Monday 31 October 2011

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Now for a bit of nostalgia- and I'm all for nostalgia. This is Eileen Daly, one of the UK's top goth model /actresses. An apt image for All Hallows Eve! x

Saturday 29 October 2011

Friday Bits & Pieces







Another attempt at James lovely Friday Bits & Pieces. Sometimes you just find someone and you love their style. Its rare and inspiring.

We had a lovely Friday.

Happy weekend. Jo xx

1. Blocks play.
2. Tigger legs
3. New mugs.
4. New home.
5. Cuddles.
6. Cake.
7. Wee witch.

Thursday 27 October 2011

Lori's Sugo

Tonight I made Lori's recipe for sugo. Lori was my very good friend for an intense few years in the late nineties. I met her on a college work placement and she took me under her wing. It was a crucial time for me- I was finally working in housing- doing something that made a difference and that I love to this day. I was single and Lori and I had a ball so many good nights after work with a few glasses of red. Our friendship was intense, like a love affair, we were inseparable.

Lori taught me a lot of things and one of them was to make a perfect sugo cooked with Italian sausage- she was Italian, second generation. She taught me that Negronis are an awesome cure for heartache, that NOTHING isn't improved upon with a good coffee, that all your favourite art around you in your home makes you happy and that the Silencers are the best Scottish band ever-fact.

Lori meant so much to me and its one of my great regrets that we both lost touch living within the same city, and that I never saw her again before she passed away a few years ago . Reasons mean little as time goes on though and I remembered her so intensely tonight as I cooked her dish for David and I. It was lovely, the smell of it cooking evoked good past times and I have posted a picture of the photograph that she gave me for my 25th birthday- its a monument in Glasgow's Necropolis. It hung in Bargo- a cool bar we hung out in back in the day.


Tuesday 25 October 2011

Kingfisher Brooch

This is the brooch I mentioned in the last post- its about an inch in diameter and hand painted on top of butterfly wing. Thats what gives it the iridescence. The picture is covered with a convex piece of glass.These brooches were popular here from Victorian times- although this would probably be the 1940s I think.

This was a present from D from a shop called Keswick Collectibles. My family has been going to the Keswich area in the lakes for holidays since I was a child. The last ten years or so D has been coming and in the last few years the kids! We stay at the same place, a beautiful converted barn on the hill looking down the countryside to the lake below.

Keswick Collectibles is a great shop. It sells vintage stuff, books, records, jewellary etc. I have been buying things from their for as many years as I can remember. They always have really unusual stuff and a lot of my knowledge about vintage jewellary has come about from buying something intrigueing and finding out a bit more about it.

I wish I could show you the back of the brooch- it would have probably originally been silver but that has worn away to the copper colour underneath. As my Dad said to me it has been a much loved thing to someone.

Monday 24 October 2011

A Rare Night Out Together





I am posting this because it is such a rarity. We hardly ever go out D and I these days. We should but you know sometimes its just easier to stay in (getting kids down before babysitter, getting selves looking presentable etc etc). But we resolved to JUST GET ON WITH IT and book a nice meal. It was really for D's birthday which is always overshadowed by the kids ones being so close.

Talking about presentable- the top pic- ignore the clothes hanging everywhere is me with skirt that D bought me for the evening. How good is that as its so my style and fits perfect. Pic 2 of me is meant to show a lovely vintage silk blouse- as usual my pics let it down. Take my word its nice- little vintage brooch of a kingfisher at the neck.

So a good friend looked after the kiddos and we went out to a lovely seafood cafe. The pic of food may look odd but it was so so good. Its whitebait with garlic mayo and halfway through before I remembered to photograph it! We also had omlette Arnold Bennet (me) and angel hair pasta with crab and prawn (D). It is so nice to be served food these days and we so appreciated the nice service. Bet the staff can tell harassed parents of young kids that Don't Get Out much a mile away!

Ended up in a bar for a drink with live music- La Rocha (geddit?) a Rage Against the Machine cover band- nice loud end to a good one.

Friday 21 October 2011

Bits & Pieces







This was today- a good day. Lots of play in the house as it was raining but a trip out to bounce and rhyme at the library, our usual charity shop checks which netted the fab retro plate and some food shopping.

I was determined to have a great day as my other day off this week was not so cool- fractious kids, tantrums, sore head and too early in the week for it to be an end in sight!

Nevie had her two sleeps and me and my boy had time to do stories and cuddles- just what a jealous four year old needed. I even sneaked 5 minutes to do a wee bit more on Nevie's dolls dress.

Finally- not all my days are like this- I won't blog bout the horrors! And Miss James from Bleubird Vintage inspired this. Check her out she is such a cool Mama.

1. Dolls new dress.
2. Raisins and play.
3. Tigger boy.
4. New plate.
5. Lunch.
6. Play.
7. Old is best.

Tuesday 18 October 2011

Vogue Pattern Book- Winter 1970





I had to post these images from a 1970 Vogue Pattern Book that I acquired recently. If you ever see any of these in charity shops snap them up. They have beautiful illustrations, dated but lovely pictures and actually each one has a great craft section. I will post from the craft section later. I picked mine up at my friend Julie Houstons cool shop in Wigtown the Book End Studio.

These illustrations remind me of the Diana annuals from the 70's that I grew up with. The models are lithe and languid with detached expressions and very cool clothes. Typical of the 70's my mother always had patterns about when I was young and there is a lot of nostalgia in looking through this book.

Don't you love the last picture- is it an office setting or just their kitchen- and is that a Taurus the Bull picture on the wall. Quite a wee snapshot of 70's gender relations I would say!

More to come! xx

Monday 17 October 2011

Fiona MacNeil




Something to cheer up such a dreich Monday in Glasgow!
I have loved Fiona's work for a while now. I would love to own some of her larger pieces one day. I think her paintings are so magical and whimsical. They would be lovely in a wee ones room. These are Fiona's images and you can check out and buy her art here at her Etsy store. Its hard to believe but some of the images above are TINY button sized pieces!

Saturday 15 October 2011

Boo Vake

Boo Vake is one of my favourite shops. I love everything it sells. Arlene Baird owns it and its in my home town of Perth. This picture is part of some new stock in from print maker Dee Beale. I love this one. If you are ever in Perth pay a visit or pay a virtual one here.

Friday 14 October 2011

Wooo Hooo Mugs!!


These babies will be on their way to me soon! How LOVELY! Check out the Etsy page of the lovely Verity and Cody at Vintiquesco's.

Such cool stuff. I love their motto- The greatest thing you'll ever learn, Is just to love and loved in return '.

Happy Weekend everyone. Jo xxxx

Thursday 13 October 2011

Vintage Ercol Nursing Chair

When my other half's folks moved from Inverness back to Glasgow their removal van made two stops. One at their new flat and one at our poor old wreck (as was) of a house. To my eternal shame I have to say I was less than enthusiastic about some of the things that came off the removal van. So So sadly several vintage rugs met their end in our construction site of a house and for that I will forever be sorry! (think 60's atomic midcentury coolness).

This very sad looking, but lovely shaped chair was unloaded. Yes as you can see it was BROWN in capitals, brown leather, brown velour and none of it in a neutrals nice way! Well because of its cute shape we kept its for years. And also that it had been D's Grandmothers 'nursing chair' for her two children. It even has a hidden compartment in its base for nappies!

Fast forward quite a few years and in my mad 'trying to get so much house stuff done' final stages of Nevies pregnancy- last year- I decided to get it reupholstered. I found an amazing upholsterer here in Glasgow who re-did it sympathetically and in heavy purple velvet. Purple aside from green is my absolute favourite colour. He even did the seat in this lovely fabric which is a wee bit too light for upholstery but I persuaded him to try it. It worked like a dream. I love it so much and it was Nevies nursing chair (lucky Finn had an Eames RAR). It carries on a family tradition which is lovely. It is almost a bit Bloomsbury, you could see it in Charleston couldn't you!

The final bonus was finding out it was an early Ercol chair- the upholsterer found the label and kept it for me. It is indeed a thirties chair if the shape wasn't already a give away.




Tuesday 11 October 2011

A Small Ones Room




The wee ones room is pretty much done and I had better stop buying and making things as it is a really small room and enough is enough!!! Her chest of drawers is one I had in my room as a girl- I sanded the yellow pine and added different handles. Its so nice that she has it now, Finn had it before her. He was upgraded to Ikea Stuva system when he went into the bigger room. The quilt is so pretty- a 1st birthday present got on recent holidays- handmade in Wigtown- one of our favourite places. xx


PS Pictures are small this time becuase the picture quality is woeful! The light in this room is poor and my photography also.......

Sunday 9 October 2011

Lena Corwin


These lovely images are from Lena Corwin's home via Apartment Therapy. She is an uber creative type living in Brooklyn. Check out her site, great work going on.

Its the owls, how fantastic are they! Oh and the mugs- that's what I am aiming for except they are as rare as Hens teeth over here. Mmmm and I have a bit of a mug ban going on.

Thursday 6 October 2011

In my end is my beginning





We had a great family day out at Bolton Castle when we were in Yorkshire. Its a medieval castle and as such is quite bare in the rooms that are on show (for that read ideal for bundles to wreak havoc in!). Its a mix of ruin and fortified keep. The grand hall and other huge empty rooms were so much fun for Finn to run about in.

For me it was interesting and poignant as Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned here for 6 months. The last picture was apparently her favourite window and she sat here gazing out, remembering and embroidering. Her motto in those days of imprisonment was 'in my end is my beginning'. She had an amazing faith which she took solace in until the end.

It did seem like a special place and the pictures capture the eerie light outside. The view from that window was beautiful- so that is some consolation. x

Monday 3 October 2011

Birthdays in Yorkshire




The kids birthdays are one day after the other with only 90 minutes making the difference between them having the same day! We were always glad that they both had their own days, however this holiday their birthdays were just as we arrived, and lo and behold Finn decided they would have them both on the same day! These are a few pics from the day itself. We had a great day just the four of us together and the children got so many lovely presents from friends and family.

The crocheted eggs are the sweetest present from a good friend- we already had been given a wee egg when Nevie was born and this box has made the set!

The cake is courtesy of M&S, mainly because Finn loves bears and honey pots- And I still haven't recovered from making a replica Scoop the Digger cake for Finn last year whilst 9 months pregnant!

The pics of the kids are just my recent favourites taken on the birthday itself. xxxx