December already

 

I love how snow has a determination to settle anywhere.

Buildings

Seaside shower

It looked so pretty but didn't have a drop of water

On your bike - Morocco

You know when you go on holiday and there's always something that catches you eye over and over well Morocco showed me bikes!

Now I didn't intend to go on holiday and fill my memory card with photographs of bikes (I confess I am not a big lover of bikes) but there was something about stumbling upon temporarily discarded bikes that just begged for me to take a quick snap.

Old Dalby Day goodies

Sorry it's been so long since I last wrote anything - this selection is from a weekend at my parent's house. I got up early and didn't get lost finding the nearest car boot but it was a bit rubbish. I did buy the Wade sandwich plate and side plates and metal tray from the 1960. Oh and the little ship print for my ship wall.

The clock, christmas decorations and two ship prints were from Old Dalby Day which was much more fun and had a dog show!

Car boot bargains

I went home to my folks the other weekend and was desperate to get to a car boot. Unfortunately most of the things in our boot aren't mine my sister spied the suitcase and Prince Philip tin. However the stripy wooden deck chair at the back is all mine and only cost £1 - it made the early morning worth it.

Fabulous Flour

I fell in love with this flour in Greece but sadly couldn't bring one home - who ever thought up this packaging is a genius in my eyes.

Coca Cola cup

Me and a friend stumbled upon a jumble sale at a local village hall, my MaxPax paper cup didn't contain coca cola but a very weak orange juice for only 10p.

Reason not to have a cat #2

Signage #1

I love finding hand written signs. In these modern times even the most frivolous sign is printed Word style and printed A4 black and white. I'm not sure if you can read this (the biro is probably not the best choice of pen for such an important note) but it says "SEE INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOLDING DOORS OPEN DURING DELIVERIES! (ON INSIDE WALL)". Which I found even more amusing when you notice the sign next to it (Word doc and laminated) which says "Automatic Door". Welcome to the world of silly signs.

Reason not to have a cat

It's just too sad to come home to this!!

New car boot buys...

I dragged myself out of bed last Sunday for my first car boot in ages, it was well worth the early morning. I bought an eclectic mix of items: 2 paintings one of a boxer (above) which is signed 1970 'Jason' I'm not sure if that's the name of the artist or the boxer... The other painting is from the 1970s and is labeled Leningrad and has a weird plane shaped boat? I also got the wooden rabbit which I totally fell in love with and couldn't help show it at the stall, luckily the man only wanted 50p so I didn't have to haggle.

I also got these amazing bookends (one is in the photo above) they were so dirty and unloved, one bird has his beak missing. I don't know how old they are but the man said they were from the 1930's and they're made from nuts? On further thinking maybe he was pulling my leg...

Can't think what else I found...

Another for the Coca Cola collection

Photographs I forgot I took

I love it when you go on holiday, there's something about the light that makes everything look better. I took these with my i phone and am amazed that they came out so well.

I am a little obsessed with the Coca Cola logo, I love finding it when I lease expect it especially when it's being used out of context. I must admit though the eggs are my favorite.

I'm having a clear out

It's been a bonanza of a weekend in the UK and after I got over the initial shock of having three whole days off work I decided to sort my stuff out. I love to collect, I can't help it but there comes a point where you look around and realise all the beautiful things are being suffocated by the nice things. The things you didn't need but couldn't leave behind because it's only 50p...

I re-decorated my kitchen last year and in the process lovingly cleaned and wrapped up all the objects that had collected on the shelves, windowsill, kitchen table. I hit a delay on painting the shelves and so didn't unpack. Yesterday I went into my spare room and found the boxes and with a mixture of delight and doom I realised I had re-filled the shelves, windowsill and kitchen table with new found objects... Unusual packets of food from my trip to Greece, 1960's shot glasses from the car boot, sugar dispenser's from a trip back home. Alongside two sets of cups and saucers, danish serving dishes, three glass vases rescued from my parents and a selection of crockery left by a stranger (which I had made into a little display). Enough I'm having a clear out...

Still writing to ghosts

Ha ha still no one out there is reading but I will continue to write. Then when you all finally find me there will be lots to catch up on...

So I saw my favorite Sheffield twins today and for the first time ever I saw one go in one direction and the other one go in the complete opposite direction. It was like the parting of the red sea, monumental, I was truly stunned. I must state now that I am slightly obsessed with these two identical old men twins. They are amazing, in their late 60's and still wear matching outfits everyday. There are a few unusual people in Sheffield and many sets of twins (the only photographic evidence of another set is two old women I only just caught a photo of) but these old men make me smile every time I see them.

My friend noticed them one day and kept asking if I had seen them having lived here for ages. I had never seen them but then one day there they were and now I see them once or twice a week (depending on the weather). At the moment the look is blue jeans, navy jackets and trainers. They also carry one red bag. I'll post some pictures so you can all share the love.

Amazing Sol LeWitt exhibition in Sheffield

Good morning! I went to this amazing exhibition yesterday at Site Gallery in Sheffield. They have loads of Sol LeWitt's artists books on display and I was lucky enough to go in when they were drawing one of Sol LeWitt's wall drawings on the wall of the gallery. If your around Sheffield you must pop in although I don't think it's on for very long... I'll find out the dates and post later.

Surprise find in the recycling

Sometimes the most boring job can turn up something that makes it worth doing. I don't know what it means but this stamp mark made me smile today so I sneaked a quick pic.

Lucien Cravate - Kartuizersstrat - Rue Des Chartreux, Brussels
Is a must for anyone visiting Brussels

Flea Market - Place Du Jeu De Balle Vossen Plein, Brussels

Brilliant Brussels

Hello all (not that anyone is signed up to read this yet but hello all the same).

So I've started my first ever blog after contemplating it for a while and finally getting the internet back into my home.

I have been luck enough to visit Brussels this weekend and I am totally converted. It is an amazing city where you can't help but be inspired everywhere you look. I stumbled upon a shop which was like a little bit of junk shop heaven - Lucien Cravate.

If you ever get to go to Brussels I highly recommend a visit if you like retro/vintage objects, ceramics and accessories. Its only open Monday to Saturday 12pm to 6.30pm, I'll track down the address on my map and let you know.

There is also a fairly big flea market (address to follow) which had everything and anything - stag heads, stuffed emu's, clothes and a whole host of other objects of interest. I am now the proud owner of a lovely vase/jug made in West Germany, a small oil painting and a very eames era looking tin. I did fall in love with a mini piano and two stuffed deer heads (loved them and they kinda freaked me out too, I didn't dare ask the price as I was too sacred to take them on the Eurostar!). We went on Sunday and I think the prices were higher than had been reported from people who had been in the week. They do haggle especially when you screw your face up as much as I did...