Sunday 27 February 2011

Righteous indignation!



It's lovely to see the snowdrops in flower but recently I heard a programme about snowdrop or "Galanthus" theft. With are over 1000 varieties some are VERY DESIRABLE - so much so that individual bulbs sell on e-bay for anything up to £100! Snowdrops are now big business and there are snowdrop conventions which Galanthophiles will travel miles to (even coming over from the continent).

A couple of nights ago my brother who lives in a cottage in a tiny hamlet told me that, on the roadside in front of the cottage, his clumps of snowdrops had been dug up, halved and replaced, with the soil neatly put back around them. They were at the side of the road in front of a hedge which I suspect made the culprit think they were fair game but having planted 500 bulbs last spring he wasn't impressed. As they were still in flower they probably won't even survive. Given he's a Police Inspector I guess the hamlet's inhabitants will be having to show the soles of their shoes for footprints! He said that forensic tests suggested the culprit had two feet and not four...

How very dare they?

Love Wend

Saturday 26 February 2011

World Book Night - Such fun



Not sure how I missed this but I haven't come across it in Blogland. Saturday 5th March is World Book Night when 20000 volunteers will each give away 48 copies of their choice of 25 titles. The list includes authors such as Alan Bennett, Margaret Atwood and Mark Haddon.



I do have a Big Event happening next Saturday so it might have been difficult to be involved but it does sound like fun. Each book will be given its own identity nunber (presumably to prevent them all being put on eBay) and the idea is for them to be read and passed on and for their journey to be followed via "Book crossing". I love the idea of Book crossing (finding books in random places and then logging your find on the book crossing site, reading it and then leaving it for someone else to find and so on) but have never actually found any of the books.

As Miranda's mother would say "Such fun!"

I just wondered - are any of you involved?

Have a great weekend!

Monday 21 February 2011

Pimp my bike?

Yesterday we went to Cambridge. Just because. It was cloudy and grey and not good for photographs. I took lots but I'm sure you all have your own views of "grey and miserable" right now without seeing mine.



Cambridge is known for its uni, the students and bikes. Bikes everywhere. Tied to anything and everything. I found myself checking out THE BIKES! I might have mentioned I have a vintage bike from the 50s. It has yet to be ridden to any useful purpose.



As I wandered around Cambridge it came to me - my bike lacks its own personality.
Now I'm not saying these bikes have much and it will be a challenge to decorate mine in a way that is rain and wind friendly. I can't see me adding plastic flowers to mine. But they must make the bike easy to spot in a crowd.



But in Norwich a couple of weeks ago I spotted a bike sporting a natty skirt guard and on looking at Etsy I find a design for this skirt guard over at JustDo and think this may well be my first project when I start my crochet class in a couple of weeks.



Anyone have any better ideas?

Love Wend

Sunday 6 February 2011

Hymn and her!

I can't believe it's two weeks since I last posted but life seems to be rushing by so quickly at the moment I'm struggling to fit everything in. I've been a little light on photo opportunities as I seem to be working whenever it's light. Still I have managed to take some time to find some vintage treasures which I thought I would share with you.

First a hymn board. Not everyone's idea of a vintage treasure but having been inspired by Sibella Court's book I've been looking on Ebay and was thrilled to find one for a very reasonable "Buy it now" price and close enough to collect. Why? You'll have to wait until it's a little brighter so I can take pictures and show you!



I've just come home from a vintage fair where I had to buy this delightful battered drum money box. It's very small and wouldn't have held much money. If anyone has any idea as to how old it might be please let me know. It will fit in nicely on my "toy shelves"



I've been really lucky with fabrics and curtains recently. I know its not everyone's favourite clour but I love lime green/chartreuse and particularly like the smudgy rose "sketched on" in black on this one.



This lovely fabric is a pair of curtains with pink and grey roses and lilac. I might have to turn them into a set of matching cushions...



More chartreuse and more roses!



And another blue and lime ...



I also found this lovely little box which was sold to me as a letter rack. Not ocnvinced of that



I must mention Cathy at Menopausalmusing and Lesley of Printed Material who both responded to my last ist with surprise packages for me - one a packet of coloured leather pieces (thanks Cathy) and the other a little book hand made by Lesley (and thank you too Lesley)

I must also thank Amy of Blighty Boutique for her award and will try to think of 7 interesting things about myself for a separate post.

And last but not least welcome to my new followers and to all commenters. Its great to have you on board - I really do appreciate all your comments.

Hope you have a great week,

Wend