Spring stuff...

   Ooops I did it yet again, disappearing off without telling a soul. Naughty me.

squished bears

 Whilst I'm at home making myself poor by visiting eBay far too often (urrrgh hands up who else is sick of the flipping rain?) I thought I'd better stop by and poke my head round the door.
I have been busy with general stuff, visits from 'up north' sister..a sister who likes to walk and walk and walk (and then eat cake just like me) and a little brother who isn't quite so little anymore (dont know where he got his tall gene from) came to stay all the way from Canada.
There's been Stinky boy taking his RAF Airman's test ..and passing!

all new chickypoo pen

 There's been a spot of decorating and lots of repairing stuff (mainly the chicken run as I fell over in it whilst wearing my  pyjamas and spotty wellies, doing a spectacular roll in the mud and snapping off all the posts..Bald bloke found it highly amusing, being covered in chicken poo, I less so) Oh and our chicken run is in the FRONT garden....
Changing the little white car for a more 'manly' slightly bigger black one, (boys and their cars, honestly) I have the most 'manly' vehicle of all but nobody wants him as he leaks on you when it rains, smells like a wet dog  most of the time and has bright orange arches.
  Poor old thing, good job mummy still loves you Beastie truck.

Beastie

 There's been the getting of super-duper new glasses after Bella decided to eat mine.
Bella likes to eat stuff don't you know.  Blind as a bat for 3 months, I was.

geeky chic?

 There's been some injuries, namely from over excited hounds smashing into my calf at about 30 miles an hour. It felt like no pain I had ever felt..ever. Like being punched very, very hard with a red hot bowling ball. Yow! The dogs were fine, incase you were wondering.   I wasn't.

Harry (looking a little bit deranged), Felicity and Patricia (he named them!)

 There's been Birthdaying, corrr I was very, very spoilt this year with lots of unexpected surprises, two new chickens to replace some dear old girlies and a Cath Kidston holdall filled with pretty stuff  and Bald bloke bought me a birdbath. Reeeeesult!!)

Just need a weekend away now

 And lastly there's just been the general dog walking and gardening that I do anyway.

Nothing much very exciting really but I know you like to know, just like I do on your blogs.

Spring is definitely in the air amongst all this rain because I'm getting that nesting urge again. I really do have distinct need to decorate at the moment (lack of the big funds unfortunately stops me) I would love to paint the hall and have new blinds, have those much longed for shutters in the lounge and knock a big hole in the wall to make our teeny lounge bigger. I have so many ideas I have to write them down in a book before I go to bed to stop my head exploding in the night. It's quite interesting looking back through it and thinking "oh I'm glad I didn't do that" or "yes I did that and it worked out OK"
I wallpapered a  couple of walls a several months back and I love wallpaper, really love it, but every time I use it, I have a uncontrollable urge to paint over it a few months later.
About 10 years ago our bedroom originally had Cath Kidston pale green and white teeny polka dot wallpaper, it was really lovely but I got bored with it and painted over it in blue on a whim, much to bald blokes dismay. (that meant different curtains and bedding, you see)
 Then I acquired two rolls of Cath Kidston Paris Rose paper. How I loved this beautiful rosy paper with its nod to the 1950's but I actually prefer the red version if I'm honest.

nope, way toooooo rosy

 I papered the chimney breast in the dining room but once again, not long after,out came the paint. The same thing happened in our bedroom, a couple of  lengths of rosy loveliness and then having just decorated and 'de-boyed' Harry's old room in readiness for my sister coming to stay, I splashed a couple of coats of  my favourite Farrow and Ball blue over Cath and her rosy kitschness.Well, the paintbrushes were out so why not?... CRIMINAL isn't it? Especially as you can no longer get Paris Rose. A new old mirror (99p from eBay..bargain!)  and a shifty round of 'stuff' and I can sleep at ease without the rosiness shouting 'LOOK AT ME!' all the time.

my 99p vintage mirror!

 I just might wallpaper the inside of the wardrobe doors with the leftovers though, we'll see.
Now I know I must turn away and not be seduced by pretty wallpapers. I'm a plain and simple paint person and that's all there is to it. However I did see some fabulous pink 70s wallpaper on a trip to Tewkesbury recently and it keeps popping into my head niggling at me like a Labrador wanting it's dinner. Hmmmmm, I wonder..

cheerio for now x

Vintage Dogs and going AWOL

Why the long face, Red?

You may have noticed I skipped over of December, Christmas, New Year and most and January too, for good reason though, this blog was becoming more and more depressing and I became embarrassed to add yet more gloom to it, even though that's just our life and that's how it goes sometimes, you get on with it and do the best you can with a situation until the next one comes along.
as you know, our situations tend to come along a bit like buses, none for a while then several one after the other. It's a bit of a pain.
Not long after we had to have Maude put to sleep, we came home and found her sister Ethel had died of a heart attack.

It was a bit of a shock to say the least and very sad too.Two cats in 5 weeks. I have a house of depressed animals now, it's made all of the remaining ones act most peculiar.
Then Pete got put on a 4 day week until March which we could really have done without (hmmm Mr.Stobbart doesn't show you things like that on his cringy TV program where he swans around with his 1980's comedian's mullet in his helicopter betting a mans week's wages on a horse..cringe cringe and double cringe)
Then I had to tell Pete on Christmas Eve that his friend had died, not only a friend but the brother of his best friend who was killed on a motorbike several years ago. Double tragedy for his lovely parents.It was seeing them that really broke Pete's heart. We have also had some trouble with our dear eldest son, who also seems to get himself into situations one after the other. Pest.
So I do hope this belated Happy New Year means just that for all of  you and all of us..

 That's that then..onto other stuff...

Bunty

Buster

As you may know I have a bit of a thing for vintage looking Terriers.Especially those on wheels.
There's Buster who you have already met and his sister Bunty who lives outside in the summer house along with many others scattered about the house, which you can read about HERE. So you can imagine why I was drawn to this little chap;


 I found this little brooch in a gift shop in Totnes when the old bald bloke and I went down to Devon back in October.Many minutes were spent in the shop umming and ahhing and cooing over this one item.I bet the nice lady owner wanted to hit me with a broom when I finally walked away without it.

I kicked myself on the way home as I didn't buy it at the time as it was rather expensive.Luckily thanks to the wonders of  t'internet,  I managed to find the lady who makes them and a diddy dog on wheels brooch found it's way to my house.
Don't you think its just so cute? A cute dog on cute wheels in a cute box..Luverly

 At the moment we are busy giving the house a lick of much needed paint whilst Pete is on a four day week but as with most old houses one job turns into 500 and it seems to be taking forever. It doesn't help that half the leftover paint in the garage froze and went off so we have to do it as and when funds allow (which isn't very often at the moment!) flitting from one job to the next and then back again. I'm meant to be making blinds that I was meant to making this time last year and lampshades too and ... I think I need to make a list else I'll be procrastinating all day.. yet again
I've also been busy helping a chap out walking dogs lately, it's nice but very tiring. I did 30 in one day not so long ago.Utter madness I can tell you but it was great fun in the snow. I need to learn to do that big whistle thing that men seem to be born with the ability to do (one that doesn't require you to stick your fingers in your mouth because obviously the down side of walking dogs is the collecting of poo thing..mmm lovely) One dog is called 'Alan'. It cracks me up and I can't manage to call him across a busy park without it sounding quite ridiculous! "AAAAAAAAALUN"
cheerio for now x

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???

talking Japanese

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOh how I wish I could speak Japanese. wish ,wish, wish I could.
This lovely parcel of vintagey fabulousness arrived today.
Eye candy indeedy.
Fans of Paumes books will already know what I'm talking about but I was, until 5 o'clock this afternoon, a Paumes virgin.
Oh my, what have I been missing?
...I'm so excited I might have to have a poo at Paul's house. (I'm sorry but that advert makes me laugh SO much!)
Anyway, take a look vintage fans.
You may need a sit down and some hot sweet tea after taking in all these lovely images ....Now this little book seems to sum up everything I love.
Fifties stuff, vintage stuff,pretty stuff, shabby stuff ..STUFF in general.It is just Fab.


If you are already hyperventilating and feel the need to get one too, go directly to the Paumes site, you can pay by £'s in paypal who convert it from Yen. Mine arrived very quickly all the way from Japan for about £16 including postage.
I rather think a new obsession has arrived don't you?This page must be dedicated to Julia!...
p.s Betty says thanks for all the egg appreciation, it shocked her so much laying such a whopper she decided to loose her feathers early (it's molting season) so the hen run now looks like an exploded feather pillow. (Her big massive egg made a lovely spinach and red pepper frittata though..yum)
I have so much to tell and never have time lately...I have been away to watch 'spiderman' ride a wave,(more on that one later) A first visit to a massive local fleamarket where I got some brilliant finds (including that lovely vintage paper lantern in the photo above) and next week I have two whole days off as my mummy is visiting me from France.Whoopeeeee!!
No doubt girlie shopping, cake and copious amounts of tea will be involved...roll on Tuesday!!
x

cute corner

I've been-a-shopping
***
Cute things arrived at my house.

I do like it when cute things arrive in the post.
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Cute things that can keep an eye on those stinky boys by the computer....hmmm...with that knowing look!