Button it!

Last week I was contacted by the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Buttons) when they saw that Lesley over at Printed Material was about to take some buttons to THE TIP. Those of us in the society know that TIP and BUTTON shouldn't be used in the same sentence. Aware there was no time to waste I contacted Lesley on a mission to save these souls and she very graciously relented. She'd found a use for the white amongst the pack but let me have the rest. I've never removed my whites so was delighted when the buttons arrived and poured both coffee and buttons. The sorting of buttons is a serious business requiring full attention. The resulting collection of buttons was a joy to sort through - the whites dilute the colour of the rest! (I'm easily pleased!)



I found lots of buttons that I could add to my various categories assisted by my trusty baking tin.



I have collections of 50s and 30s, floral, leather and mother of pearl to name a few.



Buttons on cards can be found in little corners around the house



Also jars of specific colours a particular favourite being green.



Lots of the buttons I find that have been discarded are these very simple but colourful Jasons buttons. I keep these in a jelly mould ready to run my fingers through as I walk past. Again - simple pleasures!




I like the cards the buttons are mounted on just as much with the manufacturere desperate to convince the buyer to by his buttons. Fashionable buttons. Exclusive buttons



and on this one - The EGO brand! Love it.



I spent a happy hour sorting through before going on to examine some of my other recent finds. (Funny isn't it how "Happy hour" means different things to different generations!)



I never tire of looking at old packaging and advertising - be it paper, card or tin. How can I use this binding without damaging the wrapper? I might just have to leave it as is...



Might leave the Water Closet paper package intact too!

I found a scruffy little book in the bottom of a box and was delighted to find it full of colour plates of birds. The book is falling apart with a lot of marking but well worth 20p!





The paper bag below was holding some 60s fabric and I don't think had been opened since then - a 60s dress had been cut out and is ready to stitch up. Far too small for me though! The shop disppeared over 40 years ago to become Debenhams.



Also managed to find some more of the chemist labels I found a couple of years ago.



and some wonderful Weldons Shilling Guides once all bound together (at some point but now just a heap of paper which I needed to sort into some sort of order). These guides are instructions to the hobbyist in a variety of areas. These are just some of the great illustrations...



Crinkled paper shades for your piano candles!!!



Lovely woolly (scratchy) drawers for babies!



And the knitted knee cap. How on earth have we managed without these? Let me know if you need the pattern!

How to stop a tank!

I thought I'd share with you some pictures of a World War II re-enactment event I visited last weekend. I hadn't been to one of these before and had no idea what to expect. It was a free event at Rufford Park so I thought it was worth a visit.



I loved it - people were dressed up and really throwing themselves into the spirit of things. I learnt all sorts of useful things - this young man taught me that even I could stop a German Tank in its tracks (well, not even in my heyday, I thought!)but yes, two enamel plates on the ground in front of a German tank, at a distance, with the light shining right on the plates, was enough to persuade Gerry that there might be mines ahead. So bear that in mind should the need arise.



Lots of the visitors to the event also dressed up and there were stalls showing off different aspects of life in the war.



These kitchen cupboards and their contents had me smiling - I've picked up lots of these items over the years so could have my own re-enactment right here at home (I'm sure Niobe thinks we do most of the time). I'm working on getting myself one of these cupboards...




Lovin all that nostalgia!



Oh look - two Singer machines - that brought on a quick photo and i was a bit taken aback when the lady at the machine spoke to me as if she knew me. How embarrassed was I when I realised we sit only feet apart at work! I hadn't recognised her in her officers uniform! She was altering a skirt and I had a little look in her sewing tin to find the usual wooden cotton bobbins etc. This has brought me to thinking about the brass buttons that we all find in the jars and tins of buttons we pick up at car boots etc . It occurred to me that instead of me throwing these out as not being of any use to me I should be giving them to my colleague who would be able to pass them on to people trying to put together authentic uniforms of the war time. So - if anyone has any please get in touch!



I enjoyed brwosing some of the stalls and managed to find a couple of little treats which I haven't pictured yet - a lovely Tootal scarf (probably 50s rather than 40s but I wasn't going to be picky!)




Loving the hats and hair rolls...



I'm going to have to have a go at one of these rolls - doesn't it look stylish?



These girls were having a good time - singing their hearts out



while some in the audience got to their feet and fox-trotted around the courtyard



All around the courtyard were war time posters,



the graphics on some of these were great...



Freedom - still something we still all hold dear



I haven't even shown you the displays of the tanks and soldiers running around - not close enough to get good shots so finally - the "hospital"



Don't look too closely at the scary instruments...



and if you're going to the dentist soon I hope your's has something a little more up to date than this kit for his weapons!



If you get the chance to go to one of these events go! Next time I might dress up myself!

Have a good week!

Wend

Something for the weekend?

With apologies to our overseas friends... Don't forget this weekend is Heritage Open Days weekend so if you are after inspiration for something to do, whatever the weather, check out the Heritage Open Days website, www.heritageopendays.org.uk, which will show you everything that is on in your area FREE just for this weekend. This can be a great money saver especially for families as even places with a hefty entry price take part and other places rarely open to the public will also open their doors.

I'm just kicking myself as I only remembered last night and I was going to spend the weekend painting. Perhaps that can wait!

Have a great weekend!

Wend

Boot style?

When I posted this picture on Flickr a few days ago I was amazed that somebody flagged it as a fave. I realised I haven't shared any pictures of home on my blog. Usually that's because with all my vintage finds it's not often as tidy as it should be. However I have been decorating our snug so some serious clearing has had to be done. The snug is my official name for, as Alan Bennett would say, "the other room"



Very little of what I have matches and that is ok - I like it like that! Rooms are constantly evolving as one new find replaces another. The picture above is my favourite chair - a Laura Ashley firm button back from 20 years ago - shabby but still the most comfy chair I have, and speaking of comfy the throw on the back is a vintage Durham Comfy. The cushion is an Elizabeth Bradley needlepoint which I snapped up at a charity shop. (£100 new on the website so a snip at less than £5, pad included!)



This chair is a 1950s Lloyd Loom in gold. The gold has mellowed over the years and I have several pieces in this colour. This was picked up at auction. The ones in good condition I keep inside, those that have had a bad paint job get relegated to outside. I never paint LLs as I prefer to see their faded worn colours.



This one was also picked up at auction - the back is caned but the seat is sprung and is covered in a very 60s nylon cover which would be great in the right setting - but not here! I have just put the seat in a vintage grain sack. I love that you can see the red stitching across the sack. Niobe bought me the little crocheted sausage dog for my birthday.



The little cabinet to the right of the chair I picked up at the car boot for £4 a couple of weeks ago - it isn't Lloyd Loom but it fits in fine. The one to the left is an old sewing cabinet.



This is my favourite piece of furniture - totally impractical - (how many people do you know who like spending long sitting on a church pew?). Still it fits in with the "useful or beautiful" test so its allowed to stay. It's good for setting off my cushions! I have stuffed a grain sack with a couple of pillows for the seat itself.



My cushions are a mix of vintage ones that I have rescued and put new backs on to stop them disintegrating further, some bought and others I've made myself.



On the hymn book shelf I prop 50s floral (Vernon Ward if I can find them) pictures and books with great covers.



Behind the Lloyd Loom are shelves which have lots of my car boot finds, my Timothy Richards doorways and some of my non-orange Art Deco Myott pieces.



And finally some bits of car boot haberdashery faffed and put in an old glass pot!



You've seen Vintage Style, Bazaar style and Flea Market style. Mine is a mixture of all three with some Car Boot Style thrown in!

Hope you're enjoying the sunshine

Love Wend

All buttoned up!

It's been a busy week -partly due to moving offices at work and partly because I've been preparing for the Homemade and Vintage Fair at Northampton tomorrow. The office move has been particularly frustrating with huge skips being filled and emptied daily with stationery and office equipment - not because it couldn't be used but because "there won't be any room at the new building"! This has gone against the grain for me and I've had to be restrained from hurling myself in to raid it all to put on freecycle or give to good causes. Anyway we're in the new building now and I have the luxury of a full 18 inches in which to manoevre my chair. As someone who likes plenty of space I'm struggling with the sardine concept.



I've taken today off to prepare for the fair tomorrow and have been playing with my buttons and watch faces and making some magnets. I like them on my old rusty tin lid. Quick check to see whether they hold things as well as looking good!



Here's hoping the weather is right for bringing people to the fair. I'm looking forward to it. Pop in if you're in the area.



Hope you have a good weekend.

Love Wend