BUSY BUSY BUSY

Had a busy couple of days - Ann and I had a stall on Saturday at the Abington Antique and Collectables fair and I knew I had lots to do to get ready for it but instead on Friday I took the time out to have a wander around the 1,000's of stalls at the Peterborough Festival of Antiques. For those of you who have never been it is absolutely HUGE.... I consider myself to be a SHOPPER but I have yet to get all the way round it and usually give up defeated. You really need two days to do it all properly.

Whilst there I bumped into the Bargain Hunt crew and Tim Wonacott was busy discussing the teams buys with them. Hubby strategically placed himself in the camera's way for his two seconds of fame.....

There is just so much to see and buy but I feel that the prices were a little high, although so saying I did manage to finds some little treasures - how unusual.....

This great basket, which I kept bumping into people with and the wonderful old tin sea side bucket were my favourite finds.

Also found these old Christmas cake decorations, just to let me know that Christmas is on its way. I have displayed them with some Christmas pictures that I have made for our November fair.

I also found some Christmas presents - but they will have to remain a secret as the people they are for could read this blog - no peeking until Christmas!!!!!

MAKING THE MOST OF THE WEEKEND SUN

Mum came over for the weekend and we decided to make the most of the sun.  This Indian Summer is a sheer delight and it wont be long before we are lighting the log burner and toasting our tootsies but knew we had to make the most of the weekend by visiting our nearest National Trust house Canons Ashby and take a walk around the gardens.

There they make the moistest apple and cinamon fruit cake which they serve with cream.  Of course that is mine.

These pears were just ripe for the picking but we resisted the urge to go scrumping.

Lovely last summer roses.

The trees are just beginning to turn which only means one thing autumn is on its way.

Lets hope we get to keep the sun a little longer.  Mind you Autumn with its falling leaves has its appeal too, what do you think?

MY FAVOURITE PLACE - WELL ONE OF THEM.....

Had another day out this week and visited one of my favourite little towns in Suffolk called Clare.  We first came across Clare when we stayed there for a few days  as our Easter treat and we fell in love with it.   The village  is full of the quintest pink, yellow and blue painted houses and cottages that are so pretty.

First port of call is coffee and cake in Number One Delicatessen and Cafe who serve the most scrumptious coffee and cake, I had chocolate and caramel covered shortbread - not good for the waist line but what the heck.  The olives and cheese looked wonderful but I resisited the temptation.

Clare has its own ruined castle and also a monestry which are nestled just over a river and it is the most tranquil of places.  What a marvelous gate this is - go through it leads to

Whilst I was there I popped into the great antique mall that is nestled down one of the back streets for a little browse - four levels of antiques and collectables and the dealers prices are good too.  The staff are really nice and helpful too.

Did I get anything I hear you ask - now for those of you who know me they will know that that is a silly question - of course I did.

BEST LAID PLANS.....

I have just had a week off from work with the intention of spending time creating, sorting out items for the November fair and just generally doing jobs around the house that need doing.  My mother always says "Don't tell the Devil too much of your mind"...how right she is, all my planned activities went out the window as Hubby had decided he wants to move home and DOWNSIZE.....  He has to be having a laugh, with all the bits and pieces in this house.  Oh well.  I have spent the last week looking at other people's houses, getting mine ready to put on the market (which means tidying up my work room - no easy task I have to say) and making visits to B&Q to pick up paint etc.

I did take some time off on Saturday to meet up with Ann and visit the newly reinstated Antique market on the Market Square in Northampton.  Hannah (youngest daughter that shows no sign of leaving home) came with us and straight away found some furniture for her bedroom - "Hold On" I said "We are downsizing" - oh well worry about that later.  So we endned up coming back with a piece of furniture.....

There were not that many stalls but true to form I managed to find a man with lots of interesting bits and pieces.  In a box he had a lot of old mixed jewellery.  I picked thorugh it and found some wonderful brooches - "How mcuh for these" I said showing him my handful and he came back with £2.00...BARGAIN...what do you think?

JESSIE WILCOX SMITH

I love children's illustrator's and one of my very favourites is Amercian artist Jessie Wilcox Smith 1863-1935.  I was introduced to her by by dear Amercian cousin Glynis who is an avid collector of her artwork and she started me off on yet collection.  Her pictures of children are just so sweet and I particularly like the one of children playing with their toys or reading their books.  She also did a series of mothers with babies and these are just to die for - in fact when my eldest was expecting her second child I managed to get a baby book that Jessie had illustrated which had been completed in 1911 with the sweetest entries.

 

She was prolific artist who illustrated many childrens books and  lot of her her work was published in Good Housekeeping  magazine in the 1920's and 30's and you can still find copies of them with front covers with her work on them.  I found two when I was in the States this year and have just framed the one above and am working on the frame for the second as we speak.

If you are not familiar with her work I urge you to take a look I am sure you wil love her as much as I do.

OLDER BUT NOT WISER

Oh well another birthday has come and gone, which makes me another year older, deep joy.  Still must not moan the upside is that I had lots of lovely birthday gifts.  As you know Ann of Vintage at the Corner House and I are good friends and she know I absolutely adore Niki Fretwell of Nostalgia at the Stone House and she treated me to two of her little lovlies a super vintage Violets teacup pin cushion and a Pansies Lavender bag.  Ann knows me so well she also knows that Vioilets and Pansies are two of my favourite flowers the other being Roses and I love the smell of Lavender.   Thank you so much Ann I love them.

My wonderful mother bought me Niki's book "Living with Nostalgia" which if you have not seen it  I urge you to take a peek.  Each page is a cornucopia of vintage delights. Her other gift was the pretty Victorian velvet covered pin box.

How do you like this little chap his name is Skeezix and he comes from the 1920's newpaper cartoon Gasoline Alley and he is just the cutest little nodder doll.  He stands just 2 3/4" tall.  I saw him when we were on holdiay this year in the US but he was rather too much for me to treat myself too so hubby bought him for me.   I can see another collection coming on as he is just one in a series of little dolls.

I also had a lovely message from Annie at Birdcages & Butterflies who it appears shares the same birthday as me, two Virgos' I wonder if she is as nit picky as me....

DOWN & UP THE HOVIS HILL

I always thought that the old Hovis advert where the boy freewheels on his bicycle down a really steep hill was set up north. Imagine my surprise to find it is in Shaftsbury way down south....

Hubby had a site visit to do in Shaftsbury and I went along to keep him company as it is almost three hours from where we live and we decided to take a trip into Shaftsbury to have a coffee before heading back home.  When we got there we came across the HOVIS HILL....  I did not have a bike and so I had to rely on good old shanksies pony to get me down there.  What was all the fuss about that was easy enough I thought.  Then I turned around and saw the steep incline up ...

It is one of the prettiest places I have visted in a long while and the cottages on Gold Hill are just so quaint and picturesque.  Could not help falling in love with the street, mind you I would hate to have to get up and down there especially after a few glasses of wine.

I also hit lucky as it was flea market day at the town hall and managed to pick up a pretty jug and a "mother" brooch there.   On my way in I had spied a little shop that looked interesting and walked back to it only to discover another little Aladdin's cave of treasures.  I picked up some old lace and a bag of vintage sewing bits and pieces all for the princly sum of £2.00.  I also found some more bits for the fair.  A 1930's gardening book for my sister and the cutest pair of plush black and white dogs - one wearing a bowler hat and one with a bone in his mouth.  Will have trouble parting with them.