So it's 1976............

Just a short post as there is much to be done at the moment.  I hope that all is well with you all and you are enjoying a break now and again, here and there, hither and thither

Don't be daft it's 2013!  This is Bronte when we went camping in the New Forest  the other weekend.  As we are family of scrimpers Bronte is wearing a jacket that I bought circa 1985 - I was a student and popped out during  my studies to the local  Oxfam  in Pimlico - I returned with this wonderful soft suede jacket from the 1950s (could only have been about 2-3 pounds). I have mended the lining a few times but still going strong (I think that it has 'featured' on this blog before). Two teenage daughters who are low maintenance is  very nice indeed!

We camped in a  beautiful summer meadow

 We always camp by the lake - with lots of fish and kingfishers

It was the weekend of the summer solstice and the full moon - cold and wet....... just great for camping purposes.........!

 I was in a great mood all weekend - all that wet and cold....great.....perfecto....

 A dilapidated fisherman's lodge by the lake

Bronte bought suitable bedding and bags for 70s style camping

 Not the best of lighting in the tent!

 Bronte bought one of our red suitcases ('What does she mean ONE?") and a floppy hat

As we know - if you wait long enough it all comes back into fashion

I am a woman of a 'certain age' and it is lovely now when I go out to the 'shops' with the children as they are moving towards adulthood (still a while to go - Maille to be 14 on Saturday and Bronte is 15).  I think that Bronte could be a hand model (I have high aspirations for my children....) as she has the most perfect of hands....mine went west once I declined to wear gloves for gardening purposes and washing up....

PS: There is still time to buy tickets for my one woman show at the Edinburgh Fringe - entitled: 'How to loose weight whilst crafting' it provides a witty insight into the world of weight loss whilst sewing on a very old sewing machine.  I will be reciting extracts and answering a myriad of questions from the audience.

PPS: Usual: 'It's Vintahj Dahling' dress code applies - sorry

PPPS: Post show drinks and personal audience are optional extra but there is a cost involved - I will NOT be accepting 'Vintage gifts' in exchange this year.  Sorry again

Museum closure

This space is currently undergoing refurbishment - we apologise for any disruption to services

The exhibits are temporarily on loan whilst the museum  area is being redecorated to reflect modurhn tastes....

Humidity control is being installed

 The museum curator is believed to have bought these two old windbreaks from a car boot for 50p each....now carefully exhibited in the bright sun all day long....!

This exhibit below used to be used by the owners as a nature table for children

Owners tries to maintain a modicum of nature in this area - mainly dead flies.

In keeping with  'authenticity' - bird seed is kept in the bird seeds tins and string is kept in the string tin....of course.  I recently donated my 'spare' string tin - just like this one but a bit faded - to local charity shop - I note that it is priced at £5 (!!!).....just in case you wish to pop along.

The 'Tin Section' is being prepared for its first viewing - scheduled opening Spring 2014

 Free ice creams for the first hundred visitors, fifty visitors, twenty visitors, ten visitors, two visitors,  visitor

PS: Queuing the night before optional

PPS: Bedding will NOT - I repeat -  will NOT be supplied (no matter how much you plead to use that nice crochet blanket you saw on my blog and tell me how lovely I am....even though I lap those compliments up!).  Ditto hot drinks and beverages in general - please bring your own and I will be enforcing the tight: 'It's a vintage Thermos' rule here. The strict 'It's Vintaajh Darhling' definition is in use this season so no trying to sneak in a 1999 Asda/Walmart/Coles/Pak'nSave (aim to please)  special please - there will be the usual vetting of the vacuum flasks at the door.  Refusal to serve often offends.....

PPPS: Toilet facilities available on request.  Deposit required!!!!!!!!!!! (Ho ho!)

PPPPS: Toilet paper  will NOT be supplied: no matter how desperado. Particular emphasis on this as last year a veritable forest was hewn to maintain the toilette habits of some punters (what is going on bloggers - or should I say loggers....?!).   Toilet plunger is available for a small deposit (extra comedic effect!).

PPPPPS: Hand washing facilities are available but please provide your own towel.  I remember the vintage ones from last year being snaffled by YOU KNOW WHO.  Funny how a very similar looking towel popped up on Ebay the following week...(she it not aware that full tracking system is in place on ALL 'Vintaajh Darhling' items....)

PPPPPPS: Please do not try and undertake a full body wash in the hand basin.  IT CANNOT COPE WITH YOUR BODY MASS.  The amount of filler that Dom had to use repairing last year's debacle is testament to THAT particular showdown.

PPPPPPPS: Please remove all hair from the plug.  Come on people - I am NOT running a B&B here!

PPPPPPPPS:It's a dog eat dog world out there!

PPPPPPPPPS:  I notice that Crusty has 'shared' my idea that I gave out gratis on my blog only a few weeks ago (on my garden tutorial post) - mmmmm....those programme makers were VERY quick off the mark.....I am not in the slightest bit bitter...I do not have a bitter bone in my body...AHEM!

PPPPPPPPPPS:  Lovely to have all new babies in the world - makes me all teary....

Vintage 70s colour and pattern....again

Welcome to new followers and fellow bloggers.  

Thank you for crochet kindness on last post 

I hope that you are all well and busy tra la  la'ing whenever and wherever you can.  Life busy here too and sadly lost umph for sewing at the moment - will try and regain umph asap as lots of things in my head to come out. I keep getting 'stuff' out ready to sew and then, after looking at it for a while, putting it all back again.  

I might be thinking: 'What's the point?' 

Best to start a post with a positive - it really draws the reader in I find....

Perhaps not all  strictly 70s but you get the gist I think

By the way I always bake whilst using the bowl upside down....

and I ALWAYS rig up a tableau prior to mixing a Vicky sponge....it is the usual way of things.  

I assume that it is the same the world over.

I have a few of these old Staffordshire pots - they mainly live in the children's bedrooms for 'bits and bobs'.  I had to do a bit of rummaging for these photos!

 It is best to have a range of mixing bowls ... and rolling pins and aprons (not featured....another time!).... you never know when the  change of mood will strike.

My sister Gail (trying to make up for  the sold NODDY CLOCK no doubt....'For crying out loud LET IT GO!') gave me these tea towels (in dire need I seem to recall...)

I keep chalk for the chalk board in this box...obvious place for it really.

A little change of colour palate here....some taken a while ago (hence the daffodils!)

I take lots of photographs of mealtimes....lots....

and of cups of tea

and juice....

We like to set the table a la 70s style (not really!)

I bought this Arabia Finland dish on the left in a charity shop (not such a great deal if I tell you that a friend of mine  bought a set of these, all with lids and all different from a CS for pennies) - ditto the bowl on the right (£2.75 - still has its label on the bottom). Tablecloth was 50p from CB a few years ago.

The pot on the left is really a jam pot (jam pot lid not featured!)

Do not put 70s glasses in the dishwasher - these ones here used to have yellow dots on them ...Sister Gail (STILL trying to make up for the NODDY CLOCK) found a whole new set for me - tra la la.

More table 'displays' to come as we progress through the year

Best wishes

La Cootard

PS: A final hurrah -

This is a recent shop display from 'The Shop that opens slightly more than it used to open' (where I bought that very nice curtain fabric and was given a free pot)

I didn't catch the shop open and after a week the display had changed to something else

It now has a very nice 60s settee and coffee table in situ....

Anyway jolly colours - I bought a turquoise version of the yellow dish below just two weeks ago from a CS for £1....and dropped it whilst unlocking the front door...

I have a few Melaware cups and plates - I bought them when the children were little - it is unbreakable so good to use for everyday not just camping and picnics

 The other window had a floral display and a delicious quilt that I forgot to photograph

 Possibly why I like the shop so much - it manifests conflicting and clashing tastes not dissimilar to my own.......  COUGH COUGH

Tra la la

Vintage crochet - part one

I am rather partial to a nice bit of crochet..........

 Alas I lost my crochet skills (to a star ship trooper!!?!)  many years ago so now utilise the skills of others.  Sadly there are many cheap vintage crochet blankets around - you would be hard pushed to buy the wool for even quadruple the amount....(I do not really know the current price of wool....I have never bought new wool....I have only ever bought old wool.....)

Blankets are not normally draped in this decorative manner!!! These two shown here are used pretty much every day - even in the summer - to take the chill off cold legs in the evening. This one here is folded in half - it is a double quilt size.  What a bargain they have proven to be

I also do not normally have tables all over the shop either - the little one above was bought from a local shop and now resides at end of the other sofa for 'tea cup putting down' purposes.

A car boot bowl that has rather a splendid pattern

Anyway, as you know, a bit of crochet adds a bit of colour - I do like a bit of colour....

.... and pattern....!!!

In fact there is only one colour that I am not so fond of but I will not say it here in case it is someones favourite colour - I am not here to cause offence.

This is a lamp from the other end of the room - bought from the 'Shop that never opens - but was opened unexpectedly one day' shop: I love it and it has an integral magazine rack on one side.  It casts a great shadow at night (better than the telly....shadow watching).

 This has nothing to do with crochet...or colour...or pattern...well a bit to do with pattern..

I wish that my eyes could do this colour trick!

A few other crochet blankets
Best to have a few I find....

Colour and pattern....

Pattern and colour!

Returning to my favourite one of all (for this week at least)

Shall I tell the tale of it again?  As told on Flickr first time around - a few years ago now!

I was visiting students on a work placement and a Salvation Army shop happened to be very near by...bin liners full of 'stuff'' had been delivered and I could see a tiny corner of crochet peeping out the top of one bag.  I nonchalantly enquired if I might look at the remainder of the crochet but was told:

'NO - those bags have not been emptied yet'.

 'When might they be emptied?' I asked......throat getting a little tight.

'Next Thursday'    A whole week away.....

The following Thursday I trotted along - and found that the bags....

....WERE IN EXACTLY THE SAME POSITION - CROCHET STILL PEEPING OUT OF THE TOP AND ALL BAGS UNCHANGED.

Throat was a little tighter than the previous week but I summoned up courage to ask again (a bit like the Billy Goat Gruff at this point). I received the same answer...

A different tack was clearly called for:

'Could I please ask... if I may.....could I.....kindly...so sorry to be a bother...... look at the remainder of the crochet and ask what the price of it might be when it does eventually go on sale please.  Thank you so much and sorry again to be a bother...' 

I may have inclined my head and bowed slightly in order to ingratiate myself a little more at this point...and possibly walked very slightly backwards whilst head bowing...

 I hoped that I did not sound too desparado...bear in mind that I did not know if it was a blanket, hankie or shawl at this point in the proceedings!

The man was not happy that I had asked this question one bit.  However he did show me the crochet and said that it would cost (and I have double checked my original Flickr post about this to ensure all records are correct)....the unearthly price of.....I did check....

£2.50

At this point did I :

A) Sneer and remonstrate about the price

B) Cackle that he was 'having a giraffe' and should be ashamed of himself

C) Give more than the asking price and try and persuade him that he should be asking more for things.

It is a super, duper blanket with the original label stitched in where it has been entered for a handicraft competition many years ago (any thoughts about the age?).  

More vintage crochet another time

Thank you for calling in and do have a lovely day

PS: Wasn't the weekend super - felt positively ill watching Mr Murray - what a great achievement for him.  

PPS: I have prepared some posts on 70s things in order to keep up with modurhn tastes.....