A hands on experience at the Tropical Zoo – London
27 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in 2011 October Blog Tags: Alligator, Guinea Pig, Koi Carp, Rats, Snakes, Stick Insect, Tarantulas, Terrapin, Tortoise, Tropical Zoo London
Aunty Em’s new family pad
26 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in 2011 October Blog Tags: Aunty Em's, Eclectic Vintage Collection, London
This week I visited my best friend’s new Flat above a large pub nestled into the corner of some cute Victorian terrace houses in Streatham.
As I live with my family in a ‘cosy’ cottage, I couldn’t help but envy the vast amount of space their new home offers. In fact there is so much room that Pearl and Harlen were riding their tricycles around the sitting room most of the afternoon.
I love her collections of retro china, 1960s furniture and lighting. Her and Pete have made a gorgeous home for their little boy and tiny new kitten.
Wisley
28 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
in 2011 September Blog Tags: Bonsai’s, Chillies, Flowers, Orchids, Plants, Wisley - RHS Gardening
Romsey Show 2011
10 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
in 2011 September Blog Tags: Farm Animals, Old Tractors, Romsey Show, Vintage Fire Engine
Holiday in France 2011
26 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
in 2011 August Blog, Holidays Tags: Antique Hunting, France, Holidays, Vintage Exploration
We stayed at a new place this year, a double fronted stone house surrounded by amber corn fields. It was beautiful, winding staircases, wooden shutters, crazy flocked wall paper and an attic like something out of a novel. As is our general custom we ate our body weight in baguettes and celeriac remoulade. The girls enjoyed themselves at a local Rock Festival, my eldest taking her five minutes of fame ‘playing’ lead guitar alongside Normandy’s answer to Jack Black. All in all a wicked time was had by all.
My favorite brocante store
24 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
in 2011 August Blog, Holidays Tags: Brocante store, Hundreds of vintage pieces
My favourite brocante store, the old dude that runs it is a sweetie but insists on babbling at my slightly vacant face as I struggle with my ‘Tricolore’ GCSE French. This year I have promised myself some refresher classes so I can converse a little better with him next time. How do you say ‘nice jugs love’?
Empty house by the Sea
23 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
in 2011 August Blog, Holidays Tags: Old derelict house by the sea
Just down the road from where we stay in Normandy is a derelict house by the sea. This summer we noticed an eerie piece of graffiti on the side of the house that has suddenly appeared. So we took the camera and jumped over the garden wall to investigate. It was a beautiful house but had been completely trashed inside, no doors or windows had left it open to the elements and some French people/person who liked vodka and drugs. It was quite a rush staring into the strange rooms, some were reminiscent of the final scene of The Blair Witch Project. I was waiting to see something horrific in a corner through all the carnage but instead I found some small fragments of beauty and all to the sound of birdsong and the waves nearby.
First Flea Market 5am
21 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
in 2011 August Blog, Holidays Tags: Flea Markets, Vide Grenier, Vintage Market
This holiday was a good one for Vide Greniers and markets. It was a painfully early start each time but as always completely worth the many hours spent scouring each and every table top. This trip we were heavily focused on our wedding and finding table settings and colourful pieces to brighten the barn for our reception. We are excited to bring a touch of France to our celebration, I am wondering if I should start a wedding crockery hire business. It is hard work collecting enough pieces to make an impact, lucky I love doing it I suppose.
Some of my favorite markets of 2011
08 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
in 2011 August Blog Tags: antiques, Flea Market, Markets, Old Finds, old objects, recycling vintage design, Vintage
Stag Beetle
12 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in 2011 July Blog, Our Home Tags: old objects, Stagg beetles, Taxidermy
When I first met the love of my life, I was a little concerned about the odd contents of a wall cabinet he had. There were tiny snakes in bottles, massive moths in tobacco tins, scorpions in glass cases, animal skulls and each one would have a story attached to it I have grown to love this cabinet of his now, and the Beetles are one of my favourites. I love the tiny bamboo scaffolding onto which they are fixed and suspended, my daughters love to look at them.
The stag beetle in this test tube was found under a beehive by Max Schröder in 1972. When it died he gave it to his grandson Mark who kept it in a matchbox. Then in 1984 Mark bought the other beetle from a curiosity shop in Seattle which also sold Chinese herbal medicines. The beetle came wrapped in a silver wrapper like a cigar. So, Mark then built a bamboo frame round them and put them into a test tube to keep them safe and preserved. He then gave them to my fella, his cousin some years later.
