Reasons to be cheerful ....

Hello there! The sun's shining, the birds are singing and flying around with bits of twigs and fluff in their beaks, busy with their nest building.  Was just counting my blessings when there is so much grief and sadness in the world, and thought I'd share the things that are making me smile ...

I had a Vintage Fair on Sunday, it was a lovely day meeting old friends and I had a bit of a change around on my stall to try and make it look a bit fresh (pity that everyone wanted to buy the props that weren't for sale!)

 My workroom! This is just the window, the one part that is ready, but watch this space, we are getting there slowly ...

 Lovely treasure that I've stumbled upon ... I love this Boddington's ad and think it may go in my workroom, because it makes me smile!

This handsome chap came home with me, and I think he's a keeper too. Sorry about the size of my pics ... I've downloaded them from Instagram and they seem to be sized differently.  You may be able to see them differently than me, but I don't know how to enlarge them ... answers on a postcard please!

Fantastic roller skates! Lots of people looked at them at the Fair, but more to reminisce than anything else ... stories about siblings sharing the skates and wearing one each or patiently waiting until it was their turn to wear both!

Remember The Pogle's? I'd never seen anything Pogle related until I found this plate ... it's done well to survive since the 60's (bit like me) ...

Little bit of upcycling (the coffee set is absolutely beautiful, all shiny and full of lustre: I couldn't think of an adjective for lustre, lustreful?)

An upcycled cupboard, painted first in  Annie Sloan Provence, then covered in Antoinette on the outside, distressed so that the blue shows through ... Cath wallpaper lining the door (a marriage made in HEAVEN!)

Teacup trifles! So simple but effective ... I made these when the lovely Rosey Maria came for lunch last week.

Little makes for friend's birthdays ... and of course the lovely friends themselves!

This delightful cushion came to me from Dotcomgiftshop.  I don't usually advertise, apart to show you what I've bought, but they got in touch with me to ask if they could show one of my upcycled cupboards on their own blog.  I was very flattered that such a well known company had noticed me, so of course said yes.  They gave me a discount code to use in the future, (which will be handy as I do usually buy from their sales) and asked if there was anything I would like to review and they would send it to me.

 I had had my eye on this cushion for a while so asked if I could please have that.  It is really very sweet and at only £9.95, a very reasonable buy.  I didn't read the description properly (as usual!) and thought it was full sized, but it is a small cushion and would be lovely for pinning brooches on, or for a child's bed grouped with other cushions. I keep it on a shelf and it is very at home there, and receives lots of admiring comments. It is very detailed with each feature stitched on separately and further decorated with flowers and buttons.  It is backed in the same dotty fabric as the sky.  Very pretty and recommended by me!

I'd just like to say that my family are my main reason to be cheerful, but as they don't particularly want to appear here, I'll just give them a mention!

That's all for now, do you have any reasons to be cheerful that you'd like to share?

Love, Claire xxx