Well it's been a little while since I had anything much to say and in my defence m'lord.. I have been busy.. busy getting my head around the fact that our Vintage & Handmade fair is getting closer and closer.. 59 days to be precise.. and I have got oodles of things to do still!
It has not gone unnoticed that many of our stall holders have been slaving over steaming sewing machines for the last few months .. and this has pricked my conscience ... so I have not exactly been slaving.. more scavenging and collecting, lots of scrummy vintage goods to offer the unsuspecting public.. ( strong sense of deja vu reading this back)
I shall be specialising in vintage toys and assorted childhood nostalgia...amongst the usual C & C products..
I will just give you a little sneak at one of my latest finds.... Neddy the Donkey... well who else!He is rather gorgeous and I will have a hard job offering him up for adoption...
As the saying goes... all work and no play makes Michèle a very dull girl... so Mr Custard and I wrapped up against the elements and took off for a little jaunt to our local NT property last weekend....The Courts Gardens in the pretty Wiltshire village of Holt.. not a many miles from Bath and one of our favourite haunts.. in all seasons.
The day was dull and surprisingly cold after the tantalising taste of summer weather we had last week...
At the main entrance we were greeted by these very pretty little Anemone Blanda flowers that lit up the ground ... sparkling jewels shining out of the gloom..Every time we visit this garden we comment on how well it is tended.. not a weed in sight and always something of interest..
My favourite Hellebores..A winning combination of primroses, peony shoots and Muscari....the little blue bobbled flowers that reminded me of Liquorice Allsorts sweets.. the blue ones with the tiny bobbles on..
These yew trees always make us smile... they have a life and character all of their own and remind me of those Weebles toys (that wobbled but didn't fall down) .. as they wobble along the path... You can tell I need to get out more!There are a multitude of little paths and secret nooks and crannies in this delightful garden and it would be the perfect place to film The Secret Garden... Though not so secret.. as it does attract many visitors each year.. but we were lucky to have the place to ourselves for a while..After the cold wind had sufficiently numbed my digits.. we made a hasty bee-line for the cosy little tea room and thawed out with a lovely cup of coffee There is as you know a recession going on in this country....or hadn't you heard..? Well I do tend to switch off when the news comes on the radio or t.v... there is only so much gloom one can take..
Aaaaanyway..... I have been fortunate enough to win some fabulous new outlets for my greeting cards this month and one such place took us on another jolly jaunt to the newly opened.. utterly charming shop called The Laundry and belonging to Gloria Nicols.. nr Lydney Gloucestershire.I have long been an admirer of The Laundry's fine emporium which can also be viewed on-line and so I was like a dog with two tails when asked to supply some cards for the new shop...Gloria has a fine eye for vintage finds and contemporary home-wares and combines these with harmony and charm in her new shop... I urge you to visit if you find yourself in the neighbourhood.. or just click on to the site and shop from your armchair!
Another cause for celebre.. was becoming a stockist for another of my favourite shops..Re:Found Objects up in the wilds of Northumberland.. I have drooled over their site many a time as it is a little too far for us to visit on one of our outings.
So in true style... I celebrated with a cup of tea and the delectable Custard Creams.. with a friend..
Reasons to be cheerful ...
Tuesday 31 March 2009
Jolly Jaunts..
Posted by Cowboys and Custard Mercantile at 8:04 am 26 comments
Saturday 21 March 2009
Remembering Mum....
Posted by Cowboys and Custard Mercantile at 3:17 pm 23 comments
Monday 16 March 2009
Just a little green....
Today was a day to embrace the elements, the warmth and friendliness of the sun and indulge oneself with a bit of grubbing in the dirt..
The first to show their pretty faces are these tete a tetes....
Lenten roses...so delicate and shy...with their heads turned towards the ground..
Rabbits are a bit of a theme in my life as you can tell...
It did me the world of good to be out .. out in the air.. the elements.. the birdsong amongst the first colours of Spring..
Happiness is ...dirt under the fingernails and an aching back!
So if feeling blue... get out in the green!
Posted by Cowboys and Custard Mercantile at 5:35 pm 30 comments
Friday 13 March 2009
In London's Fair city....
Yesterday was a landmark day for me..
This fine hound also captured my heart... but he was well out of reach.. in more ways than one!I think this was possibly one of my favourite stalls... It was beautifully displayed and everything was most covetable!I did however resist..There was one moment in the day that left me dumbstruck.... on asking the lass who owned the stall below..if I could take a photo for my blog.. she said.."are you Michele?" ... how could she to know who I was..? "I have read your blog" she said.... I was amazed.... and just for a nano second.. felt like a celebrity.After a reviving bite to eat we then limped back to Paddington to catch our respective carriages home.. whereupon I found mine had been cancelled.. so I spent an hour people watching and hopping from one leg to another waiting for the next train to come in.
Posted by Cowboys and Custard Mercantile at 4:45 pm 27 comments
Tuesday 3 March 2009
Identity Crisis...
I am certainly not a Historian.. as for the Armchair Critic.. well.... on occasions it could be said I have far too much of an opinion whilst watching Masterchef or Escape to the Country..
No..
I fear that the role I fit most aptly these days...is the Blithering idiot!
I just don't seem to be able to get my act together.... hence a rather protracted absence from my blog.. Please don't tell me you didn't notice... or worse.. care!!
It has been a while since I last posted on my blog.... for reasons that I am not entirely sure about.
My absence could be due to the eternal struggle with finding enough hours in the day to achieve all my wishes and work.. or could be the fact that my old laptop finally died last week and left me high and dry again until my sugar plum fairy (sorry P) waved his magic wand ..and..
***!!! shazzam ***!!! magicked up a new shiny lap top for me...Lucky lucky me..
It is rather an essential part of my life.. we are joined at the hip..me and my pooter and without this wonderful box of wizardry I am left up the proverbial creek without a proverbial paddle!
I was in the throes of designing some new cards for the hungry beast that is the retail industry.. maybe not quite so ravenous these days.. but still with enough appetite to demand new products from me.
It has been a case of swimming against the tide... inspiration very thin on the ground.. and mind in neutral and full of stuff and nonsense.. and not.."Happy Birthday" designs..
I did however manage a brief spark of creativity before my old pooter gave up the ghost and created some new Mother's Day.. stroke... Birthday ... stroke.. whatever you wish day.. cards.Lilac or Lime..?
Each design comes with my trademark.. detachable badge.. to wear with pride!
Several variations on a theme... all cards can be personalised with a name or a greeting of your choice..
Before I disappear into the abyss again... I must apologise to all concerned for the complete lack of dedication on my part to the tags I have been given in the past.
I will try and be a more dedicated and diligent blogger from now on...
When I have stopped being a blithering idiot!
Posted by Cowboys and Custard Mercantile at 9:34 am 31 comments