A victorian vintage bargain & some upcycling :)

Good evening from Sunny Suffolk - makes such a change to have blue skies again.

Its been a good weekend so far :)

The charity shops in town were well stocked on Monday morning - I got several items including this set of Cheery Familes cards;

They were a bargain at just £1 - the set is complete & apart from a few scuffs on the box & a tear in the instructions they look like they've not been used.  I was curious to find out more about them - isn't the internet wonderful ;)  They are Victorian and made by a company called delarue who seemed to make lots of cards & games.  This link tells you more about them. I've looked on some auction sites & depending on which one they have sold recently for anything between £5 & £50! I shall be keeping them as they are rather lovely.

I also got a couple more pairs of coloured needles for my ever growing collection - when I added them to the jug - I decided it reminded me of something we've seen rather a lot recently;

The BBC Election logo!!

Lastly for today, I've been busy recycling/upcycling :) Little son volunteered me to finish making a case for a friends brass instrument - the teacher had started but had run out of time/ideas as how to finish it! The main case is made from a vintage wool blanket & an old sheet. I had to add a handle (upcycled 'free' belt from a pair of big sons trousers - not one he wanted), drawstring  (carbooted cotton tape with an upcycled spring clip from an old swimming bag) and lastly hidden inside, a mouthpiece holder (spare piece of felt). My goodness it was a nightmare to sew - had to buy a special leather needle as it was so thick - I stabbed myself several times but eventually got it finished;

Very Tom & Barbara Good ;)

See you soon - I promise next time I'll add a recipe for the Banana bread and hopefully have some swap pics to share too ;)

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Deckchairs & Haberdashery :)

Good evening - how was your weekend?

Ours was mainly soggy - though the sun finally peaked out this afternoon.

Saturday morning dawned grey & damp :( We'd decided that we were going out whatever the weather as there was somewhere we wanted to visit.  Big son's school have taken part in a 'design a deckchair' event organised by our local hospice - see here. We went to have a look as his design was included in the book of designs by other children from his school.  One of my friends daughters won the competition - this is her design;

There were lots of others by many famous faces - here are just a small selection - loads more on the website;

Antony Horowitz

David Mckee - my favourite

Helen Oxenbury

Catherine Anholt

The event is touring the local area and is definitely worth a looksie :)

Whilst we were in Halesworth, we split into 2 groups - the menfolk going off in search of more home-brewing stuff and me in search of haberdashery. Everyone was happy - the boys have 2 more types of beer to brew (for a party in the summer) and I have some pretty fabric & ribbons;

I also found the most wonderful organic/fair trade food & gift shop - I'd heard about it but never been (Halesworth is someone I've not visited for about 10+ years!). We stocked up on some scrummy olives to go with lunch and a few chocolate treats for me & the boys ;)

In the afternoon Little Son headed to school!! His brass group were playing for an open afternoon to celebrate the school centenary - rather ironic that the same school is due to close due to re-organisation in 2012 :(

This morning we had planned to head to a couple of local bootsales - despite the grey & dampness, MrVV & I did just that - the boys opted to stay at home in the warm & dry.  There weren't too many stalls or booters and to be honest the bargains were pretty thin on ground. However I didn't come home empty handed;

Buttons & a ladybird book (from the last stall I looked at!)

Lets hope the sunshine remains with us this week - I thought I could safely pack my winter woolies & boots away but in the past couple of days they've come back out :(

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Been bakin', been stitchin'

Afternoon from a now slightly soggy corner of Suffolk - shame my washing is still on the line!!

Been a very home day here. First of all as its Friday, it must time for another cake - this time banana bread;

Then I finished a couple of dollies towards the craft fair;

and then the postie arrived - bills for MrVV ;) & some lovely things for me;

I did do some boring domestic stuff too - but no-one wants to read about supermarket shopping & cleaning the bathrooms!! ;)

BTW I've now got 2 CK May catalogues so if someone wants one let me know - happy to send abroad (if more than one wants it I'll pop the names in a hat/egg-cup/teenage boys trainer ;) ).

Have a good weekend - hoping for sunshine but doubting its going to happen!!

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Red & Yellow & Green & Blue, Purple & random colours too ;)

A sister knitted me the wrist cuff - something she was experimenting with :)

Yes that is a tattoo on my wrist - something I don't think I've told you before ;)

Wonder what colour tomorrow shall bring for us here in the UK? I voted - did you?

Vicki

xxxxxx

Arrrrrrgggghhhhhhhhhhh - nothings ever simple!

Afternoon :)

I'd great plans for today - MrVV is out driving a lorry so I could happily spend my time doing exactly what I want without him tutting and generally getting under my feet.  I'd planned to make my apron for the Apron Swap - it started so well - pattern made, fabrics cut, pinned & hems ironed. Off upstairs to sew - again - going great guns, neck strap, waist ties & pocket hemmed and then *thud* - I ran out of thread! Now I've a rainbow of colours but the one colour I needed I was completely out of :(  Normally it would just be a case of heading into town to the haberdashery shop but today is Wednesday & here in deepest darkest Suffolk some shops still close & this shop in one of them :(

Instead I wisely used the time to wrap up 2 parcels for 2 other swaps I'm doing (one for Mel that's 'Good Enough to Eat' & another for Karen that's a 'fabric swap). Now obviously I can't show you want I'm sending them but I can tease them with a pile of wrapped goodies;

Once that was done (girls they'll be in the post tomorrow), I headed into town. I'd seen a mention on a couple of blogs about this months Easy Living Magazine & its wonderful free gift. The first shop I tried hadn't any but the 2nd one came up trumps - I was even able to choose which design I wanted;

Oh yes a free Cath Kidston bag - big enough for days on the beach, Stitch & Bitch or just some light shopping ;) Plus there's a voucher for 15% off - I am tempted by a few things so I might even treat myself to something small ;)

Now best I go and do something domestic before the boys get home from school.

Hurrah its Wednesday - Stitch & Bitch tonight :)

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Wind, rain, hail & a cage!

Good evening :)

How was your Bank Holiday Weekend? Ours?

Well it started so well - I'd promised big son a cake & he got one;

Then we had the first asparagus of the season for dinner - the greengrocers in town gets this delivered each day from a farm only a few miles away;

Saturday passed in a blur of domestic bliss and light gardening duties. MrVV & I went to a wedding reception in the evening and I had a jolly good dance with some of my friends.

Sunday dawned rather grey & wet - normally the sort of day where we'd opt for an indoor activity. Sadly for the 2 younger members of the household this wasn't an option. They were walking with their scout pack in the Heritage Coast Walk;

They looked this 'happy' at the start - they looked worse later!! Big son did the full 13 miles he'd signed up to do - his group contained the older more experienced scouts & the weather didn't seem to bother them. Little sons group stopped at the 6 mile point as they were all cold, wet & shivering - the adult with them decided that it wasn't a good idea for them to go any further :(

This morning the skies were still cloudy but the persistent downpour of yesterday didn't look like it was going to happen, so we all wrapped up warm and headed out for the day. We went to a Country & Game Fair at a nearby stately home.  It was quite good and there was lots to see and plenty of stalls to hide in when the heavens did open.

I've had to eat a slice of humble pie today - the reason? Well MrVV bought an 'Indiana Jones' style hat at an event in the Autumn & I've taken the mickey out of him on more than one occasion. Today my head was cold so I bought one too!! and then little son decided he'd buy himself one as well!!

Now it seems that as well as blogland going mad for swaps - its also going giveaway crazy too! Here are just 3 that have appeared on my dashboard today;

Winnibriggs @ Winnibriggshouse

Another Happy Monday @ Kelly's

and finally

Kirsty @ sixty one A

Oh the cage in the post title? Part of the fairground that was there - MrVV & the boys decided they'd go in this;

(the boys are hidden behind MrVV)

See you sometime in the week

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Show & Tell Sunday - Favourite China

    

If its Show & Tell Sunday time again then its must mean we're into another new month - the year is going by so quickly!

Now this was never going to be an easy one for me - one favourite piece of china - just one? - impossible. The reason? I've been collecting china for about 20 years now. I started collecting as I used to go every Sunday with my Grandad to car boot sales - MrVV & I were renovating a house - I was supposed to be looking for door fittings & other items to use in the renovations. Grandad used to pick me up bright & early and away we'd go. He was a avid collector of bone china and in those days you were spoilt for choice each week with so many bargains around - it seemed that bone china had fallen out of fashion. It meant that we were there collecting it up! He must own 50 tea sets in so many different patterns - it used to get all used each summer when he & my grandma had a big WI garden party at their house. Sadly they don't do that anymore as it is just too much work for 2 people almost into their 90's. Now I was never one for complete sets (though I have a couple) instead I collected odd cups & saucers & also milk/cream jugs - here are just 3 things from me collection that I love;

One of the first pieces I bought - a pretty little cup & saucer - Susie Cooper pieces

A re-occurring theme - roses

This was given to me by my MIL - it belonged to her mother & her mother before.

Right back into this soggy Sunday I go - roast dinner in the oven.

Lots to tell you - will do that another day.

xxxx Vicki xxxx