Sunday 23 September 2012

Coming out of my shell.....



I am confident and shy in equal measure - circumstances determining which attribute comes to the fore.  So whilst it was very nice to be in the 'BBC Homes and Antiques' magazine I felt too shy to post about it - but can now as that was back in August!

The orange bowl I bought from a charity shop a few years ago - it was for Maille for Christmas (!) - she loves oranges and this bowl is made to look like orange peel on the outside - I filled it will Clementines one Christmas Eve and placed it by her bed on her chair so that she woke to a bowl of oranges (some may understand!).  The mugs were also from a charity shop - I only wanted two (one for each daughter) but at 30p each the ladies in the shop 'forced' me to buy them all and then gave the extra fish one for free (do I look as though I am in need I wonder). The old Heals light was £1 from a car boot and it worked! Our Breathless poster is getting a bit faded now - when I worked for the casting director of the National Theatre I went along to Peter Hall's rehearsals for his Jean Seberg play and I think that I bought this poster around that time.  I used to go to many rehearsals and knew the 'secret' back route from the main lobby to the Green Room without having to go round the back (through an unmarked door and down some winding corridors - I wonder if you can still do that). When I started my nurse training I took some new colleagues to the National and 'showed off' by taking them backstage to the Green Room via my secret passage (!). How to win friends and influence people....

I very much liked the title of the article - it sums all my stuff up nicely

Several things have changed round in our dining room now - always shuffling stuff around. The yellow/orange bag that I made from some 50s barkcloth I gave to a niece to carry her university books in.


Bronte has 'hippified' her bedroom since and purloined lots of my purchases made in India many years ago - she is miffed that I no longer have some of the clothes that I bought there a few decades ago but I have kept all the lovely old Indian embroideries. As far as I am concerned India is the best place in the world for shopping - my kind of shopping (oh and I quite like that old market in Bangkok where they used to sell lots of ex-colonial 'stuff' -  one of my sisters was there recently and tells me that there are still plenty of old bits.  Oh and that place in Malacca....and perhaps that nice shop we went to in Dunedin a few years ago....oh and I remember my jaw dropping when a friend took me to the one behind the Sacre Coeur - pricey but goodness me and finally remembered that super duper market on the outskirts of Belgrade...and finally,finally I remember the souk in Sana'a (our brother lived there for many years) - a market that I can only describe as being a biblical scene).  More about travels one day




So here are some 'behind the scenes' photographs taken on that day...a long day it was.  Yes I did tidy up!  Cheek!  The only room that had to have a reshuffle was our living room because televisions are not allowed in photographs apparently.  The photographs were taken in July 2011 - a long time ago and some rooms have changed a great deal since then



This is a our spare bedroom and where the ironing is supposed to take place...

This is Maille's bedroom - all systems go!

On the screen is the photograph that ended up in the magazine


I showed everyone round the house but opened and shut some doors very quickly as they were not great - one was the spare bedroom which they took photographs of....
I did not show anyone my larder cupboard (a cupboard that is supposed to contain food produce I believe but instead......) but our rubbish bin is kept in there so I opened it to get rid of some rubbish.  There was a bit of jaw clanging....I keep one or two bits of china in there.....Here is a photograph that the lovely Rachel Whiting (her photography is wonderful and is frequently in that magazine of which I no longer speak!!!) took of inside my cupboard.  There are one or two shelves....going up to the ceiling...






Not sure where to place this photo so will plonk it here! Nothing to do with the article. This purse was my sisters as a child and then it was mine (I am sure that you gave it to me Trude).  This purse was an endless wonderment for us - it moved, it did something, it was cutting edge, it was just great!   For the past few years Bronte has used it for her dinner money - I am a great believer in using old stuff - she was devastated when she thought she had lost it recently.  It turned up eventually.  

Here's winking at you kid

PS Just found some of your lovely comments in my SPAM!! I have never checked spam before so had no idea - so sorry again.  The mysteries of blogger just got a little deeper...


56 comments:

  1. Hello Jenny:
    We are utterly fascinated by the whole of this post. Fame indeed, and in so very many different areas of life if one reads carefully between the lines. And your collection 'Acquired over a lifetime' is, indeed, truly remarkable with many, many items we are immediately, to our shame, coveting!

    Now, where did you say you are....?!!

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    1. How kind your comments are - to be honest photography can be quite deceptive......you should see it now.....!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  2. Hi Jenny,
    I bought the 'Homes and Antiques and saw your fab feature on your lovely house...
    I don't always buy this mag, but what I loved about the edition was how your home was beautiful, unique and also a 'Home' with quirky pieces...soo thanks for showing us these behind the scenes pictures.Really interesting!
    I remember those sweet purses,I didn't own one unfortunately, but still recall those winking eyes!! hehe...
    Have a happy week, Jenny.
    love Maria x

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    1. Lovely to hear from you Maria - I was mesmerised by those winking eyes! I hope that you have a warm and dry weekend!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  3. Oh my goodness, I wish I'd bought that edition! I love that set of Staffordshire mugs in these photos, they are gorgeous - your home is truly crammed with vintage fabulousness. Thanks again for my giveaway prize, it is so lovely, and so are you! Rachel xx

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    1. Thank you as always for your kind comments Rachel and so glad that you liked your prize. I will try and get another one organised for Christmas I think!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  4. I have that edition and loved the pics of your home, lovely to have found you, Jxx

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    1. Many thanks Jo - glad that you are here too
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  5. Fascinating. You have the most wonderful home. I could never get bored looking at yr beautiful things and your gorgeous makes. Xx

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    1. How kind - if you pop over today you might find it in a bit of a mess.....
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  6. Wondeful photos - such eye candy!

    But it was the last one of the purse that is special to me - I had one of these too when I was little in the sixties! I love your blog, brings back so many memories.

    Thanks for sharing.

    Helenxx

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    1. Lovely to hear from you Helen - ah, nostalgia....it just gets to you doesn't it...memories
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  7. Oh my! How wonderful, I so wish you had told us, so I could have rushed out and bought it, now I will have to see if it turns up at my next visit to the Doctors/Dentist/Hairdressers, at which point I will nod at all present (quite smugly) and say "Oh yes, look, I know her, the custard woman, yes...well, sort of, I read her blog, mhm"

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    1. This made me chuckle indeed - I very much like being known at the custard woman and will adopt that name from now on I think!
      Have a lovely weekend
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  8. Hello Jenny, Lovely lovely photos - wish we could get that magazine over here in N.Z & I would most certainly buy it !!! Congrats on getting featured & the day of photography looked most "interesting" !! Really enjoy your blog & your posts & all that you do - you are very inspiring. Kind wishes from N.Z, Julie :-)

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    1. Aw thank you Julie and thank you for your kind words. You live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world I think and one day would love to visit it again (I could bring a copy of the magazine with me!)
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  9. What fun to be featured in a magazine! Hooray to you! :-)

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    1. Many thanks - it was a good fun day and I let the children have a day off school (I have never done that before)so they thought that it was great!
      Have a lovely weekend
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  10. Hello Jenny, I do wish I could get a copy of that magazine- your home looks wonderful! It is interesting to read about where things come from and what we love especially. It's interesting finding out how articles/programs are put together isn't it? Like you, I did some major tidying, but I had the horrid thought of that sarcastic voiced man commenting on my less than perfect areas.... Jane xx

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    1. Thank you kindly Jane - please let us know which magazine you were in so that we can search for it. We have many, many less than perfect corners and if you could see the house today.....
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  11. I really enjoyed that issue and I have kept it. I really liked your lovely old ice cream sign - I went back quite a few times to look at that little detail. You're a true collector, and I like the way you edit and rotate your collections so they can be seen and appreciated.

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    1. Oh yes indeed the ice cream sign is one of my most favourite things - bought from a shop just down the road so a bit of local history.
      Have a lovely weekend
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  12. Wonderful home - may I move in........?
    Do you know I have purse just like that!
    Julie xxxxxxxx

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    1. Welcome any time Julie - I usually shove all the rubbish under the beds so I can tidy up quite quickly!
      Have a lovely weekend
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  13. I love that wall papered in samples what a lovely idea, enjoyed browsing round your lovely home even if it was through the eyes of a lense, haha, Lucey x

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    1. Using free samples is a good and cheap way of covering anything! I use free fabric samples to make little purses
      Best wishes
      jenny

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  14. I have the copy of H&A with your beautiful home in ... very inspiring ... I love all your gorgeous vintage and retro bits and bobs ... thanks for sharing ... have a lovely day .. Bee xx

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    1. Some might say too many bits and bobs.....I do need to do a bit of clearing I think...I am sure that you understand....
      Have a lovely day
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  15. The comment I left yesterday may have ended up in your S. P. A. M! Daren't put the letters together, trying to fool blogger this time! Ada ;)

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    1. Bloomin' blogger is all I can say Ada!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  16. I read this magazine at the hairdresser's at the end of August, and thought it was lovely, but don't think realised at the time that it was your house. Straight after I went to Tesco and the August issues had been cleared off the shelves and September's were out! I'm going to have to have a look on ebay, I definitely don't want to miss this.

    PS: I think I've mentioned before that we had those mugs ... they came with an Easter egg in them, way back in the early 70's

    xxx

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    1. Many thanks Claire - and thank you for the information about the mugs I did not know that
      Have a lovely and dry weekend
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  17. I discovered and fell in love with you via this magazine article. Such lovely sights and beautiful bits and bobs. Thanks for sharing. Always a feast for the eyes!

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    1. Lovely to hear from you and many thanks
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  18. Hi Jenny,I have the magazine, I found it very interesting to see what you look like,as before that you seemed to be a woman of mystery!KEEP POSTING!!(Said in the Brucie voice at the end of Strictly!)Kind Regards Pam.



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    1. Hello Pam - we are Strictly fans in our house!
      I quite fancy being a woman of mystery...

      Your blog is looking lovelier every day
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  19. How exciting it all looks wonderful, and very interesting behind the scene shots, I love having a shuffle round and changing things, its nice to be different
    Thea x

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    1. Many thanks Thea
      As they say - a change is as good as a rest!
      Have a lovely weekend
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  20. Hi Jenny,I loved the article and that was how I found you as I buy this magazine every month :) I LOVE all of your treasures you 've collected over the years,as You know ;) Loved seeing the behind the scenes piccies too.Happy week,XxxxJulie

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    1. Aww - thank you Julie. I very much like your description of treasures - one man's junk.....as they say!
      Have a lovely weekend
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  21. My sister and I loved the magazine article Jenny and it's good to see the 'behind the scenes' shots :)
    Barbara
    x

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    1. Lovely to hear from you and many thanks Barbara
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  22. Hi Jenny, Your home looks just as wonderful as I had imagined. Very brave of you to let us all in. I'm even more envious now - not just because you have beautiful things but because your home is so tidy. I wish mine was. Philippa xx

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    1. Philippa, Philippa - it was tidy for one day only!!! I look at the house now in despair....too much stuff perhaps..
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  23. What a lovely post. I think your home is simply breathtaking! I always wonder what goes on when someone gets their home in one of those mags, now I know!

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    1. Thank you for your kind comments Anne - remember thought that photography is very selective and I could equally show less inviting photographs!
      Thank you again
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  24. Hello Jenny.... How exciting! I do wish I’d known about it, I often buy Homes & Antiques, but, and I don’t know why, I missed that edition. You have a fascinating home, which I know must portray your personality. I love it that everything has its own story.

    I have taken heed of your list... ‘Pearls of wisdom when using old embroideries’ in an earlier post, which contained very wise words. I have already transformed a prettily embroidered tray cloth (charity shop)... I intended to use it as a peg bag, but I don’t want to risk it getting wet if inadvertently left on the line, so it will hang in my dressing room and hold other ‘pretties’.

    I do so look forward to your posts, your fab pictures and your informative and amusing texts are inspirational. Like perusing a favourite magazine. Marion - Wales

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    1. How lovely to hear from you Marion and thank you for your kind words.
      I shall keep an eye on your blog and look out for photographs of your bag - it sounds lovely
      You are very sweet with your comments Marion and it is much appreciated
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  25. Wow so glad to have found you from Ada's blog! Your home is truly amazing! Look forward to checking out your blog with a cuppa...
    Sharon x

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    1. Lovely to hear from you Sharon and thank you most kindly for your sweet comments.
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  26. Hi Jenny,
    I've just posted a photo of my Blue Peter Keep Britain Tidy poster on my blog www.streetcomber.blogspot.com
    You asked to see it and my parents remembered where they had kept it and duly dug it out. They also have copies of four others, so maybe yours is among them? What was your design?
    Thanks so much for writing about this and keep up the good work!
    Fiona

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    1. I love your poster Fiona so thank you so much for seeking it out
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  27. What a great article, I'm bit upset I missed buying that months magazine. Your fabric shelves are awesome! your home looks lovely, how exciting to be featured.
    The purse is sweet, perfect for dinner money! Heather

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    1. Hello Heather and lovely to hear from you....I am rather fond of fabric...and china...and books...and....
      Have a lovely weekend
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  28. That is so exciting to have your house featured in a magazine!! You have some of the most wonderful collections, that is for sure. :-)

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  29. How exciting it must have been to have an article about your home in a magazine, I would have loved to have read it! I love the behind the scene pictures, you don't realise how much time is taken to take the pictures. Your home looks amazing. I thought I had joined as one of you followers but this doesn't seem to have been the case so I have now joined your followers. If I had seen this post I might have recognised the similar picture of the beach, what a shame I didn't know you live close to my daughter.
    Sarah x

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