Vintage Christmas

Wow its been a while
Lots of things Created and sorted  Last week plus a super long weekend in London
(more info about that later!!)

Mostly Christmas
Here are a few of the Fairies i have upcycled

 This little lady was in rather bad a state, Where do i start Bad hair Tinfoil dress andHer wings where ripped and ruined

 And then This lady with a completely Flattened and Broken Skirt / Base

 First Task fix the Skirt
I had to carefully remove her base from wings and body

 Then use this as a template to make a new base

 and A little of added Voila Later and Ta Da !!

 She looks Fantastic!!
Then there is this little lady

Remove the foil Dress and her top and arms her hair and wings
I then Relined the wings replaced the Hair and added some glittery Voile to the Dress
Little set of Tree top Fairy/ Angels for the Festive season :-)

Jams, Chutneys and Pickles

With the Change in weather and the Cold Damp spell we have had.
 I spent the weekend clearing the last of the Vegetable Patch
After a Crazy year of Veg There was still lots left!!
Had a Huge Glut of Veggies
Lots of Squashes and Large Marrows that were Hidden under the Large Leaves 
Plus 3 Kilos of Green Tomatoes

The Cooking Bug took me and I got the Big Cooking Pots out

 Here are all those Gorgeous Green Tomatoes with Great Bright Colours Ready to make a Chutney

 And a selection of  Large  Marrows and squashes /Pumpkins
(not sure of some of these varieties as my garden has a tendency to self seed!!)

 A selection of Mini Courgettes and squashes (these became a nice pasta Dish That Weekend Yum!)

 Here is a Brief Glimpse of The Green Tomato Chutney
This was at the Half way stage
I had chopped 3 kilos of tomatoes and 500 Grams of Onions
But well worth it, I had lost my recipe, so found this one here Grans-Green-Tomato-Chutney
Love the Yummy Smells of Chutney around the house!!
and this tasted Great when cooked and made 5 large Jars.

I didn't get pictures of The Marrow Ginger Jam, made this using the large 2 kilo Marrow
I was looking for something new to do with all my Marrows and This was truly Yummy and super easy recipe.
Found the recipe online here allrecipes.co.uk ginger-marrow-jam
 I did add alot more Ginger  (more like large 10cm piece, rather than 3cm piece in the recipe!)
as i love that warm flavour of ginger and thought if would be great topping for toast or porridge during Autumn Winter Months!!
The Jam made Four Large Jars and already only have 2 left
My Parents Pinched a jar and my Brother the Other
Gorgeous Jammy Ginger Preserve  and no one Realised it was nearly all  marrow 
Think I will be making More!!

Busy This week With all Things Christmas
My house will be a Glittery Mess By the end of the Week :-))

More Cottage Shabby Chic

Continuing from Yesterdays Update of my daughters Shabby Chic Bedroom is a Piano Stool
It was bought from a Sunday Outing (Carboot!)
It had seen better days
No top and had been warped and  Knocked out of square
So a little DIY  and More of the Vintage Music Paper,
To finish the stool We topped it with some Pretty Vintage Curtain Fabric
 also Found at a Sunday Outing (Love a Carboot!)
What do you think ?!

From This ......

 Had to sand the whole Body and top remove any stray nails
and Straighten the leg Squaring up the Body

 Also Decided to seal up the fold down front of the draw as didn't think we would need this and the whole thing would work better as a draw

 A little Glue and some chipboard Pieces and everything was fixed
I also went across the joints with filler and sand paper to smooth Flat

So Voila This is the Finished Stool

 Wrapped in Vintage Music Paper Pieces
Each Handcut and Wrapped

 Topped with a Pretty Cottage Floral Fabric

 And the Draw Lined with a Large Thick Paper Vintage Map

 I reused the Original Draw Pull
Do you like The Scallop cut design on the Paper
Liked this as a Join Looked Prettier Than Flat edges

 No sign of the fold down front :-)

All Finished with a Pale Shabby Chic White Wash to Blend and Finish The whole Look
One Very Happy Girl!!

ShabbyChic

I have been doing some small projects for my daughters room
She is loving the shabby Chic Look
So after a Large Purchase of Vintage Music Paper on a sunday outing
a few Pieces have had a Makeover
Here are 2 of them

 A Little Jewellery Nail Varnish Unit
 Painted White with Music paper details and a Pale Coral Pink Music Paper Cover
All given a whitewash finish.

And a set of Ikea Draws
Covered in Vintage Music Papers and Given a Faint White wash finish
She also has a book case and chair that where given a Cottage Shabby Chic Finish
Will have to show these soon
Her room is almost all White and Music Paper
I will get her to my Cottage Chic Ways :-)

Toys and Things

Over the Year I have been finding Lots of Gorgeous Vintage Toys  to add to the shop
Here is just a small selection of what i have been finding!!

 Gorgeous Pull along wooden Gorilla
He would rock as he went along
Solid wood with all wood fixtures such a great find and i found 2 !!

 Classic Red London Bus with lots of labels love the look of this

 Another Great Wooden Toy Lovely solid wood Tipper Truck
Below a Super cute Dinosaur  Money Box with Perspex sides
I love the way he is looking back as if counting the money in his belly!

 The so Bad is Good Plastic, Vintage Irish Toy Duck
Love the weird outward looking eyes?!

And Lastly the Yellow Duckies these were rather ugly and badly painted
so i had a little diy job
I painted them Yellow with a bright Orange beak, but they looked too clean
they were given a sand and a Shabby Chic finish and a new strong string and bead to pull along

Have loved finding toys especially the wooden variety
Something lovely about the Handmade robust Quality.
Will be hopefully finding more for the shop especially for those great stocking filler presents:-)

Welcome to my World !!

 Say Hello to my Little Friends,
This is my Growing collection of Dolls (fabric and Ceramic)
All Animal Image Tins.
These all started to come in my world, by accident to start with !
Inherited and Given,
 Then I spotted one or two whilst out Shopping and Can't part with them !!
Now i go looking for them. Love my Little Friends :-)

 This  is one part of  my Bedroom Wall decorated in Blank Frames
This had Started as a Declutter approx 2 years ago
I had so much art everywhere that i took everything off the walls
I then Decided to choose my favorite Vintage Frames and just put them up Blank
 Love the Look and Character Of each of the frames

Recently the wall has become a place for special treasures, gifts and cards. 
Here's a look

Brown Paper Bag Bear
This bag was in my Handbag with something i can't remeber i had bought from the market
a Pen had leaked leaving 2 small dots and a series of splodges
When I found him he looked so cute
Added a few details and put him on the wall
Love this Cutie!!

 Just Absolutely Love this Frame it has lost one corner which just makes it look even better

 Purple Edge Frame Just super simple and Pretty

 Another Rather Shabby Pretty Frame :-)

On the other side of the wall are more frames, forgot to take a big Picture
 so here they are  individually

 Card from my Sister :-) and my little Deer
Actually found him in the street rather Muddy
Washed and Placed here to look Sweet

 Large Frame with Paper Frame and Isabella Blow Postcard

I have had a long love of old frame
the Small Paper frame is from University days Used in one of my Projects
That goes back 10 years !!
The Isabella Blow Postcard was sent by my Sister
We Had gone to the Exhibition at Somerset House and Weeks later this arrives in the Post
Isabella Blows Fashions and Life it was Beautiful Fashion and a wonderful insight into the Crazy world of High Fashion.

Last but not Least A  Post Card of one of my Favorite Artists Katsushika Hokusai 
This is Holographic, so moves as i walk past it! Always puts a smile on my Face.
and a little Dinosaur Keyring 
Bought by my Daughter at her School trip to The Natural History Museum London 
Couldn't put it on my Keys as there is already a Robot from The Science Museum 
and any more bits on the Keyring or in my bag and I'll need a Forklift truck or replacement Shoulder!!
Thats my Wall of Frames Makes me Happy !!
Lots of new and Fun things added to the Shop Go take a look ;-)