Friday 21 January 2011

Rise and Shine…

....or Nightie Night!
 
Me pretty new nightie.
One of my newest finds! I’m sure it will prove to be a well loved and worn night gown.
With an endearing pattern of blue birds and sweet blossoms (can’t wait till spring!), how could one not fall in love with it? (I’m not that with-it when it comes to birds, so please correct me if I’m wrong…. all I know is that they are birds and they are blue in colour, hence the blue birds!)

 
 
Close up of the print.
Its home made from a rather diaphanous, but crunchy, nylon type fabric (?)
‘And honestly’ * said with great disgust!* and please remember I was born in a full petticoat, but who on ever thought that a see through night gown was a good idea?... erm... well any way, lets just say I had to wear a slip underneath to keep my modesty!!! Tut-tut, but I just had to show it off, it’s too nice to be not shown…
It also features rows of shearing around the waist, and a self fabric frill around the hem and yoke- I’m secretly squealing about the frills, I seem to have found a fondness towards anything with frills and lace at the moment (oh, eck what’s happening?)….

Date wise I would say late 40’s at the earliest, but I’m veering more towards the 50’s with this one- what do you gals think? Well whatever era it’s from, I just loves it!


Well it really is a Nightie Night from me as I'm rather tired now...
Don't let the bed bugs bite!
Tups x

Thursday 20 January 2011

Nanas Tea Trolley...

...Now my Tea Trolley!

Tea Anyone?... Don't say yes, I make a hideous cuppa!

Just a quick shout about my new tea trolley.
 I just have to show it off you see, as I have been hankering after one of my own for what seems an age! I have come across many tea trolleys of all shapes and sizes, eras and manufactures, but however this one tops them all; because of course it belonged to Nana, my great grandmother. It may not be in the best condition or of the uppermost deco styling but I think it’s grand. I will have to ask my grandma when it dates from; I’m guessing it was bought sometime in the 30’s or 40’s as she was married (grt grandma) in 1930. But who knows (?)  as it’s quite an ordinary, classic shape when it comes to tea trolley design!
The manufacturers label states it was made by a firm called Atcraft, and here is a little info about them…. (found on the web)

The firm was established as E Atkins in 1879 by Edwin Atkins. The firm originally had factories at Church Row, Bethnal Green, London and in Birmingham. It was incorporated in 1922, with Edwin Atkins, his son Claude Cyril Atkins and George Clifton Sunley as shareholders and directors. It later changed its name to Atcraft Ltd, and moved to a factory at the Atcraft Works, Alperton, Wembley in the 1920s. The product range consited mainly of indoor and garden chairs, occasional and garden tables, hall furniture, bureaux, hammocks and camp beds, cots and playpens, prams and invalid chairs. In later years the firm concentrated almost entirely on producing nursery and garden furniture. The firm ceased trading in the 1980s.
 
very welcome to a biscuit! 1930's biscuit barrel found in a charity shop.
Breaking News- (so important I have put a line under it!)
Just had another look at the label, only to discover that it has the utility mark too, situated in the middle of the top shelf- (I actually have tear in my eye! I’m sooooo happy) so now it dates from around 1942/43 when the furniture scheme started to 1952 when it ended! And to think, last night I was trying to see if it had the sacred cc41 mark….oh, happy days! Now where’s me prefab to put it in?

A Very Tickety Boo Tupney! xxx


Wednesday 19 January 2011

Mystic Mug’s Horoscopes- Capricorn


Ok, I thought I had a Bourn-vita mug with a face, but I don’t, so I had to stick a face on instead!
...
I have many a Home management book in my collection, at least five. I find their reading matter, invaluable, sometimes complete utter rubbish, and other times highly amusing. And the ‘House wife’s handy book’ (1930's) is no exception. Enclosing everything from ‘How to Dance’, cookery, and dressmaking, to etiquette, money making at home, gardening, and science for the housewife!
So without further ado, here is Mystic Mugs horoscope reading from said book…
I have underlined things that have made me chuckle- sorry it's soooooo loooong!
...
December 22nd to January 20th
Capricorn the Goat

The sun passes through Capricorn, the tenth sign of the zodiac, between December 22nd and January 20th. The Symbol of Capricorn is a goat going up a mountain. The ruling planet is Saturn. The old astrologers were not very complimentary when writing about the appearance of these people, one astrologer stating that Capricorn people have lank hair and sad wizened faces. The human race has certainly improved, and the modern girl coming under this sign is often of great beauty.

Capricorn people are very ambitious and will do anything to attain their ambitions. They are shockingly selfish, and this is one of the outstanding characteristics of this sign. They are cold, self contained and calculating. These people scheme more than work to attain their wishes. They shine in public life not because of the good they do, but because of the noise they invariably make!
The men aim for high political honours, titles, and directorships. They love money, but they love fame more. It is possibly an advantage to have a Capricorn father- he will leave you something, a title or money, probably both. The very poor Capricorn people will own the houses they live in. They have an instinctive desire for property.
However not all Capricorns are intensely selfish, but where ambition is a ruling passion there is likely to be selfishness. Another type of Capricorn is the lazy person. He envies the man with position and money, but will not do anything towards acquiring these for himself.
In business Capricorn people are usually attracted to the trades and professions where big money is made. The man who starts with the legal profession would look upon law as a stepping stone to politics. In business they are very successful in antiques, property, jewellery, chiefly diamonds and pearls, and as moneylenders and bookmakers.
They do not make sympathetic employers, but they are very successful for themselves in this capacity, as they are capable of ruling large numbers of people and getting the maximum of work out of them.  Lower down the social scale the Capricorn man is a steady and enduring worker, not particularly cleaver, but painstaking and accurate. 
Should his horoscope at birth not be a good one, he will lack ambition, and this will prevent him making anything of his life. He would then also lack self-confidence, be too reserved, even surly, and it would be very difficult or him to make progress. This type of man usually stays in one position for years, sometimes for life. Capricorn people sometimes utterly lack a sense of humour.
            They often marry late in life, the men after thirty years of age. In love affairs the Capricorn man is very intense, jealous, and he expects the girl of his choice to drop her interests in life and adopt his. He usually has a long engagement because he wishes for something substantial in a way of a home. Also he wants to make sure he has not made a mistake in his choice of a life partner.
Capricornians have very good taste in houses and in furnishing them. They have not the ostentatious taste of Leo people, but defined, exquisite, yet austere. A piece of furniture is often bought with a view to it’s increasing in value, rather than for comfort. They are good judges of antiques, whether dealing in them of not.
These people entertain for business reasons and not because they are hospitable. They are not good at making friends, but they retain faithful to those they have. The good type of Capricorn man is certainly not superficial, is upright in his business dealings and commands respect.

The women of this sign are sometimes very beautiful, but more often ordinary and unassuming. If circumstances draw them into business or profession they are preserving and fairly successful. They have a great desire for marriage, and their ambition is shown in this direction chiefly. If born in lowly circumstances they are capable of rising to any great heights with a husband.
The Capricorn woman is exceedingly careful with her spouse’s money, often even mean! She is a good house keeper, although not always shining as a cook. Some Capricorn women have a great desire for children, but others are just indifferent. They make good mothers while children are young, but they are not very sympathetic, and the children drift away with maturity and marriage.
These people are often very lonely. The women never give up hope of marriage, and it’s always possible, no matter how late in life. Both the men and women of this sign may have marriage prevented or delayed through parents. Capricorn women are happier in marriage than in business life.
As the Capricorn man has a flair for public life, so the woman will have a flair for social life.
The Capricorn child is a shy little individual, often diminutive. He does not mix readily with his playfellows and usually has a very dull, even unhappy time. People who love children should not order them for January. (!!!)
It is difficult to understand Capricorn children, so they are often wrongly judged and driven into bad habits. They may undergo punishment at school for the misdeeds of other children, although this would only happen when very young. It is possibly one of the reasons why they grow up selfish and hard, wishing to get their own back on an unjust world. They do not care for sports, but are often forced to join in games for which they have hatred.
This is very silly, because these people seldom have an ounce of superfluous fat. Later in life they will take up golf for  social reasons. During the latter  part of school life these children come into their own. They carry off the prizes and pass examinations easily, in the most difficult subjects. After school life they quickly settle down to the business life.

Wow, all I can say is the astrologer must have had a bad run in with a Capricorn!

May the stars be with you
TTFN Tups, cough, I mean
Mystic Mug

Tuesday 18 January 2011

New Year Knit.


Such a pretty pattern.
Started knitting on Sunday night, whilst watching Foyle's War, and have finished 4 complete patterns to date (though I hope to at least get one more done tonight, quite a few knitting hours left….)

New Year, first knitting project…. technically it’s the second, as the cardigan I started on boxing day followed into the new year (to be shown soon). But hay ho, lets just say it’s my first.
Unfortunately this project isn’t the one I wanted to start knitting first. Originally I had intended to knit a lacy 3ply cardigan, in a acid yellow, but do you think I could find the right pattern… no, I blooming well couldn’t, so that’s on hold until this elusive lacy knitting pattern appears into my possession. And to think out of all my knitting patterns, I cannot find perfection- several in two ply and hundreds in double knitting- just no 3ply.
So, in the mean time, I have bought some yellow crochet cotton (in readiness for the summer months) and have started a lacy jumper blouse instead.
It’s knitting up really nicely, if I do say so myself, and I can’t wait until it’s completed (some time to pass until that’s reality) as I have outfits and occasions planned already, don’t you know!

Nighty night all,
Must get back to the old knitting….

Tickety Boo x

Thursday 13 January 2011

Pizza and Land Girls

Oddities are my forte, so here is a very random post….
Tada…. It’s A Utility Pizza! Ok, so it’s missing a C in the ‘CC41’ bit, but I was the only one to have a pizza that night!
I know it’s terribly naughty of me to play with my food, especially at a restaurant (slap my hands), but does anyone else find eating a pizza to be a little monotonous at times? I sure do, but I grant you they are extremely yummy indeed…mmm Pizza.

Right, that’s enough marvelling at my feats of food presentation, and now to some news….

For UK residents, next week sees the beginning of the second series of the terribly inaccurate, but none the less well worth watching production of ‘Land Girls’.
Last series was fun to watch, but boy did it niggle me so. Black outs, well, just didn’t occur, bells rang out on a wedding day, the story line was a little naff, and of course it contained the obligatory unmarried pregnant land girl ( it seems every plot should have this!), the GI Boyfriend unwilling to take responsibility, an AWOL airmen, plenty of people with a chip on their shoulder, affairs, and a city dweller (who’s a bit full of herself) that at the beginning finds the farming life a little challenging, but grows to love it in the end…… pass the bucket.!
Hairstyles, well…. Ok I s’pose, but I’ve seen other programs with better- all too clean for my liking and no frizz! I’m afraid that I’m super picky about hairstyles. (Our television set gets covered with criticisms!) Costumes were not bad at all (gasp- did I just say that?!)
 In recent times I like to play ‘spot the costume’! In other words, costumes that have appeared in other programs, which I might say, happens a lot in the new Miss Marple and Poirot,…Anyhoo did anyone spot the gorgeous dress, worn by Lady Thingymabob, with ladies with hats on?  No? Yes? And did any one see the dress worn by a landlady in the first of the three new Foyles War? Look familiar anyone!?
   SNAP!  Lady Thingymabob in Land Girls top, and Landlady in Foyles War, bottom.
Lovely fabric! I want.
I’m beginning to sound very geeky and obsessive about costumes, but the images of these dresses and such like get burned into my memory (unfortunately, I have no ability to remember anything of much use or importance) so it’s hard for me not to get a little annoyed. Ok, fair enough if it’s a different production altogether, but spotting them in a Marple or Poirot, which are separated by a decade, is a little off don’t you think? No? It’s just me then!

I shall now button up…. And this post was only to hark out about the new Series and all, not to rant on and scorn!

So if you can watch it, please do, as it is well worth watching just for a little light relief.
Land Girls, Starts Monday on BBC1 at 2:15.- what a rubbish time to put it on!

Tickety xxx


Friday 7 January 2011

Happy New Year Folks.

In tribute to the loss of our tree.

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL. Long time no blog!
Well I’m just about recovered from the Christmas festivities, and on the whole it was a good’un. Turkey was delicious, my table decorations turned out well, gifts were made in time and without stress (well not completely with out!) and I hate to mention the pressies, (because for me the joy of Christmas isn’t the presents, though it is lovely to receive them), but…..  My presents were wondrous!
Part of my Christmas table display, not showing the tacky vintage novelties.

I don’t think I have ever known it to be a white Christmas and it was quite magical if not a little chilly. We were awoken at some unknown hour to me… I think. Yes, SIX THIRTY- (gee dad, that was a little on the early side, don’t you think.) Oh, well I was awake anyway, so it wasn’t too painful, but I did notice the cold, and apparently it was minus 16 that day- oow!

Next was the getting ready for breakfast. My hair went unnervingly quickly into my usual curly top and I was ready for breckkie, but we won’t mention that (even though I already have). All I will say is that Christmas traditions weren’t upheld due to family and the perils of alcohol and fish allergies. ..And there was me looking forward to my scrambled egg and bacon up the road (grandparents) too. Christmas is probably the only day in the year when I feel like a proper breakfast and it was cancelled! I was not a happy bunny and was a real grump for the rest of the day.

In the end we didn’t play any of my ye oldie games (grr) and settled with a game of monopoly, courtesy of my grannie. Oh, and that’s another thing … I’m never playing with her again, the property tycoon, she was buying everything- didn’t win though, came second.  Mum won, even though she had very little property to her top hat.  I came third- so I’m the one with the hairy chest. (hehe, how old am I!).

Boxing Day saw the usual celebrations at my grandparents, filled with cold meats and pickled onions (yum) oh, and sweets galore. After lunch we all settled down to a game of table top basket ball, where I was a late scorer, but eventually went on to win- It proved to be very monotonous after a few rounds (literally as we were playing on a round table!), so we decided to see who could get three baskets, and that was me and dad, so then we had a shoot off- how thrilling! Anyway, it was only right that I should have won, it’s was my game!


My killer icicle, which also is now departed from my bedroom window.

New Years was a non stop party……and saw the dizzy heights of Knitting whilst watching a recorded Poirot , eating my last Champagne truffle ten mins before (couldn’t wait), and watching the fireworks on tv. Fun, huh! But then again, I was never one for parties.
Last pictures of Tups 2010.  my version of those photo whatya’call it’s (can’t for the life of me remember the name-doh)
That's all for now, pics of pressies and my finds to follow shortly (well within the week!)

Here’s to a Tickety Boo 2011 and a new decade….

Tuppy xxx
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