Cabbages and Frocks

On Sunday, we went to the Marylebone Village Street Fair, which featured Cabbages and Frocks, a craft fair that normally takes place every Saturday in the churchyard of St Marylebone Parish Church. Almost every single thing was very, very cute! These are some of my favourites:

The theme for the day seemed to be bunting and cupcakes, and although these ladies didn't have actual cupcakes at their table, their items were so sweet, I almost went into a sugar coma anyway. As with all the vendors, I asked if they minded if I took a photograph; when I said it was for a blog, they said, "Oh, we love blogs!" Me too!

Unfortunately, I didn't get a card or web address for them and can't find anything Google-able in my photos, so I have no choice but to go back next weekend so I can link to them.

Linda of Handmade to Measure had a gorgeous table dominated by owls, but also featuring cats, cushions, little coin purses and a dachshund draft excluder. She uses vintage fabrics and some carefully chosen reproductions to make these really bright, beautiful designs. As I was taking these pictures, I heard a passerby say to her friend, "Didn't we make owls like that at school? With fabric and bits of felt for the face?" The friend murmured something vaguely affirmative, and the woman said, "Well, I know how to do that, then!" You may know how to do it, I thought, but you didn't do it. Linda did.

Oh, and there was a roast pig.

Stella James makes beautiful organic knits, mostly for little people. This booth actually made feel a little bit sad that I'd managed to buy and send my niece's birthday present (more or less) on time!

Tarts of Temptation are Cabbages and Frocks regulars. They have cupcakes, tarts, cake by the slice and cake-y things like candles, magnets and little knitted cake ornaments (or maybe pin cushions?)

Just a few tables down was Peggy's Cupcakes, which does what it says on the tin - all cupcakes and nothing but. I am sick with jealousy over her gorgeous, fluffy icing, having recently tested and rejected a new recipe for my 4th of July cupcakes.

I'm also quite jealous of her precious cake stands. I've got my eye on a rather different one on Amazon, but these are so sweet.

And it's probably rude to call Chelsea Pensioners sweet, considering that they are all former soldiers, so I asked these gentlemen if I could take their photo because they looked so resplendent. They couldn't refuse after that - who could?

Toys

I found out the other day that my young friend Bo (you may have seen her wearing a tiger dress and a leafy fairy dress) is a big fan of Winnie the Pooh. So big a fan, in fact, that according to her mother, she has been absolutely weepy on learning that "there are no more Pooh books" beyond the ones they have already read. I know that heartache - I was pretty upset myself when I realised the severely limited size of JD Salinger's ouvre.

Anyway, the discussion of Pooh made me think of Eeyore. Not just the depressive donkey in the books, but my very first toy, bought for me by my dad before I was even born. All things considered, I think he's holding up pretty well. He still has his tail (unlike the original) and while he only has half a smile left, I don't think the Eeyore in the book ever really smiles at all.

While I'm getting nostalgic about toys, I thought I'd also photograph Munka. As far as I know, he doesn't appear in any classics of children's literature, but I think he'd very nice. He's been in the wars and has the scars to prove it; as I was posing him in the chair, I found another seam that could use some mending. He's also incredibly lumpy. But a very nice monkey, I think.

Who Needs a Beach?

I had a very productive meeting with my dissertation tutor yesterday and have a big research day planned for tomorrow, so since Matthew had the day off, we spent it hanging around the house. We were actually much more productive than the following photographs would suggest. Matthew did more painting on the conservatory doors and frame. I did a lot of weeding and general gardening, washed and hung two loads of laundry, and put away my winter coats and scarves. Once that was all done, we sat in our deck chairs under the fig tree and read. I even read a school book - that's how dedicated I am. It's a pretty idyllic scene:

And so you can really see what it's like when in use, please see below, in which Matthew reads about crazy German terrorists while soaking up the sun: