Giant Cushions and a Giveaway!

At last I have got round to sorting out my giveaway.....bit late (sorry) as I'm already on 108 followers!  Here goes....vintage style heart shaped wire basket, 12 vintage quilt patches, some vintage lace, lavender pillow, a piece of eidy fabric, some shoe stretchers and  last but not least a vintage single eiderdown cover in paisley and plain pink!  Sounds like the generation game but without the cuddly toy!  Hope you like it.

Sorry, the pictures haven't come out all that well.

To enter the giveaway just leave a comment, it is open to everyone, here in the UK and abroad.  I'll announce the winner in a week.  Onto other news, I have also been busy making giant cushions.

I bought a vintage grain sack dated 1934 and thought there was only enough to make one cushion.

As I began to cut the sack in half I realised there was writing on the inside of the back panel also and it was the same as what was printed on the front.  I managed to make these two large cushions, two smaller ones from the remnants (on my website) and also two small lavender pillows.

For the conservatory I also made a large Toile and Vichy check cushion, although I will probably have to move it at some point as the sun light is so strong (when we get some that is).

I have also made this large bolster feather filled cushion from a gorgeous panel of vintage French fabric that I have had for ages.  I have reluctantly taken the decision to sell it and it is currently on my website.  The paws to the side belong to Hattie.

This little chap was a recent find on a certain auction site.  He was advertised as a 1920's lamp for repair.  He came with some dubious wiring and a Bakelite light bulb holder and an even more dubious looking peach coloured silk shade!!  The wiring and the lampshade have now been consigned to the bin although I have saved the frame of the lamp shade to recover at some time.  I took a chance buying him and thought he was made of stone perhaps?  He appears to be made of bronze although very weathered.  I am no expert on metals but the base underneath is a bronze colour and he is fairly heavy.  So all in all my hunch paid off and he is now sitting safely under my old glass dome and not part of a dreadful table lamp!

Have a great week everyone and remember to leave a comment to enter the giveaway.

Jo xx

Sorry It's Been So Long!

My apologies everyone for not posting sooner but life has sort of got in the way once more, and between further bouts of 'black dog' I have been raced off my feet.  I attended Amy and Annie's lovely Vintage Fair in Hatton last Sunday, and it was a real success, raising £800 for Muscular Dystrophy.  If you go to Blighty Boutique or Annie The Felt Fairy blog spots then you can see photographs of the day.  Yesterday I was in Olney attending a Vintage Fair organised by Ann and Trevor who run the Northampton Vintage fairs.  It was a really lovely day and great to catch up with old friends as well as meeting new ones and making a few sneaky purchases! Once again I failed to capture the day on camera but I am sure Ann will do a post about the day.  Now onto new purchases...some are staying but some will either go on the website (that I neglect badly) or will go to the fairs with me.

The gorgeous wooden hat box came from the lovely Wendy of Ticking Stripes.  I had had my eye on it for a while and she finally succumbed and very kindly sold it to me.  It has some original labels on and is a real beauty.  The lovely French wire work basket came from Amanda from Charente Vintage.  Amanda lives in France and had come over to attend the Olney fair, and very fortuitously my stand was next to hers!!  Yes, that was fatal as she had some lovely French treasures, several of which accompanied me back home.

The beautiful little lead crystal pots came from our local car boot of all places.  I have grand designs on filling them with sparkly bits and pieces!  The rather grotesque theatrical mask is one of three that I picked up from a local auction and came from the Stratford Shakespeare Company.

Here are the other two.  I think they date from the late nineteenth, early twentieth century.

Another French treasure, the most beautiful fine linen monogram sheet and it is huge!

We also found this beautiful late Victorian photograph album, presented to Elizabeth Hinds for her 21st birthday in 1901.  Isn't it sad that there was obviously no one in the family to pass it onto?  All that lovely family history ending up at a car boot sale.  Some of the pictures are missing, but someone has also written down who the people are in the photographs.

Some beautiful flowers I have displayed in a vintage watering can.....wish I could grow roses like this. I will leave you with some pictures of our village scarecrow competition.  Our neighbours have successfully defended their title from last year with the Apollo moon landings!

Apollo rocket complete with astronauts.

Houston we have a problem!!  They borrowed our dry ice machine for the rocket smoke and were playing 'Theme for the common man' at full pelt ready for the judging.

Nick and Carols Overseal Base camp.

Catch of the day over at the bungalow.

Justin and Marie did Dr Who, the Tardis and a Dalek!  It's amazing what compost bins can be used for.

The Apollo rocket complete with crash test teddy strapped to the side!  As you can see everyone had great fun and there were many more scarecrows dotted around the village.  The gauntlet has been thrown down for next year...watch this space!  Have a great week.

Jo xx

PS Will sort out the give away this week!

A Gorgeous Vintage Summer Boutique

I was very privileged to be asked by Ali from Betty & Violet if I would like to attend her small Vintage Summer Boutique to be held at her stunning home.  I of course accepted and last Friday morning duly set off in the van loaded to the gunnel's!  Unfortunately the weather was against us so poor Ali had to hurriedly rearrange her home a couple of days before in readiness.  I do apologise but I forgot my camera but I am sure Ali will post some pictures of the two days.

I was in the dining room with Lucy Bloom and Angela who sells gorgeous linens.  Ali's hubby and father kept us all fortified with tea and coffee, and the most delicious salad rolls for lunch with a glass of bubbly!

Some of the gorgeous pieces of linen and fabrics I bought from Ali.  

 You know me I can never resist vintage eidy fabric!  Ali and her Mum had stands in the sitting room, Ali with her usual mix of gorgeousness that I thoroughly enjoyed looking through and making a few purchases!  Angela, her Mum sells beautiful vintage jewellery.

A vintage beaded belt and some initials that I couldn't resist.

I adore this beaded trim dating from the 1920's and a gorgeous wooden reel of French silver thread that is so delicate and pretty.

Lovely cards of linen covered buttons from Lucy.

A gorgeous box file covered in Kate Forman (my favourite designer) from Chloe, a lovely lady who specialises in French textiles and antiques.  She had a stand in Ali's bedroom, and had a wonderful array of cushions and French linens for sale.

My last purchase of the day was an exquisite goose egg made by the lovely Philippa Bowes, a very talented designer who makes beautiful clothes from vintage fabrics and also transforms vintage clothing with quilt pieces and vintage fabrics...they are truly stunning.  Years ago she made stunning evening bags and goose eggs covered in antique fabrics and trims.  My egg is covered in the most exquisite red silk velvet dating from the 19th century, the gold trim is also antique as are the crystal drops.  I absolutely adore it and it now takes pride of place hanging with our antique sanctuary lamp.

The weekend was absolutely perfect in every way regardless of the weather and was full of laughter, fabulous customers, equally fabulous food and was a real tonic after my latest bout of 'black dog'.  Friday evening was wonderful, after our meal we (Angela and I stayed over) walked round all the stands with Ali and her Mum having a nosey at everything.  It was like being locked in the most fabulous vintage/antique

 shop and being able to browse at your leisure.  I can't thank Ali and her lovely family enough for such a wonderful weekend, and I have returned to Derbyshire feeling rested and inspired by all the clever and talented people I met.  The last photograph is of some wonderful vintage Edwardian chain mail bags I discovered whilst foraging recently.

I hope you all have a great week and it is lovely to feel back to my old self once more.

Jo xx

PS I haven't forgotten the giveaway.

Ready to Rock 'n' Roll once more

Thank you everyone for leaving your lovely comments on my last post and emailing me personally.  It really did give me a lift to know that you were all thinking about me.  I am surprised at just how many of us suffer with these depressive episodes, perhaps it is part of life?  I am feeling much improved although a little fragile still but it has helped getting ready for the Vintage Summer Boutique that Ali is holding at her gorgeous home this coming Friday and Saturday.  We are unsure as to what the weather is going to do but everyone has made contingency plans for either an outdoor or indoor stand.

Of course, mountains of lovely cushions.

A vintage bottle basket full of quilt pieces and fabrics.

A bit of an outdoor theme going on here, although it may be indoors!!

This is a hard one to part with, my lovely old 1920's wicker chair with beautiful French ticking cushions....mmmmm I might chicken out yet and leave it behind!

The adorable Elvis Pug who has been lending a paw with all the pricing and packing.  Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I will be off to Ali's tomorrow come rain or shine, hope to see you there if you can make it.

Jo xx
PS.  Will have to think up a give away now I've reached 100 followers, watch this space!

Tough Times!

Thank you everyone who left such wonderful messages on my last post about my Grandad, they were much appreciated and I will admit to shedding a few tears at your kind comments.  I don't usually write about such personal things on my Blog, I like to keep it up beat and away from all the horrible things that happen in life.  But I will admit that recently I have been finding it increasingly hard to keep up beat about everything.  I won't bore you with the details but life has been a little difficult lately with lots of negative things happening, and although I am eternally grateful that I live in such a beautiful cottage with a wonderful family and have very little to moan about in my life I have been finding it difficult to cope lately.  I unfortunately suffer from depression and anxiety problems....Andy calls it 'My Black Dog' as it mirrors the melancholia my hero Sir Winston Churchill suffered.  My Black Dog has definitely been very vocal of late and I feel like I just want to shut down.  Everything is an effort when I feel this way and I have to make myself do things and keep going.  I took two of the Pugs for a walk this morning, the first time I have been out properly for a few days and it was lovely to get out in the sunshine.  I came back feeling drained but glad that I had been out.  To cheer myself up I picked the first of the sweet peas and some roses from the garden.

My apologies everyone as I am sure I will be back to 'normal' soon.  Thank you for all your lovely comments they are so appreciated and hello to all my lovely new followers.  Normal service will resume shortly I hope!! Have a lovely weekend.

Jo xx

My Wonderful Grandad

I was very lucky to have both sets of Grandparents when I was growing up, three of them I have lost, the only one left is my Nan, my Mum's Mum and she's 91!!  Today is the anniversary of my beloved Grandad's death (on my Dads side), he was only 63 when he died suddenly 28 years ago to the day.  I absolutely adored him, and he gave me an unconditional love, we were so close.  I was heartbroken and still am all these years later.

He was born in Sydney, Australia on April the 13th 1920.  He moved with his parents (who I remember) to the UK when he was only a child.  He had unfortunately inherited a degenerative eye disease and his sight diminished throughout his life until he was totally blind just before his death.  He never let this stand in his way though and he was always a real force to be reckoned with!!  He was very feisty and very opinionated when it came to Politics and had the most wonderful dry sense of humour.  He was the sort of man who never let his disability stand in the way of anything he wanted to do even at a time when opportunities were not always open to disabled people.  He became a Blind Persons Resettlement Officer, helping blind and partially sighted people into work.  He was a well educated man and had originally trained as an Engineer.  I remember him being very strict on how to use the Queens English properly!!  I dread to think of what he would say if he heard me swear!! I called him 'Pooh Grandad' , this I will explain!!  My Nans name was Winifred and when I was a child I made the connection between her name and Winnie The Pooh, so my Grandparents became Pooh Nan and Grandad!! They always signed themselves as this in cards.

I remember that awful phone call 28 years ago to say that my beloved Grandad had collapsed...he unfortunately did not survive.  He and my Nan had moved house two weeks before and he had gone for a drink with an old neighbour.  He collapsed and died as they walked back home.

He really was the most wonderful influence on my life and had he lived I often wonder how my life would have turned out...perhaps some of the decisions I made would have been better ones.  I am also sorry that he never got to meet my wonderful hubby and our son Louis who incidentally was born on the 16th of April, three days after my Grandads birthday so they share the same birth sign, he also has my Grandads name as his middle name.  My brother named his son after my Grandad which I was delighted about.

I was very lucky to know my Grandad for 14 years but his loss left a terrible scar on my life, and one that I know will never heal, I have learned to live with the pain of losing him, but June the 6th is always a very sad day for me.

William Stanley Nicholson 13th April 1920 - 6th June 1983.

Eidy Heaven & Broken dishwashers!

Life is a little fraught at the moment with a broken tumble dryer (new one on it's way) and horror of all horrors a broken dishwasher, so it was nice to get an unexpected phone call yesterday.  A lovely lady who I buy from called me out of the blue to say she had acquired six (yes six!!) eiderdowns and would I be interested.  Well I didn't need asking twice and after a frantic phone conversation with hubby (he's the one with the wallet!!) I was in the Beast and winging my way through the rush hour traffic....I will do anything for eidy's, yes even brave Burton Upon Trent at rush hour!  Thankfully she doesn't live that far from me.

This lovely single needs a bit of TLC but has a beautiful pattern of roses covering it.  

Very tempted by this beauty.  A lovely faded paisley double...mmmmm may be staying!

An absolutely gorgeous single covered in roses and trellis.

This has to be my favourite, a gorgeous large single dating from the 1930's and covered in cameos of roses and still so lovely and plump.....very, very tempted to covet this one but I must be good.  I also purchased a blue paisley one from her straight out of her washing machine!!  It is drying on my line as we speak.  I am now banned from washing eidy's after the last fiasco!!

I also have a selection of Welsh blankets and cutter quilts for sale that I will be taking with me this weekend to the V&H Textile and Fashion fair.  Once again the poor conservatory is doubling as a stock room as I sort through everything.  Enjoy the rest of the week, and hopefully see you on Saturday albeit with sore and chapped hands from all the washing up I will have been doing!!

Jo xx