Between Christmas and New Year, Petworth Park & Arundel walks, Paint & decorate furniture workshops

Good Morning 

from

Arundel Eccentrics

Ha Ha

damp again.....

It's that funny time between Christmas and New Year.

They called it

" No Man's Land," time

on the radio yesterday.

Which is apt.

Did you have a good time?

Ours was very quiet,

 and we cut right back on buying this year,

as I suspect many people did.

However, we still wanted to give,

just didn't want to get swept along with all the 

razzmatazz in the shops..............

We have friends whom we have known for years 

and who once lived in our road,

here in Arundel.

Nass and John have been friends for ever, or so it seems.

They live, not that far away now, but, more out in the country.

The ridiculous thing is, much as we love them,

 we can go months and months, without seeing them.

So, Maxine and I discussed instead of giving each other gifts,

we would actually all spend more quality time together,

over the coming months.

Seemed a bit more meaningful.

So..... yesterday,

we met at White ways Lodge, just up the hill from Arundel,

and all drove up to Petworth.

 We had the most glorious walk around

Petworth Park.

If you have never been ,
go up to Petworth and take the Midhurst road.

A little way out of town you will see a little lodge on your right with parking places.

Go through the gate and you will see the most beautiful, beautiful, park.
Deer roaming, ducks swimming, dogs running, people walking, kites flying, the scenery is breathtaking

............... you could walk for hours, if the mood took you.

We had the most invigorating walk,

with plenty of laughs.............

and tree climbing...............

and home for a lunch which we all took a hand in creating.......well almost all.

As lovely as any Christmas gift could be hey?

Family Nostalgia

The other thing I did for this year,

was to pull out loads of old family photos...

and in Photoshop,

created an A5 notebook.

This is the cover.

I raced them off to my printers

and bless em, they turned them around pretty niftily.

This is my lovely Mum

These are all ancestors and my close family
 and next time I hope to update and put some of the family tree in.


It occurred to me that some of these old photographs would be lost for ever,
and I had 15 books printed which have all gone out.

All the recipients appeared delighted.

Grandad

Mum

Pat Vore, my dad....and Marjorie Matthews, as she was then, my Mum.

So, our Christmas took on a different slant this year.

I've watched friends go through marital break ups, this year

 severe illnesses,

tragic losses,

as, I am sure many people have,

and it kind of makes you reassess doesn't it?

So...the New Years Resolution for me

must surely be

dispense with the lists,

just

"SEIZE THE DAY"

yes, yes,

and lose weight

and get more organised,

and walk more,

and read more,

Maybe I really DO need to write a list after all

Ha Ha

a look at the year 

The year was a busy one and no mistake.

High spots?

Nass set up by himself,

Nass Interiors

He is working as hard as ever
 and just decided 
it was time to move on
 and go it alone. 

If you needs antique pieces collected
and delivered, 

please do let him know.

He will also act as a courier for
overseas trade buyers.

Would you like to visit all those
off the beaten track, 
little known places,
to source your antiques?
With a charming companion?

Nass could be your man.


his phone number is

07588472876

email
nassinteriors@sky.com







I kept busy with the bamboo
throughout the year

Nass had a few trips to France on business

He went to Toulouse was with an very eccentric

 antique dealer he regularly does work for.

So, they were in the van almost 3 days together.

Nass said by the end they were almost killing each other, 

but he was taken to some wonderful, wonderful antique places, 

such as the beautiful chateau stuffed full of antiques, 

that were way, way, out of our league.

Interesting to see though.

By the time they got back on the ferry though, 

Nass was relieved to be on his way home.

Neither of them speak much French and Nass said by the end 

he couldn't seem to help himself speak English but with an 

appalling "Ello, Ello" accent,

as though, subconsciously, he thought the French would understand him any better.

At the bar, Nass being a smoker, went to get some cigarettes, 

 cheaper on the boat, 

at the bar.

More expensive in duty free.

  Now...you really have to read all speech in an appalling, 

exaggerated, French accent.

Nass:   " Bonjour Monsieur, pleeeze can I av  5 packs 

of 20 Benson and edges"

 Grumpy Barman: " Oh non monsieur you are only 

allowed one packet per personne.

Nass: thinks for a minute.

" Oh well monsieur, wot eef you do not recognaz me?"

The grumpy barman, paused for a second before the euro dropped.

" Oh monsieur Ah see wot you are saying"

five minutes later Nass appeared at another side of the small bar.

" Bonjeur Monsieur"

The not so grumpy barman.

" Oh monsieur , 

Ah do not believe we ave met. 

Ah hope you are aving a good trip.    

ow can I elp you?"

Nass: "Twenty Benson and Edges pleeze monsieur."

The now Chuckling barman

"Certainly sir"

Nass:

" Pardon Monsieur, 20 Benson and Edges"

The laughing Barman  with an over exaggeration jump in the air.

" Alors, pardon monsieur, ah did not see you there"

This apparently continued throughout the entire trip, Nass popping up all over the bar and with the barman laughing eeez little French socks off by the end.

My Nass....you have to love him.

He manages to make friends where ever he goes. 

I had the most glorious walks throughout the year
up over the hills

This is the most trodden path........

It's almost 8 miles, and I run into a 

few people I knew en route.

I wont chat on, but rather let 
the photographs speak for themselves.

SPRING FLOWERS COMING OUT

breakfast

Swanbourne Lake

steep climb puff puff

nearly at the top

 Right at the top I once came across a friend who was running,

 and together we looked down at the magnificent views.

She sighed and said

" This place feeds my soul"

I could see what she meant

You can see the outline of the town..the cathedral to the right and the castle to the left

just beautiful

this is the road that runs through the park, down towards the castle and cathedral
and was the original London road. Queen Victoria used to travel down here on her jaunts to Arundel

Hiorne Tower

Swanbourne lake....hasn't change much in a 100 years

It's a walk to set me up mentally  for the day and when done
 on a Sunday for the week ahead.


High spots of the year.

Giving up working full time nights 
(as well as running a full time business.)
The nights..... was at a  residential home for
Adolescents with Challenging Behaviour
and after 7 years I decided, enough is enough.

Stressful, wild........I can tell you...and scary at times

So, I started the paint workshops which I had wanted to do for some time.
Rather a lot more sedate.....

Our workshops have proven to be highly successful, inasmuch as the people who have come on them seem to always return for more, full of enthusiasm.

So, what will someone get out of a workshop?

A full day of tuition in small classes, usually no more than 3 people

A vegetarian lunch with a glass or two of wine...... if they promise not to fall asleep in the afternoon.Ha Ha

............and some lifetime skills that will see them able to transform items of furniture, cheaply and beautifully.

for example we turned these sad looking chests.................

into these handsome creatures............

...............and after all our years of experience, we make such a reasonable job of it,

that shops like Liberty in London buy from us.

So....all that for £95 for one day

£150 if you book two together

Get a small group of friends together and we will also give you a discount.

I know, I know...... crazy LOL

Dates for workshops

Dates for workshops 2013

Preparing, Paint, distress, 

crackle glaze and wax a small item of furniture

Course code 1

Saturday 12th January

Monday 21st January

Tuesday 29th January

Saturday 9th February

Tuesday 19th February

Saturday 23rd February

Thursday 28th February

Monday 4th March

Saturday 16th March

Monday 25th March

Thursday 4th April

Tuesday 16th April

Introduction to decoupage

Paint , distress and 

then decoupage and finish

 a small item of furniture

Course code 2

Sunday 13th January

Tuesday 22nd January

Wednesday 30th January

Sunday 10th February

Sunday 24th February

Friday 1st March

Tuesday 5th March

Sunday 17th March

Tuesday 26th March

Friday 5th April

Thursday 18th April

Introduction to Craquelure,

 varnish, wax and 

finish a small item of furniture

Course code 3

Tuesday 15th January

Thursday 24th January

Monday 4th February

Tuesday 12th February

Thursday 7th March

Wednesday 20th March

Saturday 13th April

Friday 26th April


Introduction to gilding with decoupage
on a small item of furniture

Course Code 4

Friday 18th January
Friday 25th January
Tuesday 5th February
Friday 15th February
Friday 8th March
Friday 22nd March
Sunday 14th April
Saturday 27th April 



So saying, if absolutely none of these
dates are any good to you
and you would like to come on one 
of our workshops
email me
with a few dates that 
are convenient
to you
and lets see if we 
can coordinate something

arundel.eccentrics@sky.com

If you would like to join us

just print off the booking form

(link below)

BOOKING FORM

and send a deposit cheque with the completed form.

All the details are on the form.

By the way in February BBC Homes and Antiques magazine, there is an article on 101 courses you would most like to do...we are at no.1 which is great news.....

We went to the US to the most spectacular wedding I've ever been to.......


Maybe that's chat for another day
Or I'll bore you zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
LOL



Have a great day