Open for business

I got the bed. We picked it up yesterday and after a lot of huffing and swearing managed to put it together. It takes up quite a bit of the spare bedroom but as it serves as a day bed, pulls out into a double and has massive drawers for storage, it's going to prove a really useful bit of furniture. It's a perfect lounging spot for reading and snoozing too - I've tested it already. I covered it with a quilt I made with Hawaiian fabric years ago and a couple of cushions and throws for snuggling.

The other good news is the English Rose Vintage shop is open for business again at last. Best of all, Etsy has finally rolled out the facility to accept credit card payments and Etsy Gift Cards to the UK - thanks Etsy! So now it is possible to buy an Etsy Gift Card to be used in our shop or pay for your goods by card instead of PayPal.

I mentioned before that I'd already made some great vintage discoveries for the shop since we moved. Here's a sneaky preview of my favourites. 

I was very excited when I got my hands on these beautiful petit point boxes and tray.

There are two gilt boxes with hand stitched petit point flower panels in different designs. The petit point is in lovely condition as both have been protected by their original plastic covers. The covers need a bit of a clean up to show off the stitching to best advantage so I shall be doing that before I list them.

The tray is quite beautiful, with an embroidered central panel surrounded by lace held between two pieces of glass in a gilt frame. 

Such a pretty set. Can't wait to get these in the shop, although they would look so good on my new dressing table. I must resist temptation...

I have plans for a revamp of the shop soon. I'm working on a new look including banner, avatar, etc. The plan is to use some lino cutting equipment I received as a gift to make my own design, which I will print onto business cards, postcards, tea towels, and anything else I can think of or get my hands on. My aim for this week is to transfer my first design to the lino block and cut it out. I will show you the results - even if it's a disaster!

  

More Booty

Finally went car booting again on the weekend after a bit of a quiet summer due to the wet weather. Sunday was beautiful - sunny, hot and dry - so I was up bright and early and spent a couple of hours scouring the stalls. Here's a few pictures of the wonderful things I dug up.

 

 

 

Lots of marvellous things to research and list in my Etsy shop in the coming days. I think that I'll be keeping the fossil (at the back on the left hand side of the first photo) as it will fit perfectly in my collection and I'm also pretty tempted by the lovely oil painting!

Car Booty

I had a very successful trip to the local car boot sale yesterday and thought I would share some of my finds with you. I found a beautiful hairbrush and clothes brush set with embroidered flowers, and this cream beaded purse and pearl choker necklace. I think the silver bowl would be a beautiful way to display flowers - I may keep that for a while and try it out.

  

I also found another gorgeous leather document case with a decorative front, some old photographs and a postcard book from Carcassonne. I love wood, so I couldn't resist this unusual candlestick - it's beautifully made and once the layers of dust were removed and a bit of beeswax applied it came back to life.

A set of wonderful shabby chic place mats in a minty green with bright roses and a silver 1960s/70s clutch bag that still had a ticket inside for a 1971 Ball.



Best of all though was this pencil sketch.

It caught my eye while passing the stall but it was in a dull looking frame and behind glass it looked like it was a probably a print. However, on looking closer I started to wonder whether it wasn't a sketch and it was so skilfully done I just had to have it. When I got it home and took the back off the frame I discovered that, sadly, someone had folded over the edges of the sketch at some point. Still, it would have been worse if the edges had been cut off! This close-up shows a little more of how the sketch was done. I particularly like the little figures under the archway that form the focal point of the picture.

There are two names written on the bottom but I can't tell whether one is the artist and one is the name of the place and if so which is which! If anyone looking at this has any idea please let me know.

The town looks Italian or French to me but I'm going to need to do some research on this as I'd love to know more about the artist and where this was made.

Altogether a very good trip out yesterday - and it didn't rain!

Pretty Pastels

The pretty pastel colours of Spring crocuses have been the inspiration for my latest Etsy Treasury:

Make your own luck

Some beautiful things to brighten your day ... from my latest Etsy Treasury.

Make Your Own Luck ... LuciusArt $39.00	20% off Sale Filigr... PixieDust $25.00	caged bird... hand ... EmenGeeDesigns $28.00	Creamy Blue Lace. M... happeemonkee $15.00
Wall Lamp, Funky Tu... Lampified $59.00	Rotary Phone - Beig... TomLaurus $27.00	Baby Blue Broadbill... doudoubirds $18.00	Vintage red lamp TheRetroBotteg... $39.00
light as a feather ... lovelysweetwil... $24.00	Turquoise jewelry. ... CallOfEarth $25.00	Pinhole Camera for ... FrenchFind $175.00	Three Birds Lino Pr... mangleprints $19.00
Vintage Evening Wea... jerseyicecream... $36.00	Seafoam Hearts: Set... LunaCabCo $12.00	Lace Jewelry i carr... PurpleToedGyps... $28.00	Animal Sculpture Ar... DoubleFoxStudi... $312.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Weekend Treasury

Abstraction:

My latest Etsy Treasury has a 1950s abstract vibe with lots of strong colourful designs.

socaljewelbox $62.00	CampHobachee $38.00	QuietRainz $7.00	poolponydesign $70.00
Thrush $94.00	alexiart $135.00	VastVessels $32.00	PierogiPicnic $36.00
AntiqueAddicti... $70.00	onceuponapaper $25.00	skertz $135.00	SansEpoch $40.00
Veramode $34.00	GizmoandHooHa $38.50	PassThePretty $32.00	evertonterrace $18.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Weekend Treasury

Badgerlicious!

A weekend treasury for all badger lovers.

These elusive animals are a firm favourite of mine but difficult to spot in the wild. Strangely enough, the one time I saw one was on holiday at Centre Parcs several years ago. There was a badger run right outside our living room window and he just trotted by. On his way somewhere important I expect. Off for cocoa in his burrow, with his tartan dressing gown and woolly slippers on, sitting in a comfy chair next to a big log fire. A few friends round; moley, ratty and the two little voles who live in the tree next door. Mr Badger takes out his pince-nez and perches them on the end of his nose. His little friends sit round his feet, cocoa mugs steaming, a happy glow from the fire warming the centre of the little room. In the dark shadows his trinkets and keepsakes can just be seen on an old gnarly dresser and a nest of tables carved with his own paws from a single hunk of oak. Piles of books line the walls of the hollow tree and the smell of wood smoke, cocoa and dusty tomes was the best and most comforting smell his friends had ever known. He reaches down and picks up a large dusty book with tatty edges and looks at the expectant little faces, whiskers twitching, looking back up at him. Time for a story.

Ah, I can never see badgers without having a Wind in the Willows moment.

Badger by David A.F... GeckoRougeExcl... $10.00	Badger on a Pennyfa... darkcyclecloth... $21.00	Badgers Embroidery ... kayelee $5.00	Fine Art Print 8x11... AlicePotter $10.00
Badger birthday car... drawnbylucysmi... $4.00	Lenny the Zoot Suit... collageOrama $6.99	Badger Charm Pendan... bonjourpoupett... $29.00	Bilbey the Badger, ... jennifercarson $12.00
Badger King 5x7 Se... poordogfarm $12.00	Hand painted set of... jimbobart $54.00	Handmade Badgers Li... ThreeBearsPrin... $40.00	Badger Walk - origi... harebit $75.00
Baby Badgers Count ... OctopodIllustr... $18.00	Badger cushion susanveraclark... $75.00	Badger in a Bicorne... 1ntegral $45.00	Badgers Cufflinks, ... makeit $45.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.