Tuesday 9 June 2009

A rabbit in the headlights..

The last week has been a busy one.. most surprising as I was sure that the 'post Fair' blues would settle in and I would be twiddling my thumbs for a while..
Far from it... I have been firmly glued to my trusty pooter .. tapping out emails to all and sundry and batting enquiries about the next Fair.. in November. It has tied up a lot of my creative time but I do so love chatting to people and finding out more about them.. so.. it seems that the tables have turned and this morning when checking my emails.. (something I do at 5.30 a.m every morning when I am brutally awoken my beloved snorting and sneezing.. chronic hayfever sufferer.. poor love) I find I have been tagged by one of the lovely people I met at the V & H ...Sarah from Hardaker & Pope..
I spend a fair amount of time ducking and diving and running from these things.. but I must admit to being quite pleased about this tag.. the questions are some that I can relate to instantly..
I am not sure you will find my answers particularly riveting... but here goes...

Q. What's your favourite colour?
A. Not a straight forward answer.. I love colours in relation to others... an acid green Alchamilla Mollis in the garden next to a plummy Allium.. beautiful...! But I would have to say blue is my favourite.. as long as it isn't the blue of a bruise... more the blue of an azure sky..Q. What's your favourite clothing in your wardrobe?
A. This should be an easy one.. Anything that fits!! I have put on a lot of unwelcome pounds over the last few years and my wardrobe has become more of a costume museum.. a shrine to dresses that belong to a smaller woman. I would have to say though.. my Boden Tea Dress.. comes out of the mothballs every summer.Q.What's your dream job?
A. I think to some degree I already have a dream job... working from home and being creative.
Collecting vintage toys and spreading sweet nostalgia on to others... but.. in my heart.. I would love love love my own little shop..a Curiosity Shop meets Chocolat!Q. What's the last thing you bought?
A. Well to be honest .. it was a 1000 blank cards and envelopes to re-stock my greeting card business.. but that is boring so.. the last thing I bought for me.....not something I do often these days.. is my gorgeous kitschy shell frame from Lizzie at the V & H Fair.. I love it and it sits happily alongside my collection of shell frames in the bathroom..Q. What are you listening to right now..?
A. The drone of distant traffic from my lofty boudoir.. and the sound of my son scrabbling around trying to locate his discarded school uniform from the night before..

Q.What's your favourite ice-cream?
A. My mother used to make a vanilla ice-cream with hot chocolate sauce and crushed hazelnuts.. scrumptious!

Q.What's your favourite fruit?
A. Dried apricots.. non dried.. tomatoes.

Q.What inspires you?
A. Oh.. so much and so many..
Those who have the ability to think outside the box and follow their convictions.. last but not least.. my mother. She was an icon to me..Q.What's on the walls of your bedroom?
A. Some of my favourite peices from artists such as Edwina Bridgeman... and Cleo Mussi.. oh and a few cobwebs..Q.Who is your favourite designer?
A. I find this a difficult one to answer.. there are so many wonderful designers.. I think Terence Conran is a bit of a god in that department and my fave designer right now.. am I allowed two...
Viv from Hen's Teeth... she has oodles of style!

Q. Do you admire anyone's style?
A. Oh all the time.... I am forever seeing people in the street that have a flair with the way they dress..anybody who doesn't follow the masses!

Q.Describe your personal style?
A. Nanny McPhee on a bad day... Widow Twanky on a good day!

Q.What language would you like to learn?
A. French.. my mother's native tongue and learnt badly by me at school.

Q.What is your favourite quote for now?
A. 'Never give up' as my father would often say.

Q.What is your favourite magazine?
A. Selvedge... a classy and beautiful publication.

Q.If you had £100 what would you spend it on?
A. One of Sarah's lovely paisley or polka dot bags, some anti-wrinkle cream ( oh how I need some) and a sticky bun.

Q. What is your current obsession?
A. Vintage mercury glass and celluloid reindeer....

Q.What are you wearing today?
A. My beloved's dressing gown.. for now at least.

Q.What's for dinner?
A. A Thai chicken curry.. if I can find the lemongrass.

Q.What would you eat for your last meal?
A. Singapore noodles washed down with a lovely glass of Dom PĂ©rignon.

Q.What do you think of the person who tagged you?
A. I think she has a great talent and a sweet nature.

Q.If you could have a house paid for and furnished, anywhere in the world where would it be?
A. Tuscany.. Chianti hillsQ. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour.. where would it be?
A. A walk along the river Teign in Devon at Fingle BridgeQ. What are you going to do after this?
A. Get dressed and stagger in to town with some parcels to post.

Q.What are your favourite movies?
A. Can't possibly list them all.. but The Railway Children is all time fave.. Far from the Madding Crowd...Draughtsman's Contract..ad infinitum.

Q.What's your favourite book?
A. My address book... all my friends in one place

Q.Do you collect something?
A. Far too much.. vintage tin toys, vintage rabbit toys, vintage bisque penny dolls, wooden shoe lasts, Victorian shell pictures, hearts.... dust.. plastic carrier bags etc etc..

Q.What's the most important rule of life?
A. Do unto others.....

I would like to pass this on to five others.. to be completed at your leisure or not at all....

28 comments:

LissyLou said...

I really enjoyed this, you answered well x

Ragged Roses said...

Ha!!!!!!! Best put on some decent clothes before I answer this one and tune into the dawn chorus, otherwise I shall do nothing but write about my old jeans and the sound of the washing machine!!!
What a lovely tag Mrs C and beautiful, eloquent answers too. Might we share the currant bun and the anti wrinkle cream if we ever make our fortune? I should also like to reserve a little loggia in that house of yours in Tuscany. Good luck with your dream job mon amie
Mxxxx

Rubyred said...

I enjoyed this too,good answers! I like the sound of your shop!I also heartily agree with your favourite quote and rule of life!
Rachel x

LiLi M. said...

I love to read this! This is was a fun tag till I read the end...hahaha only joking. Thanks for tagging me, I will see that I answer the questions as good as you did.
Have a nice day!

Hen said...

Nice to know a little bit more about you, Michele. Loving your shell frames. I collected some shell covered boxes a while back but lack the space to actually get them out at the cottage. Thanks for the nod to Sarah's website. Oh my, I am tempted by the luscious fabrics there. I noticed that the paisley design comes in the colourway "custard" which made me think of you!
Hen x

Carol said...

I loved that Michele, I think I could have guessed a few of your answers! so that is the dress. Loved all your piccies with your answers too. I was going to call you today...I am too moany so not today...the house is a tip, which always drives me mad, it will look good for a day!
I was going to post something about Man Drawers too....sooo funny, so me.
I will send you the link.
Hugs,
Cxxx

Rubyred said...

H Michele,thank you for the compliment on my button bracelet, I'd been meaning to make some for a while.It was your beautiful blue button necklace that reminded me to give it a go!The bracelet was fairly easy once I got the hang of the instructions.Honestly, my mind turns to mulch at the thought of anything technical, like stringing a button through both ways!Yet I can follow a knitting pattern!
I'll send you the tutorial,when I find it!
Rachel x

Teena Vallerine said...

Love your fave saying - do what unto others? just do? are we talking about laundry again here?1 t.xx

Anonymous said...

I'm so flattered to know you pulled out your favorite dress when an eccentric American housewife invited you to tea. :) I am also excited to learn Boden sells in the US, but no dresses as pretty as that one this season. Loved your witty answers.

Sal said...

Glad the kitsch shell pic found a good home...it gave us all a laugh,didn't it ?!! ;-)

Linen and Roses Boutique said...

Well now I know why I got on with you when we met at that dreadful fair in Chipping Norton - a fellow Railway Children fan! The original version I hope? A really interesting tag. Normally I hate tags but I'm almost hoping someone tags me on this one. Loved reading all your answers.

A time to dance said...

I loved reading this post, you have some wonderful answers which really made me smile, fab questions too...happy week love H

Corinne Phillips said...

Brilliant answers - and I love the Edwina Bridgeman piece. Not come across her before - Must go and look her up.

Evsie said...

Thanks for your kind comments Michele, good tag answers dont think I have answered that many questions since I got in very late one night !! By the way dont forget Bayleaf the gardener.

Emma said...

loved reading this! i also have shell pictures! i've been tagged by sarah too... my answers on today! lets meet for a cup of tea some day soon? x

BusyLizzie said...

Thanks for the tag, it looks like a good one.. love your answers & will hopefully get around to do it soon! Lizzie xxx
PS the Jesus shell piccie looks fab!

Sarah said...

Hi Michele
Great answers! It was lovely to meet you at the fair, and you had so many wonderful items. I could have bought more! Still yet to find homes for my purchases but looking forward to doing it when things have calmed down!
x

Emma Bond said...

Hi Michele.. have voted you for a Lovely Blog Award.. if you visit my Bath Daily Photo Blog you can get it! love Emma x

Patchwork Harmony said...

haha! I have just tagged you! I'm sure you don't want to answer all the questions again! :) x

Emma Bond said...

Hi Michele.... got your message thanks and tried ringing you several times but no answer.... going on holiday in morning, so try me again later?! hilarious about your Mr Him Indoors... I am a fan!

Ticking stripes said...

Am I spotting a couple of Julie Arkell pieces on your shelves - lucky lady! By the way - do you by any chance have any spaces left at your fair in November? Please e-m with details!

this is my patch said...

... and I thought I knew everything about you Michele! A great tag and great answers I must say. Your vintage toys are wonderful and I remain on a quest to discover more for my collection. I am liking the alchamilla mollis which is self-seeding all over my garden, it's a great gap filler! The shell frame from the V&H fair is a special find and looks lovely alongside the others in your collection. My nan used to make vanilla custard based ice-cream, and would make it for us when we visited, along with giant meringues! x

Debbies-English-Treasures said...

I enjoyed reading your answers and seeing your beautiful photos also!
Thanks for sharing!
Debbie Moss

A Bun Can Dance said...

Hi Michele!
Great tag and responses.
I'm visiting everyone who showed an interest in Afternoon Tea. I have provisionally booked The Bath Priory for 4pm on Friday 17th July. Can you let me know if this suits you? I will need to confirm numbers with the hotel one week before.
I shall post a short blog entry just to make sure everyone has the details!
Have a super weekend.
Denise x

Anonymous said...

Brill answers. Is that a picture of your Mum? She's so pretty and stylish. I also loved your answer about your wardrobe being like a costume museum – that's so the nicest way I've ever heard that described... makes me feel so much better about the dresses that don't fit... they're not too small, they're exhibit pieces! ;)

Unknown said...

ROFL @ "Widow Twanky"! I wish I had a tenth of "her" style, for sure!

Katie said...

What a great read! Boden tea dresses are the best...and I'm now craving vanilla ice-cream with hot chocolate sacue and crushed hazelnuts...mmmmmm!

sarah said...

I have really enjoyed reading what makes everyone tick! shame on me for not replying sooner. i love alchemilla colour but with gertrude jekyll rose pink!!
hope to see you at the next vh if not before.