This Week's Junk Shop Jewels

Had a child-free afternoon this week and I've been itching to get to the charity shops so I made a beeline for the nearest one where I found the following little beauties.

Firstly this!

What can I say?  I know what you're thinking, she's finally lost the plot but I LOVE it, it's a glass tankard in the shape of a cowboy boot and it's nice and tall, perfect for my collection of knitting needles.  £2.00.  YEEEEEE-HAW!  Sarsaparilla anyone?

It would seem that my drought of vintage bed linens may finally be over, three candy stripe pillowcases £1.50

And finally this week more old wooden cotton reels to add to my collection (I'm hording these babies for a project but I don't quite have enough yet but good things come to those that wait so I'll bide my time) £3.50

Linking  up with Liz's #MagpieMonday over at Me And My Shadow

Cakey, Cakey! - Doily Cake

Just a speedy post as I've not posted about my cake making for ages and I wanted to share this quick and easy way to make a boring sponge cake look a million dollars.  As well as sticking a doily under the cake, why not stick one on top as a stencil and when you dust over your icing sugar it will leave a beautiful pattern, much more interesting than the usual Victoria Sponge that can sometimes look like the result of an explosion in a crack house.

Obviously I had to try it on a chocolate version too, just for research purposes you understand

Decked Out

I was driving home from a lovely picnic with the B family a week or so ago when I spied what at first glance looked like a pile of old wood at the side of the road, on closer inspection it turned out to be a couple of unloved deck chairs put out for the bin men but even they wouldn't touch them, so of course they had to come home with me

I was going to make new covers from some denim I already had but eventually decided to part with a tenner and purchase some prettier fabric for the revamp and I'm so glad I did.

Huge thanks for Mr Right for humouring me and my trampy ways (as ever) oh and for hammering in the tacks.

Linking up with #TahDahTuesday over at Faith, Hope And Charity Shopping

The Wedding Of The Century

My sister and her beau got hitched over the weekend and it was such a dreamy day that I simply had to post about it here.

After an intimate ceremony at a pretty little registry office my sister and her now husband (coincidentally now Mr and Mrs Wright too) both looked amazing.  My brother-in-law looking dapper with his bow tie and signature moustache and my sister looking like a starlet in a classically styled Jenny Packham dress (Kate Middleton has the same dress in teal)

The new Mr and Mrs Wright

Missy was a flower girl (although sadly she was under the weather the entire day but she did well to last the distance and even managed some dancing with my Dad) and Buster a page (more on his dance moves later).

After a brief photographic interlude at the registry office it was on to the reception venue in the stunning grounds of a beautiful Georgian rectory

The rectory

The main event was focused inside a massive canvas marquee that looked like a traditional circus tent with all manner of treasures to behold within.  I'll try and include everything that my sister et al created but it's no easy task as this really was a handmade and homemade affair.

Inside

Perhaps I should start from the top down, hanging across the ceiling of the tent were yards and yards of confetti banners that my sister and her dear friend Mr F had spent hours and hours painstakingly cutting from coloured card and sewing together, along with the white bunting outside made by my Mum and Mr F and friends had risked a rickety ladder coupled with sauna like conditions to hang the huge paper decorations from the tent poles.

Pretty paper decorations

The first thing that hit you as you entered the marquee was the heady aroma of all the MANY fabulous floral table decorations, I took so many photos of them thinking I could whittle it down to just a few but the task proved too difficult so you'll have to forgive this post for looking like the Chelsea Flower Show but it really was all about the flowers again all painstakingly put together by Mr F (he really is a marvel), most of the blooms were old fashioned varieties that have been revived by their growers others came via kind donation from friends' gardens.

Florabundance

Vintage tea cups and saucers were employed along with jugs and bottles to house the flowers and there were little antique metal jelly moulds containing candles.  Each guest received a favour, vintage hankerchiefs containing Cath Kidston hand cream for the ladies, a personalised cd for the gents and a retro sweetie parcel for the kiddies.

My sister's bouquet was an understated posy featuring a beautiful Delft brooch that I suspect may have belonged to my Oma 

The bouquet

The tables were all identified by various Hollywood starlets of the golden age and as such were all denoted by vintage photographic postcards of the movie stars in question, for example we were seated at the Garbo table

The seating plan

The top table was decorated with some beautiful plants in simple paper bags (some of which will now be planted out in my garden) adorned with the names of the bride and groom in crochet doily form made by lil old moi (now available to purchase in my Etsy shop)

Bride and Groom doilies

Inside the tent, as well as the dining tables, was the all important dessert table.  Groaning under the weight of glass cake stands and domes all loaned for the occasion by friends and family (some of mine are among them)

With a beautiful banner depicting the very apt legend 'Sweetheart' behind

Whilst everyone was arriving champagne was taken on the lawn 

The bride keeps the sun off with a parasol and Pradas

with guests eventually venturing to all corners of the grounds to explore and there was lots to see.  There was a mini marquee for the kids, full of traditional toys and games from skipping ropes and diabolos to giant dominos and croquet.

The gardens took on a festival feel 

with people spread out all over the place enjoying the impeccable weather and architectural features of the fabulous location

Eventually the time came for the food, for which I only have one word, yum-a-rama.  There was a hog roast, need I say more?!

Oink, oink

So we all piled into the tent for the wedding breakfast and rather emotional speeches

Then it came time for the dessert table to be filled and filled it was with desserts made by the mother of the bride, the mother of the groom and myself

All served on vintage china loaned by family and friends (I'm proud to say that some of my vast collection was used too).

As the sun set on a picture perfect day the fairy lights were illuminated and the chairs and tables were brought outside along with blankets and rugs 

A poorly Missy has a lie down with Daddy on one of the rugs

and the event took on an even more chilled, bohemian vibe

Cheese from Neal's Yard Dairy was served along with crackers, 

the most pork pies I have seen in one location in my life 

and some delicious handmade chocolates made by a friend.

Buster turned out to be the surprise attraction on the dance floor performing for an adoring crowd

My sister and her new husband then took to the dance floor for their first dance to Diana Ross' Love Hangover, which turned out to be the perfect choice as it starts of slow and sultry and by the end is a massive disco anthem that everyone felt drawn into and joined them on the dance floor

"If there's a cure for this I don't want it"

Then came the final element of the new Mr and Mrs Wright's perfect day, the wedding cake.  Again made by Mr F (he's the complete wedding package, check out his amazing creations here), it was a four tier Victoria sponge, each layer containing five sponges interlaced with fresh cream and strawberry jam (homemade by my sister) and decorated with fresh flowers and berries

Mr F's creation

The entire tower of gorgeousness was then placed atop a vintage leather hat box.

And there you have it, the wedding of the century.  Huge congratulations to you both, it was a belter of a bash and we wish you all the love and luck in the world. x

Duvet Day

Well with it being mid summer and all what else would I find myself purchasing but a winter weight duvet for Missy.  She's had a 4 tog cot duvet on her junior bed for the last year now but has recently been waking in the night having pulled the covers off complaining that she's cold so I bought her a full size single duvet and new covers and she's now snug as the proverbial bug.

Being a thrifty sort I decided that I wasn't going to bin the cot duvet, it's the ideal size for throwing over ones legs on chilly autumn and winter mid summer evenings so I decided to put the vintage bed linen charm squares I bought from my friend Mary's fab Etsy collection to good use and here's the end result

It's a vast improvement on the last patchwork I attempted as most of the squares actually align!  It only took an afternoon to make as all the hard work (cutting) had been done for me (thanks Mary!) and both my children and my sewing machine behaved beautifully.

Linking up with #TaDahTuesday over at Faith, Hope And Charity Shopping