A Map and a Curiosity Cupboard

This map is attached too ...

the little cupboard I picked up from the car boot and hubby painstakingly scraped all the brown gunge off, I think I said that I was going to use a map, then scrapbooking paper but having used that for some of Aunt Janes Christmas projects went back to using a map, which was a lucky find on Saturday at Bridport Market, just hoping that there was one of this area, there were some lovely old ones but none for here so had to settle for this one, so set off with the can of glue spray and scissors and had a fun half hour sticking it to the back of the cupboard.

 you can see that I have cut the map in half, as to get Bridport and the sea at eye level, but as the shelf comes roundabout this area didnt think it would matter to much.

now comes the fun bit of finding bits to put in it, decided to transfer the hands from the mantle to the cupboard after doing a post about them a few weeks ago, they had begun to spook me out a bit, realising when seeing them full on in a picture they did look a bit strange! the little tile shaped hands were from my lovely friend Jo from Grange-over-Sands in Cumbria, who had been to Potfest.

these flower frogs are great for displaying photos, have been looking for some for ages (because they had to be old and well used) and then these 2 turned up the same day as the cupboard, 50p for the 2, I have grown up with flower frogs my Mum and Dad had a greengrocers and flower shop with lots of land and greenhouses where all the flowers were grown, so Mum, Grandma and Auntie (who drove a huge Bedford van when delivering orders) used them for flower arrangements.

Aunt Jane of course, a shell which has been around for ever, a printers number 3, because we live at no 3 and a photo of hubby, the one on the right and his beloved dog Major.

Lucite paperweights, which have been picked up at carboots, markets and an old key found in the garden.

This corners a bit blurry for some reason, but there is a collection of old books and a Lucite paperweight found on Saturday with the map, a picture of Uncle Jack with the prize bull and a little picture which you cant see, but has a lovely little frame of gold, some relations of hubbys do not know in the faintest who they are, but hey ho, they are quite scary so perhaps its as well you can't see them.

and Percy who just happened to fly in

so the doors close on the Curiosity Cupboard complete with me in the glass, had wondered if I should have painted it instead of leaving if woody colour, but dare not now mention this to hubby as he did work hard on it getting all the gunge off.  I suppose things will be added to it and taken out, a bit like a travelling exhibition of curios.

All thats needed now is a key, it has a lock which hubby has been carrying about with him, trying to find a key thats fits, its like Alice in Wonderland.

Bye



Blog Block

Days are slipping by and still havn't updated this blog, somehow I dont know what to say, I think I might have blog block and seems to be blocking commenting on all your lovely blogs to, so do apologise, I don't know whether it is because I am still trying to catch up and make cards which seem to be sapping every last ounce of energy out of me, everytime I think I've caught up, I sell loads more, I know which is good and I am not complaining but somehow it all becomes a bit tedious, don't get me wrong I love to sell my cards at the fairs and its lovely to meet new people and strange ones, but sometimes I just think when will it end, also I have started to make Christmas cards which is probably not good in August but quite a lot of fairs coming up in the Autumn months so thought I would be prepared for any event, and I do know, so a little bird told me that one of the ladies will have her cards (Christmas - trying not to use this word too much) out and for sale at the September fair I attend!   So having made a few C cards  decided I would have a change and cover some note books and embelish in Aunt Janes way, which have really enjoyed doing, as also find it mind sapping  thinking of new ideas and things to make, as I do like to have a different thing every month on my stall, so its constantly changing, will hold on the pictures too for now while trying to get Aunt Janes Christmas Collection into production!  So will see how Sunday goes, I am at Dorchester Vintage Market, should have gone last month but we had the floods, so gave it a miss.

Other news is that we still have a broody hen Olga bird, keep getting her off her nest at dinner time and shuting the door, she does a lot of clucking and her face is so sad but she would not eat or drink if we didn't.  The other hens are getting fed up with her as Tatti gives her a peck or two and a cluck when she gets of the nest, as if to say you stupid hen what are you doing all day (reminds me of Dad's Army)

This is the broody hen 'Olga bird' looking quite grumpy!

and this is Anna, she is the sweetest little hen you could ever wish for, shes quiet, never pecks, loves to be cuddled and picked up and just gets on with doing her henny things

The dog has itches, the vet says he dosn't know what it is, and just keeps giving him antihisteme injections, but have stop takng him and giving him tablets from Morrisons as its cheaper, there like hives, so he is on evening primrose tablets, celery tablets and some herby stuff you mix with food to clear him out from the pet shop, so the dog is rattling but improving slowly.  Here he is on his sick bed!

Thank you all for listening to my gripes, actually I feel much better having put it all down on paper - page and hope fully will be back soon with a more cheery gathering, when feeling a bit low and down I love to look at this picture of Aunt Lily she is the one right in the middle with no hat an wavy hair and her husband is on the extreme right in the flat cap, she is always happy in her photos and that ice cream looks marvelous.

Heres another one at the seaside

Dosn't he look the height of fashion in his white pants and no socks!

Bye until next time

Thrifts, Fairs and a Broody Hen

My word another two weeks flown by, with all those floods here non-existant now and back to lovely sunshine with clear blue skies.  Seems ages ago since there has been any warmth.  Our lovely girly hens are now in the full swing of laying, and goodness what a lot of eggs we've had, even so that our neighbours across the road have a regular order of a dozen every week, although Olga, the Silver Sussex has gone broody and only leaves her nest box for food and water, so now have been letting her stay in the nest box till mid morning and then shutting the door until she goes to bed.  She seems happy enough when shes out and about she eats and drinks and scratches about,  hubby made an extension to the run, they now have a lower half of the garden, I think really he wanted it clearing of weeds etc and coud'nt be bothered to do it himself, but they are doing a good job and love scratching for worms and creeepies!

Have had two good finds at the car boot at West Bay on Sunday morning, first there was this cupboard,  the chap who was selling told us 'that it had been in an old house in London' it had some sort of brown treacle like stain on it, very sticky.....but only 5 quid...

so with lots of elbow grease and a scrapy instrument, that only joiners who have been around a long time have, hubby set too and cleaned it up, there was a lot of goo and I of course got the lovely job of cleaning it all up, well that what apprentices and gofors are for isnt it, and of yes brewer upers, must admit it didnt take him long to do it, so now it looks like this

We painted the inside to make it look a bit brighter, its a grey colour, but now its bland and boring, so was going to put a map on the back, but then thought you wouldn't be able to see it, then had the idea, while I was looking for some scrapbooking paper, I could use scrapbooking paper and puts lots of different ones together and make it rather daring.  But of course needed new as none I had was suitable, so it arrived this morning, but of course being that excited about it arriving only ordering it yesterday, forgot to take pictures, so will have to wait until its slapped on the back of the cupboard, but has an appropriate name of MisMatch perfect for a thrifty cupboard.

Also found this Lloyd Loom lookalike for 4 quid and is going to go in daughters bedroom, been looking for ages for one, this hasn't been doctored yet, knowing her it will stay like this, it does have the original top underneath the gingham, which is purple and gold metallic flowers.

Also been making more cards and lavender hearts for the next craft fair at the Town Hall here in Bridport, this Saturday, 21st July, also been trying to stock up on cards as another fair next Saturday 28th at St Marys Church Hall, Bridport....

lavender hearts (sorry about the lighting)

retro style cards

 and dare I say it been trying to get a start on Christmas cards (shh) for the fairs as as well as the Town Hall and St Marys, there is one at Dorchester and Weymouth, so don't want to be rushing getting them done!

So that has been my two weeks in pictures and a little bit of work as well, of course have to find time to fit that in.

Mr 'T' posing at West Bay

Bye til next time



Two Rivers meet

So glad our visitors from Cumbria had good weather (and they have blazing sunshine today!) when they came to visit us a couple of weeks ago, because my goodness these were the scenes today in Bridport, it was absolutely lovely.....

one end of our road



our lovely walk through the fields

no sandal wearing today

this is actually the path through the fields

one side garden, dry land in the middle, other side pavement

A35 road to Dorchester

River Asker, so different today than its usual genteel flow

would anyone like to play football (more like water polo)

the playing fields

backed-up traffic on the road to nowhere

but amongst all this water there is hope and this picture gives it

where is the river, where is the path

Bridports vintage quarter

some having fun

the other end of our road

no going anywhere for us then

on my way home...at last

so a rainy, flash floody Saturday in Bridport, but thats what you get I suppose when you live between two rivers that meet the sea... WHOOSH

and its still raining

next time I blog I hope that we will be in blazing sunshine, I doubt it though

Bye



Hands

The weekend saw me at the Town Hall in Bridport for a craft fair, over 10 stalls were said to be there, in fact there were 4 yes 4, I kept thinking somebody else will turn up surely but no nobody did, so all set up and ready to go, people slowly started to drift in and out again, set up time was 8 and opened at 9 which I think was slightly too early... anyway I didn't do to bad, made my money back on the table price, the most asked question of the day  was 'where is the toilet'.  But the Town Hall was lovely inside and had been done-up well and worth a look round when its open...

Beautiful Spirit of Bridport

desparately trying to get out into the outside world

it was a long day

So with that behind me I thought I would show you something that I have started to collect, strange things they are, but have now become quite obsessed in trying tyo find them, Friendship Hands...

 there are lots of variations of them and they come in alsorts of disguises from vases to brooches and postcards.  All the ones I have, have been found here in Bridport at the chairty shops and I havent paid more than a pound..

this was the first one

from the charity shop, on purchasing this, the assistant asked me what I intended to do with it, I replied I just liked it and would put it in my little display cupboard, assistant replied strange thing isn't it, I'am glad its gone, it rather scared me!

next was this little one, from the same chairty shop, same assistant, I wondered whether she would remember me, she did, oh she said they still scare me...

this one was from the market, its a vase a bit knocked, but it must have been the most lovely creamy white colour when it was first made

Last up is the latest addition, found last Sunday at the car boot at West Bay, not many there as a bit rainy, lots of rubbish in boxes, lots of horrid clothes that would have been better in the tip, but I heard a shout, eccentric daughter bellowing, theres a hand, a hand and there was a hand tucked right down at the bottom of the box under a disgusting nest of smelly old wool, I was brave and put my own hand in and pulled it out and it was this

taken in the car, my daughters hand holding the hand, were being engulfed with hands who will drag us away into the unknown, this one was 50p, I think the stallholder thought he had got two nutters here, but I am getting rather attached to these hands and will have to enlist hubby to build a special cabinet for the hands, so they can have their own space

so now on the lookout for more, did see a necklace today in a Weymouth jewellers, now I think its becoming an obsession, I'am looking at everything through hands!

Bye til next time

Busy, Busy, Busy

thats what I have been as have another craft fair on Saturday here...

Bridport Town Hall

so if your in Bridport on Saturday morning pop in and say hello, the fair is from 9.00  til 3.00

and will be selling lots of these (hopefully)

Tried to make some different cards garden parties and bunting, children and their pets and flower/gardening, flower pictures actually an old french seed packet, finished with raffia and nutscene garden twine which now comes in the most amazing colours which were devils to work with because of there age - bit like me really.

Hubby made me a little rustic box to display the flower cards in, will post pics next week of all the stall set up, when things have calmed down a bit.

Also had some dear friends down from Cumbria this week, so have been doing a bit of entertaining also.

So will leave you with this very short post, will try harder next week, promise, so its goodbye from me and

mad mad dog who dreams all day



Giddy Heights

Well peeps another 2 weeks past and havn't updated this bloomin blog, been busy making yet more cards and lavender bags, as craft fayre at St Marys on Saturday went extremely well and the lovely Suzanne from Lyme who is opening a shop in Lyme Regis had loads of stuff too, more of her shop I think nearer her opening time in July, it will be lovely and gorgeous by the sound of it...

Jubilee weekend took us round Bridport market and eccentric daughter and hubby took a trip up the tower of St Marys Church, I was too scared to go up as don't like heights and winding staircases, so I supervised the dog on the level ground below, quite a few others were doing the same!

Not good for me!

The white blob near the last tomb is me ...lol...

I was told that the views were spectacular over Bridport Town

busy, busy market

pretty gardens

the sea at West Bay

all feet back firmly on the ground... town all red, white and blue

So will leave all you lovely people with Mr Jubilee Owl!

Bye