The Vintage Magpie

The Chicken and her egg

Ta dah!  The first egg from our feathery residents for MONTHS.  Spring is on its way dear friends.  Small, but perfectly formed, like its layer.  Not sure if it was Olive or Lottie, but the girls are definitely on the up.  I can't tell you how thrilled we all are to be back in the 'egg' business!

Now, I know its not Easter yet, but I had to show you this little friend who had to come home from the market with me yesterday.

Isn't she hysterical! I have named her Lucky, as she reminded me so much of a little chick that some of our chickens hatched last year. Unfortunately, as we were complete novices to the 'hatching game' hubby tried to help one of the  chicks out of its shell. When the hen got wind of the human smell on the egg, they attacked the little one and pecked at her eyes, poor thing. She looked all dishevelled and wild with lopsided eyes, like the above. So I named her Lucky and tried for days to nurse her back to health. Alas the name didn't fit the description, and poor thing went to the big chicken heaven in the sky. So this little chick is staying on my dresser in her memory, and we're ignoring the fact that Easter is .. what ... 3 weeks away?

On a brighter note :0 a friend of ours recently moved abroad, and left me one of her cherished possessions to look after.

 

And it occurred to me the other day that since she has been on my shelf there has been an unusual amount of good fortune around this house. She is so beautiful to look at, and it meant a great deal to me that someone would entrust me with her.

Well, its the weekend is fast approaching again, and we are definitely going to take it easy. Its been VERY hectic around here the last few weeks, and I feel I am genuinely losing my marbles.

Yesterday, to the calm the old nerves, I brought out a trusty bar of chocolate from the depths of the 'naughty cupboard'. In my fluster I must have eaten it, but then spent over half an hour later on trying to hunt the darn thing down. Things are going a little off course, so its time to kick back I think, before things get spiteful. I'm going to take a leaf out of the furry kind's book.

Its definitely alright for some in this house!

Have a great weekend, and to all the mum's have a wonderful Mother's Day..

In the words of the everwise Jane Fonda..."Because we're worth it!!"   x

My Sweethearts

My, its cold. 

We've taken to jumping off rocks to keep warm here!  I love this picture, taken by hubby, showing two of my sweethearts.  I find that I just don't get time to keep up with a photo album at the moment, but I hate just storing them all on the computer.  I've found this blog to be a great way of keeping my treasured photos safe and kind of real.  I trawl enviously the scrapbook blogs, but I just don't get round to doing my own. 

And this one displays sweet Annie, made from a gorgeous Cath Kidston fabric which I snapped up off of Ebay to make some cushions for my bedroom, and my lovely heart in a frame which I couldn't resist buying from Nonnie's lovely shop.  I love this frame, so simple and gorgeous, and if I'm not mistaken its displaying one of my favourite Cabbages and Roses patterns.

We have a happy event today.

My beautiful furry sweetheart has reached her first birthday.  Oh my how she's grown up from this photo. 

We are having a fully fledged trip to the park followed by a victoria sponge tea party this afternoon in her honour, with Florence having first dibs on the biggest slice.

Happy days :)

On a roll

I remember earlier in the year deliberating over the fact that the charity shops were a bit sparce, no beautiful china, or glassware or fabric to cheer a girl up.  Well, it seems we have turned a corner in this neck of the woods, as not only did I race home with a wardrobe the week before last, but yesterday I stumbled upon this little beauty.  Again I'm amazed at what people give away.  I have been hunting one of these tables down for a long time to rest my treasured telephone on, which was snapped up at a car boot sale in Surrey.  So, I skipped (literally) down to the shop yesterday morning to show my ever suffering husband, (a token gesture of course) and he mumbled something about having no where to put it.  Hah.  How ridiculous.  So it is now nestled sweetly under the bay window, along with the lamp which had to come along with it.  Total cost for lamp and table... £13!  I can't believe my luck.

And now this gorgeous little thing is connected it rings with an old fashioned 'real telephone' ring.  Its just fantastic!   Now I just have to wait for someone to call me  :(

Can you hear that?

Can you hear anything at all?  Nope.  Well that's half term over with then.  Our house is filled with silence this morning, welcome lovely silence!

Its been a hectic week with lovely friends and family coming to stay and catching up.  But this morning we are taking time to breathe.  Breathe, have tea and peruse the wonderful Cabbages & Roses catalogue.  Oh what a joy to the eye.

And Lillian here is waiting patiently for an afternoon of bun making to commence.  She is pleased with the silence too.  After a hard week she is resting in my Etsy shop, awaiting a new home.  SOLD - thank you x

Whilst I kick back and examine these photographs... over and over again!

The Boudoir

A week ago, joy of all joys, I came across this little wardrobe in a charity shop for £40.

Of course it had to come home with me and face the inevitable 'white paintbrush'.

And some new shiny knobs :0!

Much better.  This then spurred me on to tackle the rest of our bedroom.  This is the last room in the house to decorate, and I don't know why but I have been putting it off for some time.  Anyway, now with the fire in my belly  I painted the walls white..

and the bed in a 'soft gooseberry'...

The side cabinet and the dresser have also been painted, but have not yet received new knobs!

And now comes the good part... I can spend the weekend arranging all the beautiful things

I have stored so many things away, for 'the day' when I have a newly decorated bedroom... I can't wait to have a rummage through it all and 'play house' for a while!

Have a lovely weekend xx

My girls

Meet Olive and Lottie.

We bought these little ladies around this time last year at the Spring Poultry Auction held in our town.  Newton Abbot where we live is a market town, and has a cattle market every Wednesday where all the farmers bring their stock cattle or sheep for auction to the local farms, and they also have several poultry auctions, full of chickens, ducks and geese large and small.

I absolutely love going these auctions.  The atmosphere is great, full of the heady excitement of bidding.  At the poultry auction the chickens are mostly sold in pairs or trios, and are in their cages with the details of their breed and any prizes they might of won.  You wait for the lot to be called and then start to bid. 

A few years ago we just bought fertilised eggs, and took them home for some of our other ladies to hatch.  The thrill of counting down the days and waiting for the eggs to crack open was amazing.  I am trying to persuade my other half that we should do the same this year.  The children are so fascinated by it all.

Our lovely  ladies are bantams, little chickens.  They lay little eggs, about half the size of the supermarket egg, and they are delicious.  Being of the fussy sort, however, Olive and Lottie have not been laying very regularly of late, I think they are waiting for some warmer weather!

Aren't we all ?!!

Happy Monday

A while ago I mentioned that my lovely friend and neighbour Mags had asked if I could find a home for a few things her mother-in-law wanted to get rid of in their house move.  I questioned the fact that she needed to ask me then, and when she arrived on my doorstep asking if I'd be interested in any of the above, I questioned her again.

Are you quite sure you don't want them?  I asked her tentatively..
and when she started to shake her head I snatched the box quicker than a horse could bolt from a stable and headed for the kitchen whilst deliriously muttering something about a box of french fancies in the larder.

Of course, I let her choose her colour cake first, it was only fair.

She then told me about other 3 boxes full in her garage.  Stand by, my friends... stand by.

French Twist

On Saturday afternoon I spent a blissful hour or so listening to the radio whilst hand stitching a wonderful vintage cafe curtain, that I had the luck to stumble upon at the lovely Amanda's vintage stall Shabby Chick at the Friday market in Totnes. 

Amanda was not sure whether or not they were authentic French, but they definitely have that feel about them.  They were just charming, holes and all, so whilst the children were thrilled at being able to watch TV after their week long drought,  I happily stitched away to make them fit my breakfast room window.  This window has been sad and bare for some time now, as I just couldn't decide what to put up there, but as soon as I saw this curtain it was love!

It was dark by the time I got it up, but you get the idea!  I'm thrilled to bits, thank you Amanda - they fitted just perfectly with a little to spare for my little kitchen window.

I have also been secretly searching for a night light/candle holder, which I adore, and I guess Friday was just my lucky day as on a stall in the flea market... there it was, and in my favourite all time colour.

Oh the thrill of a £1 bargain ! 

Hope you have a happy week x

Just Tinkering ....

The most surprising discovery from the non-tv week has been that despite not being distracted by the lure of just being able to sit and tune out, I still haven't got to bed any earlier :(

But I have spent most evenings tinkering about in the sewing room, which has been a absolute joy.  These lavender hearts are very satisfying to make and I also loved making little James a new more 'grown up' cover for his beloved 'cushie', which my dear little boy cannot sleep without.  The teddies can whistle, with the cushion is a clear cut matter of sleep.. or not sleep.

and at 5 past midnight :( the delivery of the new 'Tom & Jerry cushie' cut the mustard ;)

Oh and before I bid you a happy weekend, he's a few charity finds from this week...

for my dressing table

and a glimpse of something that I snapped up for £40 that is set to be 'restored' over the weekend.  This means the paintbrush is coming out again!

Have a wonderful weekend, posts maybe few next week as we are hurtling full speed into half term.   I expect the little beggars will be keeping me busy!

xx

Love is in the air....

Kitty is made from the last of my beloved Cath Kidston fabric.

Oh my how we loved this fabric.  It is a very fine cord, and the most delicious colours.

And because of such Kitty is a very jolly little rabbit, who loves to sit in the morning sunshine...

and like the rest of us is eagerly awaiting Spring.   Her other favourite thing is to take trips out in her matching bag!  If you would like to take her for a trip, she is waiting in my Etsy shop for you! 

SOLD, thank you x

Meanwhile, the week of no tv is going rather easier than expected.  Come Wednesday and no mention of the tv from the little people. 

We've been busy thinking about Valentine's and cutting and sticking...

Much better!

Happy Valentines Day! xx