Sunday school prize 1924 - favourite car boot find last week!
Saturday, 29 October 2011
Sunday, 23 October 2011
I thought it would be quiet once Niobe went to uni but hadn't realised quite how many things I had committed to to prevent empty nest syndrome!
One of these is a cabinet at Hopkinsons, a former hardware shop in Nottingham now converted to gallery, studios, antiques, vintage and of course a tea shop. It's early days for the space and it needs to get a greater footfall but I like what they are trying to do - to help young designers, artists and business people who can hire space, a studio or a cabinet. The venture is non profit making with any proceeds being ploughed back into the community...
One floor is taken by the Shop of Originality who have a number of designers doing their thing - some including stamps...
including Amy Winehouse as you never saw her before.
One of the designers, Sarah Davenport designed the world's first rocking piano which she rocks as she plays. Yes, it does need regular tuning but its great fun and she's hoping that someond like Elton John or Jools Holland might be interested. Jamie Cullum apparently couldn't fit it in his house. There's a clip of her on Youtube if your'e so inclined...
All I have to do is keep the cabinet filled with delightful and irresistible items. That's got me looking at my collections to see what I can include. I got some of my glass together in the sunlight and started to appreciate it again.
I researched some pieces eg. the lady carrying the basket was found at the bottom of a job lot years ago and although I quite liked her I didn't think she was anything special. She's hung about in various spots being largely ignored. I might put her somewhere more prominent now I find she's an art deco figure, Lucretia made from frosted uranium glass by the German company Walther and Sohne in 1936.
Not sure I can let her go now. A quick check of e-bay suggests she's quite desirable. Might have to keep her then. I'm going to struggle to fill my cabinet at this rate!
Have a good week!
Love Wend
One of these is a cabinet at Hopkinsons, a former hardware shop in Nottingham now converted to gallery, studios, antiques, vintage and of course a tea shop. It's early days for the space and it needs to get a greater footfall but I like what they are trying to do - to help young designers, artists and business people who can hire space, a studio or a cabinet. The venture is non profit making with any proceeds being ploughed back into the community...
One floor is taken by the Shop of Originality who have a number of designers doing their thing - some including stamps...
including Amy Winehouse as you never saw her before.
One of the designers, Sarah Davenport designed the world's first rocking piano which she rocks as she plays. Yes, it does need regular tuning but its great fun and she's hoping that someond like Elton John or Jools Holland might be interested. Jamie Cullum apparently couldn't fit it in his house. There's a clip of her on Youtube if your'e so inclined...
All I have to do is keep the cabinet filled with delightful and irresistible items. That's got me looking at my collections to see what I can include. I got some of my glass together in the sunlight and started to appreciate it again.
I researched some pieces eg. the lady carrying the basket was found at the bottom of a job lot years ago and although I quite liked her I didn't think she was anything special. She's hung about in various spots being largely ignored. I might put her somewhere more prominent now I find she's an art deco figure, Lucretia made from frosted uranium glass by the German company Walther and Sohne in 1936.
Not sure I can let her go now. A quick check of e-bay suggests she's quite desirable. Might have to keep her then. I'm going to struggle to fill my cabinet at this rate!
Have a good week!
Love Wend
Monday, 10 October 2011
Recent finds
Thought I'd just share some pictures of my latest find in the vain hope that one of you may also think that I found something beautiful... Often I find that my nearest and dearest do not appreciate the things I find and love. Indeed some regard me as a bit of an oddity...so I had to smile when I saw this in a shop window! Obviously I wouldn't dream of spending the £180 it cost on such an item (unlike a customer in the shop who was proudly saying she had the same up at home. However I did find a pack of the Lexicon cards in a charity shop last week for a couple of pounds. Just wondering what little bit of advice I should assemble - maybe "to thine own self be true". What is your mantra?
I digress. When I saw this raggy piece of cloth in Lincoln I was hooked. I touched it and felt its soft texture - worn thin by years and years of use and love.
I pulled it out and marvelled at the subtle shades of patchwork pieces. Parts of it had worn so thin the top layer had disintegrated...
to reveal another layer of lovely patchwork underneath. I hesitated to ask the price and when I did had to wait for the assistant to ring the manageress. I was saddened when I heard eighty and thought I would have to return it to the shelves of despair but decided to just check.
"Not eighty but eighteen! It's Victorian you see." I do indeed. Oh decisions - what on earth can I do with it. Useful or beautiful? It won't register as useful - its days of providing any useful function are long behind it. Beautiful? Well it was to me.
Reader I bought it. (You knew I was going to say that didn't you?)
It has some unspoilt parts so I've folded it and put it on the back of a chair and I stroke it as I walk past and think of the comfort it has no doubt provided in years gone by. Unfortunately our cat has rather taken to it (she's no respecter of my stuff!) so she's going to have to spend the rest of her life outdoors!
I also found these lovely little hand painted tea plates, jug and bowl. I don't even "do" tea but they also spoke to me.
As did the young lady in this picture. I'm easily pleased (especially at £2 for the china and £2 for the picture - and I rarely haggle.) I hate to think what might happen to these things if I didn't take them home and love them...
Love Wend
I digress. When I saw this raggy piece of cloth in Lincoln I was hooked. I touched it and felt its soft texture - worn thin by years and years of use and love.
I pulled it out and marvelled at the subtle shades of patchwork pieces. Parts of it had worn so thin the top layer had disintegrated...
to reveal another layer of lovely patchwork underneath. I hesitated to ask the price and when I did had to wait for the assistant to ring the manageress. I was saddened when I heard eighty and thought I would have to return it to the shelves of despair but decided to just check.
"Not eighty but eighteen! It's Victorian you see." I do indeed. Oh decisions - what on earth can I do with it. Useful or beautiful? It won't register as useful - its days of providing any useful function are long behind it. Beautiful? Well it was to me.
Reader I bought it. (You knew I was going to say that didn't you?)
It has some unspoilt parts so I've folded it and put it on the back of a chair and I stroke it as I walk past and think of the comfort it has no doubt provided in years gone by. Unfortunately our cat has rather taken to it (she's no respecter of my stuff!) so she's going to have to spend the rest of her life outdoors!
I also found these lovely little hand painted tea plates, jug and bowl. I don't even "do" tea but they also spoke to me.
As did the young lady in this picture. I'm easily pleased (especially at £2 for the china and £2 for the picture - and I rarely haggle.) I hate to think what might happen to these things if I didn't take them home and love them...
Love Wend
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