This is the perfect thing for your Monday evening - internet shopping! You have to check it out - head over to www.bouf.com - but why, oh why, did I not find you before my birthday?
xx
Monday, 25 February 2013
Lots of Love for Bouf
Ahhhh! I have found a great new site that has SO much stuff that I want to buy!!
This is the perfect thing for your Monday evening - internet shopping! You have to check it out - head over to www.bouf.com - but why, oh why, did I not find you before my birthday?
xx
This is the perfect thing for your Monday evening - internet shopping! You have to check it out - head over to www.bouf.com - but why, oh why, did I not find you before my birthday?
xx
Friday, 22 February 2013
New Item Friday
I only have one item for you today but it a beauty!
I believe this glass vase dates from the 1970s. From the little I know about how these vases are made, I believe the pattern around the main body is unique for each vase. It is a stunning piece and so colourful.
For any in the Bristol area I will be at Ashton Gate Stadium at the Bristol Flea market this Sunday. I have chosen a particularly lovely selection of items for this Sunday so please come and visit us.
xx
I believe this glass vase dates from the 1970s. From the little I know about how these vases are made, I believe the pattern around the main body is unique for each vase. It is a stunning piece and so colourful.
For any in the Bristol area I will be at Ashton Gate Stadium at the Bristol Flea market this Sunday. I have chosen a particularly lovely selection of items for this Sunday so please come and visit us.
xx
Thursday, 21 February 2013
Retro Kettles
Our kettle broke. My lovely retro kettle that I got at a bargain price. I'm very sad.
But this means I can go electrical appliance shopping!!! (Can you tell I'm a little too excited about this) I love looking for the perfect appliances for my home. I hunt the Internet looking for the perfect economy rating and style that fits within my budget. I have to say, kettle designers are really starting to come up with some fantastic options out there, and I thought I would share my top choices with you.
I feel any of these would blend into a retro styled home seamlessly, and a lot of them come in a range of different colours, but which to choose? This is the part I am not so good at - making a decision....
....Can I have a different one for each season??
xx
But this means I can go electrical appliance shopping!!! (Can you tell I'm a little too excited about this) I love looking for the perfect appliances for my home. I hunt the Internet looking for the perfect economy rating and style that fits within my budget. I have to say, kettle designers are really starting to come up with some fantastic options out there, and I thought I would share my top choices with you.
I feel any of these would blend into a retro styled home seamlessly, and a lot of them come in a range of different colours, but which to choose? This is the part I am not so good at - making a decision....
....Can I have a different one for each season??
xx
Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Restoration: 18th Century Table
I completed this restoration project last year but haven't had a chance to tell you about it. This table posed a bit of a challenge for me. The table top had suffered some severe water damage which had almost completely removed the gilded surface. The sides of the table had also become heavily chipped and scratched.
When approaching the treatment of this table I had to look at the tables construction, which was wood covered in a layer of gesso and the top gilded. I also had to bare in mind that the client only had a limited budget and needed the item ready in a short amount of time, as they were giving it to a friend.
After much consideration I chose to retouch the damaged areas to blend them in to the surface so that they did not stand out. This way would take less time than regilding the surface, the appearance of the table would look better and all treatment would be reversible if the new owner ever wanted to have the full treatment carried out.
Firstly the whole table needed cleaning. Whenever I have a new item to clean I always carry out cleaning test on the surface. For these particular surfaces distilled water was effective at removing any dirt but did not remove any of the paint layer. From these tests I concluded using rabbit skin glue and water colour paints to retouch the surface. They are both soluble in hot water, so if the treatment needed to be reversed, water could be used without removing any original paint. I started by sealing the areas of exposed gesso using rabbit skin glue. I then retouched the gesso areas using water colour paints mixed with more rabbit skin glue. When I retouch I try to paint the area with a neutral colour that blends into the background, this way your eye is not drawn to the retouched area but on close inspection you see it is not the original surface.
Thankfully I managed to complete the treatment in the given amount of time and I think the final result has a subtle effect, which is exactly right. The owner was pleased so it was a good job all round.
When retouching anything historical it is always good ethics to apply the '6 foot 6 inch' rule. From 6 feet away the object looks complete and undamaged, from 6 inches away you can see which areas are original and which have been retouched.
xx
When approaching the treatment of this table I had to look at the tables construction, which was wood covered in a layer of gesso and the top gilded. I also had to bare in mind that the client only had a limited budget and needed the item ready in a short amount of time, as they were giving it to a friend.
After much consideration I chose to retouch the damaged areas to blend them in to the surface so that they did not stand out. This way would take less time than regilding the surface, the appearance of the table would look better and all treatment would be reversible if the new owner ever wanted to have the full treatment carried out.
Firstly the whole table needed cleaning. Whenever I have a new item to clean I always carry out cleaning test on the surface. For these particular surfaces distilled water was effective at removing any dirt but did not remove any of the paint layer. From these tests I concluded using rabbit skin glue and water colour paints to retouch the surface. They are both soluble in hot water, so if the treatment needed to be reversed, water could be used without removing any original paint. I started by sealing the areas of exposed gesso using rabbit skin glue. I then retouched the gesso areas using water colour paints mixed with more rabbit skin glue. When I retouch I try to paint the area with a neutral colour that blends into the background, this way your eye is not drawn to the retouched area but on close inspection you see it is not the original surface.
Thankfully I managed to complete the treatment in the given amount of time and I think the final result has a subtle effect, which is exactly right. The owner was pleased so it was a good job all round.
When retouching anything historical it is always good ethics to apply the '6 foot 6 inch' rule. From 6 feet away the object looks complete and undamaged, from 6 inches away you can see which areas are original and which have been retouched.
xx
Tuesday, 19 February 2013
Tutorial: Crochet Tea Cosy
Today's tutorial actually comes from a great book that I got for Christmas.
Granny Chic by Tif Fussell and Rachelle Blondel not only has fantastic inspirational images but wonderful projects for you to try at home. There are a couple that definitely caught my eye straight away and I thought (rather over ambitiously) that the Crochet Tea Cosy on page 92 should be my first project......this was probably not the best idea, as you will see later.
YOU WILL NEED:
METHOD:
This is only a brief method, just to give you an idea. For the full method I would recommend buying the book - it really is rather lovely!
You may ask what my attempt looks like.....I'll show you, but promise not to laugh....
I made a couple of mistakes. First of all I only had a 5mm crochet needle. I am also not the best crochet-er, I can do a granny square but I think maybe this was a bit beyond me. I also improvised slightly towards the end when things weren't looking quite right. But I think it looks charming for a first attempt.....it could always be a hat?
Good luck with yours and let me know how you get on.
xx
Granny Chic by Tif Fussell and Rachelle Blondel not only has fantastic inspirational images but wonderful projects for you to try at home. There are a couple that definitely caught my eye straight away and I thought (rather over ambitiously) that the Crochet Tea Cosy on page 92 should be my first project......this was probably not the best idea, as you will see later.
YOU WILL NEED:
- Yarn in various shades
- 4mm crochet hook
METHOD:
This is only a brief method, just to give you an idea. For the full method I would recommend buying the book - it really is rather lovely!
- Chain 82 stitches using a 4mm crochet needle. I attached my chain at the end to create a loop but I'm not sure if this is right!
- You then want to work you way along the chain creating 3 treble crochet clusters, leaving 2 chains in between each cluster.
- You want to continue building up lines of treble crochet clusters along the chain but you need to leave a gap at opposite ends of the loop for your spout and handle to fit into. You should end up with about 11 rows.
- At this point you need to close the holes you have created for the spout and handle and start decreasing the size of your loop.
- I may have got this bit wrong but I think you decrease by creating single treble clusters and double treble clusters (does that make sense?!) one after the other, and when you do the row above these, you can skip the gap in between them (basically treating them as a 3 treble cluster).
- You keep going decreasing the clusters and you should eventually reach the middle and all you need to do is tie off the loop.
- Neaten any loose threads.
- Finish off with a nice pom pom on the top.
You may ask what my attempt looks like.....I'll show you, but promise not to laugh....
I made a couple of mistakes. First of all I only had a 5mm crochet needle. I am also not the best crochet-er, I can do a granny square but I think maybe this was a bit beyond me. I also improvised slightly towards the end when things weren't looking quite right. But I think it looks charming for a first attempt.....it could always be a hat?
Good luck with yours and let me know how you get on.
xx
Monday, 18 February 2013
We Love Raw Food!
Happy Monday!
Let me tell you about out Valentine meal. Here in Frome we have a little shop in the centre of the main cobbled streets that acts as a Pop-up Shop premises. It is great. We are constantly getting different types of products and events going on in there and the people at lovechef have been at the premises the entire valentine week for a special raw food week. On Thursday they had a special valentine meal which, being curious and experimental foodies, we couldn't resist going to.
The food was amazing! We started with a cucumber and pear noodle soup (the recipe for which you can actually find on their website HERE), then a lovely pate with beetroot crisps, a palette cleanser of marinated Sharron fruit with a little pickled garnish, a main of raw food lasagna and to finish an amazing chocolate mousse. However, the dish that really blew me away was the lasagna. Thin layers of cucumber, sun dried tomatoes, pesto and a white sauce containing cashew butter. It was simple but the flavours were so intense. I could have eaten seconds and thirds, but then there would have been no room for my chocolate mousse....
Right, next to find a raw food cook book.....
xx
Friday, 15 February 2013
New Item Friday
I am too full! I had an amazing Valentine meal last night with the hubby (I will have to tell you all about it on Monday!), but the combination of too much food and half a bottle of champagne means my body is suffering a little bit (my head is also a bit fuzzy). However, I think I know what would remedy my ailments and it has influenced my items for today.
Surely, a slice of cake that is light and fluffy, giving me some much needed sugar, and a strong cup of coffee to warm me up, could fix any problem I had!
I have work this weekend with the National Trust, and have so much to do in the shop, that I anticipate I won't get much rest. I think I might have to indulge myself this Friday evening lounging in front of the tele with the cake and coffee described above. Can I claim its on Doctors orders??
Have a lovely weekend everyone.
xx
Head over to the shop HERE
Surely, a slice of cake that is light and fluffy, giving me some much needed sugar, and a strong cup of coffee to warm me up, could fix any problem I had!
I have work this weekend with the National Trust, and have so much to do in the shop, that I anticipate I won't get much rest. I think I might have to indulge myself this Friday evening lounging in front of the tele with the cake and coffee described above. Can I claim its on Doctors orders??
Have a lovely weekend everyone.
xx
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