Undercover Job

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

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 !

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 ..

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

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 ...

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

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...

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 ...

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..

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