Stockport Advertiser from Stockport, Greater Manchester, England • 4

Page 4 The Advertiser February 121981 Navy and white is a favourite every spring and always looks smart These two outfits with skirts in navy and white dogtooth check came from tne St Andrew range and carry on this theme of simple elegance AUCTIONS are something you can a red white by MARGARET BIBBY Houghton had set about achieving their prize-winning effort was always a fan of cartoons and thought it would be a good idea to use she said Anne Ruth and Pam have chosen a variety of Valentine gifts for their display with heart-shaped cards bearing Love mottoes The colour scheme is red and white with beautiful cyclamen ard living cards full of fresh flowers displayed against a IS rose or carnation So when it came to choosing a theme for a St Day window competition florist Anne Petero thought she could not do better than cartoonist whimsical little mottoes These won the Knutsford branch of Dingleys of Which Anni Is manageress the first prize in the contest which it was my pleasure to Judge Later a delighted Anne explained how she and assistants Ruth Boswell and Pam Anne (left) Ruth and Pam St said Anne The pleasure of flowers is something which she herself shares fully "I love my work When I come in the morning and I might be feeling a bit miserable the flowers cheer me up "We also get such nice customers of all age groups Old people especially love to ccme in and have a chat" Anne has worked at Dingleys for two years This is her first job as a florist although she beside their prize-winning window for occasions such as St Day and Easter Chris Mather a director of Dingleys explained: "It produces some really attractive displays and the staff enjoy the Chris accompanied me on the judging tour and explained the marking system As tne main purpose for a window display is to sell it is important to attract the attention of potential customers So several marks were items This is a great help to the customer in deciding hoy much money they want to spend and would be something which all florists might adopt with advantage The condition of the flowevs and plants was tied in with the final section on the list shop appearar Here I found the standard to be high in all the shops i visited with plenty of variety and everything very fresh Selection of stock is responsibility of Ohris who is for the firm easily get hooked on I have a friend who goes to at least one each month and admits its a sort of hobby with her She has bought most of her furniture from auctions a television set curtains and even linen not to mention numerous pots pans glassware and an ironing-board She has got some real bargains but admits you have to know what you are doing and remembers those early-day mistakes she made herself I can see what her to auctions There is always the chance of getting a real bargain (which I know she Iras got) the excitement of bidding asainat other people But as she says you need to keep your wits about you (because you are not protected SEMI -SHAG PILE Hessian Backed Polyester and Nylon NP £675 CONTRACT QUALITY PLAIN VELOUR Grade 5 NP £1250 £699 per yard AMERICAN SHADOW LUXURY DOMESTIC Anywhere in the house NP £1395 BRING ROOM SIZE FOR INSTANT QUOTE FREE FITTED WITHIN 36 HOURS OF SEMI-SHAG PILE Built-In Undtrlay 8 Colours in Stock NP £750 i ROLLS TWIST LOOP SHAG BERBERS ALL TO CLEAR £699 Dtr a yard BERBER TWIST Pure Undyed Wool Natural Shades Grades 45 NP £1595 background of lace When it comes to Valentine gifts the choice is wide You can have a single red rose in a transparent cylinder or a whole box of the fragrant blooms If you want your gift to be everlasting you might like a basket of silk flowers but if you think nothing can match the real thing you will fall for those livirg cards For a really luxurious gift how about a box of orchids? "Although personally I would prefer a rose to an said Anne And that white carnation? "It is the flower which means she explained So any woman wishing to buy a Valentine gift for her boyfriend or husband could not do better than pick a white carnation buttonhole see why men receive a present on WOOLNYLON Heavy Domestic Saxony Berber NP £1095 TWIST PILE Wool20cv Nylon Grade 45 Heavy Domestic NIP £1495 100BERBER Natural shades Loop pile shag pile Cream Spice Chestnut Char coal NP £1695 STORAGE AND DELIVERY ORDERING has had plenty of experience at flower-arranging and is a keen gardener She took over as manageress at the Knutsford branch in October last shop was one of eight in this area taking part in the competition Dingleys also have two branches on the Wirral Second place went to the staff at the branch at St Square Manchester Their red and gold colour scheme had a touch of opulence and a large display of red roses was most striking I awarded the third prize to the branch in Altrincham shopping precinct with its eyecatching red-ribbon decoration ard pretty white doves The window contests have now become a regular feature Lemon and mint LEMON has long been acknowledged for its efficiency in combating greasy hair problems but what better fragrance and fitting companion for lemon than fresh mint to counteract the "greasles" Long respected for its restorative and drying qualities mint has been part of the medicinal scene in this country since the advent of the Romans One firm has combined the two and put them into shampoo and conditioner and they seem to have come up with a refreshingly new and effective formula for greasy hair lemon and mint oil-free conditioner lias astringent qualities and the shampoo Is said to help control the build-up of grease given for distinction and promotional appeal It is also good to have an overall design as in the case of the Knutsford shop A limited number of well-displayed items is easier to assimilate than a more crowded window Other marks were allocated for economy and condition and sale potential Most of the shops taking part in the competition had clearly-marked price-cards on the various It's sweet YOU CAN even bring a little Valentine's Day romance to the table by baking a sweetheart cake We took this recipe from Marguerite Patten's "Good Cooking The heart-shaped tin costing £125 can be had from Boots rich cherry cake You will need: 3oz butter 3oz castor sugar 2 standard eggs 3oz plain flour teaspoon baking powder loz ground almonds 2oz glace cherries Cream the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy Beat the COMFUM INSTALLATION SltVxTl INCLUDING TILING UOOE'NG CIILINGS ANO lighting Home IMPROVEMENT CENTRE THE THAT MAKES fl DIFFERENT WE INSULATE GLASS AND ALUMINIUM FRAME buyer He told me that at this time of year many flowers come from overs Your St Day rose for example will quite likely have been grown in Israel During the spring and summer however Dingleys like to buy most of their stock from local nurseries That way we make sure everything is really fresh" said Chris "We are lucky to have some top-class growers in our romance eggs and add gradually to creamed butter mixture Sift the flour and bikins powder and mix with grc -tl almonds and halved glace cherries Then fold the flour mixture into the creamed butter na ture and put into the grea- and floured cake tin and bu-" at 1 50 C300 FGa's Mark 2 about to 2 hours until fir: to touch Decorate with your own sp' ial Day message Incorporating Ollivant Botsford wish to purchase good quality JEWELLERY SILVER Phone Wilmslow (0625) 526700 Altrincham (061) 941 3632 Manchester (061) 832 2551 061-834 8155 (24 hour answering service).