~50s Night - some photos~

A good night was had by all! No wonder I'm tired when we walked the 2 miles home, getting in (ahem) when the birdies were tweeting! We were let down by our Hair & Beauty students, and after an unsuccessful Twitter appeal I asked my lovely Mum if she would step into the hairdresser breach!
As you know, I don't 'do' personal photos, but hopefully I am unidentifiable in this...
How unattractive is this shot of me in my rollers (Babyliss £17 from Argos)

New heated rollers aren't a patch on old ones...here are my friend C's 1970s Carmens which had better grip...

Mum was thorough with the authentic (painful) rollering and backcombing - thankyou Mum, sterling job!
This is friend B's hair from the back...

C's hair - finished (below) looked really lovely.

My hair from the back...

and the side...

My main course went really well  - I cooked Beef (skirt) in 2 bottles of Theakson's Old Peculier Ale with thyme, parsnip, swede and mushrooms, served with glazed carrots, piped duchess potatoes (Smash) and baked leek and spring greens. All washed down with Brandy & Babycham (a delicious revelation) and Crabbies ginger beer.

~50s Night Prep and spring cleaning~

I've done a bit of Spring cleaning in the kitchen, rejigging the contents of my wall shelves, and the china cabinet as it had all got a bit busy, as it does at times, when you have a bric-a-brac habit. The china cabinet was a Sue Ryder charity shop find last year at £30.  It's quite plain with a bow front and has 2 keys, and glass shelves in good condition.  I painted the fabric back panel in F&B Hardwick White. It houses my teensy glass animals including Bambi at the front, who a friend bought for me as he looks like Small Dog!

Sentimental cup and saucer trios and old glassware...

I've put utility china and 1950s Midwinter pottery on my shelves, including my Nana's dish/ash tray from the Coronation, as we are taking part in a 1950s themed 'Safari Supper' tomorrow night.  This annual Spring event has 16 local couples donning fancy dress and traipsing round the village for themed canapes, starter, mains and dessert at different houses. It's a cheap meal out as you just host one food course -past themes have included Pop Stars and the 1970s, but being a 50s housewife tomorrow night will suit me down to the ground! I'm doing a main course and have got the Brandy & Babycham, Port & Lemon and Crabbies (and some food of course) all ready. I'll take plenty of photos and hopefully post about it on Sunday if I'm up to it!

Again, apologies for not posting much, still feel like a Hamster on a wheel, though I am enjoying reading all your lovely posts the last couple of days.

Just off to finish sewing a petticoat now...  They were too dear to buy online, £40 or £50- so I bought 3 metres of black organza locally for £6. What a nightmare though!

Have a lovely weekend - hopefully the weather will be good for gardening!

~Recent vintage buys and thrifty finds~

Apologies firstly for being absent-without -blogging for a while.  I feel overwhelmed and busy at present, there aren't enough hours in the day - plus my mother-in-law has been in hospital (now discharged) and I've been planning some more additions to my tearoom events. Crafty projects have been ignored which doesn't make me feel happy and I really need to sort out the sewing room which is drowning under a sea of paperwork, filing and the increasing ironing pile.
I've done a bit of charity shop rummaging recently in Boston Spa, Tadcaster, Wetherby, Castleford and Selby, albeit very speedy - 'drive-by thrifting' - usually on my way home or via visiting somewhere else. I'm sure it's not healthy to always be in a rush.

This lovely tray reminds me of Cornwall.  I love old trays with the plaited wicker or plastic edging.

This cake plate is pretty, the glaze is a bit crazed but it's not chipped or cracked

A nice reproduction tea dress, I love the floral Liberty-esque fabric.  Currently I look like a milkmaid in it as I need to lose weight, but it will be pretty when I have lost 10 pounds!

This gorgeous Midwinter dish for £2 in a Castleford charity shop. Midwinter is my absolute favourite pottery.

Then L and I went to St Gemma's Vintage Fair in Leeds on Sunday which I've blogged about before here.
A stallholder I know called Jennifer has the most amazing vintage pottery, at reasonable prices, and she had the matching Midwinter sugar bowl for £5...here it is on my kitchen shelf

Another lovely stallholder had a job lot of utility china - Woods ware Beryl and Jasmine and a couple of Grindley green petal bowls, which I bought to add to my collection...

...and this Crinoline lady brooch, which I think is unusual - I've never seen one like it before.

Has anyone else seen one like this before? It was £5 which I think is a good price for something I'll treasure.