Toys and Tins

Well, what do you make of this handsome chap? At the beginning of half term we drove down to Devon and stopped half way at The Dairy House in Semley near Shaftesbury. It is an Antiques Centre with lovely things to tempt you to part with your money.

We have been there a few times having discovered that the place existed via a blog.

The stock is spread over three floors - in several rooms.

There is a section which sells old books - Enid Blyton, A. A. Milne etc and there on a shelf above the books was this delightful dog - my heart melted as soon as I saw him and when I pointed him out to Our Daughter, she too thought the same - he just had to come home with us!

He's got an adorable face and has been well loved, which just adds to his charm! He now has pride of place in Our Daughter's bedroom.

Well, would you believe it next to the first dog was this one - "You can't leave him behind mum! He'd be so sad by himself! And he looks a bit like Charlie!" Charlie is our standard wire coated dachshund.

So - you can guess what happened - that one too came home with us!

He does look a bit like our dog, Charlie - scruffy but lovable.

Now we don't make a habit of spoiling Our Daughter - but would you believe it when we went to Lyme Regis at half term in a shop called Susie Cole was this lovely rabbit and her young one! "Please, please can I have it. I won't ask for anything again until Christmas!" (I didn't believe her - but they are lovely, aren't they?)

So, they came home with us too!

As I was taking photos of the cute dogs and rabbits to show you on this post I thought that I would show you some of the bears that sit on a chair that Our Daughter used to have in the living room when she was small but which is now in her bedroom with these bears on it as it is too small for her!

The cream bear came from a Charity Shop in Honiton last Autumn for £2.99. The orange and black bears were a Christmas present to Our Daughter and were made by Danielle from Pussman and Co - see my blog list for details. The yellow and blue knitted bear was £1 from a Saturday Market stall in Devon.

Looking at the first dog on this post which seems to me to be a terrier I thought that I would show you what I purchased for me recently in Honiton - a tin with dogs!

And finally, I thought that I would show you this tin that I purchased on our recent visit to Stratford.

On Sunday, Our Daughter went to a school friends Birthday Party which allowed me time to take these photos as I was tidying up - this reminds me I need to go and put another load of washing through. So, I'd better be off!

Until next time.

June.

Tulips, Cats and Tins!

On Friday I had a migraine and here is a glimpse at the tulips which were bought to cheer me up. They certainly did the trick! I love Spring flowers - tulips, daffodils, crocuses - I love them all.

On Saturday Our Daughter went to a school friends house for a sleepover.

The house was eerily silent without her and everywhere looked tidier!

As planned on Saturday evening we headed for the local cinema to see "The King's Speech". When we arrived at the cinema there was a queue and would you believe it but the two people in front of us got the last tickets! We drove home thinking "well, that's that" but having got home we thought that there would be no harm in looking at the internet to see whether other cinemas nearby had seats available. They had and so we booked on-line before making a mad dash through the rain to the car. We were off again. As we would be cutting it fine to catch the start of the show we had rushed out and not checked that we had some change for the car park! 

Hubby rushed into a near by pub and bought some crisps so we could get some change.

There was then a mad scramble to get to the cinema on time!

This is Archie - lazing on a bed - it really is a hard life being a cat!

This is Ruby - anxiously waiting for food. She lets all the other cats eat first! If she were allowed she would stop eating cat food altogether as she prefers cheese and ham!

Anyway, back to Saturday - the film was FANTASTIC. Well worth the mad dash to get there. Colin Firth was EXCELLENT and Helena Bonham-Carter and the guy who plays, Lionel - the Kings Speech Therapist were very, very good in their supporting roles. In fact the guy who played the part of Lionel eclipsed Colin Firth's King during certain bits.

This film should win quite a few Oscars, me thinks!

 Sunday saw rain followed by even more rain. We went and picked up Our Daughter at noon.

She arrived home shattered - I don't think much sleeping had taken place during the sleepover!

 Sunday afternoon was a time to catch up with homework, housework etc before having a late roast dinner and before you could say Monday it was Monday!

Above is a photo of a tin I recently purchased on e-bay - doesn't he look like a trusted old friend.

Another recent e-bay purchase.

This is one of the two tins that I purchased whilst at Stratford.

This is a tin that I've had for some time, I thought that I would include it with this post as at the week-end we are off to the land of red buses - London or maybe not - see below ...

This is Millie apprehensively looking at the dog - whilst Archie and Ruby are far more interested in their food. We have to feed the cats on the work surface in the utility room (in bowls, of course) otherwise the dog would scoff the damn lot without a thought of them going without.

Another peep at those tulips ... lovely!

We are due to head for London this week-end but Our Daughter had to be picked up from school this afternoon as she wasn't feeling well so the best laid plans may have to be put on hold. Hubby picked her up from school as I had to be at work.

As he commented after I came home when I queried how Our Daughter was - "Oh, thank God for the healing qualities of chocolate ice-cream!" That has to be a man thing - to take a sick child for an ice-cream?

However, she does look revived so I shouldn't knock it!

Until next time.

June.

Tins, Tins and More Tins

Today as I'm still too poorly to venture out I thought that I would do a post on a few more of my tins.

This little boy is feeding the pigeons in Trafalgar Square before it was banned by Health and Safety!

This one is a recent e-bay purchase. It was a "Buy It Now" and although more expensive than I would normally pay it looked so like our cat "Millie" that I had to have it!

This one is also from e-bay - a cute Jack Russell!

This little girl is feeding the penguins. Having lived with the snow for a few weeks now I can honestly say that if there is such a thing as re-incarnation I don't want to come back as a penguin - snow for a while is lovely but all the time - No, Thankyou!

A little girl with her pet cat - the cat looks so like Millie - I had to buy it!

Cute little puss-cats doing the housework - If only they could! In our house with five of them they can generate a lot of mess, especially as they are all long-haired!

Is this one a Beagle?

Finally, a festive tin - children having fun in the snow with their hoola hoops and sticks.

Is that dog a Dachshund?

Well, hubby has been to town and bought some manuka honey. Lets hope it does the trick!

Our daughter now seems to be coming down with the bug!

She's wrapped up warm, asleep on the sofa under an eiderdown!

My parents are stuck up in Anglesey so seeing them over Christmas is looking slim. They have 10 inches of snow!

Until next time.

June.

Tin Collection

Well, it's still cold here in Hampshire but most of the snow has turned into slush. The bed has been given an extra blanket - which the cat found and made itself at home! Today I thought I would share with you some of my tin collection.

I love the colours on this flowery one. I love pansies.

This one was a recent e-bay purchase. I think it dates from the 1920's. The girl looks like a flapper girl from that era.

Here's a cute doggie one! My daughter has this in her bedroom with her hair clips and slides etc in.

The photo above and below shows the same tin. I love the colours and graphics - especially mummy mouse holding the hand of her little one - so cute!

The squirrel and hedgehog seem to be dancing a jive!

These rabbits seem to be doing the same! Don't you dare step on my toe!

And you should have guessed that there would be some with cats on!

This one seems to be on his way to a party. I love his expression - he looks so happy!

And finally, here's another photo of Archie when he was in one of his posing moods the other day.

"Come on. Tickle my belly - you know you want to and I would like you to."

Until next time.

June.