Prolonging the agony...

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 ....

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 ...

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..?

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 ...

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....

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.

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...

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 ...

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

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