Vintage Teacup Tags

How cute are these vintage style teacup tags?

I purchased them recently in a craft shop - they are just perfectly gorgeous!

By Tilda, there are four different designs and you get three of each - perfect for adding to vintage gifts.

Could also be used to make a gorgeous collage.  Or even as name tags at the table for a vintage tea party!

This is my favourite.

Love, Liz

Christmas China

I thought it would be a good idea to put together four of my vintage china cups which I think are particularly Christmasy.

Wish I had thought of decorating my Christmas tree with vintage cups before I had actually put it together!  Perhaps next year?!

This lovely floral cup is a Polish china pattern.  You can read about how I came across this set here.

This red and white spotty, dotty Royal Vale tea cup is one of my favourites, although I shouldn't really say that!  Perfect for Christmas!

The rich colours of this pretty vintage cup by Burns is just right for Christmas tea.

Last, but not least is this gorgeous snowy white Bristol china tea cup.

Hope you have enjoyed this wee glimpse at some of my vintage tea cup collection.

Love, Liz

Pretty Vintage

Just got some pretty vintage china to show you today.

Time to move things around a bit in the pre-Christmas clean!

Love, Liz

The Story of Newspapers - Ladybird Book

My friend gave me this fabulous Ladybird Book - The Story of Newspapers.

Its from the Ladybird Achievements Book series from the late 1960s.  Written by W D Siddle, the illustrations are by R Embleton.

Love the illustrations.

Happy families!

Love, Liz

Vintage Paisley

Went on a visit to Paisley Museum earlier in the week and then found this amazing vintage tea room just across the road on the High Street - Ta Ta Bella's Tea Room.

Tea and coffee were served in lovely vintage china cups and the cakes were home made and delicious!

Lots of gorgeous vintage bits and pieces to look at and a warm and friendly welcome.

Make sure you go and visit if you are ever in Paisley.  You can find out more about on Ta Ta Bella's website.

Love, Liz

As Seen On ... Waterloo Road!

Do any of you watch the BBC drama Waterloo Road?  If you do - then look carefully next time there is a scene set in the staff room and you might see this -

Yes - it's one of my tea cosies!

Waterloo Road was filmed in Greenock, although they no longer film here.  But while they were here I sent along a tea cosy I had knit in Waterloo Road colours.  Imagine how delighted I was to see in on my telly!

Fame - at last!!!!!

Love, Liz

Double Meanings!

This advert from a 1975 magazine made me smile.  Love the outfit - so dapper!

Hmmmm ..... so many meanings!

Love, Liz

Ladybird Autumn

Here's the perfect Ladybird Book for this time of year - What To Look For In Autumn.

Words by E L Grant Watson and illustrations by C F Tunnicliffe, RA.

The colours are just wonderful.

I love these books!

Love, Liz

Diana Gabaldon in Glasgow

Had a fabulous evening on Thursday at an author event in Waterstones in Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, where the author Diana Gabaldon was speaking and signing books.

As regular readers of this blog will know, I've been a great fan of Diana's Outlander series of books for many years, so to hear the author speak about the books was just amazing!  At the moment I'm half-way through the latest book in the series - "Written In My Own Heart's Blood" - it is fabulous!

My bff and I arrived an hour early to make sure we had good seats (I know, a bit obsessive!), but we had such a laugh blethering with other readers and talking about the books.  Met some lovely people.

I was so starstruck, that I didn't get to give Diana the gift we had prepared for her and bestie forgot to get a photo of Diana signing her book!  Oh well, never mind.  It was just a fabulous evening.  If you haven't read any of her books, then why not give them a chance, I think you might enjoy them.

Many thanks to those of you who emailed asking if I was ok because I haven't been blogging for ages.  I was a bit busy and having a wee break.  Hope to blog more regularly now.  Thanks for your concern.

Love, Liz

Remember cheese and pineapple hedgehogs?

I love this photograph from a 70s Ladybird Book - Learnabout Cooking.  The kids look as if they are starving!

Love the 70s hairstyles and kitchen decor.  Look at those dreadful mustard tiles.

Lots of recipes for children to follow, including how to make that old favourite a cheese and pineapple hedgehog.  I made one of these recently with cheese, pickled onions, spam and cubed pineapple and everyone loved it!  Sometimes you can't beat the old favourites!

Of course, being a Ladybird Book, it had some top tips for cooking.

So remember - NEVER lick your fingers!

Love, Liz

Loneliness

Two wee old ladies were in the charity shop today and I couldn't help overhearing their conversation -

"Funny weather the noo, in't it?"

"Aye, but it wis lovely on Seturday."

"Aye, the folks in the hoose behind me hud a barbeque, they wur huving a rare time."

"That's nice."

"Aye, made me feel right lonely, though."

I felt terrible for the wee lady who said this.  How sad that she felt lonely watching others having a good time.  There's been a lot in the news recently about loneliness in old age contributing to ill health.  These days with so many families living far apart it is easy to forget that older people, who perhaps can't get out as much as they would like, often lead very solitary lives.  There may not be much we can do, but a smile and a cheery hello might just brighten up someone's day.

Love, Liz

Celestial Blue

I found this lovely Meakin bowl in a charity shop recently.

It is a beautiful shade of blue.  The design is Celeste and it has a wonderful scalloped edging. 

I think that at some point it may have had a lid.  Just love the pale blue.

Love, Liz

Little Nest

I found this little nest just lying on the pavement when I was out for a walk.  It is so perfect and looks really cosy.  Must have taken ages to make.

There was a tree on one side and a large hedge on the other - I didn't know where it belonged.  Fortunately there were no little eggs in it.  Does anyone know what kind of bird would have built this?

Love, Liz

Caerlaverock Castle

Hubby and I treated ourselves to membership of Historic Scotland, so we are determined that when we go away anywhere for the day, we will visit a nearby historic property.

We went to Dumfries on Saturday and then visited Caerlaverock Castle just south the town on the River Nith off the Solway Firth.  It really is a beautiful and imposing medieval castle which you can read all about here.  It was owned and built by the Maxwell family.

It has a moat around it and the gatehouse range is extremely imposing.  Inside are the usual spiral staircases and impressive stonework.  Being in the border country meant that the castle saw a lot of activity during the wars between Scotland and England. 

I really liked this decorated facade which is called the Nithsdale Lodgings, built in 1634 by Robert First Earl of Nithsdale - to impress, rather than for defence.

On Saturday when we visited, all that could be heard was the calls of swallows as they soared and swooped around us - such beautiful birds, although they were too fast for me to get a photo!

If you are ever in the area, then a visit to Caerlaverock Castle is well worth while.

Love, Liz