More Unicorns

What might the collective noun for unicorns be? A fantasy of unicorns? A magic of unicorns? Well, I've only made two so I guess that's just a regular pair. The red one (unfinished) is for Iris's room and the orange one I sent to a friend.



We're off for a few days to the magnetic North, to Yorkshire to be precise. I'm hoping for fine spring-like weather, wide open spaces and plenty of gadding about with our friends. Happy weekend!

Sunday Finds and Blackbirds

Here are my finds from yesterday's carboot sale - it was really all about Iris, but I must say I'm enjoying that wind-up horse just as much (if not a little bit more) as she is.

A Wind-up Horse - I suddenly have something approaching a drove or string of vintage horses (see here for a fascinating list of collective nouns for animals).

This horse is wonderfully prance-y and quite realistic, so much so that Iris clutched her slice of honey cake all the more tightly as horsey clippety clopped across the table toward her.


Three Tin Cars - these might find themselves on a grown-up shelf if Iris doesn't pay close attention. I heart them all.


A Number 11 London Bus (not actual size) - Well, quite right, London IS the ace place. Especially to us country mice.



A pot for utensils - More graphic abstract linear flowers. Another theme developing...


A lovely book published in 1978 - Yok-Yok The Blackbird and Three Other Stories. Such beautiful illustrations, we have a thing for blackbirds in our house.


And here's another little blackbird especially for Monday!

Seaside

It's so lovely to be able to go to the beach, to look for treasures, collect driftwood, clamber over rocks and all in the sunshine as well.

Here's some flotsam - or is it jetsom? And Iris.

Jumble Sailing

What fun! A jumble sale! With jumble sales, you have to be quick and decisive and ready and assertive. Otherwise you miss out on things - I just missed out on a Liberty silk scarf yesterday. Damn, writing that down smarts.

But on the upside, look at what I did score...

A pair of Penguin paperbacks, including one of my favourite books of all time, the sun-drenched My Family and Other Animals (and yes, I did already have a copy)


A Swedish biscuit jar


An Alfred Meakin bowl (love the colours and prance-y horses)


A floral plate


And a lovely copy of The Owl and The Pussycat by Edward Lear - here's my favourite illustration


So all was not lost by any means. I reminisce far more than is probably healthy about the jumble sales I used to go to as a teenager. Halcyon days, oh yes.

And do check out the song Jumble Sailing by Clearlake.

Spyhole Drawings

Some drawings viewed through a little spyhole. Now here's a funny thing. These drawings started as an aimless doodle in my sketchbook. I liked the way they looked. So I drew a bigger one, then another, then another etc. It got pretty addictive drawing hundreds of lines over and over again. Then I bought these napkins and was amazed that they looked so similar.

A Bird By Hand

Some collages and drawings I made of birds

Car Booting

Another sunny Sunday, another car boot sale. Lovely. I came home with armfuls of stuff. I think I'm going to have to get this craziness under control. I might be running out of space. NO, I can stop anytime I want...

So - deep breath - here goes:

A Russian doll, just the one though, and she's so sweet! She reminds me of a Dick Bruna drawing.


Two mugs - His and Hers. I like the illustrations on them. Paul doesn't. So I guess that makes them Hers and Hers then.


A Dala horse - I first read about these on Nina's lovely blog - see here for her Dala epiphany http://ninainvorm.punt.nl/?id=479800&r=1


Some buttons - some orange ones that look like barley sugar and some pretty purple ones, I'm going to sew them onto something quick smart.


Some vintage penguin paperbacks to send to a new friend


And some plates, one for the wall and the rest to dine on.

Blue Unicorn

I made this for a friend's birthday. I'm going to play around with the idea and fine-tune it somewhat. Fewer paper-fasteners next time.


Sent it off today with these three...

An Unexpected Walk On The Beach

Well , what do you know? After the relentless rain of yesterday, today brought with it sunshine, and plenty of it! (This blog is increasingly weather-obsessed I have noticed). So, we shrugged off our duties and made for the beach, actually Iris fell asleep on the way there, so whilst Paul walked and gathered driftwood for firewood, I had the luxury of the company of my book and the sun on my face. Once Iris had woken up, we all walked and marveled at the big sky, the golden clouds and the abundance of free firewood!

I forgot my camera so these were taken on a mobile phone.

A Bird for Monday

Oh what a grey, wet and miserable day. Iris and I braved the weather this morning and got totally soaked. But it was fun to splash in the puddles in our wellies and to find some books in the library for a big cosy read this afternoon.

Here's a tiny sweet-faced owl. More of an owlet really. The last treasure that was unearthed on Saturday. Found languishing in a box full of 10p bits and bobs. Welcome Owly, you've found a home!

Saturday Finds

Yesterday was a gloriously icy cold sunny day, the very best kind of winter's day in my opinion. The market was much smaller then usual, due perhaps to the snow that fell in great bucketfuls all around but left us all but untouched (bar the light dusting at the beginning of the week). I felt a bit cheated actually, especially when some friends regaled me with tales of 5 hour snowball fights and hot chocolate in the pub afterwards.

But I digress, yesterday's haul is small but I hope you agree, well formed.

A sweet felt needlecase, yes, I know, I've already got lots of needlecases, but look! It's bright yellow and it's got purple pages in it!


On the subject of things being irresistibly yellow, what about these lovely children's gloves? Iris isn't much of a glove fan yet, but I'm working on her.


A darling little (yellow) lacquerware tray for Iris, look, she's already set it up for teatime.


This is going to be perfect for timely household budgeting, I'll be ticking and totting with the best of them!


A great art book - Fun With Art from 1970 - here are a few images from inside, I'll be trying most of these projects with Iris, apart from Painting With Bleach. Yikes. I'll share some more from this book in another post I think.




Some side plates and saucers - one of which is already riding high on my plate wall.


A pretty scarf, the shades of blue offsetting all the aforementioned yellow beautifully. Destined to become a cushion cover perhaps?

The last treasure has to be saved for tomorrow! Can you guess what it is?