~Vintage Bauble Loveliness~

Here's some vintage bauble loveliness! I've had a few lucky vintage glass bauble finds via my local charity shop and the car boot sale earlier in the year. I love finding them and marvel that they've survived intact.
The tree's up early as I'm having an Open House shopping event on Thursday.  I've decided to go for the full-on (bad taste?) Christmas tree from my 70s childhood because it makes me feel nostalgic and happy.  The tree is of course fake, for kitsch-ness reasons , as well because I am unwilling to spend another New Year extracting hundreds of pine needles from the carpet with tweezers.
Here are some of my favourite baubles...

The glass birdies with feather tails were bought as a set from

Sugar Pie Lemon Drop a couple of years ago.

and the full tree with coloured lights...

17 year old daughter L says it's 'Soooo Garish' and wishes we had a normal tree.  Well I don't do normal, so there!

I've made some wool felt bunting for the fireplace, and found this little tree in the charity shop...

So pleased I found it as I'd coveted Thea's little red tinsel tree at Hearts and Bluebells...

 In this part of the world we call this festive prettification  'trimming up' - what a fab phrase.

What do you call getting the house ready for Christmas? 

~To Cath or not to Cath Part 2~

Back in May 2011, I wrote about looky-likey Cath Kidston floral wallpaper and how after much deliberation I decided to spend the extra pounds on the real thing. 
So here is 'To Cath or not to Cath'  dilemma no.2 ; I absolutely love Cath Kidston pyjamas... 

Image from www.cathkidston.co.uk

...and would dearly love to own a pair if money were no object. Gorgeous they may be, but I would feel poorly spending £50 on some PJs, it just wouldn't seem right to me- a bit too self-indulgent (and I'd probably spill red wine down them or wash them accidentally with a black sock or something)

I've spotted these looky-likey floral PJs in Sainsburys Christmas magazine...

 ...for the reasonable price of £14.  Pleased to say the OH took the (heavy) hint and has bought me them for Christmas!

~Lovely Shop Bespoke Country~

In the Summer when we were caravanning in 'Chateau H' at Filey, I discovered a gorgeous shop in Scarborough called Bespoke Country. I love finding a shop that is filled with things I like, and just that bit different to other shops.  They do mail order too, and have a lovely website where you can buy online and pay by card or Paypal here

Image from www.bespokecountry.co.uk

I bought a lovely handmade sign for the caravan and also a pack of 16 10cmx10cm Tilda fabric patchwork squares (I think I paid £4.50) which I'm just machine sewing now to make a cushion cover. I join mine in numbered strips once I've laid them out into a pleasing arrangement.  Here it is in progress...

Lots and lots to look at in this shop - vintage style interiors, handmade shaker-style signs customised while you wait, fabrics, Emma Bridgewater pottery, handknitted tea cosies, giftware, fabric, ribbons and buttons...I'll definitely call in again when we're next at the coast. They also have a blog too called 'Red House' which can be found at http://redhousechronicles-jenny.blogspot.co.uk/

Bespoke Country
18 Bar Street
Scarborough
North Yorkshire
YO11 2HT
Tel: 01723 378728
Open: Mon-Sat, 10-5

...have a lovely weekend, we are lucky tonight, having been invited to a friend's house who is a fab cook so I'm looking forward to some gorgeous Indian food. Not sure how I am going to squeeze in my party dress this festive season but never mind...