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Beatrix Potter

Artist Storyteller, Countrywoman

I have enjoyed reading the books I took out from the library so much, I have ordered a copy for myself to keep and refer back to when in need of inspiration. Here is a few paragraphs for you to savor and a few pictures of Miss Potter when she was a little girl.

"I remember so clearly as the brightness of the rich Scotch sunshine on the threadbare carpet - the morning I was ten years old - my father gave me Mrs. Blackburn's Book Of Birds, drawn from nature, for my birthday present.

The third floor nursery in Bolton Gardens was for the next forty seven years Beatrix's playroom, schoolroom and eventually her studio. Much has been written about the strictness of her childhood, but the Potters were no more overbearing than any other middle class parents of the time. Children were seen and not heard, they were looked after exclusively by their nannies and governesses. Beatrix's nurse was a young woman from the Scotish Highlands, She had a firm belief in witches, fairies and goblins. "I can remember quite plainly from one or two years old, not only facts, like learning to walk but sentiments...."I cared for only two toys a dilapitated black wooden doll called Topsy, and a grimy hard stuffed once white flanelette pig."

Beatrix was a delicate child and often ill. She new few other children and seldom ventured out in London, except for walks in Kensington Gardens with her first dog Sandy, a brown Scotch terrier, and with nurse, who saw that she was carefully dressed. " What I wore was absurdly uncomfortable, white pique starched frocks just like Alice in Wonderland, and cotton stockings striped round like zebra's legs, with high black buttoned boots. Her hair was worn brushed straight back and held in place by a plain band behind her ears, "Black velvet on Sundays and either black or brown ribbon with a bit of elastic, looped over a button behind the ear, it hurt."

Do April Showers bring May Flowers? Yes they do!
I thought I would share with you some scans from one of vintage childrens book collection, this book The Language of Flower Illustrated By Kate Greenway who I adore...is one of my favourite little book to bring out and look at this time of year, I have a large colletion of antique childrens books, I spend many a garage sale weekends and flea market hours in search of these rare jewels,

the printing and illustrations compare to next to none of the books on the market today, the softness and colours used as well as the papers used and the attention to bindings and endpapers are such a delight to see and share. I have a complete collection of Kate Greenaway's books, there are a few almanacs which are very rare and have not yet come across. Do you have any favorite illustrators of days past that you treasure, love to hear which ones, please leave me a comment on my blog.

I purchased this vintage camel pea coat on etsy, from seller gottabvintage, I just love it I wore it today out on my library run....and thought I would share a few of the great pictures from this book I picked up called Thrifty Chic.....

I also picked up a couple of books I had on hold...Beatrix Potter Life In Nature

this decor book is worth a look, lots of great ideas on every page

I love the kitchen in this pic, I want to take my cupboards out and do just shelves.

love the old silverware and mis-matched china, very English Cottage looking.
Now back to my cup of tea...I made this little fly cover for my milk jug from some pieces of my lace collection added a few buttons, these were used in Victorian times, before our lovely plastic lids came in to the world.

Some new vintage pieces are in my shop today, this oh so pretty Cameo Picture was such a great find.

Lovely French Cameo Re-purposed Necklace

Light and breezy powdery and fresh as spring.....

At last the sun is out...the birds are twittering and little crocuses are peeping out! Oh, how we have waited for you my long lost little flowers.

Made a few new pieces for the shop over the weekend, the vintage linen that I purchased at the last flea market I went to has been my favourite batch. I made a few little button bags with matching cards, I love to use old baby photos in my designs, this is such a sweet one. I worked on some necklaces as well, finding some great vintage pieces at the goodwill store. The long pretty necklaces I see many girls wearing are so nice. I have to wear a necklace everyday, even if I stay at home, I love that elegant feeling of opera length strands, my daughter wears long necklaces now too and I just love them to bits!

Today is such a crappy raining ugly day, so to cheer myself up I put on my long silver necklace, make some English Breakfast tea and eat little GingerKids cookies and all is well again! A few pics of my animal family to share with you too.

Well I know spring is sprung here in my neck of the woods, I have been in the mood to clean out and get rid of clutter in my studio and around the house, then did a little bit of painting to freshen up my hallway, I still need to finish that project. Thinking of garden plans, and which plants to try this year, last year I planted 4 different kinds of lettuce and the were fantastic, all summer I had great salads and I loved to just slip out the back door and take a few leaves from the plants, grab a few tomatoes, snap peas and voila...garnishes or salad....just a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and white vinegar and salt and pepper. The lettuce plants did very well and lasted most of the summer.

I have added a few new pieces to the shop, this is one of my papercuttings that I have made into a pretty collage piece, in using 18th Century designs for the Paper Hand and Woven Paper Heart, aged with sepia and beeswax the Heart and Hand symbol was used in 18th century love tokens samplers and other paper made folk arts. I have added some antique lace to the hand and the Nature Journal papers washed in pretty sepia watercolor, this piece is sealed with a beeswax finish. The nature journal pages are print copies from my favorite book The Country Diary Of An Edwardian Lady. Happy Spring Days to you!