Christmas toys to love

It seems everyone has a soft spot for an old toy. I've been saving a few up ready for Christmas at Custard Hall and enjoying their company in the meantime.

I've snapped them all and try and post new stock on my Facebook page or Instagram to give further afield vintage lovers a chance if anything takes their fancy.

The Little Red Dolly turned into a swap with The Vanilla Squirrel and you can see her at home here! I can't show you what I swapped her for yet as it's a birthday present for a certain little jammer in few weeks.

 This gorgeous pink monkey was a tough one to say goodbye to, but he's off on a journey as I type, to another bloggy home with Bobo Bun! I know he'll be well looked after there.

 I need a big space for this lovely Merrythought elephant pyjama case!

 Can never resist these peg dolls

 This little bun was snapped up straight away by one of the staff at Custard Hall and is on his way to America about now.

 
 

 And to finish I got into a bit of a monkey sharing thing on Instagram with Bobo Bun and The Vanilla Squirrel. I have to say Ms Squirrel wins hands down for the most amazing collection of old monkeys. She even has a monkey cupboard for them to live in. But here are my two...

Love them!



4 Happy Things Swap

Last week I returned home to a parcel. A big parcel with surprises for me.

As you can see I wasted no time in ripping it open, still in my coat and scarf!

I signed up for Bobo Bun's Four Happy Things Swap a while back and was lucky enough to be paired with Claire from Thriftwood.

 Here's what arrived... beautifully wrapped goodies with their own tags based on the Four Happy Things themes.

Claire sent me...

My favourite colour - soap in a tin and a pretty tea towel.

Handmade - crocheted corsages. I'm envious of anyone who can whip up lovely things like this and they went straight on my jackets.

Childhood - Cadbury mug and chocs that took me back a bit. I'd forgotten Munchies and Caramac but am still partial to a Double Decker.

Vintage - pudding spoons wrapped in a doilie.

I sent Claire

Her favourite colour - Acorn & Will brooch

Handmade - lavender heart

Childhood - Jar of rhubarb and custard sweets with a greetings card

Vintage - brooch pillow made from vintage fabric and doilie

I loved putting this together and receiving. This is the third swap I've taken part in and they've all been such fun.

Thank you Claire for being such a thoughtful partner and thank you Lisa for coming up with such a fab idea and pairing up the hoards that took part.

Swapping again

After enjoying LaaLaa's Advent Swap so much I thought to myself I could get into this sending gifts to strangers lark. Luckily for me Ada at Vintage Sheet Addict was organising a swap between makers. The second bit of luckiness was heading my way in the form of Penelope from L is for Love. Penelope was my partner and offered to crochet me a pair of fingerless gloves in my favourite colour. Hmmm wonder what that might be...

In return I'd offered to make Penelope a cushion and she immediately spied this one in my Etsy shop. I must admit I was a tad relieved when she replied with her choice so quickly. I'd have felt rather embarassed had she not liked anything I had on offer!

As the cushion was a bit of a doddle having already been made I also made Penelope this lavender heart to match.

Last week I was very ridiculously over the top excited to hear the gloves were ready.

Time to package up the goodies and they each headed East and Westward along the coast to their new owners.

This evening I came home to a lovely surprise. A carefully wrapped bluey green kind of surprise with a mermaid badge.

 I opened the little extra first, one of my favourite brooches from Acorn & Will.

 Then on to the biggy... I am thrilled to bits. My gloves are such a stunning colour and made from lovely cotton feeling yarn.

 I wanted to wear them all evening but did have to take them off to cook. I thought frying onions was probably not the way to treat them!

Now I can't wait to put them on in the morning. I'm on a training course and today there was no heating which will be the perfect excuse to wear them all day tomorrow. I've even got the perfect dress to accessorize them...

Penelope, I couldn't have asked for anything nicer. I love them, thank you so much .

xxx

Thank you PJ!

Today I received a lovely email from PJ my Advent Swap partner.

It's funny now it's all over as I felt I'd got to know a little bit about her. From reading her blog whilst preparing the swap I noted she was a very talented knitter and crocheter. I crossed my fingers and hoped she might make me something...

I loved these snowflakes that found their way onto the Christmas tree along with the colourful stars PJ made me.

 These coasters were probably the present that made me laugh the most.

You see a few days earlier PJ opened a present from me and I expect, laughed as much. I sent her the Mollie Makes kit for crocheting these coasters. It had come with the magazine and I thought she'd be able to put it to better use than me! Little did I know she already had the kit and had made the coasters and sent them to me! Great minds...

  This gorgeous lavender filled knitted heart is filling my drawers with scent and matches my clothes a treat. I love looking at it snuggled it there.

 On Christmas Day itself PJ's were the first presents we opened at the breakfast table. Usually I make the little jammers wait until after breakfast before we open presents under the tree but opening my swap present at breakfast had become a bit of a tradition over the previous 24 day. You'll note I said 'we'. PJ was kind enough to send each of my daughters their own Christmas present as well as including things for them along the way. They each recieved a Cath Kidston purse full of chocolate coins.

 I was spoilt with a lovely photo frame

 and this stunning scarf that I seem to have worn quite a lot over Christmas.

Here are the bits and bobs I sent PJ. I couldn't show them until I knew she'd opened them all!

 Whilst shopping for some edible bits for PJ and her family I visited my local chocolate factory. A colleague had told me about their factory shop - what a mistake! I made several trips on PJ's behalf. I had to test and find out why they were mis shapes - they seemed fine to me. So after much testing I decided it would be fine to send PJ some!

 

And for Christmas day...

 Huge thanks PJ. It's been fun getting to know you and making another bloggy friend!

 

PS If you fancy taking part in a swap, the lovely Lisa at Bobo Bun is having one and it sounds like lots of fun.



Swapsies

Just checking in quickly tonight to share my lovely swap presents with you.

I'm so glad Laa Laa paired me with someone who can do stuff I can't - stuff with wool - stuff like crocheting and knitting!

PJ my swap partner has been busy with her yarn and sent me these fantastic Christmas stars. I absolutely love them and am going to have to get a tree soon to do them justice.

 My little jammers have not been forgotten in the swapping and both received twin white 'sugar' mice this week. They were delighted with them but I could only find one to photograph this evening as they've been up to all kinds of mousey games.

Other gorgeous bits to keep me busy and organised and smelling nice!

Thank you PJ!

Now I've just had a lovely message from Fee at Chipper Nelly to tell me I've won her Craft it Forward giveaway. Lucky me, my very own blocks. I never normally win anything!

Well it means I shall host my own CIF giveaway here. I'd been thinking about a giveaway for Christmas and then got caught up with Custard Hall and promptly forgot. So pop back later this week and see what I've found to giveaway! I'm thinking wintery and alpiney...



Swapping and space

This was the scene in my kitchen this morning. Ages ago I signed up to take part in Laa Laa's Advent swap. Imagine my delight when this lovely box of goodies turned up from my swap partner PJ of The Snail Garden. I knew it was going to be good by the care that had gone into the wrapping and tagging!

PJ sent me this lovely handmade card which is just fantastic and I've no idea how she did it.

 Yesterday saw the opening of Present 1. My little jammers were very excited about this. They have been intrigued by the whole swap business - sending presents to a stranger. On shopping trips they have made suggestions, along the lines of "You could get this for that lady" - sometimes appropriate, sometimes not!

 So they were thrilled when I unwrapped not one little stocking but two and each with a cute little chocolate Santa and told them I thought they were probably for them.

Today was definitely not for them but me. A mini perfume - lucky me!

Thank you so much PJ if you're reading. I can't wait for tomorrow.

 

Meanwhile so dry weather has meant I could get better photos of my bags for my etsy shop.

It's a bit depleted now because I had a great time at this little event and had to come home and delete the listings!

Mrs Darling's Festival of Christmas saw two lovely customers trundle off with suitcases and others with cushions and little makes.

 In my garage this week these two rather sorry pushchairs (yes that's what they are) have been undergoing a makeover.

 This one had a complete respray, its original seat cleaned and new ribbon trim.

Finally I shall leave you with a space and tomorrow I shall let you know how it came to be mine, what I'm filling it with and most importantly where it is...