so before the Festival opens, I always get really excited. It's all everyone talks about here in Somerset! Camping for 5 days, wearing flowers in my hair everyday & listening to all of my favourite bands whilst drinking copious amounts of cider...I can't even think of anything I would rather do. Even if it is raining. I will (obviously) be uploading a post when I return about my experience, as it is too good to not share with you all - I hope you don't mind!

Enjoy the rest of your week! I am here until Monday so I know I will definitely enjoy mine *reaches for another can of cider*

♥  

ZoFlo

The Creative Crafts Show

On Friday I went to The Creative Craft Show with my Mum as it was at The Bath & West Showground, which is relatively close to where I live - Woohoo! I was really excited as my Mum had been before & said how great it was, but I wasn't quite prepared for how amazing it really would be! Cross-stitch, Card Making, Jewellery Making, Sewing, Knitting...there was something on offer for pretty much any craft you could think of!

We decided to do a lap of the show first, to see what stands were there & compare prices before committing to any purchases. This kind of didn't really work as we were easily distracted by everything & kept going off in the wrong direction! I did make sure I compared all of the fabric stands first though & ended up purchasing some beautiful Polka Dot cotton fabric from a stand called Fabric Time - 2m for £10. Absolute bargain! There was plenty to choose from though & I was definitely in some kind of Sewing Heaven...

 

There were so many "Make & Take" sessions happening throughout the day & I really wanted to give something new a go. As we were walking along the Decopatch Workshop stand really caught my eye. There were lots of other ladies having a go & it only cost £3 to try it for yourself. So I pursuaded my Mum to give it a go with me! We both chose to cover a bauble & it was really fun. It's quite theraputic & you can cover pretty much anything. The idea of covering old glass bottles really appealled to me as I thought it would be a great idea for the home, so I gave in to their "show deal" & got 2 sheets of paper, 1 pot of glue, 1 brush & 3 items to cover, all for just £10. My Mum was a little more enthusiastic about it than I was (I think shes found a new hobby) so went crazy & got lots of different sheets of the paper too to keep her going!

There was so much to see & do, it's hard for me to remember everything...even if it was only 2 days ago! But there really was something for everyone, so if you're an avid crafter then you must go. You will definitely be able to pick up some fantastic deals for crafts that you already do & you may even discover a new crafting hobby whilst you're there. The yummiest stand was The Meditteranean Deli Company - everything was massive & only £2.50. I was super good & managed to resist, but I did pick up a gigantic Orea Cupcake for Nick (which he really appreciated)!

So all in all, it was a really great day. I will definitely be going again next year, but will perhaps take lot's more spending money so I can stock up on fabric! I will upload a Craft Haul next week, which will include the bits I purchased from the show - so keep your eyes peeled! Have you been to The Creative Craft Show before?

♥  

ZoFlo

P.S. Don't forget, you can like my Facebook Page!

Thursday Thoughts #19

Happy Thursday!

Although today it is basically Friday for me as I have a day off tomorrow - Yippeee - and this weeks Thursday Thoughts is very fitting, as I am off to The Creative Craft Show tomorrow!

Photo Source

I will be sure to upload a post to let you know how I got on / what I purchased!! Enjoy the rest of your week!

♥  

ZoFlo

101 Things in 1001 Days #14

Do a Colour Run

 This is another one that I completed last year with my Friend & younger Sister. I have always wanted to take part in a Colour Run, they just look like so much fun, so I was really pleased when I saw one being advertised quite local to me. I'll be honest, I wasn't very well prepared / didn't do any training as it was only 5K so I thought it would be too easy. On the day, I found it quite difficult. I hadn't done any exercise since finishing University 4 months before & it was a super hot day (excuses, excuses). But it was still really good fun. It wasn't a hardcore, competitive run. Most people were slowly jogging / walking so I didn't feel too bad when we stopped for the odd walking break. And of course, we got covered in paint...

I would recommend a Colour Run to anyone to wants to get into fitness/exercise, but isn't a total gym bunny! Its such a good laugh & is so much fun to do with a group of friends. And a great way to raise money for Charity too! We didn't get to choose the charity we ran for, as the whole event was for a Childrens Charity - "Time is Precious". To me this is still a very worthy cause so it didn't change my decision to take part. You will have to wash your hair a few times when you get home though & definitely don't wear your best sporting gear either. Have you ever taken part in a Colour Run?

♥  

ZoFlo

Glastonbury Festival - Its Not All About the Music

I have been a little absent for the past week or so but I feel my reason is valid - I was at Glastonbury Festival! I don't want my blog to turn back into a lifestyle blog, however I love Glastonbury so much it's difficult to resist sharing my experiences with you all (Sorry)!

 

This year I did so much exploring and have come to the conclusion that this really isn't a Festival that is all about the music. Granted, it is the primary focus (and my main reason for going) but when the line up was released most people were a little disappointed. Compared to previous years it was pretty poor (No offence Mr Eavis) but this just left more time to explore!! One of the first things me & Nick stumbled across was a giant Polaroid "photobooth" which you led on, to raise awareness of The White Ribbon Alliance. It was such good fun and our photo came out pretty well - although we weren't so adventurous with the fancy dress items. 

One of my favourite areas at Glastonbury this year was The Green Fields, in particular the Green Crafts Village. There was so much to look at - it was the most creative place (trying to keep with my blog theme)! There were chairs hanging from the trees, stalls selling handmade crafts & so many workshops. I was desperate to book myself in to a "make your own flower headband" workshop but felt it was probably something that was aimed at children! Damn it - they get all the fun. In The Green Fields and throughout other areas of Glastonbury were lots of random sculptures. My three favourites were a beautiful fairy, the hot air balloon seating area & a violin playing Fox (amazing, amazing, amazing)! 

 

 

And this little felt man was too cute to not include a photo of!

So I think the point of this post is to basically say Glastonbury Festival isn't just about the cider, mud & music! If you have never been and you aren't too sure if you would enjoy it, I promise you you will have the best time. It is like a whole other world, where there are no rules and everyone just loves one another. There are so many stages/performance areas that there will always be a handful of bands you will want to see. And when your favourite bands aren't playing, you can always go to the Theatre & Circus Field or The Green Fields for some alternative entertainment!

Here I Am!

 Have you ever been to Glastonbury Festival? Are there any other Festivals you would recommend that have plenty of alternative (creative & crafty) entertainment?

♥  

ZoFlo

Friday Favourites #18

HAPPY FRIDAY MY LITTLE BEAUTIES!

First up on my Friday favourites for this week is Botanics Skin Calming Night Cream from Boots. I have used this before a while a go and I loved it. But when I ran out for some reason I didn't replace it. I have no idea why as it works wonders for my skin. Sometimes my face can go a little angry and red, but this contains "calming marshmallow" (yummy) and it completely evens out my skin tone and I have no longer have red patches. I haven't wore foundation for the past two days because I feel confident enough without it - Horraaay! 

Next up is a new product for me. I needed to replace my Simple face wash and for some reason I decided to try something different to the usual one I use. I opted for the Simple Foaming Cleanser and I question why I haven't used this before! It's so light on my sensitive skin and leaves it feeling so squeeky clean! I will definitely be sticking to this one from now on.

Now as I'm sure you're all aware, I saw Ellie Goulding last Sunday. Chloe Howl was her support act and my goodness she was amazing. She was a true performer and was genuinely passionate about what she was doing. I've listened to a couple of her songs on YouTube and would definitely say she's worth checking out! Her track Rumour has been released so if you like what you hear, download this one!

 Let me know in the comments box below if you were at the Ellie Goulding Concert - I would love to hear what you thought of it and Chloe Howl :)

♥  

ZoFlo

Music Festival Wish List

As I'm sure many of you already know, I have a major love for Music and Festivals! Unfortunately, I have only ever done Glastonbury Festival as it's so close to where I live (and so amazing). So I'm not sure how I would find going to a different one. I have been twice now and will be going again this year too! But as I have said in my 101 Things list, I do actually want to go to a Music Festival that isn't Glastonbury! So I decided to do a little research to figure out which ones I would like to attend in the future - kind of like a Wish List! Let me know if you have been to any of these and if they are worth going to! 

Bestival

Bestival is a four day Music Festival held in Robin Hill Country Park, Isle of Wight. It takes place in September, which I think this would be an awesome way to end the Summer! With tickets costing £195 plus a booking fee, it is up there with the more expensive Music Festivals, but in my opinion it is usually worth every penny. I cannot think of anything better than chilling out in the sun (or rain) with a can of cider (or beverage of your choice) listening to Live Music! Previous acts include Snoop Dogg, Bastille, Florence & the Machine, Two Door Cinema Club & Ellie Goulding. It all sounds pretty amazing too me; this may well be one for me to seriously consider in the future! Have you ever been to Bestival? Let me know what you thought of it, or whether it's a Festival you would like to go to as well.

Larmer Tree Festival

  

This is a Music Festival that is a little more local to my home (taking place on the Wiltshire/Dorset border) and I therefore question why I have never been! It has been described as one of the most family-friendly festivals around, so I doubt there would be any worries of the occasional odd ball approaching you & offering you drugs (this sometimes happens at Glastonbury - Sorry Mr Eavis). This Festival last for five days, with live music playing on all of those days! Many of the previous acts who have played I do not recognise; but there are a couple of familiar names such as Van Morrison, KT Tunstall & Paloma Faith. However, with Comedians such as Russell Kane, Tim Minchin & Alistar McGowan having made previous appearances, the idea of going to this Festival is quickly growing on me. And as well as this, they also have a Secret Garden area that offers Swedish & Thai Massages & Indian Head Massages!! Wow. It is clear that Larmer Tree Festival offers plently more than just Music!

Reading & Leeds Festival

The Reading and Leeds Festivals take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same acts. Such a random yet excellent idea as it allows people from opposite ends of the UK to enjoy the Festival! Having looked at the previous headliners and with some of this years acts having been announced, this is probably the most suitable to my music taste. I don't actually know many people who have been here, so if you have please let me know what you think of it - I would love to hear from you in the comments box below.

 Radio1's Big Weekend

I am absolutely dying to go to the Radio1 Big Weekend one year. I'm sure you are all aware, but just incase you aren't, Radio1's Big Weekend is a Music Festival run my Radio1 and is held in a different location each year. You cannot buy tickets. You have to register to apply for tickets which are completely free, but allocated at random. This years festival is in Glasgow and I would love to go. I have never been before and I think the fact that although they have 60,000 tickets to give away, it is still so exclusive. I register every year and am yet to be lucky enough to get a ticket! As one of the biggest free ticketed music events in Europe, I think it would be an amazing experience as well as a once in a life time opportunity - as the chances of being allocated a free ticket more than once is probably pretty slim! Have you ever been?


So that is my Music Festival Wish List. Let me know if you have been to any of these yourself, or if you have any others that you would recommend.

♥  

ZoFlo

What Has ZoFlo Been Upto This Year?

I thought it would be a good idea to show you a few things I got up to throughout 2013, so you can get to know a little more about me!

So one of my New Years Resolutions at the beginning of 2013 was to be a little more spontaneous and adventurous! Sometimes I can be quite shy and reserved, but this year I wanted to spend more time doing things with the people I love most (aww / vom).

So my New Year kick started when I recieved an email saying I had been allocated two free tickets for Dancing on Ice (I applied for them on SRO Audiences). After reminding myself of my New Years Resolution, I thought YOLO (yes - I just used yolo!). I dragged my beautiful friend Hannah along with me and after a long wait (Sorry Han) we actually made it into the venue and got seats! We weren't sat together but we still got to see Dancing on Ice live. And to top it all off, the Philip Schofield replied to one of my tweets...IN PERSON! I actually met the real life Silver Fox. I wanted to cry (as you can tell, I'm a big fan!).

At the end of 2012, my little sister asked if I would run the Bath Half Marathon with her. Already aware that I wanted to be more spontaneous as well as get fit, I decided to sign up. At the beginning of 2013, I decided to take it a little more seriously and up my training sessions. I was in the gym most evenings and even found myself getting up at 5:30am to go running before work! It was hard work but with a finish time of 2 Hours 26 Minutes I was pretty pleased with myself. I loved the challange as well as the feel good factor of raising money for charity!

Iron Man 3

As I was on my placement year at The Walt Disney Company, I wanted to make the most of my opportunities as an Intern. So when asked if I wanted to attend the Iron Man 3 Premiere I obviously said yes! From a sensible, work perspective, it was amazing to see the work that goes into such high profile events and the stress everyone is under. From a excited, 23 year old perspective, it was amazing to be walking on the red carpet with the likes of Robert Downy Junior, Dermot O'Leary & Alex Zane (Wow, wow, wow).

 Next up was Glastonbury Festival! As most of my friends & family already know, I am obsessed with Glastonbury Festival! This was my second year attending the festival, however my first experience wasn't too good. You definitely need to make sure you go with all the right people to these kinds of events! This time I wanted to explore ALL of Glastonbury - not just sit in my tent all day. I can honestly say I had the most amazing time. I went with my best friend and younger sister (and their boyfriends) and we really made the most of it. Chilling in the Circus & Theatre Fields & the Field of Avalon during the day, but still making sure we didn't miss all our favourite bands! At night we would sit around our campsite next to our giant candles - it was so chilled! I have managed to secure my ticket for next year and am so excited!

Glasto 2013: My Sister, My Best Friend & Me!

Glasto 2013: Arctic Monkeys on the Pyramid Stage.

So I should tell you that just before Glastonbury Festival, I started talking to Nick (now my boyfriend of 4 months). After a successful first date, he invited me on a second date to The Olympic Park Live concert where Vampire Weekend, Ben Howard & Mumford and Sons were playing (amazing second date!). I was a little apprehensive at first because 1) I had seen all these bands the week before at Glastonbury, 2) this would mean staying the night in a hotel with him and 3) was this too much to accept too soon? Luckily I decided to just go for it - I liked this guy & he must of liked me to ask me on a second date, right? It was such an amazing time and the atmosphere was incredible! I loved every minute of it and I am so glad I agreed to go!

July 2013: Me & Nick

My final exciting encounter for 2013 (so far anyway) was a Secret Gig at my University! This was advertised as a guest speaker that would be giving an inspirational talk to students at our SU Bar. There were limited spaces available and as me and my friend Elena are in our final year, we decided to be keen and see if this guest speaker could inspire us! The SU Bar soon filled up and with rumours flying around that it was going to be Tinie Tempah, we were getting excited. After a short wait and an introductory speech from our Student Union, it was of course a Secret Gig by Tinie Tempah! I think the fact that this was free made it a million times more exciting! He did a very energetic half an hour set, including a mixture of all his songs. It was very surreal going to a gig at 3pm but it was amazing. See, sometimes being keen and attended extra talks can pay off!

 Those were just a handful of the exciting things I have done this year! I think I did really well at sticking to my New Years Resolution and have so many great memories to show for it! If you're a little like me and shy away from doing crazy things - you should honestly just go for it! I've had such an amazing year with all my friends & family and will definitely make sure I say yes to more things in the future!

Let me know if you have said yes to anything out of the ordinary!

Found this on Pinterest: Just Something to Inspire You All.