Next Sunday... a Vintage Treat in Norfolk

Today I have been getting bits & bobs ready for the Little Vintage Lover Fair at Heydon Village Hall near Norwich (Norfolk - the UK one!).

 I have some lovely classic vintage leather handbags that were my dear Aunt Thelma's.  She was a very classy dresser and I have been fortunate enough to have been given a few treats from her over the years.  

 Anyway my little business Butterflies & Hurricanes is getting an outing.  Not so much happening with it this year & the website is pants but I'm a bit tied up in the full-time job.  However LVLF events are always lovely & there will be sunshine (we are outside) smiles, treats, cake & cuppas.  

 Its held in a pre-war village hall which is very cute in itself.  The hall will be filled with goodies & glorious finds such as Bobo Bun who collects & makes gorgeous things.

Mummy Butterfly & I will be outside at the back of the hall - the naughty corner I suspect!

For this event Butterflies & Hurricanes presents Vintage Boudoir Chic.

We have an eclectic mix of glass dressing table sets, trinket pots, candle sticks, hand mirrors, negligees, vintage stockings, cushions made from vintage fabrics, vintage jewellery, handmade jewellery made from old beads, vintage handbags and any other niceties that we find along the way.  Oh we also have a selection of craft & vintage books which are perfect for a bit of light bedtime reading.

It's going to be lots of fun, please do come & say hellooooo 

xx  Claire & Rona  xx

10am until 4pm  

Refreshments & tasty treats available. 

Heydon Village Hall, The Street, Heydon, Norfolk.  NR11 6AD £1.00 entry.

Sun, Steam, Stress free days by the sea

All work and no play makes Claire a dull girl..... and Mr Fabulous fed up of her tired grumpy face!!

 sOOOOOO we took the train to Sherringham to see the big steam train!!

 Mr F regressed to a 5 year old, all grins & chatting to the train driver.

 Here you can almost see his tail wagging!! He was very happy indeed.

 The station is very nicely decorated - a step back in time.

 Apparently they do a amazing 1940's weekend here, I have to go.

 Sorry the train photos are rather guff, too many spotters in the way of my master shots ha ha

 Isn't the station pretty?

 The seats were lumpy & bouncy, made it funnier.

 I loved this picture, excuse the reflection.

It was so nice to take a day off & go out for some fun.  We had lunch too and browsed in antique shops. 

The train was fun too, might have to pop back & take a trip in the dining carriage.  A spot of wine & dinner, dressed up to the nines... whats not to love!

To all the wonderful Fathers Past & Present

Daddieeeee you're the BEST!!

I'm lucky to still have my fab Dad around for the best hugs, chats, moans and the odd bit of DIY!!

Last night we went to see a hilarious play by a local dramatics company.  Mum got the giggles and we roared with laughter throughout.  

This is my dear papa on the Jubilee weekend.  Much cake, scones and Pimms were consumed by all.

Clearly the tie was a good purchase!  All vintage & patriotic events it makes an appearance.

Well I will leave you with a silly clean joke - vaguely topical..

They were going to name my brother after my father; but Dad is such a stupid name!! boom boom.

Hope you're all having some time off from the dull stuff. 

Claire   xxxx

I'm not old, just Vintage!

It was my Birthday on Tuesday but the celebrations started on the Sunday before when I met M and R.  After being lavished with presents & cards and a cheeky G and T we headed into Norwich for Flicks & Lips Vintage Make Up Masterclass.  Well let me tell you, we had a blast.  Three lovely vintage bloggers are the brains (and beauty) behind this.  Check out the Historical Sauces There is another one on May 27th.  Highly recommended.  I have managed reasonable eyeliner twice this week - compared to the usual twice a year!! They must be good.  We laughed and learned loads.  A lovely evening, all set up nicely with excellent attention to detail.  There was a sip & shop afterwards.  Vintage shopping & cocktails - perfecto.  Mr fabulous will be the proud receiver of a lovely cravat.  M & I treated ourselves to bow ties which we intend to make into wrist corsages or hairbands.....

My birthday flowers

We had the gorgeous Gemma teach us tips on how to apply liquid eyeliner - no small task for someone who has a wobbly hand and ends up with it everywhere other than where it should be!! We chatted make up, cakes, cocktails and all sorts..... and ate Jubilee Fancies!

We sipped green-jasmine tea bubbles in bone china teacups from a the teapot below!  A recipe from the Vintage Tea Party book by Angel Adoree.  Yum!  Mr Fabulous is back from his travels tomorrow and I shall be serving up that and a few other cocktails - and recipes too.  

 My gorgeous girlyfriends

 A Salvador Dahli lipstick that was a present - yep it's red.  Fabulous packaging too.

 Can you tell I don't like having my photo taken ha ha!!  That's the beautiful & historic Elm Hill behind me.  

 And we went to the X Bells for mind blowing Bloody Mary's afterwards

Our make up was far from perfect ... but we had a perfectly lovely evening.  

I'm back on the blog!!

Well life is a bit of a busy old merry go round.  Sometime I wanna get off ha ha.

My Art Deco (minus Glitter ball) area

Anyway I've been all work & no play (makes Claire a very dull girl).  Sooooo I decided that I must get organised.  This is nothing to all of you fabulous bloggers & readers who have gorgeous spick & span homes and still cook clever dinners from scratch, create pretty things & look like you dropped from a stylish magazine cover.  I however am naff and to achieve one of these things means the other juggling balls drop!!! 

Going too far?  Colour coordinated book library.

Vintage bag cleaning project 

Vintage brooches that I really should sell.

How do you display / store your ostrich feathers??

My Gran's old sewing box, I love it.

My new mirror.  I heart this too.  Sorry I must find out how to rotate on Blogger

Mr Fabulous bought me this hat.. what do you think?

So I decided that if I had a home for everything & everything was put away in it's place (instead of being dumped on the bedroom / kitchen / studio table / floor ......).  It's working too.  ok so the pile of kit on the floor from the business trip & the gym kit from Friday night & the pile of work to do is the exception. (There may be a couple of other messy bits if I'm honest but they will be whisked away in two shakes of a a lambs tail - honest!!!).  So I thought you might like to see some areas of improvement - Be warned - if there are mirrors in the photos you may see more evidence of unrest ha ha.

Pretty as a chocolate box - Forward planning Birthday presents for my girlfriends. 

Hope you're having a lovely weekend.  I have to try & tidy the pile on the kitchen floor, mow the lawn, do some washing, make myself look presentable and dash out for high tea with champagne followed by vintage cocktails for Tina's Birthday.  looks like life just got back to a balance of fun V darned hard work!!!

Hope you're having a splendid weekend.  Will post soon on high tea & if's it's worth a recommendation xxxx

Happy Easter Chickerrooos

Well it's Easter Sunday so I thought I would make some messy Easter cupcakes.  

I have loved these little things since I was a child ... oh dear, guess I will never grow up - or grow out of tat!!!

Someone tell her how to rotate the image in the blog, I feel all the blood rushing to my tiny chicky head!!

 Soooo these were the messy cupcakes.  A little bit lemony with lemon butter icing.  Not too pretty but hopefully taste better than they look!!

What did you get up to? Any nice roasts?  Yuuuuuuummm.

Happy Easter chickies xxx

My new favorite hangouts in Norwich

It's not often that I pop into Norwich - or anywhere else for that matter at the moment.  I should cut bills and just live in the office ha ha!!

Anyway I met up with the lovely Ruthie and we popped to Talc  on Timber Hill for a spot of lunch.  Odd name for a restaurant but a cute place all the same.  It's a mix of vintage decors and crockery, warmth & friendly service - ooh and nice food too.  

And my fav bars are still Franks Bar, Birdcage and the fabulous X Bells which serves the best cocktails in town.  

Mr Fabulous & I popped in for a few on their finest.  They mix incredible Bloody Mary's, vintage style double G&T's yuuuuuum, Old Fashioned, Vespers .......  and yes, I did have a bit of a headache the next day!! Serves me right.  

Anyway as well as the superb drinks it's a pretty cool place with a log fire & Chesterfields, an old red phone box with a cash machine in it and a wall of whiskys! 

 and nice decor and friendly bar team.
I've even taken my parents there after a day of antique shops, vintage fairs & a jaunt to the cinema to see The Artist.

This weekend we have a 1940's event with a Big Band and a vintage flea market ooooh lovely, if I can fit a lay in and a walk on the beach it will be perfect!

Flea Market also on Sunday 25th March 11 - 4pm with local musicians, pop up bar & lounge, tea & cakes. £1 entry.  Can't wait!! 

What are you up to this weekend?  I'd love to know xxxx

Vintage Valentine

Vintage Valentines greetings to you all xxx

 Well it's that sickly day of the year again.  

Much to Mr Fabulous' dismay, I am not one of the great romantics! 

 I did however buy a card & write a little ditty in it....

 And I will dress up in a pretty frock (no ribbons in my hair though) for dinner tonight.

 I shall try my best not too drink too much & become irritating (argumentative!)

 And I will maintain my best table manners & behave like a lady.

 Honest!!

I should count my blessings ....One friend is desperately hoping that she won't get another heart holding cuddly teddy bear - could be worse if it was in a helium balloon too ha ha.

xxx