Sad Farewell to In All Her Finery and its Cava and Cakes

Regular readers of this blog will know that on many occasions in the past I have extolled the virtues of a charming independent boutique on School Lane in Didsbury. For the last three years, the beautiful Fiona has solved my every gift dilemma with her handmade jewellery and impeccably chosen trinkets and baubles; even better, on selected Thursdays she has run "Cava and Cake" nights, generously plying her customers with fizz and cupcakes while they browse (she's clearly not stupid - I always buy far, far nore after a glass of cava, and suspect I'm not alone in this).

So it is with some sorrow that I report that next Thursday 9th December will be the final Cava and Cakes outing, as In All Her Finery will cease to run its shop premises from next year. And whilst Fiona will continue to sell her gorgeous goodies from her website and at craft fairs, School Lane will definitely miss her stylish presence. So pop along on Thursday to send her off in style; I'll be the one knocking back the cava and frantically trying to get ALL my Christmas shopping done.

- In All Her Finery is (for now) at 56 School Lane, Didsbury, Manchester M20 6RT, tel. 0161 445 5225; http://inallherfinery.bigcartel.com.

In All Her Finery, Didsbury: Jewellery (and Cake) Heaven

Few things can improve one's mood when the sun is shining brightly on a Saturday morning and you don't really have very much to do until Monday. Until, that is, a Facebook Message arrives from In All Her Finery, an emporium of gorgeous items whose virtues I have extolled many times before, tucked away on School Lane in Didsbury. After the success of the regular "Cava and Cake" nights, owner Fiona has decided to make the most of the unusually nice weather to do some lovely things on Saturdays as well; today, the lure (against which I put up only the briefest of token resistance) was a table outside the shop, laden with Fiona's cute handmade jewellery at reduced prices - earrings and rings at £5, nceklaces at £10.

As well as jewellery, Fiona also seems very adept at cake-making, and understands that browsing for gorgeous trinkets can often make one very hungry; thus I left clutching not only three pairs of earrings, but a lovely daisy cake as well - I was going to photograph it for the blog but unfortunately couldn't find an angle that concealed the parts of it I ate in the car on the way home. If you've yet to discover the delights of In All Her Finery then it's well worth following on Facebook or Twitter, as Fiona is very good at keeping followers updated with the latest situation re: cake and cava availability, as well as lots of offers and discounts.

A word of warning to this lovely local independent business though: make the most of the nice weather now. I break up for summer in just over a week, at which point the summer will become cold and wet until it's time to go back in September; you have been warned...

- In All Her Finery is at 56 School Lane, Didsbury, Manchester M20 6RT; tel. 0161 4455225; website www.inallherfinery.co.uk; or follow on Facebook or Twitter. Or actually, just go there - she'll give you cake :)