A good time in Thame

Yesterday was the inaugural "Day-trip Tuesday" - a new fortnightly, or thereabouts, event dreamt up to keep two vintage and textile loving mums and their babies entertained while baby yoga classes are taking a summer break. Of course, it's also part of a selfless plan to support the local economies of Oxfordshire charity shops (we're all about giving something back!).

Our first destination was Thame, and if every trip is as "successful" as this one, I may well need to clear out a couple of cupboards!

First spot was this adorable pinafore skirt - Freya waved goodbye this morning looking like the most perfect little Heidi ever. She won't look like that when I pick her up, but at least I tried! I'm definitely going to use this skirt as pattern for other versions - it would look fab in a light courdory for autumn/winter.

The next find was this summer dressing gown - much more glam than the drab grey maternity one I've been using. [Note to self:  avoid self portraits in a dressing gown at all costs! Mostly you will look like a total poser or a terrifyingly hideous 'Readers Wife'. This not so great shot, was the last of 36 and that look in my eyes is one of desperation!]

A spot of vintage chintz to add to the fabric stash - a work-related find to make this trip feel less indulgent!

Lastly, a set of 4 dinner plates and 1 side plate at the bargain price 50p each - I've been looking for plates I like for ages as we were down to 2 pitiful cracked white ones from Matalan. These brown lovelies fit in pefectly with our 70s kitchen accessories theme - and even tie in nicely with my prized Orla Kiely butter dish, so everything's golden in the kitchen department!

My fellow shopping friend snapped up an amazing wall clock with a fab 60s/70s face on a leather "wrist-strap". Sounds horrendous, but truly it is a thing of vintage wonderment! 

So, altogether a pretty good morning's work! Our next trip is planned for Witney.. stay tuned for more vintage delights (I hope!)

Some days just work out nicely...

 First, a completed order, all lined up and ready to hand deliver to Shop at The Old Fire Station:

 ... a quick stop off at the sweetie shop for a burst of colour therapy and a weekend treat for my 3 favourite under 5s (all for the grand total of £1.09).

 ... then some unexpected charity shop treasure. Well okay, maybe pink jelly shoes don't count as treasure, but the five fab vintage curtains definitely do!

  ... and finally, look what the postman bought me. Mobile phone begone! I'm keeping time with a little help from the 70s now.

Truck 2012: done and dusted!

Hurrah, the sun finally remembered what it’s supposed to be doing – just in the nick of time. Last week was spent manically stitching while keeping fingers, toes and ears crossed that the rain would stop for Truck Festival... and it worked!

Highlights included: the amazing range of vocal sounds illicited by handmade vintage fabric knickers; witnessing the brilliant sales skills of a 2 yr old daughter (“do you like my mummy’s shop, there are lots of colours...”); meeting our stall neighbour Geoff the Vintage man; and holding a serious sales conversation while wearing a zebra mask on Wild Animal dress up day.

Camping is definitely good for the soul – nothing tastes better than a cuppa in a field or food with grass in it. And as ultimate testament to the restorative powers of fresh air and no showers, Mr Loulabelle has just installed a new outdoor light without either swearing or throwing about of tools!

Made by Zoo-labelle

Bestsellers

Trucking on for Truck Festival

Slowly, slowly, ever so slowly the stock pile for Truck Festival grows. Currently it is accumulating next to our wine rack - this seems fitting somehow.

A weekend of wonder

I was just flicking through my phone picture gallery and realised what a busy - slightly surreal, possibly kitsch - weekend we had! Saturday was Oxford's Alice Day, celebrating the 150th anniversary of first telling of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.  We haven't introduced Freya to Lewis Caroll yet, so we feared she'd be wierded out by Alice related madness. But no, she loved the 10 minute Alice Musical (what's not to like about dancing prawns), went cuckcoo for crafting a Mad Hatters hat, and completely enthralled by story telling from the Storytelling Laureate (it's all about the eyelashes!).

 Sunday was strawberry picking day, vamped up with a little mouse face paint and jazzy green nails.

Then today we watched the Olympic Torch go past - try explaining what that's all about to a toddler! However, I have learnt that in toddler land, no reason is needed for a spot of flag-waving and flame-watching:  it's totally reasonable - in fact, expected - to be standing at the side of a road making whooping sounds at random strangers.

I guess every day is pretty much full of wierd and wonderful stuff when you're 2 and a half and like putting a bandage on every finger.

As for Esther.... well, she just came along for the ride...

When pant patterns go baaad...

Sometimes, my friends, things do not go according to plan and the cute baby knickers you had foolishly cut 4 pairs of without testing the pattern first make your poor innocent child look like they are trapped in a leopard-print potato sack.

Bad pants

So, off we go, back to the drawing board;  ditch McCalls (I'm not letting them near my baby for a while!) and draft a pattern from an old pair of pants you have already. The result? One happy baby!

Good pants

Oh dear...

Is it wrong that I hung out my washing in rainbow order... and then decided to make my baby the "pot of gold" at the end? This is how I entertain myself these days!!!