St Albans

This morning we went to Butterfly World in Chiswell Green, we were very impressed and when it's finished in 2011 it will be even better! We took lots and lots of photographs not only of the butterflies but of the Future Gardens too.

A new gift shop has just opened in George Street, St Albans, it's not just full of gorgeous gifts and cards but knitting yarns too. Katrina, who owns the shop, told me she hopes to specialise in items handmade by local craftspeople as well as the quirky gift and toy lines she already stocks.  In the future, with stocking the knitting yarns, Katrina would like to set up opportunities for knitters and stitchers to get together.

In May I received a really nice email from Sonata in Lithuainia. Sonata was asking permission to use a couple of my patterns for World Wide Knitting in public day, held on the 19th June. Sonata explained "The same night will be the great cultural night (Let There Be Night!

we took advantage of two of the many St albans Festival events, Larks in the Parks and St Albans Alive! Sue and I had a lovely day on our craft stall at Larks in the Parks, it was like a village fete, and because it was local we knew lots of people to say hello and chat to. I just wonder if they will put it on next year, with all the expected local government cut backs, shame if they don't.Yesterday we went to St albans Alive!

Ashley and I went for a coffee this morning, to the Courtyard Cafe, but on the spare of the moment decided to pop into the Museum of St Albans, next door, to see 'Kubrick: A Film Makers Odyssey'. The exhibition celebrates the life and work of Stanley Kubrick, a resident of St Albans before his death in 1999. In the display are props from Stanley Kubrick’s films, screenplays, photographs and models made by University of Hertfordshire students (we particularly liked the models), and his awards, get up close to his Oscar and BAFTA.

I had to take this photo, the last of the windfalls on the garden table. As the temperature plummets I hope the birds take advantage of these apples.

On Saturday 5th December, it's the Aboyne Lodge School Christmas Fair. My children use to go to the school and for many years I was on the school committee (ALSA), helping to raise funds for the school. This year a friend and I have been invited to have a stall at the fair. We will be selling some of our crafts, knitted, sewn and crocheted. So if you're looking for gifts and decorations, something a little different at reasonable prices, and your in the area pop in.

On Wednesday morning I went to the Courtyard Cafe, with my friend Sue, it's located at 11 Hatfield Road, next to St Albans Museum. The cafe's decor is charming, right up my street, an eclectic mix of old and new. We had tea and coffee and home made cakes, beetroot and carrot. I must recommend it, it has a lovely atmosphere and the staff are very friendly and welcoming.

I like this poster, very reminiscent of Edward McKnight Kauffer posters of St Albans in the 1920s