Fish supper.....

The Northumbrian song......"Thou shalt have a fishy on a little dishy, thou shalt have a fishy when the boat comes in....."
seems appropriate for these pictures.......

Both original paintings by amateur artists.... the top one bought in Northumberland a few weeks ago, the bottom one bought about five years ago on holiday in Somerset.

Similar theme.......fish...paper.....they were destined to meet.....

Julie x

Vintage and Retro Fair.....

A few bits and pieces that will be coming with me to the Vintage and Retro Fair at New College, Durham on Bank Holiday Monday ......30th August 2010 (www.ccevents.net )

A lovely leather Waldybag with purse and mirror, some stout ladies brogues in great condition....ideal for the vintage look....

Vintage Sanderson curtains with a hunting/coaching scene, a delicate hand embroidered bag, a sweet little hankie holder with a satin ribbon and  flower detail for someone called Nora....

This panel of woolwork embroidery would make a lovely cushion cover....

Don't you think the detail of the flowers is wonderful....especially the foxgloves.....

Have a good, long weekend.....
Julie x

P.S...update on the blue shabby chair...it is staying the way it is and coming with me on Monday!

Three's a crowd....

Someone once told me that to be a "collector" of anything you must have more than three things....

Well, if that is the case, then I am already on my way with these rusty pieces of iron that I purchased a few weeks ago.

Iron shot measures.....I think these will look lovely on the kitchen windowsill with Muscari (grape hyacinths) inside.

I will have to wait for Spring of course.....

But, in the meantime, they can hold little tea lights for the approaching dark evenings that seem to be sneaking up...... far too quickly for my liking!

Three rusty, cast iron children's shoe lasts..... numbered one, two, three......cute little sizes with an impressed registered number and makers mark......

Finally, three vintage bowling balls with my initials J.O......how cool is that?


Julie x

Shabby or too shabby.... that is the question....

Continuing with my chair obsession at the moment, I bought this one with the idea of re-painting it in an off-white/ old white, grey....my kind of colour....

However, the more I looked at it, the more I came to the conclusion that it was in fact..... quite OK.

Even the distressed blue had a Chalon style kitchen look about it.....

Do I add a cushion made with old french linen and toile for more shabbiness...or....

Should I get "with it" and make a trendy, flowery cushion from Cath Kidston Fabric......

What do you think?


Julie x

Before and after.....

Take four country chairs that have seen better days.....a tin of Farrow and Ball Lamp room Grey paint and begin....

I cleaned the chairs with white spirit and did some remedial work.....woodworm treatment and a broken stretcher......

Getting there....

Four coats of paint, some light distressing and a final coat of wax polish......

Just need to finish the other three now.....hopefully in time for The Art, Craft, Gift and Food Fair this weekend at Hexham, Northumberland  (www.rivalarts.co.uk)

Julie x

£2.99 x 3 = under a tenner....

I don't often find much in charity shops these days....I think it is well sorted in the backroom and their prices are creeping up all the time.
However, I did find this lovely cookery book......Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros.
I do like cooking, so this immediately caught my eye...... plus the little red shoes and of  course the £2.99 price tag.....
The photos inside are lovely and she has used vintage finds to display the food .....

I tried this simple recipe for broccolli with tomatoes and garlic the other night ......simple but very tasty.

I also spied this Cath Kidston umberella, price tag £2.99......

I put it up outside because as you all know it is unlucky to do so inside....

And....finally a lovely Saltwater top.....price tag £2.99....

I liked the simple button detail on the neck....and it looks great with an olive green T shirt underneath.

So all in all, a successful shopping trip.... I think I might have to go back again!

Julie x

white and gold......

The simple white and gold decoration on these early 19th century French coffee cans and saucers from the Sevres factory...the workman's signature incised in the base with a gold painted retailers mark... BJ Paris.

The sucrier with masks on the side has a rivetted lid with 13 tiny rivets underneath....of course, completely invisible on the top......

An assortment of white and gold 19th century pottery and porcelain.....

A Victorian Staffordshire dog with glass eyes, a milk jug, a lidded warming dish with the hole to fill with boiling water, late 18th century coffee cans in a fluted dish which looks quite plain and ordinary....however turned over it has a lovely red makers mark and a beautiful wonky base.

 White and cream coloured jugs always work well together.....

Eight lovely ornate French handles and four escutcheons would transform an ordinary chest of drawers......

All coming with me tomorrow at the Antique Fair...Wentworth Leisure Centre, Hexham Northumberland.....
( www.ccevents.net )

Off to pack now,
Have a good week and thank you for all your lovely comments.....I do appreciate your kind words...

Julie x

embroidered anenomes....

Embroidered pictures pass through my hands on a regular basis.....but this one I think will have to stay for now ....

Embroidered on fine linen and in its original frame of old white gloss paint......shiny, but I can live with that.....

The casual arrangement of the flowers in the bowl and on the table was the thing that attracted me, along with the soft, pretty colours and the swish of what looks like a curtain at the back of the table......

Now, I just need to find somewhere to put it......

 I think it could be destined for the bedroom.....

Julie x

Shabby finds.....

Just a few pieces of new stock for my forthcoming Fairs....vintage mirrors, local pressed glass, tiny child's clogs, amethyst grapes and surprise, surprise....toile curtains and a toile roman blind....!!

Sunday 8th August at The Rheged Discovery Centre, Penrith, Cumbria
Tuesday 10th August at The Wentworth Leisure Centre, Hexham, Northumberland

( www.ccevents.net for further details )

Thank you once again for your very kind comments,
Julie x