Elvis and me

It's a little known fact but I was going to marry Elvis Presley. Tragically, he died before I could meet him, but if he hadn't, I was going to marry him.  I remember being on a campsite in France with my family when my Mum told me the devastating news, and my 11-year-old dreams were shattered.

I know he was a rubbish actor, but he was So Gorgeous! Damn that Priscilla getting in there first.

I still have his photo on my bedroom wall.  RIP beautiful man.

Drat

Drat, drat and double drat. I have totally failed to keep to my weekly post schedule and need to get three of them out by this weekend to catch up. Drat some more.
I did start a post about my daughters, but having rewritten it about 10 times and not being able to find the photos I wanted (thanks to one daughter 'kindly' moving everything off of the laptop onto the portable drive), I have given up on that idea - I couldn't finish it :(
So anyway, I asked my Talented Younger Artistic Daughter (aged 12) what she thought I should write about for D and she said "Dolls and Doillies". So here they are (minus the doillies):

I love this dolly, she doesn't have a name yet, any suggestions?

These adorable little 1940s wooden dolls live amongst my china, my children think they're creepy!

Peter in a tree

Millie and Olga

Joined by Jana. What are they all looking at?

Bratz. I find these really creepy - they have detachable feet. I have been trying to sort out all the feet so we can pass them on but still have several 'single' ones... so there will be a couple of them with odd feet of different ethnicities ;)

P.S. Because I do love my girls lots and lots and don't say it enough:
My eldest (14 in a couple of weeks) is very bright, has a beautiful singing voice, is amazing with technology (give her a gadget and she's an expert in an hour). taught herself to play the piano, is pretty grown up, thoughtful and responsible and of course, beautiful.
My younger daughter, fun, artistic (self-taught drawing skills, inate talent with layout and design, great eye for photography), clever, beautiful, affectionate, creative. Love you Lulu and Abi xxx
P.P.S. My boys - I'll dedicate some blog to you another day, you know I love you both too xxx

C is for Charity

I confess. I am a charityshopaholic. I am fortunate enough to have three charity shops within yards of my front door and I visit them all regularly, at least once a week.  The nearest one is great for clothes, and I have bought some vintage china and linen there too. Oh, and a gorgeous pashmina. And some shoes...
The middle one is very tiny and full of tat and gems.  My youngest loves to go there and peruse the Wii games and dvds. I tend to give a lot of stuff to them too, maybe I feel a bit motherly towards that one, it seems a bit more in need, and I love Christine who runs it. I've bought some vintage jewellery gems there, quite a lot of china and glassware, a silver tray and one of my favourite dresses which always attracts comments (and amazement when I say it was only £3).
The furthest one, all of a block away, has racks of clothing (most of which needs recycling to be honest) but the odd gem amongst it, and furniture.  I love the little display cabinet I bought there a while ago and my coat stand. Oh and the plate rack in my china room.
Another one I try to get to at least once a month is a short drive away, but on my way home from work. Inconveniently it closes at 4.0 p.m. every day so it's not often I get there in time - hence once a month!  But they do have great things every now and then. There was a whole Royal Albert dinner service in there for AGES, I hope it went to a happy home.  I also found a gorgeous sequined evening dress there, tag for £180 still on it - I was compelled to bring it to live with me although I've yet to find an occasion upon which to wear it. Thinking about it, that's the place I bought a fabulous necklace and one of my favourite vintage vases.
I have planned a day trip to The Charity Shops of Chiswick with a friend of mine in The Near Future - I shall report back....

I Spy With My Little Eye....

Something Beginning With B

A bit late this week, I had so many ideas of things to post and wanted to take lots of photographs and it's led to me being a bit rubbish :(  Seeing as it was Easter, I am including a photograph of one of the bunnies that occupy our house (along with the cats and children, oh and a little vintage bear too), sitting happily upon a nest of vintage suitcases that grace my sitting room. Sitting room! Ha! I rarely sit in there because the cushions are rarely actually on the sofas and I'd rather not look at the wires, games and gadgets that the children leave all over the floor...

Photo taken by my (talented) younger daughter

On Easter Sunday we had a family meal at my mum's. Her house is full of a million things (many of them beginning with B) but something that I lack myself is/are the vintage books.  I love them, they create an instant atmosphere and make for fabulous displays. You could even read them if you felt like it.

 

In my own house, in addition to the bunnies, cats, children and vintage stuff, I have some birdies and butterflies hidden in the 'things'. One of the cats did decide to try and kill one of the birdies, so my robin is a bit bedraggled and minus an eye but hey, it adds to the charm don't you think? :)

A is for Acquisitions

I have realised that this blog has been Seriously Neglected. I'm a bit sad about that because I enjoyed writing it so I've decided to try and resurrect it by giving myself a task as an incentive. I came across the idea of an A-Z blog today and that was just what I needed to get me going again :) A post a week starting with A, so here goes...

Acquisitions

I have somehow managed to acquire six cats. Yes, SIX CATS. That's a lot of cats. Way more cats than I ever dreamed of acquiring I can tell you. I may have to make my C post the story of The Cats, but they'll be competing with Cake and Charity Shops I think.  I posted a picture of one of them (Priscilla) in a previous entry, but here is a photo of two of the newer ones:

Mummy cat Delilah, a stray, and baby cat Mabel. We also still have Mabel's brother, Teapot, and sister, Spider.

The buttons are SO cute!

Beautiful pale blue tapestry fabric

I have also acquired, this week, a rather gorgeous summer coat from my local charity shop. I confess (ooh, another potential C) to being a charity shopaholic and could fill an entire blog with my bargains! Despite the Dry Clean Only label it appears to have survived the washing machine and I can't wait for some actual summer in which to wear it :)
And I couldn't resist a pair of sparkly earrings... okay, make that two pairs.

Next week's Random Rambling - B. Suggestions anyone?

Kitsch in the kitchen

Meet Pinkie, the latest addition to my teapot family - isn't she lovely?  She was spotted hiding on a bric-a-brac stall in Hereford by a friend of mine, and purchased for the vast sum of £4. Lucky me!
I now have the huge dilemma of which one comes with me to the exhibition...

Beautiful cream and gold teapots, I love them all!

 The shelving for Earl's Court is looking very at home in my kitchen, the grapes are long gone though.  The artificial flowers I've been collecting recently look very pretty alongside it, I've moved some of them into the jug from the bottom shelf: see below! (with the bunting that I finally managed to finish on Friday morning) 
 In other news, I've made some headway in my attempt to tidy up my china room and the plate-rack is now on the wall rather than the floor :)

 


Right, time for bed, after the recycling has been taken out, the washing machine has been emptied and put in the tumble drier, and the dishwasher has been loaded and put on. Oh the glamour. Thank goodness for appliances.

Friends, flowers and florists

Oh my, it's been a long time since I put anything on here... So what's been happening in The Pink House?  Well, we had a lovely Easter in Dorset: the weather was kind to us, I caught up with an old school friend for a day out at Abbotsbury Farm and found time for a very fruitful 'grown-ups only' mooch about the vintage market in Bridport - I could have stayed there all day!  Unfortunately the weather has been so pants since then that I haven't managed to take any decent photographs of the two beautiful 1930s tea sets I bought :( 
Happily, when we came back the wisteria was out - how lovely is that?

My first attempt at using the new camera! Ooh... I like it :)

Lovely wired paper roses

 

My website is looking SO gorgeous, thanks to the fabulous Vicky, I just need to find the time to edit my huge album of pictures down to a select few for the galleries and we're about done - will get it live soon, fingers crossed.  And my ideas for STP Photography's stand at the Earls Court Spirit of Summer exhibition are hatched - waiting for a totally gorgeous bookcase to arrive and some sunshine so we can paint the garden furniture cream!  Ah well, if it carries on raining it'll be Plan B and green.

Looking forward to decorating the house for my daughter's 13th Birthday Vintage Tea Party - must get that bunting finished! I went to a totally fantastic florists' wholesaler today to look for accessories and came back with an oh-so-pretty mannequin for table decorating - I had to resist the urge to buy half a dozen birdcages and most of the artificial flowers, they're just so wonderful nowadays, not like the dusty, plastic, apricot-coloured things of my grandmother's generation.

So that's about it for this post - I could ramble on for ever but the children want feeding... a bientôt mes amis :)

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!

Getting started...

Well, here it is at last!  This blog has been dying to get out for ages!  My intention is to provide a diary of 'life' in the Pink House, the comings and goings, the latest additions to the (ever-increasing, oops) china collection and just a general take on the world of me.  I hope someone reads it.