Irresistible Poodle

As promised a couple of pics of the two items that strictly speaking shouldn't be gracing my Art Deco inspired drawing room.

I have wanted one of these Abigail Ahern poodle lamps for the l-o-n-g-e-s-t of times. But guess what? couldn't bring myself to cough up the necessary. No surprises there really, you know my thrifty reputation and my "if it's not a bargain I'm not buying it" mantra.

But dear reader sometimes you just have to have what your heart desires regardless of cost.
I think it looks terrific atop of my recently repaired radiogram, which brings me to the other thing that doesn't shout 1930s. How could it? It's from the late 1950s.









I just don't have it in me to stick with a narrow theme, because I buy what I love and do you know what? It works for me.

Art Deco at Avebury

I have been desperate to visit Avebury Manor ever since watching the BBC series 'The Manor Reborn' which saw the beautiful old house and gardens transformed. Do you remember the show? Dear dear Penelope Keith and scrumptious Paul Martin in his jewel like corduroys.

The house is a delight of course and is unique in that most of it is very touchy feely, they positively encourage you to jump on the beds. The Edwardian kitchen has piles of dirty plates on the drainer which I assume occasionally get washed by very tidy visitors.
The draw for me, and I know this is gonna sound silly, was the carpet in the Art Deco drawing room.

Don't you just love it? It must have cost a pretty penny though. One day when I have lots of pretty pennies I might have a racing car carpet of my very own, it's a harmless enough ambition for a girl to have after all.

The rest of the room is pretty hot too.

When the mister and I move in a couple of years to our final abode which hopefully will be a barn conversion or farmhouse, I must resist the temptation to mix my vintages and just stick to an Art Deco vibe even if only for one room. My current drawing room's latest incarnation is supposed to be Art Deco but a couple of irresistible items from the 1950s have crept in, I can't help myself, I'll show you in my next post.

Free Tickets Art in Clay

Hello lovely readers, very simple offer from me today. I have two tickets that admit two people to the 2013 Art in Clay event being held next month at Hatfield House.

I usually pop along but can't make it this year. If anyone would like one or both of the tickets ping me an email and I'll send them to you. :)

Oat Cookies with Apricots

I haven't made these for while but decided to whisk a batch up as a treat last weekend. I had forgotten how yummy they are and just how easy they are to make. They're made with oats and apricots so they are kinda good for you.

Ingredients

150g/5oz porridge oats, jumbo are best but you can use ordinary as I did this time.
50ml/2floz sunflower oil
125g/4oz sugar
1 egg beaten
25g/1oz sunflower seeds
50g/2oz chopped dried ready to eat apricots


Simple Method

Put the oats in a bowl, stir in sugar and sunflower oil, cover and leave for 1 hour

Pre heat oven to gas mark 4 about 10 minutes before you put your cookies in

Mix rest of the ingredients in with the oat mixture

Shape the biscuits on a lightly oiled baking tray

Pop in the oven for 12/15 minutes

Allow to cool before you remove them from the tray.

Enjoy :)

My Dad

My Dad, back row far right. Just 23 years of age with hair! I never knew him with hair, he was 45 when I was born.  Thinking of you today Dad, "See you in heaven" as you used to say.

Mysterious Artist

Well it has been ages hasn't it? I don't know where the time goes, well that's not strictly true, it's mostly work and chores if I'm honest. Not that I'm complaining you understand, we all have the daily stuff to get through to get to the good stuff.

This was the scene and the queue that greeted the Mister and I in Eastbourne a couple of weeks ago when we popped along to the Antiques Roadshow with a mysterious treasure. Unfortunately after waiting for over 4 freezing hours I'm none the wiser. Rupert Maas was very debonair and had the lovely lady in front of us fair swooning. But he couldn't help me.

I have had this rather beautiful drawing for over 40 years. The lady in the picture is Cynda Glenn (French star) Folies Bergere, 1955 signed by what looks like G.Harrison.

Now I actually received the picture as a gift from the artist himself who I met one morning on my way to school, when I was in the sixth form and as I thought at the time a budding artist. He had seen some of my artwork sticking up out of my school bag and had asked to take a look at it.
Well he invited me back to his house to look at his extensive collection of work and to see his press cuttings, Margot Fonteyn had recently sat for him. (By the way I didn't go on the day I met him, I did have the sense to check it out with my art teacher and parents).

He had huge amounts of work and  told me lots about himself. Travelling to Paris as a young man etc


But really I didn't pay much attention. He was just an old slightly creepy man, who I thought possibly had more on his mind than pastels and acrylics.

As I left his house he said I could have any painting or picture I wanted to take away as a gift, so I chose Cynda.

But who was he?

Simple Pleasures in My life

Our first radish, we thought about naming it and keeping it but decided to eat it instead.

Our presently not so grumpy cat Pendragon enjoying the sun.

















Understated delivery