Pick of the Crop!

Well, we haven't had such a bountiful crop of tomatoes this year - but here's a few I picked yesterday. Thanks to the damp and cool Summer we have definitely seen a drop in harvest compared to last year - although our cucumbers and aubergines have done well - but don't mention the runner beans..!

I know it's becoming a bit of a recurring theme, but I have another 'lovely lady' for you! Isn't she gorgeous? She is making an appearance in my shop, along with lots of other fantastic finds, which I have added today. The website certainly keeps me busy, that's for sure! In fact, it's probably just as well our summer weather hasn't been great - I certainly wouldn't have had much time to relax, unlike some...

...if there's such a thing as reincarnation - I want to come back as a cat - one of mine!! I'm also very much aware that I haven't had any spare time to blog. I do appreciate your comments and enjoy visiting your blogs when I can - so apologies if I haven't responded to a question or particular comment recently - normal service should be resumed soon!!

Finally, here's a little teaser for you - exciting new changes are on the way for Vintage Home - I will say no more - otherwise I'll probably tell all! Watch this space, as they say...

Lovely Ladies, Eiderdown Eye-Candy & Nice Matters!

Firstly, I would like to thank you for your lovely comments on the new Pin Board addition to Vintage Home - you are all so kind!

At last we are having some super Summer weather (although I have heard the forecast isn't looking great for the next few days!) I took advantage of the sun and spent some time outside filming the new stock for the shop. I just had to share these lovely ladies with you! The photo above is the lid of an old Burton's biscuit tin - isn't she a honey?!!

The enigmatic young lady above is a wonderful old print - a very different era and look - but just as beautiful!

I have a penchant for the old hollywood movies and when I saw this stunning eiderdown I couldn't resist it - Bette Davis would have loved it I'm sure!

I have been very fruitful in my search for vintage treasures and I'm look forward to adding the next batch of goodies over the coming weeks.

To end on a very happy note, I am feeling rather chuffed (have I heard someone else say that recently, it's a lovely word, makes me think of a bird puffing out his feathery chest!) that Alison and Monika have bestowed the Nice Matters Award on me. Thank you ladies! There are so many brilliant bloggers and blogs out there! I know the Summer is a busy time for everyone and I think it's wonderful that you all take the time to share a piece of your life, art and home with everyone! Enjoy the rest of your week - whatever the weather!

News and Views at Vintage Home!

Since opening my online shop in February, I have been thrilled with the response from everyone and it is really wonderful to know that a purchase from Vintage Home is something that many treasure!

I often receive lovely emails from people who have purchased from my shop, so I have decided to add a new feature to the website. Today, I am launching the Vintage Home Pin Board which includes feedback plus photos of your own 'Vintage Moments'. Also on show are photos of items that have been purchased from the website, and how they look in their new homes! If you would like to email me your 'vintage home' photos, whether it is a favourite corner, a recently completed craft project with a vintage theme or just something beautiful you would like to share, then I will add them to the Pin Board - with full credits of course! The Below Stairs section will also reside within the Pin Board and will be updated in the coming month. Finally, you will find a link to my Vintage Home blog within the Pin Board too!
A favourite corner of my home.

Handstitched Welsh quilt.

Running an online shop means I go treasure hunting on a regular basis and I have just returned from a trip where I have gathered together some of the most beautiful things! It will take a few days for me to get them all photographed and added to the shop, so to whet your appetite, above is a sneak preview of one of those gorgeous items coming soon; a stunning handstitched Welsh quilt with an exquisite pattern of peonies, roses, birds and dragonflies - what a rare beauty this is!

In the meantime, I have updated the shop with a smattering of pretty eiderdowns and truly, absolutely gorgeous barkcloth curtains! Which reminds me - I am often asked how I can bear to part with the things I sell. Well, I can tell you quite honestly - it isn't easy!!! But I do mean it when I say it gives me real pleasure to know that these wonderful old things find a place in your homes - and your hearts.

I'd like to thank all of you for your custom and kind words and I look forward to bringing you lots more vintage goodies! Now it's back to work for me!

A Plea: Where is Summer?

No doubt many of you here in the UK have been affected by the torrential rains we have been having this Summer. I think the phrase 'what a washout' is somewhat understating the situation! Our village was cut off for a day or so due to flooded roads and lanes, but apart from a leak in the dormer window of our bathroom, I think we got off quite lightly. I can only imagine how I would feel if my home was under several feet of water. I feel I have spent far too much time stuck indoors this Summer and I would really like to be sitting on the bench above, reading a book and sipping a cold glass of wine on a balmy July evening...

...it would also be nice to have the stable door and windows open all day...

...but at least I don't have to water these very often!

On a happier note, look what I received in the post last week!

I was lucky enough to be the first name drawn for a super prize give-away of treats from Victoria's wonderful candle company Coasts of Cornwall. It was a lovely treat opening up the ribbon-tied packages, but an even better one when I breathed in the wonderful aromas!

Victoria had kindly sent me three candles; Lavender, Cinnamon and Rosewater, and Cotton. I cannot recommend these enough! The Cotton candle really does have the wonderful aroma of washing dried on the line - amazing!


Here's hoping that August will be the Summer we are all yearning for!

Random Facts!

Sue has tagged me - so kind! - to divulge 8 facts about myself! I shall leave you all to decide whether they are interesting or worthy of a blog post! I have kept the details uncharacteristically brief - it was either that or elaborate on each point far too much!

1. I've been on a submarine.

2. I ran a successful secretarial business for some years - but I've never learnt to touch type or do shorthand!

3. The words 'frock' and 'slacks' make me shiver!

4. My favourite 'comfort food' is a toasted teacake (or currant bun/hot cross bun!) with lashings of butter and tomato ketchup!

5. I absolutely cannot tolerate litter! If I see someone dropping any (whether or not they're a burly 6' 5" muscle-man!) I have to say something!

6. I have a phobia of showers - particularly enclosed ones! So it has to be a bath for me!

7. My favourite films are those such as Manhunter, Aliens, Silence of the Lambs and anything really gory or with a murdering psycho in it!

8. In total contrast to No. 7, I love animals - especially cats - am a vegetarian, and adore all things vintage and pretty!!!

I'm supposed to tag 8 other bloggers but I think most of the people I had in mind have already been tagged!

One rainy Sunday...

I think we've had more than a few rainy Sundays just lately, not to mention, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays etc! On just such a day a few weeks ago, I decided to turn my hand to a project I'd had in mind for a while. On one of my trips to a flea market, I'd bought an old wooden filing cabinet. It was painted white, with aluminium handles and was crying out for a transformation.

I had some 1940s wallpaper which I thought would be perfect, so I set to work!

It was a rather tricky job covering some of the corners but I got there in the end! I then had to find the right handles and settled on these milk glass grab handles, I think they finish it off nicely!

These drawers are destined for my new office but I think they look quite nice in my bedroom!

Have you been working on any 'rainy day' projects?

Who's that girl?

Last year, I wrote a post about a wonderful oil painting I have of a young girl called Alice Scatterbrook, painted in 1933 - here she is below:

Well, I have another mystery girl! This is a beautiful hand coloured and framed photo of an enigmatic young miss, with stunning tresses! She was captured at a time when, although the child is still very much present, you can see the elegant young lady she will become in a few years time. I don't know why, but when I first set eyes on her, the name 'Alice' jumped into my head! Wouldn't it be a wonderful coincidence if both my mystery girls shared the same name!

This charming young lady sat for this photo in 1927. I know this because when I got her home, the paper which had sealed the back crumbled in my hands and when I removed the tattered pieces I discovered some handwritten notes. Apparently it was 'urgent for Monday'! Not surprising really, considering the wonderful subject; I imagine the proud parents to have been eager to see the finished work! There is a name and address which is Hall, 12 Harrington Street and what looks like Norwich or Warwick - although the old fashioned and ornate writing is lovely, it is a little hard to decipher!

The detail of her embroidered and lace dress is exquisite and she is holding a pale pink rose in her hands to match the bow in her hair.
She was originally destined for my shop but the more I look at her the more I'd like to keep her! I know I shouldn't - I'm sure she would go to a good home! What do you think I should do?!

Paradise Found!

As many of you will already know from reading Niki's, Sue's and Ginny's blogs, Niki held a Vintage Sale at her home on Friday and Saturday. We visited on Friday and enjoyed a lovely lunch in the company of some even lovelier people! I can honestly say Niki has the most beautiful home, which is all down to her hard work and exceptional talent and creativity. Sue and I really were like young schoolgirls, clutching each other's arms and 'oohing' at everything!

Having seen some of the photos taken early on Friday, my only regret is that I didn't get there sooner! I did manage to come away with some really pretty items, some of which are shown here. Thank you Niki for a lovely time, some beautiful things and allowing us to see your wonderful home and garden!

After such an inspirational time I was eager to carry on shopping and spent Sunday treasure hunting for my website. One of the things I found was this lovely shell covered box - I haven't seen one for years and thought this was a really pretty example.

Now I must get back to working on the website! Until next time, here's a picture of one of my oldest roses, holding up bravely against the wind and rain that have been battering us for several days now!

Glorious Florals at Pottery Cottage!

I can hardly believe it's been over a week since my last post! I seem to be so busy at the moment finding stock for my shop and tending the garden - weather permitting! June hasn't exactly been glorious so far but the frequent rainfall has meant a bumper crop of blooms in every shape and form!

One of my favourite flowering plants is the geranium. Apart from the English cottage style which look so perfect in their terracotta pots, I also particularly love the hardy variety. Every year they provide a wonderful show of colour and at the last count I think I have 10 different varieties growing all over the garden.

This year my white campanula has done really well - but its adjacent neighbour - a beautiful blue one - did not appear!

Lupins are another favourite of mine - just as I took this picture a bee appeared - if you enlarge the photo you should be able to see him more clearly.

I am always reticent to cut the flowers which grow in my garden. So, when I saw this pretty floral oil painting at the flea market on Sunday I couldn't resist it! I do have an awful lot of floral paintings so I think I will part with this one and add it to my shop next week, along with lots of other pretty items.

In the meantime, there's more work to be done in the garden. Although I may just have to move those geraniums off the stool and sit and appreciate the garden for a while - not for long though, there's weeding and tidying up to be done! Enjoy the rest of your week!

A Focus on Books

A 'vintage home' wouldn't be complete without a good selection of vintage books, would it? I thought it was high-time I shared some of my old books with you - and the subject of books is very appropriate for me at the moment as I collected my new 'reading glasses' last week and at long last can have the pleasure of reading a book again! I think I was in denial for a while but my love of reading eventually drove me to the opticians and now I can be found sporting a pair of lilac-coloured glasses at reading time - well they had to be feminine didn't they?! - and any other time I need to check the small print!

One of my favourite books for 'dipping into' now and then is entitled 'House into Home' and was written by Elizabeth Kendall in 1962 - although you'd be forgiven for thinking it was written in the 1940s instead of the swinging sixties! it is full of wonderful old-fashioned advice and tips for furnishing, decorating, managing and organising your home. Every now and then I dip into it for a flavour of a bygone era. In her introduction to the book, Elizabeth closes the Preface with these words: 'Above all, I should like to thank my husband for his kind forbearance in letting me try to do three jobs at once'. This excerpt lets you know you're in for a real treat! Chapter 2 is my particular favourite and starts thus: 'When tired to tears after a day with a paint pot and with the clearing up - the worst part - still to do, I always say; "never again, I'll save up, give up smoking, anything, and have an interior decorator do the whole thing." But I doubt I ever will. Not that they aren't splendid chaps and worth the money they earn. It's a matter of temperament. To begin with, it's a fallacy to assume that these nice young men - and I've yet to meet one who wasn't competent, cheerful and charming - will relieve you of the responsibility...' They don't write 'em like that any more!

Apart from the obvious reason for buying books, I cannot help being drawn to the beautifully decorative dust jackets that old books have. It's amazing so many survive in such good condition. Classic childrens books are a wonderful example and carry fantastic illustrations...

...gardening books will always please the eye with their colourful displays of flowers and plants...

...this set of 'doctor' books were made into films in the 1960s - I love these illustrations!

I certainly intend to catch up with some reading over the Summer months - let's just hope I get used to carrying glasses around with me!

Floral Bounty!

I thought I would share some pictures of my flower beds with you. We have multi-coloured sweet williams growing everywhere this year and they look wonderful amongst the foxgloves.

I was amazed at this pretty pink rose - it has been squashed between the surrounding buds! If you enlarge the second photo, you will see an unwelcome guest! (Well, unwelcome where I'm concerned - they are not my favourite creepy-crawly!)


I had a couple of special packages arrive today! The lovely handmade tags and beautiful cards are from Alison of Foxgloves and the gorgeous corsages are from Kim of Ragged Roses! I was overjoyed when I opened up their delightfully wrapped goodies! It's one thing to receive these beautiful handmade items from such talented ladies but the thought and care which goes into their presentation is just amazing! Thank you both very much!