Saturday, August 22, 2009

Play Time...


Yesterday was such a fun day...
ladies came for lunch at The Stone House...
These cheerful and unashamedly brash dahlia flowers graced the kitchen table, whilst the four of us sat sipping teas and coffees, eating lunch, and chatting non-stop.
The homemade fruit cake seemed to go down well, thankfully...
And I was showered with gifts...
and pretty posies.

One of the guests decided she 'needed' to stay ;-))
Isn't she lovely? Michele kindly agreed to sell her to me and she's settled in nicely with my French boudoir doll as company.
***
Its funny when friends come to visit...they notice things around your home that you take for granted because you see them everyday...
This morning I started looking around our home with fresh eyes...
This chandelier in our kitchen is practical, hanging above the dinner table, but it is rather boring...
So I thought I might try to jazz it up a bit...and vintage china cups were going to provide the embellishment.
I have collected an assortment of cups over many years.
They were always a useful item to have in store as a last minute gift. They often proved themselves as ideal 'thank you' tokens to offer to my daughter's teachers at the end of school term time, being used to hold chocolates, homemade candles, or used as bulb plant pots, for example.

Anyway, getting back to the chandelier...
I used vintage seam binding to tie on the assorted tea cups, looping them through their handles and over the curves of the light fitting...
Hmmmm...I looked at the finished creation from all angles...
Upwards...
Downwards...

From underneath...
From the right...
And from the left...
But I just wasn't sure that I liked it....
So for now the cups have been taken down and have all gone back to their original storage places again!

Aw well, I tried, but just wasn't convinced...
But that's the fun of decorating a home, isn't it?...trial and error and sometimes things work out well...
Other times, not so well!

***
And whilst I'm talking about cups, I thought I'd show you this little beauty that I found on a recent buying trip...Its a little Victorian souvenir cup, made in Germany.
If I'm being honest, I wouldn't normally have been seduced by such a gaudy trinket, but on close inspection I noticed the words on the front; they read 'A present from Aberyswith' - (LOVE the spelling incidentally...I wonder why its spelt differently today? Or perhaps it was just a mistake by the painter?)
As regular visitors to my blog may know, Aberystwyth has become a special place in our hearts, as it is home to someone cherished by us.
It stands in the window catching the light amongst my other little cups, each with their loving sentiments hand painted across the front.
And whilst I'm here talking about recent finds, another was this lovely framed embroidery. The red roof of the little cottage made this a must-buy for me. It stands in the kitchen looking very at home...
This old wartime poster...
Gorgeous hand painted shoe stretchers...
I haven't seen any as pretty as these in a long time, so am thrilled to make them mine.
And this sweet little purse made from two polished limpet shells, hinged together and with a fine chain handle.
I've snuck them in amongst the vintage shoes in the glazed cabinet on our landing...
"Of course dear hubby, I've had all these things for years...haven't you noticed them before?"
...wonder if I shall be discovered?! Teehee...

And just when I thought that the charity shops around here were a lost cause for turning up pretty vintage pieces...I found this beautiful plate languishing on one of the shelves inside 'Sue Ryder'.
Dainty hand painted violets on an aqua green background, with a back stamp of 'Limoges - France'. Yippee!
I think its sad how most charity shops these days are trying to be just like all the other shops on the high street...all colour coordinated and tastefully arranged...Give me the grottier ones where you have the chance to have a good old rummage any day! ;-))

This tiny mossware pot has several chips, but still has lots of charm. It just fits inside my violets inspired cabinet. Again, hopefully unnoticed by hubby dearest...chortle, chortle!
(Don't worry, nothing broke the bank! - I am a very good girl really!
;-))
Hope you are having a fun weekend,
Niki x

21 comments:

  1. I love your violet cabinet - I remember giving my mother Devon Violets scent as a birthday present when I was a child. It came in a tiny little glass bottle painted with violets, which is what attracted me. Unfortunately it wasn't her sort of thing - her taste is far more sophisticated! So the bottle languished in her drawer for years. I wish I had kept it - it was so sweet to look at!

    Pomona x

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  2. Beautiful Pictures! I'm so glad you had a lovely time!
    Hugs, Lisa

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  3. I love the embroidered picture with the cottage with the red roof, it really stands out. All the photos are lovely the violet collection is so pretty I can almost smell it !
    Ann x

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  4. Anonymous12:40 am

    You just have the most beautiful things. thanks so much.

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  5. Hi Niki, I do the absolute same thing with my finds, tuck them in somewhere and hope mrpeachez doesn't notice. Which he usually doesn't. The thrift stores over here have gotten to be so stuffy too. They all seem to think they are running an antique mart, the prices have gotten so ridiculous, and most of it is junk anyway. Crazy! xo, suzy

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  6. You have such gorgeous things but I am drawn to that chandelier with the lovely cups hanging. Such a clever idea to display your treasures. How would that work on a ceiling fan? lol
    Sharon

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  7. Dear Niki,
    Friday was a feast of fun and fine fine company, oh and scrumptious food too!
    I am so glad to see that Flo has fitted in well. I knew she had gone to a good home when I saw for the first time your exquisite home. It is really something to behold and I have thought of little else since.
    Hope to see you soon.
    Love
    Michele x

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  8. The cake looks absolutely delicious! I LOVE that plate. Everything you have is so gorgeous. I agree with you all charity shops look the same and they look identical to every other shop in the high street - Why........?

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  9. Hi Niki

    Needless to say I echo Michele's sentiments. I don't think I've enjoyed myself so much in ages and it was certainly a treat to have a day off from painting!

    Thanks again for a lovely day.

    Sue xx

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  10. Looking at your beautiful home and your lovely finds is always a constant source of enjoyment to me Niki, everything is arranged perfectly....and there is so much to see, thank you for sharing...H

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  11. Oh I love playtime!!! michele has been telling me just how much fun you all had on Friday and how utterly gorgeous your home is. Your photos are always such a delight, it's like playtime everytime I come and visit
    Kimx

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  12. Hi Niki!
    I try write in english...
    I´m glad when I did found your fabulous blog. Yours pictures are very intresting and you have so lovely home.
    I have enjoyed my visit here, thank you for sharing!

    Take care, Matilda from Finland!

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  13. Lovely shoe stretchers! Thank you for your comment on my latest post.. getting very excited about the move to the Dairy house!
    Have a relaxing Sunday, Lizzie x

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  14. I read your post yesterday, Niki, but didn't have time to comment (I was at work). Then I had a dream last evening about antique teacups, so I figured I'd at least better say 'hello'! =)
    (It's Louise on the Cape; I'm happily going blogless for a while.)

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  15. What fun...you so inspire me in so many ways...I adore your hanging teacups...I have always wanted to do that....your house is so pretty and cozy. What fun treasures you have...Happy week to you!

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  16. Lovely post as always Niki! I do love the teacups as it reminds me of Alice in Wonderland. And that fruit cake is totally scrummy looking! xx

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  17. Thank you so much for the most beautiful spot in blogland to visit! I so look forward to checking your posts - you really brighten my day! I, too, "sneak" in my finds and treasures and pass them off as "you've never noticed that before"! I thought I was the only one! haha It is so much easier than answering the same old question "how much stuff do you NEED?!" Oh, and I have to say, I really liked the cups hanging from the chandelier! I thought it was charming!

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  18. Hello lovely! Just popping by for a quick dose of gorgeousness! My first thought of the cups on the chandelier - oh crikey imagine the dust those will collect! My kitchen lights are complete dust magnets - don't know why! t.xxxx

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  19. Anonymous11:28 pm

    I'm fairly new to blogs. I found yours a while back and love looking at your pictures and "hearing" you talk...very descriptive writing. It makes me want to come to England.

    Laurie
    Georgia
    United States

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  20. Anonymous11:20 pm

    I have seen fixtures painted white with cups and saucers drilled to fit underneath the sockets for the lights. If there is a place nearby that can drill the holes (or if you have the right tools), you might like the look. I like the hanging idea, too, but with my luck I'd hang them too low and do myself an injury.

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  21. Anonymous2:53 pm

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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Thank you for finding the time to visit me...
Niki xx