Vintage shabby chic... and blog readers offer

I have just finished a commission to make a vintage shabby chic toy doll.

Voila.........

The doll is hand-painted porcelain with jointed arms and legs so that she can stand or sit.  Standing she measures just under 1 3/4" tall.

I just couldn't find the right shade of brown for her costume so I had to hand-dye the silk for her dress and bonnet.  She has silk underwear, vintage lace socks and tiny silk shoes with leather soles.  Her dress is trimmed with vintage French lace and her bonnet is decorated with silky braid and pure silk buds and bows trim.

I'm really rather pleased with her and so enjoyed working on her that I am now planning to make a few more in different colours.  So for this week only I will offer blog readers the chance to order one of these little toy dolls at the special price of £30 (including P&P anywhere in the world) in the colours of your choice. She also comes complete with doll box with vintage illustrated lid.  

To order just email me to discuss your requirements, putting 'Blog Offer' in the subject heading.

Scorchio....

It has been really HOT here the past few days.  

Hot and muggy.

Hot, muggy and oppressive.

The promised thunderstorms didn't materialise yesterday and there was only the briefest of downpours today, accompanied by some distant, half-hearted thunder which has done little to alleviate the stickiness of the air.

So surely only a doofus would choose to do a kiln firing on these two consecutive days... the hottest on record since June 2006.

Hmmm.

Thankfully the firings in question were only china paint ones, which meant the kiln getting up to around 650 degrees Celsius but the additional heat pumped throughout the house, even with windows and doors wide open was ridiculous.

No matter.  

The firing today was the final one so tomorrow I can unload and pack away the kiln then set to work on the new range of tiny toys. 


Unless of course, according to Health and Safety Regulations, it's too hot to work and I'm forced to pack a picnic and head off to the beach with PP and Small Dog........

 

Sombre Saturday........

Despite the weather forecast predicting cloudless, blue skies and soaring temperatures, it has been resolutely grey and not at all warm today.  Every time I've listened to the forecast on the radio the promises of a return to proper summer weather have grown more and more frenzied, and apparently we should be having well good sunshine by now.

Not that I'm much bothered, as I've spend most of today in the workroom, guiltily making up for the time I took off this week.  It would appear that guilt is a much better spur than anything else as I've managed to achieve quite a lot today, completing the prototype of a new illuminated toy theatre and making serious inroads into the gargantuan task of the first china painting of all the tiny toys and dolls I fired last week.

So far so good.

One tiny ray of sunshine broke the gloom this morning when I received this gorgeous little tea set which I won on Ebay a few weeks back and which has safely made the journey all the way from Australia. 

It's a fantastic find, made by Dominique Levy from France, and created in paper thin porcelain, beautifully painted and glazed.  The mother rabbit 'teapot' even cradles a tiny little baby bunny in her arms and the tea cups have minute rabbit head handles.


Sheer perfection in miniature which is destined for my day nursery room box.  Sometimes it's the smallest things which cheer up an otherwise grey day......

Displacement activity....bored.... no excuses

Right.

Here's the deal.

If you really, really, REALLY like cats you might not want to read on.........

If, however, you have have had a glass or two of wine as Friday evening unfolds into the weekend................

-----Original Message-----
From: DALY, Christopher
Sent: 06 August 2010 13:53
To: HEATH, Peter
Subject:

Hi
I opened the screen door yesterday and my cat got out and has been missing since then so I was wondering if you are not to busy you could make a poster for me. It has to be A4 and I will photocopy it and put it around my suburb this afternoon.

This is the only photo of her I have she answers to the name Missy and is black and white and about 8 months old. missing on Harper street and my phone number.
Thanks Shan.


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.26am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
That is shocking news. Luckily I was sitting down when I read your email and not half way up a ladder or tree. How are you holding up? I am surprised you managed to attend work at all what with thinking about Missy out there cold, frightened and alone... possibly lying on the side of the road, her back legs squashed by a vehicle, calling out "Shannon, where are you?"
Although I have two clients expecting completed work this afternoon, I will, of course, drop everything and do whatever it takes to facilitate the speedy return of Missy.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.37am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Poster

yeah ok thanks. I know you dont like cats but I am really worried about mine. I have to leave at 1pm today.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.17am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
I never said I don't like cats. Once, having been invited to a party, I went clothes shopping beforehand and bought a pair of expensive G-Star boots. They were two sizes too small but I wanted them so badly I figured I could just wear them without socks and cut my toenails very short. As the party was only a few blocks from my place, I decided to walk. After the first block, I lost all feeling in my feet. Arriving at the party, I stumbled into a guy named Steven, spilling Malibu & coke onto his white Wham 'Choose Life' t-shirt, and he punched me. An hour or so after the incident, Steven sat down in a chair already occupied by a cat. The surprised cat clawed and snarled causing Steven to leap out of the chair, slip on a rug and strike his forehead onto the corner of a speaker; resulting in a two inch open gash. In its shock, the cat also defecated, leaving Steven with a foul stain down the back of his beige cargo pants. I liked that cat.
Attached poster as requested.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.24am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

yeah thats not what I was looking for at all. it looks like a movie and how come the photo of Missy is so small?


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.28am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
It's a design thing. The cat is lost in the negative space.
Regards, David.


From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.33am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Thats just stupid. Can you do it properly please? I am extremely emotional over this and was up all night in tears. you seem to think it is funny. Can you make the photo bigger please and fix the text and do it in colour please. Thanks.



From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.46am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
Having worked with designers for a few years now, I would have assumed you understood, despite our vague suggestions otherwise, we do not welcome constructive criticism. I don't come downstairs and tell you how to send text messages, log onto Facebook and look out of the window. I am willing to overlook this faux pas due to you no doubt being preoccupied with thoughts of Missy attempting to make her way home across busy intersections or being trapped in a drain as it slowly fills with water. I spent three days down a well once but that was just for fun.
I have amended and attached the poster as per your instructions.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.59am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

This is worse than the other one. can you make it so it shows the whole photo of Missy and delete the stupid text that says missing missy off it? I just want it to say Lost.


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.14am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.21am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

yeah can you do the poster or not? I just want a photo and the word lost and the telephone number and when and where she was lost and her name. Not like a movie poster or anything stupid. I have to leave early today. If it was your cat I would help you. Thanks.


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.32am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Awww

Dear Shannon,
I don't have a cat. I once agreed to look after a friend's cat for a week but after he dropped it off at my apartment and explained the concept of kitty litter, I kept the cat in a closed cardboard box in the shed and forgot about it. If I wanted to feed something and clean faeces, I wouldn't have put my mother in that home after her stroke. A week later, when my friend came to collect his cat, I pretended that I was not home and mailed the box to him. Apparently I failed to put enough stamps on the package and he had to collect it from the post office and pay eighteen dollars. He still goes on about that sometimes, people need to learn to let go.
I have attached the amended version of your poster as per your detailed instructions.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.47am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Awww

Thats not my cat. where did you get that picture from? That cat is orange. I gave you a photo of my cat.


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.58am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Awww

I know, but that one is cute. As Missy has quite possibly met any one of several violent ends, it is possible you might get a better cat out of this. If anybody calls and says "I haven't seen your orange cat but I did find a black and white one with its hind legs run over by a car, do you want it?" you can politely decline and save yourself a costly veterinarian bill.

I knew someone who had a basset hound that had its hind legs removed after an accident and it had to walk around with one of those little buggies with wheels. If it had been my dog I would have asked for all its legs to be removed and replaced with wheels and had a remote control installed. I could charge neighbourhood kids for rides and enter it in races. If I did the same with a horse I could drive it to work. I would call it Steven.

Regards, David.


From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.07pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Please just use the photo I gave you.


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.22pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.34pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

I didnt say there was a reward. I dont have $2000 dollars. What did you even put that there for? Apart from that it is perfect can you please remove the reward bit. Thanks Shan.


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.42pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.51pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Can you just please take the reward bit off altogether? I have to leave in ten minutes and I still have to make photocopies of it.


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.56pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 1.03pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Fine. That will have to do.

Summer solstice sojourn.........

Today we have returned from the wilds of Kent, where we've been caravanning for a few days over the summer solstice.  Sadly the weather was far from summery, and we've brought back a sopping wet awning which we will hopefully be able to lay out in the garden to dry tomorrow.

However, the aim of the outing was achieved, ie to see how we would cope on a small CL site with no toilets, shower block, washing up area, drying room etc.  The only site facilities were electric hookups, a water stand pipe and a toilet disposal pit.

Nevertheless, the caravan performed very well, and we gave all of its 'mod cons' a thorough trial.

Of course the cost of taking weekdays off is that I will have to spend the next two weekends working hard to make up for lost time but no matter.  Along with Small Dog I'm counting down the days to our next camping trip but in the meantime here are some views of our bucolic waterside campsite pitch, deep in the heart of the Kent countryside.

Displacement activity - Small Dog style......

I was sent THIS earlier by a friend and colleague.

Excellent displacement activity for all lovers of small dogs........

Simply type in a small dog-related command and see what happens  ... Sit, roll over, down, stand, jump, sing, shake, fetch, play dead, sneeze etc. It's even entertaining if you type in a command that's not recognized!!

Make sure you type in "Kiss," too, but do it last.

This post is brought to you with the approval of Small Dog, who could do any of those things if she really wanted to.

Loving where you live........

It's very easy to get blase about where you live.  I expect even the most stunning views can begin to pall after a while, or at least become less noticeable with the passage of time.

Hastings has never had the cachet of it's bigger, brasher, more successful south coast neighbours, like Eastbourne or Brighton, and it has suffered more than most over the years from all of the normal societal ills... unemployment, lack of investment etc.  However, over the past 5 years there has been a marked improvement across the board and it's becoming a really rather lovely place which I feel I should appreciate more than I do.

Which is why yesterday, PP and I went down to the Stade to see the opening of the next phase of the regeneration project there, the centrepiece of which will be the new Jerwood Gallery, due to open later this year.  With the new community/exhibition space ( The Stade Hall) and cafe/restaurant (Eat @ The Stade) the scruffy piece of land which formerly housed a lorry and coach park is now blossoming into a valuable asset for Hastings.

We also had a vested interest in the proceedings yesterday, as Prodigal Son was performing as a member of Section 5, a local drumming group. 

So we had a lovely, leisurely lunch at the new cafe, entertained by an assortment of local musicians, before strolling round the South Coast Artist's exhibition in the Stade Hall, followed by a visit to the beach-side fishing huts to buy fresh fish for dinner.

The amusingly named skate knobs and samphire may not feature on most people's 'favourite dinner' menu but trust me, they are delishus.   Skate knobs are actually skate cheeks, less familiar than the wings but lovely when simply cooked in butter for a few minutes then sprinkled with lemon juice and zest.  Samphire tastes of the sea and is the perfect accompaniment for skate knobs, along with new potatoes and loads of fresh parsley from the garden.  

Small Dog, who is a bit of a gourmand, pronounced the skate knobs outstanding, although she wasn't quite so keen on the samphire.

Good times.........