Teatowelaholic

Nothing much interesting has been happening round these parts, just the mundane everyday stuff....like a lovely, lovely gardening customer of mine dying from that awful thing beginning with C... the cooker, boiler (again), tumble dryer and my precious, indispensable and expensive big boys Honda lawnmower packing up after 10 years service,(hence me selling practically my entire wardrobe from when I worked in a shop, on eBay to fund a new one) Dislocating my little finger by having a dog lead wrapped around it when a dog bolted, (corr that hurt!) oh and reversing my truck into the brick wall that stinky boy and bald bloke built and completely buggering it up so much so the whole thing has got to be re-laid....yep,you know, just everyday mundane things like that.....hmmm think I need reviving with more than a cup of tea!

Anyway moving swiftly on to pretty stuff...

One of the many things that I seem to hoard are Tea-towels.

I love tea-towels

Cheap,cheery tea-towels.

Vintage ones, seaside ones

and of course,Cath ones,


I like the fact you can pick one up for under a tenner and it will hang there looking cheery by the sink on the dullest of days.

When we have a proper kitchen (ie; a kitchen bigger than 5'x7') I hope to frame some of them for the wall. I've made cushions out of a couple and even a pillowcase, so that versatile rectangle of drying up cloth does have its uses.

Recently I was asked if I'd like a couple of freebie tea-towels in exchange for a mention...ooh yes pleeeease would I!!

I even got to choose so I picked a Greengate one


and a fab atomic fifties patterned one

which I've never seen the likes of before.

The red Greengate one will be used as a proper tea-towel and the gorgeous 50s abstract one will eventually be made into a cushion...(I think!)

They came from an online shop called 
 All tea-towels
(click the pink link if you'd like to take a peek yourself)
which I think is a fabulous idea..a shop selling nothing but tea towels in all different styles and best of all, postage to the UK is free and silly cheap to everywhere else (How many times have you seen the perfect thing online only to find the postage costs more than the one you want?)

These are some of my favourites from this fab online shop:

  

Tunnocks tea cakes!..my favourite kind ...and calorie free if you buy them this way!  

Arent they just great?
The 'easy as pie' one is particularly appropriate in this house, I can make boiling an egg a whole new experience...egg explosion anyone ?
There are all sorts of designs to find there from traditional to modern, birds, butterflies, chickens...gravy!.. all sorts.
Thankyou Al, for the fabulous freebie tea-towels and the link to yet another fab online shop which I shall put in my sidebar, I think its just a brilliant idea and no doubt I shall be back for more to add to my stash!
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I'll hopefully be popping back again in October to introduce you to Colin, the new man in my life...so cheerio for now.

Wardrobe Waffle

Hello again ..remember me?
Well that was a whole big heap of gloom and doom now wasn't it?
Thank-you SO very much for all your lovely messages and emails about losing my much missed kitty Maude (she had quite sudden kidney failure) and waving goodbye to Florence too.They were really lovely and more appreciated than you'll ever know. x
(Lovely Lisa in Oregon..don't worry Basil and his buddies are doing just fine, as you can see from these photos they have been having lots of cat conferences putting the feline world to rights)

mind you, all hell broke loose after Ethel dared to stretch out a kindly paw to her mother!

 It all became a bit too much to bear to be honest so I spent some time in my spotty wellies wading in self pity and lots of tears..there were lots and lots of those...I was a little bit broken hearted I can tell you. I also had to leave my job in the little shop for various reasons which I wont go into, so Pete and I went away for a while to Devon for some blustery blue sky days to blow away the stresses and clear my head before I end up getting carted away by the men in white coats.

Well 'Old Flo' has gone to her new home, not far from here up in the hills. The chap was really pleased with her and will tow her behind his 1958 Landrover. He promised to email me photos of her renovation, so if he does, I'll let you see. He was thinking of painting the lower half of her in a pale 1960's turquoise-teal blue which funnily is the colour I was thinking of too. Great minds think alike hey?

(this was the curtaining I had bought for her..Hen I think you have some of this fabric too?)
I must admit I had a lump in my throat when she trundled off up the lane giving me a crafty wink with her half hearted brake lights.
The nice little bit of profit helped take away a bit of the pain though, pity £300 quid of it had to pay towards for the pointless damage done to my little car but hey ho,I suppose that's life (well, my often pants life anyway!)

Last month,as Florence's farewell treat to us, Pete and I went to Shakespeare country, namely Stratford-upon-Avon, for a drive out and a mooch about the shops and a properly British, award winning cream tea.The best cup of tea ever actually, they had a six page menu just for the different types!

I managed to find myself some pretty clothes to buy whilst we were there.Normally I struggle with clothes shopping as I can never find things I like, they always seem to show the bits I want to hide or I'm worried about looking like some old piece of mutton dressed up like a spring lamb.
Years ago the stinky boys wrote to Trinny and Susannah to try and cheer me up with a new wardrobe of girlie stuff..( I'd got a bit lost in the wardrobe stakes having put on quite a bit of weight and suddenly not fitting in my vintage clothes and favourite Levis) Whilst clearing out yet another stash of 'stuff' I came across it again:

  I found the letter and there was no way on this earth I would stand in that 360 degree mirrored cupboard in my bestest big knickers for all the world to see... or have Trinny poking my tits (or 'giblets' for that matter)...nope, nooooooo way so even though it was very sweet of them, it never got posted. How sad is this bit.."she buys party shoes but never goes to parties"
cheeky buggers!!
I was quite impressed with George's handwriting though!

Anyway..this pretty top I found at Stratford, has little birdies and fish on it, it looks lovely with that blue and green swallows necklace Pete bought me back in April. And a first for me, a couple of woolly berets to match my bargain found-in-the-sale Spring coat.(even though its now Autumn!)I confess to feeling a bit of a berk in a hat, like I'm wandering around with a large sign on my head saying 'lookey here folks at the size of my enormous bonce' but I'm sure I'll get used to wearing them.

I can't understand why I haven't been in White Stuff before last year.. I've never walked into a clothing shop and loved so many things, nearly all the styles are right for (hiding) my shape but also, most unfortunately, very wrong for my budget.
One thing I have discovered a love of again recently is leggings.
I wore them in the very early 80's with tulip-shaped wiggle dresses or ra-ra skirts and big turban-like bows in my hair and a strange fashion of black plimsolls with 'fall-down socks'..(remember those? they were like white surgical stockings without elastic at the top) Later I went on to the black phase much to my parents horror..loving The Cure, black hair,black clothes, black lipstick and studded punk belts before trundling off to Art college in another style..my old-man mac, stripey tights and Doctor Martin's with my trademark bright red lipstick. Art college is where I found a new best buddy and the next wardrobe phase..the 1950s..an era I still adore but my 26 inch waist has had quite a few more inches added and everything is heading south lately..it doesn't quite cut the mustard when you're 41 and a half, I'm more Hattie Jacques than Diana Dors these days!

lovely curvy Hattie

Luckily for me I have a husband who prefers the 'extra padding', it's just me and the rest of society who doesn't! Well,anyway,I know the rule of wearing things a second time round, but I braved leggings on the approval of both the stinky boys' rather gorgeous girlfriends and have fallen in love with them all over again, this time though with biker boots and tunic dresses. Dresses and skirts are something I haven't worn in donkeys years, probably since my wedding in fact.I didn't possess either...
I love this eclectic look for the Autumn; (not sure what the tea cup is all about though) I was a little bit indulgent and that lovely leafy tunic and some fairisle wrist warmers came home too.

There is nothing like a bit of retail therapy to cheer you up is there?
You do get to that point of wondering whether you're too old for some clothes though, it takes me ages to deliberate over things.. but I'm not ready for my blue rinse just yet so I think I might like to grow old just a little disgracefully..

Clothing is such a personal thing but I do love peeking at what's in other people's wardrobes...It must be the long past dream of being a wardrobe mistress in me.

Is there anything you've indulged in or discovered a love of again lately, I'd love to know?

20 quid

You don't seem to able to get a whole lot for twenty quid these days but never the less, that was my budget for the massive flea market held not far from us.
I do begrudge paying an entrance fee to enter what is basically, a car boot sale without the cars, but alas,we've had no time for boot sales this year and no time for charity shops either , so Pete and I thought we would give it a go.
Off we went, scouring for objects and trinkets and pretties.
First potential purchase I found was a lovely spotty topped stool (I do love my polka dots as you know) but lately I have been questioning my purchases as to;

A. Whether I really need the item
B. Whether I really love the item and it's on my 'wishlist' or whether its just because I've seen it on a blog or in a book that has convinced me I really need it.(hmmmm that's the hardest one)
and
C. whether it really is worth the money asked.

Some things I would pay a lot of money for if I know I really, really can't live my life without it, I'll probably never see one again and I'll regret it forever if I dont get it but other times I just think, no, that's my limit..walk away.

Even though it looked like the traders had stripped the place bare at dawn like a swarm of locusts, there were still a few treasures to be found....
I won't bore you with the prices of everything but £20 was my budget and I still bought home some change even after the £5 to get in and a cup of tea (or 2)...

So,the spotty stool... lovely? yes. Cheap? yes. Place for it? no...I have to admit, I walked away.There are only so many stools you can cram into a little house with a teeny kitchen.

The very first purchase was this vintage enamel splashback stamped to look like metro tiles in a rather lovely shade of blue, you know the one,just like the colour of CornishwareSlightly shabby and The PERFECT size to sit above our range cooker! (check..no more pasta sauce splashes on the white walls, yes it's a need/never find again..only thing is though, this will have to wait for the proper kitchen as the temporary plug sockets are in the way..arggh!

second thing.. the large paper oriental lampshade you have seen already (check..on the wish list..was planning on pink but I'm so glad now I found a yellow) perfect to hang above the computer table.(turned down the other two as I didn't believe the 'they'll dry out' . Will that 'drying out' mend the large tear in the paper then? hmm no, didn't think so!)

Third thing; pretty, pretty roses on an original Barbola mirror, not on the wish list, as I do have a couple already but just too pretty and too much of a bargain to pass by..five quid and even prettier and far less chipped than mine at home.

Fourth thing, vintage wooden creatures stacked on top of each other..don't ask why I homed in on this but I love cartoon-like graphics and I love animals, I think it's from the 1940's ..maybe earlier, not on the list but a 'never see again'. A bit indulgent really but lovely, lovely drawings.

lastly there was this: I really don't know why these things appeal to me, they just do.
I love old toys.They are scattered about our house in random places for no apparent reason. This was on my wish list, I've seen them on eBay and they seem to go for a fair bit, the first one we encountered at the flea market was £25 so straight away it was a 'walk away'.
The second one was a bit worse for wear, just spotted as the chap was packing away..'a quid to you love'
I'm really not keen on the term 'love' but a quid is a quid and I can put up with being called 'love' for a quid.
I'm easily bought.

Stupidly I didn't take a before photo, but it is pretty amazing what a good clean and little bit of Hammerite paint can do.Half the rust fell off on the way home.. in the car..on my clothes..I even managed to get some on my face..you get the picture, it got just about everywhere.
Now, I wouldn't normally paint something like this,as you know, I do like original and shabby but it really did need doing, I think the rust would have just eaten it away and it would have been gone forever. I luckily managed to match up the silver hammered paint the rest was left in it's original state. When I prized the rusted lock open and the little bell gave a clear 'ding' there was a whole drawer full of vintage play money too, including a ten shilling note-ooh mega bucks pre 1971!And the ones that got away..
A fab 3' high plaster 1980's cartoon Superman torso, probably an old advertising film promo thing. I went back four times to that one and each time the seller dropped it a bit without me even asking but it was just tooooooo much money.
And the biggest regret?
THE most beautiful small patchwork throw. Ginghams, polka dots and decades of florals in the best colours. Greens ,blues,pinks and faded reds all backed with a vintage blanket. It was just too fragile and had lots of holes that I wouldn't have had time to repair. I didn't even ask the price and I now wished I had.
The lady stall holder was lovely..she liked my bag, made from vintage 1950s fabric, not made by me, I hastened to add, but a treat to myself from this lady after spotting one in Country Living..most definitely a one off 'never to be seen again' purchase. We shared a moment of vintage fabric appreciation.I do so love fifties fabrics. I love the 1950's period and bitterly regret selling off most of our stuff from the first house .I've even recently managed to convince the eldest stinky boy to have some 50s stuff in his room and he actually likes it..I sneaked in a fab sci-fi 1950s B movie film poster amongst the Banksy's (I think the half clad gorgeous girlie being carried swung it)and some atomic print cushions hmmm..I'm now wondering how far I can push it..the granny blanket appeared again on his bed and it has stayed in there for one whole week but I'm not holding up much hope, the landing floor will be wearing it sometime soon no doubt..

Anyway, back to the flea fair, the patchwork throw was gorgeous and I now I just can't stop thinking about it. I'm kicking myself.
Never mind, maybe I'll spot it again next fleamarket time and if I don't, then it wasn't meant to be mine.

ps..Claire, does Prince Charles really walk like a runner duck???

Pretty....spring flowers

Don't you just LOVE Spring flowers? Even the simple ones.
3 simple mugs of pret-tea!

Pretty...pretty lavender hearts

ok...so this is a blatant, unashamed plug!

In between moping about feeling sorry for myself (thanks you lovely lot for your messages by the way, I really did appreciate them.. x) I have actually been making something involving buttons, ribbon, pretty fabrics and some lovely French lavender which winged it's way over from France, courtesy of my mum. They sell it on the local market sometimes in a big barrel like loose herbs! how lovely..and how very French!mmmmm smells wonderful, although I think once the room fills with the delicious smell of lavender (and the dog starts sneezing)we become a bit immune to it here, shame really.

If you wish to, you can find them here in my little shop (two of the above ones have already sold but there are still some others to choose from)
I've also added onto eBay,a large gingham lampshade and a couple of appliqued cushions from The White company that I think look very much like Greengate ones..in very Cath Kidston colours...very pretty indeedy..Links are in the side bar if you happen to need them!!
x

Pretty...Reds favourite walk

There has been a bit of stressful 'stuff ' going on at home at the moment with the oldest stinky boy that is giving me a few sleepless nights to say the least..It seems we have been down this road before...and just when I was begining to really like 2008 after all the stress of the last 2 years, something would go and happen to spoil it all... if I dissappear for a bit, you'll know why.. So when the stress gets too much..we go for a walk here...quite often, as it happens.

"you're going the wrong way,Red"I said "YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!.."(hes a bit deaf)

Three quarters of the way up one of the hills is a lake. I love this place,especially when the tourist have gone home (we know who they are as they're the ones that dont say hello) and it's just me,the dog ,the fish and the birds....Bliss.

It was one of the many dissued quarries that were used to quarry the Malvern stone which makes up many of the Victorian houses around the area. The silence here is eerie and any sounds echo around the stone cliffs surrounding this rugged little beauty spot.

Red did a spot of swimming (he's paying for it today though..not as young as he used to be) and the resident mother duck with her troup of babies watched on..
Even on a damp, dull evening, I love it here...

...and so does Red.

Pretty...Stonehouse cottage gardens (and a pretty shop!)

Usually for our Anniversary,Pete and I go to an open garden or house somewhere ...we are definately not your roses and a romantic meal type..a cup of tea and some yummy cake does for me and we would rather spend money on something nice for the house than on expensive cards.(more on nice housey things later)

I'm sure I'm not alone..well I hope I'm not or you'll think I'm really mean!!

This year we went to

Stonehouse Cottage gardens and nursery

It's not very far from us in Malvern, near Kidderminster and for £3 it's certainly worth a look...

You may have seen it featured in a magazine.I first saw it in 'The English Garden' but I think more recently it was in Country living (or Country homes?) It's a walled garden with towers and follies, all hand built by the current owners out of reclaimed bricks..

You can climb up the very narrow spiral steps in one tower (a bit scary to say the least) and take a peek out over the three quarters of an acre gardens...

...which are truly beautiful..and very English.

They are not overly immaculate gardens,the roses needed deadheading and the lawn edges and hedges needed a trim, but when you think just one lady looks after all this by herself and runs a nursery selling all the plants from the garden,they are pretty amazing. (My photographs really don't do it justice)

We were the only people there (apart from the owners friendly Collies after a bit of fuss) and timed the weather perfectly as we had blue skies and sunshine..lovely!

Afterwards I dragged Pete off to Hereford (in the pouring rain!) for some retail therapy..I'm sure the Child benefit is meant to be spent on things like school shoes ,food or actual children..but hey-ho never mind..I'm sure the stinky boys will appreciate all my new goodies :0)

We went specifically to Hereford to go to one shop...

Berry Red

the most fantastic little place tucked away down an alley.

Our wedding anniversary gift to ourselves, little teeny love birds in a tin (ok this is about as soppy as we get!)
A new address book

( which must have taken me 15 minutes to decide between the 3 different ones..Pete has the patience of a saint!)

A pretty Greengate beaker for the bathroom.. which matches the new mat I got last week!
I love Greengate things..

...and a wire letter tray.I really like these..next time I'm going to get the one that hangs on the wall.

My wonderful mother-in-law bought me the 2 new Cath kidston Tesco bags,they seem to be sold out everywhere and going on eBay for up to £24 (they are £3.50 each) I must admit I have a problem with that..they are after all, for charity and a cancer charity at that, I think the eBay sellers should donate all their profits, imagine what Marie Curie could do with all that extra money..The stripey one at the back is a 99p one from Somerfield..they have three very similar styles to the Cath Kidston ones if your interested!

I must just add this little bit (it has been a bit of a long post, sorry!)....today I'm the proudest mum EVER...my big stinky boy has got a place at college..not on his exam results...on his own merit! He's had such a tough time with school, the last few years have been a bit of a nightmare to say the least and I can't tell you how pleased we are..well done George!! (you do realise you will have to build our extension when you are qualified?!!)

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Have a great week! x