New Item Fridays!

I decided that I needed to start being a bit more organised with the shop, so have come up with a brainwave - New Item Friday!

Every Friday I will be adding a couple of new items to my etsy shop so that I can build up my on-line stock. The highlight of this week is a vintage butter dish with a cute cow design in pressed glass.

For some reason I am drawn to the charm of butter dishes. Why should butter remain screwed up in its thin papery packet? Why can't butter be seen by all? And what could be more attractive at the breakfast table than a vintage butter dish?

Anyway, just a quick one for today. I hope you like the items and I will write again soon.
xx

Shojoshin-in Temple

I'm so busy in the workshop at the moment that I can't seem to get my mind off of sanding, painting, cleaning, scrubbing.... As a slight rest from the work I thought I should give you another installment of our Japan adventure.
We decided when we started planning our adventure that we wanted to stay in a Buddhist temple. We wanted to get a feel for a more traditional Japanese way of life. We ended up choosing a temple right at the top of Mount Koya which has a large collection of temples and an amazing cemetery. The cemetery contains the remains or monuments for all the most important figures in Japan.

The more modern part of the cemetery

A mausoleum 

The older part of the cemetery

The corridor inside the temple leading to our room

In hindsight, choosing to stay in a temple in the middle of winter at the top of a mountain probably wasn't the best idea. The temple was freezing! We did have a lovely heater in our room but the bathroom was at the end of the cold corridor. The best thing about staying in a temple though is the food. It is all vegan and was the best food I think I have ever eaten. Full of flavour and variety, and there was so much of it, I was stuffed.
Ignoring the cold, I would highly recommend anybody to go and experience staying in a temple. You have to get up early for the morning ceremony but it is huge privilege to watch.
xxx

Vintage House Hunting

My life is rather full at the moment. I have quit the day job (brave or foolish? We are yet to find out), I am building my business, I have moved to a new area, I will be getting married to my college sweet-heart in 11 months time and we would like to buy a house.
I have always rented, but I would love to get my hands on a house restoration project. I dream of being able to restore and enhance all of the period features, and finally furnish it with vintage furniture from my shop (furniture that I love but have to sell otherwise it would not make me a very good business women).

Sigh. If you are similar to me, day dreaming of owning your own vintage home, have a look at this website - Wowhaus.

Two bedroom 1930s art deco semi-detached house in North Hayes, Middlesex

They only seem to list houses in the UK (sorry all the international readers!), but you can still get lots of inpsiration. For me, I would plump for the art deco beauty in the photo above - check out the interior here. Not only is the outside geometric chic, but the interior is mouth wateringly vintage inspired.

Kitchen of the 1930s art deco house in Middlesex

Lets be honest. I just want that kitchen.
xx

Restoration: Polish Doll

This project came to me before Christmas but I haven't had chance to tell you about it. It was a lovely little restoration project just before the holiday period. This doll belonged to my client since her childhood. Although I do not know the exact history, a helpful sticker on the base of the foot proclaimed it to be polish. It was made entirely from wood, with painted features, and synthetic hair.

Before Treatment

The doll was actually in a fair condition. Due to an elastic band joint in the legs deteriorating, the legs of the doll had become detached from the main body. Some of the hair was lifting from the scalp and a plait unravelling where the ribbon was missing. Otherwise, the doll was in a clean condition with very little surface damage. I was commissioned to carry out repairs on the legs and hair.

It was decided that the joint would not be replaced with elastic, which may deteriorate again, but with a strip of leather. It was felt that the leather would with stand the movement of the legs for the longest period of time without fraying or splitting. So the first thing to do was remove the old elastic and one of the dowels in the side of the leg. The new leather was entered into the holes and secured with adhesive.

Leather strip visible at the side having been fed through the holes in the legs and body. The leather was then cut.

The hair was also plaited and secured with sympathetic coloured thread, and the hair adhered back to the scalp.

After treatment

I think that she ended up looking great, and hopefully will last for many more years to come.
xx

New Items For The Spring

Hello.
Does it feel a bit warmer today, or is it just me? I'm starting to get those butterflies in my stomach that hint at the change in season. I love it when the seasons change. Pancake day is around the corner, daffodils are for sale in the shops, and I think spring is on its way.

Regardless whether it is my imagination, or spring is coming, I have added some new items to the shop that hint at the changing season. My absolute favourite is this gorgeous table cloth and napkins.

Click here to visit this item in my etsy shop

I love the little strawberry details and soft green trim. I actually don't want to sell it. I want to keep it. Sometimes I just fall in love with things I find for the shop. Sigh.
xx

Lovely

Oh my, I'm all a quiver. I have fallen in love.

click here to visit this item

Click here to visit this item

Click here to visit this item

Is it wrong to love inanimate objects?

Happy Valentines everyone!!
xx

Kyoto

Just to give you another installment of photos from our adventure. After staying in Tokyo we headed on the bullet train to Kyoto. Tokyo in very much like London so I felt very much at home there. Kyoto had a more industrial feel but around every corner you would find a beautiful shrine or temple.

The Golden Temple

Origami cranes all joined together to make beautiful garlands...could this be a decoration idea...

The prayer boards filled in my visitors to the temples - there was even some english ones!

High up on the side of the mountains you got a fantastic view over Kyoto

Just a few little gems to show you from Kyoto. I think Kyoto was actually my favourite out of all the destinations. There was so many heritage sites, they had a huge amount of arts and crafts, and the clothes shops were fantastic!
Next time we will travel to Shojoshin-in temple. See you then.
xxx