CELEBRATIONS ~ Halloween

We like to celebrate the seasons and Autumn and Winter are our favourites. Living in the countryside we are subject to the vagrancies of nature and the weather. Our thoughts go out to all in America who are currently suffering due to Hurricane Sandy. May you stay safe, warm and with friends and family.

The Emporium has some lovely Halloween decorations, we quite like these pumpkins and spooky plates.

Halloween goodies at The Emporium, Hungerford.

It has turned quite cold and rain is forecast but we do hope that it is calm enough for the little ghosts, witches and devils to come trick or treating in our village. We have made a Halloween wreath from the garden out of little lanterns.

Vintage Fairy Illustration by Hilda Miller

Zitella The Witch (a Katerine's creation) is in the window to welcome them. Mrs Black is a little shy of children but usually enjoys them in costume.

The incomparble Lord Byron, a splendid Witches hat, the perfect shoe,
and Helena Bonham-Carter in a magnificent swan adorment.

Perhaps one of the aspects of Halloween which appeals to us the most is dressing up, the ability to be, even for one night, someone else.

I think it gives children an opportunity to use their imagination - and why not continue as adults?

Once upon a time there were grand balls to attend where everyone dressed in costume.

These are just a few costumes we love, for both men and women.








Vintage clothes and costumes from the past are a great inspiration to the designers of today, and to the many people who like to wear vintage fashion.

Personally I am coveting this wonderful cape, it is an antique, one of a kind, and not for sale.

It is totally impractical, but that is the point. It is so special that few of us mere mortals will ever wear anything like it.

But we can dream. I  may have to get the pins and needles out before next Halloween to make one of these.








Dark colours are traditionally associated with Autumn and Winter but also brights which gleam and glisten as stillness arrives. I'm always tempted at this time of year to re-decorate. The usual reds, golds and black work, but so do purple and even more surprising, a certain shade of pink!

The Raven quote is available on Etsy.

Whatever that we do in our costumes and decorations, nature always does it best.




The Moon over our village last night.

The trees and leaves on our path.




FOLKLORIC ~ Staddle Stones

Alice and The Caterpillar meet by a mushroom
John Tenniel

Epilogue to Through the Looking Glass

A boat, beneath a sunny sky
Lingering onward dreamily
In an evening of July --

Children three that nestle near,
Eager eye and willing ear
Pleased a simple tale to hear --

Long has paled that sunny sky:
Echoes fade and memories die:
Autumn frosts have slain July.

Still she haunts me, phantomwise
Alice moving under skies
Never seen by waking eyes.

Children yet, the tale to hear,
Eager eye and willing ear,
Lovingly shall nestle near.

In a Wonderland they lie,
Dreaming as the days go by,
Dreaming as the summers die:

Ever drifting down the stream --
Lingering in the golden gleam --
Life what is it but a dream?

Lewis Carroll

All of my life I have been mesmerised by Lewis Carroll. His photographs and his writing epitomised the idea of England which first captured my heart and made me want to live here. I love his poems which I find quite poignant, and of course Alice. I have collected illustrations and items which remind me of his books and am always thrilled to find anything which touches an 'Alice' chord within me. Our cottage is full of Mad Tea Party and Cheshire Cat vignettes. I always loved that a lot of what he wrote has double meaning and although it resonates heavily with children you can read and re-read and find deeper meaning. It took me sometime to understand - and then thanks to Grace Slick and The Jefferson Airplane with 'White Rabbit'  and a wander through the psychelic streets of Haight Ashbury to realise that the naughty caterpillar (and Alice) were under the enfluence of magic mushrooms and other rather special substances. Mushrooms are forever associated with magic and Fairies and most children delight in finding them in any form.

A set of 6 fabulous stone mushrooms for sale
from the Salisbury Salvo website

There are a lot of things in England which do seem to be Alice like. There are of course those magnifient West Country teas, or tea at The Ritz, how civilised! When I first moved here I was enthralled by giant stone mushrooms I came across in gardens, especially in villages and on farms. I wanted one, or two! They were fairy like and instantly Alice like, but I could not imagine that the generally stoic English public would be so sentimental about fairies or Alice to have strewn these items across their little enchanted isle.  I was living in London in those days and there was no internet (imagine!?) so it took me awhile to work out just what they really were.

When I finally did I was even more excited! I should have just asked a countryman, but instead it dawned on me one fine day when I came across a really magical little building in the wonderful Wiltshire landscape!

Little building from Sheldon Manor, near Chippenham, Wiltshire
From here:

Once upon a time these uncommon looking things were quite common and they had a very important use. They are known as 'Staddle Stones' a kind of magical name just in itself.  From the Wikipedia page: "In Middle English staddle or stadle is stathel, from Old English stathol, a foundation, support or trunk of a tree. The tops of the staddles were usually circular and this made it almost impossible for a rodent to climb up and into the hay or grain stored above. The air could freely circulate beneath the stored crops and this helped to keep it dry. Bee hives were often set on top of staddle stones to keep out predators and provide dry and airy conditions."

An old barn supported on several Staddle Stones at Boscombe, Wiltshire
Photo by Mike Searle, from here:

Staddle Stones of old were made of sandstone, red sandstone or granite, according to whatever materials were available locally. Today some garden centres sell reproductions made of cement but they are not anywhere near as magical and it takes  along time for them to achieve the any kind of patina or growth of the wonderful lichen that adds to the ancient look and charm of the old ones.

You often see old cattle troughs and sinks being placed upon Staddle Stones, still with their mushroom tops, or otherwise and this makes a lovely planter. I came across this pretty one in Ramsbury.



Conical shaped Staddle Stones in Ramsbury, Wiltshire

Mushroom Staddle Stones for sale at Below Stairs, Hungerford



Recently when I posted a fine set of these magical mushrooms for sale at a favourite shop, Below Stairs in Hungerford, ( their website:)   Nella from the lovely Acorn Country Living here:  asked if they had a special name. This reminded me once again of how much these stones meant to me and what a part they had played in my life in England. Since living here I have found out that they were also used in America, but most of them were made of timber there and have not survived.

I always look for them on our travels and they never cease to delight. Once they were quite common, less so today, but to me they will always be magical and Alice like.

And finally, here is the one in our garden which covers the old well that was once used by our village before it was connected to mains water in 1936.  Today the cats often sit upon it watching the birds in the trees.  As soon as we viewed our tiny Arts and Crafts cottage we fell in love with it and when I saw this mushroom in the back garden I knew we had to live here. Our very own little bit of 'Alice'.

Our much loved Staddle Stone over our old well

 

 

Further reading: The Wiki page for Staddle Stones

SHOPPE KEEPER ~ Hungerford, Berkshire

We sell from a little unit tucked in a corner at the top of the stairs on the first floor of  The Emporium in Hungerford, Bershire. It's only a tiny nook so our mission is to find small Object of Desires to fill it.

A few items which we have sold at Mrs Blacks. 

For those who do not know The Emporium it is in the High Street in Hungerford, Berkshire. It's a lovely old building full of found, rescued and restored treasures of over 30 antique and vintage dealers.
   website of The Emporium



You can always find interesting and beautiful vintage items at The Emporium. 

Items at The Emporium are displayed so well by all the dealers. 

We were so tempted to buy this lovely cat! 

We love Hungerford and feel very lucky to be able to live in the area. The town has a little bit of everything,  history, many old buildings including the Arts and Crafts style Town Hall, lots of antiques, a wonderful florist (Martin and the Magpie), fabulous bookstore, (Hungerford Bookshop), Hungerford Bookshop,  cookshop and plenty of places to eat and drink.  Martin and The Magpie (love the name!) have their own blog with lots of  inspirational style and colour.
Martin and The Magpie

One of the most interesting shops in Hungerford is 'Below Stairs'. It's a warren of little rooms, all filled with carefully curated displays of furniture, china, brass and fascinating objects. They have a fabulous collection of vintage light and light fittings, incredible old signs and lots of garden items in their outside yard.  They have a fabulous old tin tub full of water lilies and frogs who live in the yard.



Below Stairs of Hungerford

Phew! Exhausted now after all of these photos, must go and have a cup of tea (in vintage cups of course!) and a cat nap! 

SEASONAL ~ Let there be light

Littlecote Woods, Berkshire

I love the light in England this time of year. As foilage brightens the days begin and end in a twilight world. It is my favourite hour of the day. The light plays tricks with you, casting an ethereal glow over the landscapes. It makes everything seem as if it is in the distance, just out of reach. I feel very lucky to be surrounded by so much magic. Sometimes it is like living in an illuminated manuscript.

Windows of old cottages, manor houses and religious buildings have always enchanted me. New glass has nothing in common with glass that has aged.  It has a special muted quality, a soft focus.

Windows from The Bell, Ramsbury and  Littlecote House

I have an inquisitive mind (curiosity killed the cat!) and cannot resist looking in as I walk past a window where the curtains are not drawn. Often the owners provide little vignettes to snare our interest. Looking at windows from the outside gives a glimpse into the life of those who lived or are living in a house.

The delightful  'frog' window in Hungerford, Berkshire, and antique china illuminated by lamp light in Aldbourne, Wiltshire

Windows in Chilton Foliat, Berkshire

Looking at the world outside through an old glass window frames the world in a different way than when seen from the ground. 

Looking out at the beautiful views from Littlecote House

Not everything in life that we desire costs a lot of money. This Mintons tea cup is one of our favourite items, collected from a charity shop in Hungerford for truly next to nothing. It was created sometime in the years between 1873 and 1912 which makes it over 100 years old and possibly 140. It wears it's age well despite a crack which has been crudely glued by a previous owner anxious to save the cup. But not for use, simply because it is so very very beautiful. 

No tea pours through it these days, but the light still does. The china is so fine that it is translucent. The hand painted decoration is exquisite. 

When I look at it I am grateful to Mintons for creating it, to whoever it was who did not throw it away when it was broken and to that person who still loved it enough to hope that by giving it to charity it would find a new owner to cherish it. And we do. 

Exquisite fine china Mintons tea cup, broken but it's beauty undimmed

JEWEL BOX ~ Winged Things

I saw Butterflies in the garden this week. A Peacock, some Brimstone and a small brightly coloured one that I could not identify. The Peacock nearly landed on me while I stood and admired it. Then it was gone, off over the houses towards the fields of wildfowers and grasses. Last year our village was full of so many Butterflies of all size and colour that we were inspired to fill in an online survey to count them in the United Kingdom.

I love all of them, even the Brimstone and whites which are considered common and somewhat of a pest as their caterpillars will devour brassicas in no time at all. Really there is nothing common about a Brimstone these days, even they are threatened and in decline. Their wing colour can vary greatly from very  pale, almost silver to a bright rich yellow. Their caterpillars decimated the brussel sprouts we were growing, but I forgave them.

We had a fairy like lodger over winter. She arrived one cool Autumn day and nestled herself in our garden greenhouse at the back of a shelf inside an empty terracotta pot. There she settled into a deep sleep to wait for Spring. I noticed her before winter came and all through the snows and storms I continued to check on her and ensure no frost came near, no fungus tarnished those soft wings and no spider wound a stealthy web over her.

My Sleeping Beauty rewarded me come the first sun. Out she flew and perched upon the red brick wall. Her wing edges were in tatters, wear and tear from her year as a Butterfly. Now all she had to do was find a bed of nettles, preferably in a wood where they will not be cut down until next Spring,  lay the eggs she had carried within her, and die. She had slept all winter just to provide her young with a future. Still cold from her deep sleep and exposed to the winds where she was sitting, she was in danger of failing in her mission. I took her and gently cupped her in my hands where she sat quietly for a few minutes. Suddenly she flapped those jeweled Peacock wings - and flew away. On that day, in the sun that was shining I felt sure that her offspring would be born and thrive. Now I am not so full of hope for her or the other Butterflies. I've seen almost none this year.

BBC Homes & Antiques August 2012 issue

Being a vintage dealer in England I like to watch the BBC Antiques Roadshow and read the magazine that they produce, BBC Homes & Antiques. The magazine has a balance of real antiques and vintage, and a very useful diary of events. It is filled with beautiful, real homes from all walks of life. I love the way it runs pieces on large and small antiques dealers, artists and home workers.
This month they have run a feature on Butterfly brooches. Long out of fashion they have now become quite collectable. There are some wonderful examples available, from the ornate and intricately made victorian jewel encrusted to simple enammelled, finely twisted silver and delicate gold. In all price ranges.

I remember as a little girl how fascinated I was by the giant brooches that my Grandmother liked to wear. I love them and often wear 2 or 3 together on a coat or a wool hat or scarf. Some are so beautiful that they can even be used to decorate a room, on a curtain tieback or a lampshade.

 These are available on ebay now, and I am very tempted.

Sterling silver & filigree enamel

great example of Czechoslovakian glass and gilt

I love this one, glass and daisies!
From the 1930s/40s

Perhaps the most beautiful one of all,
a tiny Millefiori from Italy

Earlier this month the Wiltshire illustrator, artist, sculptor and jewelry maker Joanne May (she is a multi tasking much talented lady) and I were wandering on one of our 'treasure quests' and we found ourselves in a most amazing antiques shop in Hungerford called Great Grooms. It is housed in a large red brick victorian house, of the grand design, and every room and staircase is decked in Objects of Desire.  We came across some works and jewels which we would not have expected to see outside of a museum. Joanne often paints the Fairy Realm in her work and always has an eye for a beautiful example of this art. This is what she found!

‘Prospero releasing Ariel from the tree.’ Arthur Bentley Connor 

Oil on canvas: 60x37 inc. (Frame: 67 x 44 Inc.) Signed & dated 1911 l/l
PRICE £28,000

"Commissioned by the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre the painting shows Prospero in his magic robes in act 5.1 of ‘The Tempest’ releasing Ariel from his prison inside a tree, before finally renouncing magic. The Dragonfly almost certainly represents one of the characters in Prospero’s circle, and Calaban as the toad.

Arthur Bentley Connor was a portrait painter from London who exhibited at the Royal Society of Portrait Painters and the Royal Academy from 1903-18.

Provenance: This fabulous painting was commissioned by the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford –Upon-Avon for the production of ‘The Tempest’ by the Royal Shakespeare Company which opened July 31, 1911.

According to the artists daughter the painting was returned to her father for restoration after being damaged by a fire at the theatre. The Great War then took place and the painting remained in the artist’s possession and never returned to the theatre. The theatre was finally destroyed in the great fire of 6 March, 1926 (and not re-built until 1932).The picture remained with the artist until his death, and left to his daughter-Isabel Ward, née Conner. The painting was sold by Isabel Ward together with a note of provenance in 2002.The artists restoration to fire damage has since been carefully reversed and the painting conserved and restored using modern techniques to museum standards."

This painting is being sold by Thomas Fine Art, one of the dealera at Great Grooms.

Thomas Fine Art website

A photo really does not do this justice, we felt very privileged to have seen it in person and hope someone buys this who will share it with the public. The painting has a long and interesting history which should be preserved. Look closely and you will the frog and dragonfly. It is really stunning, Aerial's wings are as delicate as can be, you can see through them. We were both delighted to find art which paid a small tribute to the beautiful wings of Butterflies.

Joanne is inspired by them in her own work where she sometimes gives her Fairies such wings. This is a detail from one of her paintings called Fairy Thief. We have a print of this for sale in Mrs Black's This n That at The Emporium in Hungerford.

Joanne is currently busy with work and is taking a summer break from blogger but this is her own site: Willow Treefox

PLACES ~ Bow Belles Cafe

Summer really is a wash out  here. News reports tell us that June was the wettest month since records began, and there is no let up in sight. But we are grateful that unlike some parts of England and the world, we are safe, not flooded and occasionally we still have electricity,  heating (and yes, evenings are so cold, we still need it!) and internet access.

There is nothing to do but remember the few sunny days of blossom and birdsong we have had fondly and stop off for tea and cake when we find a pretty cafe.

The wonderful house on Hungerford Bridge,
and that stunning Wisteria

A favourite stopping place for tea or lunch
Bow Belles Cafe in Marlborough, Wiltshire

Bow Belles cafe is located at the back of Bow House shop, in a very pretty Victorian house
 in Marlborough High Street.
 Can you see we are being watched by the little dog upstairs?

You have to pass through the shop to reach the cafe! Time to admire items .....

Too many choices, and cakes too

The cafe furniture is beautiful

The china and silverware are lovely too - as is the food!

The toilets for customers of the cafe are an opportunity for the owners to show off more of their superb design expertise. The rooms are lavishly decorated in a black and green wallpaper with glittery Komodo Dragons that look as if they are wearing tiny sparkly sequins, and stocked with scented soaps and hand creams. It's all sold in the shop, the wallpaper is 'Komodo' by Osborne and Little and we so want it!  

And, at the back is a beautiful secret garden all white and green.

Bow House & Bow Belles Cafe Marlborough & Hungerford