Cupcakes Are My Downfall - No Surprise There!

My excuse is that I could sit at the flower bedecked table, drink tea, eat a cupcake and open up my laptop to hook into the Stiffkey Stores Internet and talk to you. You don't need any excuse and if you are passing along the North Norfolk Coast via Wells and Blakeney, there is absolutely no excuse at all not to call in here where they make their own brand of chrysanthemum frosted cupcakes and fill their delightful stores with all the things you would like to take home with you. Just remember to ask directions for Stewkey which is how they pronounce Stiffkey in these parts. Although there is no website for the stores yet, they do have a Facebook page - you can become cupcake pals and maybe they'll share some recipes with you.

And Suffolk Churches Too!

For those of you who loved the Norfolk churches - here you can visit all the Suffolk churches too! This lovely window is in Bardwell Church.

Last Week's Giveaway Winner - This Week's Lakeside Linen Giveaway

The winner of last week's Bristol Calendar giveaway is Jan Blevins of Dallas, Texas. Congratulations, Jan ....and if only I had more copies for everyone who entered....please don't give up, there are more lovely giveaways for customers to come! Like this week. This time the winner can choose a Stitcher's Eighth of fabulous 36 count Vintage Colour Lakeside Linen in the shade of their choice from Traditional Stitches. Click here to see your choices - how do you choose?! To enter you simply need to have made one purchase from the Needleprint Blog this year. Click here to enter - Good Luck!

See Norfolk Churches from Your Armchair

Some of you may have detected that I have been out and about lately - and having trouble with internet access. Such is the small price one has to pay for enjoying the wonders of North Norfolk and its coast of secrets. I particulary love the round tower churches of this part of the country, though sadly World War II took its toll as many airfields were based nearby. The churches are wonderful repositories of history and culture with their monuments, painted walls, painted reredos and iconostases and not least their old stained glass windows, many dating back the the 15th century. I was on the look out for European links. To observe the pattern of building along the coast and particularly in the region of the old staithes or harbours, one might almost think oneself in Denmark, even down to the roof high holyhocks. And the fact is that before the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th century, you would have been as likely to hear Flemish or Frisian spoken in this area as English. This Flemish glass with the name C.Le Grys Manfylde is in the church at Denton.

Much of the glass is now fragmented, but I love the way it has been pieced together again, like a rich, old, beloved quilt. Do explore this website for yourself - it is full of treasures and delight.