Cat and mouse....

As you probably know, Monsieur Oscar lives in a bijou apartment in Paris with his doting human parent.... My daughter.

Beautiful tabby, totally spoiled and in her eyes, can do no wrong.

That was until the other weekend.

Having been let out for his usual wander round the courtyard one morning...he returned...highly vocal, vocal enough to ring alarm bells that something was a little different this time.

She opened the door and in he ran, pleased as punch with his "prize"

Straight into the bathroom he went and with quick thinking she shut the door on him.

Plucking up courage, she eventually peeked her head around the door, to find he had dispensed with his prey....which was now lying motionless on the bath mat.

But what to do with it?

She rang me!

"I can't pick it up... What should I do?"

We finally agreed rubber gloves, kitty poop scoop thingy and a plastic bag to tip it into would be the answer.

Dispatched to the dustbin outside and it was gone.

Result.....One traumatised daughter, one chuckling mother and a very bad cat!

Julie x

String and things....

Joyous find at Hexham Antique Fair on Tuesday .... 

A box of Irish linen thread in many colours from Henry Campbell &Co Ltd, Belfast, Ireland.

Unused and bundled together in 1/2 oz knots

As I have never seen anything like these before, I was wondering....what were they used for originally?

Any ideas?

I could use them for tying gifts, or threads for my labels instead of string....or by engaging my creative side, make delicate strings of tiny vintage keys, buttons, paper ephemera to just hang and look pretty.

Other buys included these lovely 19th century clock faces,

Hand painted with a faded makers name, however, I think someone decided to start cleaning the rose one, then gave up... A little patchy, but still shabbily attractive.

Finally, a busy weekend is on its way for me. 

A two day Gift and Food Fair at Rheged, Penrith, Cumbria, so I have been busy painting small pieces of furniture,

Mirrors and chairs too have been painted in off-whites and my new colour of the moment...duck egg blue. 

Fabric pictures made and the usual decorative Cloth Shed pieces all packed and ready.

Little gold cherub candles in fluted, pastry tins should help things along, as we all know it is the start of "The Silly Season"

So I am thinking....all over again, 

 Table decoration ...tureens, silver plate, glassware, linen, napkins for the Fair this weekend.

How this year has flown.

Julie x