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The inspiration behind The Cosy Travelling Christmas Shop
Tinstone is an entirely fictional town and not based on anywhere in particular, although I was kind of setting it somewhere around the West Midlands, Shropshire area. However whenever I wrote about the care home where Nelly and Edwin live, I visualised the wonderful home where my own great-aunt spent the last eighteen months of her life. In some ways, she was very much like Nelly - feisty, opinionated, and very set in her ways, just not as sneaky.
Images: carehome.co.uk
When I envisioned an ice cream van before its transformation into a Christmas shop, this is what was in my mind. Isn't it adorable! Actually, this very van is available to hire for events from Scoff and Sip. I'm so tempted... I just need an event!
Images: scoffandsip.com
I spent ages surfing the interweb looking for just the "right" manor house (OK, I was procrastinating - but it was fun!) and I came across this on, which fitted the bill perfectly. And as for the market town where a Christmas Fayre takes place, I had Ledbury in my head.
Manor house Image: Kelvin Francis Estate Agents
I had even more fun dreaming up festive dates for Seren and Daniel to go on, and here are a few pictures. Worcester Victorian Fayre is featured here (one of my favourite places to visit to kick start Christmas), as well as the Christmas Festival of Light in Bute Park in Cardiff, and when Seren and Daniel had fun on the helter skelter, I was remembering the one my daughter used to love going on when she was little (I might have had a couple of sneaky goes myself).
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Images: visitcardiff.com, thecurlingclub.com and Pinterest
I hope you enjoyed this little peep behind the scenes. I had great fun writing the story, and just as much fun setting the scenes!