The Vintage Magpie

Chickened Out

Sorry for the gap in blogging..... I have been making chicken egg cup cosies like crazy!  I'm exhausted!  Anyway, for a little break I took myself off to do a 'charity shop trawl' and came back with these little beauties...

I couldn't resist this jar/pot, as it is so gorgeous.. but I'm not really sure what it was used for.  When browsing other sites, I noticed that Niki had similar ones, used for mustard and pepper, but this one is larger.  Does anyone have any ideas?

And now I must show off my two new chickens...

They are salt and pepper pots, and were given to me as a present for mother's day!  I love them to bits!

Olivia and Prudence

Olivia would like to show you her Easter outfit.

She would also like to introduce her new (and rather demanding) friend Prudence, who insists on being carried around in a basket.  Olivia is learning some of the 'drawbacks' of having a toddler already, namely the constant squawking and demanding to be fed.   Oh yes, Olivia, they always look like angels....

Olivia, now fully dressed for Easter, is looking for a loving new home.  However, you will have to accommodate the rather willful Prudence as well.  They are both now in my little shop waiting patiently.

There are also some other little chicks up for sale, to warm your Easter morning eggs, in a range of random Easter colours.

The chickens certainly came first before the eggs in this house!

Chicken in a basket

These little chickens clucked all the way to the school Easter Fayre this afternoon.  Lovely little cosies to keep your easter morning eggs nice and toasty!

More will be hatching over the weekend and will be up for sale in the little shop next week.  There will also be some other Easter themed goodies, along with this little lady, who is still waiting for her Easter frock (which I will be whipping up this weekend) and whom will be looking for a lovely home in time for the Easter celebrations.

There has been lots of 'Easter action' in this house this week... which involved lots of glue, a few chicks, bits of stick, moss, and foliage and a bit of imagination to get this result for the 'Decorate the Easter Plate' competition at school... Blood (the girls'), sweat (mine) and lots of tears (everyones') resulted in these little masterpieces ...

We didn't win.  We were robbed.

Crafting and Rummaging

After having searched high and low for some trimming with the little balls on, (not sure what its professionally known as), I found some whilst up in London for the weekend.  My brother took me to VV Rouleux in Marylebone... Oh it was gorgeous.. full of the most wonderful, wonderful ribbons and trims.  And if I felt a little light headed when I went in surrounded by all the gorgeousness, I felt positively faint when I came out, £32 lighter!  Lovely, but very pricey!  Anyway, through guilt more than anything else I finally rustled up a cushion I've been needing in my breakfast room for a very long time.

Its made with Laura Ashley 'Holiday' material on the front, which I have had for ages, but have been too nervous too use, and then a gingham cotton on the back.

I also found what has been my Thrift of The Year so far in a local charity shop.

Its a 1950s Brexton picnic set, totally complete, with two original Thermos flasks, four cups and saucers, four sandwich/large wedge of cake plates, and cake knife and fork and four teaspoons, all with the Brexton mark stamped on the back.  It also has two large food (CAKE) containers, and three little pots for milk, sugar and something else.  I'm over the moon with it!    Just imagine the day trips its been on!

Gorgeous

Here's some piccies of the gorgeous recipient of the mousie bag, now complete with mousie in it!

And now for mousie!

How cute!

The White Stuff

Finally, it snowed!  Well, on Dartmoor at least.  In town it just hammered hailstones at us.

Still beggars can't be choosers.  So that's winter done and dusted.

I went to the Country Living Fair on Friday, and dragged my lovely brother round for several hours.  I saw the lovely Samantha's stall, which was great, and bought one of the crocheted dishcloths which I couldn't resist!  Jo's shadow boxes were gorgeous as were Elfie & Me's cards.  I have to say though, I agree with Fiona and Niki, that Country Living  is starting to flounder.  I had a lovely time at the Fair, and there were some gorgeous crafts, but most of it I had seen before at last year's show.  I hope to go to the Christmas Fair this year, as I have only so far been to the Spring Fairs, and I hope this will be better.

Here's a little find from an antique shop recently.  I was very lucky as when I picked it up it didn't have a price label on it, so when I asked how much it was the lady 'guessed' at £3, because everything else on the table was £3 (?!).  Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I promptly paid the woman and scarpered.

This is the picture on it close up...

I think its delightful.. It remains to be seen how long it will remain delightful, however, as three mischievious children are constantly scrambling for it to adorn their sandwiches.

Talking of mischievious..

I wonder just how much patience she has!

Not Amused

Olivia is having a tantrum.

She is not, as they say, a happy bunny.

You know how it is.  You think you've found the perfect accessory for that big day out....

And then the darn thing is too big.

So, she did what all us girls do in this sort of crisis. .....

And cheered herself up with some flowers!

We are off to the Country Living Fair tomorrow to do some serious shopping, and to find some material to make Olivia a gorgeous new outfit.

Olivia, once fully dressed, will be for sale in my shop sometime next week.

Have a great weekend!

Gone Stale

I haven't got much crafting done in the last few days as we have been galavanting off to my father-in-law's in Kent to celebrate his 60th birthday...  we had a wonderful time.  He lives on an equestrian farm, so the kids were in their element, feeding the horses, chickens and dogs and we were in our element eating, drinking and making merriment.  This is my youngest daughter Lolly (Lauren) on the farm, exerting her control over our dog's mother Breeze, brother Bertie and sister Gossip.

She has far greater control over these dogs than I have over this  :-

or these for that matter...

However, true to form, I did manage to a little bit of trinketing .. I saw this set in a charity shop and it had my name written all over it ...

and then I saw this on its own ...

and instantly thought it would look far more gorgeous with this...

rather odd shaped hot cross bun.  Which didn't last long... well there's not much sense in holding back.  It'd be stale by Easter anyway :o

My Little Shop

Thank you to everyone who has commented on my little rabbits, you are so very kind, and for the requests to sell them...
I have always planned to sell, but just haven't got round to a shop yet!  Anyway, the link is now up and the shop is here .  It is currently 'a work in progress'.  If you have the time please have a little look!

Mothers Meeting

Meet Audrey ...

and her old friend Elizabeth..

These are the last two bunnies off to the shop to join Florence and get ready for the Easter window display.

No doubt there's going to be a rumble for the best bonnet.....

My money's on Audrey.