COWBOYS & CUSTARD

There goes another one....

2011-12-31T17:19:00.003+01:00

With the minutes ticking by and another year drawing to an end... what hopes do you have for the next one?
I do not wish to make rash resolutions that will fall by the wayside, like the many that have gone before.. but I would like to think that I will make better use of my time next year...starting with a good long walk on New Year's Day which may bring some inspiration as it did on January 1st 2007 when the idea for 'Cowboys & Custard' came to me on such a walk. Let's wait and see... Expect the unexpected!
Wishing a Happy New Year to you all and may it bring you happiness and new adventures!

Not even a mouse....

2011-12-21T19:20:00.017+01:00

Well... not a whole one.
After deciding it was high time I started to inject some Christmas sparkle into this week, with time running out, I decorated the tree with a little help from the tabby terror who insisted on placing the decorations elsewhere.. ie.. on the ground!
With the tree finally decorated and remaining upright.. despite the attempts of Sir Edmund Hilary aka Pickles the cat... to climb it and usurp the Christmas fairy .. I stood back.. and began to feel ever so slightly Christmassy. I always think of one of my favourite films at this time of year.. The Grinch who Stole Christmas.. when his tiny heart starts to flicker and twitch into life.. so did my Christmas spirit after decorating the tree.

All that remains to be done is a date with the Sellotape and wrapping paper, some pressies to wrap, aided by a few glasses of Sloe gin.. home made of course. Kirstie would be proud!
Pickles has already placed his gift to us under the tree.. discovered this morning .. not gift wrapped but perfectly placed amongst the gifts already there. One half chewed mouse! Nice!
Not one I can take back after Christmas to exchange for a whole one!
On that rather gruesome note.. may I wish you all.. a truly happy and peaceful Christmas with lots of happy days to come in 2012.
See you on the other side!
Michele xx

Ode to the Movember Moustache..

2011-12-01T11:46:00.009+01:00

Today Mr Custard will ceremoniously shave off his moustache as promised to the children of his primary school. I must say that I have grown rather fond of this hairy creature growing upon his top lip and will lament the passing of this hirsute exercise.

In reverence to his participation in the Movember charity fund raising... he has written a poem...

Ode to the Moustache

The hair that blossoms on the lip,

Is rarely cool and never hip.

So shave it off and get a grip;

You know you look an utter drip.

It’s growing for a noble cause,

But do not linger for applause;

You’d look less daft in grandma’s drawers;

Some “L’Oreal tinted” Santa Clause!

So shave it off! Do it today!

Don’t defer it; don’t delay.

The execution must not stay;

The balder lip is the modern way.

November it is almost past;

Advent it is here at last.

No need to ponder or to fast;

Just have a shave - you look an ass!

Can you spot the difference between Jason King and Mr Custard?

A healthy distraction...

2011-11-29T17:56:00.008+01:00

While the house matter continues to rumble on with no news as yet.. I have been finding a healthy distraction with gathering my stock for the next Vintage & Handmade Christmas Fair which is taking place this weekend at Chipping Sodbury Town Hall.

So if you have an hour or two to spare.. put on your skates...

Or saddle up your horse...

... and make your way to the lovely little Cotswold town of Chipping Sodbury to join the happy shoppers at the fair.. there are over 48 stalls offering a fabulous cornucopia of vintage goods.
We look forward to welcoming old friends and new.. Hope to see you there!

Prolonging the agony...

2011-11-23T11:38:00.004+01:00

Hello all..

For those of you who so kindly crossed your digits for me last Friday.. Please please uncross them now before you do yourself some permanent damage! I am afraid to say that the agony continues and it will probably be another week before I know the outcome of all my prayers and wishes... and all of your wonderful goodwill.

For those of you who had an inkling as to what the good luck was needed for.. Yes .. indeed.. it involves a few thousand bricks, some doors and a lot of history... x 2. We are still desperately trying to sell our house in a market that is sitting still and waiting for the economic gloom to lift.. but last week we had a glimmer of hope and maybe.. just maybe.. we have found someone who loves our house as much as we have. Meanwhile.. my dream house sits in a village waiting patiently for the day we get an offer!

For now.. I will leave you with a picture of a house..Not THE house ... but one I would be very happy to live in!

Fingers Crossed for Friday ....

2011-11-18T11:13:00.005+01:00

It's a fingers crossed day here today.. I'll tell you why later.

*** Thank you so much for all of your crossed digits today .. Unfortunately it is going to be a little while before I learn if your fingers and goodwill have worked their magic. Please uncross your fingers now before you all get cramp. I will keep you posted. Some things are worth waiting for !

Lest we Forget ...

2011-11-11T09:45:00.005+01:00

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them.
~~~~

Remembering my maternal grandfather, Georges Henri Lobert, who died as a political prisoner in Camp Mittelbau- Dora 1945.

Lest we forget

Will it snow..?

2011-11-07T09:25:00.003+01:00

These snowmen hope so!
Christmas has arrived early at Milly & Dottie's Emporium and the shelves are decked with all manner of glittery things .. so if you like to do your festive shopping early.. come along to the Christmas Grotto and see our lovely selection of vintage festive finery.

No smoke without ...

2011-11-05T19:45:00.006+01:00

Just lit the first fire of the season.. feeling toasty, cosy and just a little bit festive.
Happy Bonfire night..

We are off to the Fair....

2011-10-28T12:37:00.002+02:00

Today is a list ticking day... lots to do and as usual leaving it all until the 11th hour..
Just to let you know I will be off to the Vintage Bazaar in Frome tomorrow with my usual family of furry friends and more.. Do come along.. It promises to be a fabulous fair !!!

Liberty & Co.

2011-10-07T18:05:00.017+02:00

When I was a child, back in the swinging sixties, we lived not a million miles from the great metropolis that is the city of London. Each year my mother would take me on a pilgrimage to the mecca that was otherwise known as Hamleys.. which was always such a thrill and still holds vivid memories for me. Another of our haunts along Regent Street was the iconic store .. Liberty & Co.
' Liberty opened to the public on May 15th 1875, when the founder, Arthur Lasenby Liberty, purchased the lease on a half-shop in Regent Street to which he gave the grand name 'East India House'.

This beautiful store is still as faithful today to my memories from the 60's and has little changed. The 'Arts & Crafts' bones of the building have weathered well and catered for, thousands.. millions of visitors over the decades. A recent visit to the store was reassuring, in that the essence of the business has kept to it's ethos of showcasing eclectic design and craftsmanship from Britain and beyond.

I could never have dreamed as a child that one day my own creations would be on sale in my favourite store.. but I am delighted to say.. that Cowboys & Custard are now proud to supply Liberty & Co. with my greeting cards.

Thank you so much to all of you for your lovely supportive comments.. They are very much appreciated!

Sunshine, Smiles and Shopping...

2011-10-02T12:37:00.012+02:00

Despite the wilting temperatures the good folk of Chipping Sodbury and far beyond came out in their best summer frocks to visit the Vintage & Handmade Textile Fair yesterday..
A far cry from the - 10 degrees that we experienced at last year's Christmas fair.. but our loyal visitors are a hardy lot and it was lovely to welcome all our regular faces and many more new.. and above all some utterly gorgeous displays from our growing band of exhibitors.
It is always hard to keep one's pulse steady and blood pressure in check when all around is vintage finery at it's best.
This was taken in my usual flurry just minutes before the kick off..

Here I will let the pictures do the talking and say a huge thank you to all who made this a very enjoyable and successful day... including Sid and Little Blue who were begging me to take them home.. How could I not oblige!

Exquisite characters by Jenny Barnett

Bunnies in abundance..

Caroline Zoob's stylish display ..

Wool of many colours

Suzie Johnson's Funky Knits

Battersea Dogs Home meets Watership Down

There was so much more to see and it was a wonderful day, but don't worry if you missed it.. just like buses.. another one will be along on December 3rd.. same time same place!

Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit ...

2011-09-20T15:54:00.014+02:00

I am sure you are well aware by now that I have a thing about rabbits... It all started a few years ago when I adopted the name 'Rabbit' by my beloved and from there on .. anything with long velvety ears and an air of rabbity-ness about it has won my affections..
Over the last year I have collected these fine and noble creatures in all guises and some have gone on to new pastures, which has been a painful wrench at times!
With the next Vintage & Handmade Textile Fair looming on the horizon I have been gathering a few items for the occasion... though not being a textile merchant nor needle-crafter I am sad to say .. these items are not strictly vintage textile orientated. They are however.. made of fabrics and are sure to win a few hearts... if not just mine!
The first long eared creatures that kick started my collection are Julie Arkell's deliciously eccentric characters with rabbity ears... (see above)

There are rabbits hopping around in Milly & Dottie's Emporium if you look in the nursery..

This beautiful vintage wooden pull toy was made by Gecevo in Germany.. love the graphics...

A Steiff classic 1950's 'Stassi' Bunny.. also hopping around in the nursery ...

Now Sold - Thank You

This little rabbit has a slightly psychotic look about her... too many carrots I fear!

This bunny was a real heart breaker and went off to a new home at The Vintage Bazaar earlier this year..

Two more little bunnykins that stole my heart...

A very special 50th Birthday present made by Edwina Bridgeman..

Yep... they're breeding like ....

A rabbit is not just for Christmas you know..

This one is here to stay!

Lastly this is my latest find.. Little Miss Boo who will be joining me at the fair..

Biddestone Boules

2011-09-06T09:36:00.014+02:00

Well that's that then... summer ended abruptly on Monday when the rain arrived along with the familiar Autumnal wind. I can't complain really.. the summer hols were just what they should be.. relaxing (at times) agenda free (not always) impulsive and above all a lot of fun.. the fun being provided mostly by the numerous attempts to sharpen our technique of the game Boules. Team Cowboys & Custard, met regularly over the month of August to try out the various pistes in our locality and get to grips with the game in time for the tournament. We played in all weathers.. not deterred by the driving rain or on the odd occasion, scorching sun. We were far more troubled by the hecklers and spectators that witnessed our clumsy interpretation of the sport of Petanque.. especially when some French tourists stood by and watched, managing to stifle their giggles and resisting the urge to show us how it should be done!

Four days before the tournament... we finally learned the rules which gave our game a whole new meaning! After one last pre-match practice .. we felt we were ready to face the opposition. and so we did.. on Saturday 3rd September in the oh so pretty village of Biddestone in Wiltshire.

It was a fabulous day... full of fun, laughter, friends and just a few glasses of vino!
We even managed to get to the quarter finals.. much to our total amazement. So.. we start the whole process all over again and have already booked some practice games, as the date for the Biddestone Boules Tournament for 2012 has been set and we wouldn't miss it for the world!
See highlights of the day in this wonderful pastiche of the tournament.. http://youtu.be/OHahixhYf-A

Jumble Fever

2011-08-11T21:06:00.006+02:00

Join us for a fun day out at the

2nd V&H Vintage Jumble on Saturday 13th
August 2011 at the Rangeworthy Village Hall,
Wotton Rd, Rangeworthy, BS37 7LZ
10.30am - 2.00pm
Some of your favourite dealers will be having a
clear out & offering vintage goodies at bargain
prices.
China, glass, textiles, toys, books, ephemera &
much more....something for everyone.
Free admission.

Teas will be served by the Rangeworthy WI.

Just nipping in to remind you that there is a rather special Jumble Sale taking part this Saturday. Not just any kind of jumble.. this is a real bargain basement for vintage finds and shouldn't be missed if you are partial to a good rummage or scrum!
Do come along if you are in the area.. and if you are not.. then please take to your wheels and put Rangeworthy George V Memorial Hall into your sat nav.. It is easy peasy to find and you will be greeted with a hall groaning with tables of every kind of vintage home-wares, fabrics, toys etc etc.. with tea and cake served by the faithful W.I. See you there hopefully..

On the Piste.... Again!!!

2011-08-09T08:01:00.011+02:00

Bonjour tout les monde! You maybe forgiven for thinking that I am sitting on a tea chest whilst typing this.. Well a lot of things have happened since my last post.. some time ago (whoops!) but sorry to say that a house move is not one of them. Still sat here twiddling my thumbs and waiting for that elusive call to say.. someone would love to come and see your home! In the meantime life carries on and new pursuits have been practised... mainly that of the wonderful game of Boules.. or Petanque if you are particular about these things..

Having signed up, in a mad moment of impulse, for a Boules tournament to be held at the beginning of September .. I then had to gather a willing team of players from some eager but equally amateurish players. Bath is rather passionate about it's Boules tournaments and has held one here every summer for as many years as I can remember. Conveniently, there is a large Boules piste in one of the elegant squares in Bath. I have only ever been a spectator.. so to volunteer my non existent skills and experience of the game has been a sharp learning curve.. but an immensely enjoyable one at that!
A team was swiftly gathered under the name of Cowboys & Custard.. and every other day, weather permitting, we hone our skills (ha... hollow laughter ensues) on the local pistes as they are called.. with not a ski in sight!

To say that we are experts would be a long way from the truth.. but slowly and surely we are improving our technique.. i.e... keeping the balls on the piste rather than hurling them into oblivion!

Boules cannot be classified as a high impact sport.. but it is certainly a wonderful leisurely and sociable way to spend an hour or two.. followed by a spot of team bonding over a cup of tea and slice of cake or two... hardly a calorie burning exercise..

We still have three weeks to perfect our game and then we meet the big boys at the Biddestone Boules Tournament! A little nerve wracking as we will be playing some of the elite of the local Boules fraternity .. but it will be fun while it lasts. All that is left to do now .. is learn the rules!

In Limbo ..

2011-06-28T20:54:00.021+02:00

(vintage game courtesy of Milly... thank you!)

I should explain that my prolonged absence from blogging has been due to a combination of reasons.. Where do I start? I could say that I have been rushed off my feet with a hectic social whirl or burning the midnight oil at the drawing board.. but that would be a lie. I could tell you that I have finally run away to join the circus (again) or the Foreign Legion (again) but that too would be far from the truth.. I will have to confess that I have been rather preoccupied with matters closer to home.. in fact my home itself has taken up my every waking hour and occupied my dreams too for the last month...

It has been many a year that we have dreamed about upping sticks and heading for a life of self sufficiency.. well.. growing a few veg and possibly keeping bees would be a good start. I have lived in Bath for 32 years now.. arriving as a wide eyed 20 year old with a new job in a new city .. a new start. This beautiful unique city has seen some of the best days of my life.. my son was born here, many friends have been made here.. numerous memories bounce off the walls as I walk through the Georgian streets. So it is not going to be an easy or painless wrench leaving all this behind.. but one day.. when the gods of the housing market dictate.. we hope to be swapping these views ..

For something more like these ..

Trading tarmac for leafy lanes ... and endless hills of green..

Thousands of chimney pots ...

For fields full of flowers ...

Pushing dust has become my raison d'etre and keeping everything tickety boo in a constant state of 'Red Alert' is just a little bit time consuming.. I can't get away with stuffing the mass of 'stuff' that we own into cupboards to hide it away from prying eyes.. as those same eyes will open cupboards to examine the storage space on offer! Keeping a very much lived- in and worked- in home.. is impossible to keep as a show home 24/7.. but one tries... and one is very trying.. according to my long suffering family.

Following the family around with a feather duster and hoover at the ready is beginning to grate on everyone's nerves .. even the poor tortoise is in danger of having her shell polished. So please forgive me if I am a little distracted.. I hope to have news one day, in the not too distant future, of our intended destination.. but until then.. Whose hidden the the Mr Sheen?!

Almost..

2011-06-20T11:14:00.003+02:00

Hello folks.. sorry for the protracted absence and lack of news.. Hope to be out of hibernation soon..

Cotton, Cake & Cloth ...

2011-05-30T18:06:00.011+02:00

Hello .. I have just climbed back on the wagon to tell you about the next Vintage & Handmade Textile & Fashion Fair which is on this Saturday.. yes.. that's Saturday the 4th of June. Go and get a pen and make a big cross on your calendar now before you forget. I speak as one who has to write everything down in triplicate these days.
The fair will cater for all of you who have a fabric fetish or fascination with vintage fashion, who like to collect cotton reels or twiddle with colourful twines and threads.. It will be heaven for all haberdashery addicts and is sure to satisfy those who love sewing.. Clothkits will be there.. I for one am a big fan and still own my very first Clothkits cat that my mother made for me back in the 1960's.. We have the company of Handmade Living a new exciting magazine which combines craft, cooking and home style etc.. There will be our regular lovelies such as Sal's Snippets with her vast collection of vintage feed sack fabrics.. Lizzie The Washerwoman with wonderful French brocante and vintage fashions.. Viv from Hen's Teeth with her gorgeous embroidered purses...Sarah Hardaker with some super fabrics of her own design. Beautiful antique fabrics from Phillipa Bowes, Donna Flower whose display of haberdashery items are simply a work of art. You will have to come along and see for yourself.. so the important thing to know is the fair starts at 10 a.m until 4.00 p.m and is held at Chipping Sodbury Town Hall. We look forward to welcoming you and hope a jolly time is had by all!
P.s If textiles and fashion is not your thing.. then maybe we can tempt you with some fine tea and cake in our tea room.

Out to Pasture ....

2011-05-22T16:21:00.003+02:00

Please forgive my absence..
Cowboys & Custard has stepped off the wagon for a while.. Promise to return soon with all my news.

All Good Things ...

2011-05-02T21:20:00.009+02:00

Sadly all good things come to an end.. and this seemingly endless month of Sunday's had to stop somewhere. The last few weeks of sun soaked days has put a song in my heart and helped me put the gloom of winter behind me.. and days of being re-acquainted with my garden has brought me many pleasures.
This last weekend was a festive one in many ways.. starting with the Royal Wedding which I enjoyed from start to finish.. so good to see people coming together to celebrate. We should value our heritage as it is something to be proud of. Better leave it at that before this turns into a rant about the cynical world we live in!
The festivities ran on into Saturday with a grand finale in Frome, where the good and great came together to put on a fine show of vintage wares which made my heart flutter and purse wince!
The Vintage Bazaar had come to town once more and Lizzie & Clare did a fabulous job of hosting a classy event which I was pleased to be part of. My usual fuzzy photos hardly did justice to the quality and diversity of the goods on sale. These were just a few of the stalls I managed to snap before taking up position behind my wall of teddies and friends. It was so lovely to see friends from the blogging world and beyond which is always the icing on the cake at these events.

Viv of Hen's Teeth.. fine fayre

Debbie's gorgeous gardenalia

Divine dresses.. oh to be slimmer

Niki's boudoir beauties..

Isabelle's pretty brocante

Gertie's sewing boxes

Donna's textile treasury

Cowboys & Custard nursery nostalgia

What a fitting end to an unforgettable holiday!

Congratulations!

2011-04-29T11:09:00.011+02:00

Many congratulations to William & Kate, The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge.. on this very happy occasion.

Festive Frome..

2011-04-28T09:09:00.011+02:00

Excitement has been bubbling away quietly all week.. bunting has been washed and ironed.. the Union Jack flag folded and packed.. now all I have to do is find a suitable tablecloth for the event. You may be mistaken for thinking that I am getting ready for the Royal nuptials tomorrow.. but I am thinking ahead to a very important day on Saturday.
Branston (he's the handsome chap in the middle) and the gang are heading off to Frome to attend the very fine Vintage Bazaar hosted by Lizzie and Clare. This will be our first and we are all very much looking forward to it.
Now.. should I wear a tiara.. what do you think?

Happy Easter

2011-04-23T15:56:00.003+02:00

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter.. from The Custards and Brian the bunny xx

Head for the Hills ..

2011-04-19T22:42:00.015+02:00

Trundling down the M4 at 6.30 a.m last Saturday, listening to Nik Kershaw belt out the words ...

"Wouldn't it be good to be in your shoes
Even if it was for just one day
And wouldn't it be good if we could wish ourselves away
Wouldn't it be good to be on your side
The grass is always greener over there
Wouldn't it be good if we could live without a care."

The words couldn't have been more apt.. as we were on our way to a place where the grass was most certainly greener, where the birds song louder and more colourful, where the air was pure.. and there was plenty of it!

Yes.. we were off to Devon.. Chagford to be precise..

Arriving at the ridiculously early hour of 8.30 a.m, we browsed the windows of the sleepy town.. and one in particular.. the window of the estate agent's to play out my favourite fantasy game of 'where shall we live ?'

It was good to leave the tarmac and sounds of urban life behind and swap it for verdant hills, moorland views and the sound of the cuckoo. Exchanging the nocturnal sounds of late night revellers weaving their way home past our house at 3.30 a.m for the sounds of the owls hooting and the fox shouting at the moon...

We have found the perfect bolt hole in this gorgeous part of the world .. gazing down from the hill above to our home for the weekend and the most genial hosts we could wish to meet.. with their rambling, welcoming home full of dogs, a cat, chickens, black sheep and a very rude .. though hilarious parrot..

Walks along the river Teign at Fingle Bridge.. a place that draws us back time after time for it's magnificent raw beauty...

Spring flowers abundant and showing off their new wardrobe of fresh petals..

A garden to wander around at our leisure with the prettiest vegetable plot I have ever seen ..

Just one of those fantasies.. this one with beautiful mullion windows..

To end a perfect day a perfect evening down at the village hall .. gyrating to a Rolling Stones tribute band.. with young and old alike having a good old knees up.

It was a real wrench to drag ourselves away after two days of rural therapy .. especially hard as the sun decided to come out on the morning of our departure...

Dear Chagford .. we will return again soon.. and maybe for good one day!

Our Fair Ladies..

2011-04-10T08:35:00.016+02:00

Yesterday was the 7th Vintage & Handmade Fair... and do you know the best part of the whole day? It was meeting and greeting of our faithful clan of ladies who come from all corners of our fair land to put on a fabulous display for the visitors who flock from far and wide.
I had such a lovely day... and this time thanks to the vigilance and generosity of Viv my neighbour and my dear man .. I got a chance to walk around and talk to our fair ladies; which is a luxury I have not been afforded at most of our previous fairs. Thank you to all who came from such distances as Kent, Cornwall, London and Italy .. and possibly Timbuktu!
Something one of our friends said at the end of the day was.. how friendly and civilised the Vintage & Handmade Fairs are.. which does go far to restore one's faith in mankind when it can sometimes seem that the world we live in lacks generosity and goodwill.
Here is a small selection of my hurried snaps taken minutes before the doors opened to the vintage hungry folk waiting patiently outside...

Jane & The Happy Crow

There were many gorgeous vintage hounds on display that one could have been forgiven for thinking they were at an open day at Battersea Dogs Home.. I would gladly have given a home to all of them.. pennies permitting!

Spring fever was evident in the vibrant colour palette of the displays.. I particularly loved the fresh green and yellows of Stephen & Judy's colourful wares ....

All Things Vintage & Beautiful

Sal and Mr Snippets put on a dazzling display of gorgeous textiles and smiles.... though Mr S was being a little coy here..

Sal's Snippets

These cool cats had me greatly amused with Woo's witty and quirky characters..

The Devil Makes Work

Clare's fine Easter bonnets ...

Daisy Darling

Vintage notebooks in every subject from Sarah ..

Vintage Notebook

Colourful blooms from Necia's Plants ...

Finally .. some Easter bunnies and friends from Cowboys & Custard..

A day of smiles, sunshine, chat, cake, sales.. and lots of yawns at the end of it.. and happy memories all round. Thank you to everyone who takes part in these fairs .. Jayne and I couldn't do it without you!

Moveable Beasts..

2011-04-07T08:29:00.005+02:00

Goodness me what is going on? No blog posts for weeks then four in a row.. much like buses really.
It has been a wonderful week so far and hopefully the best is yet to come with two days to go before our Spring Vintage & Handmade Fair..
Check list is at the ready.. now all I have to do is persuade my menagerie of bunnies, cats and assorted dogs to jump into a box to take to the fair..

Hope to see you there!!

By Design..

2011-04-05T17:46:00.016+02:00

As a partner on the online shopping site.. Not on the High Street .. we were recently invited to ask Sir Terence Conran a question through the site and without hesitation I posed my question to him. I did begin to wonder if I should have asked him a more sober question about starting up a business or a design element, as he is, in my eyes, one of the greatest designers of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Imagine my surprise and utter delight to discover that my question was chosen along with a few others by Sir Terence. This was his answer..

Dear Terence, I would dearly love to know what your favourite toy was when you were a child? Michele, Cowboys & Custard Oh good grief, what a question Michele! I remember on our mantelpiece we had these wonderful things called “Sunday Toys” that my mother’s father had brought back from all over the world. Cherrystone slippers from Russia and a little hare made from ivory that came from China. Perhaps my favourites were toys I made myself, something I began doing when I was eleven and had peritonitis which came me off school for six months. I made a model of the battleship HMS Hood which, I think, I swapped for a 3 inch Myford lathe which absolutely became my absolute pride and joy. May I add what a wonderful name for your company – how on earth do cowboys and custard meet!?

It is a real privilege to have this insight into his life and possibly the early beginnings of his design led career.
Growing up in the sixties, I remember so well my visits to the iconic Habitat stores where the simple but oh- so -stylish contemporary home wares were very much de rigeur of the time. The bold colours and organic style of furnishings are just as popular today and have lasted the distance for many. Ironically I have grown up with antiques and love the individual craftsmanship of vintage items but have the greatest respect for contemporary design too.

I feel the two can marry very successfully with a bit of imagination ..
I don't claim to be an interior designer.. far from it.. My home is stuck in a bit of a time warp and is more of a collection of time worn relics and hand me downs from my family, combined with items I have collected along the way.
If you cast your mind back to the blog post I wrote in May last year.. I had a bit of a 'shoot' at my home, the results of which can be seen in the magazine 'House Beautiful' this month.

Dear Nicky Owen of White Rabbit Media and David Parmiter the lovely photographer.. did my house proud and never has it looked so uncluttered and clean. Just don't open that cupboard!
If you want to have a snoop around my home.. I am afraid you will have to buy the magazine!

P.s In answer to Tracey's question.. yes I did reply to Sir Terence Conran and this is what I said..

Dear Terence

Thank you so much for answering my question. I was absolutely cock a hoop that you chose to share your favourite toys from childhood with me. I loved to hear that you made your own toys and used your design skills from a very early age.

In answer to you question about my business name.. The "Cowboys" part comes from games I played with my brothers.. the favourite being cowboys and indians.. being a bit of a tomboy in my youth. The "Custard" part is from the nursery.. favourite childhood food. Cowboys & Custard brings together my love of childhood nostalgia which I hope I reflect in the products I make.

Best wishes

Michele

Cowboys & Custard

Ma Maman

2011-04-03T07:40:00.009+02:00

I was recently reunited with a collection of family photographs taken by my father in the 1940's and many of them were of my mother and eldest brother. My father was a very keen amateur photographer.. thank goodness, otherwise I would not have these precious relics from my life to look at on a day like today.. and remember.

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers everywhere.. past and present. xxx

Undercover Job

2011-03-11T08:25:00.010+01:00

One day last week I was staggering up the hill on my way home, laden with groceries and stopping at Base Camp 2 to catch my breath.. I noticed a laminated sign attached to a lamp post .. Squinting at it, without my reading specs on, I manage to decipher the gist of the message.. Which went as follows.. The residents of Camden Crescent have got together to clear an area of wild overgrown scrub land that lies below the crescent. This has involved cutting down many rampant shrubs and a huge tangle of brambles and Bindweed, removing a few old specimens and coppicing the remaining Dogwood and Willows. A cunning method of clearing the vast tapestry of bramble roots that remained was to bring in a family of willing pigs to to the job...

I crossed over the road to see the work that had been achieved and was delighted to see that the bristly beasts were indeed happily ensconced, and snortling and snuffling away to their hearts content and thoroughly enjoying themselves in their new vocation..

How wonderful that this can happen in the middle of a busy city.. a small one admittedly .. but with a constant flow of traffic winding it's way along the crescent above.. it is a joy to look down below and see these wonderful animals doing their best to enhance this pocket of wild life in Bath...

So these little piggies are far too busy to go to market just now and I hope they will be here for quite a bit longer as I really enjoy popping along the road to say hello to my bristled friends.....

A Jumbled Affair

2011-03-07T08:27:00.021+01:00

Well.. the first V & H Jumble Sale turned out to be a very civilised affair, certainly not the battle ground remembered from jumble sales of old. It was a wonderful day from start to finish with a respectable kick off time of 11.00 a.m, giving some of our ladies a more reasonable start to the day.. especially as some had travelled many miles to Rangeworthy Village Hall. Jacquie for instance came all the way from Seven Oaks.. now that is heroic! The sun shone the birds sang.. and the tables groaned under the weight of some fantastic vintage bargains.

A sedate queue formed in the tea room outside as our ladies piled their stalls high with all kinds of temptations and at cheap as chips prices.. who could resist. Jayne and I looked at each other and gave the nod for the doors to open to welcome in the hardened bargain hunters to rummage to their hearts content. It was lovely to see so many familiar faces and friends, some who had come with shopping trolleys.. ever the optimists!

The only moment of the day that looked like it could turn ugly with a bout of arm wrestling, was when Viv and I both clapped eyes on the adorable little toy watering can on Daniella's stall. Viv got to it first .. but seconds later I was the proud owner of the coveted item.. thanks to Viv's generosity.
After a frenzied hour or two .. the crowd dispersed and we got a chance to do our own spot of bargain hunting and catching up with each other.. It was lovely to see some of our V & H ladies also to make acquaintance with some new friends such as Jo from Hesta Nesta .. a lovely lady who will be coming to our Spring fair and Abby from Vintage Tea Time.

The Rangeworthy ladies from the W.I were kept busy providing much needed refreshments to our visitors and by 4.00 p.m we were packed up and swept up.. and the hall suddenly looked very empty.. Who would have guessed that a rumble in the jumble had taken place only hours before.
I happily fell into bed at 8.30 p.m exhausted by the hustle and bustle of the day but already wondering when the next one will be.. and there will be a next one.. so watch this space!

Sorry for the lack of photos from the day.. in usual ditsy mode I forgot my camera.. Should have put it on one of my lists! Lizzie and Niki have some fab photos on their blogs that captured the essence of the day.

Tweet !

2011-03-01T09:10:00.012+01:00

Certain corners of my life have been neglected of late and my blog is just one of them. I feel as though I have woken from a long slumber to discover that the world is also waking up to the idea of Spring. The birds are doing a fair amount of tweeting, the originators of social networking and the mornings and evenings are becoming increasingly lighter.. big hurrah!!!

Sitting here with my cup of coffee and hot cross bun.. I like to live it up a bit... writing yet another list of things I have to give my attention to. Must be hereditary this 'list' compulsion, my father was an avid list writer. So much to catch up on after a week of being laid low with a nasty chest infection.. and a half term trying to get over it.. but with the promise of Spring in the air and events on the horizon there is no time for complacency.

We are hours away from our first Jumble Sale and I still haven't assembled my motley collection of vintage 'tat' for the table...

So.. please forgive my absence for the last month. I will return soon, with no doubt, tales of women fighting in the aisles over a crocheted tea cosy.. or being stabbed with an umbrella by an over zealous bargain hunter! If jumble sales are your thing.. and this is no ordinary jumble sale.. It will be piled high with vintage bargains galore.. then make your way to the Rangeworthy Village Hall tomorrow and join the throng. You will need sharp elbows and a hard hat but it will be worth the scrum!!

Look forward to seeing you there!

A Vintage Rummage ..

2011-01-10T13:54:00.010+01:00

How many households across the nation heave a small sigh of relief once the Christmas decorations are put away for another year and then turn their thoughts to having a jolly good spring clean? Many.. I am certain of that! I, myself, start this process on Boxing Day and yearn for the day when my cluttered home feels more like an oasis of calm and all the flotsam and jetsam that has accrued in every corner, can be cast out.. Well if you feel the same and have some vintage items that wouldn't make the grade on The Antiques Roadshow but are too good to throw in the skip then we have just the place for you to come and re-house your clutter..
Vintage & Handmade Fairs are holding their first 'Vintage Jumble Sale' in the village hall in Rangeworthy, South Gloucestershire on Saturday March 5th. 11- 3.30 p.m Free Admission. Tables spaces are limited so please contact either myself or Jayne if you are interested in having a table and for more information about the event. Those grand British stalwarts.. the W.I will be providing refreshments on the day.. and much bunting will be hung. We hope it will be a great day to have both a good de-clutter and rummage.

Bon Annee

2010-12-31T23:23:00.004+01:00

Before this year finally fades into the wee small hours.. may I wish you all a very Happy New Year with many good times ahead in 2011. Thank you for keeping me company this year.. it has been one hell of a ride!

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. ~Oprah Winfrey

In the spirit ...

2010-12-21T15:32:00.020+01:00

I must confess that this year it has taken me a long time to warm up to the idea of Christmas, feeling somewhat tepid about the whole occasion, until yesterday, when finally a bit of the old Christmas spirit kicked in with the arrival of the Christmas tree. The annual trip to the attic to search for the boxes of baubles and all things sparkly, was just what I needed to thaw out the humbug I was in danger of becoming.

At the beginning of the month I had attended the beautiful carol concert at my son's end of term service in Bath Abbey. This did stir some of the sense of occasion.. especially when the magnificent school Chamber Choir.. sang from Handel's Messiah.Guaranteed to bring a tear to my eye and more so when sung by bright shiny cheeked young lads and lasses with heavenly voices... Then there was the arrival of the snow..

It certainly makes the world seem a better place .. in many subtle ways. For all the folk that managed to slip and slide into town last Saturday, there was sense of camaraderie amongst some of the shoppers (not sadly .. the tight lipped, gritted teeth of the trolley pushers in Waitrose) but certainly the folk we met in Patisserie Valerie for our traditional Saturday coffee and Almond croissant. Striking up some bonhomie with strangers always warms my heart. Town looked particularly beautiful on this morning.. before the Christmas frenzy of shoppers arrived .. we soaked up the silvery light and snowy landscapes of the parks and Pulteney Weir...

This angel looked as though she was ready to join in the snowball fun in the park..

I had to admire this artist for his heroic efforts to paint in sub zero temperatures .. His poor digits looked frozen ..

Local transport had ground to a halt..

Since the weekend we have had another blanket of snow placed on top of the landscape making it impossibly beautiful.. and as today is the Winter Solstice.. it seemed fitting to go for a walk and embrace the occasion.. however chilly the prospect.
We managed to drive up onto the northern hills of Bath to our favourite walk.. the beginning of the Cotswold Way path...

Here we had the world to ourselves.. acres of white pristine snow and silence.. that beautiful muffled silence that snow brings...

Feet scrunched and crunched the virgin snow..

Hips and berries shone like jewels ...

This gateway reminded me so much of Winnie the Pooh .. where he walks through the snow with Piglet..

Despite a frozen face.. I even managed to crack a smile...

The prospect of a warm welcoming inn was enough to spur me on ...

Festive decor and a roaring fire greeted us within ...

Here I really got into the Christmas spirit with a half pint of favoured tipple ..

So I raise my glass to the Christmas season and all of you good people and friends..
Happy Winter Solstice!

Iced Gems

2010-12-08T12:00:00.017+01:00

Yesterday the haw frost arrived in all of it's shimmering, stunning beauty.. so looking much like the Michelin Man.. I ventured out in my lagging and managed a few shaky shots of my local neighbourhood ...

It was a truly magical sight to look up at the majestic trees behind our house .. all cloaked in a brilliant white icicles that gently rained down like glitter onto my nose as I walked underneath their frosted canopy..

There is something so starkly beautiful about a winter landscape, the way the light is softened and muted in these extreme temperatures.. and never more so than this morning as the weak sun broke through and cast a silvery light across the fields on the opposite hill ..

The mercurial colours reminded me of an eighteenth century landscape painting faded by time..

However much I love and admire this extraordinary season.. it is the wildlife and the homeless I think of when I snuggle down under my warm duvet at night. So please spare a thought for our feathered friends and keep your bird table topped up over these winter months..

I, however.. can return to a warm home to take comfort from small things.. and particularly my free copy of Country Living Magazine which arrived with a thump on the mat this morning...

If your feline friends are partial to 'Sheba' cat food then you will be able to collect two tokens to subscribe to two free months of magazines of your choice.. and as these glossy pages have become a bit of a luxury for me this year.. I was so pleased to receive my copy pro gratis.
It was another magazine that caught my attention recently when I was asked if I would like to loan my home for a photo shoot for a local publishing house. The magazine is 'Cross Stitcher' a popular publication for nimble fingered folk who like to cross stitch amongst other needlework projects. ..

Having spent a frenzied week, chasing dust, moving clutter from one room to another and persuading cupboards to accommodate yet more tat.. the day of the shoot arrived and the friendly team of 5 set to work immediately setting up shots for a magazine feature to be published next Spring. It did somewhat amuse me that within five minutes of their arrival.. my spick and span home was totally re-arranged and filled with boxes of props and camera equipment ..

I kept a low profile and spent the day knitting myself a scarf.. whilst pondering what they were up to in my kitchen. I did venture down now and again to grab a biscuit and have a sneaky peep at their work...

This shoot was all thanks to the lovely Nicky Owen who I had the pleasure of welcoming to my home in May this year for another shoot along with the charming David Parmiter photographer. Nicky has an exciting and enviable business finding location homes for television and media editorials.. so if you think your palace or humble abode would look good between the pages of your favourite national magazines, then I am sure that White Rabbit Media Ltd would love to hear from you.

Veni Vidi Vici...

2010-11-30T17:41:00.021+01:00

They came .. they saw.. they did a little shopping!
Sunday came and went in a blur.. but oh what a happy blur it was.
Tiptoeing out of the house into an arctic blast of air at 7.00 a.m on Sunday morning we realised on reaching the car how wise it had been to move it to a loftier location.. i.e on a main road.. as our own road was a stretch of sheet ice and a good practice rink for all those budding Torvill and Dean wannabees. Then we discovered that the boot of the car was frozen solid as were the side doors.. once again.. we praised our foresight for packing the car the previous afternoon. I must confess that there was a little white lie in my previous post.. We had not been forecast snow over the weekend but snow it did.. and by Saturday p.m.. there was just enough to send me into a blind panic and re-awakened a recurring nightmare about getting to the fair and finding no-one else had turned up. However ..this was far from the case.. I am relieved to say.
As the daylight broke the valiant and heroic folk started to arrive with their chariots stacked high with all manner of chattels for the fair. Soon the hall was buzzing with activity and everyone began to construct their shiny sparkly stalls.. so that by 10.00 a.m.. Chipping Sodbury town hall had been transformed into a palace of vintage finery at it's best and everyone had just about thawed out.

The scrum begins

Our ladies and gentlemen.. certainly know how to put on a good show and never fail to impress with the quality and beauty of their displays. Christmas baubles twinkled.. Christmas Fairies smiled down from their shelves, gorgeous linens were folded neatly, jewellery sparkled, our marvellous kitchen staff raced to get the teas ready, teddy bears sat poised as a sea of red noses pressed against the doors waiting for the word Go!
As I opened the doors to welcome the frozen folk inside.. I spotted many familiar and friendly faces which are always a delight to welcome back.

Identity Parade

Well... as I say.. the day passed in a blur... and it was highlighted with the meeting and greeting of the many friends old and new that filled the hall from start to finish.. and by 4.00 p.m we were just saying goodbye to our last visitors before the ritual of packing and clearing up started.
I had a fabulous day.. and felt immensely proud of our wonderful ladies and gents for putting on probably our best show yet. A choir sang and I welled up... always do when I hear children sing.

There will be many accounts of the day as seen through the eyes of fellow bloggers.. so do visit the website to see the lovely photos that were taken .. not by me .. as per usual I grappled with my camera and managed to take my usual squiffy shots as you can see!
I haven't even unpacked my boxes or moved them from where they were left in an exhausted heap on Sunday evening.. but already the seeds for our next fair in April have been sown!

P.s Thank you Jayne for being a a great partner and being my memory when mine fails!

*** If the nice lady who I talked to at the fair about wooden blocks is reading this blog.. please could she contact me via email. See sidebar for email address.

All is calm.. all is bright ...

2010-11-26T10:29:00.006+01:00

This has been my mantra for the last few days since the nice weather man announced that the northerly winds were coming down from Scandinavia. You know the saying..'When the north wind doth blow.. we shall have snow'. Normally I would be jumping up and down with glee.. as I do so love a white-washed world.. but with the Vintage & Handmade Fair this weekend.. that's Sunday 28th.. the arctic blast could spell disaster. Fortunately.. that very same nice weather man has said there will be no snow in our area or that of Chipping Sodbury where we hope to welcome friends old and new to the Christmas fair. I have it on good authority too.. from the sugar plum fairy.. that she has cast a wee spell over the weekend and all will be crisp, bright and calm... Phew!
So don your Damart and please come along to join in the festive feast of the vintage fair this weekend!

It's Beginning..

2010-11-18T10:35:00.027+01:00

Dare I say it ? Well I am going to anyway.. I'ts beginning to feel a lot like Christmas all of a sudden.. almost overnight the spectacular glow of this year's Autumn gave way to the nip and bite of winter when the first frosts arrived last week.. Call me weird but I love it.. I love the whole hibernation thing.. it suits my hermit like tendencies to batten down the hatches and make the nest cosy...

Last winter

It does seem a little bizarre though that only a three weeks ago.. I was walking on a beach in Cornwall ..

...bathed in warm mellow sunshine.. watching a few lunatics frolicking in the sea.. and it wasn't just the dogs going for a paddle! What's the saying..'Mad dogs and Englishmen go swimming in October sun'?

A few days of being windswept and in true John Fowles style.. standing on a harbour wall trying to remain vertical and eating an unhealthy amount of Cornish Pasties and chocolate caramels (courtesy of a old fashioned sweetie shop in Helston).. I desperately needed the exercise of climbing cliffs and running up hills.. but I didn't get any.. instead we stayed indoors .. being a lovely little cottage tucked in a hollow sheltered from the vicious winds.. and ate and read.. and ate and read.. and just learned how to switch off again after a relentless summer of work...

Wish I looked half as glamorous in the wind and rain

It was just what the doctor ordered and we came home laden, with a collection of the most delicious breads baked by our genial hosts in their Artisan bakery, to an eccentric evening of cloaked figures ranging in height from 3 ft to 6 ft, knocking on our door and getting the fright of their life when Mr Custard opened the door looking like a cross between Lurch and Darth Maul.. not pretty! Yes.. it was Halloween.. and the local covens and churchyard ghouls turned out in their droves to descend on our home. We were well prepared with a glut of chocolate.. that rapidly disappeared and by 7.00 p.m.. calm and normality were restored once more.

That all seems like a long time ago now.. and I have been very busy preparing for various events taking place in the run up to Christmas.
Milly & Dottie were delighted to be featured in Homes & Antiques Magazine for a second year running with a Christmas feature..

Our vintage Christmas decorations and ripping yarns were featured .. all of which can be found on the shelves of the Emporium ..

Then in hot pursuit we managed a mention in Collect It Magazine which sadly has ceased publishing this month.. heavens knows why.. as it is the most informative and interesting magazine for the avid collector.. of anything and everything!
The next week is going to be a little bonkers one way and another.. with a photo shoot lined up with this local magazine and the bumper Vintage & Handmade Fair to prepare for. Our Christmas fair hopes to be our biggest and best yet with 40 different stalls offering all kind of vintage and handmade finery from Thomas Etty Heritage seeds to Charlotte Macey's wonderful textiles, Homes & Antiques Magazine will be with us again and last but definitely not least.. this very talented lass who designs these FAB retro vintage Christmas cards and more.. Pennychoo..

I have already bought some of her charming cards and hope to stock up on more at the fair. Of course all of our wonderful regular folk will be at the fair too.. so do come and say hello!

So.. folks.. I must get on.. but hope to catch up with you again soon.

A Bientot x

T'is the Season ..

2010-10-19T10:07:00.011+02:00

To be cosy.. tra la la la la.. la la la la .. not to mention scared out of your wits and totally paranoid.

Here I was, sitting like not so little Miss Muffet.. upon her Laura Ashley velvet sofa, eating her Jordan's Country Cereal , this morning when there sat down beside her .. a slightly smaller version of Godzilla!

Yes it's spider season again.. and despite my liberal scattering of conkers around the home.. they have brazenly ignored the theory that they don't like Horse Chestnuts and marched into my home.. which it seems is not a castle! Maybe a moat and a few vats of boiling oil would have done the trick instead of a few wizened conkers ...

Ho hum.. at least Pickles has enjoyed some lively games of 'footie' around the place and nearly broken a few ankles with his carefully placed balls...

....... maybe I should rephrase that!

Despite our hirsute friends (not) I really do love.. this season. The way the light flirts in the early mornings and evenings.. that misty, watery 'Turner' like quality to the landscape.

It is also a time to cosy down and start the rituals of laying a fire.. yes.. rather like Downton ... I get to be a parlour maid and lady of the house all in one day! How's that for promotion!
There is something very satisfying and primeval, about putting some sticks together and creating fire.. warmth.. comfort.

It is also the season to add a few inches to the hips.. with all the temptations of comfort food so very hard to resist.. Sausages and Mash, Cauliflower Cheese, Apple Crumble and Custard..

Not exactly Weight Watcher's recommendations.. nonetheless.. very satisfying and of course essential eating as the temperatures drop. We need our fat layer to insulate us...don't we?

The garden is still hanging on to some flowers and the Nasturtiums have triumphed yet again.. to put on this grand finale of vibrant colour...

T'is also the season for the clocks to go forward (oops... I mean back.. thanks Green Twins Mummy for pointing out this faux pas) proper drama's on the box, Rugby League, bonfires and visitations from a horde of miniature ghouls and coven's at Halloween, kicking leaves, harvesting hazel nuts before the squirrels get to them, mugs of hot chocolate in front of the fire, hot water bottles, Clementines... the list goes on..
I love Autumn.. it's official!
What do you love about this mellow time of year?

Top Notch Totnes !!

2010-10-08T09:20:00.008+02:00

If you are twiddling your thumbs this weekend and wondering what to do with all your spare time (!!!!) then head on down to the beautiful south west and park yourself in the charismatic town of Totnes.. One of my favourite haunts in Devon. Totnes has oodles to offer the visitor.. with excellent foodie shops, gift shops, open air market on Saturday's and inside market on Friday's.. and not forgetting the multitude of vintage shops. One of these being Lesley's fine emporium This n' That at 66 High Street Totnes. I doubt Lesley will be found in her shop this Saturday as she will be busy hosting the first Nostalgic Mix Vintage Fair at Totnes Civic Hall. Admission is free and doors open at 10.00am to the crowds that are sure to form an orderly queue!
A lot of familiar faces will be seen there as many of our blogging community will be setting up their fine vintage wares .. so go and say hello.. and do a bit of shopping!
Good luck ladies.. Hope you have a fabulous day.. I wish wish wish upon wish.. that I was joining you all!

Dog Days

2010-09-24T12:14:00.013+02:00

"Dog Days" (Latin: diēs caniculārēs) are the hottest, most sultry days of summer. In the northern hemisphere, they usually fall between early July and early September. In the southern hemisphere they are usually between January and early March. The actual dates vary greatly from region to region, depending on latitude and climate. Dog Days can also define a time period or event that is very hot or stagnant, or marked by dull lack of progress. The name comes from the ancient belief that Sirius, also called the Dog Star, in close proximity to the sun was responsible for the hot weather.

Though our weather has been far from hot and sultry of late this stagnant phase or 'lack of progress' sums up perfectly my lethargy and recent inability to write my blog.. or any other script for that reason. In fact I have noticed that my handwriting has suffered terribly since I became a slave to the keyboard.. Holding a pen feels quite alien these days.. which is regrettable as I once loved penning letters to friends and family.. but now I am ashamed of my spidery scrawl.
Anyway.. I digress...
My definition of dog days not only refers to this current state of inertia but of my fondness for a particular type of dog..

Dog |dôg|
noun
1 a domesticated carnivorous mammal that typically has a long snout, an acute sense of smell, and a barking, howling, or whining voice. It is widely kept as a pet or for work or field sports. • Canis familiaris, family Canidae (the dog family); probably domesticated from the wolf in the Mesolithic period. The dog family also includes the wolves, coyotes, jackals, and foxes.

Nowhere in the definition of the word dog does it mention that they can be made of straw or mohair or have felt paws or glass eyes... but these are qualities that I have sought when collecting my favourite species of these four legged friends. I have always been a cat person.. having owned my first beloved 'Tigger' a tabby farm cat from the age of four. Tigger was half cat half monster and when not being a fluffy purring puddy tat.. was busy shopping for mice and next door's fantail doves, to bring home as unwanted gifts. Several cats later..

I have my darling 'Pickles' 'Mr Pig' 'Woo Woo' 'Piggly' just a few of the names I have given this half cat half human beast. He is one of a kind and I have vowed that come that fateful day when we have to say goodbye to this unique and adorable creature.. he will be stuffed to join my collection of moth eaten canines.

But back to dogs...
I cannot resist a vintage pooch and they come in all shapes, sizes and dubious pedigrees..
For instance..
This is 'Wilbur'... an unknown breed of mohair and straw with the most quizzical eyes..

Then there is 'Buster' who looks much more ferocious than he is.. he's a pussy cat really..

Mabel.. a girl of refined tastes and demeanour ...

'Pickles' not to be confused with my own version ...

Ethel... a quiet lass but most useful for storing pyjamas.. or those illicit midnight snacks!

'Harry' .. such a spirited and handsome little chap ...

Finally ..'Arthur'.. an all round champion and particularly nifty on his wheels..

There are several other members of my pooch family who are rather shy and retiring and refused to be put under the spotlight.. However you can meet a fair few of my Kennel Club at the Vintage & Handmade Fair in November where they will be groomed and preened to look their best. Give them a Bonio and they will be a friend for life! There are also some fine Heinz 57's in the emporium if you fancy adopting a furry friend.

Not forgetting the moggies...

..... though they prefer cat nip please!

Lost in the post...

2010-09-20T09:07:00.003+02:00

There has been rather a lot of this going on .. parcels sent off to an unknown fate and taking an age to arrive.
Recently I feel as though I have been lost in the post too.. not really sure of my destination and forever delayed! Please forgive my sporadic blogging of late.. I hope to be returned to sender soon!

Extra Extra .. Read all about it...

2010-09-03T21:32:00.003+02:00

Milly and Dottie in 'Sew Magazine' .. Now who is Milly and who is Dottie... not sure we know ourselves!

Fingers, Toes and Eyes ....

2010-08-23T09:47:00.002+02:00

All of these will be crossed for tomorrow's G.C.S.E results..
This goes out to all the parents who have spent anxious months, weeks, days and hours guiding your children through this minefield of learning ...
Good luck to all the students who are bracing themselves and living on tenterhooks..
Not forgetting the long suffering tutors too!!!

It went like this ...

2010-08-19T09:36:00.008+02:00

It was one of those days that didn't seem to be going anywhere.. tired of staring at a pile of blank cards that had to be finished... turning a blind eye (yet again) to the growing pile of ironing which was taking root in the corner.. I had itchy feet and a weary mind..
It was not long before we found ourselves pootling along the road to a regular haunt of ours.. so regular that we should have realised that it was closed on Wednesdays..
So it was we found ourselves with a small crowd of assorted children, mothers and a single gent sporting a jolly umbrella.. stood outside the gates of The Courts in Holt.. a place to wander, play hide and seek behind the silly yew hedges and ponder over a cup of tea and a slice of high rise cake ..

A previous visit

The minutes ticked by and no-one came to welcome us.. the gate stayed firmly locked.
It was then we read the notice on the wall... opening times... excl. Wednesdays!!
Oh.. now what.. now where?
Much muttering amongst the mothers and scratching of head of the single gent with the jaunty umbrella..
A plan B soon hatched after the single gent took out his NT guidebook and spoke of another place on the map.. a hop and a skip (in Gulliver's steps) from where we were standing. Well..
feeling of good spirit towards our fellow traveller who had arrived at the locked gate from various train journeys and on foot.. we offered him a lift to plan B...
Some things are meant to be.. and this diversion was one of them..
We arrived here..

Great Chalfield Manor.. built in the 1400's and recorded in the Domesday Book...

A place of great history, great character.. beauty and peace..

Hide and seek was played amongst the Yew hedges..

The walled garden was admired and sniffed...

Eyes rested on water watching the shadowy trout beneath..

Frogs were spoken to .. not kissed..

Tea was sipped in an ancient barn..

Seats were earmarked for another day..
It was the best of all plan B's and we came away with happy thoughts..
So much so.. that we are returning .. without the single gentleman.. today.. to have a guided tour of the house!

Days like these ...

2010-08-15T21:00:00.016+02:00

I am sure we can all relate to this statement.. and never more so, than during the holidays when family and work compete with each other and absorb every moment of the day. As the days whizz by, I am acutely aware that the holidays are melting away and in two weeks time my boys will be returning to an unforgiving timetable.
The joys of being self employed are many.. nipping out to smell the roses, stealing a few moments to phone a friend or putting the kettle on whenever the fancy takes .. but it also means that holiday time is measured by 'jolly' days out, tempered by days at the desk keeping up with the demands of customer orders..
Summers are punctuated by flirting with the festive season as Christmas card orders start to come in.. so it might be sizzling outside but the snowmen are keeping their cool on the drawing board.
It was a week ago that we took off to rendezvous with good friends and take part in the Homespun Fair in Portscatho Cornwall. We staggered our journey by staying at a newly discovered B + B in a place that has become very close to my heart... the almost too perfect town of Chagford on the Dartmoor fringes..

For those of you who have followed my blog.. you will know only too well that I LOVE this little town. In my 'lottery win' fuelled fantasies.. I would be living in a stone cottage, perched on a hill within skipping distance of the town centre...

I have already earmarked my house.. see if you can spot it ..

Dragging ourselves away from our B + B at the crack of dawn.. we made our way to Portscatho without the help (or hindrance) of our sat nav hostess.. to arrive in good time and be greeted warmly by Jane who had cunningly set up her magnificent display the night before...

Whilst I wrestled with dust sheets and pondered the dilemma of my table display..
Gradually other Homespun members began to arrive and soon the hall was filling with colour and all manner of tasty treasures.. These gorgeous bouquets greeted the visitors as they arrived at the door..

Viv's exquisite brooches ... were amongst many enviable items ..

Gertie's wonderful collection of vintage sewing boxes ..

Sal's vibrant array of fabrics..

Amanda's fabulous floral quilts..

Kirsty's charming flotilla and fish ....

These wide eyed characters did amuse me.. they looked like I felt...

Finally.. Cowboys & Custard merchandise and the 'Kennel Club' my collection of vintage dogs which all managed to find new homes...

There were many other lovely stalls which I failed to photograph as before we knew it the hall was flooded with visitors and a swarm of vintage hungry customers..
It was a hugely enjoyable day and hats off to Christine and Jane for organising yet another very successful Homespun Fair.
The whole weekend was a perfect distraction and escape from the treadmill that was waiting for me back home..

Sunday West ...

2010-08-06T16:37:00.005+02:00

The car is stuffed to the gunwales with all manner of object curios and we are all set to point our wheels towards the west and our Sunday destination of Portscatho where the 3rd Homespun Fair will open it's doors to the good folk who come from far and wide.
If you are on your merry hols in Cornwall and are suffering withdrawal symptoms from all that is vintage.. then come along and feast your eyes on the wonderful collection of stalls that will be filling the village hall from 10.30 a.m - 4.30 p.m ..
Look forward to seeing you there.

Away with the fairies ...

2010-08-03T09:47:00.007+02:00

T'is the season for festival fever and having decided back in the 80's that Glastonbury was becoming too big for my comfort I switched my attentions to the smaller and more 'up my street' festival that is W.O.M.A.D .. Not having been for a few years and being fortunate enough to know someone in the 'right'places .. we had tickets for this year's event at Charlton Park in Wiltshire...

Being not too far from the comforts of home, so did not require wrestling with yards of canvas and guy ropes, nor listening to the curious nocturnal sounds of 1000's of neighbours.
In fact we were lightweight festival goers this year and had a Sunday afternoon stroll along to W.O.M.A.D .. a wonderful alternative to watching Woodstock on DVD.

The world of music and dance... is just that and a great deal more..

It is a wonderful place for studying anthropology .. as all walks of life.. cults and fashions are contained in a large field full of the most wonderful music which comes together from all four corners of the globe ! When we arrived we were greeted by some rather tired and crumpled folk wheeling their temporary homes and chattels back to their cars in a convoy of wheelbarrows.. These were gentle folk of all ages.. I saw babes in arms to grandmothers milling around the festival family ... which made me feel most reassured and content...

This event is for everyone.. and all come together to have a jolly and peaceful weekend listening to sublime music.. eating a veritable feast of global food.. I myself tucked into a big bowl of noodles with tempura vegetables...

It was utterly scrumptious.. and followed by an equally tasty Italian hazelnut ice-cream..
We saw a whole host of colourful costumes..from bearded man in a dress, William Tell on his day off ..

Fairies of all sizes and gender, fishnets and top hats, African cloaks of many colours, hats of every description .. In fact fairies were well catered for with a stall selling new wings.. just in case some were lost!

Where else could you find a hand crafted musical instrument next to a hat with horns.. maybe W.O.M.A.D should stand for.. world of madness and diversity. One thing is for sure.. we will return next year for more fun and frivolity!

Now we are ONE !!

2010-07-24T08:09:00.002+02:00

Well almost..

On the 25th July 2009.. Milly and Dottie put on their starched pinafores and smiles and opened the doors to their exciting new emporium.. otherwise known as Milly & Dottie's Emporium.
We have had great pleasure in welcoming visitors from far and wide, many who have shared our journey through this first year of enterprise
We would very much like you to join us in our 1st Birthday Celebrations this weekend... by putting on your best party frock and a fresh ribbon in your hair. There will be jellies and ice-cream, sticky buns galore, cucumber sandwiches and a delicious iced birthday cake with 1 pretty candle to blow out.

To celebrate our 1st anniversary we have a whole new exciting department to browse with the party occasion in mind.. 'Pass the Parcel' which has all kinds of everything to provide for your own vintage party.

Would you please join us in singing...

Happy Birthday to us
Happy Birthday to us
Happy Birthday dear Milly & Dottie's Emporium
Happy Birthday to us..

Hurrah !!

It's party time !!

Plain Sailing ...

2010-07-18T16:55:00.007+02:00

This weekend I have cultivated a mild obsession with shipping lanes .. following a little pink blob on the map as it courses it's way across the North Sea. I have finally unravelled the mystery of those oft heard names on the radio Dogger, Fisher, German Bight, Humber and Viking. This isn't just any little pink blob that I have been giving my rapt attention.. oh no.. this 4mm object on the cat's cradle of shipping lanes, is a 'Tall' ship called Stavros S Niarchos.. which has on board a very special cargo heading for Denmark...

That precious cargo is in fact my son who is sailing across the beautiful briny sea to the port of Aalborg in Denmark as part of a crew who will deliver the majestic ship on Thursday to take part in a Tall Ships Race.
This exciting voyage is organised by the Tall Ships Youth Trust and apart from learning the ropes, climbing the main sail and scrubbing decks.. it claims to be character building..

I should say ... Just keeping upright on the sloping deck and not turning several shades of green as the ship rises and falls, is enough to put hairs on anyone's chest!
I can't wait for my boy to return.. hopefully without the sailor's tattoos and scurvy, whence my salty sea dog will be welcomed with open arms and a fish supper !

Cause for Celebration ...

2010-07-09T08:35:00.016+02:00

They say there is no peace for the wicked which makes me think I must be a very bad girl ..
I naively thought that after the vintage textile fair last Saturday, that life might just slow down a bit.. but NO.. not a bit of it.. and no sooner had we washed up the last tea cup and swept away the remaining cake crumbs.. than Jayne and I were busy chatting about the next fair in November and ticking off the days already!

Last Saturday was a grand day.. a great gathering of kindly folk bringing their beautiful vintage textile wares and purses to the event. The sun shone, the people smiled and the tea flowed, lots of cake was consumed (not just by me) .. in fact a bit of a cake fest was going on in the kitchen as you can see..

It was a cosy affair.. make that Fair... where our wonderful team of ladies and gentlemen, set up their stalls laden with a fine display of vintage textiles, haberdashery, French linens, knitting paraphernalia, vintage clothes, cushions and a lot more besides...

We welcomed new members to the V & H family and opened the doors to new visitors.. and when Jayne and I closed the door at 5.30 p.m and heard the door click behind us.. we felt a great sense of contentment, that a good day had been had by all !
To capture the mood and sights of the day, go and see the photos at Vintage & Handmade blog.

In fact this last week or so has seen a lot to celebrate and there is more to come..

On a particularly sublime summer day in June ... Mr Custard and I set off to meet a new friend and customer in Abbotsbury.. a place I had only ever seen on the map and coincidentally on BBC Spring Watch that week.
We arrived in the chocolate box pretty village to be greeted most warmly by Rachel, her husband and their very bouncy, four-legged friend, Martha. In fact we really felt like we were meeting up with old friends.. the conversation flowed whilst we sat in Rachel's beautiful kitchen and I tried to resist..(but failed) the plate of freshly baked scones sitting on the table ..winking at me!
An hour or so later we had to drag ourselves away.. but it was a painful extraction.. to leave these lovely folk and this scene behind us as we turned our car home..

The whole purpose of this visit was to deliver some of my greeting cards to Rachel for her brand spanking new gallery .. Lazyhill Gallery located just a hop and a skip from the coast in Abbotsbury and beautifully furnished with some of Britain's finest artists and makers merchandise.

If you are heading south to Dorset this summer.. please, please go and say hello to Rachel in her beautiful new gallery. I can guarantee that you will not come away empty handed!

She would love to meet you and is a bit of a blog lurker on the sly so probably already knows you! Forgive me Rachel.. but I have nicked your photos as they are so much better than mine..

We are definitely due another visit.. and hopefully next time we won't have to leave in such a hurry.

One more excuse to crack open the elderflower bubbly (which incidentally is very,very bubbly and threatening to explode all over my utility room) is Milly & Dottie's appearance in the pages of Vogue magazine this week.. Yes.. we have finally made the catwalk as vintage models!!!
Joking aside.. Milly & Dottie have made it onto the Sewing Guide pages and we are tickled pink.. as you can see!

The emporium is full of lovely new, or should I say old.. vintagey old, items.. and Haberdashery is just one of the departments with new stock on the shelves..

This gorgeous little dressing table would be a perfect home for all your buttons and beads!

So as you can see, there have been many reasons to be cheerful this week.. with just one more to come.. when my darling boy turns sixteen this Saturday! Now that will require some bubbles!

A little midsummer madness ...

2010-06-27T23:06:00.016+02:00

My life is like a Peter Greenaway film these days.. I mean fancy finding yourself in a field at 7.30 a.m in the morning surrounded by acres of lurid plastic including a singing frog and a full set of prosthetic limbs. You may well be thinking that the recent heatwave has gone to my head.. and I suppose it is partly to blame for the surreal quality of my waking day. I am not good with heat and much like my tabby boy, I tend to flop when the mercury rises and wonder why I wasn't born in a land that embraces siestas...

This morning.. like every other morning this week.. wide eyed and sleepless at 5.a.m.. so tiptoe down to the lower deck and sit in the first rays of the day to eat my muesli in the garden listening to a bird that has puzzled me for some weeks.. He comes and goes.. or she comes and goes... but when said bird returns.. it sings.. no.. whistles so loudly and vibrantly.. I have yet to learn which bird it is but am determined to identify this exuberant and vociferous visitor..

This morning.. I was also visited.. a little too closely for my comfort, as I was sitting in CK nightie in garden feeling very exposed, when this hot air balloon wafted over my head..a common sight here in the summer mornings and evenings, which never fails to thrill. All the dogs in the neighbourhood start barking when these galleons of the sky float over our houses. It always makes me think of the book by Dodie Smith.. Twilight Barking.
Anyhoo.. after wading through limbs and plastic in a field above Bath city this morning.. I took my newly purchased psychedelic plastic bowl and found a field heavy with Elderflower trees and picked enough of the fragrant frothy heads.. to make Hugh Fearnley Whittingstalls delicious Elderflower champagne.. a very fine and a very explosive brew and so easy to make...

More than the 100's of meringues I will attempt to bake this week for the first Vintage & Handmade Textile Fair next Saturday.. Making meringues is childs play really.. but I always find it fraught with unforced errors.. like separating the whites from the yolks for starters, then there is the whipping of the egg whites to get them really stiff so one can hold the bowl over the head without them falling out of bowl onto head.. lastly there is the removal of cooked meringues from the baking tray. My last batch of meringues.. made with brown sugar.. lovely and chewy inside.. were a devil to get off the baking trays, despite being lined carefully with baking parchment....

These intended meringues might end up as Eton Mess .. just as delicious even if they are squished.

Thank you Emma from Silver Pebble for identifying my birdy friend.. it is indeed the Song Thrush a bird with a big voice! Click on link to hear this melodic bird.

Monday evening...
It is 9.50 p.m and my visiting Song Thrush is sitting in a tree at the bottom of the garden.. giving it his all.. Just lovely!

Mon Pere ...

2010-06-20T13:23:00.005+02:00

January 1919 - July 2005

Happy Father's Day Pa...
Hope you are still pottering around your beautiful garden, making your excellent crab apple jelly and watching Morecambe and Wise up there on your cloud..

Happy Father's Day to all Pa's everywhere ...

There's a kind of hush...

2010-06-18T20:15:00.008+02:00

All over the town tonight...
I wonder why...?
Could it be something to do with this?

Good Luck England..( though I think it might take a wee bit more than luck this time..i.e. Skill)
Please win because if you don't I will have to pledge my allegiance to Wimbledon instead.

Let's go to the Hop ....

2010-06-01T09:17:00.016+02:00

Sunday and the day started quietly with an early morning breakfast amongst the dew laden flowers in the garden.. listening to the world waking up .. some of it at least.. as all the neighbouring houses still had tightly closed curtains.. some still hanging on to sleep.
I was getting restless... the adrenalin was beginning to kick in and by 10.a.m we were piling my usual array of 'vintage tat' into the boot of the car and making a short journey to Green Park Station in Bath to take up position at the vintage market .. part of the Bath Festival Fringe events.
Sitting at the traffic lights in town .. my thoughts turned to Jayne and whether she and Clare would find their way to the unfamiliar territory of Sainsbury's car park.. adjacent to Green Park Station. No sooner thought.. than Mr Custard pointed out that the car behind us was in fact.. Jayne's ... so we arrived in convoy! Clare had cleverly nabbed three market stalls together so in unison we set up our array of vintage merchandise and sat back and waited... and waited ....

The Three Amigos

It seemed to be rather a long wait before a slow trickle of people just happened to walk past our stalls en route to their Sunday shop at Sainsburys. Some folk were not so blinkered and turned their attention towards our displays.. some even bold enough to come over and take a closer look..

My collection reflected in the vintage clothes stall's mirror

Some were even bolder still and took a step further and bought a few items !! It did somewhat amuse me that every time I left my stall to take a look at the Lindy Hop dancers that were taking place at the other end of the market, I would return to find a small cluster of people around my table..

The British seem to have such inhibitions at times and my presence behind the stall was enough to scare off a most timid folk...

Clare's beautiful hats attracted a lot of interest

The music and dance was the silver lining to an otherwise long and tiring day .. and the friendly chat with my lovely neighbours Jayne and Clare.. and Jayne's daughter and man friend helped enormously to pass the time.
I think I will put this one down to experience, as it could have been so much better had the event been publicised more effectively as most of my visitors just happened to stumble across it..

Jayne's fine display

However, the music was infectious and I found myself swaying and gyrating to the strains of 40's melodies and standing on tiptoe to try and get more of a glance at the wonderful dancers.. some dressed in their finest vintage clothing... How I wished I had dressed more appropriately and worn something to fit the mood...

I found this couple fascinating.. and they turned out to be the finest dancers.. most agile and light of foot ..twisting and turning, swaying and twirling with such ease and style.. Sadly I did not get a photo of them dancing....

Others were just as graceful and agile and were obviously seasoned pros on the dance floor...
I felt mildly envious of their dancing prowess and made some vague promise to myself to try and learn a few dance steps so I might join in one day...

Just need a little bit of practice first... no.. make that a lot !!

Happy Hols...

2010-05-28T10:53:00.011+02:00

Large sigh... end of another week..

A clutch of G.C.S.E's behind us..

Time to relax in the garden .. or take the dog for a walk..

If we had one!

Maybe it's time to tackle the jungle ..
Or I could just spend the week languishing in the sun and catching up with some reading ..

(Tell us about your favourite read in Milly & Dottie's Jolly Good Read competition..see our blog)

There is a Vintage Market to attend first..

Click on image for more details

So whatever your weekend and half term hols , holds for you.. hope it is a lot of fun!

Lazy Hazy Crazy days of Summer..

2010-05-24T08:45:00.014+02:00

Well the mercury certainly popped this weekend...
Sitting on our terrace.. cooking.. not only ourselves but a fishy BBQ feast.. I looked up at the blue blue skies and said .. 'This is just like the Med" ... pause .. "without the sea of course" ... pause .. "and the inflated prices".. Better than the Med.. on our doorstep !

Our lunch was also much appreciated by Mr Pickles.. Never one to miss an opportunity..

It was a perfect weekend.. with just the right mix of attractions and distractions..
Promising ourselves we would return to Hanham Court gardens, last visited in April, we couldn't have chosen a better day.. The house was dripping with this magnificent Wisteria.. not seen on our previous visit ..

I wouldn't relish the thought of pruning this!

Hanham gardens are a sublime mix of formal borders ...

With beautiful blousy Peonies ..

Sitting alongside an idyllic meadow of wild flowers ...

April 2010 Taken on our previous visit

I am not sure which I love the most.. they both blend so well and sit so comfortably together..

Fountains ...
To ferns ...

Cow Parsley ...

To caravans..

.... and a shy retiring Mr Custard..

Today promises to be another sizzler.. and I will do my best to soak some of it up.. before Metcheck's prediction of cooler, cloudier weather arrives tomorrow.. Boooooo!

I do hope you all had a jolly weekend xx

Therapy..

2010-05-21T21:57:00.010+02:00

The garden is the perfect place to lose oneself, to bury your worries and woes, to sit and be at peace under the canopy of trees, with the melodious choir of songbirds, to stop and reflect and restore..

To talk to the frogs...

To smell the flowers ..

To say goodbye to another day ..

To welcome another dawn and a new start...

Zzzzzzzz ....

2010-05-17T10:01:00.005+02:00

Lazy like Monday morning....

Swallows & Amazon ..

2010-05-13T16:12:00.014+02:00

Stepping out on my way to the post office today.. I was suddenly aware of swooping squadron of swallows.. shrieking with exuberance. Ahh.. I thought.. surely summer is on the way. I like to think that these courageous birds have arrived from their epic journeys from Africa.. to a warm welcome here in old Blighty.. but this year they were met by icy winds and a rather frosty reception. Poor little feathered friends.. they are always a joy to see and I love to watch their aeronautical displays from our lofty lounge window.. they fly so close and at such speed towards our house.. gathering tiny insects as they go.. and seeming to have much fun in their pursuits.. I half expect one to fly inside our house ..but their sophisticated power steering prevents any crashes or wrong turns.
With each passing day, the lure of the garden is growing stronger.. with the plants really going in to overdrive now to make up for lost time.. and though there is colour on my garden canvas.. there is usually much more at this time of year..

I always think of May as being the 'Proms' month in the garden.. full of pomp and circumstance .. but this year the plants have been reluctant to put on their usual show.. and who can blame them.. with night frosts and chilling winds still around....

All we need is a few days of warm forgiving sun..and the garden will start shouting at the top of it's voice and each plant will jostle and vie for attention.
Something else has been doing that recently.. the pile of books beside my bed. When I was a child I had a voracious appetite for books.. cutting my literary teeth (probably quite literally) on my first beloved books.. such as the Ant and Bee Books by Angela Banner... classics in their own right and still loved by me many years on.

Next I progressed to the Famous Five books by you know who.. and couldn't wait to finish one adventure before starting on the next. But of course back then in my acres of youth.. I had all the time in the world to disappear in to a good book.. Now I flirt with the idea of reading more than the act of.. but this does not spoil my appetite for certain authors.. and one of my favourites is Maggie O' Farrell.. Her first book 'After You'd Gone' had me smitten from the first page and each subsequent novel of hers has me pestering the lasses at Waterstone's for the publishing dates.. So we are back to those 'Famous Five' days again... hungry for the next book.

It was good old Amazon that delivered her latest tome to me The Hand That First Held Mine'. This sits underneath 'Eat Pray Love' by Elizabeth Gilbert's delicious account of her travels and complicated love life..

The crowning glory on top of the pile is a dear little book called 'In Praise of Friendship' given to me by a very dear friend indeed..and not just a friend but my partner in business too..

So three guesses who that might be..??

We are now the proud owners of our own blog..... ' Milly & Dottie' ... where you will be able to follow our adventures, daily musings and general chit chat over the garden fence.. We hope you will come and join us and get to know these two whimsical characters better.

Floribundance...

2010-05-11T22:24:00.008+02:00

My home resembles a florists...

Buckets of flowers arrived last week..

It felt like a Birthday should be celebrated..

But not a candle or cake in sight..

Just an abundance of beautiful fragrant blooms..

.. and a few cables and a camera ..

All will be revealed one day ...

The Darling Buds of May....

2010-05-02T09:01:00.035+02:00

It may be raining.. it may be grey.. but yesterday was a fabulous day!
I will never make a poet.. but I would like to wax lyrical about the fourth Vintage & Handmade Fair... which passed in the usual frenzy of packing cars at the crack of dawn, long drives for many, hurried assemblage of displays and then the meeting and greeting of all the friendly folk who came from far and wide..
I can only speak for myself.. but I had a thoroughly wonderful day.. and judging by the sea of smiles across the room.. I think others did too!
The ladies who come and sell their fine wares at the V & H.. always put on an exquisite display and this one was no exception...

If you came to the fair looking for something..'different'... this was the place to be.. so much vintage finery under one roof.. from deckchairs to Damask, lace to lingerie, china to chalk ware, books to bonnets, gnomes to home sweet homes, soap to silks .. we had it all!

Clare's elegant hats...

Elaine's Kitsch and Curious Mix

Donna's handsome haberdashery ..

Jayne's eclectic ensemble...

Unfortunately these photos of mine do not do justice to the fantastic merchandise on offer.. in my rush to take photos before the crowds descended.. I had forgotten to change the setting on my camera so you will have to squint and imagine the rest.. though I am sure there will be many other photos from the day over here..

Daniella's pastel pretties..

Amanda's bright and beautiful bazaar..

Lizzie's lovely linens.. and more..

Emma's gorgeous gardenalia ..

Kathy's pearls and pretties..

Jane's classy cases and more..

Claires very clever creations ...

Sal's super sunny display..

Sue's sumptuous stall..

Nicky's fabulous furry friends ...

Niki's finest linens and lace..

Lucy's amazing array..

Viv's natty needlework ..

Christine's cracking collection...

Leonore's amazing emporium..

Hen's floral fayre..

Helen's covetable collection ..

Lastly my own vintage corner..

Sincere apologies to those few who I did not capture on film..

We are so fortunate to have some loyal visitors who's faces have become familiar to us .. a host of lovely bloggers and to new folk who travelled from afar to visit.. like the charming Italian couple from Verona, Susannah and her husband Renzo (?) who came to meet me.. Please forgive my disgraceful lack of Italian.. but if you are reading this.. your visit made my day ! It was so lovely to meet you both .. Molto Grazie!

A special thanks to Wendy from Ticking Stripes who presented me with a sweet little cowboy themed gift.. I was so touched by your generosity and quite speechless!

Josie-Mary... thank you to you for your 'Bambi' obsession and giving my Bambi bookends a good home amongst your growing collection!

Thank you too, to the new ladies Vintage Inspiration, Louise Taylor Bowen, Emma Bond, Priscilla Jones, Helen Roskell .. who's contributions to the fair were very much appreciated..
Thank you to our wonderful menfolk... who's muscle power and general background support is always gratefully received... and lastly to our Magnificent Three.. Tamzin, Jack and Georgia who worked tirelessly throughout the day to provide endless cups of tea and cake to all the parched visitors and stallholders.. Your medals are in the post!

Lastly..thanks to my sterling partner Jayne .. high five!

Not wishing to gush.. I will leave it at that.. and let others give you their account of the day..
I am staying relatively horizontal today.. and planning my next table display for November 28th 2010 !
Have a lovely Bank Holiday Weekend.. word has it the sun is going to shine tomorrow.. hurrah!

House at Pooch Corner ...

2010-04-28T15:41:00.007+02:00

It is that time again..
well.. almost..
In 3 days time.. I will be packing the old jalopy with this motley lot...and heading for the town of Chipping Sodbury, where the 4th Vintage & Handmade Fair is taking place in the town hall.
My faithful family of vintage pooches will all be up for adoption.. and even the throne they are sitting on.
There is a breed to suit all tastes.. Terriers, Spaniels, hounds of all shape and size..and a few feline friends too.. even a horse on wheels.. much cuter than the Trojan Horse.Luckily they all get on famously..Otherwise fur really would fly!
Thanks to this excellent local site Family Soup and several others.. the fair is firmly on the map now and I do hope that you will be able to come along and join the happy throng..
Just bring a purse and a smile.
Look forward to seeing you there..!!

Notes from the sky ...

2010-04-21T09:54:00.022+02:00

The kisses in the sky are back.. drawing back the curtains this morning, I saw the familiar criss cross patterns that have evaded our unblemished skies for the last week.
I know for some of you.. it has been a week of frustrations, being stranded at various destinations across the globe, but I for one, I have loved the peace of a plane-less word, hearing nothing but birdsong in the morning and not the usual roar and down shifting of engines as the planes start their descent to Bristol airport. Doesn't it feel good to reclaim the world as it was before air travel became the prerogative of society? I know that B.A would certainly not agree with me!
After the long wasteland of winter.. my blogging spirit seems to have returned along with the longer days and that bright thing in the sky... I have woken up to the fact that there is much to do this next week, with preparations for the 4th Vintage & Handmade Fair looming and a small matter of a photo-shoot days after.. Panic is the order of the day!
Whilst still in holiday mode..Mr Custard and I stepped out to a local open garden last weekend.. a real gem of a place..tucked betwixt Bath and Bristol and never before discovered.. by me at least. So it was... last Saturday that we took the short journey to Hanham Court..and boy was I excited about seeing this place having picked up a brochure in the local garden centre the week before.
It was a perfect day for seeing this special place for the first time.. the sun was warm..almost too warm... and the skies lapis blue..a perfect backdrop for some of the plants you are about to see.
So take my hand and I will lead you through the gates in to this enchanted world....

Turning through the gates we were met by the most beautiful sight.. a display of Snakes Head Fritillaries..

A whole field of them nestling under a large walnut tree..

Down in the valley below lives a Gypsy caravan.. perfect for that weekend in the country.. even if it is in your own back garden..

Now this is what I call high rise living...the dearest little tree house tucked away in branches of an old Yew tree.. I almost expected Hansel & Gretel to appear at the windows..

Far from grotty.. the pretty grotto framing the pond area...

... rich with pots of cheery tulips..

I loved this little lonesome tin caravan..

Sitting on the edge of the gardens and looking so pretty with it's Magnolia neighbours...

Striking a pose against the deep blue sky..

Criss crossing paths.. with surprises around every corner..

Like this beautiful Auricula Theatre which is currently housing pots of Pansies and Violas..

This one leading back to the house...

.... and oh.. what a house....

Part medieval court house and dripping in the largest Wisteria I think I have ever seen..
We have vowed to return throughout the summer to see the latest blooms and have been told that the roses and tree Peonies are something to behold....
So if you are ever in this neck of the woods on a Friday - Sunday... then I urge you to take the time to visit this magical garden.. you will not be disappointed !

There is plenty of floribunda to be seen elsewhere too...
For example in Milly & Dottie's Dovecote where you will find delightful floral puzzles..

...and all manner of garden ephemera.. or in the Library where there is plenty of summer-time reading to brush up your knowledge of flora and fauna..

Before I pick up my trowel for the day and venture out in to my ' not so grand garden' .. I will leave you with this charming Oilette floral still-life By Henri Cheppy a well known 19th century artist ..

One of the Raphael Tuck series of "Jewels from Nature's Garden' series.. This will be coming to the Vintage & Handmade Fair with me on May 1st...if I can bear to part with it!

More about the fair in the next blog post...

Meanwhile I hope you have a wonderful day cultivating your freckles and gardens in this beautiful Spring weather..

Wot i did in my hols .....

2010-04-18T07:36:00.027+02:00

Do you remember those obligatory essays that would always follow a school holiday? I can think of no other way to bring you up to date with my adventures than to write an account of what I did in my Easter hols which are sadly drawing to a close when my boys return to their suits and studies tomorrow.
The start of our holidays was spent consuming chocolate with relish and gay abandon as I had miraculously managed to give it up for Lent.. the double chin had receded and I was feeling positively virtuous.. but two weeks on.. the excess baggage has returned and I am a fallen woman.. eating Oreo's, Kettle Crisps and Brie toasted sandwiches without remorse or conscience.
Easter Monday we set off at the crack of dawn, leaving a note and can opener for our cat to help himself to any tin he could reach in the cupboard (would I?.. cat was fed and watered by neighbours before you call the R.S.P.C.A) and we headed for the beautiful Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall for the second Homespun Fair hosted by Jane and Christine. It was strange to be a visitor this time as I was fortunate to attend their first successful fair in August last year.
Arriving bang on time to see a queue forming outside.. we filtered in to the pretty hall and I set eyes first on Nicky's fine family of bunnies ...

.. before working my way around the hall to be greeted so warmly by dear Viv and her husband... Jane was busy putting the finishing touches to her delicious stall, Amanda from Shabby Chick was sitting amongst an impressive display of vintage finery.

Lizzie, Leonore and Clare were also familiar faces and were soon lost in the rapidly filling hall by a sea of people eagerly parting with their pennies..
I failed to take more photos as I was too busy soaking up the friendly buzz in the hall and spending some precious time catching up with old friends..
Mr Custard meanwhile had wandered off as he still isn't sure he 'gets' the vintage concept .. so I caught up with him down in the pretty village of Portscatho where we ate our hot, scrummy pasties sitting in the harbour trying to avoid the opportunist seagulls.
No visit to this pretty corner of Cornwall would be complete without stepping in to the delightfully bijou and pretty emporium of the Sea Garden owned by Christine...

.. Such a delightful shop crammed with wall to wall loveliness.. vintage finds, desirable jewellery made by Christine herself and so much more ...

It was not long before we had to turn our car around and leave the happy throng behind..but we will be returning in August for the next Homespun Fair.. with a laden car full of Cowboys & Custard clobber as I will be attending the next fair.. can't wait!!
With the arrival of good weather I have virtually taken root in the garden for the last week and have completely fallen in love again with my lofty plot, in my usual fickle way! The winter seemed endless and left the garden looking sad and bereft.. A few days of welcome warm weather have worked wonders for the plants and now the gaps are closing up and the bare brown earth is gradually being carpeted with perennials and Spring bulbs..
It is our intention one day to up sticks and move to the country where Mr Custard is keen to keep chickens, grow his own veg and own a bee hive.With this in mind.. I suggested we dig over our embarrassingly overgrown veg patch and start this idyll by planting our first bed of broad beans etc.. Well.. Mr C's idea of gardening is to sit and strum the guitar sipping something cool... whilst I sweat and toil over the soil...

SO.. one sweaty afternoon later... this presentable patch emerged and now I have a family of broad beans, two rows of shallots (under the soil)one artichoke, rhubarb and some giant garlic (under the soil) sitting happily alongside each other...

Last weekend Jayne and I trundled off to the Dairy House Textile Fair in Semley ... a very successful event organised by Sue. A very enjoyable visit and once again many friendly and familiar faces were there.. Lizzie who was a blur of activity, Niki from Nostalgia, Donna Flower, Helen Roskell... were all there with their beautiful stalls enticing a happy crowd of buyers and visitors. Sadly I forgot to take my camera so you will have to visit Sue's blog to see the wonderful photos of the day.
I am sure this event will be one of many and has put Semley firmly on the map!!
So.. This has been an eventful and very happy hols... with even a touch of decorating thrown in.. a bathroom that was crying out for a lick of paint ..

Wonders will never cease... I even picked up a needle and thread for the first time since my clumsy efforts in needlework lessons at school... and created this..

Using my own badges, cowboy charms and buttons.. Not sure this was for my own amusement or whether it will sell... but I did enjoy this late foray in to the world of sewing...

Last but not least.. we discovered a small pocket of paradise only a hop and a skip from our home and I look forward to sharing this jewel of a garden with you in my next blog post..
I will leave you with an appetiser.. The gateway to this beautiful place..

So.. Miss.. this is wot I done in my hols...
Do I get a gold star?

Easter Greetings

2010-04-03T22:37:00.005+02:00

Wishing all my lovely blogging friends and followers a fine festive Easter weekend.. may it bring you happy times and some sunshine to ice the occasion..

Happy Easter from The Custard Household...xxx

Every picture tells a story ...

2010-03-23T19:43:00.005+01:00

I recently discovered an old negative, not seen for many years.. buried in a drawer of papers. Thanks to my dear friend Emma, it finally came to life as a photo as she cleverly scanned it with some techy wizadry.. et voila.. a flood of memories were re-awakened.
The year was 1961.. and I was three years old..sitting on my mother's lap in our super deluxe Vauxhall Cresta. I can still remember the smell of the leather seats of the car, the cardboard sandwiches which were a traditional lunch on journeys from Berkshire to Cornwall. We always stopped on Dartmoor to stretch our legs and re-charge our batteries with our picnic lunch.. and feed the wild Dartmoor ponies my uneaten crusts...tut tut! It used to take 8 hours door to door.. truly an epic voyage.
If I had to save one belonging from a burning house.. it would be this photo.

I am still struggling to come up to full steam.. but hope to be back in the blogging community with a spring in my step soon..

Happy Mothers' Day

2010-03-14T08:59:00.004+01:00

To every mum up and down the land.. and across the seas..

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

... and to my own darling mother.. wherever you may be.. Love you xx

Something to write home about...

2010-03-03T16:10:00.017+01:00

A beautiful Spring day.. if not a little cold.. and I took time out... only about half an hour or so..but just enough.
Walking down the hill into town .. no traffic? Most unusual for the streets of Bath especially at lunch time..

Helicopter hovering overhead.... what's going on?

It wasn't long before I hit the crowds and the sea of Union Jack Flags..and just in the nick of time I found my spot along the main street to jostle into position with my camera..
Armed with tissues and smiles..to welcome..
Our local hero..

Amy Williams.. Winter Olympics Skeleton Gold Medallist 2010 ..

Lots of cheering.. lots of smiles.. and a big lump in my throat..call it National Pride..

This is probably the closest I will ever get to a gold medal..

Today has certainly been something to write home about !

P.s It wasn't only Amy that has got such a warm welcome. I was so pleased by all your friendly 'welcome back' comments on my last post. It had been a long time in blogland between posts and one could almost hear the tumbleweeds and the vultures cry. Thank you for being so faithful and returning to this wayward blogger!

By a Whisker ...

2010-02-24T20:05:00.016+01:00

Cat got your tongue? Well I think this little puddy tat has had my tongue for the last month or so...
I seemed to have mislaid my blogging voice of late..I am certainly not short of mental fodder to write about .. much on my mind... but have found it hard to form sentences.
With the days growing longer by degrees.. I feel as though I am emerging from a very long winter hibernation. Judging by the layers of winter fat that have accumulated around my middle and derriere, I certainly feel an affinity with my local badger and fox community.
The bird song has shifted a gear and the light seems to stretch just that bit longer each day... seemingly overnight. One day I was staggering to the post box in the dark at 5.00 p.m and the next day I was watching the sun sink behind the hills of Bath. So.. Spring is just around the corner and with it a whole lot of good intentions and happy ventures..and much goings on behind the scenes.
Now where shall I start...?
After weeks of staring out of the window and wringing my hands at the state of our garden, I finally set foot outside and confronted the aftermath of the wintry weather. With secateurs in hand and a brand new pair of gardening gloves.. I took no prisoners.. by cutting and pruning back the delinquent shrubs and shrivelled plants. Can't say it looks a huge improvement..tidy yes..attractive.. no. Very hard to believe that it will ever look green and lush again.. but in three months time.. I will be fighting my way through the vegetation again and cursing the weeds.
I will spare you the photographic evidence..You will just have to use your imagination ..Death Valley meets urban wasteland.. Get the picture? Here's one I took earlier.. on a good day!I am sure the blogging world is abuzz with the latest flurry of vintage style fairs (see side-bar for more details) that are springing up hither and dither.. Lizzie & Clare's, Jane & Christine's, Sue's, to name but a few..hats off to you girls for being enterprising and biting the bullet.
Jayne and I are busy making plans for our first Textile Fair to be held in Chipping Sodbury on Saturday July 3rd..It will be an opportunity for the many textile orientated artists and merchants to showcase their work...We are starting small but if it proves as successful as the Vintage & Handmade Fairs.. then who knows where it will be held next... Olympia? Ha ha!!!That was a joke folk!!
There is also a May fair to think about.. only weeks.. which equate to days... away.. gulp!!!Milly and I have a daily date with the brown paper and sellotape dept. and should soon be experts in the art of origami and how 'not to' wrap a parcel.. Why oh why does the end of the sellotape always make itself unavailable? and why do I turn around, after spending half an hour wrapping a particularly tricky item.. to find that the packing slip is sitting behind me. Grrrrr!
Despite these small gripes.. we are having such a good time sharing our enterprise which is now 6 months old and thriving.. thanks to some charming and most obliging customers! Mentions in Homes & Antiques glossy pages has certainly provided us with a wide range of visitors.. from Tasmania to Belgium.

If I had thought two and a half years ago.. what would I be doing now.. it certainly wouldn't have involved me being an event organiser or Emporium partner.. both ventures have brought me so much enjoyment and a multitude of new friends and acquaintances.. so.. 'expect the unexpected' and you never know.. it might just happen!!

I hope you are all tickety boo and surviving the wrath of this winter.. It sure feels like a long haul.. but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.. it's called Easter.. when the clocks forward.

Love in a cold climate ..

2010-01-20T08:57:00.014+01:00

Please forgive me if I have been a bit quiet of late... Thinking I could ease myself gently in to the new year..I realised.. in my usual..' last minute' style, that there was much to be done in the world of greeting cards designs.. Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Easter.. follow each other in quick succession and there is no time afforded for chewing my pencil and wondering what to do...
It is certainly the weather for snuggling up to a loved one.. and will soon be the season for blue-birds, doves, hearts and roses..
Cowboys & Custard productions has been beavering away at the old kitchen table.. and would like to present to you the latest Valentine cards...
Ta da!

On the wings of a Dove.. original love poem from a Victorian album.. printed dove on linen badge...Kiss me quick.. with a kitschy comic book kiss ..embellished with rhinestone heart..Don't beat about the bush... say it how it is...with I Love You, Crazy About You, Whole Lotta Love
Heart printed on linen badge....And finally... this one's for the boys..All of these cards can be found at my web shop at Not on the High Street....
Milly and I have also been rather preoccupied in the stockroom and new department at Milly & Dottie's Emporium..
The Dovecote is our latest collection of floral finds, love tokens and all things close to our hearts.. a little romance..Please drop in for a visit when you are passing..you never know what you may find!

On the Piste..

2010-01-08T09:54:00.007+01:00

My mother taught me never to laugh at other's misfortune..
I am sorry... I just can't help myself... this is hilarious
If you are fed up with all this white stuff underfoot.. just watch this film clip and thank your lucky stars you are not on the piste...in true Kevin style.

The Twelve Doors of Christmas

2009-12-25T15:32:00.015+01:00

Today is Twelfth Night "The evening of the fifth of January, preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day of the Christmas festivities and observed as a time of merrymaking". Tomorrow, I for one will be busy packing away the glass baubles in to their tissue paper clothes, for the next twelve months..along with the multitude of reindeer and forest of trees..I am sure a certain amount of procreation went on whilst my back was turned. There seem to be far more reindeer on the mantelpiece than I remember...

I could well be considered a bit humbuggy, as I itch to start dismantling the festive fripperies as soon as Boxing Day is upon us.. and have been known to fill the recycling bin with Christmas cards on this day. I do love Christmas and we have spent the most relaxing and stress free Christmas that I can remember for many a year ..BUT.. I long to turn the page to a new year, a new beginning .. a chance to put things right that went awry, askew.. just didn't happen ... during the last 365 days.

Whilst the people of Bath were tucking in to turkey and wearing silly hats, we were walking around our local neighbourhood, enjoying the unusual peace on the streets and the crisp bright day. Bathonians love to deck their front doors with a fine display of wreaths and I couldn't resist snapping just twelve of my favourites .. Each one representing the twelve days of Christmas....Which is your favourite?

New Year's Day was spent striding out along the Cotswold Way.. changing the rather stale scenery of television and the inside of my eyelids (lots of siestas) .. to the beauty of our local landscape. The "ground hard as iron, water like a stone."

The mercury has dropped even further today and I kicked myself for not taking the camera with me on a quick jaunt in to town.. with the delicate confetti of snow and a hoar frost all around.. the skyline looked stunning. I snapped these on my return home, as soon as the freezing fog started to lift and the sun made a brief appearance.

I have made a sumptuous meal of sesame seeds, chopped apple, peanuts, mixed flower seeds and breadcrumbs. Not part of my new year diet plan ( what new year diet plan?) but a meal for all the shivering birds out there. How they must struggle to find food in these Siberian conditions. Hearing the forecast for tonight.. 10 inches of snow for the south..Time to dig out those tennis rackets again!
Thank you for all your lovely Christmas wishes and cards. I do hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and managed to safely complete your journeys, to families and loved ones.
Wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous year ahead!

Compliments of the Season..

2009-12-24T15:34:00.008+01:00

Entering in to the festive spirit, a suitably pink sky dawned over Bath on the eve of Christmas...

It was not long before we discovered that our boiler had clocked off for it's winter hols and had left us in the cold.. with no forwarding address..

So it's a cold Custard household here today.. but that has not dampened our jollity. I can highly recommend the merits of hugging a cat when the heating system goes A.W.O.L.. if only the one available cat would desist in sabotaging my wrapping exercise..

The merry festive pot of chilli is stewing away in the oven to spice up our Christmas Eve.. all the presents are wrapped now, with the help of Pickles, and are under the tree waiting for the ever so restrained (cough !!!) gift unwrapping ceremony tomorrow..

All that needs to be done now is to wish you all.. my dear visitors, friends and lurkers.. a truly Happy and Peaceful Christmas.. and I wish you all a year of good health, wealth and happiness in the year to come..Much love from
Michele and the rest of the Custard household xx

Happy Kitschmas

2009-12-17T19:37:00.015+01:00

For those of you living in the east of England, you will have been blessed with a blanket of snow today.. and there is plenty more on the way .. but not for us in the balmy west ..alas.
What is it about snow that brings out the romance in the soul? I LOVE the stuff.. the fluffy flakes, the muffled world it creates.. and the clean white-washed world it leaves behind.
This was our hill last year.. more of a ski slope..

I have had to content myself with making my own winter wonderland, and this one won't thaw out until Twelfth night, when the kitschy collection will be packed away in tissue paper for another year..I can't help but think of our favourite Christmas film, the totally kitschy film.. The Grinch..there is a certain influence..methinks with the plastic reindeer and forest of trees..

So much nicer without Jim Carrey appearing amongst the collection .. don't you think ! ?
Well.. we are not exactly ready for the Christmas kick off next week..slowly but surely.. we are getting there. The marauding Master & Mr Custard, have yet to discover my secret cache of Christmas chocolate reindeer, snowmen and gold coins. Presents have been ferreted away in various corners of the house, even I will have problems finding them due to a defective memory.
Christmas cards have been made (since July) and almost all posted. Tree has been decorated, with the help of Santa's little helper..who was in serious jeopardy of being packed and posted to the first buyer, after sabotaging the lower rung of decs on the tree.

The Christmas day menu has been planned with military precision.. and whilst I am getting ding dong merrily on high...with a glass of fizz.. Mr Custard will be preparing a boeuf en croute for our din dins..The obligatory turkey and brussel sprouts will put in an appearance on Boxing Day when we visit family.
We might well be joined by our new visitor who turned up for breakfast the other day.. much to my utter delight and surprise..

He was too busy snuffling some fallen apples in the garden to notice me standing on tiptoes with my camera precariously perched on the bathroom window frame, snapping as many photos as I could take without scaring him away.. or dropping the camera on the terrace below.

Such a handsome beast and one I hope will return another day for more scrumping..
I must away now.. still ploughing through my Christmas card list.. and time is rapidly running out..
Hope you are all keeping warm and toasty.. and not getting too frazzled by the run up to the festive season...
A bientot x

Leave of absence ..

2009-11-28T19:16:00.024+01:00

There is a saying that one never forgets how to ride a bicycle.. I wonder if the same applies to writing a blog, as I seem to have forgotten how. Having neglected my own blog for some months, just nipping in to give a news flash and quickie update, I am now finding it a real struggle to put one word in front of the other. Where do I begin to pick up the threads..?

This year has been eventful in so many ways..and at times I feel as though I am being swept along on a rip tide of high waves.. and then to end up in the doldrums.spot the cat...Someone else keeping a low profile

It is a little premature maybe to start reminiscing about the year before it is out.. but with Christmas looming, one cannot forget that a new year is on the horizon. I will never cease to be amazed by how the years fly by, as if in the blink of an eye, and yet when I think of all that has happened this year.. I wonder how I have managed to cram it all in to 365 days.
So.. what have I been doing in my protracted absences.. well.. rather like those exercises at school that we were given each term..'What I did in my hols' .. I will attempt to thrill (read bore) you with the day to day minutiae of my life..
For all regular visitors to Cowboys & Custard.. you cannot escape the fact that we have just held our third Vintage & Handmade Fair.. a wonderful day.. planned for six months..over in a matter of hours... but leaving a good feeling that will carry me through to the next in May. Straight after the fair I managed to come down with a nasty cold virus that headed straight for my chest and has been sat there for the last 1o days. It has become a tradition for me to have a chesty cold in November, if I think back to years past, it always arrives in the run up to the festive season and is as traditional as Easter or Christmas.. the annual 'Hack' is up there with the rest.I have been honing the art of wrapping parcels in brown paper, tissue and string, as Milly & Dottie's Emporium has seen a steady flow of customers through the door, and I am fast wearing a path to the local post box to intercept our local postie at 5.00 p.m every evening, who obligingly takes all my parcels.. thus saving me a trek to stand in line with the good citizens of Bath, at the only surviving post office in town.
Today I ventured out to get some air.. having been incarcerated in a warm but hermetically sealed cave, since my lurgy struck. Mr Custard kindly took me on a drive to a local farm shop where my eyes grew as large as saucers at the sight of all the sparkly, sugary Christmas treats on display. There I bought my son and heir a delightful numbered selection of chocolate bars for his advent calendar and hid it in our ice-box.. otherwise known as the conservatory. I hope his chocolate radar will not sniff it out before the 1st of December.
Then on to a garden centre.. where I managed to scrape together 10 tulip bulbs from their remaining stock of bulbs. I have left it woefully late to start my Spring garden planting plans..in fact I haven't set foot in our garden for weeks.. work, weather and now cold have conspired to keep me from giving my plot a good nip and tuck! I am not sure what I will discover when I finally venture out to the bottom of our garden. We had several visitations of badgers during October, evident by their unmistakable calling cards... i.e Badger latrines. I am wondering what other beasties might be lurking in the darker corners. I feel very privileged to have these fine creatures in our neighbourhood... even if they do use our garden a their privie. I only wish I could catch sight of them.. especially as they loved to dig up our neighbours carefully manicured lawn and each morning after their visits.. I would see the neighbour at dawn.. rush out in nightie and all.. to repair the damage.
This week.. I joined some other designers at Lasso the Moon.. and took up residence alongside another of our blogging comrades.. Nicky from Vintage Magpie.. and her amazing menagerie of beautifully crafted animals. I am really thrilled to be part of this collection of designers and hope that this new string on my bow.. will play all the right tunes!The other night I thought there was a siege going on in the city below us.. loudspeakers could be heard, a helicopter hovered voyeuristically overhead.. and a male voice could be heard booming out a message to a cheering crowd. Was this the locals uprising against the shocking business rates in Bath..no.. it was one of my, secret, or not so.. heartthrobs.. Mr Nicholas Cage.. switching on the Christmas lights to a crowd of starstruck shoppers..and sightseers. I would have been there myself, elbowing my way to the front with stars in my eyes.. had it not been for the fact that it was cold outside and my stomach was more intent on eating supper. Sorry Mr Cage.. I hope I will have the pleasure of bumping in to you one day in Waitrose .. but please warn me if you are popping out for groceries, so I can put my lippy on first.

So.. dear blog friends.. you can see that life is ticking along nicely.. peppered with some spicy moments here and there... but never, ever dull.

All is calm... all is bright!

2009-11-15T20:36:00.006+01:00

Hardly seems possible that six months of planning and waiting since the last Vintage & Handmade Fair in May, has been and gone in the blink of an eye... or so it feels.
Much has already been said about yesterday's event .. from the fabulous folk who braved the elements and queued in the rain patiently for our doors to open. The dedicated and professional stall holders, bloggers, friends and family..
I had a whale of a time.. meeting up with our ladies.. who travelled from all corners of the country to bring their finest wares to the fair.. and make it something special.. and certainly a day that many remember for all kinds of reasons.. but..mainly.. for the warmth and feel good factor that bind our team together.
Gratitude to all who made it a date that is etched in my diary as one very hard to beat.

Photos courtesy of Sal's camera.. Guess who forgot hers again!

To see the day from start to finish.. in glorious technicolour.. please visit our webpage at Vintage & Handmade Fair Mr Country Cottage Chic.. took some great shots .. Every picture tells a story.
The countdown to the next fair on May 1st 2010.. has already begun !

Fair Weather Friends...

2009-11-13T09:10:00.008+01:00

click on photo to enlarge
Ironing board and iron are not included in sale

This time tomorrow I will be in a state of flux.. the doors to the hall will be opened for all the stallholders at the Vintage & Handmade Fair, to flood in to the hall to set up their stalls. Flood is a word I am using with caution as the weather report is not good..but us Brits are made of stern stuff and Jayne and I hope that you will don your galoshes and souwesters, inflate your life rafts, to make your way to the third Vintage & Handmade Fair in Chipping Sodbury, south Gloucestershire.
It promises to be our biggest and hopefully our best.. and whatever the weather.. all will be welcomed with open arms and a cup of tea and finest homemade cake...
Can't wait to see old friends and meet new friends and share some wonderful camaraderie amongst our beautiful blogging folk..
Hope to see you there..

F is for ...

2009-10-30T21:04:00.020+01:00

Friday.. the end of a frantic week..and time to take a walk in one of our local National Trust favourites .. the gardens at Holt Wiltshire..Firey fronds and foliage dominate the landscape ..Clusters of fine berries ...Ginko Bilboa.. good for mental fuzziness ..Fire on the water ...A leafy frame to peer through ..A flutterby ... Foliage on fire ...Pretty frothy flowers ..Falling leaves...
Frilly lace caps...Fronds on fire ...A fine harvest...Finally.. my fella ..Before I say farewell.. Milly and I would like to bring your attention to our new Christmas Grotto.. full of finery and fun finds .. for the festive season.. We would also like to bring your attention to some features about our Emporium, to be found in various glossies this month.. Homes & Gardens, Sew Hip and Homes & Antiques..
Not forgetting.. the famous Vintage & Handmade Fair.. only a fortnight to go before we welcome our friends, family and folk from far and wide to come and shop in our third fair..
Fun for all.. hope to see you there!

Downhill run ...

2009-10-21T09:16:00.012+02:00

These last few weeks have left me feeling like I am competing in some kind of ski event.. the momentum and pace has increased day by day.. and I must admit.. I can't wait for the apres ski to begin.. but there are many things to do before that is allowed.
I did however find time to leave the slopes and have a grand day out with Mr Custard to visit an event I had been looking forward to for some weeks.
With small brown suitcase in hand we had one stop to make en route to the event.. and our first port of call was this delightful emporium in Cirencester.. Lexi Loves. Now the whole world of cyber networking has brought me many many fortunes.. in the way of friendships and acquaintances.. and yes... I must admit business matters too. I do have a small confession to make.. for those of you who do not already know.. I have joined the nest of Twitter and have bunked off to join in the daily twitterings amongst this hugely popular network.
It is through this feathered fraternity.. that I made the connection with this lovely shop in Cirencester owned by the equally lovely Lexi.. Lexi's emporium in Cricklade Street, is a sight for tired eyes (as mine have been of late) and on entering the shop... one is immediately aware of the spectrum of colours from all the enticing items for sale.. from floral fabric alphabet letters arranged along a shelf..to the cheery bunting and assortment of gorgeous vintagey cushions with plenty more besides... so much to tempt with perfect stocking filler finds for Christmas.
I am delighted to say that Lexi Loves now stocks Cowboys & Custard Greeting cards... so I hope to visit this pretty emporium again soon.
On our way back to the car park.. we nipped in to the New Brewery Arts Centre to see the latest exhibition of Cleo Mussi's work. If you are not familiar with this lasses incredible talent with mosaics.. then I urge you to go.
It took two years in the making to create these, and many more, fabulous china mosaics that combine Cleo's wit and talent to transform broken china in to these..This photo really doesn't do justice to the detail and scale of these ceramic creatures. Having taken part in one of Cleo's mosaic workshops some years ago.. I am only too aware of how skillful it is to cut a piece of china to just the right size and shape with a pair of tile cutters. My efforts ended up on the other side of the room on the floor.. It takes great precision and practice.
These animals were virtually life size so they must have required hours in the making.. no.. make that months..We are BIG fans of Cleo's work in this household and are lucky enough to own a few of her pieces.. but there is plenty more wall space to accommodate a few more!
Back in the old jalopy and on to Stroud..where we were to visit this very exciting exhibition..
Having several of my favourite artists exhibit under one roof for the same exhibition was quite a lot for my little heart to take.. and my pace quickened as we found our way through the streets of Stroud to Sustain ...Once again Cleo Mussi's work was on display and Cleo herself was there to chat too..Edwina Bridgeman.. another much admired artist and friend had some pieces of work on display..and lastly..our very own Annie from Little Wren House.. or her blog a Saucerful of Secrets.. was there with these extraordinary felted characters... I couldn't take my eyes of this fabulous Pug dog.. marvelling at the detail in the face all created from wisps of needle felted wool.We are very proud to have Annie and her felted friends at the Vintage & Handmade Fair.. coming soon!!!
And on that note.. I have finally woken up to the fact that it is only 24..24 days until the fair and my mountain of boxes and vintage finds will have to be sorted, priced and packed.
I am busy making some of these Quite a few of these will be coming along too..Things in the Milly & Dottie's Emporium are getting rather frenzied too.. and Milly and I have been working like Santa's little helpers to stock the shelves for a new Christmas Department.. opening very soon.. so watch this space.

Going to the Dogs..

2009-10-11T14:45:00.005+02:00

Is there such a thing as Blogger's Block? I have been suffering from a complete lack of focus for the last few weeks and the idea of writing a blog post was akin to the days when I had to hand in an English essay on a Monday morning.
I would postpone this task until the 11th hour and then hand in some crumpled, grubby and illegible piece of work and wince when I saw a big red C+.. could do better scrawled over my efforts. I hope this very belated blog post gets a better mark!

It has been a while since I have managed to clear a space in my mind to give thought to the blogging world and I hardly dare look at all the blog posts of yours I have missed.. Will I ever catch up? Then answer to that is a resounding NO.. not until the current projects have been painted and glued, packaged and priced for the next Vintage & Handmade Fair and some tasty little vintage goodies placed upon the shelves in the Emporium. Spinning plates madly here and dropping quite a few along the way!
I am prone to mild obsessions..harmless enough I think, despite what Mr Custard and son say, I still have all my marbles..o.k one or two might be missing..but on the whole, my little fixations are all for a good cause I feel.
The latest of these obsessions is more than a passing interest in all things vintage, mohair, straw-filled and moth eaten..sometimes with wonky eyes or dodgy limbs..the more chewed the better!
I would like to introduce my new friends.. meet the gang..
First in the pound today is Winston.. Winston is true rough diamond but with a heart of gold and a bit of a dubious past.. Some rumour of him doing time in Battersea Dogs Home for digging up some prize petunias!
Next on the 'dogwalk' is Terence.. Terence has gone to a new home

A retired air steward for Dan Dare airlines... traveled the world and then some ..He enjoys reading Mutt Monthly and ballroom dancing.
Jock is a very fine pedigree pooch.. He is a veteran model for a pyjama case manufacturer.. made by Merrythought. Jock loves nothing more than to lie around all day and strike a pose! Currently, he can be found lounging in the nursery department at Milly & Dottie's..
I know I shouldn't have favourites.. it is a bone of contention amongst the other hounds.. but I am rather fond of dear old Angus.. Who could resist his jaunty legs and sharp nose... I wonder if I could train him for the odd bit of truffle snuffling ?! Angus along with some other muttley crew will be joining me at the Vintage & Handmade Fair and any offers of adoption will seriously be considered. They are costing me a fortune in Bonios!
Well.. I think this blog post proves that I have lost the plot.. totally barking some might say.

P.s Thank you so much for all your kind thoughts and commiserations about my old tooth problem. Much better now thank you and getting my gnashers well and truly stuck in to some projects for the festive season.
Wishing you all the best of Sundays.

Abscess makes the heart grow fonder....

2009-09-21T19:56:00.008+02:00

Rag heart courtesy of Ragged Roses

Well.. I have to admit that last Friday's milestone of being another step closer to my bus pass.. was a strange mixture of denial.. and elation.. the elation brought on by a colourful little penicillin pill washed down by a large glass of rather nice fizz..The denial of course was the getting older bit and realising that the glint of silver running through my hair.. probably amounted to 99% sterling, under the veil of Clairol hair dye!
The day started off with a rendition of Happy Birthday from beloved ..heard through groggy ears and head as I reluctantly gained consciousness at 5.30 am, having spent several hours awake during the night, trying to hide from nagging toothache..Nowhere to run nor hide when it's in your head!
As soon as the awaited hour arrived..i.e opening time at the dental surgery, I rang to see if I could get an emergency appointment.. to be told..if I could reach the surgery in 10 minutes then I could have a date with my dentist. Never have I walked, rolled .. tripped down the hill in to town so fast and arrived in a breathless .. sweaty heap at the reception desk to be told.." It's OK.. you'll be lying down soon.. you can get your breath back".. oh such words of comfort !
To cut a long, dull story short.. after X rays and a prescription for penicillin.. I was wished a "Happy Birthday" by my dentist and his smiling assistant.. and I left to face the remains of the day..
The best possible medicine was from all your lovely comments which really buoyed me along.. it is STILL such a wonder to me that so much goodwill can be gathered from the folk in blog land.. So Thank you so so much.. for your lovely comments and wishes on the day.. I unwrapped each one with much gratitude and a lopsided smile !

Once more with feeling....

2009-09-18T07:54:00.003+02:00

If you aren't all partied out already.. please put on your finest and come join me for one last cup of tea and a slice of best.. for today is my Birthday and I intend to celebrate with lots of this..
I will return once I have emerged from all the wrapping paper to share my goodies with you..
Do excuse me.. just have to go and find the polyfilla... I have a few cracks to fill!

The Return of Happy Returns ..

2009-09-16T07:33:00.004+02:00

Birthdays are like buses.... nothing for days.. then WHAM... 4 in a row!!
As promised.. I am here again to wish another good friend very many happy returns of the day..
SO fill up your tea cup.. and cut yourself another slice of cake.. and please come and celebrate dear Carol's Birthday today.... Many many many Happy Birthday's to you my lovely friend xxx