Country Cottage Chic

Oxford Day Out

2012-01-29T08:51:00.000-08:00

I hope you don't mind that lately my blog posts are mainly pictures & a few words - life is so busy right now but I do love keeping up with all of your blogs & I don't want to neglect mine either!

Yesterday Tamzin & I had a day trip to Oxford by train - our aim was to visit the Oxford Natural History Museum & the Pitt Rivers Museum which is in the same building.

First of all we had to attend to the horses, then rush home to 'de-horse', shower & get dressed in civilised (ie: not muddy!) clothes & off we went to the station. We jumped on the train & the first thing we did was buy bacon rolls & coffee for breakfast as we were starving!

A short hour & a quarter later we were in Oxford & off we went to the museums & what a treat they were. I only took a few photos as I was mesmerised by the fabulous collections there.
This march of skeletons was fascinating with animals ranging in size from a pig to an elephant. They look amazingly prehistoric without their flesh & fur!

The Pitt Rivers collection was just fabulous with everything from tribal embroidery & beadwork to ancient saddles & shrunken heads all in glass cabinets stuffed to the gills. The museum is kept quite dark so you are given a torch to help you see the labels & details better.

I would highly recommend a visit if you are interested in natural history & anthropology - well worth a trip!

The end of the day wasn't quite as enjoyable as there were problems with a section of the line so it ended up taking us 3 hours to get home.

Toby The Teapot

2012-01-26T09:08:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago I came across this teapot at a fleamarket - it is 'Toby', Punch & Judy's dog. As I have my own real life Toby dog I just had to buy it!

For those of you across the pond who might not know about Punch & Judy, they are two characters from a traditional seaside puppet show. You can find out more here: Punch & Judy

Fleamarket Fun

2012-01-21T04:32:00.000-08:00

I didn't find very much at the first fleamarket of 2012 but I did love this creative trailer....I thought it would make a perfect travelling vintage shop! Click on the photo to enlarge & see more detail - there is even 'someone' peeping out of the 'window'.

Beautiful Balli

2012-01-09T09:12:00.001-08:00

We have had lovely Balli for about 6 weeks now & he has settled in very well. He is a real character - as you can see from the first photo he is very inquisitive & will investigate anything left within reach. Buckets are thrown over the stable door, our hair & ears are nibbled, he will even grab the waistband of my jodhpurs while I am picking out his hooves & gives them a pull before letting go with a ping! Brushes are flung about with abandon & puddles are splashed in.

Despite his cheeky character he is very sensible & isn't fazed by cars, cows, lorries, tractors, sheep, dogs, bins, chickens or children. The only thing he isn't keen on is cyclists whizzing up from behind. Look at him sticking his tongue out in the next photo!

He is only 5 & has a lot to learn but has the most fabulous paces & jumps like a flea so he has a lot to give in the future. We are taking him to participate in his first dressage test this Sunday so that should be interesting!

He & Dylan are still the best of friends.....

A Happy 2012 To You All!

2012-01-01T03:24:00.001-08:00

May the New Year bring you much happiness!

Christmas 2011 In Pictures

2011-12-30T10:22:00.000-08:00

As it is almost 2012 I thought it was probably time to post my Christmas photos!
Everywhere was decked out in vintage finery including my lovely vintage horse on wheels.

The dresser...

Who says cake stands can only hold cakes?

Vintage deer - of course!

Our tree had over 100 vintage glass decorations.

My 'faux' deer head above the fireplace.

Sweet angel & vintage tree.

Another vintage tree & an African wirework one.

The kitchen 'feather' tree.

Vintage cuteness.

Toby guarding the gifts.

Gifts with bells on.

Dog with bells on....

New mugs!

Best prezzie - Barbour jacket with Liberty rose print lining!

Gammon & trimmings.

The roast beast!

Trifle in my vintage bowl.

Christmas cookies.

The last of the turkey baked in a pie four days later....

A Merry Christmas To One & All!

2011-12-23T03:35:00.000-08:00

Finally!

2011-12-11T09:53:00.001-08:00

As usual I have lots of things to do & not enough time to do them! Ever since the V&H Christmas Fair last Saturday I have been intending to post a few photos but have only just got around to it.

Once again it was a fabulous day with a lovely festive atmosphere. The stalls were stunning as always & the visitors arrived in droves - the hours flew by in a jiffy & the hall was still full at closing time.

I apologise for the lack of photos this year....suffice it to say that next year I will not be allowing Mr C out with his friend the night before as he was feeling (shall we say) a little 'delicate' & had to go home for a nap, so I only have a few photos to show, but hopefully they will give you a flavour of the day! ;-)

Where Have I Been?

2011-11-28T00:19:00.001-08:00

This is why I have been absent from Blogland recently - Balli arrived last Sunday & as Tamzin is away at university the care of both Balli & Dylan falls to me. As I have told you previously, Dylan has had problems with a ligament in his front leg & has been on rest for the past 6 months. He seems to be sound now & we will start bringing him back into work next month after a vet check up, but we have decided that as this is the second time it has happened that we are going to keep him in light work so he will no longer be competing in show jumping or cross country.

So, the plan was to look for another horse next year once Tamzin has finished uni. However, as they say - the best laid plans.....

Balli is owned by someone who has lessons with Tamzin's riding instructor & has decided to sell him as she (the owner!) is pregnant. Tamzin's instructor felt that she & Balli would be a good match. He is like Dylan but with a V8 engine! He is bigger than Dylan at 15.2hh & younger too as he is 5 years old. We have him on trial for a few weeks & if he passes his vetting we will be buying him. He is the sweetest natured horse I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. He doesn't have a mean bone in his body & makes even easy going Dylan look grumpy! He & Dylan are sharing a field & they are like long lost brothers - grazing next to each other, lots of mutual grooming & Balli follows Dylan everywhere he goes - so sweet to see! So, keep your fingers crossed that all goes well with the vetting in a few weeks time.

In the meantime, I really needed to get my stock organised & priced for the V&H Christmas Fair which is THIS Saturday! At the rate I was going I would be trying to get everything ready on Friday night, so yesterday I decided to spend the day sorting out my stock, so here are a few photos of some of the goodies I will be bringing along. I do hope to see lots of you there as it will be a fabulous day as always! I am looking forward to doing some Christmas shopping myself!

Gingerbread House

2011-11-16T07:36:00.000-08:00

I have stopped making a fruit Christmas cake at Christmas time as only two of us like it so we end up throwing away about half a cake in February. However, I still want to have a special cake for Christmas. A few years ago I bought a Christmas Tree cake tin (which you can see here) which worked very well, but I fancied something new, so when I saw this Gingerbread House shaped tin I had to have it! I bought mine on Amazon as it was £10 cheaper than in the shops.

Again, I was a bit apprehensive about whether it would turn out properly with the little tree shapes & gables so I had a trial run.

I made the recipe that came with the tin which is a spicy, gingery cake which is nice & moist. I think I will bake one for the Vintage & Handmade Christmas Fair Tea Room this year.

What do you think? And what sort of cake do you like at Christmas?

More Vintage Christmas Goodies In The Shop

2011-11-13T11:21:00.000-08:00

I do so love this time of year...I am a total Christmas fan! All year I collect any vintage decorations that I can find & I can tell you that it is a wrench to part with them, but as I have lots of my own I feel it's only fair to share some of this vintagey loveliness around. I have a couple of boxfuls of goodies put aside for the Vintage & Handmade Fair on the 3rd December & have added some sweetness to my Christmas Shop, so do pop along here for a browse!

11.11.11

2011-11-11T00:35:00.001-08:00

Country Cottage Chic HQ

2011-11-09T09:10:00.001-08:00

I thought you might like to see a few photos of 'HQ' where I keep a lot of things including my sewing machines, fabrics, packing supplies & stock. As you can see, a lot of my purchases stay put & never leave the house again. It is a long, narrow room & I have 3 tables in there which means I just have an aisle down the middle!

Shop Update & Christmas Homes & Antiques

2011-11-02T09:04:00.001-07:00

I have just been updating my online shop & adding some pretty goodies to the virtual shelves including the lovely tin workbox above & letter box below.

The sewing department has a lovely workbox & some fabulous vintage issues of Needlewoman & Needlecraft which still have their embroidery transfers.

Issue 12 has a section on crocheted 'Wartime Jewellery' which includes flower corsages & necklaces to make.

Just like the big stores, my Christmas Shop is now open for business too - it is bursting with baubles & reindeer, ribbons, tags & cake decorations (as seen on the cover & inside the December issue of Homes & Antiques!). Do pop in & you may be treated to a mince pie!

Vintage Style Bunny

2011-10-27T06:38:00.000-07:00

On the weekend, while sorting out some stuff in the garage to make space for more stuff, I came across the box containing my stash of bear making supplies from when I used to make bears. I haven't done much bear making in recent years but after opening up the box containing lovely mohair fabric & more, my fingers were itching to stitch so last night I had a go at making a vintage style rabbit while watching TV. Normally I would have used the machine but I sewed him by hand while watching Midsomer Murders...hope that doesn't affect him too much!

He is made from a 'matted' style mohair to give him an aged look with wool felt tummy & glass eyes. He wears a vintage ribbon & bell around his neck (or maybe it should be 'her' as it is pink?)

He/she needs a name now....any suggestions?

Half Price Biscuit Tin Of The Week

2011-10-25T10:08:00.000-07:00

I know those of you in the UK can probably hear Harry Hill in your head when reading the title (I can hear it myself!) but it did seem right under the circumstances!

As you may know, if you have been reading my blog for a while, I have a thing for tins - I love tins, old & new, & Mr C says I'd buy anything if it was in a tin!

I love that in days gone by the tin was just as important as the contents & remember those special biscuit, chocolate & toffee tins that we would get at Christmas.

Nowadays, it seems they are mostly generic with just a picture of the contents on the lid....all except good old M&S, who come up with some fabulous tins every Christmas so I am always tempted to buy them. I have noticed that they seem to be having 'specials' every week, selling a particular tin of biscuits at half price, so how could I resist?

Two weeks ago I bought the Gingerbread Man tin below which is filled with mini Gingerbread men.

Last week it was this super musical Woodland biscuit tin - it winds up underneath & the inside layer moves around while playing a tune - it is filled with mini white chocolate chip cookies.

I thought I'd let you all know as I'm sure lots of you would like these too - I wonder which tin is half price this week? I have my eye on a rather lovely one in the shape of a shelf of vintage children's books.....will keep you up to date!!

What's For Pudding?

2011-10-14T04:58:00.001-07:00

"What's for pudding?" is a question which is asked quite often in this house....they all like a nice pudding!

Last night I was going to my monthly book club meeting where we all bring something nice to eat so we have dinner as well as a chat. I have to admit that most of the chat is not related to books as we all catch up with the latest news.
There are 7 of us & we all met when our children were at primary school, so saw one another every day at the school gates. We decided to get together & form a book club & have been meeting monthly for 10 years now! We don't see one another as often these days as our children are either in secondary school or university & no longer need to be picked up at school, so it is a great way to keep in touch on a regular basis.

Anyhow, I am known as the provider of puddings, so yesterday I made a fruit cobbler - the recipe was given to me by my friend, Trish, and is really easy (and very tasty). Ideal for the weekend.

It uses just a few ingredients - you can use any fruit, but I used this pack of frozen berries which worked out very well. Serve it with custard, cream or ice cream, whichever you prefer.

½ cup butter
2 cups fruit
1 cup self rising flour
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup milk
1 egg, well beaten

Melt butter in dish.

Mix all remaining ingredients and pour over melted butter.

Place fruit on top of batter.

Do not stir

Bake @180 C for 45 minutes. Let set 10 minutes then serve.

Shop Update

2011-10-09T10:07:00.001-07:00

It seems like a million years or more (OK...so I exaggerate a little!) since I updated my online shop. I have been so busy with fair organisation & planning as well as stocking my unit at the antique centre & now that Tamzin has returned to university I have Dylan the horse to look after too....I'm pleased to say that his injury is improving & he is allowed out for a few hours a day which makes him very happy!

Anyway, as I recently bought a collection of delightful vintage toys I thought it was time to add some to the 'Second Childhood' section of my shop. I know how much you all like to see vintage goodies so I thought I'd show them to you here.

Above is a sweet handmade donkey & below a cute pup made from silk plush.....

Sweet souvenir sailor boy....

Jolly Jumbo.....

A very surprised looking Dachshund...

Wills the Terrier dog....

Lee the Lion cub.....

Finally, a miniature Morphy Richards iron complete with cord & 'plug' - perfect for dolly's washing day!

Sun & Fun At The Fair

2011-10-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

Even though we had been planning an 'Autumn' fair it turned out to be the hottest October day ever recorded, but that didn't stop the eager vintage treasure hunters from filling up the hall in Chipping Sodbury! We had a steady flow of shoppers all day snapping up lovely goodies - even tweed jackets & knitted gloves although everyone was in in summer attire.

This was my view from behind my stall...note the cute handmade felt donkeys - so cute!

The pretty tablecloths didn't last long & went off to new homes.

The vintage goody bags attracted lots of attention with buyers carefully inspecting the contents to see which they preferred.

This little sewing machine was purchased by a lady who had a whole collection of them.

Sewing baskets proved to be popular too.

Of course I had to do a bit of shopping myself & my Buy Of The Day was this wonderful counter top paper dispenser from a haberdashery shop - here it is in it's new home just waiting for me to pack up internet orders!

I had such a lovely day meeting friends old & new - stallholders & visitors alike....as always I'd like to thank everyone for making such an effort to make it so successful.

Michele & I are planning for the Christmas Fair already, so hope to see you there!

If you'd like to see more photos of the stunning stalls please visit our Facebook page where we have 200 photos to drool over!

V&H Fair This Saturday!

2011-09-29T00:12:00.001-07:00

Time does seem to fly between the Vintage & Handmade fairs & the next one is almost upon us as it is this Saturday! I have been sorting & pricing & finding things I had forgotten I had. Tamzin & I put together about 20 'goody bags' (in the photo above) which are filled with vintage lovlies for your creative projects.

The V&H Textile & Fashion Fair is a 'must visit' for anyone interested in vintage fashion & home textiles, sewing or creating. So whether you are looking for that special dress or jacket, fabrics & haberdashery for your latest project, a special gift, knitting or sewing supplies, or just love to be surrounded by like minded & creative people, do come along for a great day out.

There will be dozens of stalls over two floors brimming with lovely goodies.
Stallholders include vintage fabric & haberdashery dealers Donna Flower, Liz van Hasselt & Sal's Snippets, textile artists Viv Sliwka & Corinne Phillips, knitting expert Suzie Johnson (from the Kirstie's Homemade Home TV series), fabric designers Sarah Hardaker & Caroline Zoob, the sewing kit company Clothkits, fabulous bags by Beverley Jones, & many more including top quality dealers in vintage textiles, vintage fashion & accessories & re-purposed clothing.

Entrance to the event is free and refreshments will be available all day in our Tearoom with teas, coffees & home made cakes served on pretty vintage china.

Free parking is available all over town.
For more information please visit our website at

www.vintageandhandmade.co.uk

Hope to see lots of you there!

Thank You

2011-09-26T05:54:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who have either left kind comments on my blog or have emailed me - your caring really touched me & I do so appreciate your friendship.
x

Time to say goodbye...

2011-09-22T03:15:00.000-07:00

Just to let you know that yesterday I had to say goodbye to Lucy. The vet couldn't do anything more for her & her eyes told me it was time for me to let her go....she was my beloved girl & it was the last thing I could do for her.

Lucy 2000 - 2011
A Very Good Dog

Just Popping In

2011-09-08T03:58:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to pop in & let you know that I haven't dropped off the face of the earth.

I haven't been in a very cheerful mood of late as my lovely dog, Lucy, has been very ill. She has had an infection of the liver which has caused fluid to build up in her liver, abdomen & lungs causing her to have some breathing difficulties & looking bloated. She has also not been eating which is always a worry.
She has had blood tests & x-rays, a course of antibiotics, various injections & diuretics & is currently on 4 different medications. She spent the day at the vet's yesterday & had a course of treatments there.
Her breathing seems a little improved today but I still haven't been able to tempt her to eat - not even the scrambled eggs I made her this morning.

It is apparently a fairly common illness in middle aged dogs (she is 11) & is treatable, but I won't be happy until she starts showing signs of improvement.

So, apologies for my lack of communication in the past few weeks. Hopefully regular service will be resumed soon!

The Vintage Tea Party

2011-08-31T03:01:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I was contacted by Angel Adoree asking me if I'd like to have a copy of her new book 'The Vintage Tea Party'. Of course, being a great lover of vintage, tea & cakes I of course replied with a resounding 'yes'!

Angel was on the last series of 'Dragon's Den' & was fortunate enough to obtain an investment to create her dream business The Vintage Patisserie!

She has now turned her hand to writing the perfect book for all of us who love a fabulous tea party whether it be morning, afternoon or evening, with everything from recipes, party decorating ideas & even how to make an apron, wear a headscarf & very importantly, how to style your hair....victory rolls anyone?

The book is filled with lovely photos & quirky illustrations galore providing hours of delicious browsing. I would highly recommend this book as a great addition to your bookshelf & I will certainly be using it as inspiration in the future!

Don't forget that I stock lots of pretty vintage china for perfect tea parties on my website Country Cottage Chic.

Poshest Jumble In Town

2011-08-17T00:13:00.000-07:00

We were flying the bunting again last Saturday at the second V&H Vintage Jumble & as one visitor remarked "This is the poshest Jumble Sale ever!"

The vintage cars set the scene & drew much admiration from visitors & passers-by.

There was quite a queue waiting to come in when I opened the doors - it was so busy in the morning, these photos were taken in the afternoon so most stalls were pretty depleted by then.

I came home with eleven empty tubs so my clearing out is off to a good start!

As you can see there were all sorts of goodies on offer & everything was priced at bargain rates.

Visitors were leaving with bulging bags & were asking when the next one would be.

Of course one of the advantages of being a stallholder is having first pick of the goodies before the doors open - I bought one of Viv's lovely purses, a set of pyrex from Jacquie, a mannequin & suitcase from Jo, books from Jane & pillowcases from Lucy.

There was temptation at every turn - I really had to resist buying this sewing machine from Nikki.

The Rangeworthy WI were kept busy serving tea, coffee & delicious homemade cakes with the proceeds going to CJD Research.

There was so much to choose from, something for every taste & every pocket.

Finally, our cutest stallholder, Teddy, who was extremely well behaved!

Watch this space for the next 'Posh' Jumble!

Mis-matched China

2011-08-08T07:39:00.000-07:00

With just 5 days to go until the Vintage Jumble Sale, Tamzin & I have been sorting out china for her mis-matched china stall. You will be able to select your own choice of cups, saucers, plates, jugs & sugar bowls to make up your own sets.

Whether you want a single cup & saucer or a set, or saucers for coasters or soap dishes, cups for candles, or plates for cakes, here is your chance to buy some at bargain prices.

Vintage Jumble Sale

2011-08-06T07:18:00.001-07:00

I do hope that lots of you will be able to join us at our second Vintage Jumble Sale next Saturday 13th August from 10.30am - 2.00pm.

Many of the V&H dealers will be having a sort out & offering vintage goods at giveaway prices - most items will be under £10!

Toys, books, games, china, glass, haberdashery, ephemera, clothing, textiles & much, much more will be available for your shopping pleasure.

Entrance is free & there will be tea, coffee & delicious homemade cakes served by the Rangeworthy WI in aid of charity.

Find us at Rangeworthy Village Hall, Wotton Rd, Rangeworthy, BS37 7LZ

Don't miss a fun day out!

Acton Court

2011-08-01T03:17:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

I fear I have been neglecting you of late. Life has been so busy but I thought it was about time to let you know that I am still here & what I have been up to!

Do many of you find that there is something rather lovely to see or visit on your doorstep but you never get around do doing it? Well, almost a stone's throw from my house is a Tudor treasure, Acton Court - I drive past it on a regular basis & if it wasn't for the trees I could see it from my bedroom window, yet I have never been before.

Last week the local WI organised a visit & guided tour so I went along & I was so glad I did!
It is a fascinating building that was built especially for a visit from Henry VIII & Anne Bolyn in 1535 - it was originally a wing of a much larger building but over the years the stone was used to build barns etc as it was eventually used as a farmhouse, so only this specially built wing is still standing (including Henry's personal indoor privy!). The farmers used Henry's dining hall to store cheese!

The gardens are no longer formal but are very prettily filled with wild flowers.

A nice seating area under the trees where you can have tea & cake.

Photography is not allowed inside the building so I can only show you the outside.

This window was recycled from an Abbey destroyed by Henry VIII.

There is also a lovely vegetable garden.

You can just see our very informative & enthusiastic guide who really brought the building's story to life.

Piggy sculptures in the garden.

There is even a resident friendly dog!

I would definitely recommend a visit if you are in the area but do check dates as they aren't open all year round. They do have a website here: www.actoncourt.com

Gloucester Antiques Centre

2011-07-20T11:26:00.001-07:00

I popped into the centre on Monday to take in some new stock - I haven't been for a couple of weeks as I haven't had much time to spare, so it was looking a little empty. Happily, it is filled up again & the table has a yellow theme this week. I was pleased to find the yellow roses items, all at different places, but they go together so well.

Chair Revamp

2011-07-12T03:02:00.001-07:00

Last year I bought two of these vintage chairs with the intention of giving them a makeover. As is usual with these things they have languished in the garage ever since. A couple of weeks ago, on a nice sunny day, I decided it was time to do something with them so I removed the seats & gave them a light sanding.

Instead of using traditional paint & paintbrush I thought I'd give spray painting a go - it's much quicker, particularly on chairs as there are so many different sides to paint, it also gives a much smoother, run-free finish & dries quickly, but it is pretty expensive as one can doesn't go far. I used plasti-kote products. First of all I gave them one coat of primer (also spray paint) & let that dry, then applied two coats of Antique White. As it dries so quickly you only need to leave about an hour between coats so the chairs were finished quite quickly. I did this job on the paving behind the garage as it's inevitable that you'll get some paint wafting around & I don't like to stand things on newspaper as it tends to stick.

I then sanded the edges lightly to give a slightly distressed finished, reupholstered the seats with a lovely blue linen fabric & here we have the completed product....what do you think?

I have a tired wicker ottoman which is next on my hit list....

Big Ben

2011-07-08T00:50:00.000-07:00

It looks as if poor Dylan is going to be out of action for the next few months with his ligament problem but will hopefully be able to start doing a little bit of exercise after another month of box rest but nothing strenuous.
In the meantime Tamzin has been fortunate enough to be asked to have a horse on loan for the summer - his owner has had a back operation so won't be able to ride for about 3 months or so as she recovers.

Introducing Ben, or Big Ben as we call him - he is 16.2hh & looks huge - he makes Dylan look like a Shetland pony! I was a bit worried that he would be too big for Tamzin but she does look fine on him & he is such a gentle giant - everybody loves him already. He is so easy, calm & quiet, affectionate & comes when you call him. He has settled down amazingly quickly too.

The only one who doesn't love him is Dylan as his nose is out of joint as he stands in his stable watching Tamzin with Ben....but he is still getting lots of attention, stable toys & extra carrots!

Funky Chicken

2011-07-04T09:49:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning saw 8 eager ladies gathered at the village hall to learn a new craft. As you can probably guess from the first photo, it was a stained glass workshop. It was organised by one of the village ladies & run by the charming Caroline.

After giving us instruction on how to cut glass, sand it, copper foil & lead it we set to with our pencils & paper designing our creations. Cutting out the pieces was surprisingly easy once you know how.

It was great fun choosing from jewel coloured sheets of glass & using the soldering irons to join it all together with solder ....it was like alchemy!

Here are some examples that Caroline brought along to inspire us.....

And here is my final product - a Funky Chicken who is now hanging in the kitchen. It's always great fun to try out something new.....I can see that a soldering iron might be on my shopping list soon!

The Latest Addition To The Stable

2011-06-30T08:22:00.000-07:00

This week sees another vintage horse joining the Country Cottage Chic stable.
This is a 1950's Mobo 'Prairie King' rocking horse.

The black blob on the old wicker chair is Purdy....we have two of these old chairs outside & the cats love to sleep on them & use them as scratching posts too.

Gloucester Antiques Centre

2011-06-21T12:27:00.001-07:00

Vintage Finds: One Eared Pony

2011-06-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

When I saw this poor pony at the auction I had to leave a bid....he has one ear, half a mane & tail & is somewhat 'pre-loved' but adorable nonetheless.
As luck would have it I was the high bidder (probably nobody else wanted a One Eared Pony) so I collected him & brought him home today.
Despite his advanced years he still has a lovely 'outline' & stands nice & square - Dylan could take a few tips from him!
Click on the photo for a larger view.

Speaking of Dylan...he has pulled a ligament (we think it is from cavorting in the field with the other horses) so is currently on anti inflammatory medication & on box rest - also known as Happily Standing In Your Stable All Day Eating Hay.
Hopefully he should be OK in a couple of weeks time.

As promised...drum roll please...the winner of our caption competition is Sue at Dollytub Cottage - Sue please let me know your address & your (little) prize will be on it's way!

V&H Textile & Fashion Fair

2011-06-12T04:44:00.001-07:00

A super article about the June V&H Textile & Fashion Fair appeared in the local paper this week.
The next one is on the 1st October & will be even bigger!

Happy Birthday Lucy

2011-06-10T23:23:00.001-07:00

This cute little "Millennium Baby" is 11 years old today. Who knew when we brought her home that she would be such a wonderful dog - my doggy soul mate.

She truly is the best dog I have ever had & I am honoured that I have the pleasure of sharing her life & having her unconditional love & hope to share it for years to come.

Lucy likes:
Carrying things - toys, slippers, socks, blankets, bones....
Chasing balls & bringing them back
Her bedtime Bonio
Riding in the car
Mud, snow, water, puddles, rain, sunshine...in fact any weather!
Other dogs, horses, cats
Cheese & strawberries
Lying in front of the fire or Aga or by my feet
Her basket
Toby

Lucy dislikes:
People putting things in our letterbox
Vacuum cleaners

"My little dog-- a heartbeat at my feet." -Edith Wharton

The Cat In The Pot - Caption Competition

2011-06-08T01:15:00.000-07:00

This little scene really amused me - both Dylan & Dolly (the stable dog) were fascinated by the cat sitting in the plant pot....any suggestions for a caption?
Best caption will win a little prize!
Dylan is very fond of small creatures, whether they be dogs, cats, chickens or little children.

Here he is in working mode last Sunday with Tamzin doing a bit of jumping.

A Grand (Vintage) Day Out

2011-06-05T11:59:00.000-07:00

As you can see from the first photo, the Chipping Sodbury Town Hall was filled almost to the rafters with Vintage & Handmade loveliness on Saturday morning. The stallholders were ready to welcome our eager shoppers at 10am & eager they were - they filled the aisles "Oohing" & "Ahhing" over the wonderful displays of vintage clothing, haberdashery, accessories, fabrics, trimmings & more. Happy shoppers took a break in the tearoom, quenching their thirst with a lovely cuppa served in vintage cups & partaking of a slice of delicious homemade cake then returning to the fray to find more treasures to take home.

I think pictures speak louder than words on these occasions so I have posted quite a few here - if you wish to see more please pop along to our Facebook page.

Everyone said what a lovely day they had & can't wait for the next one - roll on the 1st October!

Thanks go to all of our fabulous stallholders & visitors, to our trusty Tea Team, Mr Cottage & Mr Custard & of course my dear friend & fair partner, Michele.

V&H Textile & Fashion Fair Tomorrow!

2011-06-03T06:11:00.001-07:00

After the success of last year's fair we have moved the fair to the larger venue of the Chipping Sodbury Town hall so that we could accommodate the demand for stalls & all of the visitors too.

This year we will have over 30 stalls brimming with lovely goodies. Stallholders include vintage fabric & haberdashery dealers Donna Flower, Liz van Hasselt & Sal's Snippets (see photo above), textile artist Viv Sliwka, knitting expert Suzie Johnson (from the Kirstie's Homemade Home TV series), fabric designer Sarah Hardaker, the sewing kit company Clothkits, Handmade Living Magazine & many more including dealers in vintage textiles, vintage fashion & accessories & re-purposed clothing.

Entrance to the event is free and refreshments will be available all day in our Vintage Tearoom with teas, coffees & home made cakes served on pretty vintage china.

Free parking is available all over the town.

For more information please visit our website at

www.vintageandhandmade.co.uk

The following exhibitors will be attending:

Jayne Soule
Michele Chivers
Louise Taylor-Bowen
Viv Sliwka
Gertie Strahl
Sally Hall
Marie-Clare Blyth
Lizzie van Hasselt
Donna Flower
Katie Powell
Heather Lawson
Suzie Johnson
Jo Ross
Rebecca Engels
Stephanie Milburn
Maud Lomberg
Judy Denton
Camilla Metcalf-Beavan
Sarah Hardaker
Jill Patel
Jenny Dadd & Louise Mee
Clothkits
Handmade Living Magazine
Sarah Dinsmore
Beverley Jones
Jane Adams
Gill Oakley
Ali Hocking
Lisa Lipman
Philippa Bowes
The Makery

Shop Update

2011-05-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

I have been really good & added some more new stock to my online shop. There are some lovely vintage items so I thought I'd share some of them with you here....

Second Childhood

Glassware

China

Bits & Bobs

Pictures

Boudoir

All Quiet & Vintage Finds

2011-05-23T10:03:00.000-07:00

At last the carpet is down & there is no more 'clip,clip,thud,clunk' on the stairs. It feels so thick & squishy & luxurious underfoot & we are very pleased with it.

Lucy had to do a bit of stair modelling....

As did Cowboy the rocking horse who is stabled up here....

This bit where the stairs split is one of the dogs favourite places to sleep - they can watch what is going on downstairs & sneakily attempt to trip up anyone walking up or down the stairs! As you can see Toby blends in quite well so is camouflaged in the dark & can get up to his naughty tricks....

This week I have been working on sorting out & pricing goodies for the V&H Fashion & Textiles Fair which is under two weeks away. I bought myself a rail & got to work on fabrics & tablecloths & a few items of vintage clothing including baby dresses. There is even a pretty blue girdle by Triumph - it is marked Medium but is sooo tiny!

For those of you on Facebook we do have a V&H page where we post updates & news if you'd like to 'like' us!

I also wanted to share a couple of vintage toys that I bought recently. I have collected antique & vintage dolls & toys since I was a child so am always excited to find something new for my collection.

I bought these little Edith Reynolds horses which are in super condition - they were made in the 40's & 50's & were sold through retailers such as Harrods & Hamleys. They are made from calf skin over a wire frame & filled with rubber. You could buy tack & riders for them too. They are a forerunner of the beloved Julip horses of my childhood.

Who could resist this sad looking Panda? He was just crying out to come home with me, so here he is flanked by two doggie friends! Isn't he cute?

All Sorts

2011-05-11T08:25:00.001-07:00

I have had rather a busy week or so with one thing & another but I thought it was time I posted a catch up post so you know that I am still around.

The first adventure of the week was another dramatic Chicken Rescue (an idea for a new TV programme perhaps?).
Toby (aka Son of Satan or SoS to his friends) was barking like a crazy dog at the bottom of the garden so I went out to see what all the fuss was about. Yes, you've guessed it, yet another chicken in the pond trying to be a duck. Our house is like Chicken Run in reverse as they try to get in rather than out.

Anyway, I was wondering how I was going to fish her out as she was on the other side of the pond where all the lovely brambles & nettles live when she very calmly SWAM over to me! Who knew that chickens could actually swim?
So, I picked her up & she was a sorry sight - soaking wet, shivering & covered in pond weed.
I wrapped her up in an old sheet to dry her off.

After giving her a rub & a bit of a cuddle we put her into a box with a thick layer of shavings in the bottom & parked her next to a heater for a few hours. We kept her in the house overnight & by the morning she was looking decidedly fluffed up & perky.

We think she was a refugee from the farm who had been living rough since they took the flock away & as I didn't want her being nabbed by a fox or dog I popped her into our chicken pen, much to the consternation of the other ladies. In the evening when it was time for bed she was nowhere to be seen so I thought she had decided to leave us but the next morning she reappeared & has been here ever since - it only took her 2 days to decide to go into the hen house at night.

We have called her Amelia Pond as she is a redhead, was in the pond & disappeared & reappeared (probably in her chicken Tardis). Also, we had been watching Dr Who....

So, here she is - about half the size of our other hens but I bet she'll catch up quick!

Of course the cats couldn't care less....

I popped over to the Gloucester Antiques Centre on Saturday to drop off some new stock including some vintage toys.

I was pleased to see some of my stock (the glassware & scooter) in the outdoor picnic themed window display.

Sunday morning saw all the carpeting being removed from the stairs in preparation for a new carpet - I was surprised to see rather nice wooden stairs & floorboards underneath & contemplated painting them instead, but the "clip, clip, clip" of dog & cat claws & "thump, thump, leap, clunk" of big teenage boy feet is rather annoying so we are sticking with carpet.

Finally, I thought it was time to add some new stock to my online shop which I haven't updated for a while. Items include this unusual Jack Russell ribbon plate...

....cute Pixie cake decoration....

......lovely vintage china terrier.....

.....Rosebud doll.....
(sorry, I'm sold)

.... cat string holder & more.

Of course Michele & I are working on the next V&H Fashion & Textile Fair to be held on the 4th June which necessitated a "breakfast meeting" on Monday - just an excuse to eat bacon rolls & drink lattes really! :-)

PS...just wanted to say sorry to all those that posted a comment that hasn't appeared - it seems Blogger was having issues & lots of the comments have just vanished & I can't retrieve them. Some people's blog posts have also been deleted. This happened on Wednesday & Thursday but they seem to have it sorted out now.

At Last!

2011-05-04T23:05:00.000-07:00

I don't seem to have had a minute since last Saturday's Vintage Bazaar to download the photos from my camera so I was determined to do it this morning. We had a very busy long weekend & then I had to do a trip to Bournemouth & back to collect Tamzin's belongings as she has finished uni for the year now. My poor house has been neglected, I need to sort out my stock once again, vegetable plants need repotting or planting out, the car needs a wash, my website & unit at Gloucester needs new stock, the next V&H Textiles Fair is taking up lots of time as we are working on promotion & publicity...there are just not enough hours in the day!

Anyhow, enough moaning.....here are a few photos I took on Saturday - the first few are of my stall - mainly homewares with a few toys this time.

This lovely boudoir doll was my first sale of the day.

I can't remember who owned all the stalls as there were sellers that I hadn't met before so please forgive me for not identifying them all. As you can see, there were some lovely goodies on offer! Thanks to our friends Lizzie & Clare for their smooth organisational skills (and it was nice for me to not have to do anything except set up my stall & chat to other stallholders & customers for a change!)

The Next Big Event

2011-04-29T04:38:00.000-07:00

If you are feeling that this weekend will be a little bit of an anti-climax now that The Big Day aka The Royal Wedding is over, fear not as you can enjoy yet another exciting day tomorrow as the Vintage Bazaar rolls into Frome at The Cheese & Grain. Don't be fooled by any imposters - this is the original VB!
I will be having a stall, so Tamzin & I will be up before the birds tomorrow to get there for 7.30am to set up for opening at 9am.
It promises to be another lovely vintage event....so hope to see you there!

Holidays!

2011-04-26T00:23:00.000-07:00

From the photo above you might think I'd spent a week in the Med or somewhere even further afield, but no, we spent a week in St Ives in Cornwall - just a few hour's drive from home!

We rented the sweetest cottage just above the main drag so it was tucked away but close to everything too.

This meant lots of uphill walking which was probably a good thing considering the amount of lovely food on offer!

It was just a few minutes walk from the harbour & beach & what a lovely beach it is - golden sands, rock pools, shells to collect.....

Fishing boats....

Lots of cute dogs having fun.....

Rowing boats waiting for the tide to come in....

Illiterate seagulls....

Cute restaurants.....

Winding cobbled streets....

Cath Kidston....

Old church & war memorial....

The road leading down from where we were staying....

Lots of tempting food....

The beach on the other side of the harbour....

The Eden Project....

And finally, the Motley Crew!

Happy Easter All!

2011-04-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

Have you missed me? I have had a blogging break as we have been away on holiday, but I wanted to wish all my readers a very Happy Easter & I will be back with a proper report on "What I Did In The Holidays" soon!

Vintage & Handmade Spring Fair 2011

2011-04-12T00:07:00.000-07:00

After a busy few days I have finally got around to posting about the 7th Vintage & Handmade Fair which was once again a lovely day. The day started bright & early with stallholders unloading boxes & bags of delicious goodies. It's always like a big family reunion first thing with everyone doing a quick catch up in between setting up. It was a lovely spring day which brought out crowds of shoppers eager to grab a treasure or treat or two, so there was quite a crowd on the pavement by the time we opened the doors at 10am & thereafter there was a stream of visitors all day long.

I have just posted a few photos here of my stall - there are lots of look at on Flickr, posted by our offical photographer, Mr Cottage. These will give you a real taste of the day so pop along for a look here.

Once again, I just have to say thanks to all our stallholders & visitors for making it such a successful day & of course to our hardworking Tea Team & finally a HUGE thanks to my partner in crime, Michele!

Can you believe that we are already working on the next one? The Fashion & Textile Fair will be held on the 4th June - hope to see lots of you then! Details here.

See you tomorrow!

2011-04-08T10:44:00.001-07:00

Look out for the banner & bunting flying in Chipping Sodbury tomorrow for the 7th fabulous Spring Vintage & Handmade Fair!
We have placed an order for a beautiful sunny spring day, so come along & join us for a real treat!!

Two Happy Dolls

2011-04-05T12:04:00.000-07:00

Well, here are the girls, clean & spruced up in new outfits. I didn't make these - knitting is not my favourite occupation. I have dressed them in knitted clothing as these are the sort of little outfits I used to have for my dolls so I thought they were appropriate replacements for their original clothes.

I have decided that Tearful Cheerful will stay with me to replace my long lost childhood doll, but as I do still have my old Tiny Tears this one will be coming along to the Vintage & Handmade Fair on Saturday, along with a 1970's Silver Cross pram, a Pedigree push along dog & a Scotty friend too!

I am so looking forward to Saturday but am mildly panicking about having everything ready for then so must love & leave you & get back to sorting & pricing stock!!

Two Sad Dolls

2011-04-04T10:31:00.000-07:00

"Oh no!", I can hear you cry, "Not another one of her crazy doll stories!"

Well, sort of.....

A while ago I bought two dolls (I'm not going to say "vintage" or "old" because these dolls are the kind of dolls I played with, & I'm just a Spring Chicken I'll have you know!)

One is a 1960's Tearful Cheerful & I did indeed have one of these dolls - my Grandmother gave my sister & I one each for Christmas. My mum has a photo somewhere of us with them....unfortunately I no longer have mine. :-(
Anyhow, this dolly's facial expression changes when you move her arm - down & she cries, up & she smiles.
The other is a 1970's Tiny Tears. Both of them were a little grubby, needed their hair restyling & were naked (eek!).

So I thought it was about time they had a little attention & here is their story in pictures....

Tune in tomorrow for the next exciting episode.....

Meet The Moppets

2011-03-27T03:59:00.000-07:00

I know I have been rather remiss on the blogging front of late, but with the Spring Vintage & Handmade Fair just a matter of weeks away there has been a lot of preparation to be done, particularly advertising & promotion.

I have also been doing a bit of sewing & have made a Bounce of Bunnies to take to the fair. They are made from vintage baby blankets & dressed in a mix of vintage & modern fabrics. Each one is different & they are called The Moppets. Currently they are living in a suitcase (thanks Jo!) but would like to find new homes!

Let me introduce you.....

Left to right....

Molly Moppet
Likes: Hedgehogs
Dislikes: Lettuce

Mabel Moppet
Likes: Apple Pie
Dislikes: Ferrets

Martha Moppet
Likes: Parsley
Dislikes: Tabby Cats

Mary Moppet
Likes: Rhubarb Pie
Dislikes: School

Left to right....

Maisy Moppet
Likes: Peter Rabbit
Dislikes: Mr McGregor

Milly Moppet
Likes: Carrot Muffins
Dislikes: Jack Russell Terriers

Maggie Moppet
Likes: Patchwork
Dislikes: Washing up

Mandy Moppet
Likes: Dandelions
Dislikes: Tractors

Blueberry & Lime Cake Recipe

2011-03-18T07:35:00.001-07:00

By popular demand here is the recipe for the cake in my previous post - if you click on it it should enlarge.

Blueberry & Lime Drizzle Cake

2011-03-15T10:44:00.001-07:00

Jumble Buys

2011-03-08T08:34:00.000-08:00

I thought you'd like to see what I bought at the Jumble on Saturday.
The vintage hair clips were from Daniella, the painting book from Niki, the Tinkle Toys craft kit from Michele & the Ladybird crochet book from Becca.

The three vintage suitcases were from Jo - Toby thinks he might use them when he goes on his holidays...one for his blanket, one for toys & one for bones!

A Lovely Jumbley Day!

2011-03-06T09:47:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning saw the sun shining & the bunting gently wafting in the breeze outside the Rangeworthy village hall in preparation for the first V&H Vintage Jumble Sale. Don't let it be said that we do things by half as we had kindly been loaned two gorgeous vintage cars by local enthusiasts to draw attention to the event & to give the visitors something to admire (besides our vintage treasures & piles of delicious WI cakes!).

Inside all was busy as 15 stallholders unpacked their wares onto their tables, caught up with old friends, made new friends, did a little pre-opening shopping (I bought a few nice treasures myself!) & grabbed a quick cup of tea before the doors opened.

It's a good thing we were ready at 11am as there was quite a crowd waiting outside when we opened up & for the first hour or two we were mobbed by eager bargain hunters! It did quieten down a little after lunch but we had a steady stream of buyers all day with some staying for quite a long time. We had visitors from as far afield as Oxford, Derbyshire, Wales & Kent!

And no wonder everyone looked so happy - there were lovely buys to be had & all at bargain prices.

The ladies of the WI were rushed off their feet serving teas & cakes (the carrot cake I indulged in was to die for!) with all monies raised going towards the annual village party for senior citizens.

A great day was had by all & Michele & I were inundated by requests to hold another, so watch this space in the autumn!

Vintage Jumble This Saturday

2011-03-03T04:42:00.001-08:00

Just a quick reminder about the Vintage Jumble Sale that we are hosting this Saturday at the Rangeworthy Village Hall, BS37 7LZ.
The doors will open at 11am & close at 3.30pm.

There will lots of goodies to buy as well as tea & cakes served by the WI to keep your Jumbling strength up - sharpen your elbows, don your steel capped boots, bring your bags & purses & most of all, have fun!

Looking forward to seeing lots of you there!

A Three Horse Race

2011-02-27T10:25:00.000-08:00

I popped into Gloucester Antiques Centre this morning to take a new display shelving unit & imagine my surprise when I saw the front window.

In celebration of the Cheltenham Festival (horse racing), the centre had put on their very own version. As I am the only dealer with my own "stable" all the runners are mine (good odds for a win then?)

They look so cute with their teddy bear jockeys & surrounded by horse & race day related goodies.

As you can see, the favorite, Mobo's Prairie King is in the lead with plucky little Mobo's Pony Walker coming up on the inside while Triang's Red, White & Blue is bringing up the rear (probably had too much hay for breakfast!)

They are all after the big gold cup! Who is your favourite?

Vintage Books & More

2011-02-24T01:35:00.000-08:00

I have always been an avid reader - as a child I read my way through the children's library by the time I was 10 & had to move on to the adult section. As far as I was concerned there was nothing better than reading a good book. I read a lot as I was living in South Africa at the time & there was no TV. I don't mean that we just didn't have a TV in the house - there was no television in the country at all until I was about 15! Can you imagine?? My dad used to say that I would read the cereal box if there was nothing else available!

The photo above is part of my vintage children's book collection & dare I say that most of them were mine? As you can probably guess, my favourites were pony stories so I do have quite a lot of those & still buy them when I come across them.

I was delighted last weekened to find the book below to add to my collection. It is from 1944 & has charming illustrations. You will notice though that the cover is very plain with just a bit of colour - wartime shortages put paid to full colour printing for a while .

The most interesting thing about this book is the dust jacket - if you take it off you will see that there is a different design inside - this was the era of "waste not, want not" & "make do & mend" after all, so surplus dust jackets would be reversed & printed on the other side so as not to waste paper.

The story is about running a riding school during the war & how people are wanting to learn to ride & drive horses again due to fuel rationing, so very much of the time.

I do have a fondness for ephemera - all those paper items that are so transient & should have a short life span, but have survived over the years. I always buy them but then I wonder if anyone is going to buy them from me - are there others out there who want these things? I put them in my shop & hope that there are more out there like me who would like to keep & appreciate these items.

One such lot is the pile of 1960's Riding magazines that I found - the adverts & article are great & it is interesting to see how much more formally people dressed even for everyday riding compared to today.

Another of my weaknesses is vintage calendars - they should only have a lifepan of a year & be discarded, but some people obviously liked them so much that they put them away safely in a drawer for many years until I came along & snapped them up. They are lovely just to hang on the wall or make a sweet gift for someone born in that year.

I particularly like this one called "Me & My Dog" - the dog's face is so sweet - this one is from 1936.

The printing technique on this one from 1942 makes it look as if it is an oil painting.

The lucky black cat calendar is from 1959.

Of course there had to be a horse one didn't there? This one from 1951 is layered to give a 3D effect.

Cards are another thing that I have boxes of as I can't resist - these Easter ones would be great to give a vintage look to your Easter decor this year!

I'm betting that many of you watched South Riding on BBC last Sunday - I really enjoyed it & one of the things I like to see are the props & vintage items they use in period dramas. In the last episode of Lark Rise to Candleford I noticed the ladies taking tea from a tea set which was first made in 1962 - oops!

Anyway, in South Riding they had a selection of vintage Macmillan school posters on the school room walls & they are of the correct period - these were made in sets during the 30's & 40's for use in schools. I have quite a lot of these so some of them are in my shop.
The imagery is so nostalgic & the colours & subjects are wonderful. I wish I could keep them all & have them framed but I'd need to use them as wallpaper to display them all! I have recently lent a couple to Homes & Antiques magazine so they may appear in there next month.

They look wonderful framed - this is one that I have in my bathroom.

I have been listing some new stock in my online shop so if you'd like a peek do pop along & have a browse.

Gloucester Antiques Centre

2011-02-20T10:35:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to post these photos for ages - in fact it was supposed to be my Valentine's display! I went there yesterday & added new stock & changed the display, so this one is history already.....

Sunny Side Up

2011-02-11T05:11:00.000-08:00

The difference between homegrown eggs & shop bought!

My hens haven't been laying lately as they have been moulting & it's been dark & cold so I have had to buy eggs....organic ones of course.
One of our old girls, Hermione, who is going on 8 years old, has just started to lay again & when I cooked some eggs I could see how different & how much bigger they are compared to even the "best" shop bought eggs. The two bright orange yolked eggs are Hermione's & the paler yellow one on the left is from the shop. There is no comparison in taste either!

The Winner Is....

2011-02-02T08:37:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for the birthday wishes & for entering my giveaway.
The Rob Ryan designed vase above was given to me by my daughter, Tamzin - isn't it pretty?
I have had a lovely day & been thoroughly spoilt except Mr C is away in the USA so we will celebrate again when he comes home.

I entered the numbers 1-54 in a random number generator & it chose the winner.....

True Random Number Generator Result: 4 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

So, that is Julie's Knitting & Sewing Corner! Congrats Julie! Please do let me know your address & I will put together your personalised vintage goody box!

A Vintage Giveaway

2011-01-30T05:57:00.001-08:00

I have been to Gloucester Antiques Centre again to add some new stock & a small set of shelves for more display space. They were just boring old pine so I painted them my favourite duck egg blue which I think sets off vintage items beautifully.

I rearranged the display on my little table - I use this as my "shop window" & change the display every time I go. This seems to work well as it brings different items to the attention of the customers & I always sell items from there. This week it is a bit of a tea party theme with china & glass.

Now for the giveaway.....as I have 299 followers & it's my birthday on Wednesday so I thought I'd have a giveaway to thank you all for your support & friendship.

Until I started blogging I didn't realise how many like minded folk there were out there. Without the blogging world so much of what I have done in the last few years wouldn't have happened.....particularly the Vintage & Handmade Fairs which has exceeded all my expectations. I would never have met my partner in crime, Michele, or all of the lovely ladies that read my blog or exhibit at & attend the fairs & who I now call friends....so thank you once again!

The giveaway will be a surprise box of vintage goodies - all you have to do is to leave a comment here & I will do the draw on my birthday - the 2nd February.

And speaking of fairs - don't forget about the Vintage Jumble on the 5th March - it's going to be great fun!!

Beautiful Visitors

2011-01-24T02:40:00.001-08:00

This rather splendid chap was posing on top of our garden wall so we could admire his beauty.

And this is the last thing you expect to see in the pub car park next to the post office!

Vintage Jumble

2011-01-10T06:54:00.000-08:00

When your work room looks like this.....

....you need this....

Most of you are probably like Michele & I....we have loads of "stuff" that we are hanging onto but would like to clear out - too good to give away but not quite right for our shops/fairs/websites. It's time for a Spring Clean!

We have been wondering how to clear out some of this clutter - not too keen on car boot sales, don't have enough parking to have a sale at home....so we came up with the idea of holding a Vintage Jumble Sale at the village hall in Rangeworthy (the venue of the first V&H Fair!) - we want the Jumble to be vintage & not just general household stuff. Prices will be "Cheap & Cheerful" so people can come along & find a bargain & we end up with some empty space at home. We have some of your favourite vintage dealers signed up already!

We have booked the hall for Saturday 5th March - we can accommodate about 18 stalls (6 foot tables). It will be a half day event - 11am - 3.30pm as we have to be out by 5pm & it means nobody has to get up at the crack of dawn to get there!

As our usual Tea Team are at university becoming very clever & educated, the ladies of the Rangeworthy WI have come to the rescue & will be selling tea & cakes to refresh you!

We have a few stalls still available, so if you would be interested or have any questions please contact either myself or Michele asap as space is limited!

Toy Museum

2011-01-08T09:29:00.000-08:00

Today Mr Cottage & I set off on a jaunt to Stow on the Wold as I wanted to visit the toy museum there & it was well worth the trip. It was stuffed to the rafters with a most delicious selection of dolls, toys & vintage childhood ephemera. I felt quite envious!

I think in this instance pictures speak louder than words, although these were taken with my phone camera, through glass & without a flash so some of them aren't brilliant! Click on the photos & they will enlarge so you can enjoy the details.

It is definitely worth a visit!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T03:45:00.000-08:00

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

~Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1850

Christmas Day in Pictures

2010-12-26T01:19:00.000-08:00

A Very Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T04:59:00.000-08:00

Just popping in to say
"I hope you have a lovely Christmas Day"!

Decking the halls...and kitchen...and..

2010-12-14T09:27:00.000-08:00

These last few weeks have been rather busy & I really haven't done much in the way of "Christmas" but now that Tamzin is back home it is full steam ahead as she wanted to be able to join in with the traditional decorating rituals in our country cottage!

Last Saturday was the beginning of me feeling festive when Michele & I attended a workshop to learn how to make felted rose pomanders & this is the result - they were great fun to make & we were both surprised & pleased to find that the teachers & most of the people taking part knew & loved the Vintage & Handmade Fairs!

Another thing I haven't told you about is that my baubles were featured in a decorating piece in the latest issue of Homes & Antiques....I really love this photo! Glass baubles can be found in my Christmas Shop.

So...back to our decorating...last night Tamzin made this lovely wreath using snippets of greenery, holly & rosehips, all from the garden & lane....I think she did a really good job!

The kitchen has had a makeover too including baubles, a forest of vintage trees & a herd of reindeer (of course!). We also had fun making & hanging up Union Jack paper chains (again I have a few of these in my shop)

Even my little Spaniel plaque has been trimmed up!

A close up of a few bits & pieces on my mantlepiece.

Last, but not least, the tree. Most of the decorations are vintage & every year we delight in unpacking & rediscovering these as we place them on the tree. The tree also has little red berry lights but it's always difficult to get a good photo in the dark so here is one I took today.

So, finally, I am truly getting into the festive spirit....now where are those mince pies??

Gloucester Antiques Centre

2010-12-04T08:22:00.001-08:00

I popped into the antiques centre today to top up my stock so here are a few photos for you - it was a bit grey & rainy but the windows do look festive!

Here are a few photos of my unit & some of the new stock.

Afterwards we had to have a snack at the lovely coffee shop just across the way.

Fabulous Fair!

2010-11-29T13:02:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's taken me this long to get around to writing a blog post about the wonderful Vintage & Handmade Christmas Fair 2010!

After a very early (and very cold -6C) start the hall was abuzz with stallholders bustling around setting up stalls & unpacking boxes & bags of exciting goodies.

At 10am sharp the doors were opened to a crowd of eager (and cold!) shoppers all wrapped up warmly & ready to revel in the loveliness on offer.

It was busy all day with a most wonderful atmosphere & we received so many lovely comments about the quality of the stalls. We estimate that we welcomed well over 1000 visitors on the day.

The tearoom was serving warming cups of tea & coffee as well as delicious cakes all day & in the afternoon we were treated to carols sung by a local children's choir - I noticed a few tears in eyes!

I have included just a few photos of my stall (I was lucky enough to be by the big Christmas tree!) but you can see lots more on flickr here

I just want to say a huge "Thank You" to all the talented & creative stallholders who braved an early morning start to bring their wares to the fair, the hardworking Tea Trio who were rushed off their feet all day & of course all our lovely visitors, many of whom are staunch regulars who come to every fair from far & wide. It was reported back to us that the nearest bank cash machine actually ran out of money!

It wouldn't be the same without you all.

And finally, another thanks to my fabulous friend & partner Michele....we did it again! ;-)

Full Steam Ahead!

2010-11-26T11:39:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to post a quick note to let you all know that we don't have any snow forecast until Tuesday in my area (I live near Chipping Sodbury) so it's business as usual on Sunday for the Vintage & Handmade Fair.

We have had a nice mention in the Homes & Antiques newsletter & on their website as they are coming along too.

Hope to see lots of you there - it promises to be a fantastic day once again!

The Teddies Are Ready....

2010-11-24T07:58:00.001-08:00

...but I'm not....quite!

"Ready for what?" you may ask. Well, if you haven't heard, there is a Fabulous Fair coming up on Sunday 28th November - everyone who is everyone will be there - including these lovely vintage teddies!

Of course, it's the eagerly awaited Vintage & Handmade Fair with it's overload of vintage loveliness & handmade delights! Where else can you find something fun or quirky, unusual or kitsch for everyone on your Christmas list & you will know that they certainly won't be receiving a duplicate! The atmosphere is always wonderful & friendly with so many like minded folk.

This Christmas Fair is a bumper one with over 40 stalls - we have been fortunate enough to be able to use an elegant upstairs room too where you will find some brand new sellers with their lovely wares including jewellery, retro greeting cards, French linens, gift boxed vintage china & heritage seeds & bulbs.

Up there you will also find our newly appointed tearoom with our friendly Tea Team (Tamzin, Georgia & Jack) on hand to dispense warming cups of tea & coffee & of course delicious slices of homemade cakes while you rest your feet, catch up with friends & consider which stalls you want to revisit.

For those of you who are there in the afternoon we have a rather festive treat in store too!

So, hope to see lots of you there on Sunday! The details again......

Sunday 28th November 2010
Chipping Sodbury Town Hall,
Chipping Sodbury,
South Glos
BS37 6AD
10am - 4pm
Free admission & plenty of free parking too.

Now...I still have some sorting & baking to do....eeek....

A Vintage Christmas

2010-11-18T04:21:00.001-08:00

As we are now in the second half of November I thought it was safe to redecorate my blog!

I have also woken up the lazy Christmas Elves & have had them hard at work restocking the shelves of my Christmas Shop. I spend all year searching out lovely vintage Christmas decorations to offer you at this time of year.

Of course I will be taking some to the Vintage & Handmade Fair next weekend & this Saturday I will be having a stall at the Rangeworthy Village Hall's "Winter Fair" too - this is on from 2pm - 4pm so if you are close by why not pop in & say hello?

For those of you further afield I have added some lovely Christmassy goodies to my online shop - Homes & Antiques magazine borrowed quite a few for a decorating feature which will appear in their next issue at the beginning of December!

There are angels....

Reproduction "feather" trees....

Baubles....

Santas....

Kitsch bunny bells....

Reindeer (of course!)

China for your festive cuppa & much more!

So why not pop along for a browse & a virtual mince pie?

Country Cottage Chic

I also want to introduce you to a very festive girl - my new mini "Ruby"
She is a cracker!

National Antiques Week

2010-11-12T09:45:00.001-08:00

Did you know that next week (15th - 20th November) is Antiques Week?
The slogan this year is "Now is the time to buy antiques".

When you consider how much better value antique or vintage items are compared to new & how much longer they will last they are definitely a "green" option. For instance I bought a 1930's solid oak desk to use for my computer for £150 - I'm sure a flat packed desk made of chipboard would cost about the same & I didn't have to build it! If I want to sell it in the future I will get my money back whereas that flat packed desk will either have to be given away or end up in landfill - I know which one I'd rather have!

My desk used to be a school teacher's desk (it has a school district label on the back- it started life in a classroom in Essex, the dealer bought it in Cornwall & I bought it from him in Gloucestershire so it has had a few travels). It has scratches on the top & ink stains in the drawers - perfect!

Homes & Antiques magazine are supporting this initiative & have lots of information on their website including lists of antique dealers who are offering a 20% discount on any purchases during the week & fairs who are offering free entry this month too, so pop along & have a look for a dealer or fair near you & take advantage of these offers!

Remember

2010-11-10T23:28:00.000-08:00

Today we remember those who fought & died in the war - such a heavy loss to families up & down the country.

I'd also like to remember the animals who lost their lives in the First World War too, including over 8 million horses & mules - yes, 8 million!

As inscribed on the Animals in War memorial in Hyde Park, "They had no choice".

A Soldier's Kiss

by Henry Chappell

Only a dying horse! pull off the gear,

And slip the needless bit from frothing jaws,

Drag it aside there, leaving the road way clear,

The battery thunders on with scarce a pause.

Prone by the shell-swept highway there it lies

With quivering limbs, as fast the life-tide fails,

Dark films are closing o’er the faithful eyes

That mutely plead for aid where none avails.

Onward the battery rolls, but one there speeds

Needlessly of comrades voice or bursting shell,

Back to the wounded friend who lonely bleeds

Beside the stony highway where he fell.

Only a dying horse! he swiftly kneels,

Lifts the limp head and hears the shivering sigh

Kisses his friend, while down his cheek there steals

Sweet pity’s tear, "Goodbye old man, Goodbye".

No honours wait him, medal, badge or star,

Though scarce could war a kindlier deed unfold;

He bears within his breast, more precious far

Beyond the gift of kings, a heart of gold.

Gloucester Antiques Centre

2010-11-08T09:12:00.000-08:00

I took some new stock up to the centre today so of course I had to take a few photos to share here....

A Homemade Christmas

2010-11-03T08:06:00.001-07:00

I know that some of you dread hearing the "C" word this early, but as it is November & I love Christmas I am saying it anyway! Those of us who might want to make some gifts & decorations can also justify thinking along those lines as we do need some time to get things done!

I have made a start with some Christmas gifts by making some chutney with the last of my tomatoes & chillies from the poly tunnel & it does need a month or so to mature.

Making chutney in an Aga is really easy - just throw all the ingredients into a pot, stir & bring to the boil then put into the simmering oven & forget about it for 3 or 4 hours. Finally, bring to the boil again to reduce the liquid then pour into warm jars.

I tied brown card labels around the jars with colourful string & added a vintage spoon for serving - a simple & tasty gift!

Two books that I came across recently are good for inspiration - "Christmas Treats" is filled with recipes for cakes & brownies, muffins & biscuits, preserves & more, all of which can be made to serve to guests or given as gifts.

I like the look of the Christmas muffins & the cranberry preserve.

The second book is appropriately titled "Home-Made Christmas" & this is full to bursting with ideas for gifts & decorating with projects from simple biscuits for children to make to opulent wreaths for the front door.

The Christmas bunting looks very pretty in this hall....

I love the Victorian shoe style Christmas stocking.....

Not all decorations have to be pricey - these are just made with paper & it also shows how to make other decorations by recycling coke tins into hearts!

Isn't this little dog adorable? There is a pattern for knitting him as well as a funky reindeer...

Speaking of reindeer ("Oh no!" I hear you cry...".not this year too - the mad Christmas reindeer woman strikes again!)

And finally a few creative & pretty ideas on how to wrap up all those lovingly made Christmas gifts.

Are you planning on making gifts this year? I hope so, but if you aren't crafty you can always visit the Vintage & Handmade Christmas Fair on the 28th November & buy lovely handmade & vintage gifts from the talented stallholders there!

Book Details:

Homemade Christmas by Tessa Evelegh, photography by Caroline Arber, CICO Books

Christmas Treats by Linda Collister with photography by Linda Collister, Ryland Peters & Small

Less than a month now!

2010-11-01T09:42:00.001-07:00

This lovely piece with a nice big picture appeared in the November issue of both the Bath Magazine & the Bristol Magazine which between the two cover a wide local area.

The Prince & The Pea

2010-10-23T07:08:00.001-07:00

Josephine's New Dress

2010-10-20T07:22:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there was a dolly named Josephine. She was born in the 1950's in the well known & very popular Pedigree factory.
Josephine was no ordinary doll - no sitting around just looking pretty for her! She is a walking doll who would happily walk along with her Little Girl, hand in hand, while moving her head from side to side taking in the view & she has very pretty eyes indeed as they also move from side to side in a most flirtatious manner!

Some years later she was given to a new Little Girl called Tracey who looked after her carefully for many years. One day Tracey decided that it was time for Josephine to move on & asked Jayne (who is really just a Little Girl in a Big Girl's body!) if Josephine could come & live with her.
Of course Jayne was delighted to accept & so Josephine waved a fond farewell to Tracey & went home with Jayne.

However, Josephine was a little sad as over the years she had lost her clothing & longed for a new dress. Poor Josephine felt rather cold & exposed with no clothing on!

She did cheer up though when Jayne told her that she had many years design & clothing making experience as well as a large stash of pretty fabrics suitable for dolly dresses & that a new dress would take no time at all to make.

They rummaged through the fabrics - florals & checks & spots - but Josephine really couldn't decide. She whispered to Jayne that her favourite colour was blue & that she really loved puppies.

"Aha!", Jayne exclaimed, "I have just the thing for you!"

Josephine's pretty eyes sparkled "That's just what I want!"

Cath Kidston's Stanley fabric was the perfect choice.

So, out came the tape measure, pins, scissors & trusty sewing machine & with a few snip, snip, snips a new outfit started to take shape.

Firstly, of course, a new pair of panties was in order to cover her modesty....

Jayne also managed to find a supplier of vintage dolly shoes & this bright red pair look rather fetching.....

A pretty co-ordinating ribbon was found for her hair....

Josephine is feeling very happy once again!

Off she goes for a little walk to show off her new dress!

Gloucester Antiques Centre

2010-10-19T08:19:00.001-07:00

Just a quick post to show you some of the new goodies I took up this week - a bit of a feminine theme on the table this time. Quite a few are sold already including the lovely cream travel case which has a bright red satin lining with compartments for all your toiletries & other travel requirements. It still had it's original keys too.