Monthly Archives: August 2009

August 29, 2009

Vintage Shopping – Jewellery or Silhouettes?

I’m really missing finding my antique jewellery bargains.  I’ve also now been lured into looking at antique silhouettes.  Great things to get, easy to store and the cheaper end of the market to buy thank goodness!

I haven’t had my fix of either for ages.  I haven’t bought a name brooch (or any other kind for that matter) since September 2008, and I haven’t got a silhouette to start my collection yet – soon I hope.

A Victorian Brooch Collective

Some of you may also remember that I love Victorian ‘black’ brooches, i.e Jet, Pressed Horn etc.  Here are some good sites to window shop at:

I haven’t bought anything from these sites yet, plus there are always auctions to pick up interesting items from.

Interesting information if you like this kind of brooches:

Some of my black hand brooches

A selection of my favourites

Here also are some great shops to browse at silhouettes:

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Filed under Antique, Art, Jewellery

August 28, 2009

Georgette Heyer Revisited

I’ve mentioned the novels of Georgette Heyer a few times on this blog, and am back to re-reading my way through her historical books.  Powder and Patch again, to be exact.  I will carry on in publishing order from there when I’m in the mood.

(You can find my other Heyer posts via my search box on the right if you want to, they aren’t particularly relevant to this post, so I’m not linking directly.)

I’ve wanted for years to hear that someone is making a film or TV adaptation of her work, but nothing ever happens.  Today though, I discovered there’s a old black and white film of The Reluctant Widow made in 1950, which you can view online.  I will post a link to the first part – and there apparently was also a German version of Arabella made: Bezaubernde Arabella (1959).  Learn something new every day!

Here’s the details of the film from IMDB: The Reluctant Widow (1950).

I’m off to search for a DVD copy (legal of course)…

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Please, please someone make a decent version of one of her books!

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Filed under Books, Films, Videos

August 21, 2009

Catch Up With the Wombat

After hosting the lovely Travelling Wombat in July, I’ve been keeping up with his exploits.  A little bird told me he’d been staying in Lincolnshire.

Pop over to the fabulous Duly Moated to find out!

You can see the latest at the Wombat’s Blog too.

Wombat and the Unfortunate Cannon Incident

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Filed under BlahBlahBlah, Photos

August 14, 2009

This Ad Is Insane, But I Like It

Though, sadly not what it is advertising.

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I takes a while to get going, but you’ll see what I mean.  I think it’s the triangle at the end that always really makes me laugh.

There’s some brilliant adverts out there at the moment, and some that you wish they’d play forever.  Oh, and some that you really, really wish they wouldn’t.

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Filed under TV, Videos

August 13, 2009

An Eighties Intermission

I loved Eighties rock, and came across this the other day:

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I still love Heart, they were great!

I bet you’re singing along aren’t you?  Go on, you can tell me…

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Filed under Music, Videos

August 9, 2009

Goodnight, Sweet Prince

When I first started this blog, one of the first things I did was to introduce my pets, including my 2 rats.  (I love my ratties, had them as pets for years.)

It seems only fitting then, that I mark the passing of Sully.   I hope that Gilbert won’t be too lonely without him.

See the links below for pictures of the ratties.

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Filed under Pets

August 1, 2009

Hopeful Castle Visits

I completely forgot to update on the results of my castle poll from June.

Apart from the one or two of you that voted ‘Other’ and didn’t specify where (doh), the top castles were:

  1. Cairness House
  2. Balmoral Castle
  3. Glamis Castle

Sadly, I’ve heard some really bad reports about Balmoral, and that it is not worth the visit, as you only see one room.  I’ve not seen it myself, but it has moved down my list priority-wise.  This leaves Cairness and Glamis.

I hope to visit Cairness very soon, as I love the classical style mansion house look.  It is not open very much, but I have some time off coming up, so I will do my best.  Glamis is a little far, so unless it’s a whole day trip I doubt I’ll get to go this year, sob.  The good thing is, as a very popular castle to visit, it tends to be open more than some.

I’ve also been thinking about castles and houses all over the UK, and indeed the world.  Where would you suggest I go?  Please tell me your favourites, and leave a link to a website if you have one too, I’d love to visit some of them vicariously through guide books if possible also!  :smile:

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Filed under Architecture, History, Places to go