Beaconsfield Fair May...

Well hello!

The first time that we have had a dry day for the Beaconsfield Village Market...I even spotted a few rays of sunshine.

This lovely little mirror found a new home today

So, so pretty!

And a few snaps of the day...

These lovely little trios were 'Stars and Stripes', gorgeous fine bone china and they were bought as a wedding gift and will be heading to the United States for a July wedding!  Perfect.

This trio of trios and cake/sandwich plate have a very sweet and dainty  English Rose pattern...

Super shaped wicker basket, possibly French?

And you really cannot have a Vintage Fair without a selection of old jelly moulds...

Still LOTS to pack up for next week though...and Im wondering if I can find time to give the shelves a fresh Spring paintover?

A Peek at Progress...

The 'easier' cabinet is finished!! 

Yay!

The light has been so poor though that I haven't taken a photo without all the masking tape but I did want to give you a sneaky peek.

I've injected a splash of pastel colour and it works so very well...

I've left it un-waxed so it can be painted over if someone isn't keen on it {although I don't see how you can't like it!}

It looks very pretty, the glass has cleaned up beautifully and the two internal shelves are in perfect condition.

I'll be taking Priddy Priddy to the Beaconsfield Vintage, Retro and Craft Fair tomorrow and will try to get a couple of photos on Sunday {fingers crossed for a spot of sun!}...

and will be taking this with me next weekend to the BIG MK Handmade and Vintage Extravaganza!

Busy painting...

So...not what I promised or hoped but a snap just to prove that I am doing 'something'!

As is the case with many of these older pieces the years of wear and old wood stain have not just washed off and a primer coat is needed on both pieces.  

I wonder if when people look at the stuff I take to the fair they realise the time, effort and care that go into the finished item.  Sometimes, I get quite cross when Im being bartered down as I feel I offer pretty damned good value to start with.  I rarely factor in accurately the man hours I put into each piece.

Still I waffle and that's my problem not yours!

So...

here they are

 The one on the table was the obvious choice, it has minor damage {a few bits of veneer have come away} and is hopefully a fairly straight forward paintover {ah but what colour shall I do this?}

The one on the floor is the one that is causing me a few problems, {which is why the back is missing - long story!} and will I think take a bit longer to sort...lets put it this way paint colour choice is the least of my worries.  

Eyes bigger than my belly mentality going on here!

Hoping tomorrow to crack on with the easy one, I SO want one of these for me...but all that glass and a house full of football mad kiddos?...

Oh I do make myself chuckle!!

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Almost time for a little Ta-Dah...

But

The Frilly Frou Frou knicker lampshade is taking longer than I thought to finish.  

Granted a horrible bout of tonsillitis has knocked me off my feet this past week but...

The Charleston trim came, went on and is slightly whiter than I had thought it would be, not major just not what I had hoped or expected!  

When I finally stopped sulking about that long enough to actually pin it onto the shade it turns out that the colour isn't as bad as I had first thought...but once it was pinned it was clear that something else was needed and I think after a little potter about today I may have solved that dilemma!!

But when I will find time to attach the trim and finish Im not sure.  

For I have 2, yes you heard me right, 2 lovely little china display cabinets...already taken back to the bare bones, washed and primed they are looking quite yummy already.

Like buses I waited aaages for 1, then in 2 days I find 2!?  

I still hold that what's meant to be will be so I knew I just had to keep my eyes and mind open...then 1 would find me.

1 of them was an obvious choice, but the other was looking a lot more shabby than chic and took a leap of imagination as to what a good wash could do.

However I waffle...

So not to tease or bore the pants of you I will stop this waffle, apologise for the lack of before photos on the cabinets {I get so excited I start stripping down and washing as soon as they get out the car} and apologise for the no Ta-Dah today...

but...

Cross my heart that I will get myself along for yet even more Broderie Anglaise for the shade and finish it!

However

*I can not be held responsible if we have sunshine this week and I am forced to take said cabinets outside and paint them*

***

PS 

just wanted to add that the dressing table was sold this week to a lovely lady who does the MOST amazing cakes!  

Lillibet Bakes on facebook for any cake lovers out there...

Crafting Goodness...

I refuse to accept that I am the only person who struggles to find the perfect finish!  

I uhm and ahh over the small stuff.  Finding the right, the 'perfect' trim for the frilly fru fru knickers lampshade is taking time...

However I may just have found the right one, a lovely 6" Charleston trim!

...alas for me though it abides in a shop where I get my crochet yarn from.

This can only be a sign from the crafty goddesses that I should make an additional purchase - right?

So I find myself with a lovely bundle of yarn 

{acrylic - functional not fancy}

as well as a couple of metres of trim.

I shouldn't have, but I did!

Whoopsy

So what will I do with this bag of wool?  

Well a couple of the balls are due to make a dent on my 'Fortnum and Mason' blanket...the rest however...

  

I think I will start a new ripple blanket for one of the older kiddos, probably one for my eldest.  

They all keep nagging me for their very own one, my eldest son has declared the 'super duper' blanket I made last year to be his on the cold nights, truth is we all fight over it!

This is the blanket folded in half!

It's approx 7' wide by 6' long

I used the Attic 24 ripple pattern and found myself doing a line or two a day, every day for quite a while.  

Each colour row used a ball of yarn.

Im not a great crocheter, I mean I love it, I love crocheting, but in all honesty I've never really tried to follow a more complicated pattern.

So next week should see a little tah-dah post on the frilly fru fru lampshade.

Fingers Crossed!

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