In a bit of a TWIST

I bought this Barley Twist table at auction some time back...its a great size for a smaller home, but my style has changed...so it had to go!

A good sand, woodworm treatment and rub down and we were ready to paint!

Have you ever painted a Barley Twist piece of furniture? It's a NIGHTMARE...especially with thick chalk paint... I used Rust-Oleum.

After more coats of paint than I care to mention and a good wax on both table top and legs it was time to move it on...so someone else can enjoy it! 

A week away - part one

This is the first proper holiday we've had in a long time, we normally do day trips or the ocassional overnight stay in a hotel. We were rather excited! 

Our accommodation for the week was a converted stable in Musbury, which isn't far from Seaton in Devon.

On our first night we found refreshments in the Lion Hotel in Lyme Regis

Monday was peeing down with rain but we'd done a little research and found out an auction would be on when we were visiting. Lyme Bay auctions, hold one a month and have two auctions running simultaneously on two floors.  I have to say this was very dangerous and I wish we'd had a van.  I had to leave so many bargains behind!

The sun finally shone and the wind was blowing when we revisited Lyme Regis on Tuesday. A little retail therapy in Seasalt and a relax on the beach was just what the doctor ordered. We found this abandoned Sandcastle which I thought was worthy of a photo. 

Wednesday we found ourselves in Weymouth.

I love "Flying Horses" these were on the seafront in a bandstand style seating area and couldn't resist a photo.

We took a trip to Exeter's Historic Quay Side on Thursday, and once we'd finally negotiated the traffic and fairly confusing road system, we could finally relax and enjoy the craft shops , glass blower, iron monger and antique centres. 

With plenty of choice of places to eat, it was worth a visit. The more adventurous could hire bikes and kayaks, we just bought an ice-cream! 

Our adventures as always, were peppered with little pit stops!

Holiday Days Out : part four

This was our last official day out, as in, get in the car and drive a long distance with snacks. Bob and I went to Ardingly Antiques and Collectors fair in you've guessed it West Sussex! Weather was still good if not a little breezy, this must be the first time I've been to this fair and it's not rained…

loads of kitchen dressers and goodies

I had this tricycle as a wee one *much love* although I didn't by it, I did by the little girl picture

below, she'll go nicely in this room. 

I also bought the little round mirror, I'm putting together a collection of these frameless mirrors for our front room, I fancied a round one! My next purchase needed a little negotiation, not with the trader, but with Bob. I have a fetish for 70's toys, our house is groaning under the weight of them. When I spied this house I knew I was in trouble...

I had a house just like this as a child, It's by an English company called Toy Works and is 16th scale. Mine disintegrated in the loft, although most of the furniture you see is my original stuff. I already have a Lundby House and a Carolines Home and have agreed to dispose of one of my others to make room for this.

I also haggled for a large amount of Sindy stuff, most of which I didn't want, but I'd spied nestled in the box a Sindy wall of sound…fabulous!!! Nearly *fainted* after a purchase of a battery and bulb from our local electrical shop (fab place) I found it all works *excitement*

I think i'll be ebaying some of my unwanted stuff and hopefully that should help pay for the stuff I keep!

So that's my holiday days out done and dusted, the beach chairs are back in the shed, the windbreaks rolled up ready for next time, and its goodbye to this bridge.  We go under this every time we head for the South Coast, I use this as a sign that we're on my way to a little adventure by the sea!

Holiday Days out : part one

Finally I'm back in the swing of things, early mornings, walking to work, all day in an office, the usual… But for two glorious weeks we had the freedom to what we wanted

My first outing was to Kempton Antique and Collectors market with my Mum, she loves a bargain too. It's a great place to spend every other Tuesday morning, it opens early! the day we went was a chilly start!

so much I wanted to buy, check out those pans* swoon*

Vintage sewing 

shake the bottle…wake the drink!

My purchases enclosed five of these young ladies…Sindy is my favourite vintage toy

she came dressed in this lovely handmade dress

a headscarf, vintage Blyton to go with my collection and a whimsie!

For the rest of the week I also managed to squeeze in coffee with an old friend, did some house work (boo) and caught up on some good old films.

Kempton Market is free to get in and can be found at Kempton Race course.