Flat doll and Tilda.

Let me introduce to you flat doll. I don't know her real name. I don't actually remember us ever giving her one but my children call her flat doll. As she is flat and her stuffing is falling out.

Flat doll as named by Poppy

My dear nan made her, and a gentleman friend, way back when.

My wonderful nan and I. The most amazing seamstress, machinist and cake baker I know.

I think she was made sometime in  the 70's as that's when my sisters were born. She has been in our family and passed down through the grandchildren and now has been passed onto the great grandchildren. She is a little tired, has a tiny tear (which I must fix) and there is a constant battle as to whom gets to cuddle her.

Then I came across these wonderful Jane Foster make your own Tilda dolls. Take a look Here

 

Isn't she a cutie?!. And very similar to flat doll. You can buy a kit that comes with the screen printed fabric and instructions. All ready to make this gorgeous 18 inch doll. All you need is to add the stuffing. They also come in another range with pretty coloured skirts. Here

What a wonderful idea!.

Now I can make my very own doll. Just like my nan did for us. And flat doll can keep her dignity, no more stuffing falling out as she will be kept safe with me. (yes I just want her for myself!)

And not only have I fallen head over heels in love with little miss Tilda I have fallen in love with EVERYTHING from Jane's website!.

 If you love retro/skandi prints and beautiful handmade treasures I urge you to go take a peek

Website and Jane's blog

A truly talented lady. I am going to be ordering Jane Foster prints and cushions. And toys. And bags. Oh bloody hell just all of it!.

 All pictures are copyright and owned by Jane Foster. Please do not take without permission.

I'm off to order Tilda. And one for our niece for her 8th birthday. Shhh!. Don't tell her.

 Lauren x

My names Lauren and I am a vintage addict.

I have got this addiction. Its actually taking over my life. I cant go a day without it.

I am addicted to vintage. I am addicted to thrifting. I am addicted to old.

 And do you know what?. I am the happiest I have ever been.

 I am happy when I'm wearing vintage clothes. I am happy listening to old records. I am happy drinking from a vintage cup. I am happy wrapped in a vintage blanket.

 

 And even better my children are too.

  I love it that Poppy asks for £1 when we are thrifting and goes off on her own little adventure. Hunting for a new fangled toy or dressing up clothes. I (possibly!) could afford to give her the money to spend  in a toy shop but she is learning the value of money and the importance of spending wisely.

Poppy and her latest find!!.

 I love the fact that even at 3 years old she knows who the Beatles are. ( We have a way to go with the twins yet!).

I love that she sits with me whilst we read old books. And watch old films.

 

 All with the comforts of 2012.

 Life is good.

 Lauren x

First Aid Kit - Emmylou

So I have this stinky cold. The children do too. I am totally in love with first aid kit. And this song has made me feel a whole lot better today. Enjoy. x

Pretty lights.

I had a really fun hour today picking out a few bits and pieces for the house. As  I will soon be allowed to start adding all my touches!.

 I have been looking at lights, and boy there were a few to choose from! And paint for the stairs/landing area.

 Here are some of the lights I love. I think they will look fab with our decor.

Skandi light by tesco £30.00

I think either the blue or white will be perfect for our lounge. We need two as we have a long narrow lounge/dining area. One for each end.

Maskros paper light by Ikea £51.99

How lovely is this?! Its pretty big but as we have a large landing and stairway I think it will make a real statement against the blue walls and white wood floor.

And this is the wall colour I hope will show this stunning light off. 

Homebase marine blue in silk.

What do you think?. Can you imagine it?.

Lauren x

A little homemade home update.

I hope everyone has had a lovely weekend. Mine has been ok. Not amazing. But ok. I think I have just had one of those days today.

 I woke at 5.30am to go to the bootsale but it was cancelled due to a tiny splattering of rain. Then to go to the lazy bones and not find anything. Then it rained all day and we were stuck in doors. I did manage to sneak out to my favourite Charity shop though, The Sue Ryder shop. I found this cute 8 set of tams soup bowls.

 We have been at the house over the weekend too and our bedroom is coming along nicely. I am really looking forward to painting the floors. I think it will make the rooms look entirely different.

I have also been sprucing up all our second hand furniture. Ready for the big move.

The pretty sewing box/table that needed wood filling/sanding has now been primed ready for its colour. I can't decide on which?. (Colour for the top and middle as legs are staying original).

 Then the £3.50 ikea children's table and chairs that I'm doing in a lovely blue.

Still rather a lot to do. I have finally designed the stairs and landing. Cant wait to share with you all. But will save that for another post.

Now...Off to watch antiques roadshow!.

Lauren x

(By the way did you notice that I hadn't used capital letters on my last two posts. I had noticed that A LOT of American bloggers do this. And wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Did it save time?. More personal?. Well honestly, it didn't change a thing. Just made me look lazy. So I'm back to normal now!)

tgif!

finally the weekend is here. and i am so happy!. it has been a hard week. we have spent some evenings at the house, had awfully late nights and pops has decided she no longer wants to go to school. (its much more fun at home! of course.) so i feel very tested today. its hard seeing her cry. thank goodness we have a whole two days for family fun, harry potter and mint areo.

i am looking forward to spending time with my husband and the children.

 and apart from the obvious harry potter marathon we will of course be at the house for some of the weekend. we will be attending mass and taking a trip to the bootsale sunday.

 i am on the hunt for a retro chair.

at a bargain.

and in my dreams it will be ercol.

 something like this; 

eadie arm chair by donna wilson from scp

 ercol from lovevintagefurniture.com

am i living in dream land? well you never know my friends. will keep you posted with sundays finds.

lauren x

a peek around a local vintage home.

welcome to my first ever vintage home post.

 i hope to bring you little peeks into the lives and homes of vintage loves everywhere. capturing the little corners and treasures they have hidden away. a little inspiration. and a little nosiness.

may i introduce to you dawn aka the vintage scientist and vintage curator/seller. you can follow dawn on twitter here and follow her blog here

here is a little blurb written by the vintage scientist herself;

I've always loved antiques and old things which probably come from my family. My dad hoards, my mum has always been into shabby chic (not sure if it was always called that) and my grandad was an antiques dealer. It was when I started planning my wedding in 2007 that I really got into it lifestyle wise. 

Got the inspiration for mismatched china and vintage bottles and started collecting at boot fairs, charity shops and antique shops. At the time you could pick pretty stuff up for pence. We had a traditional church wedding in  my parent's village in Norfolk and hired the village hall & marquee for the reception to keep costs as low as possible. 

At this time we were living in a 1 bed flat in Southchurch so after the wedding everything was boxed up and stored in Norfolk. After saving up for years and thanks to some inheritance we started looking for a "project" house. Found perfect 1920's semi-detached in Leigh that needed some work doing, meaning we could put our own stamp on it. 

Some furniture was inherited from grandparents, some was bought from antiques shops and some from Sue Ryder in Westcliff and other charity shops. 

Most nik-naks are inherited. 

We have loads of clocks which were inherited or came from Salvo fair last year. 

The Bakelite radio came from a shop in Norwich which restores them.

My favourite era is generally the whole period from Victorian to mid 1950s, with more preference to the 1930s/1940s.   

Erm, can't think of anything else you need to know... Well, I'll be selling the china, bottles, vintage/antique science stuff and vintage/antiques stuff in general from the 1st of March at what the butler saw vintage emporium, Leigh road, Leigh on sea, Essex under the name Den of Vintiquity boutique.

have a look at her 1930's inspired homewares and corners of her pretty home. full of glasswares, old photos, stunning chesterfields and an old bake light radio.

drawing on the best of the 30's and adding her own touch dawn has a quite stunning home. if you don't believe me take a look for yourself.

beautiful!

lauren x