Craft Fair and Alternative Fair

We decided to organise something a little bit different for May and hosted...

The weather was a beautiful sunny day, but very windy, so proved a challenge to the stallholders.  

Here are some photos from the beginning of the day:

Tea anyone?

At Country Matters Hexton you can come and enjoy homemade cake and tea (amongst other items), but did you know you can kit yourself up so that you can go and make tea when you get home ... :)

We have tea pots and tea cosies (or are they cosy's?) in all shapes and sizes, knitted, crochet, sewn, small large - you name it I bet we have it.

We do have cafetiere cosies too :)

Would love to see you soon.

Getting out in the garden

We stock a range of plants and garden accessories throughout the summer, and we are just starting with a few spring things, with Mother's Day just around the corner - there could be some ideas for you :).

Cases and accessories in matching fabrics

New this year are sets of accessories that include glasses cases - ideal for sunglasses as well as reading glasses, mini coin purses which are suitable for lots of different things...perfect for earphones, maybe keys in a school bag, modesty bags.

Starting with black and white elephants, and now just moved onto pink and white elephants.  Also in vintage style prints and pretty florals.

Pretty triangular lavender bags.

All are great gift ideas for Mother's Day.

A move around - first up patchwork quilts

Check out instagram page Homespun Vintage at Country Matters and Homespun Facebook


A sad neglected blog :)  so thought I would bring it into 2017, since the last post on here, Country Matters has been moved around and a log burner has been installed making it a lot cosier in the winter months.  The tea rooms have always had a roaring fire :)

Plants are arriving

The plant area is looking all neat and tidy and we have lots of plants arriving.  Our range includes annuals, shrubs, perennials, vegetable and herbs and of course some lovely hanging baskets and patio planters. 

Cycling

Cambridge CTC picture

Are you a cyclist?  why not make us a stop off on your next cycle around and about Hertfordshire or Bedfordshire.  Don't forget to bring a rucksack so that you can take something home  with you :) 

Sharpenhoe Clappers

The Sharpenhoe Clappers is a short drive from Hexton, and run by the National Trust.  There is a reasonable size free car park, and there are a lot of footpaths around there, not just on the Clappers.

Perfect for a visit and then stop by Country Matters for some refreshments and a wander around.

Go when the day is really clear and you will be able to see for miles, if you have binoculars take them and see how far you can see, kids just love looking through them.
 It is chalky like the rest of the Chiltern hills, apparently formed from fish bones. The ice age stopped to form the 'cliff' of the clappers.



The woods are a great place to explore, but are steep in places.

There are a few benches dotted about, and a big grassed area, that you can sit on for a picnic if you take a blanket.  There is a footpath to the woods that you can wheel a buggy, and then explore the rest of the place on foot.  There are no toilets at the site.






NT says:
"Reputedly haunted, Sharpenhoe Clappers is a classic chalk escarpment and part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is crowned with traces of an Iron Age hill-fort and an impressive beech wood."



There are a few walks in the area, here is one that I have found, that has lots of useful information:
Walk like the Clappers

Note that the pub in Sharpenhoe has closed down.

Locally grown produce

We now do a small range of locally grown produce, some of the basic essential, so there really is something for everyone now :)

Wooden planters & bird tables

We have a good selection of wooden planters at Country Matters, Hexton, it varies from week to week as they are handmade.