Vintage Wedding Hankies...

When I finally got married it was 20 somethings years after we'd first met and 5 children later!

My dress came from e-bay, my shoes from Jimmy Choo's and we arrived at the small reception for family by helicopter.

It was unique to us and perfect for us.

On my wedding day my mum lent me a small hankies, it had printed blue forget me knots.

It was the something old, something borrowed & something blue.

It was very pretty, unexpected and it was one of the many little things that made my day extra special.

I don't have that handkerchief, I gave it back a couple of days later but I do have a lovely selection of beautiful vintage wedding hankies.

Some are so fine and delicate, some have lace, some are hand stitched, some are a little more loved but all are absolutely a small snippet of a by-gone era.

A time when ladies carried a dainty hankies in their handbags.

It's not a huge collection I bought them all in one bag and I'd like to think that the lady who'd they'd previously belonged to would be happy to know that her little hankies were going to be used and cherished by a modern bride or mother of the bride!

I will be listing them to the Etsy shop in time for the up coming wedding season

2017 A Year of Positivity...

I decided that this year, 2017 is going to be a good year!

Life felt like I couldn't step of the merry go round towards the end of 2016

After our annual trip to Brighton it was decided; I'm moving forward, onwards and upwards only!

A set back with the naming of my candles has been an opportunity to totally change the name & give them their own identity

There is already a succesful brand which sounded almost identical...

...But that is a post for another day

After lots of tea I've decided to keep Priddy Priddy Vintage running

Despite the neglect it goes through during winter I do keep an eye on things, the odd listing and making sure that any enquiries are answered

I'm looking forward to stocking the cupboards with beautiful things for you all

From this gorgeous little F&F Japan porcelain sea conch - just what a mermaid needs in her life!

To the timeless Sylvac Clam Shell vase

which when filled with gorgeous blooms transforms into something like this

More of the ever useful and yet still pretty Woods Ware Beryl range

To handy, practical and oh so pretty storage tins

And I still cant pass a little piece of Hornsea by, so many happy seaside holiday memories

I enjoy the collecting of these things but not as much as I enjoy sharing them with you.

So I make no promises to post more regularly here on the blog and I can't promise that I'll update the shop weekly

But I do promise to share some truly Priddy things with you

Travel Tin Candles...

Handy sized Travel Tin Candles are being added to my core range.

Perfect for guest rooms, bathrooms and those days when you don't want to burn your gorgeous Pure Copper Candles!

100g / 4oz candle made using the same quality ingredients that go into ALL my candles.

I like to leave all my candles in their Natural colour, each oil/scent gives a slight variation to the gorgeous ivory. 

The lids keep the candle dust and debris free, making them perfect for the rooms where they might not get burnt daily or if you have pets it helps keep their hairs out!

Available to buy from my Etsy shop

As I make these myself I can easily customise them to make super sweet wedding or party favours in your chosen scent.

More scents being added to the range but please drop me a line 

info@priddypriddy.co.uk

if I can help tailor something for you.

Luxury Soy Copper Candles...

Luxury Scented Soy Candles

in Pure Copper Pots

My timing may be a bit off, I may not have these into the Etsy shop in time for Mothers Day 2016...

but...

sometimes the really good things REALLY are worth waiting for!

Priddy Priddy Luxury Copper Candles use

...Soy Wax 

{as Soy Candles give a cleaner burn in comparison to the cheaper paraffin wax candles}

...the finest oils/fragrances to give a beautiful scent throw.

{all oils are IFRA certified}

...and for the Luxury Pure Copper range I've chosen wooden wicks, which give a long burn time and make a most relaxing gentle fireside crackle as they burn.

Each Priddy Priddy candle is hand poured in small batches by me, here in England. 

I burn a tester for each batch to ensure that quality is maintained.

In essence I invest a lot of time and care into every candle that leaves my little home.

There has been a lot of testing of scents to find a core range, lots of testing of wicks, testing burn times, 

testing...testing...testing!

By night...

By day...

all to get them just so.

Pure Copper containers, these really are Luxurious

I can't not post about the CLP labelling!  

{It's all a bit boring but all thoroughly necessary to sell these beautiful candles}

Oh the labelling is hard work.

Legislation came into effect last year that ALL candles now need proper CLP labels.

Well that's quite a bit of work, investment and stress for a small business like myself.

But I am happy to say that ALL Priddy Priddy candles will conform to CLP legislation.  

Something I'm really quite proud of.

Finally wholesale enquiries please email
info@priddypriddy.co.uk

etsy.com/shop/priddypriddy

Sweet Valentine...

Do you 'do' Valentines Day?

We don't, never have and really don't think we ever will.

I do however help out at a florist over the busy times of the year and it seems many, many people do!

The workshop has been a sea of gorgeous flowers

Traditional red roses, 

Naomi and Freedom being my favourites

...to the more modern, spring bouquets

Which if anyone was to think about buying me flowers this would be quite perfect!

So many sweet smelling flowers.

A short break before I'm back there to help out with the Mothers Day orders

Filing Cabinet Makeover...

Shortly before Christmas I pulled a pretty disgusting looking set of filing cabinet drawers out of a skip.  

It had been in a barn for the past 15 years, was covered in all-sorts and in fairness looking at it the skip might have been the best place for it.

Undeterred I gave it a quick bash to knock off the dead spiders and webs, emptied the drawers back into the skip, called my other half and waited.

He raised his eyebrows and he may have tutted at the state of it going into the car, but home it came.

I gave it a complete wash down with bleach and water and it was rough but it was salvageable. 

There were rust spots, the handles had rusted and it was a very dull grey.

It lived under a cover on the patio over Christmas, which didn't help with the general rough and readiness of it.

I spoke to the chaps who do the spray work for us, a sandblast should get rid of the rust spots, old paint and general grottiness.

Initially I was going to go for a turquoise 

ala Lazy Daisy Jones...

(photo credit to Lazy Daisy Jones blog)

Pretty damned gorgeous isn't it?

...but...

at the moment I've got a project on the go which involves copper and I'm hoping to use them as a photographic prop.

I resisted having a true copper re-spray and went instead with a burnt orange,

 which will sit nicely against my newly painted grey wall!

And so Voila

I love it!  A true one off!

Perhaps one day it will make it to my workshop/craft space....

more likely not though as I'm still waiting 5+ years down the line for that to be a reality!

J D Meakin Filigree...

I'm a child of the 70's and I have to say I love a spot of 60's / 70's retro china.

I love utility ware and we use it daily here at Priddy Priddy HQ.

For me the china from the 70's era is a mix of utility ware and pretty fine china.

Pretty yet hard working and functional.

I'm drawn to the blue hues...

the kitchen in my childhood home had lots of blue bits...flowery pots and pans, the chopping board etc.

That said I'm not averse to a pretty pink flower...

I spied this little set and it just seemed so familiar I can't help but think that my parents had the blue version...or at least very similar...

I've listed the pots as casserole dishes but if I remember we used to serve the veggies in them on high days and holidays...

Not that my family were ever coffee lovers, like most Brits of the 70's we drank lots of Tea!! 

That said it's quite a decent sized coffee cup...

I've no idea what happened to my parents set, some of it I think is still in use, the milk jug, but I can imagine that over time as pieces were broken it was eventually 'dumped'.

Thankfully though there are still bits to be found...

These two make me want toasted soldiers and eggs every time I spot them!

J D Meakin

Filigree

circa. 1960's

Available at PriddyPriddy etsy

January just snuck up on Priddy Priddy...

I know its not Spring yet but I planted this old up-cycled basket with bulbs at Christmas and look what I have!

It's a cheery wink by the front door.

I should hang my head embarrassed at the lack of blogging but I've been just so busy here in the real world.

On the 23rd December 2015 I became a Grandma for the first time, my eldest daughter gave birth to the most beautiful little girl.  

My head still spins and I literally could pop with pride at what a wonderful mama she is.

I've spent time at the Florists workshop lending a hand over the busy Christmas season...

Lots of beautiful wreaths, I spent weeks smelling of a green woodland rolled in orange and cinnamon!

Loving every minute of the workshop, its a draughty old barn but the smell of the eucalyptus more than makes up for that.

Add to that mix birthdays, Christmas, candles, New Years, back to school/college, snow, decorating...

...well you know how it goes...

but here I am back at the keyboard.  

I've been managing to keep a few bits up on the Etsy shop

the new paint of the wall shows off the Vintage Mirrors so nicely...

and I just need a few days of good lighting to get a few more of them listed.

My most favourite listing recently is this beautiful, HUGE Blue Bird tin...

Super September...

Away with August...it was an uninspiring month, wet, cold just downright miserable for the most.

Poor kiddos.  First days back to school and we're having a Super September {so far}...weather has been gorgeous!

Summer Holidays are a blur of small and big kiddos passing through...

I have to confess I am enjoying coming home from the school run to a quieter house.  

{no super yummy mummy awards for me then}

Priddy Priddy has been ticking along nicely, like a swan gliding on top whilst paddling like a loon behind the scenes

And speaking of swans, they keep appearing to me, real ones at the park to beautiful figurines

so much so that I'm making a real effort NOT to bring them home with me! 

Alright I'm not really trying that hard and they do keep coming home.  There are some lovely Art Glass ones that I need to photograph too.

What would summer in Good old Blighty be without at least a trip to the seaside?

On one of her many trips to the seaside and New Forest {in years gone by} my mum was bought by my grand-dad a sweet little donkey, it's still on her mantle to this day!

These little sweeties made their way to me recently, they could be from the same family as my mums, so so similar.

Aren't they adorable?!

How can you resist those big eyes and super ears?

Another thing that I used to see at the Seaside and we'd bring home for grandparents were the Hornsea Flora and Fauna range.

It was the era of Disney's Bambi and I think its fair to say it influenced us.

I have in the loft a gorgeous vase, bought again for my mum from another seaside trip.  I can't ever imagine letting it go.  It's minimal financial value but the emotional tug it gives me?  Well you couldn't put a price on that.

Something is telling me that it is time for it to come down, that my kiddos are now of the age were a rogue football is less likely to wipe it out

As if to prove a point these little treasures have found me this year...I've enjoyed having them out.  But Im not a collector

Larger Sylvac vase, that cute little squirrel sat on the oak tree

See what I mean about Bambi?  You remember Thumper right?  That lovely saying his mama tought him? 

'If you can't say something nice, say nothing at all'

I tell my kiddos that to this day!

Can't just be me that thinks you'd have to have a heart of ice not to find these two below almost too sweet!

Bambi & Thumper

All of the above are on Etsy.

A flying post from me, I've vintage linens to get on the line to sun out in preparation for an upcoming Vintage Fair.

News on that later this week