coming soon! Swedish cupboard c.1820

I will elaborate further on this post tomorrow as there is no time now and I am just so excited about this piece I needed to share the photo. It is a Swedish baroque cupboard with the most amazing fretwork design to the top. And I adore the soft grey colour. It is one of my favourite finds on our overseas buying trip (although there are a few favourites I have to admit...). Inside it is painted a cream colour and has versatile shelves perfect for displaying white china...

Image from Blossoming Visions

Image from Cote de Texas Or it could be used to display found objects such as coral...

Image from Parterre

In fact, I am pretty sure it would look great filled with absolutely anything!

happy easter!

Wishing everyone a very happy Easter. I fell in love with this little fluffy bunny in a vintage cup...I hope he makes a few people smile. Image from Ria.

more Cotswolds shopping including the famous Highgrove store!

In an antique shop in the Cotswolds town of Tetbury I fell in love with the large American decoy duck in the above image. I also liked the vintage ticking mattresses folded in the background, and the French armchair at the front. Upstairs in the same store, the blue painted bench was a standout. And check out the size of the wire egg basket...I think it is suitable for ostrich eggs!

A French baker's stand with vintage bread baskets. The local florist, Twig, is perhaps my favourite florist I have ever found. It is unique and ever-changing. The chequered wooden flooring makes a wonderful backdrop for greenery.

A romantic French carved and caned bed in another antiques store.

A Gustavian bench seat. We found a similar bench seat at a fair on the trip...image to come.

A collection of white ceramics on a rustic table...

An an interesting sculpture made from vintage garden tools...

As you may know by now, I do have a current obsession with large terracotta pots, the more the better as they look great grouped together. I have found a number of these so far on my travels.

On the corner of the main street in Tetbury there is a store called Highgrove which I had not seen before. All profits go towards the Princes Charities Foundation, which makes me feel better about the fudge that I bought...for charity after all! I was taken with their store displays which incorporate vintage garden tools...

A French orchard ladder in Highgrove is used as a display shelf.

I bought these super long elm benches as I loved the figuring of the timber in the seats and also the length. And they are very sturdy, too.

touring the Cotswolds with a stop at Daylesford Organic farm shop

A church in one of my favourite Cotswold villages, Burford. Burford is best to visit during the week as the weekends see many visitors to this town. Early crooked sandstone buildings line the main street and house small boutique shops and pubs.

Our point of call for lunch was my favourite farm shop Daylesford Organic near Stow-on-the-Wold. I have written about this heavenly place in a previous post. It should be on every food-lovers' must-do-while-in-the-Cotswolds list...

The courtyard of Daylesford Organic is in itself a feast for hungry eyes with a potager and plant stand both overflowing with plants. Note the watering can in the above image...it is a Hawes watering can which are the best English make. I am always on the hunt for vintage examples of Hawes cans while I am here.

Our bag of goodies before we unpacked and ate in the sun in the courtyard. There is a restaurant as part of the farm as well, but we never seem to make it past the fresh produce, patisserie and cheese area!

Towards the end of the day I bought this French day bed as a future upholstery project...one day!

attic sale and a French chateau find

Stone urns flank the entrance to the large estate of an "attic" sale that we attended.

Two Victorian period prams were up for sale...

And a gorgeous dovecote along with piles of windows...

A collection of birdcages were sold as one lot, but they were not in very good condition. Still, quite decorative.

We secured this French farmhouse table which was originally from a French chateau. My lucky stars were shining this day, it is such a beautiful table.

This dolls house is huge and covered another farmhouse table entirely. A little girl's dream dolls house (and a room filler!). Overall, I had some great finds...well worth the time spent rummaging. Just a shame the urns were not for sale!

iconic cafe and food store featuring antiques

French cafe chairs sit outside the entrance to Bill's cafe in the historic town of Lewes, Sussex. Galvanised tin bins are used for display in the front window. As I have mentioned in a previous post, tin is quite in vogue in the UK at the moment. I didn't have time to sit for a bite but I bought some fresh produce supplies for the road.

An old cart displays hundreds of oranges which are in season here.

Inside Bill's in the produce area old French picker's baskets are used to display fresh fruit. I have managed to find quite a few of these baskets on my travels which is great as we have all but sold out in the store.

A few doors along from Bill's another cafe with some antiques displayed in the window including a French cafe chair and folding bistro table.

There is no shortage of good food options in Lewes, across the road from Bill's you will find The Real Eating Company which stocks a lovely selection of cheeses. In the front window rhubarb forcers are displayed on baskets. I could easily have spent more time in Lewes. Maybe next time...