Magpie Monday - Sorbet

After the massive build up to how both Liz of MagpieMonday and I found fab bargains on our latest visits to the charity shops, I hope I don't disappoint you.

 I can quite honestly say when I saw these sitting in a basket I nearly screamed in sheer ecstasy !  Heart pounding and colour rising I rushed over to them.  Soooooo gorgeous.  Why would anybody give them away !!!  They are everything I adore about vintage style.  Beautiful fine English bone china in sorbet colours and six complete sets of cup, saucer and side plate !!

All pieces are base stamped with "Harrowby" Bone China England.  I have tried to find out more about this company but have come up with a blank.  Wedgewood has a design called Harrowby, but that's as much as I can get.  If anybody knows more I would love some information.  I am assuming they are around 1930's but really don't know.  They are in immaculate condition and have obviously hardly been used, one thing is for sure I will love them and never sell them.

I had to photograph them out in the hall as I think they match my wallpaper perfectly . What do you think ?

oh! yes, and the cost .......    £5 for the lot ! woop!

Please pop over to MagpieMonday to see all the other great people taking part this week.

White

I've been taking photo's of some of my favourite white "bits" from around my home.

Candlesticks purchased from a boot sale a couple of years ago.  I had intended to paint them, but ended up leaving them as they were.  They are tarnished and a tiny bit battered, but I like that. The white vase was a recent charity shop find £1 and very deco in style.  Tulips, one of my most favourite flowers - white of course.  The tiny silver coloured pot with candle inside was also picked up for a few pence from a charity shop and is Penhaligon's.  The most gorgeous scent.  The cream side table is from our old life when we had money and was a very expensive Laura Ashley purchase.

Table again, Laura Ashley.  White lamp base, £1 from a boot sale. I spotted it from across the road and expected it to be broken & or chipped, it was neither and worked perfectly.  I am now on the hunt for the perfect shade for it.  The pretty clock was an ebay purchase several years ago, I can't recall how much I paid for it, but as you can imagine, it wasn't a lot !

My GORGEOUS cream and white chandelier. I LOVE it, currently in our bedroom, but will be moved to the living room when hubby finishes decorating.  Another Ebay bargain, from what I can remember about £40 plus shipping (came from Sweden) .

Rachel Ashwell

Many years ago whilst looking for pretty items for my home on Ebay, I happened upon a book by a lady called Rachel Ashwell.  From that moment on I was smitten, here was someone in America (English lady actually) who styled her home just the same way that I did.  She loved white and pre-loved items, buying from yard sales, fairs etc, just like I did and was the originator of the term "shabby chic". 

I had to have her book, I checked Ebay and found at that time she had 3 books published. I bought them all and waited excitedly for them to arrive.  I was not disappointed. A feast of beautiful, pretty and sometimes breathtaking pictures.  A step by step guide as to how she had transformed her home (as a single mother ). I spent every single spare moment pouring over those books and waiting excitedly for the next one.

To date she has published five books and a dvd (I have been unable to find an English version of the dvd)
If you like my shabby style, you will LOVE Rachel's books.  Pop over to Amazon (cheapest place I have found to buy them) and treat yourself, you will not be disappointed.

Rachel went onto open several stores and a host of  lines, opening her first store in London's Nottinghill (sadly not with shabby prices) .  I really would love to visit it one day, just to look and long ....

Take a look at her  Blog  - Total heaven on Earth ! Sigh ........