Vintage Books

After reading Tamzin's latest post about her tin collection over at The Little Vintage Company blog I decided to share a few of my collections. I thought I would start with books. Anyone who knows me knows my house is coming down with books of all kinds. I have books everywhere and my new cupboard is now crammed with books. I have put some of my vintage books at the front because their covers are too lovely to be hidden from view.

I didn't intend to use the cupboard for books but for now that's what it holds. I am still debating whether to take the paintbrush to it but will live with it for a while.

The stained glass doors match the windows above .

I love old annuals for the pictures on the covers.

The annual in the basket is one of my favourites, it has a great picture of a vintage caravan on the front.

The Josephine books have beautiful illustrations by Honor C Appleton. The Mabel Lucie Attwell illustrated Water Babies was a charity shop find some years ago.

Last weekend we went to Birmingham for the first time in a few years and I had a good look round the Cath Kidston sale in Selfridges.

I couldn't resist the miniature basket and the little cases. They were all in the sale and although I know they are meant to be for children I couldn't resist them knowing I would put them to use as storage for something.

Birmingham really has a lot to offer these days including some amazing architecture and a talking bull outside the Bullring shopping centre!

Tea For Two ?

Saturday morning Mr C and I decided to try a new car boot sale and arrived bright and early, it was great to bump in to a few vintage loving friends but overall I think I prefer our Sunday morning trips. However I did find this over sized tea pot. I couldn't resist it although I have no idea what I will do with it. It doesn't look so big in the photo but it is the sort of thing you would find in church hall kitchens. It goes very well with the Beryl, Woods Ware cups and saucers I found in a charity shop last week. I already have some of these but couldn't say no to a few more, the pretty violets tea cups were also found in a charity shop.

Today I was very excited when I got home and unwrapped my lovely bag from Ted and Bunny. The bag in the middle is my absolute favourite and also purchased from Ted and Bunny a long time ago. The bag on the right is from the lovely Hesta Nesta.

Last week Mr C and I spotted this cupboard at the Northampton Antiques Centre. We have been looking for one to go in the alcove at the side of our fireplace in the back room. We knew this was perfect when we saw it and Mr C immediately set to work on putting it up. Sadly it was not to be. It is incredibly heavy and was obviously designed to sit on top of a dresser and not hung on a wall. After hours of work fixing batons to the wall etc Mr C had to tell me it was not going to happen. I am now left with something of a white elephant although I still love it. I am trying to convince myself that it looks ok stood on the hall floor as I really don't have room for a dresser base as well. I think I will have to fill it with some vintage treasures and live with it for a while.

These are a few things I found at the Saturday boot sale, the coronation tin has already been purchased from my Etsy shop .

I also found this framed set of C Klein vintage rose postcards with the backs showing on the reverse. A man was selling his whole collection of framed sets which still had old, very high price stickers on them. Luckily for me I snapped this one up cheaply along with the big tea pot.

Sunday we had a slow start and gave the boot sale a miss. Instead, in the afternoon we headed to the lovely village of Castle Ashby to meet my parents. We had a wander round the little shops in the shopping yard, bought a few treats from the deli and then headed over the road to the pretty Falcon Inn. Sitting in the pub garden with a glass of wine was a lovely way to round off the weekend.

Floral Arrangements

I knew it couldn't last long, the slightly bare Lloyd Loom shelves. I had a bit of a re-arrange at the weekend and used one shelf for some of my floral themed bits and pieces.

The little 1930s style flower basket is actually a hand made brooch I found at a boot sale a few weeks ago.

After a long day at Hampton Court on Saturday we didn't get up early enough for our usual car boot. We headed instead to another smaller boot sale. It was very disappointing although I did find some pretty damask tablecloths. Just as we were leaving fairly empty handed I spotted this pretty pink glass painted posy vase. It was only 25p and I knew it would go really well with my green glass painted bowl. Mr C told me he had spotted it earlier but thought it was just a piece of junk ! After I had pointed out the loveliness of it he quickly changed his view although I am not too sure what he really thinks.

I used it to display some of my first sweet peas from the garden.

Mr C has been busy in the garden with his pond project. It is only small and is far from finished but is starting to take shape.

The first water lily opened at the weekend.

I found this towel rail at the antiques market on the market square. It was very cheap and needed some care and attention. After a bit of glue in the joints I gave it a coat of paint.

I raided Mr C's paint stash again and used Farrow and Ball's , Teresa's Green which is a blue/green we bought for our front door.

It's great the garden is getting some much needed rain but I do hope the sun re-appears for the weekend. I know it's selfish but I prefer it not to be too hot and sunny during the week when I am at work because I never seem to be able to get as much done.

Vintage At Hampton Court Flower Show

Yesterday on what must have been the hottest day of the year so far we headed off to the Hampton Court Flower show. After a long, hot drive we reached the magnificent Hampton Court with it's stunning gardens.

I love the regal avenue of yew trees, they are such a beautiful dark green and wonderful shapes.

Inside the flower tents were beautiful displays of some of my favourite flowers.

The ferns looked wonderfully cool and shady on such hot day. They were displayed by Fernatix who have appeared at Chelsea and on Gardener's World.

I love sweet peas and bought seed for the lovely dark pinky red ones in the top right hand corner. They are called 'Fields Of Fire'.

A table set for tea in a country garden

I thought these looked spectacular together

This year there was a vintage theme at the show. I wasn't expecting this so along with the Country Living marquee and the Vintage marquee I was very happy.

There was a theme of vintage village fete and tea on the lawn and the marquee was beautifully decorated with bunting.

The chair was completely made from plants as was the tea pot and cup cakes.

The blue cushion on the Lloyd Loom chair was made out of delicate flower heads.

These were some beautiful posies on Jane Packer's stand.

The show gardens were interesting but struggling in the heat.

This one wasn't my usual sort of style but it looked so cool and inviting.

In the rose tent there was a theme of A Midsummer Nights Dream. The David Austin roses were beautiful as always.

We left at the end of the day as the sun was starting to go down and we watched the green parakeets flying wild over the lovely gardens.