Friday 20 July 2012

Seaside souvenirs - more cheery post I hope

I am sure that you too are fond of items that have a souvenir theme - you may be a little surprised to learn that I have one or two such things (cough, cough) and a few souvenir tablecloths (oh dear this wretched cough when will I be rid of it!). I now try and hang (cling desperately) on to only souvenir items that are local/local'ish to ourselves....fortunately/unfortunately that means quite a bit then..

I bought a few tablecloths for 20p each the other day (from a favourite shop).  Some were a bit faded and I will save the 60s daisy ones for a different post (Bronte was quite taken with those but they were 40p each so I should hope so!).  All of this led me to sort out a little pile (cough, cough) of other souvenir tablecloths and tea towels....

I might have rootled round for souvenir china....

This particular tablecloth I thought was sweet because them names of the towns are set out on a bunting design around the edges thus:

There is stain over Brighton...oh dear.....


Old seaside bunting from a while ago....this time Brighton is stain free - hurrah!


This is Blackpool - not local to myself but a lovely tablecloth so has to be kept




This is a jolly tea towel - I use my tea towels until they are threadbare and then I use them for cleaning purposes (oh but not my really, really nice London ones - they are in frames!).  My dear friend Bryony lives in Cuckfield (see below).




All of these have been bought in local shops and I like them all and the different styles.  I cannot quite remember now but I turned an old tea towel into a series of purses and I think that this is somewhere in the East of England (perhaps someone can let me know please).







Brighton crops up on quite a few of my tablecloths - this one has an unstained character


 Not too much traffico on the sea front

This tea towel of Cornwall I bought years ago and was going to sell it when I saw that Cath Kidston had the same one being sold for £29! Yikes - I have saved it for my retirement plan (let's face it I think that tea towels are probably a safer investment than stocks and shares!).

That's me at Lamorna....



 I like the graphics on this one



This one still has its label on so I cannot bring myself to use it...



I think that this bunting did indeed go to live in Cornwall




I will finish with an old Cornish tea towel - falling apart but nice images.  Just realised that I have forgotten the tablecloths that are local to where we live - I will save those for another day!


I do have one or two more (excuse me while I swig the Veno's...) tablecloths and I think that I will 'stagger' them over the months.  Dom insists that one tablecloth is enough but I say that I am building up a collection for the new 'Tablecloths through the decades - a retrospective perspective' book that I am writing...
PS: Fully realise the folly of my ways and of course everything is up for grabs on the internet - it is no different to thinking that if you cross the road you should expect to be knocked down, that if you walk round at night you should expect to get mugged, that......  Silly of me not to realise this sooner - do apologise.  I am joining the 'grab it while I can - what's yours is mine' world.....A final hurrah is that I notice Pinsect have done something strange to my account (only to request that my photographs are not used by the way!).  What a charming and delightful company they are.

37 comments:

  1. Absolutely wonderful! Beautiful images and I agree with Loo, more please! :-) x

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  2. I collect souvenir tea towels too - and have also made some into bunting. There is something so delicious (and addictive) about all those pretty scenes. I am pretty indiscriminate though, about which tea towels to buy...anything from the UK makes the grade with me....though I reckon your collection is magnificent and puts mine to shame..but give me time. :)

    Love your old seaside bunting...really cracking.

    Regarding Pint-a-poo.....It puzzles me that people have become so addicted to it and refuse to see how invasive and destructive it can be - in so many ways. There's a real 'sheep mentality to it all as well.

    I totally understand your issue with it.

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    1. Thank you Wendz - anything with nice colours and good graphics will suffice don't you think. That makes tea towels a pretty good bet. As I have closed Flickr I will assemble some of my tea towels here I think one day.
      Thank you about seaside bunting - that gets hung outside our front door every summer (seasonal change of bunting!).

      Thanks for your support Wendz

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  3. Fab cloths... especially love the cornwall one as you say the graphics are really great!!

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  4. Love these, I picked up a Malta tablecloth at a car boot on Sunday, 20p, bargain! What attracted me too it was the flowers that it was edged with so it may end up being cut up for patchwork, we will see....thanks for sharing, Ada :)

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    1. I understand your sheet addiction Ada - we use them until threadbare in the middle (haven't quite done the old trick of sewing outer edge into the middle....yet!

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  5. Hi, I'm the latest follower of your utterly delicious blog, don't know why it's taken so long to find you!! Your tea towels are lovely and I wouldn't have thought of making bunting out of them but what a great idea. Looking forward to future posts and when I have a mo I'll be making a large brew and having a good old nosey through your earlier posts, Lucey xx

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    1. Welcome aboard lemonade kitty and thank you indeedee for your kind words. One tea towel is enough for one 'set' of bunting - you have to be careful with how it is cut out so as not to 'spoil' the good pictures! Do post a picture if possible.

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  6. What lovely, cheery cloths, and great bunting from them, too... I picked up two scarves with similar maps (Australia and Tenerife) from a Vide Grenier a few weeks ago - I should really take some photos! Can't wait to see more tablecloths through the ages too... And stick to your high (old fashioned?) morals - never mind how others have been behaving!

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    1. Ah now you're talking Floss - I do like a nice scarf. I have used old silk ones to make purses in the past, I will try and dig out a photo.

      Old fashioned and proud I am! Hurrah!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  7. aaah beautiful! I love a good tea towel...next time I see a tea towel swap I will be signing up
    xx

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    1. Tea towels rule! Oh dear - getting out of hand now!

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  8. Lovely! The Kent and Sussex one has some of my favourite places on it, well I would imagine they are on the bit on the edge just out of the photo. I wish you had a Southend on Sea one! You may well have, I am going to start the hunt for one!

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  9. Oh my goodness! What wonderful items you have. I sooo green with envy. Do love Brighton and all things beachy. x

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    1. Many thanks indeed - there is something about the Pavilion that is soooo wonderful. Thank you for dropping in

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  10. Super post,now I want to start a collection of souvenir tea towels :)youve got some beauties.xxx

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  11. p.s.Looking forward to you coming round to play shops,I dont think I've seen your vintage scales yet,I bet theyre wonderful :O) xxx

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  12. I especially love your wonderful old map linens. (I am a map/geography nut.)

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  13. Hi Jenny, lovely images, as ever ... particularly like the bunting you've made. Blackpool has a special place in my heart, my aunty lived there so we spent our summers there every year. Hope you have a lovely weekend,

    Claire xxx

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    1. That's lovely Claire - a good old seasidy town

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  14. Oh I am so envious of your tea towel collection. I used to have a collection but them I met my husband who does not have a collection bone in his body so the tea towels went (all apart from a few choice ones). We always used to buy my Nanny a tea towel when we went away on holiday. We found them all, unused, in the bottom drawer of her chest of drawers when she passed away. I don't know what happened to them then. They may well now be in your collection!
    Have a lovely weekend. Philippa xx

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    1. Oh - that is the saddest thing. Tea towels were/are so often stored away that is why I like to use them....a bit like tablecloths.....If I have them I will send them back!

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  15. Wall Park isn't East of England- I think it is the Butlins/Pontins camp at Brixham, Devon [http://www.butlinsmemories.com/pontins/camps/index.htm]
    I'm on the lookout for an old Norfolk tea towel. Maybe when I am there on holiday in August I'll find one in a charity shop.
    blessings x

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    1. Many thanks for that Angela - top tips. MMmmmm - I will have a lookout for Norfolk - I know that I have had them in the past and made some lovely (I thought) Norfolk Boards bunting. I hope you find one

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  16. Like Philippa we always brought home a teatowel when we went away on holiday as children but they all got used drying dishes!

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  17. Oh I love these type of tablecloths and tea-towels Jenny, I have a few and like you, will now only buy ones that are relevant to places I've been. Being in landlocked Worcestershire, they are almost impossible to find here though.
    I would still love some of your bunting(if ever you decide to make any more!) I hanker after some almost daily for my summerhouse.(I pestered you through Flickr once before)
    It's sad that your Flickr account will be no more, its very inspiring but if people insist on being annoying and pinching them, then so be it...please dont disappear completely though! x

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    1. Thank you Sairer - I did reply all that time ago - lost in the ether prehaps. I have sent you a message.
      Many thanks for your kindness
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  18. Lovely, lovely collection. I really like the artist that designs the cornwall one, I have some others that look similar from other locations. Would love to know who designed these.

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    1. Many thanks - yes indeed, these designers are the unsung heroes/heroines of teh designer world yet they must have been sold in their thousands!

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