Another year older

My baby turned six today - how did that happen?!! It seems like only yesterday he was that oh so cute little curly haired angel... not that his behaviour matched up! And soon my other baby will be 18 - now won't that make me feel old!

Four weddings and a funeral

Fabulous oil lamp and books, patterned tablecloth £1!

I finally managed to take some photos of the gorgeous Victorian china which I have put on my facebook page ~ So Gorgeous ~ but of course I have to post one or two here. The sun came out just at the right moment :)The colours are just gorgeous.
Had a visit from a lovely couple on Saturday who brought me some tea-sets and cake-stands. I had bought a couple of items from Robert on Ebay and he then offered me the rest of their wedding china, complete with free delivery from Loughborough! I have met SO many lovely people since starting this :)  I shall have to unpack it all and organise a photoshoot. It's mainly 1950s and I have a fabulous 1950s Home magazine which my Mum found to put with it.  I'm also buzzing with ideas for some 1930s photos inspired by my grandparents' wedding photo. More to come on that...
Also full of ideas for two weddings I have booked, can't wait!

The gorgeous Priscilla

And finally - at last! A decent photo of Priscilla, our timid rescue cat - bless :)  I found a suspicious pile of feathers in the kitchen this morning but no signs of a body... it's the quiet ones you have to watch ;)

It's not just teapots...

How gorgeous!

 A very beautiful handbag I picked up in a charity shop yesterday, I just loved the colours and the fabric.  It looks as if it's never been used!  What a pity that would be, good thing I rescued it :)

 Does anyone know how to edit the layout of this blog?  The pictures have a mind of their own! The tutorial hasn't helped me much :( ...

Matches my rug :)

Fitting it all in

Time for an update...  I've acquired several gorgeous things in the past week, one of my favourites being a little display cabinet from a local charity shop.  I first spied it a few weeks ago but it was just too expensive for a 'wish' - then last Friday it was reduced!  Fate.  And a beautiful coffee set I won on Ebay arrived just in time to put in it. 

Note cute little birdcage tealight holder

My other totally gorgeous purchase this week was a set of vintage suitcases - I'm delighted with them!  Ooh, they look so fab in my living room they may have to stay there :)
That's enough for today, I'll finish the bunting tomorrow and put up a photo of a gorgeous handbag I picked up yesterday...

Night night all x
 

Bunting and all that jazz

This is going to be quick...
Hurray! I made some pennants* today, now I just need the bias tape** to put them on. and then I can delight everyone with a photograph. Oh the excitement, hope you can all sleep ;) 

* triangles of fabric
** ribbon/string

Beware of the White Van Man

Smashed to smithereens, how sad - it was lovely

Some beautiful white and gold tea sets arrived today - sadly the courier was totally careless and 24 of the 85 items were broken :'( According to the seller, he was seen throwing the box into the back of the van despite it having FRAGILE stickers all over it.  I've written an email to complain of course (the lady on the telephone wasn't much help), and will name and shame them if they don't offer me compensation!  Watch this space!

 The only saving grace is that it fits into the plastic crate I had, which, had it all been in tact, it wouldn't have.
The remainder is rather gorgeous though :)  Can't wait to use it!
Must make some bunting...

A beautiful cream and gold teapot that I already had.

 

 

 

 

Let's make the skirts shorter...

Had a long chat on the phone with an old school friend this morning and miss her so much!  She's very much into the vintage scene and has given me some brilliant ideas for advertising and marketing - and of course we discussed hair, clothes and make-up and the fact that we love dressing up and intend to grow old disgracefully ;)
My Wednesday visit to the local charity shops resulted in several pieces of fabric for making bunting (a big thanks to Kath at Sew Là Là
for that tip) - a floral curtain, a pink toddlers dress and an old nightshirt - I'm going to cut them all up mercilessly using the cardboard templates I made last night.  Then I'll ask the 12 year old to show me how to use the sewing machine...
 Have finally taken a couple of snaps of the Victorian china so here's one...
I've had a bit of a swing day today with Ray Gelato and Caro Emerald to keep me company, and of course my Chicago soundtrack so:

Let's all go to hell in a fast car and KEEP IT HOT!

Upcycling

"The process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value"

One of the things I love about vintage china, and old things in general, is the knowledge that's it's been owned and used before.  Who, we'll probably never know, even those things passed down through generations - we can't know who has drunk out of that tea cup or on what occasion.  I find today's children (and I have several of them) think nothing of throwing something out and getting a new one. It's such a shame to think of so many gorgeous things lying dusty on shelves and in boxes - they should be used!  That's what they were made for after all.  By collecting and hiring out some beautiful pieces of china and glass I can feel I'm doing my bit to give these items a new life - recycling of sorts.  Hopefully, they will be admired and enjoyed by a great many more people in their future.

Rant over.

Now here are a couple of pictures of the cat...

Do I really have to go to work tomorrow?

Just had to put this up - a beautiful glass display stand I bought this week. So gorgeous!
And I need a lesson in how to edit this blog properly...

Note the lovely new tablecloth :)

How do you make the pictures go where you want?  I have so much to learn...

What shall I write about? Hmmm...

Another busy week!

My Victorian china finally arrived on Monday, thanks to friends and their relatives who managed to transport it from Halifax to Manchester and eventually here to West London. Miraculously only one cup got broken in transit - not bad going for 230 miles and 4 cars. It then took two days to unpack, sort and put into boxes.  It is gorgeous though, must get it out for some photos.

My hallway, complete with borrowed suitcase, my
Grandma's Bride Book (1939) and a 40's hat from Ebay

A photoshoot in the garden on Thursday - they take ages!  Especially when you have birds and cats to fend off...

The 'middle room' is now starting to look more organised after my son and I spent Friday rearranging furniture, although my garage does look like Steptoe's yard -  you can't have everything can you?

Had a meeting about a dinner party I'm providing the table setting for, looking forward to lots of pink and diamonds, makes a change from chintz.

Some vintage fabrics arrived today so I can get sewing and make some bunting, and took a spur-of-the-moment trip to a fantastic fabric warehouse in Finchley, which resulted in an unnecessary but lovely oilcloth for my kitchen table.

Have almost finished all the wording for the website, then it''ll be time to get out into the world in my tea dress with my suitcase full of china - hurray!