Remnants of time

Craft Fail

2011-06-12T14:07:00.000-07:00

When something I cook goes wrong I usually just eat the evidence, but when something I craft goes wrong there are only three options 1)undo it and start again 2) change tack and make it into something else or 3)live with the horror of it. (My inability to throw anything away makes it impossible to include the most obvious option, so it isn't even on the list).

My absence from blogging is due to me spending time on other things. I'm sure we all have a long list. Mine includes a sub list of things to do to keep my rather old van on the road. It was while ticking one of the things off this list that I decided to buy a large container of engine oil. To offset the fact that my daughter and her staff discount card weren't with me I went for the own label Halfords with free 'professional' screwdriver set. Well the pro set was worth £19.99. I say 'was', because it is now on offer for half that price.

I am now living with the horror of my craft fail screwdriver case.

I decided to make it out of the most expensive Cath Kidston fabric in my stash. I decided not to make a pattern, but to make it up as I went along. Although I did a quick google picture search for similar objects, none of them were quite what I had in mind.

I don't even know what that very stiff grey fabric is. It's something I picked up at the scrap store. The blue stuff is a slippery waterproof ripstop also from the scrap store. I didn't change the thread in my sewing machine, but stuck with the white upper thread and grey bobbin thread.

I rifled through my carrier bag of zips, and first started with a pale green one, because it appeared to be the correct size. You may notice that the 'finished' article sports a pale blue zip. My first attempt at putting in the zip failed. It taught me that positioning is crucial, and that since the zip wasn't a correct fit I may as well use toning zip and design a solution to make up for the fact that it is too short.

Unpicking the first zip took its toll on the expensive linen CK fabric, so resewing a zip was tricky and left a fraying corner. At this point my other daughter (who has no job and no staff discount card) was nagging me for use of the sewing machine. I darned the corner and then decided to top stitch the whole thing.

Sewing lining to outer fabric and inserting the zip was done all at once and I had left a gap for turning the project right-side-out. Top stitching was my way of closing the gap. Because the outer fabric was pale blue and my bobbin thread grey I did the top stitching from the inside. Big mistake. The seam allowance of the stiff fabric and the slipperiness of the blue ripstop made sewing a straight line impossible.

I gave in to pester power and called it a day. I have been called back to the sewing machine to help my daughter change the thread (something I should have done for my project) and make it sew right (that always happens when she uses the machine) and fit the embroidery foot, so she can write the word 'BOURBON' on the garment (biscuit) she is making for a fancy dress party. I've just had to wind a bobbin for her, and I will have to fit the zipper foot and help her sew in a zip, because she has left that bit to last. She hasn't used a pattern, she's making it all up as she goes along, and has had to do some unpicking. Really some people don't know how to approach a sewing project!!!

Frome by night

2011-02-18T16:30:00.000-08:00

I went to the Merlin Theatre on Tuesday to watch a series of documenteries made by young people. One of the docs was co-created by my daughter and this was to be the first showing with the official premier to be in April on a much smaller screen.

Look what greeted us in the 'foyer' on our arrival.!!!

Frome Stitch 'n' Bitch!

Mostly knitters, some sock knitting, one making a Scandi style ski jumper on a circlular kneedle. They had chocolate cake!!! They meet on a Tuesdays. Each crafter donates £3 to the Merlin Theatre. Both Sophie and I would have joined them if we had our knitting on us, but we went into the auditorium and watched the films.

Generations Together

One of the films, by students at Frome Collage, and called 'Generations Together' was about young and old people. Amoung the people interviewed was a young graffitti artist Tom Sturgess who spent some time working with an older sculptor and fine artist Barry Cooper. The painting they both worked on in the film was displayed in the theatre, so I got a shot of Tom with the artwork.

Tom Sturgis Graffitti Artist

People on the move

Sophie's film was shown after the break. I caught a glimpse of myself #1 son, and others in the background of some of the shots. This film is going to be archived in Somerset's record office, and is about people who moved to Somerset from other countries. A wide age group was interviewed from The landlady of the shop I rent (83) to children who moved here with their families or alone as refugees.

Here's a temp image of Sophie (left) and the crew.

Sophie and I had to leave early, so missed the last films. The friendly Stitchers were still there when we left. They stitch from 7pm to 9pm.

Sherbourne Vintage Textiles and Retro Fair

2011-01-09T03:39:00.000-08:00

I could feel the flood water washing the underside of my well loaded van as I drove to Sherbourne for the Vintage Textiles and Retro Fair. The warning lights on the dashboard eventually faded as I arrived at the hall.

As usual I didn't have a preconceived layout for my stall, so I did lots of unpacking and rearranging. It all seem to work out ok, and I managed to cut fabric without proper sheers. I discovered that you can't rip rayon, and now have a bruise from using the only scissors in my toolbox.

Oh I didn't try those bent scissors! They might have been better than the ones I struggled with. Can someone please tell me why they are bent?

The fair was arranged in two rooms, with one stall outside. I had a bit of a wander and took some photo's in the second room.

There was a man with furniture.

..and a makeup artist and stylist working together to do makeovers. As well as the other stalls in the second room I think this was were the cups of tea that Mc kept supplying me with came from.

I'm booked in for next month, and will be in the same place - in front of the stage. That's 12th Feb 2011. I may hint at a Valentines day theme, because of the date.

Tea and doughnut packaging waiting to be made into tags

2011-01-06T00:58:00.000-08:00

Cup of tea and a doughnut.
This is how I'm preparing for this weekend's fair at Sherbourne in Dorset. There's going to be a Vintage fabric, textiles and retro fair at Digby Hall from 10 until 4. It's £1 to get in. The new year is starting with this new fair, and it's going to be a regular monthly event.

After eating and drinking I can get started on making price tags out of the packaging. Pricing items beforehand has become essential to me, because I like to nip into town to snoop, while leaving my assistants in charge! It also helps to think prices out before hand, so I'm not put on the spot by enthusiastic customers.

I always favour Krispy Kremes boxes, because of the spots, but the Christmas packaging is extra nice. The red with white spots have much more impact than the regular white with green.

Tea boxes are just the right thickness for my hole punches. Anything thicker would kill them. When I have a pile of tags I find string to finish them off.

This is just one of the jobs to be done. I've got loads of fabric to select, measure and price. I'm still thinking out the layout of my stall. I like a bit of height, and usually use shelves and various stands.

It's been years since I've done a fair at Digby Church Hall in Sherbourne. I used to make and sell baby clothes at craft fairs there when the girls were tiny, so that's almost 20 years ago! I'm off to find it this morning to make sure I can remember where it is and haven't got the wrong Digby Hall! I think there's two.

I'll make sure I take my camera and report back after the event.

Long awaited update

2010-12-13T13:53:00.000-08:00

Finally an update to this blog! About time! This is some of what I've been up to in no particular order...... Visited Falmouth to check out the university, and stumbled upon a monthly vintage fair. I bought socks from this lady. The green large flowered curtains behind her looked the same as others at the fair,because they belonged to the hall and were permanent fixtures. I wonder if they have been there since new in the 70's.

If I remember correctly this stall was run by Hannah and her friend.

I have been to Flamouth before. Last time I arrived by ferry. The first shop we visited this time was a wool shop and by the time we returned to the car it was empty of stock and closing for the winter. mmm what a good idea.

Rook Lane Retro Fair Frome.

I had the same spot as last time - just inside the door. I bought the same team with me as well. The customers were very well dressed in their fine vintage clothes, hair and makeup. Dressing in vintage and getting in free is a great idea. Even kids wear vintage to Rook Lane Retro.

Keep calm and talk about the weather.

When I first started blogging it snowed. It was something to remark on, because we didn't get a decent amount of snow every year. Now it seems to be a twice or thrice annual event, and hardly worth taking photo's of. We've had a lot of white weather recently. Fog, frost and snow vie to get our attention. Sometimes the fog hangs around all day. It's like an advent calendar. Every morning you open the front door in December you don't know what scene will greet you.

I wonder what next year will bring? This year isn't over yet, so we'll have to wait and see.

How bizarre

2010-09-05T06:54:00.000-07:00

Ashburton, Devon

I haven't slept through the summer, but I haven't updated this blog either. I've stayed in and done some sewing and gone out and left my camera at home. One time I picked up single use camera on the way to Liz's sale. The pictures are still in the camera, and have to be extracted the old fashioned way. If they come out I'll publish them some other time.

We have just returned from Ashburton, and I took my camera with me this time. This place had lots of the things we like......

A great 2nd hand book shop.

"Sew Enchanting". A very well stocked sewing and knitting shop. I bought some super chunky racrac from here.

And lots of antique and vintage shops. There was only one charity shop! Fortunately it was a Brainwave shop, as they are among my favourites.

These pictures were taken in The Snug in North Street

Habberdashery counter, "The Snug"

The main attraction was the Bizarre Bazaar in the town hall. I spotted a link about it on facebook. We had never been to Ashburton before and had one child free day of summer left, so instead of attending our usuall fortnightly auction we decided to visit Devon instead.

We found the town hall easily, because of the decorations and buskers. There were some nice people inside.Kate of Ruby Ruby - aprons cushions, tea & egg cosies + bunting

Andrea- Wilde purple frogs, garments with Jan Quercus jewellery

Grace & favour home

Amanda - Shabby chick

We had a wide choice of venues for our morning and afternoon tea as well as our lunch. Of course we went home with a few purchaces.

Fishing floats

Metal letters from the snug- I've always liked this type face and it's very popular at the moment.

My pile of books (Mc's was much bigger!)

We would definately visit Ashburton again. Just think all those times I've visited Trago Mills and not know about this town,- so close....

Lavender's blue dilly dilly

2010-08-01T11:12:00.000-07:00

SOMERSET LAVENDER

Topping up the little heart shaped sachets in my shop has left me low on lavender, so Mc, Sophie and I went to Somerset Lavender in Faulkland somewhere between Frome and Radstock to replenish supplies.

This is a very photogenic place. Sophie took her camera and props to do a photo session, and almost every one else was taking photos. The view of the lavender garden and fields was stunning, the fragrance wonderful.

It is great to be able to source lavender products from within Somerset.

This is a family run farm. They grow, harvest and distill lavender to make essential oils, soap and other toiletries as well as producing a culinary grade lavender which features in some of the recipes used in the cafe.

Originally I had planned to arrive in time for the 11am farm tour. Tours are not every day, so I was fortunate that there was one on the day I was going. After a horrific choking incident involving No1 son and a detour to drop papers off at college we arrived in time for lunch. We will catch the tour another time. The cafe menu had choices suitable for us all, so we decided to eat before looking round. The cafe and part of the shop are housed in the same area, so we got a good look at the items available for sale.

Here one of the cats seeks shade by some camomile. Wild life abounds here. As well as the butterflies and bees that love the lavender there is a pond that attracts dragonflies.

We were taking photos in the field to the sound of humming bumble bees. There are also honey bees making honey in the farm's bee hives.

The rows of lavender were providing runways for speedy young children.

There is lots of space to move around plenty to see and loads to photograph. I liked the willow tunnel and the vegetable garden. A lot of the food in the cafe is home grown. This place is a sensory playground with great sights, smells and even sounds (especially the acoustics in the plant sale area). Everyone was rubbing the tips of lavender plants between their fingers to release the fragrance. Lavender scones were on the menu at the cafe. I had Ceylon and lavender tea.

I'm going back for some lavender, but took home a candle, soap, essential oils and a greetings card.

Farm opening times and details are on http://www.somersetlavender.com/

Tamsyn G shop in Wincanton

2010-07-26T14:38:00.000-07:00

A Week ago I got a text saying; "Have you seen the Tamsyn G make and mend shop at the top of Wincanton?" While on the Berrys to London my eldest daughter spotted a shop she thought I'd like. On Thursday Mc and I went to Wincanton before opening my shop. We had our fingers crossed that the shop would be open, and we were lucky. At present Tamsyn G is open Wed, Thurs and Fri.

Look what I found inside. Lots of handmade and making things. Lovely vintage haberdashery, and a work area. I got the OK for taking these photo's, from Tamsyn herself.

Missing from my photos is the yarn display. A colourful array of some of the great yarns available for the creative knitter, crocheter etc. Including some mixed yarns wound by Tamsyn and her youngest son who is shown here at the work table. They are each individual using different textures and colours on one ball.

I bought the round basket tin. It is embossed with a basket weave texture.

Look more tins and lovely vintage fabric. Ooh and buttons. There is a good well presented selection of buttons.

Handmade items including Tamsyn's photography and artwork.

Tamsyn's button jewelery.

Buttons!

This is a great little shop (actually it's a T.A.R.D.I.S) offering not just goods, but services too. Tamsyn does workshops in anything from teaching one or two of you to crochet, to craft parties . This busy lady has craft items in exhibitions and for sale in other shops and on Foksy and Etsy. http://tamsyng.blogspot.com is the place to visit for all the latest.

If you're in Wincanton it is well worth walking up the hill to 59 High Street.

Vintage China Hire

After coffee in a Portuguese cafe we returned to one of Wincanton's charity shops to pick up a pair of wooden headboards, but they were to be 'BACK in 20 Mins'. We wondered two doors up the road and found this!

A window display and tablescape of vintage china and glass.

It's times like this that I wish I had a polarizing filter.

Very enticing. The 'shop' was closed, but there was a small sign announcing Vintage China Hire with two phone numbers. I am pleased with the photo, only because the window was very dusty and there was so much reflection. I studied the table recognising some of the pieces. Did they buy them from me? Do I know these people? There were lot of details in the room that made me want to go in. There was a standard lamp redecorated with decoupage/collage. Unupholstered deckchairs.

There are quite a few Vintage China Hire options in my area. Wincanton, Castle Cary and Somerton all have people providing a service. What a lovely job to have. Helping to set the scene (or table) for an event, seeing your lovely china gracing someones party and getting to keep it and do it again! I took a photo of the phone numbers, so if my curiosity gets the better of me I will just have to pick up the phone....

Growing sucess

2010-07-21T01:58:00.000-07:00

Wow most things in the allotment are doing really well. First I had spinach coming out of my ears, then broad beans galore and now courgettes everywhere.

The only thing I'm short of is water. The lovely iron pump that I prefer to use at is almost dry. A family of mice moved in and I got two drowned ones swirling round in my watering can!

Lots of things have come and gone, but I took photos. We inherited some lovely large double poppies. We worked around them leaving them where they were. At first of course we didn't know what they would look like, but we weren,t disappointed.

Some storm damage was sustained, but Mc put that right before I could see the disappointing devastation. My beautiful sunflower was propped up and and the beans reorganised.

Something has been eating the runners as the flowers are fading, but we do have some left.

The shop is going well as it does in the summer. A trip to Taunton resulted in some lovely charity shop buys. I carried the heavy enamel sign all the way from Station Rd to the carpark behind the bus station while pulling everything else in my wicker shopping trolley!

I got lots of quilting supplies and some sheet music. The bell jars are from Sainsbury's! I got an identification of the vintage Welsh blanket from here http://www.welshblankets.co.uk/index.php . The roses are long crisp lined cotton curtains.

Vintage Toys
A customer and his Japanese wife sold me a part auction lot of a dolls pram and some toys. He only wanted a few books and sold me the rest. His main interest was Sooty and Sweep and he kept a Noddy puzzle. Long after they had gone I found a puzzle piece that looked like part of a Beek illustration. Was it from his puzzle? Also he collected Sooty and Sweep and one of the my puzzles hiding in a chocolate box was Sooty and Sweep in the kitchen!

The pram sold the next day before I could photograph it, but I took some pics of the toys, which have now sold on eBay.

After watching Mary Queen of Shops I have decided I agree with her idea of painting furniture and reselling it. I have been selling items for customers to paint and have painted a few small pieces myself which have sold well. These are my current projects. I liked the colour the shelves were when I bought them from last weekends car boot, but the finish was not good and you could tell the preparation was hurried.

I often pass an empty shop in my village. It was already spoken for when I got mine, but has remained empty due to unsuccessful planning app. As Mc and I walked past it this week we noticed the windows where whitewashed. I said "That would be a great place to sell painted furniture. You could do the work in the lean-to at the back" Well guess what? Yes a new shop in Ilchester!!! opening in mid August selling painted furniture. With the proper antique shop not closed yet down, my junk shop and this new shop Ilchester is moving to become somewhere to actually go to shop instead of stumble on.

Going Nowhere

2010-07-06T13:01:00.000-07:00

It's summer and most people are out and about travelling around visiting places, but I'm going nowhere. My van is not running and I haven't left Ilchester for almost two weeks!

I have to walk everywhere, as my beloved bicycle needs a new inner tube.

Luckily the Ilchester street fair was at the weekend and I got to buy some lovely local Water Buffalo sausages and rib eye steak. It's my annual treat. The buffalo farm is only a few miles away and I pass the shadowy creatures on my way to Yeovil . They were originally bought for milk to make mozzarella cheese, but buffalo meat is low in cholesterol and has a string of other health benefits, so the farmers started selling the meat. If I want to see the cowboy and native americian indian style buffalo I only have to travel to West Coker. (If only....)

My shop was full the day of the street fair. It's not really laid out for hordes of people, but I was pleased to see them all. Many of them hadn't been in before and some promised to come back when they had time to browse.

I've been visited by loads of dragonflies, not surprising living so close to the river Yeo. There is even a street named after them.

Although the allotment is at the other end of the village, my shop is at the half way point, so that breaks the journey up.

Of course I can get many things from my own garden like these raspberries.

I've come to terms with having a microwave now and used it to make some jam, as you can make a jar at a time with ease. I even sterilised the jar in the microwave.

The family were very happy. We don't usually have jam in the house. Since there was a jar and a bit I made a batch of scones to try the jam out on.

I've walked to one of the village garages and booked my van in to be fixed. I usually go to the motor museum, but I didn't think my van would make it. The water pump has gone and it could over heat. So hopefully my van will be ready for the weekend and I will be free.

All the fun of the Sythe Fair

2010-06-16T02:37:00.000-07:00

Green Sythe Fair Somerset

Not the best place for a hay fever sufferer, but there was so much to do that I really enjoyed myself between sneezing fits. I stayed away from the grass cutting competitions and concentrated on the other green aspects of the fair. I had a stall here last year and did really well. Stupidly I didn't rebook in time, so missed out on a great opportunity for selling my eco friendly wares to double the amount of people who came last year.

This gave me more time to visit other stalls, enjoy the live entertainment and queue for the lovely food on offer. There was a real festival feeling and the fair is only a few miles from both my home and shop adding to the green aspect. There were spinners, weavers, blacksmiths, thatchers, and look - giant knitting needles! I had to have a go.
There were plants for sale on several stalls. We went home with some purple sweetcorn with instructions to report back to the Monkton Wyld sellers to let them know how they do in Ilchester.

Mc had a good look at the bees. He hasn't kept bees for over a decade and it looks like he might be lured back into it. The parish council have given the go ahead for hives on the allotments, but as most of his equipment has already been given away, we wont be having a hive any time soon.

I went to the car boot first of course

The fair was on a Sunday, and we did a quick sweep of my village car boot sale, before we set off. I was lucky enough to get some hand made items directly from the makers. Not all the handmade items in my shop are made by me. The prices were far too low, but the sellers were clearing out and didn't mind even when I explained I would be reselling their hard work. It still seemed wrong, and I was standing next to customers who haggled the price of a brand new handmade fully lined pegbag down to 40p!

I raced up to the Mr.Men bag hoping it was a curtain or duvet cover, but it was a nice well made bag with a lining and pocket.

Peg bag Syndrome

It's peg bag weather again and I have a wider variety of peg bags now thanks to a lovely lady who was in the mood for sewing and had a wide selection to choose from.

There's an old complaint in this area among crafters that's called the peg bag syndrome. When I used to do craft fairs pegbags would either fly off the stall or be completely ignored for weeks. I get people asking for them when I don't have them, but some people have come back again when they saw one hung up in the window, so there's hope.

Strode College End of Year Show
I attended Sophie's art collage end of year show preview and still have Tony's to go. It is all very well polished work presented very well. There was lots I loved especially Sophie's yarn bombed bicycle. Students love vintage things and I spotted some items from my shop put to very interesting use. I don't know who's work this lampshade thing is I will find out, so I can put a credit on the photo.

A Rummage in Lyme Regis

2010-06-05T15:08:00.000-07:00

Since I will be spending my birthday dismantling a shed, we decided to go on a pre-birthday jolly. The logical direction to travel was away from the Bath & West showground. It took a while to dispatch the children to various locations, so mid morning we headed towards Lyme Regis via Yeovil. We never know where we will actually end up when we point the now newly welded and re-MOT'ed van out of Ilchester. The plan was to take the picnic basket to Asda as it is on route, and stop off somewhere on the way to eat whatever we bought to put in it. It all went to plan!

Asda isn't a hotbed of Artisan food, but with almost two aisles of crisps and a decent 'free from' corner we managed to select a nice spread. Mc and I split up to pick up odd things, and it wasn't until we unpacked that we noticed the tropical citrus theme. Tropical drink with lime, lemon olives, lemon and coriander humus and lemon zest cookies.

Even the delicious desert was fairly tropical too.

On our journey we travelled through a beech wood and looked out for a lay-by or gateway, when just as we reached the end there it was. A driveway to a National Trust location. It was just the place for a stop-off. A proper carpark and lovely beech woods. It was Lambert's Castle the sight of a hill fort, so there was open space too. We have often driven past and not noticed the entrance. We will definitely be stopping of there again.

We are quite familiar with Lyme Regis, so it was wonderful to find a new shop has open up. It was the first shop we visited as we walked down the hill towards the beach. (We always go via the high street). Brilliantly named Rummage it is run by Gaye and has been open for 5 weeks.

There is lots of lovely stuff outside and inside.

I can't resist looking through the buttons.

I end up buying some.

I zigzagged across the road to visit A touch of Vintage. I was lucky enough to wonder in on the day it opened two years ago. It has changed a bit since, but is still lovely. Upstairs they have some delicately designed welsh tapestry cushions that are adorable. I hadn't asked if I could take photos before I went up, so I didn't take any.

I have recently had a run on tea cups in the shop, so I'm on the lookout for more. Everyone seems to be having tea parties, and everyone seems to have different tastes. Roses and violets are popular as well as spots, but fruit and leaves take some peoples fancy too.
I looked round the charity shops and managed to find this lot.

All thirsty work, so we go into the place where we usually get take away tea, and decide to sit inside for a change. The tea room has almost Alice in Wonderland dimensions, getting narrower towards the back. The open door with view to the beach saves anyone feeling claustrophobic.

After that refreshing break it was finally time to hit the beach. The well populated beach was just as expected and there was a happy vibe about the place. We walked a bit, Mc went to a little bookshop while I had a look in the emporium. I always have a look, and sometimes even buy something, but not this time.

We had a bit of a paddle and just sat and did.. well nothing.. (I took some photos, and threw some stones) I had to poke my nose into the beach huts as always.

The town and beach had a lot of visitors and it's not unusual to bump into someone you know. Just when we thought it wouldn't happen we saw a group of people from Ilchester winding their way back to the carpark ahead of us.

We went home in a mini VW convoy only parting when we approached the allotment.

Watering and weeding are easier later in the day when the heat has abated. It's just a matter of deciding what to do all day until then.

A glorious weekend and Donna's open house

2010-05-24T12:46:00.000-07:00

I have often tried to get to one of Donna Flower's open days and have always been thwarted. Double booking, prior commitments, freak weather etc have always got in the way. Not this time though. I finally made it albeit at the last minute on the last day. Mc drove me and Sophie all the way through scenic Somerset and Devon ( I was doing crochet, so I didn't actually see any of the scenery. I had to unravel most of it though, because I was reading out the google map directions and kept getting the octagonal pattern wrong.)

We discovered that we had matching cloth tape measures!!! I often wear mine when I'm doing shows as there is a place to keep your scissors and pins.

I was tempted by all the lovely fabric, but what I had my eye on was the lovely twine that Donna sells. It comes in a variety of colour-ways, but I was after the white with red to go with my vintage twine holder. I should have measured it or taken it with me to insure a good fit, but look it fits perfectly! With 300 mtrs I should have enough for parcels, and making price tags for items in my shop. I might even try crochet or macrame and make a string bag.

By the time I arrived stock was depleted, but there was still plenty to feast my eyes on. Look at these snugly quilts, blankets and eiderdowns. I'm surprised I didn't find one of Donna's cats sleeping in here.

I've seen Donna's gorgeous kitchen in a few magazines, and it was lovely to see it first hand. It is huge in real life.

Sophie took the photos in this blog post. After choosing a dress and a pair of shoes from the clothing section.

When we first arrived in the village and I popped in to tell Donna we were there, but on our way to lunch. She sent us to Tea on the Green a lovely vintage themed cafe in Westward Ho! We popped back to Westward Ho! to visit the beach after we left Donna's

Then it was back home to Ilchester where the glorious weather continued. Sunday morning's car boot sale was a big one with sellers happy to get up on a warm morning with no sign of rain, and sell their unwanted stuff.

I went home with quite a stash. I bought a box of knitting needles without looking through them. I was thrilled to find an illusive afghan crochet hook in there. Here it's pictured here against an amazing pouffe that is hiding behind everything else in the picture. Also hiding is a cute little folding wooden step stool. Oh yes that is a pair of purple Dr. Martins - size 6 which means they might even make it into my shop as we are all (including No1 son, but except Mc) size 4/5

If you can't find me I'm down at the allotment

2010-05-10T00:13:00.000-07:00

I made it to the top of the waiting list, and now have an allotment in my village. You can see it from the 303 as you zoom past the Ilchester junction and smell the sewage works.

I decided that this bed was far too big, and wanted to split it into two smaller beds or make it L shaped. This is why I have been so quiet lately.

I took over a small plot which has had some work done on it already, but the last tenant was moving out, so, the shed, gate, bench and wood from the raised beds were eventually taken away.

One thing I have noticed is how obsessed the English are about potatoes. Everyone wants to know 'Where are you going to put your potatoes?' 'How big is you potato bed going to be?' 'Will you be sowing earlies, late earlies and lates?' ...um well actually I wasn't going to grow any spuds at all!! We eat carrots and broccoli, some beans sweet potatoes, pasta, couscous, and rice at home. Why would I want to grow potatoes?

Mc has taken over the general direction of the allotment and if you haven't noticed he is Irish, so we are growing Charlotte and Desiree who as far as I knew were two of Elvis' girlfriends, but are actually potatoes.

We have now got a microwave cooking box thing in the kitchen and I have heard that you can put potatoes in it and wait for a ting noise and then they come out a bit like baked boiled potatoes. I think it is as much a waste of space as the similar looking TV box thing in the other room.

We have been working the allotment for a month now and I notice that we should start taking notes. We forget what we have sewn where and when. This info would be useful now and next year.

I've missed some good fairs due to having my head in the mud (that's another thing apparently it is called SOIL). I will have to visit a few blogs to see what I missed.

Rook Lane Retro Review

2010-03-31T12:55:00.000-07:00

I've been visiting other blogs reading about Rook Lane Retro Fair. Even though I was as there selling it's still nice to see things through other's eyes and camera's. I've seen some lovely photo's of my stall and items people have bought from me. Also I've seen pictures of other stalls showing stuff I bought home with me! Alan's photo's on Suzy's Vintage Attic are wonderful. I took along a Mexican themed tin to keep my Toni Raymond Mexican Man sugar shaker company and it is now in the celestral company of a dog named Tog. I haven't seen the photo's Sophie (pictured here) took of the fair yet, she is busy with course work, so I won't distract her. I was going to just use everyone elses, but I do have some of my own. Look....

My stall was just inside the door with light from one of the large stained glass windows illuminating my stuff. The little doll behind one of the oxo tins now lives here

Toni Raymon Mexican Man sugar shaker renewing his aquaintance with the Toni Raymond Owl scissor and string holder.

I usually leave something or things behind (this time I left lots). I usually forget the airing rack, but not this time. I love things that unfold and can be put to many different uses.
Visiting this fair was just as much fun as last time perhaps even more fun. #1 son didn't come along this time, so I didn't have to keep nipping to the car park to see if he was still waiting in the camper. I just have to thank my two helpers Sophie and Mc and of course all the customers, organisers and café staff. I welcome cup of coffee and melting moment was provided at set-up. I'm beginning to think this treatment is normal. Stall holders got similar treatment at Bridport rag market. I'm sure it wasn't like this when I used to do craft fairs in the Taunton area...

New Diary

2010-03-14T03:10:00.000-07:00

I'm very disorganised, but I like an interesting diary. Last year I had a Dodo diary and the year before I had a Benrik Diary This year I only have a basic supermarket own label affair. The first thing I do when I get a new diary is stick a pocket in the back if it doesn't already have one, so I was pleased when I found next years diary. It has a very substantial pouch fitted inside the back cover.

I don't usualy order the next years diary in March, but while I was ordering limited edition Liberty fabric from the V&A I noticed that they had a diary celerbrating their impending quilt exhibition. The photo's are sumptuous. Lovely shots of the back of quilts, haberdashery etc.

Of course I had to buy fabric . To make lovely things with.

There are great advantages to being prepared I can enter next years dates for the cat's flea treatment!!! I'm only worried that I might loose the diary before next year.

Rook Lane Retro 27th March 2010

2010-02-23T15:44:00.000-08:00

I had a lovely time in Bridport at the Rag Market. I said good bye to lots of lovely fabric. The venue and facilities were wonderful, with tea, biscuits and cakes readily available for the stall holders. I didn't take my camera, sadly, so I have no pictures to show you.

Apart from the flea at the Bath & West weather permitting, the next fair I'm doing will be the fabulous Rook Lane Retro in Frome. These photo's are of my last visit there which was as long ago as September 2008!

Black and White

2010-02-17T12:19:00.000-08:00

We are well into a new year and I haven't done an update!

Christmas went well. I've come up with a brill plan which I aim to follow every Christmas from now on ... KEEP IT SIMPLE! Feeding 3 generations, 3 different religions, vegetarians, nut allergy victims, and type 1 diabetics is easy. The easiest part was being allowed to use the same oven. Even though there was no bacon on the turkey and for the vegies no turkey in the 'turkey' (no nuts in the nut roast) and no goose fat in the roast spuds and no chestnuts with the sprouts. It was all quite easy, because I didn't do sprouts with chestnuts (straight forward sprouts are easy), no glazed carrots (straight forward carrots are easy and have no added sugar) pigs in blankets/kilted sausages in their own tray (easier to keep an eye on) The only thing I made was the gravey (vegetarian).

We had snow again in the new year. I only took one photo this time .......

My cats foot print in the snow.

After taking down the christmas display in the shop window I decided to go for a black and white theme.

That got changed for Valentine's day, and now it's back to natural wood. Before long I will be looking to add a splash of colour, but I'm too busy sorting stock for the rag market in Bridport this weekend. I've been before as a customer, but never sold there. I love Bridport and I'm looking forward to a lovely day.

New haberdashery cabinet has arrived.

2009-11-26T13:59:00.000-08:00

It's here!!! and it's so cute!! with its little drawers and custom built side console.

It looked so old and fragile with all the little drawers taken out, leaving just a glass shell and wooden skeleton. Then it didn't quite fit into my van, so Mc drove the 6 miles from Glastonbury to Ilchester, because he has far more nerve than me. We were told to bring more help than we thought we would need, but managed with three of us: Mc, me and Yusuf. Plus a helpful shove from a lady who saw it being removed and thought were moving in to the shop we were taking it from (I would always ask if I saw someone removing a haberdashery cabinet just incase they were dumping it!)

Moving an aged glass cabinet is nerve wracking stuff. Once it was in situ I had to rush off to meet the school bus and arrived back to find Mc had moved it into position and put the drawers back in. The rearranging to make space for it to fit through the door and to the back of the shop had taken all week. Next I can work out a new layout. It looks more like a shop now I have a counter.

Some of the drawers went missing during the many years and I have 20 of the 24 left.

The cabinet and console aren't the only items I bought.

I used to admire the copper display poles that the Hardware shop in Glastonbuy had in their window and now I have one of them in my shop. Millers the hardware shop closed in the last few years and the premises is now called Hunab Ku. I've supplied Hunab Ku with my glittery badges.

This copper piller is very very heavy, and the glass sheets stay in place as if by magic. It will be very usefull in the odd shaped window area at the front of the shop. I wonder where the other pillers have ended up.

Make way for the new

2009-11-14T13:08:00.000-08:00

I'm excited about securing a new (1950's) counter which should arrive at the end of next week. It should compliment the set of drawers I already have. Some rearranging will have to be done to make room for it. The shop is going to look a little different.

Some of these settings will stay and some will go. They have already changed as things got sold and replaced with more treasures.

The dark afternoons have made an impact on the shopping habits of my customers. None of the rush hour commuters seem stop to visit me anymore. I was closing at 6, but I close at a more sociable 5 now. The year is marching on. I didn't grow any pumpkins this year, so I had to buy them in! The shop was open for Trick or treaters and facepainting on halloween and I remember thinking it wasn't getting dark quickly enough to make our pumpkin lanterns look their best.

I remembered to plant some forced bulbs and made a note to myself in chalk on the stairs that they in in the cupboard below. The paper whites are nearly over now. I love their scent and took one pot to the shop and kept one at home. The hyacinths under the stairs will need to come out into the light soon and should be ready for christmas to give as gifts or keep. They are great as last minute gifts to unexpected visitors. I've put some in water in hyacinth jars. I found some vintage jars at a boot sale and they have coloured frosted bottom halves so the roots shouldn't look too freeky. Actually I think I'll go and check on them now........

1950's Vintage Bowling

2009-10-01T12:14:00.000-07:00

Number one son's favourite activity away from the computer, games console or TV is BOWLING. I was very excited to find that Gimme Shelter Vintage Boutique was holding a vintage and retro fair in a 50's bowling alley. I wasn't quick enough to book a stall, so went shopping and bowling instead. There was lots to see and do. I brushed up on my hula hooping technique and wondered why I hadn't got Mac booked for the busking. I'll ask Jamie next time. Everyone looked great and the stalls were bursting with stuff. We snuck out to have a wonder round Bristol and now we know to shop around for parking. We only found the 'park all day Sunday for £2.50 car park on the way home!!! We parked in the pay £7 for a few hours one :( good job I didn't take the van it's too tall for the NCP

Gimme Shelter Vintage Boutique is a permanent fixture in the Lanes bowling alley in Broardmead.

The bowling was great. Warning they have no side rails!!!! We usually have the rails up at Bowlpox it just make it less upsetting. We had to raise our games. It wasn't a problem for the couple in the next lane. I copied the man's method and got a spare!!

I bought fabric from this stall.

There were loads of clothes to look at and buy.

It was a tiring day (Sundays start early due to car booting) but a happy one.

Back down to earth from up north

2009-08-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

I was invited to the lake district, but didn't want to leave the shop for too long. I had this bright idea of letting Mac drive up on his own and going up later by coach. We would drive back together. 11 hours into the coach journey Mac phones to say the car has died on the way to pick me up from the bus station. We hired a car and had the sad job of emptying stuff out of the old dead one into the tiny hire car. It is odd travelling in a modern car when you are used to vintage. You can't close electric windows when the key isn't in the ignition.

We bought some Cd's at a garage sale to listen to on the way home. The old car had a tape player.

I bought quite a few buttons on my trip up north. Not sure why, but I have a thing about packaging. I now have rather a lot of underwear buttons. I muttered my usual line 'I don't have to buy any more of those for a long time' The box is nothing special, but I liked it enough to buy all the buttons.

We stayed with lovely friends and were taken to a salvage yard and an antiques emporium. Reclamation yards are my idea of doing stuff out doors. Being hundreds of miles from home with a Ford Fiesta is a great way to stop yourself from buying large expensive items. The huge emporium had a wide range of vintage and antique items with a wide price range. I picked up a few items for my shop. The coach had stopped in Stoke-on-Trent and I wondered what sort of pottery items I would find if I jumped out and looked round. I was intrigued by some invalid feeder cups with spouts like teapots. Now I've noticed them I will probably see them everywhere.

NOW I'm back home I have just finished some bunting for a customers granddaughters. I've used the offcuts from curtains she made for their new bedrooms. Lovely Laura Ashley blue gingham and pink spot fabric. The display outside my shop was looking a bit too brown, so I cleaned some white chairs I got from auction and set them outside in the bright sunshine. Both the chairs and the bunting have now gone to new homes.

Tommorrow we take the hire car back to the local branch, and continue the hunt for a new car.

Junk shop joy

2009-07-18T13:02:00.001-07:00

I've hit apon an idea to get rid of some of my stuff. I've open a shop! I'm on a scheme with the jobcentre. I get a mentor and 6 months trial.

Running a shop takes up a lot of time and that's my excuse for not updating my blog. Three months in to the scheme I can see the apeal of having a shop, but wish I could aford to have an assistant. It's great having happy customers, but I need to be out and about finding new stock.

I do get to spend time making things like the heart shaped lavender bags and crochet biscuits while waiting for customers.

Now of course I have an excuse for buying lovely vintage items or more fabric. The local auction is a great way to spend every other Saturday.

Snow Day!

2009-02-16T11:02:00.001-08:00

All that's left of this snowman today is a plant pot sized mound of snow. The day the snow came was the day this village came alive. People were out in the streets, parks and gardens. The school was closed, the buses didn't run and most of the shops in Yeovil didn't open. The snow acted as a 'get out of school/college/work free card'. We made our snow man well and it is the only scrap of snow left in the area. It was the first real snow number-one-son has ever seen and been able to participate in. Since the snow we have had floods and now we have the promise of spring.

It wont be long before we will all be eating outside! I made some bunting from some vintage fabric I have been using to make grocery bags. Here it is hung it on the same hedge that Jerry the snowman was standing afront. What a difference exactly two weeks makes! Seems like a different season! I've taken a shine to this fabric having acquired similar patterns in blue, pink, purple and yellow colourways. I'm still looking for a green and a red version, so I can offer a whole spectrum of eco friendly reuseable shopping bags. Most of the fabric comes from recycling bedding and it seems that red and green prints are rare. I'm off search for some....

The big clear-out continues

2009-01-30T04:43:00.001-08:00

It's a good thing there's more than one new years day and more than one calender. As this is my first post of the new year you can assume that I follow the Chinese calender! Lets see what the year of the ox brings. I'm supposed to be clearing out lots of clutter to appease my landlord, but this seams to involve um accumulating more stuff! I bought some lovely vintage suitcases to pack away my summer stuff. They are perched atop my new vintage wardrobe which I got from the furniture welfare people. It's fabulously Jeeves and Wooster with labelled shelves for my hats, shirts, pyjamas, underwear and sundries!

I think the cat is having trouble with the labelling system that looks like craft supplies not pyjamas! Progress is being made, however. I managed to part with a fat quarter of fabric. I eBayed some vintage Laura Ashley Strawberry Fields fabric this week. I have been making little heart shaped lavender sachets with it and wondered just how popular that Laura Ashley print is. I don't mind if no one else likes it, but it is nice to know. The eBay page got 108 hits in the week it was on, 11 people were watching it and it sold after getting 3 bids.

October's over

2008-11-02T11:43:00.000-08:00

October's over and I didn't make a Christmas cake, plant forced hyacinths, make rose hip syrup, brew wine....I guess Christmas is cancelled! I've finally been persuaded to put the heating on and most of the computers in the house are next to radiators, so I might spend some time listing the mountain of vintage fabric I have to clear. I don't want to part with it, but I'm happier selling fabric on eBay than pottery that might break in the post. I took the plunge and gave away a large amount of accumulated packaging items to a nice lady on freecycle.

One thing I did get around to this year was growing pumpkins for Halloween. They actually grew themselves. This is a tradition in my garden. I throw the pumpkin guts from the jack-o-lanterns in the garden and by next Halloween I have another set of pumpkins.

My pumpkins are never ripe in time for Halloween. They would be if I started them off indoors and protected them from the slugs. I will next year, because it is best not to grow the same crop in the same place too many years in a row and I haven't worked out where they are going next year.

At this time of year number-one-son gets excited deciding what to dress up in and counting down the days till his birthday. Pages of designs for pumpkin carving are drawn up and the scrolling sign comes down from the attic. Trick or Treat scrolls in bright red lights like a beacon in his darkened bedroom. Mc kept quiet about the whole thing maybe he muttered things about a German Saint and pagan festivals, but he did go out and cut and bring in the pumpkins before having to go home to get something done.