Our sweet Isabella

Since acquiring a class of pupils in September I have barely found time to eat and sleep, never mind pick up my dear sweet camera.  All changed during half term break when on Friday when I spent the afternoon in company of my beautiful baby cousin. Gosh I missed the Canon. One day, I promise to spend more time with it again.

Flower Studies - Cigarette Cards by Godfrey Phillips 1937

Vintage Framed Flower Studies - Cigarette Cards by Godfrey Phillips 1937

Barton Vintage Children's Illustrations

Barton

There is something special about these illustrations but I haven't been able to put my finger on it.  Researching Barton as the artist has been fruitless... Someone must know something about these...

Prints, Prints and More Prints.

3x Butterfly Framed Prints

Chaffinch and the Hedge Sparrow on Garden Daffodil

British Fox and Brambles

Great Tit and Painted Lady

Greenfinch

Thrush

Wah Nails

Pretty little things...

Retail Therapy. Bargain Buys.

Saved £85.95 by waiting for a mid season sale... Happy lady! 

The Nature Notes Collection

Another beautiful day! I woke up early to make the most of the sunshine and caught a little October colour at a bustling car boot sale in Ware! It is one of my favourites and the weather brought out the masses.  It was packed! I tend to wander up and down the stalls and find myself drawn to some and repelled by others.  Books, frames, cameras, art, and china all instantly catch my attention.  Today I ended up picking up two hard back books for £1 a piece from a lady whose aunt had recently died.  One was The Nature Notes of An Edwardian Lady, and the other, The Country Diary of and Edwardian Lady.  The text was originally written in 1905, but published later in 1977 and 1989.  The illustrations inside are absolutely stunning! The paper quality, perfect!  It felt a little criminal to take a craft knife to the pages of these books, but I now have a huge collection of prints that I adore! Whilst browsing I also managed to pick up TEN hard wood vintage frames from a number of sellers.  My intention is to begin framing the new prints and create a collection.  Here is a sneak peek... 

For Sale: 

• 2x Framed Butterfly Prints (SOLD) 
• 2x Framed Bird Prints - Gold Finch and Golden Crested Wren (SOLD)
• 1x Framed Bird Print - White Throats and Nest (SOLD)
• 1x Framed Bird Print - Wren and Hedge Sparrow (SOLD)

Make do and mend - Cigarette cards

I spent a fair few weekends at car boot sales this summer.  I never really go looking for anything in mind, but instead wait to see what treasures I can find.  It must have been June this year when I came across a collection of vintage cigarette cards.  One was a collection of Senior Service Dogs Cards from 1939 and the other was a gorgeous floral collection from a similar period.  I decided to revamp the collections by hand picking selections that worked well together and then framing them myself.  I hunted around the sales for some great condition hard wood frames and here was the outcome:

The process...

I placed the framed dogs collection on ebay right after finishing and to my joy it sold immediately! I plan to put the florals up later today! (no insertion fees this weekend!) 

30°C at Battlesbridge

I have forgiven England for the weather it gave my parents this Summer.... Today is the first of October, shops are full with the knitted items and boots that we would regularly be wearing by this time of year, but nobody is buying. It's beautiful out!  British people really know how to make the most of the weather - I love that! Everyone seemed to be outdoors, enjoying pub gardens, parks, beaches, picnics and bbq's.  

I spent the day between beer gardens and tea rooms at an antiques/craft centre.  Satisfying thirst, and feeding an undeniable infatuation with tea sets and the shabby chic.

Adorable! Needless to say I left full.  Something not so adorable....*Tap* *Tap* Tap* "You know i'll let you pick up anything that you like in here darling... that includes me..." *wink*... Well I couldn't even bring myself to verbally respond when on turning around I find a particularly wrinkled old man shooting the line. I smile politely, make a prediction that he must have been at least 75 and promptly make for the exit. Cheeky.

Some mid-century... Spot the Ercol.  Ercol is a British furniture manufacturer that dates back to 1920.  Later its mass produced furniture found a ready market in post-war Britain.  Ercol items were exhibited at the 1951 Festival of Britain to represent the latest style and fashion in furniture design of the period.