this & that...

 

A few photos from the last few days, a summery display of vintage bits on my mantelpiece. I absolutely love the marigolds oil painting by Pauline Vincent, one of my favourites artists.

The Pink Carnations are from our local farm shop, I seem to buy a bunch every time we visit as they are really cheap and last ages.

 

A cup of tea while I'm reading Pretty Pastel Style, I've finally got myself a copy.

 

Do you remember those garden flower cigarette cards I found in a charity shop, well they were featured in the lovely Pretty Nostalgic magazine this month. It's a great magazine full of vintage inspiration.

 

These Hollyhocks grow by the side of my mum's house, they remind me of summer in the garden. I think I take a picture of them every year.

in the garden

The weather has been lovely over the last few days, so we finally get to be outside in the garden. I could spend a fortune buying pretty flowers and plants. I have just bought a flowering thyme and some white Veronica, their flowers smell like vanilla and when it's warm the smell drifts though the house.

My mum bought me this Better Homes and Gardens book, which has some great retro pictures from the 1950's. Maybe I can get a few gardening tips...

We have been eating lots of salad from our veg plot, I can't wait too pick some French beans and Courgettes, they still have a while to go yet.

What nice things have you been up to in the sunshine?

 

french floral tin

Last Sunday my mum and I went to The Old Pill Factory in Witney, which is an amazing vintage shop full of all sorts of lovely things from homeware to jewellery. My mum bought a pretty teapot and I came home with this floral tin, I love the flower motif and it's looking great in my workroom.

The lady said it was from a clearance of a chateau in France....well how could I leave it behind.

 

Have you made any vintage purchases this week? 

winter

At this time of year when it's looking grey and misty it's easy to stay inside and not do much, but I always feel better for getting outside. In the winter you get those quiet, still days when everything seems to be hibernating, trees are bare, little birds dart from the hedgerows and the sun is nowhere to be seen. We took a picnic on our walk and ate most of it as soon as we left to house.

I love the pictures in this garden birds book, which I bought recently, they illustrate winter perfectly.

golden summer

Have you been enjoying the sunny weather? Here are a few random shots from the last few days while my sister has been staying. We've been having barbecues, lazing in the garden and long summer walks ending up at our local pub and visiting family.

It's been lovely to catch up with my sister...I'm planning my trip to see her soon.

I love this beautiful old oak tree, I used to play under it with my best friend when I was little, There is a little stream that runs along side it which we would paddle in. ahhh memories....

papilio paris

Sunday's here! The more relaxed day of the week, no rushing out the door to try and catch my bus to work....instead a chance to tidy up, finish off some cards and take some photos to share with you.

The beautiful butterfly, 'Papilio Paris' was a present from my boyfriend and the books I bought from a charty shop last week.

 I'm trying to teach myself the names of wild flowers, I love the faded and slightly old fashioned illustrations.

Have a lovely Sunday.

a few things....

A few things from the month of February...

.... making baked apples with cinnamon cream from a new book 'The Vintage Tea Party' I might try these scones next....

...an old suitcase which I plan to cover in Liberty fabric stacked up with books and magazines ...

...a month without chocolate would just never happen...these one are very special...

cupcakes & milkshakes

After a busy week with the exhibition I felt like I deserved a bit of a treat. So my boyfriend and I headed down to London for the day. We wandered through Notting Hill, stopping at the Hummingbird Bakery for one their delicious cupcakes. Looking through the antique shops at all the lovely old Christmas decorations, but somehow managing to resist, we walked over to 'Lucky Seven' a classic American diner that serves the best milkshakes and fries.

No visit to London would be complete without a trip to Liberty's department store. I fell in love with their Christmas windows displays, is it wrong to want a stuffed swan for Christmas? Perhaps I should ask the queen!

My final and best treats of the day were the Liberty book of sewing, which I have wanted for ages, a mouse pin cushion and Nars nail varnish in 'endless night' for those winter parties.

What a lucky girl I am!

vintage fashion

 I've been sorting through my books and found one called 'Vintage Fashion' which I must have forgotten about. I'm pleased that I've found it again, It's such a great source of inspiration, it looks at key designers, silhouettes, prints, fabrics and decoration in fashion from the 1900's to the 1980's. I love the original fashion photography of the time, espicially the 1930's and 40's.

Just reading about some of the decorative elements is so inspiring...'pleated lace collars, silk sashes, sparkling buttons and satin ribbons...' 

I feel a trip to the V&A coming on ...

The bits of lace and buttons were given to me recently, some of the lace is handmade and still on their original cards.



books & butterflies

I love seeing what books other bloggers have in their collections, so I thought I would show you a few of mine. The most recent one is Angie Lewin's Plants and Places, which is full of her prints, collages and drawings from her sketchbooks.

I bought this piece of fabric last week, there were so many to choose from, but this one caught my eye. The pattern is so lovely, and this pretty tin was given to me by my grandparents on the same day. Lucky me.

How could I resist buying this little pot of Primroses as I passed my local flower shop on my way to work.