A Ponder & Stitch Giveaway!

Amy the author of Ponder & Stitch makes the most adorable wrist cuffs from vintage material and vintage buttons! She has loads of giveaways at her blog but this time she's giving away one of her own creations! You have 3 to choose from!

You can click on Ponder & Stitch above or find the link on the right side of my blog! Get on over there and leave a comment!

Mrs Woo at Becnicks Wonder Emporium!

Did I mention that I was moving spaces at Becnicks? I can't remember if I did. I am super excited to show you what it looks like! Would you like to see?

check out the crazy cat tea pot cozy!

vintage buttons galore!

charm bracelets on my rigged frame display :)

i Love this little shelf i found in a charity shop!

So there we go! My little spot at Becnicks Wonder Emporium! I'm pretty keen on it :)

Crinoline Ladies

Do you know about the pretty Crinoline Ladies?  They are a vintage favorite. Very pretty & feminine. They're called Crinoline Ladies because of the petticoats they are wearing!
I always thought crinoline was something lacy. But I've found a wonderfully informative site Fashion Era. According to Fashion Era

Crinolines

The Horsehair Crinoline Petticoat of 1830s

In the 1830s a linen material woven with horsehair called crinoline was first used for cloth petticoats. The word crinoline comes from the French for 'crin' and 'lin', meaning horsehair and linen respectively. This version of a petticoat was the original crinoline and later the name continued in use incorrectly, but universally for the caged or hooped underskirt frames.
In the 1840s flounces were added to the full skirts and these gave an illusion of extra skirt width.
The new skirt style which emerged in 1841 was achieved by a method of gauging fabric into organ or cartridge pleats which introduced yet more fullness. This was abandoned in 1846 for flat pleating which gave even more width. After 1845 double flounced skirts helped push the shape out, making the skirt look even broader.

There were changes to the Crinoline Petticoats through time and It's worth having a look on Fashion Era, it's interesting and lovely!

I don't honestly know when Crinoline Ladies started showing up in home wares but you can find them prettying up everything from dishes to hankies to sweet tins to table clothes.

Sweets Tin - sooo collectible!

Beautiful 1930s cake stand. 

 

 

Another style of "Crin Lady" cake stand.

The good, the bad & the kitsch x

and toilet roll covers?

I really like them & I'm not the only one! They are so popular right now! We can't keep them in stock at Becnicks Wonder Emporium!

I am Sew going to Do this!

See Vintage Doily Lampshade and 1000's of others - or share your own on Cut Out + Keep

I've been wondering what to do with my beautiful rescued lamp with it's horrible old lampshade! My friend Faith and I just scored a mother-load of vintage doilies the other day on our Thrift Store adventure! I need a few to finish patching my sofa...but then project lampshade will be underway!

Becnicks Wonder Emporium!

THE GRAND OPENING WAS WONDERFUL!!! What a great day! I'm still tired and I've hardly done anything! Sales were made by all and even more importantly Chester has a new WONDERFUL wondrous place for lovers of vintage to *oooooh* and *aaaaaah*!

A lovely photographer is on showing in the gallery, she also stuck around for most of the day and photographed all the goings on. You can find her on facebook FLUKE PHOTOGRAPHY .

Here are a few snaps from the big day:

1950s GORGEOUSNESS!!!

love that sewing box!

My Little Spot!!!

My little spot there on the right!

OH! There's me making up tags!

It was wonderful! It really was! I'll be in on Monday and Tuesday this week 10-6. I wish you all lived right here! If you are close come on over I'd love to chat & we'll have a cuppa tea!

Pretty & Practical

Hello friends! I've been doing a lot of work at my Mother-In-Law's house over the past few weeks to help get her house sale ready. I've been bagging and boxing and burning like mad! Too bad there's not a photo of me in my dust mask!
In my free time I've been travelling to Stoke-on-Trent with my Brother-In-Law for his Royal Air Force interviews and exams. Phew! I'm pretty darn tired!

While clearing out I came across a vintage drying rack! It is standing in the bath tub at the moment...drying. I scrubbed it down with sugar soap and old dirt and dark green paint came off in puddles on my kitchen floor, yuck!

I've picked out a gorgeous color to paint it once it has dried.

My fave green. The one I'm using is Japlac "Lovely Olive"  :)

I have trouble getting photos uploaded from my phone to the computer so alas I will just have to show you some gorgeous vintage drying racks I've found online until I can get photos of mine up *sigh* enjoy ~

How futuristic 50s is this one?!

I love this French Beauty even though it looks like a torture device! 

 

 

that's the kind that mounted to the wall.

pretty!

I'll keep you posted on my progress!

Tea Party Treats and I could use a little help from my friends!

 Now that the 1950s tea party birthday party is only a few weeks away I can start pulling out my recipes!

The birthday girl has requested a carrot cake. No problemo! It's my speciality birthday cake!

As we do have a 1950s theme we're going to need a Jelly mould {aka Jello}. Ours will be rabbit shaped and pink!

Don't let a week go by without one! Eek!

Now....Sandwiches. The standard tea party sandwiches are cucumber & cream cheese, cress, egg mayonnaise, roast ham & english mustard...maybe we'll have some cheese sandwiches too. I'm trying to be traditional...but I might have to bust out the goats cheese and beetroot chutney.

SCONES! With jam and cream and lemon curd!

Smitten Kitchen's Dreamy Cream Scones with Cranberries...mmm....

Lemon Scones from Sunbeam. I heart lemon most!

Lots of pots of tea of course! 

What am I missing?

I need little cakes perhaps. Cupcakes or cakeballs? Cookies?  

More savoury snacks too? 

Hmm....

I might be a little stuck here. HELP! What else shall I serve?

dream kitchen

In my opinion the kitchen is the heart of the home. Especially in my family. We love food! It's not only the food or the cooking, which I also love, we're drawn to that room!
I could look at kitchens from the past alll day. The colors are wonderful! The designs are charming! I just can't get enough!

kitchen 1901. the cupboard ain't the only thing that was bare.

1910 kitchen.

1920s.

1930s kitchen....aren't you lovely in my fave green. 

1940s Americana.

last but not least my fave....

Oh, 1950s kitchen, how I love thee! 

Some facts about Kitchens

* Today, about 74% of affluent Americans use kitchen to talk on the phone

* In 1930s, kitchen was mostly used as place to cook food

* Today, approximately 63% of kitchen users leave notes in the kitchen for other family members

* In 1930s, Kitchen was also used as laundry room

* Today, 58% Americans open mail or catch up on correspondence in the kitchen

* In 1930s, kitchen was considered a haven of women

* Today, 46% of both sexes said that they use the kitchen for airing out disagreements

* Today, as Americans get older, they use the kitchen to hold family conferences

* In 1930s, kitchen was used as a place to spy on neighbours

* Today, 8% of Americans admit to using the kitchens as a location to "spy" on neighbours

 *

What's your favorite or least favorite thing about your kitchen. There's no room for a table or seating in my kitchen - it's not great when people are over - I disappear!