The Queen's Coronation Festival

Yesterday we had tickets to attend one of the last celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the coronation of the Queen: the Coronation Festival. I saw this advertised some months ago and applied for tickets. The event was a sell out and it was held in the ground of Buckingham Palace. I visited BP last year to tour the house and the garden is usually out of bounds, so I jumped at the chance to see them.

We took the train to Victoria Station and from there it is only a 5 minute walk to Buckingham Palace.

It was a glorious day and London looked gorgeous bathed in sunshine

 We spent a short time in the queue and after passing though security we emerged into the gardens of the palace. It was such fun to see the back of the palace from inside the gardens.

All the Royal Warrant Holders had set up their stands for the festival and were set out in different themes, technology, food  etc. It was like an enormous craft show of the highest calibre.

During the day we managed to visit every stand and saw everything from saddle makers, candle makers, enamellers, dress designers, cheese makers, whisky makers, car makers...there were over 200 of the 1,000 warrant holders exhibiting. We were amazed by the skills some of these people have and the superb quality of their work.




Amongst our favourites were Bentley Motors, Martini, The Ritz, Moet and Chandon, Bendicks, Blisset Bookbinders, Fattorini, Fiona Rae, Kent Brushes and none other than Tom Smith the cracker makers.
I even got to sit in a Bentley

Price tag ; £164,000...... should have bought 2? It was also fun to see some classic beauties including an E Type Jag and also we saw the Queen's State Bentley.

The setting for the festival was exquisite, the Queen's Gardens are everything you think they should be and she also has the most beautiful tranquil lake to stroll round. We were free to wander at will and my Hb and I sat in the sunshine and watched the wildlife there including baby ducks, coots and even a heron standing guard. Such an oasis in the centre of London.

It was thirsty work walking around so of course we had to stop for Pimm's, didn't we and what better than to sit in the sunshine, on the Queen's lawn and sip my favourite summer tipple.

As I took so many photos I thought I would share the atmosphere of the gardens today and come back next week to share some of the gorgeous things we bought. I was very spoilt by my dear Hb and yes I came home with a piece of jewellery ;0)

My card today has to be something which epitomises everything British and I think that just has to be afternoon tea. I won a great pack of goodies recently from the lovely people at Craftwork Cards and amongst them were some very cute tea pot card blanks as well as some pretty backing paper. This is what I made;

You will recognise the verse is  from my Lili of the Valley Pretty Vintage winnings. This one is from the Quotables -life's journey set. It think it sums up how special our friends are and how important they are to us in our lives. I made this for my dearest friend Karen and as the little extra sentiment on the lid says...just because ;0)
I made it possible to pull the lid up to reveal another sentiment .....

here it is taken right out. The papers are Craftwork Cards, Time Flies range. I have inked the edges with Tim Holtz distress inks. The Card Candi are some new colours I bought and I have also made some Candi into a flower for the lid. I also cut some Martha Stewart butterflies.There is also a Cheery Lynn die cut leaf under there.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;


Lili of the Valley Pretty in Pink
The Hobby House Vintage
Ali Craft Butterflies
Rhedd and Rosie here comes summer
Cupcake Crafts anything but square
Penny Black and More Dies or punches
Emma's Cards lace and pearls
Craft Room Challenge Vintage
Jelly Park give thanks
Totally Gorjuss sweet
Sweet Stampin Shabby Chic

I will be back on Tuesday to show my penultimate GD card for Loves Rubberstamps Challenge and I will also share photos of the haul of booty we brought home with us.
It's going to be 30oc here today so my Hb and I are having a quiet day pottering in the garden and tomorrow Milly is coming up to visit. We have a day off together on Monday. She is now 23 weeks pregnant, keeping very well and has a sweet visible bump for me to hug ;0)

Bye for now,

Jane x