I go all posh

Sandwiches piled high,
a cacophony of teas,
cakes and buns galore

This week's 'thing' was afternoon tea. As it is mum's birthday (Today actually - happy birthday mum!) I decided to go all out and book afternoon tea and a spa evening at the Headland Hotel.

I've known about the Headland Hotel since before I lived in Newquay, thanks to The Witches, yet I have never been there in the entire twenty two and a half years I have lived here. I think it's one of those things. Always seemed beyond my reach; somewhere that isn't for people on my pay grade.

This cemented that thought. Look at the bathroom! That's better décor than the average house.

The staff could not have been friendlier. I suppose that is their job. I've always envisaged a certain snootiness though; the nascent ability to detect whether someone is a lower class than their normal clientele. I was totally wrong though.

Afternoon tea is £18.50 per person. You choose from a selection of teas (we went for the traditional breakfast blend) and get two gigantic pots. One full of tea, one to replenish. The tea stand is three tiers; scones with cream and jam on the bottom, finger sandwiches in the middle and desserts on the top. Let's go tier by tier shall we?

The scones were a little bit dry, perhaps because they were rather large. My mum's cheese scones are still the ones to beat. The sandwiches were egg mayonnaise, cucumber, and salmon. Didn't try the salmon as I don't like it but the cucumber ones were surprisingly nice, and this is coming from someone who doesn't ordinarily like cucumber. There were plenty of desserts on the top. The best was the simplest; marshmallow rolled in sherbet and topped with a raspberry. There was also a cake that looked more like a millionaire shortbread, a lemon tart, two mini eclairs and a pot of vanilla panna cotta. I was hoping for some macaroons, but I've never tried panna cotta before, so at least I tried one new dessert. Loved the marshmallow though!

After this we did the Girl's Night In package, which is £69 a person for a minimum of three people. It gives you access to the leisure facilities (no hot tub unfortunately as it was broken :( but there is a swimming pool with bubble seats, an aromatherapy shower, and two steam rooms) a dressing gown and flip flops to use, a treatment (we all had facials) and use of their VIP room, with bubbly and nibbles while you watch a film. It was a fun evening - though I would suggest they extend their repertoire of films. I know it was a girls night but not all women like chick flicks. The nibbles were nice; brownies, strawberries, veg and houmous, crisps and popcorn. The facial was lovely. I don't think I have ever had that many products on my face! The scalp massage was a nice added touch. It did make me wonder what a full facial entails when ours was a mini one.

Overall I am glad I did this, but unsure I would do it again. That being said, I am going to two spas in September, but one is a reading spa (more on that in September) and the other is the Thermae Bath Spa - no treatment just relaxing in some naturally heated spring water.

I've started a new stitch, as well as planning another one. I know I've got a few more in my stash, but I spotted a design that would be perfect as a present, so that's next on my list.

Can you tell what I am doing?

I've also made a tag this week.

I started off by covering a tag with paper from my stash, using distress crayons to edge it. I then die cut a cityscape and a globe from black card. I die cut some clouds and edged them with grey distress crayons, and die cut a moon and star, painting them with gold and using stickles. On the globe I glued some thread and put some enamel drops at certain points to look like destinations on a journey. I stamped a Tim Holtz sentiment, stencilling the background. Finally I die cut a ship, using distress crayons to colour it, and attached it to the globe.

All the dies were docrafts ones, from one of their build a scene dies. I got a summer bundle from Docrafts and it had three of these in. They are well worth the money, purely for the amount of dies you get. Very versatile.

The Works has just opened in Newquay! So expect a few more altered boxes now I don't have to travel far to buy them.

Till next time

Emma