Random things, random finds ...

Book

So lately, well a month or so ago I went to Ravenscar on the North Yorkshire Coast in itself its a place with history. As a planned town to maximise increasing coastal visits, plots for land were sold yet with the planners bankruptcy, the dream of a seaside town never came true. Now only the remains of the former station and the towns show houses remain. In one of these former show homes could be found a help-your-self-via-a50p-donation to second hand books could be found, within which I came across this Fontana edition of Boris Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago an edition coinciding with the release of the 1965 film staring Omar Sharif and Julie Christie.

The copy is more then a little war torn, page after page is falling out in clumps and it has a lingering smell of paint for what you cover sheds with (name escapes me), but I'm refusing to throw it out, I'm like that. I'm becoming a bit of a mass hoarder.

Girlie Stuff

Starting the sort of some of my gran's things I've stumbled across some retro and some vintage finds that I want to big life back into. Like the Singer 1934 sewing machine that was hers, I've inherited a dressing table mirror, a very delicate and old cigarette holder, manicure set and the above empty glass perfume bottle and circa 1966 Stratton Powder compact. Identical to the one advertised upon Steptoes Dog this half used compact with glass mirror inlay has a gorgeous, delicate flowered engraving.

Does anyone know where either shops (UK based) or Online where you can purchase refills for such compacts? Is it still possible?

Buttons button buttons .... !!

You can't beat a day spent rumbling through tins of old buttons. I've been hunting for some which are unique - older the better kind of buttons to attach and sew onto the back of my patchwork cushions (yes I'm going well on the sewing front). Where these buttons have come from and how they ended up in my mams button box is unknown yet their age especially on the three in the picture above - the white, shiny black and green buttons is clearly marked through their war torn appearance. The colours and the vibrancy, the types and the styles of buttons are amazing, small, glass, dark, wooden, flowery and brass only mark out a few.

Two types have been earmarked for the patchwork cushions as decorations - a line of flowers and leaves and another of brass and metal former clothing buttons. Once the cushions are all sorted there will sure to be a blog hitting this page!

Alongside filling up the glass sweetie jar of beach found shells, I've now started a smaller jar to fill up with tiny buttons. Collected from my grans former collection I'm amazed at their colours and in a glass jar they look perfect!

Do I give into the laundry basket temptation?

Sitting outside a charity shop in my local town as been a very sun faded green, corner triangle basket. It's been sat there and I fear no one probably has even looked twice at it. This is in a charity shop were things rarely stay too long. It is worn out, its tired looking and it needs a bit of work. Yet I hearing its challenge, I'm hearing its calls to be fixed. At £7.50 maybe I should just risk it? It would be perfect to do up and let it sit in a corner. Nothing ventured nothing gained. Knowing my luck it won't be left by the time I get to go looking again.

Bulbs in a china cup

This slightly pulls together two ideas for old vintage china cups and flowers/bulbs that I've come across this week. First sited upon Queens of Vintage of reusing china mugs as a vintage reuse to create plant pots, Gardens World (the parents were watching it, I was merely in the same room) suggested using china cups as a place to grow spring bulbs. They both look pretty and delicate little ways to liven and jazz up a window still or table top!

Now the mission is to find a diamond bit for a drill to make some holes to let the water drain out of without it smashing the cupa to pieces, and some cheap, but pretty china cups. Oh and the bulbs!

And the final word goes to ...

I am, I admit a cat person and I grew up alongside Mr Tink. This is our newest housemate, I say new yet she's been hovering around for three years. As you can tell from the picture - shes rather shy!