London calling ...

Yay welcome ...

So ... we have moved on from the coldest March since 1962 and in to the month of April. Fingers crossed we finally see Spring, followed by a perfect English Summer ~ blimey we certainly deserve it!!

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The milder weather has finally brought the birds out and they are busily flying to and fro frantically building nests for their impending family. In the interest of spring cleaning I have spruced up our nesting box by giving it a lick of paint and putting fur from our moulting dogs/cat inside.  I then put it back in its place looking all nice and spangly ready and waiting for its new lodgers.

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This linky takes you to my fav tunage of the week ~ enjoy ♥

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This week saw me visit another local scrapyard.  This time I went with my Dad and lil lad and there were only cars, vans and caravans to mooch around.

It was a great source of all things caravan like however I did feel a tinge of sadness seeing old retro caravans all lined up at their journeys end, un-loved and slowly deteriorating.

  

I was also surprised at how complete they were inside with full of sets of Melamine crockery, saucepans and other kitchenalia. There were also sleeping bags,tent pegs, mallets and even family photos in some.

It was sad and quite eerie inside a few and I couldn't help wondering in what circumstances these lil homes on wheels had left their owners? It felt wrong being inside some of them, let alone raiding its contents. I decided that what I was taking was going on to be used, loved and on the road once again which made it easier to loot.  We came away with a set of 6 plates, two shelves for our fridge, a deep wire sliding tray for our kitchen cupboard, a wooden mallet, a Tefal saucepan and a teeny tiny cutlery tray that fits perfectly in our teeny tiny draw. All of this cost us £10.00 where as we were quoted £32.00 just for one shelf for our fridge from a Caravan and Camping shop. That's one draw back we have found with owning a caravan, everything is a specialist make or size therefore costs a fortune ... hence thinking outside the box, not being proud and skanking like a family of skanky things giving a new lease of life to things that were otherwise discarded and left for dead.

 x x

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 My fav photo of the week is one of a Hyacinth that I have blinged up. I should really think of something to do with the photos I continuously take? Once taken they sit inside my laptop growing in numbers left neglected and forgotten???

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I thought I'd share this fab 'to do list' with y'all.

 Taken from this Tumblr site here.

Ah, my ideal day ... especially the last one ♥

Sadly though I am yet to find a unicorn despite there being clues are all around us ...

 

But sadly I am yet to clap eyes on this elusive creature.

 If I ever do find one y'all be the first to know

 ;)

 

(that's enough 'random' for this week)

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This week I have been having way too much fun with a gadget and wood!!!

Just take a look at this ...

Yippee :D

I have been given a heated wood burning tool via a friends Mum

(she saw me agog when she demonstrated it's cleverness and was

kind enough to pass it on to me to try.) Me and my new fandangle tool are inseparable. 

It can:

Draw designs and stamp on to wood, leather and cork.

Use 12 different attachments.

Burn your fingers if your not careful!

Oh the possibilities, I'm planning on beautifying handbags, purses, chopping boards, wooden cooking utensils and anything else that crosses my path that's ripe for a bit of hot branding!

:D

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For several months now a friend and I have had a girlie trip planned. With the lack of Auctions to attend we have been pining old and interesting loveliness to browse and take our fancy so thankfully (after waiting for what seems like an eternity) our long awaited day arrived this weekend and we spent it shopping along Portobello Road, London.

 

 We caught an early train to Paddington (7am ~ yawn) and by 8.30 we were shopping.

 

Every now and then I desperately crave a day out in London, it's the total opposite from our lil village out in the sticks. I immerse myself in wide urbanised streets, the continuous frenzy and buzz, the fact every street/district and area has a completely different feel to it despite being just around a corner from each other and just the whole feeling that only our beloved diverse and cosmopolitan London can evoke.

 

Cake for breakfast? Nom don't mind if I do ...

 

All along Portobello Road were fab and interesting things to see like these retro manikins on a vintage hat stall ...

 

 

and the most amazing floral displays, this was just the roses section ...

 

A lil bit of the country in the Capital ...

 

More of the Country in the Capital

(I think I prefer the Bluebells !?!)

 

Kirstie's vintage home ...

 

Us Brits are just the best when it comes to being Bonkers, who needs paint when shiny bows will do the job ...

 

and, to round the day off perfectly ...

 

My most fav buy of all. Mine and my husbands initial bought from a printers along Portobello Road ...

 

I hand selected each block out of the various fonts to chose from. I chose a big ol' chunky, strong M for my big ol' chunky strong husband, I liked the shape of this tall, thin & then when it came to my initial I asked my friend and the poor unsuspecting man to choose. The poor chap looked like a rabbit in the head lights but in the interest of a sale he dutifully selected one. He selected the same as my friend but I had to ask them to pick again (as I have a touch of OCD their choice was just not gonna work as the block was all jagged, chopped about and ick). Once again they both picked the same and above is their choice ~ a very good one don't you think?

Then the poor chap had to appease my fussy nature once more when it came to finding a suitable sized block to stand them in, on top of that I really wanted an Oxford University Press one with me being an Oxfordshire lass. With a sale almost in his grasp he rummaged and foraged around in his many boxes until he finally found the perfect accompaniment to finish the set off beautifully.

 

 

I can not tell you how happy I am with my unique, hand picked ensemble. Its one of the many reasons I adore vintage shopping in London.

 

Oh, by the way ... what on earth do they do to their Strawberry's in the big smoke? Just look at the size of this mutant creation.

Cor blimey Charlie!!!

 

 

My friend also bought some stunning things, a Victorian cut glass beaded necklace, beautiful old hand stitched Broad Anglais tea napkins, a silver swallow necklace plus lots more . Having craved a day in London, by the end of it we were both ready to come home to the Countryside and breathed a calming sigh when the train stopped at our station and the only crowds in sight were sheep grazing in the surrounding fields.

 

 We arrived home exhausted but oh so very, very happy :) 

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 Well, that's it for this week folks, until next Sunday bye y'all xx